具体实施方式：
[0014] By reference, the specifications of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/672,442, filed Jun. 28, 1996, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/382,150, filed Jan. 31, 1995, are incorporated herein as if each were now set forth in its respective entirety.
[0015] Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustration provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto. The preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bariatric patient therapeutic treatment system 100, generally comprises a treatment bed uniquely indicated for bariatric patients, i.e., patients weighing in excess of 500 pounds, commonly in the range of 500-800 pounds. The frame of the bed generally comprises a base frame 101, a load frame 102 and various assemblies. The basic mattress 104, or “patient surface,” of the bed consists of a specialty low air loss mattress providing a comprehensive system of pulmonary and skin care therapies for the critically ill, immobilized patient 118. Such therapies include gentle side-to-side rotation of a patient, percussion (or vibration) therapy, and gentle pulsation of the air cells supporting the patient. The system further comprises an automated CPR mode, which is—activated and deactivated via a plurality of CPR mode activation controls. The detailed operation of the CPR mode activation system will be apparent further herein.
[0016] Frame assemblies 103 and accompanying patient surfaces 105 provide support for the patient's head and back, buttocks, and legs and feet. A provided head and X-ray assembly 103a further comprises a mechanism for holding an X-ray cassette, detailed further herein. A provided seat assembly 103b further comprises a set of jack motors used to adjust the angular orientation relative to seat assembly 103b of head and X-ray assembly 103a and leg assembly 103c, as will be evident further herein. A provided foot board assembly 115 is dependently attached to the leg assembly 103c by means providing useful benefit to both the patient 118 and caregiver, also detailed further herein.
[0017] The base frame 101 generally comprises longitudinal beams and transverse elements. The base frame 101 further comprises a plurality of floor-engaging casters 106, conventionally journaled near the four corners of said frame. Locking mechanisms 114 are provided for the casters 106. Such locking mechanisms 114 may be set to prevent either rotation or steering of the casters 106, hence holding bed 100 stationary, as is conventional with many hospital bed frames. Weldments are provided which allow location of corner posts 108 on which may be installed intravenous injection (IV) holders or standard traction frames. The corner posts 108 are adapted with convenient integral hand holds to facilitate patient entrance or exit of the bed 100. The hand holds, as provided by the comer posts may also assist caregivers in transport of the bed 100. The bed's controls are contained in a 360 degree swivel mounted on either foot comer post 108a, 108b. The swivel allows the controller 117 to be moved out of harm's way during transport through doors and hallways. Because the swivel provides flexibility in location and orientation of the controls, the need for multiple control panels is eliminated. Elimination of multiple control panels eliminates complicated wiring schemes and reduces overall failure modes.
[0018] Molded plastic covers 109 enhance aesthetic appeal and provide convenient locations for affixing instructions 129 or warning labels. Bumpers made of rubber or other similar materials may also be installed on covers 109 for protection of both bed and the walls and doorways of the facility where the bed 100 is used.
[0019] The load frame 102 generally comprises longitudinally disposed beams and transverse elements. Additional transverse elements are used for attachment of jack motors. The description and function of such motors will be apparent further herein. The load frame 102 is referred to as such, because it carries the entire load of the patient surface. It dependently attaches to the base frame 101 in a way that weighs that load as it is transmitted to the base frame 101. That connection between the load frame 102 and the base frame 101 is provided by a scale mechanism well known in the art and similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,428, incorporated herein by this reference as though now set forth in its entirety. The scale mechanism generally comprises a pair of displacement transmitting members, which are respectively connected between transverse elements via flexures.
[0020] Each transmitting member is attached to a base frame element via a flexure and also to a load frame element via a flexure. Attachment in this manner causes displacement of bars which are connected to the members in a cantilevered manner. Displacement, which is limited by springs, is measured in the area of the springs by linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs). Displacement measured by the LVDTs corresponds in direct proportion to the weight of the load frame and all which is supported thereby. A locking mechanism comprising common hardware is desired to prevent motion of the load frame 102 relative to the base frame 101 during transport of bed 100. This serves to prevent damage of the scale mechanism due to excessive forces as may be encountered when attempting to negotiate a short step or the like. Other conventional mechanical stops are used to limit movement and prevent damage in normal use, when the locking mechanism is not utilized.
