JP5527759B2 - Patient support with welding material - Google Patents

Description

  This application claims the priority of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 833,460, filed July 26, 2006, the rights of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for supporting a patient or other person, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to systems and methods for supporting a patient or other person with materials joined or joined by welding.

  Patient support, including treatment, is common in medical institutions, particularly hospitals, clinics, and patient residences. Several surfaces (commonly referred to as “low air loss” surfaces) provide an inflatable enclosure that allows air to flow through an air permeable material that contacts the patient for the purpose of preventing or treating floor abrasion. Have.

  Care and / or prevention of floor rubs is a serious and expensive problem in the medical industry. The progress of floor rub is in part related to the accumulation of heat and sweat on the skin. Heat and humidity increase the susceptibility of the skin to adverse effects of pressure and displacement, and reduce the elasticity of the epidermis to external forces. It is known that sustained compressive forces on skin tissue promote ischemia that progresses after floor rubbing. Thus, it has been found necessary to control the skin microclimate to provide a high quality patient support system to prevent floor rubs.

  Low-air-loss (LAL) broadly refers to a system with a mattress casing and a vapor permeable bed cover, with or without a lofting or cushioning material, from below the bed cover. And, in some cases, to an air delivery system for venting air through a bed cover. While some LAL mattress systems function as part of an integrated patient support system; other systems are not actively coupled.

  At present, low air leak (LAL) mattress systems are the most common means used to treat and prevent floor rubs. LAL mattress systems are developed and used in the belief that they help control the skin microclimate. These systems are considered very effective in treating and / or preventing floor rubs.

  A specific support surface includes two or more materials, and each material has different air, vapor, and liquid permeability. For example, it may be desirable to have a vapor permeable material near the patient's skin so that water vapor can exit the patient and enter the support surface. It is also desirable to have an air permeable material near the patient's skin, which helps air flow near the patient to remove water vapor from the patient and support surface. In addition, it is desirable that a portion of the support surface be air impermeable, limiting the air flow to minimize the power requirements and noise levels of the support system. For hygienic reasons, it is desirable for the support surface to comprise a liquid impervious material.

  LAL mattresses generally have the function of a series of air cells connected to each other, allowing air to pass out through the mattress. Other common components have adjustable pumps that maintain air cell air expansion. In addition to the mattress, the LAL mattress system also includes a bed cover (water resistant and / or vapor permeable) that covers the mattress and a bed cover lofting material (eg, batting of quilted polyester fibers). Bed covers are generally made of one or more water-resistant materials that are permeable to moisture and impervious to bacteria. The bed cover also functions to prevent excessive loss of body temperature, has high vapor permeability, minimizes / prevents sweat buildup on the skin, and has a high air porosity and LAL Excess body temperature is removed through the continuous air flow provided by the mattress. The LAL mattress and bed cover together form the LAL mattress system.

  Further, the LAL mattress has a fiber cover on a substrate (ie, air cell). In some cases, the fibers are formed of GORE-TEX® fibers that are integrally formed with the air cell. GORE-TEX (R) fibers are liquid impervious and have very high air and vapor permeability compared to nylon materials with urethane in the lining used in other mattresses . The water vapor transfer properties of GORE-TEX® fibers prevent patient rubbing by lowering the amount of moisture that accumulates on the skin and helping keep the patient cool by allowing body temperature to escape easily. Helps speed up recovery.

  For this reason, it is desirable to form the support surface with various types of materials. As a result, it is often necessary to bond or join the various types of materials used to form the support surface.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to instruments, systems, and methods for supporting a patient or other person. An exemplary embodiment includes a first air impermeable material welded to an air permeable and liquid impermeable second material. In an exemplary embodiment, the first material is liquid and the impermeable material, and the second material is a vapor permeable material. In an exemplary embodiment, the inflatable enclosure is formed from a sheet of a first material with an opening, and the second material covers a portion of the opening. In other exemplary embodiments, the expandable enclosure may be formed of several individual panels of the first material welded to the panel of the second material.

