GB2177910A

GB2177910A - Bed cradle

Info

Publication number: GB2177910A
Application number: GB08617964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Connellan Bowman; John Dillwyn Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-25
Filing date: 1986-07-23
Publication date: 1987-02-04
Also published as: GB8617964D0; GB8518815D0; GB2177910B

Abstract

A bed cradle in the form of a number of upstanding hoops for supporting bed clothes, wherein the upstanding hoops are made of plastics tubes (10), and means (14) being provided for inflating the tubes so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition and further means (16) being provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bed cradle The invention relates to a bed cradle for supporting the bed clothes of a person suffering from a leg or foot injury.

Bed cradles are known which are made of metal strip or stout wire but such forms of bed cradle are not very convenient. They are relatively heavy and require a fair amount of storage space when not in use. Consequently, they are not very well suited for use by a military field hospital for example.

The invention has for its object to provide a bed cradle which will be of relatively light weight and which can be made to occupy a very small space when not in use.

According to the invention, a bed cradle is made of lengths of plastics tube or of plastics sheeting defining a number of tubes, means being provided whereby the plastics tubes or the tubes defined by the plastics sheeting can be inflated so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition, and further means being provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition. The further means which are provided for acting as a tie between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes may be constituted by a number of lengths of so-called "touch and close" material available under the trade name "Velcro" or by a plurality of tapes or by a single sheet of plastics or fabric material extending across the underside of the arrangement when in use.

In orderthatthe invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bed cradle embodying the invention in a collapsed condition for convenient storage, and Figure 2 is a similar view showing the article in condition for use.

Referring now to the drawings, the bed cradle there illustrated comprises four lengths of thin walled plastics tube 10 the opposite ends of which are connected into respective plastics tubes 12 of rather greater wall thickness. The opposite ends of the tubes 12 are fitted with closures, one of the closures having a removable plug 14 by means of which the connected tubes can be inflated with air.

When the connected tubes have been inflated with air, the thin walled flexible plastics tubes tend to adopt a straightened condition. However, lengths 16 of so-called "touch and close" material, which is available under the trade name "Velcro", are connected to the tubes 12so that they can act as ties between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes. In this way the device can be made to adopt the arched condition in which it is shown in Figure 2 so that it can support the bed clothes of a person suffering from a leg or foot injury.

A suitable diameter and wall thickness for the plastics tube 10 can be determined by trial and experiment so that only a moderate air pressure can maintain the arched condition of the device with a normal weight of bed clothes upon it (the air pressure preferably but not necessarily being a pressure which a person about to use the device can blow into it by mouth). Similarly, the overali dimensions of the device may be determined by trial and experiment, although it is thought that the following dimensions will be suitable:- Length - cm.

Width (in flat condition)94 cm.

Effective length of each "Velcro" tie - 55 cm.

Thus there is provided a form of bed cradle which is of relatively light weight and which can be made to occupy only a very small space when not in use.

Such a form of bed cradle will be very well suited for use by military field hospitals for example.

However, various modifications may be made. For example, the means provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition need not necessarily be constituted by at least one length of cord provided at one end with a quick release clip could equally well be used.

In a modification of the bed cradle just decribed, a one piece plastics sheet defines a number of tubes which can be inflated so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition. The device may be of moulded or fabricated form. However, it is thought that moulding may be the more appropriate form of construction because the tube can be moulded in curved form. (Straight tubes which are inflated and formed into an arched configuration may be found to kink locally. This will seriously impair their load carrying ability).

Various other modifications may be made. For example, it will be understood that any number of lengths of "touch and close" material 16 may be used to act as ties between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes to make the device adopt an arched condition. On the other hand, means other than lengths of "touch and close" material could be used between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes, for example lengths of tape or indeed a single plastics or fabric sheet, the opposite ends of which being secured by press stud fastenings to the tubes 12. The arrangement of tubes could have respective removable plugs 14 at its opposite ends to enable it to be inflated with air. The device may be provided with short lengths of "Velcro" on its underside to prevent it from sliding on the bed on which is is used; two short lengths at its opposite ends may be found sufficient.