[0021] A raise-and-lower mechanism produces vertical movement and Trendelenburg tilting of the seat assembly 103b. In particular, a head torque arm weldment and a foot torque arm weldment are pivotally attached to the load frame 102. The seat assembly 103b is dependently attached to weldments by members. Specifically, the foot torque arm weldment connects at points to members by bushings and other necessary hardware as is well known in the art of manufacturing hospital beds. The head torque arm and foot torque arm weldments are articulated about their pivotal attachments to the load frame by extension or retraction of jack tubes (or “sleeves”) by jack motors. The jack motors, of the type referred to in the industry as linear actuators, attach the transverse members of the load, frame by torque arm pins, themselves affixed by cotter pins.
[0022] Extension of either tube by the corresponding motor causes the attached weldment to pivot relative to the load frame 102 such that the connection points of the corresponding members articulate upwardly. Retraction of either tube would have the opposite effect, that of lowering the members. Said articulation has the effect of causing the members to raise or lower in vertical motion, thereby raising or lowering seat assembly 103b in vertical motion. In the preferred embodiment, such articulation as raises seat assembly 103b is said to provide a BED UP function. Such articulation as lowers seat assembly 103b is said to provide a BED DOWN function. It is believed that the system described herein, having mechanically articulated attachment points at the four comers of the seat assembly 103b, promotes greater stability than would a system utilizing hydraulic type cylinders wherein the support is typically concentrated along a single longitudinal axis.
[0023] Articulation by one jack motor greater or less than that of the other jack motor has the effect of establishing the patient support surface 105 in a Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg treatment position. Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg therapy is well know in the art for treatment of certain cardiac conditions and is considered an important feature for many conventional hospital beds, although the excessive weight of bariatric patients has led the art away from incorporating such features in a bariatric bed. The preferred embodiment 100 is capable of achieving ten degrees Trendelenburg or twelve and one half degrees reverse Trendelenburg therapy. Articulation to effect such treatment is referred to as providing the TRENDELENBURG. or REVERSE TRENDELENBURG function.
[0024] The head assembly 103a is dependently attached to the seat assembly 103b by laterally oriented hinging. Articulation of the head and X-ray assembly 103a about this hinge is effected by extension or retraction of a jack sleeve under the force of a jack motor. The jack motor, of the type referred to in the industry as a linear actuator, dependently attaches to the seat assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. The jack sleeve attaches to the head and X-ray assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. In the preferred embodiment, extension of the jack sleeve is said to provide a HEAD UP function. Retraction of the jack sleeve is said to provide a HEAD DOWN function. The head assembly 103a for the treatment system generally comprises a rail encompassing a head board. The rail and head board are mated together with weldments. The weldments provide a channel for horizontal containment of an X-ray cassette. The transverse weldment combines with a hinge and another weldment to provide structural support of the head and X-ray assembly. An X-ray board serves to maintain the right-angled shape of the perimetrical structure, thereby facilitating ease of insertion and removal of an X-ray cassette. The X-ray board and head board of the preferred embodiment comprise a radiolucent material. While it is well known in the art of design and manufacture of patient treatment beds to provide a mechanism for holding an X-ray cassette behind the patient's head and chest areas, prior art designs have not improved the means for insertion and removal of the X-ray cassette. Specifically it is desirable to be able to raise or lower the cassette from one side only so that in cases where access to the treatment bed may be limited to one side, by a wall or medical apparatus, for instance, an X-ray cassette still may be easily inserted and subsequently removed. Because prior art embodiments of bariatric beds do not provide mechanisms for keeping the sides of an X-ray cassette parallel with the sides of the holding assembly, the caregiver has been forced to have access to both sides of the treatment bed in order to manually guide the cassette into place. The embodiment 100 detailed herein utilizes a mechanism from other arts to provide a solution to the problem described. A block and pulley system, comprising a left block and right block, plurality of single pulleys, plurality of double pulleys and plurality of cables, allows the X-ray bar to be raised and lowered from just one of a plurality of handles, although nothing prevents two or more handles from being used, all the while maintaining the bar in a position parallel to the transverse element. The handles may lock at a plurality of vertical positions within slots in the channel members. Although referring to an unrelated field of art, the block and pulley system shown is similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,430, incorporated herein by this reference as though here now set forth in its entirety.
