GB2616674A

GB2616674A - Injury reduction mat

Info

Publication number: GB2616674A
Application number: GB2203815.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lindberg Ian; lindberg David
Original assignee: Alerta Medical Ltd
Current assignee: Alerta Medical Ltd
Priority date: 2022-03-18
Filing date: 2022-03-18
Publication date: 2023-09-20
Also published as: GB202203815D0

Abstract

An injury reduction mat 100 includes: a foam portion 110 having a cavity, slot or shaping therein; a sensor pad 120 proximal to the foam portion 110 for detecting if a person is on the mat 100, the sensor pad 120 being in communication with a transmitter (140,fig.7), the transmitter being located at the cavity, slot or shaping of the foam portion 110; and a cover 150 enclosing the foam portion 110, sensor pad 120 and transmitter 140. The transmitter 140 is arranged to generate an alert when the sensor pad 120 is activated. An alert may be sent to a nurse call system or an independent receiver. The transmitter 140 may send the alert wirelessly. The mat 100 may comprise two or more sensor pads 120 which may be connected via a cable, wireless or near field communication. The mat 100 may comprise two or more portions (101,102, fig.3). The mat 100 may be configured to fold, and the folding mechanism may comprise a skirt portion (152,fig.3) connecting the two portions. The sensor pad 120 may comprise a pressure sensor.

Description

INJURY REDUCTION MAT

Field of the Disclosure

The present invention relates to an injury reduction mat for use in home, care and hospital settings.

Background

Currently crash mats are used to break the falls of people receiving care. Crash mats comprise foam to reduce the impact of falls. Crash mats are often placed next to beds in hospitals, care homes and other care environments. When a person receiving care falls onto a crash mat, there is no mechanism to inform carers. If a person receiving care is not able to get up themselves, they have to wait until they can summon assistance or are seen for assistance.

Alert mats are used to detect the movement of people receiving care, especially those with dementia. Alert mats do not contain foam and do not provide protection from falls. In fact, alert mats are often designed to not be seen by the person receiving care as the person receiving care may try to avoid the mat so that carers are not alerted to their movements. Therefore, to avoid people receiving care noticing the mats, alert mats are thin mats without foam. If a person receiving care falls on an alert mat, the impact of their fall is therefore not significantly reduced.

As such, there is a need to provide a mat which would both break the fall of people receiving care and alert a carer that a person receiving care has fallen.

Objects and aspects of the present invention seek to alleviate at least these problems with the prior art.

Summary

According to the present invention there is provided an injury reduction mat comprising; a substantially cuboidal mat body, wherein the mat body has a top surface, a base surface and four side surfaces; the substantially cuboidal mat body further comprising; a foam portion, wherein the foam portion extends substantially the length of the mat body and wherein the foam portion comprises a cavity, slot or shaping; a sensor pad for detecting if a person is on the mat, wherein the sensor pad is in communication with a transmitter and wherein the sensor pad is proximate the foam portion; a transmitter in communication with the sensor pad, wherein the transmitter is located at the cavity, slot or shaping of the foam portion, and wherein the transmitter is configured to generate an alert when the sensor pad is activated; and a cover enclosing the foam portion, sensor and transmitter.

In this way, the injury reduction mat of the present invention both reduces the impact of falls and alerts a carer that a person receiving care has fallen. The carer is then aware the person receiving care has fallen and able to provide assistance. The person receiving care is not left until someone finds them as with current crash mats. The mat breaks the fall of the person receiving care, unlike with current alert mats.

The time taken to attend to an injured person can affect their health outcome. By alerting a carer that a person receiving care has fallen, the present invention can reduce the time between a person receiving care falling and a carer providing medical attention, therefore improving the health outcome of the person receiving care.

In some embodiments, the transmitter is configured to send the alert to a nurse call system so that carers at a fixed location such as a nurse station can be informed that a person receiving care has fallen.

In some embodiments, the transmitter is configured to send the alert to an independent receiver. As such, a carer can be alerted while not in a fixed position and/or in settings without nurse call systems such as in a home care setting.

Preferably, the transmitter is configured to send the alert wirelessly. In this way, the mat is not limited to use in areas with a wired connection. The number of mats used is not limited by the number of wired connections available which may be particularly useful in care settings with many people receiving care and/or where a mat is placed at each side of the bed of a person receiving care. Additionally, it is advantageous to have a mat with no external wires as external wires would be a trip hazard for people receiving care and carers. The present invention includes sensor and transmitter portions contained within the mat.

