EP0025701A2 - Stütze - Google Patents

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Publication number
EP0025701A2
EP0025701A2 EP80303206A EP80303206A EP0025701A2 EP 0025701 A2 EP0025701 A2 EP 0025701A2 EP 80303206 A EP80303206 A EP 80303206A EP 80303206 A EP80303206 A EP 80303206A EP 0025701 A2 EP0025701 A2 EP 0025701A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
support
air
pad
envelope
pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP80303206A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0025701A3 (de
Inventor
Rolf Schild
Denis Graham Melrose
Brian Michael Hawkins
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Huntleigh Medical Ltd
Original Assignee
Huntleigh Medical Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Huntleigh Medical Ltd filed Critical Huntleigh Medical Ltd
Publication of EP0025701A2 publication Critical patent/EP0025701A2/de
Publication of EP0025701A3 publication Critical patent/EP0025701A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C21/00—Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
    • A47C21/04—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating
    • A47C21/042—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling
    • A47C21/044—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
    • A61G7/05—Parts, details or accessories of beds
    • A61G7/057—Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor
    • A61G7/05769—Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor with inflatable chambers
    • A61G7/05776—Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor with inflatable chambers with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to supports for users, for example body supports for use as mattresses on beds.
  • a living body is supported by a support for long periods of time, for example in the case of a patient confined to bed or a lorry driver or airline pilot confined by their job to their seat, prolonged contact between the body and the support can cause problems.
  • Moisture build-up is also a general problem using supports other than alternating pressure pads of the kind mentioned above.
  • a support for a user comprises an air inflatable alternating pressure pad having two sets of cells which are alternately- inflatable and deflatable, a high pressure air supply for inflating the alternating pressure pad whereby the weight of the user is carried alternately by the two sets of cells, a plenum chamber constituted by upper and lower elements sealed together, the upper element constituting at least a part of an upper surface of the support and being air permeable, and low-pressure pumping means for pumping air into said chamber through an inlet for escape through said upper element, or for drawing air into said chamber through said upper element by suction at'an outlet.
  • the high pressure and low pressure supplies can be optimised for their specific purpose.
  • the alternating pressure pad may constitute one of the elements of the plenum chamber.
  • the alternating pressure pad may form the lower element.
  • the alternating pressure pad forms the upper element and has a plurality of apertures between cells and sealed therefrom, for the escape of air from, or entry into, the plenum chamber.
  • the two elements are separate from the alternating pressure pad, comprising upper and lower sheets forming an envelope containing the pad.
  • the upper element has a plurality of apertures for the escape of air from, or entry to, the plenum chamber.
  • the upper element when not constituted by the alternating pressure pad, may be made from an air permeable material.
  • the upper and lower elements are made of thermoplastic sheet material and are sealed together by welding. Further, the upper and lower elements may be sealed together, at least partly, by means of zip-type fasteners.
  • said inlet, or said outlet, of the plenum chamber is at an edge of the support and comprises a rigid air conduit portion extending from outside to inside the chamber and having an outer end adapted for connection thereto of the supply or suction pipe with the pipe axis extending substantially at right angles to the adjacent edge of the support and an inner end having an aperture to the interior of the chamber in a plane substantially at right angles to the adjacent edge of the support.
  • the air conduit portion is T-shaped having the upright of the T extending from the outside to the inside of the chamber perpendicular to said adjacent edge of the support, and the cross-bar of the T communicating with the inner end of the upright and extending parallel to said edge providing a pair of said inner end apertures.
  • the high pressure supply for the alternating pressure pad provides air at between 30 and 90 mm of mercury.
  • the alternating pressure pad has two interdigitated sets of channels forming said sets of cells. Then each channel may be formed as a series of intercommunicating bubble cells, with the bubble cells of one channel being interspersed between the bubble cells of each adjacent channel.
  • the low pressure pumping means is preferably arranged to pump air into the said plenum chamber. Then a bacterial filter may be included between said pumping means and the inlet to said plenum chamber.