[0025] The leg assembly 103c is dependently attached to the seat assembly 103b by a laterally oriented hinge. Articulation of the leg assembly 103c about this hinge is effected by extension or retraction of a jack sleeve under the force of a jack motor, of the type referred to in the industry as a linear actuator, which dependently attaches to the seat assembly, weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. The jack sleeve attaches to the leg assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. In the preferred embodiment, extension of the jack sleeve is said to provide a LEGS UP function. Retraction of the jack sleeve is said to provide a LEGS DOWN function. The leg assembly is detailed further herein with discussion of the foot board assembly.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment, full extension of the head jack sleeve in order to provide full HEAD UP and simultaneous full retraction of the legs jack sleeve in order to provide full LEGS DOWN causes conversion of the bariatric treatment system bed into a bariatric treatment system reclining chair, as depicted by FIG. 5. In combination with unique benefits provided by the leg and foot board assemblies, as well as by the therapeutic mattress system, detailed further herein, the chair position of the bariatric treatment system is particularly suited toward facilitation of entrance or exit of the bed by a bariatric patient. It should also be noted that the seat assembly provides a convenient mounting location for patient restraint system weldments, as are known by those of ordinary skill in the art and may or may not be desired depending upon the specific application.
[0027] The foot board assembly 115 is dependently attached to the leg assembly 103c. The leg assembly 103c generally comprises a leg plate as reinforced by an “I” shaped weldment. This weldment comprises a plurality of attachment points, the purpose of which will be evident herein. The foot board assembly generally comprises a foot plate a plurality of hinges, cushions and a heavy duty fabric cover. The cover, in the preferred embodiment, is “Dartex P 109,” commercially available from Penn-Nyla of Nottingham, England.
[0028] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention 100, the foam used for the foot plate lower cushion is a antimicrobial open-cell polyurethane foam having a relatively large density of 2.7 pounds per cubic foot and 70 pounds compression. The foam used for the foot plate upper cushion is a similar antimicrobial open-cell polyurethane, but is less dense than the lower cushion, having a density of 2.0 pounds per cubic foot and 41 pounds compression. Both cushions are wedge-shaped, with their greater thicknesses (roughly 1.75 inches and 0.5 inch, respectively) being distal to the hinge. The relative characteristics of these foam cushions serve their varied purposes.
[0029] It is well know in the art of designing and manufacturing bariatric patient treatment beds to provide a means by which the patient can easily enter or exit the bed. The patient foot board assembly 115 now described, including the unique dampening features briefly described in the following, is identical to that fully enabled in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/382,150, filed Jan. 31, 1995, hereinabove incorporated by reference. Bariatric patients are often not able to hop or step down even short distances without injury or loss of balance. It is therefore desirable to provide a means for entrance or exit which lifts the patient into the bed and similarly sets the patient's feet very near the floor when exiting the bed. In the prior art, it has been shown that a rigid foot board in combination w7th a chair position feature, as previously detailed herein, facilitates bariatric patient care. However, measures are taken to ensure such foot boards are not used as a step when exiting the bed, presumably for safety reasons in view of the excessive weight of bariatric patients. The present invention goes against such teachings by providing a foot board which is adapted to be used safely as a step for bariatric patients.
[0030] The foot board assembly 115 attaches to the leg assembly 103c by such means as to provide gradual increase in rigidity as weight is applied to the foot cushion 116, so as to provide adequate support of the bariatric patient entering or exiting bed yet avoiding fixed resistance to a sudden increase in force. The primary attachment of the foot board assembly to the leg assembly is by a hinge through weldments on the foot board assembly and a plurality of holes in a weldment of the leg assembly. Articulation about this hinge is constrained by dampening cylinders and a spring, as detailed further herein. The spring, in compression, attaches to the leg assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. The spring attaches to the foot board assembly weldment also by a pin, itself affixed by another cotter pin. A hydraulic cylinder, of the type which dampens primarily in compression, attaches to the leg assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by a cotter pin. The compression hydraulic cylinder attaches to the foot board assembly weldment also by a pin, itself affixed by another cotter pin. A hydraulic cylinder, of the type which dampens primarily in tension, attaches to the leg assembly weldment by a pin, itself affixed by cotter pin. The tension hydraulic cylinder attaches to the foot board assembly weldment also by a pin, itself affixed by another cotter pin. The particular cylinder selected for compression dampening is, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable cylinder having a two-inch stroke and available through Enidine of Orchard Park, N.Y., part number (LR)OEM 1.SM X 2. The particular cylinder selected for tension dampening is, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable cylinder having a four-inch stroke and also available through Enidine of Orchard Park, N.Y., part number ADA S 1 OT. The particular spring selected is, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a medium load, round wire spring available through Lee Spring Company of Brooklyn, N.Y., part number LHL-1 SOOA-9MW.
