Microclimate system for a patient support apparatus

1. A microclimate system comprising

a support surface including a topper, the topper configured to conduct air along a top face of the support surface so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the support surface are drawn away from the top face of the support surface,

an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper to provide air thereto, and

an in-line sensor unit coupled to the controller, the in-line sensor unit coupled between the blower and the topper and configured to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided to the topper from the air box,

wherein the controller is configured to receive from a control panel a selected level of microclimate control including a corresponding preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper, to receive indication of the input factor from the in-line sensor unit, to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity along the top face of the topper based at least in part on the input factor, and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity available along the top face of the topper.

2. The microclimate system of claim 1 , wherein the in-line sensor unit includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a pressure sensor.

3. The microclimate system of claim 2 , wherein the in-line sensor unit includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.

4. The microclimate system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity along the top face of the topper based at least in part on the input factor by (i) looking up an actual level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the detected input factor in a first look-up table and (ii) comparing the actual level of evaporative capacity with the preset level of evaporative capacity available along the top face of the topper.

5. The microclimate system of claim 4 , wherein the controller updates the current operating parameters of the air box by (i) looking up new operating parameters corresponding to the detected input factor in a second look-up table and (ii) changing the current operating parameters to the new operating parameters.

6. The microclimate system of claim 1 , wherein the air box includes a conditioning unit coupled to the controller, and the conditioning unit is coupled between the blower and the topper.

7. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein the conditioning unit includes at least one of a heater configured to warm air moving from the blower to the topper and a cooler configured to cool air moving from the blower to the topper.

8. The microclimate system of claim 7 , wherein the operating parameters of the air box include blower speed settings and conditioning unit power settings.

9. The microclimate system of claim 1 , wherein the selected level of microclimate control includes a corresponding preset level of heat withdrawal to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper and the controller is configured to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of heat withdrawal based at least in part on the input factor and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide both the preset level of evaporative capacity and the preset level of heat withdrawal.

10. The microclimate system of claim 9 , wherein the air box includes a conditioning unit coupled to the controller, the conditioning unit includes at least one of a heater configured to warm air moving from the blower to the topper and a cooler configured to cool air moving from the blower to the topper, and the operating parameters to be updated if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity or the preset level of heat withdrawal include blower speed settings that adjust the volume of air from the air box and conditioning unit power settings that adjust the temperature of air from the air box.

11. The microclimate system of claim 1 , wherein the air box includes a housing and a connector hose that extends between the housing and the topper, and the in-line sensor unit is disposed in the connector hose.

12. A microclimate system comprising

a topper,

an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper to provide air thereto, and

an in-line sensor unit coupled the controller and configured to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided from the blower to the topper,

wherein the controller is configured to receive a preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along the top face of the topper, to receive indication of the input factor from the environmental sensor unit, to determine if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity based at least in part on the input factor, and to update the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity.

13. The microclimate system of claim 12 , wherein the air box includes a housing and a connector hose that extends between the housing and the topper, and the in-line sensor unit is disposed in the connector hose.

14. The microclimate system of claim 12 , wherein the air box includes a conditioning unit coupled to the controller, the conditioning unit coupled between the blower and the topper, and the conditioning unit including at least one of a heater configured to warm air moving from the blower to the topper and a cooler configured to cool air moving from the blower to the topper.

15. The microclimate system of claim 14 , wherein the operating parameters of the air box include blower speed settings and conditioning unit power settings.

16. The microclimate system of claim 12 , wherein the in-line sensor unit is coupled between the blower and the topper.

17. A method for controlling a microclimate system including a topper and an air box coupled to the topper to provide pressurized air to the topper, the method comprising

receiving from a control panel a preset level of evaporative capacity to be provided by the microclimate system along a top face of the topper,

receiving information that corresponds to air provided to the topper from the air box from a sensor unit that is coupled between a blower of the air box and the topper,

determining if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity through the topper based at least in part on the information, and

updating the current operating parameters of the air box if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the preset level of evaporative capacity through the topper.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining if current operating parameters of the air box provide the preset level of evaporative capacity includes (i) looking up an actual level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the received information in a first look-up table and (ii) comparing the actual level of evaporative capacity parameters with the preset level of evaporative capacity.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein updating the current operating parameters of the air box includes (i) looking up new operating parameters corresponding to the received information in a second look-up table and (ii) changing the current operating parameters to the new operating parameters.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the information received corresponds to at least one of temperature, humidity, and pressure of air provided to the topper from the air box.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining if current operating parameters of the air box provide the evaporative capacity includes (i) calculating an actual level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the received information using a first equation and (ii) comparing the actual level of evaporative capacity with the preset level of evaporative capacity.