  An exemplary embodiment includes a support member that includes an inflatable enclosure having a first material and a second material, the first material being substantially air impermeable, The material is air permeable and substantially liquid impermeable, and the second material is welded to the first material. In an exemplary embodiment, the first material includes an opening and the second material covers a portion of the opening. In another exemplary embodiment, the second material is radio frequency (HF) welded to the first material. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the second material is vapor permeable. One exemplary embodiment includes an internal baffle. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the first material is urethane. One exemplary embodiment has an opening configured to be coupled to a pressurized fluid source.

  Another exemplary embodiment includes an instrument for supporting a person, the instrument comprising a sheet comprising a substantially air impermeable first material, and an opening formed in the sheet. An air permeable and substantially liquid impermeable second material covering the opening, the second material welded to the first material. In an exemplary embodiment, the sheet includes a first end, a second end, a first edge, and a second edge, where the first edge is a second edge. The first end is sealed and the second end is sealed so that the sheet is configured to form an elongated inflatable enclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the sheet is configured to form a generally cylindrical enclosure when expanded. One exemplary embodiment includes an internal baffle, and an elongated inflatable enclosure has a cross section with a height and width that is greater than the width. In an exemplary embodiment, the second material is radio frequency (HF) welded to the first material. In certain exemplary embodiments, the second material is vapor permeable and / or the first material is urethane. In one exemplary embodiment, the sheet includes an opening configured to couple to a source of pressurized fluid.

  Another exemplary embodiment is a plurality of first and second support members, wherein the first support member comprises a first material that is substantially air impermeable and has a first height. A support system comprising first and second support members, wherein the second support member comprises a second material that is air permeable and liquid impermeable and has a second height. Yes. In one exemplary embodiment, the first height is greater than the second height and a second support member is disposed between the two first support members. In an exemplary embodiment, the second material is vapor permeable. In one exemplary embodiment, the first support member comprises a third material that is vapor permeable and liquid impermeable. In another exemplary embodiment, a first source of pressurized fluid is coupled to the first support member and to the second support member. In yet another exemplary embodiment, a first source of pressurized fluid is coupled to the first support member, and a second source of pressurized fluid is coupled to the second support member.

  Another exemplary embodiment includes a method for manufacturing a support member, the method comprising providing a sheet of an air impermeable first material and forming an opening in the sheet. And covering a part of the opening with a second material that is air permeable and liquid impermeable, welding the second material to the first material, and forming an inflatable enclosure Composing the sheet to do so. In an exemplary embodiment, the second material is radio frequency welded to the first material.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in detail below, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. What has been set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the following claims, along with all the equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

  Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other variations of the invention described herein can be included within the scope of the invention when reading and understanding the present disclosure. For example, an exemplary embodiment is disclosed with a single sheet configured to form an inflatable enclosure. In other exemplary embodiments, the inflatable enclosure may comprise a plurality of panels coupled to form an inflatable enclosure. For example, an exemplary embodiment may include an inflatable enclosure with separate panels consisting of top, bottom, edges and sides.

  In the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, various aspects are grouped together according to some embodiments for the purpose of simplifying the present disclosure. Such disclosed methods are not to be construed as indicating an intention that the embodiments of the invention require more aspects than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims indicate, inventive subject matter lies in not all aspects of one disclosed embodiment. For this reason, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

  Reference is now made to the following figures. The drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments are not to scale.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of components of a support system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 shows an end view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of components of a support system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 8 shows an end view of an exemplary embodiment of a support member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a support system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a support system according to the present disclosure.

  An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an air loss surface that is formed of a plurality of materials exhibiting various properties and is bonded to various locations using welding techniques to be physiologically sealed and controlled. It deals with instruments that serve as support or treatment surfaces for the patient to be given. In one exemplary embodiment, the welding method used to bond or join such materials is a high frequency (HF) welding technique. Such materials may have various properties, such as liquid, vapor, and air permeability, along with a coefficient of friction.

  For example, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, HF welding, also referred to as dielectric welding or radio frequency (RF) welding, is used to replace the urethane-based material with a polytetrafluoroethylene base (such as GORE-TEX®) ( Supports that can be bonded to PTFE or Teflon materials and in particular have low-air-loss properties, antibacterial properties, structural acoustic properties, and controlled air loss properties A cushion can be formed.