[0031] Under the weight of a bariatric patient, the compression dampening hydraulic cylinder increasingly resists articulation of the foot board assembly about the attaching hinge. Gradually, resistance will increase as more weight is applied by the patient. In this manner, the foot board assembly is able to provide increasingly rigid support of the bariatric patient while minimizing any risk of snapping under the weight of a typical bariatric patient. Further, if a bariatric patient should apply weight onto foot board at excessive speed, the dampening action of the compression dampening hydraulic cylinder may serve to prevent injury to the patient's knees and legs. Once weight is removed from foot board (such as once the patient has completely exited the bed), the spring returns the foot board assembly to its original position with respect to the leg assembly. The tension dampening hydraulic cylinder resists the return motion of the spring. Such dampening helps prevent snapback of the foot board assembly, which might otherwise present safety hazards.
[0032] The cushions not only enhance patient comfort but can also cushion engagement of the foot board with the floor as the patient exits or enters the bed. Additionally, in case a caregiver is unalert and places a foot beneath foot board assembly, and a patient's weight does cause the foot board assembly to contact the caregiver's foot, heavy padding of the lower cushion distributes the weight and cushions the caregiver's foot to help prevent excessive discomfort or physical injury.
[0033] Pins 134, held in position beneath the foot board assembly by nuts, may be placed in a release position so as to allow the foot plate to articulate about a secondary attachment hinge. Said release allows the patient support foot cushion to lie coplanar with the leg cushion. This may be desirable when the bed surface is in a horizontal position and the caregiver wishes to minimize pressure against the patient's feet.
[0034] The left side rail 110a generally comprises a metal frame encased by molded plastic covers 111a The frame is generally dependently attached to a side rail mounting plate through weldments and shafts, substantially identical those fully enabled in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/382,150, filed Jan. 31, 1995, hereinabove incorporated by reference. These weldments and shafts are themselves major components of a mechanism for raising and lowering of the side rail assembly. Said mechanism is also utilized for lateral translation of the side rail assembly, thereby extending or compressing the lateral dimension of the bariatric treatment system. Details of the manufacture and use of this mechanism will be evident further herein.
[0035] The aforementioned mechanism comprises those elements necessary for raising, lowering or laterally translating the left side rail. Weldments are dependently cantilevered, in fixed relation from shafts. The shafts freely rotate and slide laterally within bushings. These bushings are dependently attached to a mounting plate in fixed position. Pawls are connected by a rod in such manner as to require coordinated motion of said pawls. A plurality of rectangular pegs form teeth on the shafts in such a manner as to form a ratchet mechanism with the pawls. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratchet mechanism allows the side rail to be raised by lifting only from a lowest TRANSPORT position to either a middle LOWERED position or the upper RAISED position. In order to lower the side rail from the RAISED position to the LOWERED position or from the LOWERED position to the TRANSPORT position, a provided release lever must be manually articulated in order to cause release of the pawls from the teeth of the shafts. From the LOWERED position, the side rail may be freely translated laterally outward from the center of the bed. This configuration is referred to as EXTENDED in the preferred embodiment. From the EXTENDED position, the side rail may be returned to the RAISED position. The side rail, when in the EXTENDED RAISED position, must be lowered prior to translation back toward the center of bed, the NORMAL position. In the TRANSPORT position, the side rail of the preferred embodiment may be further translated toward the center of the bed, to a location beneath the seat assembly, thereby maximally reducing the overall lateral dimension of the bed. The reduction in lateral width attainable is sufficient so as to be able to fit the bed through a standard hospital doorway. Although the excessive width of bariatric patient treatment beds has long been recognized as an undesirable characteristic for transport, prior art embodiments of bariatric patient treatment beds have failed to provide an economical, reliable and easy-to-manufacture side rail design with multiple functions and abilities for use on a bariatric bed such as that described herein.