  • the low pressure pumping means may deliver air at a pressure not more than 5 mm of mercury, typically 0.2 mm to 1 mm of mercury.
  • the present invention provides a support for a user comprising a support pad for supporting the user, an envelope surrounding the pad, an upper side of the envelope above the support being air permeable and low pressure pumping means for pumping air into said envelope through an inlet for escape through said permeable upper side, or for drawing air into the envelope through said upper side by suction at an outlet.
  • an existing support pad which may be of the alternating pressure type or an ordinary mattress, can be converted for ventilating a user by being enclosed inside the envelope.
  • the permeable upper side of the envelope may have a plurality of apertures for the escape of air from, or entry of air to, the envelope.
  • the envelope is formed of upper and lower sheets sealed together.
  • the upper sheet may be made of an air permeable material.
  • the upper and lower sheets may be made of thermoplastic material and may be sealed together by welding. Preferably, the sheets are sealed together, at least partly, by means of a zip-type fastener.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show a support pad for use as a mattress on a bed.
  • the support is generally indicated at 10, and comprises a pair of overlying plastic sheets 11, which are hermetically sealed together to define two sets of channels 12 which are interdigitated, each channel having a closed end and an open end.
  • Each channel 12 comprises a series of aligned generally spherical bubble- like cells 12a.
  • the channels extend in directions transverse to the length of the mattress.
  • the channels 12 extend across the centre portion of the width of the pad, leaving edge portions of sheets 11 extending lengthwise of the mattress and defining two air supply manifolds 13a and 13b, one on each side of the mattress.
  • One set of channels has the open ends of the channel open to manifold 13a and the other set has open ends open to manifold 13b.
  • An air pump 14 has outputs 15 and 16. Output 15 is connected to manifold 13a by input tube 15a and output 16 is connected to manifold 13b by input tube 16a.
  • Valve means 116 are provided in the pump to supply air under pressure from the pump alternately to the two manifolds 13a and 13b and hence to cause adjacent channels 12 to be inflated and deflated alternately.
  • the valve means are arranged so that the channels of one set are inflated or at least partially inflated before the channels of the other set are deflated.
  • the two sets of channels 12 thus form an air pad giving support to a user and in which the weight of the user is carried alternately on discrete regions defined by the two sets of channels.
  • An air impermeable sheet 17 is affixed to the lower side of the interconnected sheets 11 to form a plenum 18 therebelow.
  • a series of apertures 19 are formed through the interconnected sheets 11 of the air pad, such that these apertures are sealed from the channels 12.
  • a low pressure pump 20 typically a fan or blower supplying air at a pressure of 0.2 mm of mercury is connected by a tube 21 to the plenum chamber 18. This pump is operated continuously to maintain a low pressure in the plenum chamber the pressure being lower than that employed in the air pad supplied by the pump 14 and insufficient to support the weight of a user on the mattress.
  • the upper side of the pad 10 may be covered by a normal cotton bed sheet or other air permeable sheet.
  • the channels 12 are alternately inflated by the pump 14, which is controlled by a pressure regulator, (not shown) which enables adjustment to be made of the air pressure supplied to the channels 12 in accordance with the weight and shape of the patient.
  • This pressure is typically between 30 and 90 mm of mercury and such that the weight of the user is carried on the inflated cells holding the patient away from the deflated cells. This ensures that the regions of contact between the user and the support change alternately with the alternate inflation of the two sets of channels.
  • the pump 20 may be arranged to suck air from chamber 18 and hence cause air to flow from the environment through apertures 19 into plenum 18. Either way, air at a suitable pressure is passed between the pad and the user to ventilate the regions of contact between pad and user. Further the pressure of the ventilating air is not dependent on the pressure in channels 12 and hence the weight or shape of the patient and therefore the pressure of the ventilating air can be selected solely on the basis of achieving correct ventilation.
  • the low pressure air ventilation for the patient operates continuously. The amount of ventilation is controlled by the output of the pump 20 and is wholly independent of the pressure of the air supply to the pressure pad channels 12; the latter can be adjusted independently in accordance with requirements, e.g. the weight of the patient.
