EP0225816A1 - Anti-sores bed - Google Patents

Abstract

The bed comprises a plurality of rollers (9, 10) arranged parallel next to each other to support the bedridden person, and means for animating these rollers with a relative movement relative to the body of the bedridden person, the points of which the rollers are constantly changing.

Description

The present invention relates to a bed making it possible to avoid the appearance of bedsores on the body of a person kept in bed for an extended period.

The most frequently used means of avoiding bedsores, which are due to permanent compression of the skin and the underlying tissues on the bone, are the following: turning the patient over and caring for the risk areas; use of a mattress containing a fluid such as air or liquid whose flow tends to vary the pressure of the support; use of a mattress comprising means for spraying sand or other particle intended to whip the skin and promote its vascularity.

Regular flipping and skin care requires a large and expensive staff. As for mattresses of various types, they are expensive to purchase and require significant maintenance.

In addition, these various means do not make it possible to avoid prolonged contact of the skin with the surface of the bed and often do not succeed in avoiding the appearance of bedsores.

The present invention proposes to remedy these drawbacks and to provide an anti-decubitus bed which certainly avoids prolonged contact between the skin and the surface of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed providing a permanent massage of the body surfaces resting on the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an anti-decubitus bed which provides stimulation of the skin facilitating its movement. larisation.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an anti-decubitus bed avoiding the risks of skin maceration against the surface of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bed which prevents the patient from remaining in contact with excretions or exudations.

Yet another objective of the invention is to provide such a bed which avoids the need for frequent mothering, and which can be implemented by low-skilled personnel.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a bed which is inexpensive and easy to maintain and clean.

The present invention relates to an anti-decubitus bed characterized in that it comprises a plurality of rollers arranged parallel next to each other, to support the bedridden person, and means for animating these rollers with a relative movement relative to the body of the bedridden person.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rollers are in direct contact with the patient's body, without the interposition of a draw sheet.

In a particularly preferred manner, the rollers are driven in a movement causing the patient to move alternately in one direction and in the other. As a variant, the rollers can move themselves relative to the patient, who then remains stationary.

However, in another embodiment, the relative movement of the rollers relative to the body of the patient can be designed so as not to cause a relative displacement of the patient in the plane of the bed while then achieving a certain vertical movement between the rollers and the patient.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the rollers have reliefs regularly distributed in the axial and / or radial direction. Thus, for example the rollers can be provided with a plurality of radial pins which the rotation of the roller brings successively into contact with the patient's body.

In place of the pins, the rollers can also have ribs separated from each other by grooves. Preferably, the rings or pins of two adjacent rollers are arranged so as to be axially offset so as to obtain, seen in the axial direction, a partial overlap of their paths.

The surface of the rollers is preferably made of an elastomeric material having a certain elasticity or of a synthetic material having similar characteristics.

In another embodiment of the invention the rollers may have eccentric shapes with respect to their axis of rotation with, preferably, an angular offset between the eccentricities of two consecutive rollers so that the supports against the rollers alternate regularly.

The rotational movement of the rollers can advantageously be communicated by transmission means such as a rack or chain, but any other transmission means can also be used.

The bed according to the invention is advantageously designed so that the rollers can be easily removed, in particular to be cleaned.

The drive of the rollers is preferably carried out by means of an electric motor. However, manual drive means can also be advantageously provided, for at least some of the rollers.

The bed according to the invention can be provided to present only a horizontal surface. However, according to improvements, the bed can also have inclined surface portions, for example to keep a patient in a sitting or semi-lying position. In this eventuality, if rollers are used for the horizontal part causing a relative displacement of the patient relative to the bed in the plane of the rollers, it is advantageous to provide one or more inclined parts, serving for example as a backrest, which follows the same movement. As a variant, it is possible, using eccentric rollers, to rotate the rollers in such a way that the patient is only animated with a substantially vertical movement. The part of the backrest bed can also be provided with rollers, if desired. Finally, the different parts of the bed can be made up of rollers of different types and kinetics.

