JP2004229966A - Air mat for bedsore prevention - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air mat for bedsore prevention using a basic structure of a conventional air mat, with which a dispersing effect on the body weight pressure can be expected by introducing a simple auxiliary member. <P>SOLUTION: Two or more air cells are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the air mat and the air cells are controlled to be expanded and deflated alternately in the air mat for bedsore prevention wherein the upper surface to come into contact with a sleeping person is covered with a mattress and the both ends of the above mattress are fixed to the air cells. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a function improvement of a pressure ulcer prevention air mat in which a plurality of cylindrical air cells are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the air mat and the adjacent air cells are alternately pressurized and depressurized.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the relationship between a pressure ulcer prevention air mat using a plurality of tubular air cells disclosed in Patent Literature and a sleeping person using the air mat. Numeral 1 is a sleeping person lying on the upper surface of the air mat, 2a1, 2a2,... 2an are A-system air cells of an air mat having a pressure ulcer prevention function, and 2b1, 2b2,. Group.
[0003]
The air cells of the A system and the B system are alternately arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the air mat. The A-system air cell group and the B-system air cell group are alternately pressurized and depressurized at a predetermined cycle by the pressurizing device 4 via the A-system impulse line 3a and the B-system impulse line 3b. Reference numeral 5 denotes a control unit for instructing operation of the pressurizing device. Reference numeral 6 denotes a cover, which covers the entire air mat including the air cell group and the pressure guiding tube.
[0004]
In the illustrated state, the A-system air cells are pressurized and inflated, and the B-system air cells are decompressed and contracted. In this manner, by performing an operation of alternately inflating and deflating the adjacent air cells alternately, pressure ulcers are prevented by alternately changing a portion where pressure is applied to the back of the sleeping person.
[0005]
[Patent Document]
JP-A-7-184747 "Airbed"
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the pressure distribution from the air cell in the inflated state in contact with the back of the sleeping person 1. Each air cell of the inflated A-system air cell group is in contact with the back of the sleeping person 1 at two points P1 and P2. Since the portion where the body comes into contact with the inflating air cell is about half of the back portion, the body pressure is concentrated. Concentration of body pressure gives a sleepy feeling to the sleeper and hinders a comfortable sleep environment.
[0007]
The sleeping person 1 lays a blanket or a mattress on the cover 6 in a normal use state of the air mat. However, even if these intervening elements exist, the sleeping person 1 faithfully follows the shape change of the air cell, so that the body pressure dispersing effect cannot be expected. In particular, it is possible to further subdivide the air cells in the portion requiring body pressure dispersion and perform complicated pressurizing and depressurizing operations, but the apparatus is complicated and it is difficult to realize the cost.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to realize a pressure ulcer prevention air mat that can be expected to have a body pressure dispersing effect by introducing a simple auxiliary member using a conventional air mat as a basic structure.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The configuration of the present invention for achieving such an object is as follows.
(1) A pressure ulcer prevention air mat in which a plurality of air cells are arranged in the longitudinal direction of an air mat and the air cells are pressurized and depressurized.
An air mat for preventing pressure ulcers, wherein an upper surface in contact with the sleeping person is covered with a mattress, and both ends of the mattress are fixed to the air cells.
[0010]
(2) A pressure ulcer prevention air mat which arranges a plurality of air cells in a longitudinal direction of the air mat and controls pressurization and decompression of the air cells.
An air mat for pressure ulcer prevention, characterized in that an upper surface part of the sleeping person in contact with a specific part is partially covered with a mattress, and both ends of the mattress are fixed to the air cells.
[0011]
(3) The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mattress is fixed to the air cell at a plurality of locations.
[0012]
(4) The air mat for pressure ulcer prevention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mattress and the air cell are detachable by Velcro means.
[0013]
(5) The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a low rebound mattress is used as the mattress.
[0014]
(6) The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of mattresses having different resiliences are joined and used as the mattress.
[0015]
(7) The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to claim 6, wherein a joint portion of the plurality of mattresses is detachable by Velcro means.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a use state of a pressure ulcer prevention air mat to which the present invention is applied. The same elements as those of the conventional example described in FIG.
[0017]
A feature of the present invention is that the upper surface of the air mat in contact with the sleeping person is covered with a mattress introduced as an auxiliary member, and both ends of the mattress are fixed to the air cells.
[0018]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a mattress introduced as an auxiliary member, which is disposed on the upper surface of the air mat in contact with the sleeping person 1 and whose one end 10a is located at one end of the air cell group via the adhesive 11. The other end 10b is fixed to the system air cell 2bn located at the other end of the group of air cells via the adhesive 12 with the system air cell 2a1.
[0019]
The mattress 10 used in the present invention may be a commercially available product having a normal cushioning property. However, by introducing a mattress having a cushioning property developed for a specific use as a low resilience mattress, the pressure dispersion effect is further improved. be able to.
[0020]
The point of the present invention lies in the structure for fixing both ends of the mattress 10 to the air cell. In the structure in which the mattress is simply disposed on the upper surface of the air mat, as described in the related art, the mattress is faithfully deformed to the shape of the upper surface of the air cell group, and the pressure dispersion effect cannot be expected. By fixing both ends, a longitudinal tension is generated in the mattress in the use state of the sleeping person, and the pressure is dispersed by this action.
