AU2006100143A4

AU2006100143A4 - A pressure relief cushion

Info

Publication number: AU2006100143A4
Application number: AU2006100143A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alison Ruth Murphy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-02-24
Filing date: 2006-02-24
Publication date: 2006-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-24

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT A PRESSURE RELIEF CUSHION The following statement is a ful description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2

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0 A PRESSURE RELIEF CUSHION CTECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a pressure relief cushion for one or both lower legs of a person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION oBedridden persons generally lie on their back in a bed for considerable time Va periods. Their lower legs tend to develop bedsores overtime. The bedsores are usually localised at the heel regions and the back of the calf regions.

Further, the feet of the bedridden persons also naturally drop at an angle as there is no support to maintain the feet at a comfortable position.

OBIECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to alleviate or to at least reduce to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a pressure relief cushion comprising a first cushion member arranged with a top surface extending substantially horizontally and a second cushion member arranged adjacent to the first member and having an inclined surface facing said top surface, the first and second members being configured so that when a lower leg or legs of a person is/are positioned on the cushion the first member supports the calf region(s) and the second member supports the foot or feet while the heel(s) of the person is/are subject to minimal or no contact pressure.

In preference, the cushion has a gap between the first and second members, ~3

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0 o and the heel(s) is/are in the gap when the foot or feet is/are supported on the inclined 6) surface.

Preferably, the first member has a wedge-shaped end surface arranged at one end thereof adjacent to said inclined surface of the second member and bordering said 5 gap so that the wedge-shaped end surface supports the ankle(s) when the foot or feet 0 ois/are supported on the inclined surface.

The top surface of the first member may also be arranged to support the calf region(s) when the foot or feet is/are supported on the inclined surface.

Desirably, the first member is formed of two or more of blocks. The blocks may be secured together into a vertically aligned stack having a top block and a bottom black. Preferably, said top block is configured with said wedge-shaped end surface at said one end.

Said first member may also be formed with another wedge-shaped end surface at a second end thereof remote from said one end.

The inclined surface may be at an angle to prevent drooping of the foot/feet.

The first member may be formed with a relatively soft material at least at a portion arranged for supporting theankle(s). The first member can also be formed with a relatively hard material at least at a further portion arranged for supporting the calf region(s). The second member may be formed with a relatively hard material.

Preferable said relatively hard and soft materials are foams of different density.

The cushion may have a support member configured to support the first and second members. The support member is preferably substantially L-shaped, and has a substantially horizontal portion for supporting the first and second members and a IND 4

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o substantially vertical portion for maintaining the second member in position. The Loshaped support member is advantageously configured to extend to a height so that a bed sheet placed over the vertical portion does not apply pressure to the toes of the foot/feet. Alternatively, thesupport member may be apanel arranged toforthefirstand en3 5 second members to be secured thereon.

0 oThe support member may be formed of a relatively high density material. The

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first and second cushion members may also be formed of a relatively high density material. A cover member may be arranged for covering at least the first and second members. Preferably, the cover member is also arranged to cover the support member and the first and second member. More preferably, the cover member is made of a water proof material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the present invention and wherein:- Figure 1 is cut-away side view of an embodiment of the pressure relief cushion according to the present invention with the cushion positioned on a bed and a person lying on the bed with his feet supported by the cushion; Figure 2 is a front perspective view from above the embodiment of the pressure relief cushion shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is rear perspective view from above the cushion shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a front perspective view from below the cushion shown in figure 2; Figure 5 is a rear perspective view from below the cushion shown in Figure 2;

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oand c-l SFigures 6 and 7 are respective front and rear angled perspective views of another embodiment of the pressure relief cushion according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 5 Referring initially to Figure 1, the embodiment of the pressure relief cushion

