System for adjusting the firmness of a substrate

1. A system for adjusting firmness of a substrate configured to support a subject, the system comprising:

a first rod configured to be movable by a mechanism, the first rod positioned proximate a lateral edge of the substrate;

flexible straps extending between the first rod and an anchor and attached to the first rod and the anchor at respective ends of each flexible strap, the anchor positioned proximate an opposing lateral edge of the substrate, the anchor being one of a second rod and a frame portion configured to support the substrate; and

a second rod as the anchor, the second rod parallel to and spaced from the first rod a distance that spans a majority of a dimension of the substrate, wherein the flexible straps extend between the first rod and the second rod, and wherein the second rod is also configured to be movable by the mechanism, the mechanism configured to:

move the first rod in a first direction and the second rod in a second direction to increase tension on the flexible straps; and

move the first rod in a second direction and the second rod in the first direction to decrease tension on the flexible straps.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is a handle extending from the first rod to be accessible to the subject, the handle movable by the subject to rotate the first rod in the first direction and rotate the first rod in the second direction, the mechanism including stops to hold the handle in a particular position, the particular position associated with a selected firmness.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each flexible strap comprises a central portion, a first rod attachment portion, and a second anchor attachment portion, with a spring connecting the central portion to one of the first rod attachment portion and the second anchor attachment portion.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is a motor, the system further comprising a controller configured to control the motor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive input from the subject directing an increase or a decrease in the firmness of the substrate, the controller controlling the motor to move the first rod based on the input.

6. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:

strain gauges, each strain gauge associated with a respective flexible strap and configured to measure a strain on the respective flexible strap and output the strain to the controller.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first rod has multiple sections each configured to move independently from other sections via clutches, each clutch associated with a respective section, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to selectively individually move each of the multiple sections based on the strain outputted by each strain gauge.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first rod has multiple sections and the motor is multiple motors, each of the multiple sections configured to move independently from other sections via an associated motor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each of the multiple motors to selectively individually move each of the multiple sections based on the strain outputted by each strain gauge.

10. The system of claim 1 , and further comprising means to select a firmness setting and communicate through a controller.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is further configured to move the first rod and move the second rod to adjust the firmness of a portion of the substrate.

12. A system for adjusting firmness of a substrate configured to support a subject, the system comprising:

a motor;

a controller configured to control the motor;

a first rod configured to be moved by the motor;

a second rod parallel to the first rod, the first rod and the second rod spaced to span a majority of a width of the substrate;

flexible straps extending between the first rod and the second rod and attached to the first rod and the second rod at respective ends of each flexible strap; and

strain gauges, each strain gauge associated with a respective flexible strap and configured to measure a strain on the respective flexible strap and output the strain to the controller, wherein in the controller is configured to control the motor to:

move the first rod in a first direction to increase tension on the flexible straps; and

move the first rod in a second direction to decrease tension on the flexible straps,

wherein the first rod has multiple sections and the motor is multiple motors, each of the multiple sections configured to move independently from other sections via an associated motor.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive input from the subject directing an increase or a decrease in the firmness of the substrate, the controller controlling at least one of the multiple motors the motor based on the input.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein each flexible strap comprises a central portion, a first rod attachment portion, and a second rod attachment portion, with a spring connecting the central portion to one of the first rod attachment portion and the second rod attachment portion.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the multiple motors moves the first rod away from the second rod when the controller moves the first rod in the first direction to increase tension on the flexible straps and moves the first rod toward the second rod when the controller moves the first rod in the second direction to decrease tension on the flexible straps.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second rod is also configured to be moved by the motor, the controller further configured to control the motor to:

move the second rod away from the first rod to increase tension on the flexible straps and move the second rod toward the first rod to decrease tension on the flexible straps.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each of the multiple motors to selectively individually move each of the multiple sections based on the strain outputted by each strain gauge.

18. The system of claim 12 , and further comprising means to select a firmness setting and communicate through the controller.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the multiple motors are aligned axially along a centerline axis of the first rod.

20. A system for adjusting firmness of a substrate configured to support a subject, the system comprising:

a motor;

a controller configured to control the motor;

a first rod configured to be moved by the motor;

a second rod parallel to the first rod, the first rod and the second rod spaced to span a majority of a width of the substrate;

flexible straps extending between the first rod and the second rod and attached to the first rod and the second rod at respective ends of each flexible strap; and

strain gauges, each strain gauge associated with a respective flexible strap and configured to measure a strain on the respective flexible strap and output the strain to the controller, wherein in the controller is configured to control the motor to:

move the first rod in a first direction to increase tension on the flexible straps; and

move the first rod in a second direction to decrease tension on the flexible straps, wherein the first rod has multiple sections each configured to move independently from other sections via clutches, each clutch associated with a respective section.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to selectively individually move each of the multiple sections based on the strain outputted by each strain gauge.

22. The system of claim 20 , and further comprising means to select a firmness setting and communicate through the controller.