阅读说明：本技术 身体支撑组件 (Body support assembly ) 是由 科内利斯·弗朗西斯库斯·德拉海 埃德蒙·大卫·奥夫纳斯特 于 2019-09-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种身体支撑组件,包括(i)上缓冲区(6)和下缓冲区(7),并由隔离片材(8)分隔开。缓冲区(6、7)由可压缩材料组成,该可压缩材料在所有方向上都是可渗透空气的,(ii)用于环境空气的第一流动路径(10),该第一流动路径包括位于支撑组件的底表面(3)的空气入口开口(11)、空气置换装置(12)、第一热交换器(13)和位于支撑组件的底表面(3)的单一的或独立的空气出口开口(14),(iii)用于空气的第二流动路径,该第二流动路径包括空气入口(19)、空气置换装置(20)、第二热交换器(17),经过下缓冲区(7)、经过隔离片材(8)中的开口(23)并经过上缓冲区(6)和顶表面(2)中的多个空气出口(22)。热交换器(13、17)是位于缓冲容积(4)内的珀耳帖效应单元(16)的一部分。(The invention relates to a body support assembly comprising (i) an upper cushioning zone (6) and a lower cushioning zone (7) separated by a barrier sheet (8). The buffer zones (6, 7) are composed of a compressible material which is permeable to air in all directions, (ii) a first flow path (10) for ambient air comprising an air inlet opening (11) at the bottom surface (3) of the support assembly, an air displacing means (12), a first heat exchanger (13) and a single or separate air outlet opening (14) at the bottom surface (3) of the support assembly, (iii) a second flow path for air comprising an air inlet (19), an air displacing means (20), a second heat exchanger (17), through the lower buffer zone (7), through an opening (23) in the insulating sheet (8) and through the upper buffer zone (6) and a plurality of air outlets (22) in the top surface (2). The heat exchanger (13, 17) is part of a Peltier element (16) located within the buffer volume (4).)

1. A body support assembly having a top surface for supporting a human body and a spaced apart bottom surface, defining a cushioning volume and defining sidewalls, wherein the top surface has an air permeability greater than the bottom surface and greater than the sidewalls, wherein the cushioning volume comprises,

an upper cushioning zone nearest the top surface, and a lower cushioning zone, the upper and lower cushioning zones separated by a separator sheet, wherein the upper and lower cushioning zones are comprised of a compressible material that is permeable to air in all directions;

a first flow path for ambient air comprising a single or separate air inlet opening at the bottom surface of the support assembly, an air displacement device, a first heat exchanger, and a single or separate air outlet opening at the bottom surface of the support assembly;

a second flow path for air, comprising: an air inlet; an air displacement device; a second heat exchanger; a flow path for the compressible material through the lower cushioning zone, through an opening in the separator sheet, and through the compressible material of the upper cushioning zone; and a plurality of air outlets in the top surface; and is

Wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are part of a Peltier effect unit positioned within the buffer volume, the unit being configured to cool air in the first flow path and heat air in the second flow path in one mode of operation and/or to heat air in the first flow path and cool air in the second flow path in a second mode of operation.

2. The body support unit of claim 1, wherein the second flow path allows air to circulate: from the second heat exchanger to the upper buffer volume via the lower buffer volume and back to the second heat exchanger.

3. The body support unit of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the second flow path allows air to flow from an air inlet at the bottom surface of the support assembly, through the second heat exchanger, through the lower buffer zone, through the upper buffer zone, to an air outlet comprising the top surface that is air permeable.

4. A body support assembly as claimed in claims 2 and 3, wherein there is a valve assembly having a valve position allowing an air flow path according to claim 2 and a valve position allowing an air flow path according to claim 3.

5. The body support assembly of claim 4 wherein the valve assembly has a combined valve position allowing the air flow of claims 2 and 3.

6. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the Peltier effect heating and cooling unit is configured to cool air in the first flow path and heat air in the second flow path in one mode of operation and to heat air in the first flow path and cool air in the second flow path in a second mode of operation.

7. The body support assembly of claim 1, wherein the peltier effect heating and cooling unit is configured to cool air in the first flow path and heat air in the second flow path in a single mode of operation.

8. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-7 wherein the second heat exchanger is fluidly connected to an air outlet system having a plurality of air outlet openings within the compressible material of the lower cushioning zone such that air is substantially evenly distributed within the lower cushioning zone.

9. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-7 wherein the second heat exchanger is fluidly connected to an air outlet, and wherein the more openings per unit area of the release sheet for locations on the release sheet that are spaced further from the air outlet of the second heat exchanger.

10. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-9 wherein the body support assembly has an end for placement of a human head and an end for placement of a human foot, and wherein the air displacing device and the first and second heat exchangers of the peltier element are located at the end where the foot is placed.

11. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the peltier effect unit is provided with heat exchange surfaces positioned in the first and second air streams as the first and second heat exchangers.

