AU699622B2

AU699622B2 - Patient anti-slide device

Info

Publication number: AU699622B2
Application number: AU70471/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Anthony Neville Bromberger
Original assignee: JOHN ANTHONY NEVILLE BROMBERGE
Current assignee: JOHN ANTHONY NEVILLE BROMBERGE
Priority date: 1995-11-03
Filing date: 1996-10-30
Publication date: 1998-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-30
Also published as: AU7047196A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED:

ACCEPTED:

PUBLISHED:

RELATED ART: a. NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: JOHN ANTHONY NEVILLE BROMBERGER

APPLICANT

LORD COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA.

"PATIENT ANTI-SLIDE DEVICE" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Provisional Application Number: PN6381 Filed: November 3, 1995 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: 2

TITLE

PATIENT ANTI-SLIDE DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a patient positioning device. In particular, a positioning device which moves the patient in one direction, while limiting movement in the opposite direction thus preventing the patient from sliding in that direction.

Immobile or invalid patients especially aged patients are often required to be lifted or moved into a seated position on a chair or in a bed. This manual manipulation may cause strain on both the patient and the person lifting the patient. Further, once the patient is 10 in position they may slide forward on a chair or slide within a bed risking injury and necessitating repositioning again. For safety reasons it is often necessary to have to physically restrain a patient in a position which may cause considerable discomfort to the patient The present invention seeks to address at least some of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A patient positioning device for use in moving patients including an open ended sleeve member having, when in use, a first portion and a second portion, an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface is provided to facilitate the first portion sliding over the second portion in one direction so as to move a patient thereon and whilst having only limited movement in an opposite direction.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;-

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r BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of an anti-slide device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a partly broken away side view of the anti-slide device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the anti-slide device collapsed on itself showing enlarged sections of the internal surface when the device is moved in a forward and rearward direction; Figures 4a and 4b are perspective views showing the anti-slide device of Figure 1 in use during the transfer of a patient from one position to another in a chair; and Figure 5 shows the anti-slide device of Figure 1 in use on a bed for the transfer of a patient from one position to another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the Figures 1 3 there is shown an anti-slide device Typically the anti-slide device 10 is an open ended sleeve member 12 formed from at least one piece of suitable sheet material which is folded and joined along overlapping or butted edges to form a seam 22. The join or seam 22 formed should be as smooth and flat as possible for the most efficient use of the anti slide device As seen in Figure 1, the sleeve member 12 is collapsed on itself forming two halves, 'having an upper sheet 14a superposed on a lower sheet 14b as shown in the drawing.

Preferably, the sleeve member 12 is formed of flexible sheet material and includes an outer layer 16, a support layer 18 and an inner layer 20 best seen in Figure 2.

The outer layer 16 forms the external surface of the sleeve member 12. Preferably, the outer layer 16 is formed of a rubber material or plastics material with a high friction surface which is non-slip. The provision of a non-slip surface minimises the patient from sliding on or across the external surface of the sleeve member 12 in use. It is also preferable that the outer layer 16 is of a water resistant nature. Further, the outer layer 16 should be easily cleaned and decontaminated for patient use.

Contiguous with the outer layer 16 is the support layer 18. The support layer 18 may be formed of a material such as nylon and is provided to impart stiffness to the anti-slide device Contiguous with the support layer 18 is the inner layer 20 which forms the internal surface of the sleeve member 12. The inner layer 20 is formed of a fabric material with a relatively low friction surface in one direction. Preferably, the fabric material is a woven fabric consisting of stretchable weft yams and non-stretchable warp yarns and is 10 manufactured with a nap. The fibres of the nap are orientated such that in one direction 04** along the fabric the surface is of low friction while in the opposite direction along the fabric the surface is of relatively high friction. The fabric material is orientated to ensure that the nap fibres are orientated longitudinally in the direction in which the anti-slide device travels. The inner layer 20 enables the upper sheet 14a to move over the lower 15 sheet 14b. Further, the nap of the fabric material facilitates the movement of the upper I" "sheet 14a over the lower sheet 14b in one direction while limiting movement in the opposite direction. Further, if the anti-slide device 10 is moved a sufficient distance then *the sheet 14b will become the upper sheet and the sheet 14a will become the lower sheet.

As seen in Figure 3, in the rearward direction the upper sheet 14a passes over the lower sheet 14b freely. In contrast, in the forward direction, the nap of the material interlocks limiting movement of the upper sheet 14a over the lower sheet 14b.

In a further embodiment of the present invention strips of fabric material may be applied to the internal surface.

-C -C-CL L. li I As will be appreciated it is envisaged that at least part of the internal surface is formed of the said fabric material.

Provided on the outer layer 16 of the upper sheet 14a is an indicator means 17. The indicator means is used to assist in the positioning of the anti-slide device 10, showing the intended direction of movement of the device 10 in operation. In the illustrated embodiment the indicator means comprises two lengths of flat tape each attached to a respective edge of the upper sheet 14a. Both lengths of tape have at least one arrow on their surface, indicating the direction in which the anti-slide device 10 will travel in operation. It is envisaged that other indicator means could be used.

