AU2008243264B2

AU2008243264B2 - Patient movement device

Info

Publication number: AU2008243264B2
Application number: AU2008243264A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Anthony Neville Bromberger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-11-15
Filing date: 2008-11-14
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2028-11-14
Also published as: AU2008243264A1

Abstract

A patient movement device (10) arranged to be fitted to a bed, having a loop of material (12) used to facilitate the turning of an immobile or bariatric bed ridden patient. The loop of material (12) has portions of high (16) and low friction (18) characteristics. To overcome undue physical stress upon a carer the device embodies elongated members (14) to be used manually, or with mechanical assistance, to assist in turning the patient in a safe and controlled manner. 12 ,2 -- 16

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: John Anthony Neville Bromberger ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): John Anthony Neville Bromberger ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "PATIENT MOVEMENT DEVICE" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number 2007906256 filed on 15 November 2007 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "PATIENT MOVEMENT DEVICE" FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a patient movement device, specifically for turning and sliding bed-ridden patients. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When a patient is bed-ridden for a period of time it is necessary to reposition them regularly to prevent the formation of bed sores or the development of pneumonia. Previous methods of achieving this include the applicant's own previous Australian Patent Application Number 2003203892 which discloses the use of a loop of fabric and a securing means to secure the loop of fabric to a bed mattress. This device, although an advantage over previous devices, still requires a large degree of physical activity on behalf of the carers attempting to turn the patient. The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part some of the aforementioned disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a patient 0 movement device comprising a loop of material having a first end and a second end, the loop of material having a first portion which is arranged to be located uppermost in use and a second portion which is arranged to be located lowermost in use, at least one elongate member being attached to the first portion of the loop of material and extending from an end thereof, a patch of relatively high friction material being attached to an outer 2 surface of the second portion of the loop. Preferably the loop of material has a relatively low co-efficient of friction. Preferably there are provided a plurality of the elongate members. Further, the or each elongate member preferably extends from the first and second ends of the loop of material. The elongate members may also extend through the loop of material. Still further, the or each elongate member is preferably attached to an internal surface of the first portion of the loop of material. Also, the loop of material preferably has a relatively low co-efficient of friction so that the first portion of the loop of material is able to slide over the second portion of the loop of material. More preferably, the or each elongate member may be padded. Also, the patch of high friction material is preferably padded. Also, the or each elongate member preferably has ends formed of a plurality of loops. Still further, the first portion of the loop of material is preferably longer than the second portion of the loop of material. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a patient movement device in accordance with 3 the present invention; Figure 2 is a lower perspective view of the patient movement device of Figure 1 in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is a top view of the patient movement device of Figure 1 in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a front perspective view showing the patient movement device of Figure 1 arranged to be used on a bed mattress; and Figure 5 is a front perspective view of the patient movement device of Figure 1 arranged on a bed and being used in conjunction with a hoist to turn a patient. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, there is shown a patient movement device 10. The patient movement device 10 comprises a loop of material 12, elongate members 14 and a patch of relatively high friction material 16. The loop of material 12 comprises a first portion 18 arranged to be located uppermost in use, and a second portion 20 arranged to be located lowermost in use. The loop of material is open at both a first end 22 and a second end 24. The first portion 18 is longer than the second portion 20 in a longitudinal direction relative to the first and second ends 22, 24. In a preferred embodiment, only a portion of the first portion 18 may be wider than the second portion 20 in a longitudinal direction relative to the first and second ends 22, 24 as shown in Figure 3. The elongate members 14 are attached to the internal surface of the first portion 18 such 4 that the elongate members are arranged in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the first and second ends 22, 24. The elongate members 14 extend past both the first and second ends 22, 24. The elongate members 14 comprise a plurality of loops 26 at each of a first and a second end. The patch of relatively high friction material 16 is arranged on an external surface of the second portion 20. The patch of relatively high friction material 16 would be located, in use, proximal a bed mattress. The loop of material 12 is made of a relatively low friction material, for example, a breathable nylon material, such that the first portion 18 easily slides over the second portion 20. The elongate members 14 may be covered in padded material (not shown) to increase the comfort and to further reduce the chance of developing bed sores in a patient laying on top of the patient movement device 10. Similarly, the patch of relatively high friction material 16 may be padded to further reduce the chance of developing