12. A body support assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cold and hot sides of the peltier effect unit in use thereof are provided with heat exchange surfaces for heating and cooling the respective heat transfer medium and means for conveying the respective heat transfer medium to the first and second heat exchangers to heat and/or cool ambient air flowing through the first and second air flow paths.

13. The body support assembly of any one of claims 1-12 wherein the energy storage device is a batterySaid compressible material capable of air permeability in all directions has a thickness of greater than 100cm measured according to ASTM D737³/s/cm²Air permeability of (d).

14. The body support assembly of claim 13 wherein more than 70% by volume of the upper cushioning region is comprised of a compressible material that is air permeable.

15. The body support assembly of any of claims 13-14 wherein the compressible material of the upper cushioning region is a three-dimensional random loop bonded structure of thermoplastic resin, and wherein the compressible material of the lower cushioning region is a metal spring.

16. The body support assembly of claim 15 wherein the release sheet is a sheet of warp knitted spacer fabric.

17. A method of cooling or heating a body support assembly having a top surface for supporting a human body and a spaced apart bottom surface, defining a buffer volume and defining side walls, wherein the buffer volume comprises,

a lower cushioning zone and an upper cushioning zone closest to the top surface, the upper and lower cushioning zones separated by a barrier sheet, wherein the upper and lower cushioning zones are comprised of a compressible material that is permeable to air in all directions and that is permeable to air in all directions

Wherein ambient air flows in a first flow path via a single or separate air inlet opening at the bottom surface of the support assembly, an air displacement device, a first heat exchanger, and a single or separate air outlet opening at the bottom surface of the support assembly,

wherein ambient air flows in the second flow path via: an air inlet; an air displacement device; a second heat exchanger; a flow path through the compressible material of the lower cushioning zone, through the opening in the separator sheet, through the compressible material of the upper cushioning zone and through the top surface, and

wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are part of a Peltier effect heating and cooling unit, and wherein in one mode of operation air is cooled in the first heat exchanger and air is heated in the second heat exchanger, and/or wherein in a second mode of operation air is heated in the first heat exchanger and air is cooled in the second heat exchanger.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein in the second flow path, air is circulated: from the second heat exchanger to the upper buffer volume via the lower buffer volume and back to the second heat exchanger.

19. The method of any of claims 17-18, wherein in the second flow path, air flows from an air inlet at the bottom surface of the support assembly, through the second heat exchanger, through the lower buffer, through the upper buffer, to an air outlet, the air outlet comprising the top surface that is permeable to air.

20. The method of claims 18 and 19, wherein the second flow path for air of claim 18 or the second flow path for air of claim 19 is selectable by controlling one or more valves.

21. The method of any of claims 17-20, wherein in one mode of operation air is cooled in the first heat exchanger and air is heated in the second heat exchanger, and wherein in a second mode of operation air is heated in the first heat exchanger and air is cooled in the second heat exchanger.

22. The method of any one of claims 17-21, wherein the method uses the body support assembly of any one of claims 1-16.

23. A bed comprising a body support assembly according to any one of claims 1-16 and a spiral wire mattress support.

24. A bed comprising a body support assembly according to any of claims 1-16 and a mattress support, and wherein a power supply for the peltier effect unit is communicated to the body supply assembly via the mattress support.

25. A body support assembly having a top surface for supporting a human body and a spaced apart lower surface defining a buffer volume and defining side walls, wherein the buffer volume comprises a compressible material capable of permeating air in all directions having greater than 100cm measured according to ASTM D737-96 and a Peltier effect element³/s/cm²Is equipped for heating and/or cooling air flowing within the buffer material.

26. The body support assembly of claim 25 wherein the compressible material has a thickness of greater than 200cm as measured according to ASTM D737-96³/s/cm²Air permeability of (d).

27. The body support assembly of any one of claims 25-26 wherein the compressible material is a three-dimensional random loop bonded structure of thermoplastic resin.

28. The body support assembly of claim 27 wherein the thermoplastic resin is a copolymer comprised of an aromatic polyester and an aliphatic polyether.

29. The body support assembly of any one of claims 25-28 wherein more than 70% by volume of the cushioning volume is comprised of the compressible material.

30. The body support assembly of any one of claims 25-29 wherein the air permeability of the top surface is higher than the air permeability of the lower surface and higher than the air permeability of the side wall.

31. The body support assembly of any one of claims 25-30 wherein the cushioning volume includes a lower cushioning zone and an upper cushioning zone closest to the top surface, the upper and lower cushioning zones separated by a separator sheet, wherein the upper and lower cushioning zones are comprised of the compressible material, the compressible material being permeable to air in all directions.

32. The body support assembly of claim 33 wherein the compressible material of the lower cushioning region is a metal spring and the upper cushioning region is comprised of a three-dimensional random loop bonded structure of a thermoplastic resin as the compressible material.

33. The body support assembly of claim 23 wherein the release sheet is a warp knitted spacer fabric sheet.