10 In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, support means such as handles 32 are attached to the upper sheet 14a of the anti slide device 10. As seen in the Figures a pair of handles 32 are formed of fabric material loops and are attached at an opposing edge of the fabric material cfthe upper sheet 14a. The handles extend outwardly from the edge of the upper sheet 14a.

In Figures 4a and 4b the anti-slide device 10 is shown positioned on a seat 23 of a chair for use in manoeuvring a patient from one position to another. The anti-slide device 1 10 is seen collapsed on itself with the upper sheet 14a superposed on the lower sheet 14b.

Similarly in Figure 5 the anti-slide device is shown positioned on a bed for use in manoeuvring a patient.

Referring to Figure 4a and 4b the manner of use and operation of the anti-slide device of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to use in relation to a chair.

In use, the anti-slide device 10 is positioned on the seat 23 of the chair 24 such that the lower sheet 14b is in face to face contact with the seat 23 and the upper sheet 14a is positioned upwardly. The anti-slide device 10 is orientated according to the direction in which movement is required. Typically, the anti-slide device 10 is orientated such that the said device moves rearwardly toward a back of the chair 24 as indicated by the arrow in Figure 4b.

In position, approximately 75% of the anti-slide device 10 is in contact with the seat 23 of the chair 24 with the remaining part of the anti-slide device 10 extending downwardly from a front 30 of the chair 24 as can be seen in Figure 4a.

Further, in position the seam 22 is located within the lower sheet 14b and preferably from about 2 cm to about 10 cm from the front 30 of the chair 24. In such a position the seam 22 should not be in contact with a patients legs when placed on the seat of the chair 24.

The patient is then seated forwardly on the upper sheet 14a of the anti-slide device which is positioned on the seat 23 of the chair 24. In this position the seam 22 is not in contact with the patients thighs, buttocks or legs and avoids any pressure problems. The patient then pushes rearwardly toward the back of the chair 24 in the direction shown by the arrow A. In effect at least part of the sheet 14a slides over the lower sheet 14b simultaneously moving the patient thereon so that at least part of the sheet 14b assumes San upper position. The anti slide device 10 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A simultaneously transferring the patient rearwardly to the back of the chair, as seen in Figure 4b. The patient may slide independently or be assisted by a carer. The patient is therefore manoeuvred into another position without the need to lift the patient.

The internal surface of the anti-slide device 10 facilitates the movement of the device in the abovementioned direction. The nap of the fabric material of the internal surface provides a low friction surface in one direction which allows the fabric material to slide 4 over itself in a rearward direction.

Further, the nap of the material of the internal surface does not facilitate the material sliding over itself in a forward direction. In a forward direction the nap of the material provides a surface of resistance or friction. Therefore, the anti-slide device 10 is prevented from sliding in a substantially forward direction effectively preventing the patient from sliding forward. This reduces the need to restrain the patient in position and avoids the need to continually reposition the patient.

As described hereinbefore, one of the embodiments of the present invention provides handles 32. It is envisaged that a carer may use the handles 32 to assist in transferring the t 10 patient.

Modifications and vaiaitions such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

1. A patient positioning device for use in moving patients including an open ended sleeve member having, when in use, a first portion and a second portion, an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface is provided to facilitate the first portion sliding over the second portion in one direction so as to move a patient thereon and whilst having only limited movement in an opposite direction.

2. A patient positioning device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the internal surface of the sleeve member is at least in part formed of a fabric material with a relatively low friction surface in one direction which facilitates the first portion of the sleeve member 10 sliding over the second portion in one direction and limits the said movement in the opposite direction.

3. A patient positioning device as claimed in Claims 1 or 2, wherein the internal surface of the sleeve member is at least in part formed of a fabric material with a nap having fibres providing a low friction surface in one direction and a relatively high friction surface in the opposite direction.

4. A patient positioning device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve member is formed of a flexible sheet material. 4a**

5. A patient positioning device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the flexible sheet material has a support layer arranged intermediate the internal surface and external surface. I 4 £s44Q 194#4 I:L 4 01 1. *444 9

6. A patient positioning device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, provided with at least one support means attached to the upper sheet of the sleeve member.

7. A patient positioning device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support means include a pair of fabric loops attached at opposing edges of the sleeve member.

8. A patient positioning device as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures. DA ED THIS 0TH DAY OF OCTOBER 1996 JOHN ANTHONY NEVILLE BROMBERGER By his Patent Attorneys 15 LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1 -,ii I r; i ill~i;i -ii~lLI-~ cl-asI~aaa~ul~a ABSTRACT A device used for positioning a patient. The device including an open ended sleeve member (12) having when in use, a first portion and a second portion, an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface is provided to facilitate the first portion sliding over the second portion in one direction so as to move a patient thereon and whilst having only limited movement in an opposite direction thus preventing the patient from sliding in that direction. *04 I 14: 000 0 f<*