Preferably, the mat comprises two or more sensor pads and the sensor pads are connected by any one selected from the group of cable, wireless and near field 10 communication.

Preferably, the cover is a soft cover. Preferably, the cover comprises stretch PVC. In this way, when a person receiving care falls on the mat, skin shearing is minimised.

Preferably, the sensor pads are connected by a cable and the cable is housed within a tube. Preferably, the tube is comprised of PVC.

Preferably the mat comprises two or more portions. Preferably the mat is configured to fold and the folding mechanism comprises a skirt portion connecting the two or more portions. In this way, the mat can be easily handled and moved. The connecting skirt portion allows the mat to be one continuous piece when unfolded and in use. In this way, the mat is easy to clean and fluids cannot enter the mat portions. This feature is advantageous as the person receiving care may be incontinent and may involuntarily release bodily fluids when they fall on the mat, therefore it is beneficial if the mat is easy for a carer to clean.

In some embodiments, the mat comprises two connected mat portions where one portion comprises a foam portion and a sensor pad; the second portion comprises two foam portions, a sensor pad and a transmitter; the two mat portions are connected by a cable between the sensor pads; and the two portions and the cable are enclosed by a cover. Preferably, the two mat portions are the same size. Preferably, the foam portion in the first mat portion is cuboidal. Preferably one of the foam portions in the second mat portion is cuboidal. Preferably the two foam portions of the second mat portion are the same shape with the same length and width measurements except that one of the foam portions further comprises a removed corner portion. Preferably the size and shape of the removed portion is the same as the size and shape of the transmitter. As such, placing the first foam portion over the second creates a cavity in the corner to house the transmitter. In some embodiments the removed corner portion and the transmitter are cuboidal. Preferably, when the first and second foam portions of the second mat portion are placed on top of one another, the combined portions have the same height as the foam portion of the first mat portion.

In some embodiments, the sensor pad is located under a foam portion. In some embodiments, the sensor pad is located within a foam portion. In some embodiments, the sensor pad is located between foam portions.

Preferably, the sensor pad extends substantially to the edges of the mat portion such that if the person receiving care falls anywhere on the mat, an alert is triggered.

Preferably, the sensor pad is smaller than the foam portion. In this way, false alerts can be avoided. Preferably, the sensor pad comprises copper. Preferably, the sensor pad comprises an alloy which comprises copper. More preferably, the sensor pad comprises brass. In one example, the sensor pad comprises a CZ108 Half Hard 2 Thou Brass Strip. In this way, conductive travel is strengthened and the sensor pad detects falls across its area. Preferably, the sensor pad is configured to withstand being walked upon.

Preferably, the transmitter is located under a foam portion. In this way, if the person receiving care falls onto the part of the mat with the transmitter inside, then the person receiving care falls onto the protective foam portion rather than the transmitter itself.

Preferably the sensor pad comprises a pressure sensor. Preferably, the pressure sensors are configured to detect the presence of people of different weights. In this way, people receiving care who are lighter. such as ill or elderly people, are detected by the sensors. Preferably, the sensor pad comprises a foil layer. Preferably, the sensor pad comprises a foam layer. More preferably, the sensor pad comprises a foam layer in between two foil layers. More preferably, the foam layer comprises holes arranged in a regular grid formation. In this way, when a person receiving care falls onto the mat, the foam layer is compressed, the foil layers make contact via at least one of the holes in the foam layer, a circuit is completed, and an alert is generated.

The term 'foam' refers to solid materials made by trapping air bubbles. The foams used may be open cell or closed cell foams.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 depicts a view of the mat in accordance with the present invention, partially folded; Figure 2 depicts a view of the mat in accordance with the present invention, partially folded, with the cover partially open; zo Figure 3 depicts a view of the mat in accordance with the present invention, in use; Figure 4 depicts a view of the three foam portions of the mat in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; Figure 5 depicts a view of two of the foam portions of the mat in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, in use; Figure 6 depicts a view of the sensor pads of the mat in accordance with the present invention; Figure 7 depicts top and side views of the transmitter of the mat in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description

With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is illustrated a mat 100 for reducing injury. The mat 100 comprises a first mat portion 101, second mat portion 102, foam portions 110, sensor pads 120, a wire 130, a transmitter 140, and a cover 150. The wire 130 connects the sensor pads 120 and the transmitter 140. The sensor pads 120 are located under the foam portion 110. The cover 150 encloses the foam portions 110, the sensor pads 120, the wire 130 and the transmitter 150. The cover 150 comprises a zip 160 allowing access to the components of the mat 100.