  • the alternating pressure pad 10 constitutes the upper element defining the plenum chamber 18 with the sheet 17 forming the lower element.
  • the pressure pad 10 itself forms the lower element of a plenum chamber defined between the support lO and an upper sheet 22 sealed about the edge of the support 10.
  • the upper sheet 22 is made air-permeable, for example by providing apertures 23 through the sheet.
  • the alternating pressure pad 10 is itself made impermeable, that is to say, the apertures 19 are omitted. Low pressure air is supplied from the pump 20 via a pipe 21 to the chamber 24 above the pad 10.
  • a plenum chamber 24 is formed by upper and lower sheets 25 and 26 sealed together to form an envelope 27 containing the supporting pad 28,
  • the envelope 27 is separate from the pad 28 and is supplied with low pressure air as before via a pipe 21 from a pump 20.
  • the air in the envelope 27 can flow around the edges of the pad 28 and escape from the envelope via apertures 29 in the upper sheet 25.
  • the support pad lO may be for example an alternating pressure pad of the sort described above.
  • the pad 28 it is not essential for the pad 28 to be of the alternating pressure type. Any support pad of the kind commonly used.for supporting a user, e.g. a mattress, can be provided or inserted in the envelope 27. By using the envelope 27 with a supply of low pressure air from the pump 20, ventilating air can be supplied to the user supported on the pad.
  • FIG. 5 A plan view of the envelope 27 is illustrated in Figure 5.
  • the upper and lower sheets 25 and 26 of the envelope are in this example made from a thermoplastic sheet material and are welded together along the side edges 30 and one end edge 31.
  • the opposite end edge 32 is provided with closure means for example a zip-fastener 33 by which the end can be closed as required after fitting the envelope around a supporting pad.
  • the upper and lower sheets 25 and 26 may be extended at each end of the envelope beyond the end edges 31 and 32 to form flaps 34 and 35 respectively which can be used for locating and holding the complete envelope and enclosed supporting pad in position when in use, e.g. by tucking under an existing mattress on a bed.
  • a pair of grommetted holes 44 may be provided through top sheet 25 to allow the supply tubes 15a and 16a from pump 14 to be connected to an alternating pressure pad 10 in the envelope 27.
  • the upper and lower sheets 25 and 26 in the example of Figures 4 and 5, and also the undersheet 17 and oversheet 22 of the examples of figures 2 and 3 of the invention are made of polyvinyl chloride sheet material, in which case these sheets are impermeable except for apertures punched through them, e.g. apertures 23 and 29.
  • the upper sheets 22 in Figure 3 and 25 in Figure 4 may be made of an air permeable material to allow air to migrate through the material from the plenum chamber supplied with low pressure air from the pump 20.
  • the sheets 22 and 25 may be formed of an elastic material. This may be especially useful for the sheet 22 in Figure 3, in which case the sheet 22 is stretched when the pad 10 is inflated to avoid any wrinkling of the sheet 22 when the pad is partially inflated.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a preferred inlet arrangement for the low pressure air delivered from the pump 20 to the plenum chamber formed in any of the examples shown in Figures 2 to 5.
  • a T-shaped conduit member 36 is formed of a relatively rigid material, so as not to be crushed during normal use of the support pad.
  • the upright 37 of the T passes through an aperture 38 provided in a side edge 39 of the envelope and is sealed to the border of the aperture 38 of the material of the envelope by any known means, such as by clamping as illustrated.
  • the supply pipe 21 is connected to the outer end 40 of the upright 37 of the conduit 36 and extends as shown, at least initially, substantially at right angles to the adjacent edge 39 of the envelope.
  • Air supplied along the pipe 21 enters the envelope and is emitted from the conduit 36 from the two ends 41 of the cross-bar 42 of the T and is thus emitted from the conduit 36 through apertures which lie in planes also at right angles to the edge 39.
  • This arrangement minimises the risk of the opening from the connector 36 into the interior of the plenum chamber of being occluded by the material of the chamber or enclosed supporting pad.
  • a bacterial filter 43 ( Figure 5) may be included between the low pressure pump 20 and the inlet to the plenum chamber, for example conduit 36. This ensures that when ventilation is provided by pumping air into the plenum chamber for escape therefrom, the risk of infection being caused by the ventilating air is minimised.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nursing (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)
  • Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
EP80303206A 1979-09-12 1980-09-11 Stütze Withdrawn EP0025701A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7931575 1979-09-12
GB7931575 1979-09-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0025701A2 true EP0025701A2 (de) 1981-03-25
EP0025701A3 EP0025701A3 (de) 1981-05-20