[0021]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a pressure distribution from an air cell in an inflated state in contact with the back of the sleeping person 1 shown in comparison with FIG. 7 described in the related art. Since the air cells of the group A air cells in the inflated state and the back of the sleeping person 1 are dispersed at a plurality of locations like P11, P12, P13 and P21, P22, P23, each stage is compared with the conventional half. The body pressure distribution is often performed.
[0022]
Although the adhesives 11 and 12 are shown as the means for fixing both ends of the mattress 10 to the air cell, a tape or a double-sided tape may be used. Further, by using Velcro (Magic Tape (registered trademark)) as the fixing means, the mattress 10 and the air cell can be made detachable.
[0023]
The place where the mattress 10 is fixed to the air cell may be a plurality of places including both ends of the mattress 10, and adjustment such as increasing the pressure distribution at a specific place (a position where a pressure ulcer is likely to occur) by the number and pitch of the fixed places. It is possible to
[0024]
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface of the air mat in contact with a specific place (place where pressure ulcer easily occurs) of the sleeping person is partially covered with the mattress 10, and both ends 10a and 10b of the mattress are close to both ends. This is a structure fixed to the air cell via adhesives 11 and 12. In such a structure, it is effective to use the above-mentioned low rebound mattress as the mattress 10. The fixing means and fixing portions are the same as those in the embodiment of FIG.
[0025]
The embodiment of FIG. 4 is characterized by a structure in which a plurality of mattresses having different resiliences are joined together as a mattress. The area in contact with the specific part of the sleeping person (the place where pressure ulcers are likely to occur) in the middle of the normal mattress 10 is a low resilience mattress 13, which has a more complicated structure as compared to FIG. Will be higher. The fixing means and fixing portions are the same as those in the embodiment of FIG.
[0026]
As for the method of joining a plurality of mattresses, in addition to fixing with an adhesive or a tape, as shown in the side view of FIG. 5, a joining portion of a normal mattress 10 and a low-resilience mattress 13 can be detached with Velcro 14 and 15. May be adopted.
[0027]
The mattress and the air cell may be fixed at a plurality of positions that do not include both ends 10a and 10b of the mattress.
[0028]
In the embodiment described above, a cylindrical air cell is shown as an air cell. However, an air mat in which a predetermined area of a two-ply urethane film is subjected to high frequency welding or ultrasonic welding to form an air cell of an arbitrary shape may be used.
[0029]
Further, the pressurization and depressurization control does not necessarily control the adjacent air cells alternately, but controls the pressurization or decompression of a plurality of air cells collectively, or controls the number of air cells to be pressurized and the number of air cells to depressurize differently. Is also good.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the following effects can be expected.
(1) With the introduction of an extremely simple auxiliary member, the basic structure can use a conventional air mat to achieve effective body pressure distribution, and provide a more comfortable and low-cost care environment. .
(2) It is possible to easily realize a structure for distributing body pressure mainly to a specific site where a pressure ulcer easily occurs.
(3) The mattress and the pressure ulcer prevention air mat are fixed and integrated, so that the mattress does not shift as compared with the conventional use state of merely laying a mattress, and a comfortable sleeping is possible. .
(4) Since the mattress can be removed by introducing the Velcro means, it is possible to switch to a low-resilience mattress with a different cushion or a normal mattress according to the user or the pressure ulcer condition of the user.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a use state of a pressure ulcer prevention air mat to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a pressure distribution from an inflated air cell in contact with the back of a sleeping person in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a use state of a pressure ulcer prevention air mat according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a use state of a pressure ulcer prevention air mat according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a method of joining a plurality of mattresses having different resilience characteristics.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the relationship between a pressure ulcer prevention air mat using a plurality of tubular air cells disclosed in Patent Documents and a sleeping person using the air mat.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a pressure distribution from an inflated air cell in contact with the back of a sleeping person in FIG. 6;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 sleeping person 2a1, 2a2,... 2an A system air cell group 2b1, 2b2,. Other end 11 Adhesive 12 Adhesive

Claims (7)

A plurality of air cells are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the air mat, and a pressure sore prevention air mat that controls pressurization and decompression of the air cells,
An air mat for preventing pressure ulcers, wherein an upper surface in contact with the sleeping person is covered with a mattress, and both ends of the mattress are fixed to the air cells. A plurality of air cells are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the air mat, and a pressure sore prevention air mat that controls pressurization and decompression of the air cells,
An air mat for pressure ulcer prevention, characterized in that an upper surface part of the sleeping person in contact with a specific part is partially covered with a mattress, and both ends of the mattress are fixed to the air cells. The air mat for pressure ulcer prevention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mattress is fixed to the air cell at a plurality of locations. The air mat for pressure ulcer prevention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mattress and the air cell are detachably fixed by Velcro means. The air mat for pressure ulcer prevention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a low rebound mattress is used as the mattress. The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of mattresses having different resiliences are joined and used as the mattress. The air mat for preventing pressure ulcer according to claim 6, wherein the joint portions of the plurality of mattresses are detachable by Velcro means.

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