[0036] As is well known in the art, the bariatric patient 118 is often of such limited mobility as to make it impracticable for such a patient to utilize bed function controls mounted on a side rail. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a hand held bed function control pendant 124 which comprises a molded plastic body encompassing necessary electronic hardware, as is common in the industry, and a clip 125 for easy stowage upon a side rail 110. The pendant 124 includes a plurality of push button membrane switches allowing the patient 118 to control such functions as BED UP, BED DOWN, HEAD UP, HEAD DOWN, LEGS UP and LEGS DOWN, as have been previously detailed. The pendant 124 attaches to the swivel mounted main control 117 panel by a cord 126 and plug. An infrared hand held control 127 is also provided in the preferred embodiment. The infrared control 127 comprises the same functionality as does the hardwired pendant 124 and also comprises a similar attachment clip 128. It communicates with the master controller through an infrared detector, and associated hardware and software, mounted on the underside of the swivel mounted main control panel 117. As will be understood further herein, a serial bus architecture, employed extensively in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, allows simple, parallel implementation of the three control units 117,124,127.
[0037] The therapeutic structure of the bariatric treatment system 100 generally comprises a patient support surface, blower and valve box assemblies, and a patient rotation angle sensing system. The patient support surface 105, normally covered by a sheet, generally comprises a plurality of patient support air cushions 130-133, turning air bladders 135, patient restraining bladders 136 and a percussor bladder. All air bladders in the preferred embodiment comprise a polyurethane coated, impermeable, heavy duty fabric.
[0038] The patient support air cushions 130-133 are inflated by air which has been transmitted through a plurality of polyethylene hoses from a blower and valve assembly 137. The plurality of hoses are connected to the cushions sectionally, hence compartmienting air flow into the head section 130, back section 131, torso section 132 and legs section 133. Further, the cushions of the back 131, torso 132 and legs 133 sections are supplied with air from the hoses in alternating fashion. This allows the patient 118 supported upon the surface to receive pulsation therapy as is well known in the treatment and prevention of bedsores, or decubitus ulcers, and other pressure related complications of extended confinement to hospital beds. Pulsation therapy is accomplished by first reducing pressures through the hoses feeding every other bladder in the desired pulsation region, hence deflating the attached cushions. Upon attaining the maximum desired deflation in these cushions air flow is restored through the hoses, again inflating the connected cushions. Simultaneously, with the re-inflation of the first deflated cushions, pressure is decreased in each bladder adjacent those being reinflated, within the pulsation region, by decreasing flow through the hoses connected thereto. Upon attaining the maximum desired deflation in this second group of bladders, and simultaneously the maximum desired inflation in the first group of bladders; the cycle is reversed and repeated. It should be noted that for the purpose of this discussion maximum desired inflation and deflation is determined by the desired therapy intensity which in the preferred embodiment is caregiver selectable as LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH PULSATION. Under the control of the microprocessor systems detailed further herein, this pulsation is available with cycle periods from two to forty minutes. Separation of the air cushions of the back section 131, torso section 132 and legs section 133 also allows independent adjustment of maximum pressures in each region thus allowing more optimal minimization of pressure points against the patient. The cushions 130 of the head section are supplied with air taken from splices 138 into the those hoses which supply air to the back section. The air is first fed into a shuttle and check valve system 139, wherein any pulsation which may be activated is dampened out. In particular, a shuttle valve 140 acts to pass the highest pressure air from either of the two lines to a restricted flow port 141. A check valve 142 is provided which allows air flowing to the head section 130 to only pass through the flow port 141. In the event that CPR functions are activated, as will be understood further herein, the check valve 142 allows flow from the head section 130 to pass through the flow port 141 as well as through a much larger port about the check valve 142. The restricted, or dampened, air flow is then directed into the cushions 130 of the head section which exhibit only minimal pulsation effects.
