GB2600999A - Changing surface - Google Patents

Abstract

A changing surface has a top face 17 on which an individual can lie to be washed or changed and a lower face 18, the surface including a sheet 16 of plastics material supported by a frame 14 such that the sheet can deform when lain on by an individual. Selected areas 19 of the sheet are reduced in thickness to less than the mean thickness to induce different relative amounts of deformation of the sheet in predetermined areas when lain upon. Preferably the selected areas comprise grooves and may be located in the lower face or the upper face or both. The grooves my be substantially parallel, extending the majority of the length of the table, or they may form a tessellated pattern, such as hexagons. Preferably the surface may comprise more than one sheet.

Description

CHANGING SURFACE

The present invention relates to changing surfaces incorporated in changing tables, nursing tables, shower trollies, patient trollies and the like.

Changing tables provide a surface on which an individual can lie, either to rest or while being washed or changed. The most common and best-known types of nursing tables are baby changing tables, used primarily to change a baby's nappy. However, a variety of other types of changing table or nursing table are known.

Changing tables can be found at home and also in public spaces, where wall-mounted changing tables with a fold-down changing surface are popular. Larger changing tables to accommodate older children as well as adults have also been available for many years. They are commonly referred to as adult changing tables, changing benches or adult nursing benches. These include nursing tables designed or adapted for individuals with postural and positioning requirements. Adults, children and babies with a variety of conditions can need postural support and positioning, including when lying down. Typically they are used to wash and change individuals with limited mobility or individuals with disabilities that limit their ability to change themselves. The changing tables may be freestanding, mobile on castors or wall-mounted, as well as other configurations. They may also be height-adjustable. Increasing numbers of public spaces are now installing adult-size changing tables.

Changing tables need to strike a balance between comfort, usability, durability and hygiene. This is particularly the case in the case of changing tables installed in public spaces where they may be used hard and possibly vandalised, while at the same time being often only cursorily cleaned.

Currently there are known several types of adult changing table. A first type has a changing surface comprising a flat board made of plywood, grp board or a similar material. Variants of this first type may include a pad to make lying on the board more comfortable. The pad may be upholstered onto the board or be a detachable mattress. A further type of changing table has a changing surface formed by a high-tensile fabric material such as tarpaulin or HT polyester stretched tautly within a tubular steel frame. When an individual lies on the surface, it hammocks around them. This gives a comfortable feeling of security but can become a problem where an individual needs to be rolled onto their side, for example to clean them. As a person becomes heavier it becomes disproportionately harder to roll them as they sink lower into the material. UK patent application No. 2003150.6 discloses a novel type of changing table having a changing surface made of a semi-rigid material which provides a tough, durable surface which has at the same time some give and elasticity to provide a comfortable surface.

Users of changing tables will by their nature often need the table surface to be adapted specially to their needs. Some known types of changing table have a tiltable backrest or headrest; this apart, there is no facility on known changing tables to add bolsters, change the support offered by the changing table surface or vary the stiffness or 'give' between different areas of the table surface. At present carers will often improvise, using rolled-up towels, for example, to support a user in a particular position on a changing table surface.

The present invention aims to provide a changing table and changing surface that can be adapted during manufacture to suit the needs of a particular individual or of a general group. The invention aims also to provide a tough, durable changing surface that at the same time allows sufficient deformation to make it comfortable for an individual to lie on.

According to the present invention there is provided a changing surface having a top face on which an individual can lie to be washed or changed and a lower face, the surface including a sheet of plastics material having a mean thickness of at least 3mm supported by a frame such that the sheet can deform when lain on by an individual, characterised in that selected areas of the sheet are reduced in thickness to less than the mean thickness, whereby to cause different relative amounts of deformation of the sheet in predetermined areas when lain upon.

Preferably the said sheet is reduced in thickness by removing material from its said lower face. Preferably the said selected areas include areas comprising grooves formed into the said sheet. Preferably the said selected areas comprise less than 20% of the total area of the said sheet.

Preferably the said sheet is reduced to less than 25% of the said mean thickness in the said selected areas.

Preferably the said selected areas are formed such that the said predetermined areas deform to constrain motion of predetermined parts of an individual's body when lain on the said surface.

Preferably the said grooves are formed by removing material from both the said upper and lower faces.

Preferably the said grooves are formed to concertina, whereby to allow a portion of the said sheet to extend upwards or depend downwards from the surface.

Preferably the said grooves are formed such that the said extending or depending portion will remain extended or depended when set in that position.

Preferably the said selected area comprises substantially parallel grooves extending the majority of the length of the said surface.

Preferably the said selected area comprises grooves forming a tessellated pattern extending over the majority of the said sheet.

Preferably the said tessellated pattern is a pattern of hexagons. Preferably the said surface includes more than one sheet.