Family

ID=10507765

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP80303206A Withdrawn EP0025701A3 (de) 1979-09-12 1980-09-11 Stütze

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0025701A3 (de)
AU (1) AU6213480A (de)
GB (1) GB2059256B (de)
ZA (1) ZA805528B (de)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0044741A1 (de) * 1980-07-22 1982-01-27 American Hospital Supply Corporation Patientenbehandlungsmatratze
EP0046008B1 (de) * 1980-08-13 1984-10-10 PAUL, Patrick Robin David Matratze
GB2228193A (en) * 1989-02-17 1990-08-22 Kenneth Caldwell Inflatable support devices
WO1994019998A1 (en) * 1993-03-12 1994-09-15 Irvin Industries Canada Ltd. Air support device
US6609260B2 (en) * 2000-03-17 2003-08-26 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Proning bed and method of operating the same
US6691347B2 (en) 1997-08-08 2004-02-17 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Hospital bed
US6817363B2 (en) 2000-07-14 2004-11-16 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Pulmonary therapy apparatus
WO2005007054A1 (en) * 2003-07-17 2005-01-27 Kanmed Ab System and method for medical equipment
WO2008014277A3 (en) * 2006-07-26 2008-05-08 Kci Licensing Inc Patient support with welded materials
WO2012048042A3 (en) * 2010-10-05 2012-09-20 Touchsensor Technologies, Llc Support surface overlay with selectively inflatable cells
US8863338B2 (en) 2010-06-02 2014-10-21 Touchsensor Technologies, Llc Therapeutic support device allowing capillary blood flow
GB2562039A (en) * 2017-04-25 2018-11-07 Gbuk Group Ltd Inflatable mattress and systems
WO2020023613A1 (en) * 2018-07-27 2020-01-30 Bedgear, Llc Bedding system and method
EP3515256A4 (de) * 2016-09-22 2020-04-22 Youngblood IP Holdings, LLC Artikel mit einer temperaturkonditionierten oberfläche, thermoelektrische steuereinheit und verfahren zur temperaturkonditionierung der oberfläche eines artikels
US20210186784A1 (en) * 2019-12-18 2021-06-24 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay with vacuum enclosure and method of operation
WO2021222824A1 (en) * 2020-04-30 2021-11-04 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay system
WO2023211874A1 (en) * 2022-04-26 2023-11-02 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay system with working fluid recycling
WO2024013683A1 (en) * 2022-07-12 2024-01-18 Umano Medical Inc. Microclimate management systems

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2167293B (en) * 1984-11-26 1988-12-07 Matsushita Electric Works Ltd Bedsore preventing apparatus
JPH0344187Y2 (de) * 1987-11-10 1991-09-17
DE3830235A1 (de) * 1988-09-06 1990-03-15 Man Nutzfahrzeuge Ag Rueckenlehne mit pulsationskissen
US5606754A (en) 1989-03-09 1997-03-04 Ssi Medical Services, Inc. Vibratory patient support system
US5586346A (en) 1994-02-15 1996-12-24 Support Systems, International Method and apparatus for supporting and for supplying therapy to a patient
GB2319721A (en) * 1996-11-28 1998-06-03 Huntleigh Technology Plc Inflatable pad for bedridden patients
FR2949320B1 (fr) 2009-08-31 2012-11-16 Hill Rom Ind Sa Dispositif de basculement lateral