  High frequency welding is a process that uses high frequency energy to agitate molecules and thereby cause heat so that these materials fuse in various types of materials. Thus, in various embodiments, HF weldable materials used to form the support and treatment surfaces of the present disclosure are contemplated, although urethane-based materials and Teflon (such as GORE-TEX®) It is not limited to registered trademark based materials.

  An exemplary embodiment of the process involves exposing the material to be melted or bonded to a high frequency (between 13 MHz and 100 MHz) electromagnetic field normally applied between two metal surfaces (eg, metal bars). These surfaces also function as pressure applicators during heating and cooling. Electromagnetic fields cause polar thermoplastic molecules to vibrate in response to their morphology and dipole moment, which converts some of the vibrations into thermal energy, thereby heating the material and finally Specifically, the materials are bonded or melted.

  HF welding is particularly useful for bonding polymers with strong polarity, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, and polyamide. It can RF weld other polymers including nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resins, among others.

  In various exemplary embodiments, other types of welding are also contemplated. In particular, heated gas welding, hot plate welding, ultrasonic welding, vibration or friction welding, laser welding, and solvent welding may be performed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that some of these welding methods facilitate the welding of various plastics and other materials over other welding methods, thereby welding and supporting and / or treating the patient according to the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the type of material forming the can be selected based on the desired method of welding and vice versa.

  The drawings of the present application follow a numbering convention, with the first digit or the first two digits corresponding to the figure number, and the remaining digits identifying components or parts in the drawing. The same components or parts between different drawings may be identified using numbers with the same digit. For example, the component of FIG. 1 may be numbered as 110 and the same component may be numbered as 210 in FIG. As will be apparent, the components illustrated in the various exemplary embodiments of the present application may be added, replaced, and given any number of additional embodiments of the support members and support systems of the present disclosure. / Or can be removed.

  Referring now to FIG. 1, the sheet 102 includes an opening 106. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the sheet 102 includes a first end 151, a second end 152, a first edge 153, and a second edge 154. Yes. In an exemplary embodiment, sheet 102 comprises a substantially air impermeable material. In a particularly exemplary embodiment, sheet 102 comprises a material that is also substantially vapor and liquid impermeable, such as urethane-based nylon. As shown in FIG. 1, material 104 covers opening 106 (or a portion thereof). In the exemplary embodiment, material 104 is substantially air permeable. In one exemplary embodiment, material 104 is a substantially vapor permeable and liquid impermeable material comprising PTFE, such as GORE-TEX®.

  In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the material 104 is welded to the sheet 102 around the opening 106. In a particularly exemplary embodiment, the material 104 is welded to the sheet 102 by a high frequency welding process. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sheet 102 includes an opening 110 that communicates with a source (not shown) of pressurized air or other pressurized fluid.

  In an exemplary embodiment, the material 104 is sized to be slightly larger than the opening 106 and overlap the sheet 102 around the opening 106. In such an exemplary embodiment, material 104 is laminated and welded to sheet 102. In another exemplary embodiment, material 104 is approximately the same size as opening 106. In such an exemplary embodiment, a backing material (not shown) is provided to surround the weld between the material 104 and the sheet 102 so that a butt weld can be formed between the material 104 and the sheet 102. . In some embodiments, the backing material comprises the same material as the sheet 102.

  In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the opening 106 is located approximately in the middle between the first end 153 and the second end 154. Also, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the opening 106 extends along most of the length of the sheet 102.

  Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet 102 may be configured to form a support member 100 that can be expanded by air or another pressurized fluid. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet 102 is configured such that the first edge 153 is coupled to the second edge 154. Furthermore, the first end 151 and the second end 152 are sealed so that the sheet 102 forms an elongated enclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the first edge 153 is joined to the second edge 154 by welding to form a thin seam weld 114, and the first end 151 and the second end 152 are welded. To form a pair of thin seam welds 112. In one exemplary embodiment, the first edge 153 is high frequency welded to the second edge 154 and the first end 151 is sealed to the second end 152 by high frequency welding. In an exemplary embodiment, opening 110 may be coupled to, for example, an air pump (not shown) to introduce air into support member 100 to expand support member 100 and maintain a vapor pressure differential. Being able to help release moisture and heat from the patient and the patient's surroundings.