Advantageously one can provide, under the roller for mant the bed, a recovery tray for exudations or excretions or other materials.

• La figure 1 représente une vue schématique en élévation d'un lit selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue partielle de dessus de ce lit.
• La figure 3 représente une vue en ;é!évation d'un rouleau selon l'invention.
• La figure 4 représente une vue en coupe d'un élément de ce rouleau.
• La figure 5 représente une vue en coupe axiale d'un rouleau selon une variante de l'invention.
• La figure 6 représente une vue en coupe d'un rouleau avec ses moyens d'entraînement.
• La figure 7 représente une vue d'un rouleau extrême d'entraînement d'un lit selon l'invention.
• Les figures 8 et 9 représentent une vue schématique de plusieurs rouleaux parallèles dans une autre forme de réalisation de l'invention.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given by way of nonlimiting example and referring to the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 shows a schematic elevational view of a bed according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows a partial top view of this bed.
• 3 shows a view in; é! Evation of a roller according to the invention.
• Figure 4 shows a sectional view of an element of this roller.
• FIG. 5 represents a view in axial section of a roller according to a variant of the invention.
• Figure 6 shows a sectional view of a roller with its drive means.
• FIG. 7 represents a view of an extreme drive roller of a bed according to the invention.
• Figures 8 and 9 show a schematic view of several parallel rollers in another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 we see a bed according to the invention having a frame with four feet 1, two upper uprights 2 and two lower uprights 3. Crosspieces 4 connect the feet 1 two by two at the same level as the uprights 2 and 3, these crosspieces not being seen in the figure. The frame thus formed supports a drain pan 5 disposed under practically the entire surface of the bed, a control panel 6 and roller drive means which will be detailed later. A standard bracket 7 can be fixed to receive any bottles or sachets for infusion.

The upper part of the bed, on which the patient rests, consists of a juxtaposition 8 of individual rollers 9, 10; these rollers each having at their two ends an axis extension by which they are pivoted on suitable longitudinal supports generally designated by 11.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the rollers 9 and 10 which are alternately arranged, are made up of each made of a juxtaposition of elements 12 with pins whose shape is best seen in Figures 3 and 4. The elements 12 with pins of the rollers 9 are axially offset with respect to the elements 12 with pins of the rollers 10 so as to ensure an overlap allowing an interpenetration of the trajectories of the pins, seen in the transverse direction of the bed.

The elements 12 as seen in Figures 3 and 4 are preferably made by molding in elastomer or a plastic material having a certain flexibility. Each element 12 is in the form of a ring 13 delimiting a central cylindrical passage 14, said ring extending, at its peripheral surface, by a plurality of tapered pins with blunt ends 15. The number of pins can be variable. It is advantageously of the order of 14 to 18.

As an example, the width of the ring 13 is of the order of 10 mm, the diameter of the passage 14 of the order of 20 mm, the radial thickness of the ring of the order of 5 mm and the diameter maximum bulk, that is to say the diameter of the circular path of the peaks of the pins of the order of 50 mm.

The width of the pins, which gradually decreases towards the blunt top is less than the width of the ring 13 and it can be seen that it is thus possible to obtain the interpenetration of the paths of the pins of the elements of two adjacent rollers 9, 10 as shown for example in FIG. 3.

To form a roller, the various elements 12 which are stacked are forcibly mounted on a tube 16 (see FIG. 6) which passes through the passages 13 of the different elements 11 which are thus secured to the tube 15 in rotation and in translation. The latter is closed at its two ends by simple caps 17. Of course depending on whether we are dealing with a roller 9 or 10, the axial position of the elements 12 on the tube 16 is arranged so that the overlap is obtained trajectories of the pins 15 of the elements 12 of the respective rollers 9 and 10.

However, instead of stacking elements such as 12, it is also possible to produce sleeves coated with pins and extending over the entire width of the bed, being traversed by the tubes 16.