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1516124A (fr) * 1967-01-24 1968-03-08 Perfectionnements aux matelas à pression alternée
FR2127928A5 (de) * 1971-03-02 1972-10-13 Howorth Air Conditioning Ltd
GB1350110A (en) * 1971-12-18 1974-04-18 Lapidus R Bed pad

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1516124A (fr) * 1967-01-24 1968-03-08 Perfectionnements aux matelas à pression alternée
FR2127928A5 (de) * 1971-03-02 1972-10-13 Howorth Air Conditioning Ltd
GB1350110A (en) * 1971-12-18 1974-04-18 Lapidus R Bed pad

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0044741A1 (de) * 1980-07-22 1982-01-27 American Hospital Supply Corporation Patientenbehandlungsmatratze
EP0046008B1 (de) * 1980-08-13 1984-10-10 PAUL, Patrick Robin David Matratze
GB2228193A (en) * 1989-02-17 1990-08-22 Kenneth Caldwell Inflatable support devices
GB2228193B (en) * 1989-02-17 1992-07-15 Kenneth Caldwell Improvements in or relating to inflatable support devices
WO1994019998A1 (en) * 1993-03-12 1994-09-15 Irvin Industries Canada Ltd. Air support device
US6691347B2 (en) 1997-08-08 2004-02-17 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Hospital bed
US6609260B2 (en) * 2000-03-17 2003-08-26 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Proning bed and method of operating the same
US6817363B2 (en) 2000-07-14 2004-11-16 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Pulmonary therapy apparatus
US7931607B2 (en) 2000-07-14 2011-04-26 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Pulmonary therapy apparatus
WO2005007054A1 (en) * 2003-07-17 2005-01-27 Kanmed Ab System and method for medical equipment
WO2008014277A3 (en) * 2006-07-26 2008-05-08 Kci Licensing Inc Patient support with welded materials
CN101478942B (zh) * 2006-07-26 2012-04-04 凯希特许有限公司 带有焊接材料的病人支撑
US8863338B2 (en) 2010-06-02 2014-10-21 Touchsensor Technologies, Llc Therapeutic support device allowing capillary blood flow
WO2012048042A3 (en) * 2010-10-05 2012-09-20 Touchsensor Technologies, Llc Support surface overlay with selectively inflatable cells
US9216122B2 (en) 2010-10-05 2015-12-22 Touchsensor Technologies, Llc Support apparatus, system and method
EP3132781A1 (de) * 2010-10-05 2017-02-22 TouchSensor Technologies, L.L.C. Tragevorrichtung, -system und -verfahren
US10758441B2 (en) 2010-10-05 2020-09-01 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support apparatus, system and method
US11672715B2 (en) 2010-10-05 2023-06-13 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support apparatus, system and method
EP3515256A4 (de) * 2016-09-22 2020-04-22 Youngblood IP Holdings, LLC Artikel mit einer temperaturkonditionierten oberfläche, thermoelektrische steuereinheit und verfahren zur temperaturkonditionierung der oberfläche eines artikels
GB2562039A (en) * 2017-04-25 2018-11-07 Gbuk Group Ltd Inflatable mattress and systems
WO2020023613A1 (en) * 2018-07-27 2020-01-30 Bedgear, Llc Bedding system and method
US20210186784A1 (en) * 2019-12-18 2021-06-24 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay with vacuum enclosure and method of operation
WO2021222824A1 (en) * 2020-04-30 2021-11-04 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay system
WO2023211874A1 (en) * 2022-04-26 2023-11-02 Dabir Surfaces, Inc. Support surface overlay system with working fluid recycling
WO2024013683A1 (en) * 2022-07-12 2024-01-18 Umano Medical Inc. Microclimate management systems

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2059256B (en) 1983-11-23
AU6213480A (en) 1981-03-19
ZA805528B (en) 1982-04-28
EP0025701A3 (de) 1981-05-20
GB2059256A (en) 1981-04-23

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Inventor name: HAWKINS, BRIAN MICHAEL