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oaccording to the present invention is placed on a mattress 102 of a bed 100. The bed S100 has a head end 104 and a leg end 106. The cushion 10 is positioned adjacent to the leg end 106. A person 108 lying on his back on the mattress 102 has his lower legs 110 supported by the cushion As can be seen, the cushion 10 has a first cushion member 12 extending in a horizontal position, a second cushion member 14 extending in a vertical position, an L-shaped support member 16 supporting the first and second members 12,14 in the designated positions, and a cover member 18 formed of a water proof material covering the other members of the cushion The first member 12 has an inner portion 20 of a relatively soft foam material and an outer portion 22 of a relatively harder foam material. The second member 16 is formed of the same relatively harder foam material. The inner end 24 of the first member 12 is wedge-shaped and the inner surface 26 of the second member 16 is inclined away from the wedged-shaped end 24, whereby defining a gap 28 for receiving the heels of the person 100 when the bottom part of his feet is supported by the inclined surface 26. Figure 1 clearly shows that the heels are not subject to pressure as they are not in contact with any part of the cushion 10. The balls of the feet are supported on the inclined surface 26 and the ankles are supported by the portion O6 0 o while the calves are supported by the portion 22. Thus the ankle regions are supported oby the relatively soft portion The inclined surface 26 prevents the feet from drooping.

The support member 16 has a vertical portion 30 and a horizontal portion 32, 5 and is made of a substantially firm foam material so that the first and second members 0 are maintained in position. The vertical portion 30 extends above the toes of the

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person 100 so that when a bed sheet (not shown) is placed over this portion the toes do not come into contact with the bed sheet.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the cushion 10 has its cover member 18 covering the support member 16 with the first and second members 12 and 14 in position. As the support member 16 is relatively firm, the first and second members are maintained in their relative positions.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the pressure relief cushion 10 as shown are substantially similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 and likewise has a first cushion member 12 and a second cushion member 14 arranged to support the lower leg(s) of a person lying in bed. The first and second members 12 and 14 in this embodiment are formed of a substantially high density foam material, and are secured to a flat support member 16 by means of an adhesive. The members 12 and 14 are spaced from each other and a gap 28 is formed between the members 12 and 14.

The first member 12 comprises two blocks 16A and 16B which are secured together into a stack. The top block 16B has its end at said gap 28 formed with a wedge-shape end surface 24. The end 25 of the first member 12 remote from the gap I0 7 0 o 28 also has wedge-shaped end surfaces 25A and 25B. The second member 14 in this d) case has its inclined surface 26 extending from its base to its top. A cover 18 is arranged to cover the members 12, 14 and 16.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present en3 5 invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled 0 in the art without departing from the broad ambitand scope of the invention as herein

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Sset forth in the following claims.

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Claims

2. The cushion according to claim 1 wherein a gap is arranged between the first and second members, and the heel(s) of the person is/are in the gap when the foot or feet is/are supported on the inclined surface.
3. The cushion according to claim 2 wherein the first member has a wedge- shaped end surface arranged at one end thereof adjacent to said inclined surface of the second member and bordering said gap so that the wedge-shaped end surface supports the ankle(s) when the foot or feet is/are supported on the inclined surface.
4. The cushion accordingto any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the inclined surface being arranged at an angle to prevent drooping of the foot/feet, and/or the first member being formed with a relatively soft material at least at a portion arranged for supporting the ankle(s) and a relatively hard material at least at a further portion arranged for supporting the calf region(s), and/or the second member being formed with a relatively hard material. Thecushion according to any one of claims 1 to 4 further comprising a support member configured to support the first and second members, the support member IN 9 0 o being substantially flat or L-shaped, and having a substantially horizontal portion for Ssupporting the first and second members and/or a substantially vertical portion for maintaining the second member in position, wherein the second member or the vertical portion may be configured to extend to a height so that a bed sheet placed over 5 the second member or the vertical portion does not apply pressure to the toes of the Sfoot/feet. DATED this 24th day of February 2006 ALISON RUTH MURPHY by her Patent Attorneys INTELLEPRO