1. A bed cradle made of lengths of plastics tube or of plastics sheeting defining a number of tubes, means being provided whereby the plastics tubes or the tubes defined by the plastics sheeting can be inflated so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition, and further means being provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition.

2. A bed cradle according to claim 1, in which the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Bed cradle The invention relates to a bed cradle for supporting the bed clothes of a person suffering from a leg or foot injury. Bed cradles are known which are made of metal strip or stout wire but such forms of bed cradle are not very convenient. They are relatively heavy and require a fair amount of storage space when not in use. Consequently, they are not very well suited for use by a military field hospital for example. The invention has for its object to provide a bed cradle which will be of relatively light weight and which can be made to occupy a very small space when not in use. According to the invention, a bed cradle is made of lengths of plastics tube or of plastics sheeting defining a number of tubes, means being provided whereby the plastics tubes or the tubes defined by the plastics sheeting can be inflated so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition, and further means being provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition. The further means which are provided for acting as a tie between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes may be constituted by a number of lengths of so-called "touch and close" material available under the trade name "Velcro" or by a plurality of tapes or by a single sheet of plastics or fabric material extending across the underside of the arrangement when in use. In orderthatthe invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bed cradle embodying the invention in a collapsed condition for convenient storage, and Figure 2 is a similar view showing the article in condition for use. Referring now to the drawings, the bed cradle there illustrated comprises four lengths of thin walled plastics tube 10 the opposite ends of which are connected into respective plastics tubes 12 of rather greater wall thickness. The opposite ends of the tubes 12 are fitted with closures, one of the closures having a removable plug 14 by means of which the connected tubes can be inflated with air. When the connected tubes have been inflated with air, the thin walled flexible plastics tubes tend to adopt a straightened condition. However, lengths 16 of so-called "touch and close" material, which is available under the trade name "Velcro", are connected to the tubes 12so that they can act as ties between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes. In this way the device can be made to adopt the arched condition in which it is shown in Figure 2 so that it can support the bed clothes of a person suffering from a leg or foot injury. A suitable diameter and wall thickness for the plastics tube 10 can be determined by trial and experiment so that only a moderate air pressure can maintain the arched condition of the device with a normal weight of bed clothes upon it (the air pressure preferably but not necessarily being a pressure which a person about to use the device can blow into it by mouth). Similarly, the overali dimensions of the device may be determined by trial and experiment, although it is thought that the following dimensions will be suitable:- Length - cm. Width (in flat condition)94 cm. Effective length of each "Velcro" tie - 55 cm. Thus there is provided a form of bed cradle which is of relatively light weight and which can be made to occupy only a very small space when not in use. Such a form of bed cradle will be very well suited for use by military field hospitals for example. However, various modifications may be made. For example, the means provided for acting as a tie between opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes so that they adopt an arched condition need not necessarily be constituted by at least one length of cord provided at one end with a quick release clip could equally well be used. In a modification of the bed cradle just decribed, a one piece plastics sheet defines a number of tubes which can be inflated so that they tend to adopt a straightened condition. The device may be of moulded or fabricated form. However, it is thought that moulding may be the more appropriate form of construction because the tube can be moulded in curved form. (Straight tubes which are inflated and formed into an arched configuration may be found to kink locally. This will seriously impair their load carrying ability). Various other modifications may be made. For example, it will be understood that any number of lengths of "touch and close" material 16 may be used to act as ties between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes to make the device adopt an arched condition. On the other hand, means other than lengths of "touch and close" material could be used between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes, for example lengths of tape or indeed a single plastics or fabric sheet, the opposite ends of which being secured by press stud fastenings to the tubes 12. The arrangement of tubes could have respective removable plugs 14 at its opposite ends to enable it to be inflated with air.The device may be provided with short lengths of "Velcro" on its underside to prevent it from sliding on the bed on which is is used; two short lengths at its opposite ends may be found sufficient. CLAIMS

2. A bed cradle according to claim 1, in which the further means which are provided for acting as a tie between the opposite ends of the arrangement of inflated tubes are constituted by a number of lengths of so-called "touch and close" material available under the trade name "Velcro" or by a plurality of tapes or by a single sheet of plastics or fabric material extending across the underside of the arrangement when in use.

3. A bed cradle constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanyhing drawings.