DE29619405U1 - One-piece foam mattress to prevent decubitus - Google Patents

Description

Applicant: Axel Bobkow

Representative: Dr. SchcSerfäkl' ·· ·; t**; ·**

07.11.1996 %. ^; \, ² * J, J, " HUJ

Utility model application

42-1

One-piece foam mattress to prevent

Decubitus

The invention relates to a one-piece foam mattress which, on the upper side, forms a grid of truncated pyramid-shaped elements arranged in straight rows in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction by means of longitudinal and transverse incisions which are essentially wedge-shaped in cross section and extend down to a base layer.

Such mattresses are known for use in hospitals to prevent or at least reduce bedsores in long-term patients, known as decubitus. The special shape of the top of the mattress means that the parts of the patient's body exposed to pressure have a smaller contact surface than with conventional mattresses with a flat top without cuts. Bedsores are also reduced by the mobility of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements against each other. Another advantage of the mattress is the good ventilation thanks to the horizontal channels on the top that are open at the top and formed by the cuts.

A mattress of the type mentioned at the beginning is known from DE 41 36 369 Cl, WO 94/21437 and EP 0 265 239 Bl. A similar mattress is described in EP 0 292 591 Bl. Here, however, the elements forming the grid have the shape of truncated cones with rounded tips, and between them there are vertical channels that can be closed with plugs and run through the entire thickness of the base layer.

Applicant: Axel Bobk,Qw „♦ .

The mattress according to DE 41 36 369 Cl consists of a base material and particularly soft areas of another foam. The harder base material is intended to prevent the patient from sinking in too much. The disadvantage here is the increased manufacturing effort.

The elements forming the grid in the mattress known from EP 0 265 239 B1 are only truncated pyramid-shaped in a narrow upper layer, but cuboid-shaped in the lower area. The mobility of these elements and also the air circulation on the upper side of the mattress are therefore disadvantageously reduced.

The mattresses of the above-mentioned type are manufactured from a foam block by using a steel knife extending over the entire width of the block to cut out the surface contour with the wedge-shaped incisions.

The invention is based on the object of significantly improving air circulation, particularly at the points where the patient's body rests, in a mattress of the type mentioned at the beginning that can be produced inexpensively.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the top of the elements has a trough-shaped depression and the depressions of the elements in a row have the same cross-section over the entire width or length of the row.

The bed sheet rests on the mattress according to the invention only on two edges of the top of each of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements. Accordingly, the patient's contact surface is also smaller in terms of preventing or treating decubitus. On the other hand, not only the incisions known from the state of the art

Applicant: Axel Bobkow

for good air circulation and thus also for effective sweat removal, but also in the rest of the mattress surface an unhindered exchange of air is made possible. In the area where the patient is lying on the mattress, the mattress according to the invention is compressed less than the known mattresses due to the groove-shaped depressions, so that here too the exchange of air is improved. The pressure on the parts of the patient's body lying on the mattress is also reduced in the area of the groove-shaped depressions due to the lower compression of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements.

The mattress is suitable for both the prevention and treatment of decubitus.

Despite these advantageous properties, the mattress according to the invention does not require any increased manufacturing effort. The arrangement of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction in straight rows and the same cross-section of the troughs over the entire width or length of the row enables production in the manner already mentioned above without an additional work step or a complex conversion of the cutting machine being necessary. Only a simple change in the setting of the machine used for the shaped cuts is required in order to cut the new contour.

It is advantageous if the tops of the elements are formed exclusively from the troughs.

It is also proposed that the upward-facing edges of the troughs be at the same height.

Alternatively, a U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section of the troughs can be provided.

Applicant: Axel Bobknw ..

Particularly good air circulation is achieved if the mattress is made of a foam with coarse, open pores.

Preferably, the height of the elements is approximately equal to the thickness of the base layer.

The advantageous mobility of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements increases with their height.

Finally, it is beneficial if the base layer of the one-piece mattress is completely filled with foam, i.e. it does not contain any additional channels or cuts. Further processing steps beyond the shaping of the surface of the foam block are therefore not necessary. The desired air permeability in the area of the base layer is ensured by the open-pored foam material.

In the following, several embodiments of the invention are described in more detail with reference to drawings. Show

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mattress according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a truncated pyramid-shaped element of this mattress along the line II of Figure 1,
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Figure 3 shows a corresponding cross section through the element according to a second embodiment and

Figure 4 shows a corresponding cross-section through the element according to a third embodiment.

Applicant: Axel Bobkgw

In all drawings, the same reference symbols have the same meaning and are therefore only explained once if necessary.

From the base layer 1 of the mattress shown in Figure 1 rise truncated pyramid-shaped elements 2, which are arranged in straight longitudinal and transverse rows running parallel to the outer boundaries of the mattress. The elements 2 are separated from one another by wedge-shaped incisions 3 reaching down to the base layer.

According to the invention, the cover surface 4 of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements 3 is not flat, but rather curved inwards in a groove-like manner, so that the regions of this cover surface 4 which extend furthest upwards are formed by two straight, opposite edges 5.

It is also essential that the cover surfaces 4, which are also called troughs here, have the same cross-section over the entire width or length of the mattress in order to be able to cut the troughs 4 in just one operation with the incisions 3, whereby the knife also extends over the entire width or length of the mattress.

In Figures 2 to 4, only some of the possible designs of the cross sections of the elements 3 are shown as examples. The cross section according to Figure 2 with edges 5 of equal height corresponds to the design of the mattress in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows an alternative design with edges 5 of unequal height, and Figure 4 shows an element 2 with a V-shaped cross section.

The thickness a of the base layer 1, the height b of the truncated pyramid-shaped elements 2 and the edge length c of the lower base surface of the elements 2 are approximately the same in this embodiment and are 10 to 18 cm. The width of the incisions 3, measured in the area of the upper edges 5, was chosen to be approximately 3 cm.

Applicant: Axel Bobteew^..^ . , ·>. ·»

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Only two operations are required to produce the mattress according to the invention. First, the incisions 3 and at the same time the depressions 4 are cut in one direction, e.g. from bottom to top in Figure 1. Then the shape cut is carried out in the direction perpendicular to this, i.e. from left to right in this example. No further operations are necessary.
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Applicant: Axel Bobkcjw ,.

List of reference symbols

1 base layer

2 elements

3 incisions

4 trough, deck area

5 Edge
10

a Thickness of the base layer

b Height of elements

c Length of the lower edges

Claims (8)

Applicant: Axel Bobkaw », , Protection claims 1. A one-piece foam mattress which forms a grid of truncated pyramid-shaped elements (2) on the upper side by means of longitudinal and transverse incisions (3) which are essentially wedge-shaped in cross-section and extend down to a base layer (1), said elements being arranged in straight rows in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction, characterized in that the upper side of the elements (2) has a groove-shaped trough (4) and the troughs (4) of the elements (2) of a row have the same cross-section over the entire width or length of the row. 2. Mattress according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the upper sides of the elements (2) are formed exclusively from the troughs (4). 3. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upwardly facing edges (5) of the troughs (4) are at the same height. 4. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a U-shaped cross-section of the troughs (4). 30 5. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a V-shaped cross section of the troughs (4). 6. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mattress consists of a foam with coarse, open pores. Applicant: Axel Bobkpw, ·♦&igr; . «2-1 IJ:»: · ! j 7. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height (b) of the elements (2) is approximately equal to the thickness (a) of the base layer (1). 8. Mattress according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base layer (1) of the one-piece mattress is completely filled with the foam.