As we have seen the ends of the rollers 9, 10, that is to say of the tubes 16 in the embodiment shown, are journalled on elements generally represented by 10 and extending along the upper uprights of the bed. This can be achieved in different ways. Thus in a simple embodiment which appears in Figures 5 and 6, the tubes 16 have at their two ends rings 18, 19 integral in rotation, these rings having grooves 20, 21 whose bottom rests on rectilinear rules 22 , 23 provided, on their upper face, with a shoulder penetrating into the grooves 20 or 21. In other words the different rollers 9, 10 are simply placed on the rules 22, 23, the bottoms of the grooves 20, 21 of two adjacent rollers 9, 10 being in tangential contact so that, provided that the end rollers of the bed are themselves mounted so as not to be able to move along the rules 22, 23, all the rollers are stationary in translation relative to to the rules while being able to turn on them with, of course, a friction on the rules as well as a friction between the rings in contact with two adjacent rollers. These rings can easily be made of self-lubricating plastic material so that the friction becomes negligible.

To drive all the rollers in rotation, there is provided, on the rings 21 of all the rollers, a toothing 24 meshing with a single rack 25 sliding in a groove 26 forming a slide, of the rule 23 and animated by a back-and-forth movement. comes which is preferably communicated to it by one of the end rollers 9, the ring 19 of which has a pulley groove 27 driven by a belt 28 itself set in reciprocating motion by a reciprocating motor 29 fixed on the frame of the bed, as seen in Figure 7.

Of course other types of training could be carried out. For example, we could use a toothed belt instead of the rack. Similarly, the teeth of the different successive rings 21 could be meshed directly with each other, the rings 21 of the rollers 9 being angularly integral with the rollers and the rings 21 of the rollers 10 being mounted idly on the rollers 10 so that only the rollers 9 would be motors, the rollers 10 only following the movement under the influence of the displacement of the patient. Indeed it is not essential that all the rollers are driven by the motor means.

Likewise, the mounting of the rollers could be modified. Thus the ends of the rollers, for example the rings 18, 19 could no longer be mounted on a rectilinear horizontal surface of a rule but in semi-circular notches of a part replacing the rule. As a variant, the ends of the rollers could also be mounted by rotating them in bearings, but such a solution is less advantageous since it would require disassembly of the bearings for removing and installing the rollers, while the solutions described above make it possible to lay and deposit a roller without any disassembly operation.

The rollers 9 and 10 can advantageously be identified, for example by using caps 17 of different colors in order to facilitate the installation and removal of the rollers.

The operation is as follows: all the rollers 9, 10 having been placed alternately and the patient lying directly on the horizontal surface formed by the different rollers with their pins, the motor 29 is started and communicates with the 'set of rollers a movement which alternately drives the patient towards the foot of the bed and towards the head of the bed. The amplitude of this movement is preferably limited to 5 to 30 cm and the speed to 5 to 60 cm / h, 11 as a result that the patient comes into contact successively with the different pins 15 of the different rollers during its movement relative to the rollers. Consequently, the points of contact between the patient and the bed, determined by the pins 15, constantly change, which avoids the effect of bedsores. In addition, the successive contact of the different pins, linked to a certain elasticity of the latter, causes a local flogging providing a massage effect which initiates and facilitates the local circulation of the blood.

Of course, the invention can be the subject of numerous variants.

Thus, with reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that one could use not spiked rollers but fluted rollers having alternating ribs and circulars 30 and circular grooves 31, the rollers preferably being arranged so that the ribs 30 penetrate somewhat into the grooves 31 of the adjacent roller. We thus obtain a displacement of the patient avoiding the appearance of bedsores. This solution is however not preferred since the flogging effect is reduced.

we now refer to Figures 8 and 9.

In this exemplary embodiment, the rollers are produced in the form of continuous cylinders mounted eccentrically around rotary axes 32 driven in rotation for example by a rack. These rollers are all identical to each other but are offset angularly and alternately, for example by 180 °, so as to form rollers 33 and 34 alternating in phase opposition.