The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a known type of changing table Figure 2 shows another known type of changing table Figures 3a and 3b show a perspective view of a changing table incorporating a first embodiment of the present invention Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show a detail of a further embodiment of the present invention in plan, section and perspective views Figure 5 shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the present invention Figure 6 shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the present invention and Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a known type of changing table 1 comprising a changing surface provided by a rigid board 2 supported on a subframe 3. The subframe itself is supported on a height-adjustable electric actuator 4 in the current example, which is itself supported by a trolley base 5. The top surface 6 of the board 2 is made of a hygienic wipe-clean material, for example GRP. In use the changing surface can be raised to a height appropriate for a given carer or lowered to allow a direct transfer from a wheelchair. An individual lies on the board 2 while being changed or washed. It will be seen that the surface is not very comfortable and does not feel secure when an individual is lying on it or being turned on it. Polyurethane foam pads can be added or a mattress 7, shown for clarity in air above the changing surface 6. However, with either polyurethane pads or a mattress, it introduces a significant risk of trapping matter between the pads or mattress 7 and the surface 6. An upholstered surface can be alternatively be used, but this greatly increases replacement costs if the upholstered surface gets damaged because the whole top needs to be replaced or sent away.

Figure 2 shows another known type of changing table 8. This type comprises a tubular steel frame 9 over which a wipe-clean high-tensile fabric such as HT polyester is tautly stretched to provide a changing surface 10. In the example shown, the tubular frame 9 is supported by a wall-fixed height adjustment mechanism 11 which allows the changing surface 10 to be raised and lowered to an appropriate height. Typically the frame 9 will be pivotable to allow it to stow against the wall-fixed mechanism 11, as shown in Figure 2b. The surface 10 is hygienic, having nowhere to trap matter, with the underside accessible when it is folded up.

In use an individual lies on the surface 10. This stretches the high-tensile fabric allowing it to hammock around the individual. This provides a comfortable and secure-feeling experience for the individual. However, it has a number of disadvantages. The steel frame is hard and protruding. An individual with a tendency to move or thrash can easily bruise themselves. Heavier people can sink into the surface to a point where it is hard to get them out and very hard to roll them for cleaning or changing. Also, the more an individual sinks into the surface 10, the more they find themselves looking round at a metal frame -as well as increasing the risk of bruising as the metal frame moves further up round their body and becomes easier to hit accidentally. Padding can be added to the frame to mitigate the risk of bruising but this increases the difficulty of getting off the bed as well as increasing the sensation of being surrounded by the frame.

Figures 3a and 3b show a changing table 12 incorporating a first embodiment of the present invention.

The changing table 12 comprises a wall-fixed height adjustment mechanism 13 attached to a frame 14 by means of pivoting brackets 15, 15 which allow it to fold between a use and a non-use position. The frame 14 is a perimeter frame providing an upper surface onto which a flexible sheet 16 of dimensions suitable for an adult to lie on and made of semi-rigid plastics material is fixed. The sheet 16 is substantially horizontal when the frame 14 is in its use position with a topside 17 on which an individual lies and an underside 18, visible in Figure 3b. In the current embodiment the sheet 16 is made of 10mm PE plastic. Other plastics may be used. In other embodiments, the sheet may have dimensions suitable for a child or a young person, or it may be dimensioned specifically for the needs of a particular individual.

In the embodiment shown, grooves 19 are cut into the underside 18 of the sheet during manufacture in positions that will allow the sheet to elastically deform differentially such that an individual lying on their left side with their knees slightly bent will be naturally supported and cradled in position. The grooves are fully visible in Figure 3b where the underside 18 is shown. Dotted lines in Figure 3a show the location of the grooves when the frame and sheet are in their use positions. The grooves are cut to a depth of 8mm, leaving a 2mm thickness of PE plastic. It will be seen from the drawings that the shape of the grooves 19, which mimic an individual's body, will allow the sheet to deform around the individual while the rest of the sheet 16 remains stiff and much less flexible, so the individual is safely and comfortably held in a safe position while being washed or changed. An area 40 under the centre of the individual's head and a similar area 41 under the centre of the individual's torso area are also cut from the underside to a thickness of 2mm to relieve pressure and increase comfort for the individual when lying on the topside 17.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show a detail of a further embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is identical to the embodiment of figure 3 except that the sheet 16 has had concentric grooves 20 routed from above and below producing a zig-zag section, as shown in Figure 4b, through the sheet in one area 21, around where an individual's foot would sit. This considerably increases the sheet's ability to deform in that area. The zig-zag groove pattern allows the sheet to be pushed down as shown in Fig 4c to form a pocket allowing, in this embodiment, a foot that is not aligned with the individual's leg to be accommodated. Depending on the design of the grooves, the pocket can be arranged either such that it offers an easily displaced area that will return elastically or such that it remains depending when pushed down and needs to be pushed back up to return the area 21 to being coplanar with the rest of the sheet. It will be appreciated that the same technique can allow a bolster or support to be provided that will protrude up from the sheet 16, rather than a pocket that depends down.