bed sores in a patient lying on top of the patient movement device 10. On the underside of the patch of 0 relatively high friction material 16 there may be provided a breathable foam pad to help keep the high friction material 16 in position on a mattress 28. The foam pad may also absorb creases from the first portion 18 of the loop of material 12. In use, the patient movement device 10 is arranged on a top surface 30 of the mattress 28, 5 as shown in Figure 4, such that the patch of high friction material 16 is proximal the top surface 30, the second portion 20 is lowermost and the first portion 18 is uppermost. The patient movement device 10 is oriented such that the first end 22 is proximal a first end 32 of the mattress 28 and the second end 24 of the patient movement device 10 is proximal a second end 34 of the mattress 28. A part of the first portion 18 located at each of the first and second ends 22, 24 of the patient movement device 10 may hang over the sides of each of the first and second ends 32, 34 of the mattress 28 respectively. The patch of high friction material 16 may be arranged to be substantially central to the mattress 28. A patient is arranged on top of the first portion 18 of the patient movement device 10. When the patient needs to be turned, a carer will first position them more towards one side of the patient movement device 10, for example, towards the first end 22. During this initial positioning, the carer will arrange the limbs of the patient in a known manner such that when the turning procedure occurs the patient turns unhindered. As shown in Figure 5, a loop 26 of each of the elongate members 14 at the first end 22 of the patient movement device 10 are engaged with a first and a second hook 42 located on a first and a second arm 44 of a hoist 40. The hoist 40 can now provide the force necessary to pull the first end 22 of the first portion 18 in a generally outwards and upwards direction to 0 effect the turn on the patient. This will reduce the physical effort required of a carer during the turning procedure. In addition the turning action is assisted by the relatively low friction material of the loop of material 12 which allows the first portion 18 to slide easily over the second portion 20. 6 The second portion 20 remains substantially in place due to the interaction of the path of relatively high friction material 16 with the top surface 30 of the mattress 28. Different loops 26 of each of the elongate members 14 may be used to engage with the first and second hooks 42 depending on the size and position of the patient. Alternatively, the carer may grasp each of the elongate members 14 at the first end 22 of the patient movement device 10, or a portion of the upper portion 18 of the loop of material 12 at the first end 22, and begin pulling in a generally outwards and upwards direction away from the first end 32 of the mattress 28 to effect the turn on the patient. The elongate members 14 also aid in reinforcing the first portion 18 while turning the patient. The action of pulling the first end 22 of the patient movement device 10 in a generally outwards and upwards direction will cause the patient to turn towards the centre of the mattress 28. After turning the patient, the loop of material 12 may be smoothed out in preparation for the next turn. 0 Referring to Figure 4, the patient may also be moved in a longitudinal direction with respect to the mattress 28. In this case, a carer may grasp a portion of the first portion 18 at either a lower end 36 of the patient movement device 10 or an upper end 38 of the patient movement device 10 and slide the first portion 18 over the second portion 20. For example, if the carer wishes to move the patient in the direction of the lower end 36 of 7 the patient movement device 10 the carer grasps a portion of the first portion 18 located at the lower end 36 of the patient movement device 10 and pulls in a direction generally away from the lower end 36. This action is assisted by the relatively low friction material of the loop of material 12 which allows the first portion 18 to slide over the second portion 20, wherein the second portion 20 remains in position by the interaction of the patch of relatively high friction material 16 with the top surface 30 of the mattress 28. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 8

Claims

1. A patient movement device comprising a loop of material having a first end and a second end, the loop of material having a first portion which is arranged to be located uppermost in use and a second portion which is arranged to be located lowermost in use, at least one elongate member being attached to the first portion of the loop of material and extending from an end thereof, a patch of relatively high friction material being attached to an outer surface of the second portion of the loop.

2. A patient movement device according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a plurality of the elongate members.

3. A patient movement device according to claim I or 2, wherein the or each elongate member extends from the first and second ends of the loop of material.

4. A patient movement device according to claim 3, wherein the elongate members extend through the loop of material.

5. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each elongate member is attached to an internal surface of the first portion of the loop of material. 9

6. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the loop of material has a relatively low co-efficient of friction so that the first portion of the loop of material is able to slide over the second portion of the loop of material.

7. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each elongate member is padded.

8. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the patch of high friction material is padded.

9. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each elongate member has ends formed of a plurality of loops.

10. A patient movement device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first portion of the loop of material is longitudinally longer than the second portion of the loop of material

11. A patient movement device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10