The continuous cylinder can be replaced by a cylinder formed by a stack of eccentric rings at offset angular positions, for example alternating, which allows an overlap of two adjacent cylinders.

A blind 35 can be provided, this blind being fixed relative to the bed so as not to be able to be driven by the rollers. The rollers can thus be driven in a uniform rotational movement always in the same direction and, in so doing, they simply alternately raise and lower the aileron 35, against which they slide, at the different locations of the rollers. . The patient who rests on the mattress pad is therefore alternately in contact with the points of the mattress pad to the right of the rollers 33 then the rollers 34 and so on. The draw sheet 35 can be replaced by flexible liners surrounding each of the rollers and inside which the rollers slide. As a variant, on condition of animating the rollers with an alternating movement, as in the case of the spiked rollers described above, one could remove the ailerons and shirts, the patient then receiving a certain movement of alternative translation.

The rollers 33, 34 may for example comprise a self-lubricating plastic ring 36, forcibly mounted on the axis 32, surrounded by a second self-lubricating plastic ring 37, which can pivot on the ring 36, which makes it possible to remove the drawbar 35 , the ring 37, which is secured axially to the ring 36 by a groove and rib lock, being surrounded by an elastomeric contact coating 38. The rollers 33 and 34 can interpenetrate by overlapping their elements 5 or not. The different elements constituting a roll can be alternately offset by 180 °.

Of course, the invention can also be the subject of numerous variants. Thus, the various rollers, instead of being transverse, could be longitudinal, the patient being, for example in the case of rollers with spikes or grooved rollers, moved no longer longitudinally but transversely in the bed.

Furthermore, the driving of the rollers instead of being carried out by a motor, which of course requires safety limit switches to limit the movement of the patient in the event of an incident, could be carried out manually by the hospital staff. and this at regular intervals.

Claims (16)

1. Anti-decubitus bed characterized in that it comprises a plurality of rollers (9, 10, 33, 34) arranged parallel next to each other to support the bedridden person, said rollers having a plurality of reliefs (14, 30) regularly distributed in the axial direction, the reliefs of two consecutive rollers being axially offset with respect to each other, and means for animating these rollers, in the same direction, causing an alternating relative movement of the body of the bedridden person with respect to to all of the rollers. 2. Bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the rollers (9, 10) are driven by a movement causing the relative displacement of the patient in the plane of the bed relative to the roller alternately in one direction and in the other. 3. Bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the rollers (9, 10) have reliefs 14, 30) regularly distributed in the radial direction. 4. Bed according to claim 3, characterized in that the rollers (9, 10) are provided with a plurality of radial pins (15) which the rotation of the roller brings successively into contact with the diseased body. 5. Bed according to claim 3 characterized in that the rollers have circular ribs (30) separated by grooves (31). 6. Bed according to one of claims 5 and 6 characterized in that said trajectories of said reliefs (15, 30) partially overlap. 7. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rollers (9, 10, 33, 34) are simply placed on support means (22, 23). 8. Bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the relative movement of the rollers (33, 34) does not cause a significant relative displacement of the patient in the plane of the bed. 9. Bed according to claim 8, characterized in that the rollers (33, 34) are eccentric rollers mounted alternately in angular phase shift. 10. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises, to support the ends of the rollers, rules (22, 23) cooperating with rings (18, 19) presented by the ends of the rollers. 11. Bed according to claim 10, characterized in that some of said rings (19) have a toothing (24) cooperating with a drive means (25) such as a rack moving relative to one of the rules ( 23). 12. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that one of the rollers (9) is driven directly by a motor means (29) so as to cause the setting in motion of drive means ( 25) rollers. 13. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rollers comprise individual elements (12) stacked next to each other to form a roll each element having reliefs (15, 30) 14. Bed according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the rollers, and in particular said elements (12) is made of an elastomeric material having a certain elasticity or a synthetic material having similar characteristics. 15. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a collection tray disposed under its surface. 16. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the alternating rollers (9, 10, 33, 34) have different markings (17) to facilitate their identification.

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