Figure S shows a further embodiment of the invention shown in plan from the underside. In this embodiment the sheet 16 has a honeycomb pattern of grooves 22 cut into underside 18 over the bulk of its area. This pattern considerably increases the flexibility of the sheet, allowing it to hammock when lain on. At the same time its elasticity remains relatively low so, in contrast with the known design of Fig 2, it will not hammock a lot more if a heavy person lays on it, compared with a light person. In this embodiment the grooves are routed using a ball-ended cutter to minimise stress raising corners. The design of Figure 5 has the added advantage that it is very resistant to knife attack. The interior profile of the grooves means that there is only a narrow area of plastic in each groove 21 that is thin and vulnerable to attack. The hexagon pattern means that a continuous cut of more than a few centimetres is impossible.

Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of the invention shown in plan from the underside. In this embodiment, the sheet 16 has several parallel longitudinal grooves 23 extending to within a few centimetres of each end of the sheet. In the embodiment shown, the sheet is moulded with the grooves included. The effect of this design is similar to a longitudinally slatted bed; there is less support in the longitudinal centre compared with the ends. Changing surfaces can be uncomfortable for smaller lighter people because they do not weigh enough to cause the surface to hammock enough to be comfortable. The embodiment of Figure 6 can improve comfort for smaller people, because it will deform or sag comparatively more provided they are lying towards the longitudinal centre of the sheet.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a changing surface 24 is provided by first and second sheets 25 and 26 both supported on a perimeter frame. The sheet 26 is fixed pivotably to the perimeter frame 14, allowing it to be raised to provide a tilting backrest. Respective groove patterns are cut into the two sheets to allow desired deformation of the two sheets when lain on. Other embodiments may include more than two separate sheets.

The embodiment of Figure 7 shows a fixed-height floor-standing changing table. The other embodiments of the invention are incorporated in wall-mounted height-adjustable changing tables for ease of illustration. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to such use but should be seen as extending to all forms of variable-height and fixed-height changing surfaces, mobile trollies, portable changing surfaces and other forms of equipment where a washing or changing surface is provided.

Other types and thicknesses of plastic may be used. In the embodiments shown the thickness of the sheet is typically in the range of 5-10mm. The sheet can be thicker than this if desired. It has been found that a thickness of less than about 3mm makes it hard to effect the intention of the invention, in that the differences in mechanical properties between reduced-thickness areas and normal-thickness areas is not sufficient to make a useful difference. Typically the reduced thickness areas will be less than 25% of the normal thickness of the sheet but this can vary depending on load deformation requirements aimed at. Likewise, it has been found that typically no more than 20% of the sheet's area will be reduced in thickness; but in certain circumstances greater areas of the sheet have their thickness reduced.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS1. A changing surface having a top face on which an individual can lie to be washed or changed and a lower face, the surface including a sheet of plastics material having a mean thickness of at least 3mm supported by a frame such that the sheet can deform when lain on by an individual, characterised in that selected areas of the sheet are reduced in thickness to less than the mean thickness, whereby to cause different relative amounts of deformation of the sheet in predetermined areas when lain upon.
2. 2. A changing surface as claimed in claim either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the said selected areas include areas comprising grooves formed into the said sheet.
3. 3. A changing surface as claimed in any of claim Ito 3, characterised in that the said selected areas comprise less than 20% of the total area of the said sheet.
4. 4. A changing surface as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said sheet is reduced to less than 25% of the said mean thickness in the said selected areas.
5. 5. A changing surface as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said selected areas are formed such that the said predetermined areas deform to constrain motion of predetermined parts of an individual's body when lain on the said surface.
6. 6. A changing surface as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said sheet is reduced in thickness by removing material from its said lower face.
7. 7. A changing surface as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the said grooves are formed by removing material from both the said upper and lower faces.
8. 8. A changing surface as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the said grooves are formed to concertina, whereby to allow a portion of the said sheet to extend upwards or depend downwards from the surface.
9. 9. A changing surface as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the said grooves are formed such that the said extending or depending portion will remain extended or depended when set in that position.
10. 10. A changing surface as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said selected area comprises substantially parallel grooves extending the majority of the length of the said surface.
11. 11. A changing surface as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the said selected area comprises grooves forming a tessellated pattern extending over the majority of the said sheet.
12. 12. A changing surface as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the said tessellated pattern is a pattern of hexagons.
13. 13. A changing surface as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the said surface includes more than one sheet.