The foam portions 110 are soft and absorb impact so reduce injury by reducing the impact of falls. The sensor pads 120 are arranged to detect a weight or other response that detects that a person is on the mat 100. The activation of the sensor pads 120 is communicated to the transmitter 140. The transmitter 140 sends an alert to either a nurse call system or a remote receiver. The cover 150 comprises a tube 151 which houses the wire 130 connecting the sensor pad 120 and the transmitter 140. The cover further comprises a skirt portion 152 for connecting the two mat portions.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 there is illustrated the foam portions 111, 112 and 113 of the mat 100. The foam portions 112 and 113 are designed to house the transmitter 140. The foam portion 112 is cuboidal and the foam portion 113 is cuboidal with a removed corner portion.

With reference to Figure 6 there is illustrated a sensor pad 120 of the mat of Figures 1, 2 and 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor pads 120 comprise a foam layer in between two foil layers. The foam layer is 4 mm thick with a density in the range 20-23 kg/m3. The foam layer comprises pressure sensors 121 arranged in a regular grid formation. The pressure sensors 121 are located 26 mm apart from each other and 20.5 mm from the edges of the sensor pad 120. The foil layers consist of aluminium foil soft temper, gauge 0.012 mm, laminated to 0.012 mm polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 60 gsm bleached Kraft paper. When the sensor pads 120 experience at least enough pressure to compress the foam such that the foil layers contact each other via at least one pressure sensor 121, a circuit is completed and an alert is generated. In this way, the sensor pad is configured to detect falls across its whole area while minimising false alerts.

With reference to Figure 7 there is illustrated a transmitter of the mat of Figures 1, 2 and 3. The transmitter comprises an on and off switch. The transmitter is cuboidal.

The invention is not limited to the specific examples or structures illustrated, a greater number of components than are illustrated in the Figures could be used, for example. There could be an alternative number of mat portions, foam portions, sensor pads and transmitters. There could be a sensor pad with a different number of foil layers, number of foam layers or number of holes in the foam layer.

Claims

Claims 1. An injury reduction mat comprising; a substantially cuboidal mat body, wherein the mat body has a top surface, a base surface and four side surfaces; the substantially cuboidal mat body further comprising; a foam portion, wherein the foam portion extends substantially the length of the mat body and wherein the foam portion comprises a cavity, slot or shaping; a sensor pad for detecting if a person is on the mat, wherein the sensor pad is in communication with a transmitter and wherein the sensor pad is proximate the foam portion; a transmitter in communication with the sensor pad, wherein the transmitter is located at the cavity, slot or shaping of the foam portion, and wherein the transmitter is configured to generate an alert when the sensor pad is activated; and a cover enclosing the foam portion, sensor and transmitter.
2. The mat of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the alert to a nurse call system.
3. The mat of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the alert to an independent receiver.
4. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the alert wirelessly.
5. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the mat comprises two or more sensor pads and the sensor pads are connected by any one selected from the group of cable, wireless and near field communication.
6. The mat of claim 5, wherein the sensor pads are connected by a cable and the cable is housed within a tube.
The mat of claim 6, wherein the tube is comprised of PVC.
8. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the mat comprises two or more portions.
9. The mat of any of claim 8, wherein the two or more portions are substantially the same size.
10. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the mat is configured to fold and the folding mechanism comprises a skirt portion connecting the two or more 10 portions.
11. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover consists of PVC.
12. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad is smaller than the foam portion.
13. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises a pressure sensor.zo
14. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises copper.
15. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises brass.
16. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises a CZ108 Half Hard 2 Thou Brass Strip.
17. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises a foil layer.
18. The mat of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor pad comprises a foam layer.
19. The mat of claims 17 or 18, wherein the sensor pad comprises a foam layer in between two foil layers.
20. The mat of claims 18 or 19, wherein the foam layer comprises holes arranged in a regular grid formation.