[0039] The patient restraint bladders 136 are also inflated through polyethylene hoses which originate from the same blower and valve assembly 137 as do the hoses to the patient support cushions 130-133. In particular, these bladders 136 are inflated from a hose spliced into one set of hoses feeding the torso section 132. A check valve 143 is provided which prevents the restraint bladders 136 from deflating with pulsation therapy. A plurality of bladders 119 is provided for expanded patient support when the bariatric treatment system 100 is in the EXTENDED side rail position, as described hereinabove. The bladders 119 receive inflating air through hoses spliced into the set of hoses feeding the torso section 132 not spliced to the restraint bladders 136. A check valve 144 such as that utilized for the restraint bladders 136 is provided to prevent deflation of the expanded support bladders 119 during pulsation therapy in the torso section 132. When the EXTENDED position is not selected, these bladders are disconnected from their supply hoses and tucked away beneath the back 105b and legs 105c sections of the patient support system 104. A manual three way valve 14 is provided to prevent uncontained discharge of air during the condition where these hoses are disconnected. Except for the modifications as noted hereinabove, the construction and operation of the foregoing inflation structure 146 is substantially identical that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/672,442, filed Jun. 28, 1996, hereinabove incorporated by reference.
[0040] The inflation structure 146 for the turning bladders 135 generally provides for a LEFT ROTATION and a RIGHT ROTATION turn of the patient. A left rotation turn of the patient accomplished by inflation of the left turning bladder 135a through a first hose from the valve block 137 while simultaneously exhausting air in the right rotation bladder 135b through a second hose from the valve block 137. Similarly, a right rotation turn of the supported patient 118 is accomplished by inflation of the right turning bladder 135b through the second hose while simultaneously exhausting air in the left turning bladder 135a through the first hose.
[0041] The best mode embodiment of the bariatric treatment system's valve block assembly 137 generally comprises a manifold 147 with a motor mounting plate 148 supported a distance separated from the manifold by a plurality of industry standard stand-offs. Dependently mounted upon the motor mounting plate is a plurality of 12-volt, reversible direction, direct current motors 149. Each such motor 149 is provided with electrical connection from a positive terminal 150 and a negative terminal 151 through a connector to a relay board, understood further herein. Each motor 149 is further provided with a chassis ground connection 152. Additionally, the valve block assembly 137 comprises a plurality of air tubes 153 which provide air flow to the patient supporting air cushions 130-133, extension and restraint bladders 119, 136, and turning bladders 135 as hereinabove described.
[0042] Each valve control motor 149 further comprises a valve control motor shaft 154 connected to a coupling 155 by a pin 156, which coupling 155 further connects to a valve screw 158 by another pin 157. In the preferred embodiment 100 space is conserved by utilizing a valve screw 158 which is of adequate diameter to fit coaxially over the coupling 155, hence eliminating the need for an additional shaft. This reduces the longitudinal dimension of the valve block assembly 137 while utilizing only that space otherwise required due to the diameter of the valve motors 149. Connection of each shaft 154 to its corresponding valve screw 158 via a coupling 155 and pins 156, 157 allows floating of the valve screw 158, promoting self-alignment with the valve spool 159. This design simplifies manufacture and increases reliability of the valve block assembly's operation.
[0043] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/672,442, filed Jun. 28, 1996, hereinabove incorporated by reference, shows a valve motor with a valve spool in the air inflation position, no flow position and air exhausting positions, respectively. When the valve motor turns in the valve opening direction, the valve screw drives the valve spool away from the valve motor creating a flow path between an internal cavity and the corresponding hose connection tube. The cavity is pressurized by a blower within a provided blower and valve block housing. In an alternate embodiment, without loss of performance, this blower may be mounted separately from the housing and cavity. In such an embodiment, which may be advantageous for conservation of space, the blower would connect to the cavity via an air hose. Air flow between the cavity and tube serves to inflate any air bladders which may be connected. The application shows the valve spool in the closed position so as to block any flow into or out of the corresponding tube. The application also shows the valve spool in the exhausting position. When the valve motor turns in the valve exhausting direction, the valve screw drives the valve spool toward the valve motor creating a flow path between the corresponding tube