  FIG. 3 shows a section along the section line 3-3 in FIG. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the support member 100 may incorporate a baffle 116 that extends across the support member 100. In such an exemplary embodiment, each end of the baffle 116 is coupled to the sheet 102 so that the cross section of the support member is narrower than its height. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the baffle 116 is sized such that the cross-section of the support member roughly forms an hourglass or “eighth-shape” shape by recesses 117 on both sides of the support member 100. . Incorporating the baffle 116 results in a thinner cross-section of the support member 110 and allows more support members 100 to be incorporated into the patient support system.

  FIG. 4 shows an end view of an exemplary embodiment of support member 101 that does not incorporate a baffle. As shown in the figure, the cross section of the support member 100 of FIG. 4 is substantially circular. Other forms are substantially the same as those disclosed in the description of FIG.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, an exemplary embodiment of the support member 200 includes a lower portion 205 along with a cap or upper portion 210. An exemplary embodiment of support member 200 is equivalent to that of support member 100. However, the exemplary embodiment of the support member 200 comprises a substantially air impermeable material 204 rather than the air permeable material 104 used for the support member 100. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, material 204 is vapor permeable and liquid impermeable. Further, the exemplary embodiment of the support member 200 includes an opening 206 that is larger than the opening 106 of the support member 100. In an exemplary embodiment, opening 204 extends substantially the entire length of support member 200 such that opening 204 is located proximal to first end 251 and second end 252. .

  Similar to the construction method used to form the support member 100, an exemplary embodiment of the support member 200 welds the first edge 253 to the second edge 254, and the first and second It is formed by sealing the ends 251 and 252. Also, in an exemplary embodiment, material 204 may be welded to sheet 202 to cover opening 206.

  In other embodiments, the support member 200 may be configured in other ways. For example, the support member 200 may comprise a material comprising separate portions, rather than a single sheet 202 having an opening 206.

  In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the sheet 202 is formed as a support member with an hourglass or “8” cross section. In such an exemplary embodiment, support member 202 incorporates baffle 216. In one exemplary embodiment, the sheet 202 may be formed as a generally cylindrical support member 201 with a circular cross section, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG.

  9 and 10, an exemplary embodiment of the support system 300 includes a first set of support members 100 and a second set of support members 200. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 9, the support members 100 and 200 are arranged almost alternately so that the support members 100 are disposed between the two support members 200. Support members 100 and 200 may be inflated with pressurized air or another fluid source.

As shown in the partial side view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 10, the support member 200 is taller than the support member 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the support member 200 comprises a substantially air impermeable material 202 equipped with an empty KiToru excessive sexual and cap vapor permeable material 204. In an exemplary embodiment, the support member 100 includes an air impermeable material 102 and a cap 104 of air permeable and liquid impermeable material. In the exemplary embodiment, support member 200 provides primary support for a patient (not shown) lying on support member 300. In an exemplary embodiment, air can flow out of the material 104 covering the opening 106 through the support member 100. Such air flow assists in the movement of water vapor from the patient's body lying on the support member 300. The air flow also helps remove water vapor from the support member 100.

  In an exemplary embodiment, water vapor moves from a person through material 204 and into support member 200. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the material 204 extends near the ends 305 and 310 of the support system 300. Thus, a significant portion of the material 204 does not contact a person lying on the support system 300. As a result, water vapor can also exit the support member 200 through the material 204. In an exemplary embodiment, increasing the area covered by material 204 increases the rate at which water vapor can move from a person supported by support system 300.

  In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the support system 300 is configured to reduce the amount of air flow required to support a person and provide water vapor transfer capability. Given the primary support provided by the support member 200 comprising a substantially air impermeable material, the primary support requires minimal air flow to maintain expansion and provide support. Since the support member 100 comprises an air permeable material 104, more air flow is required than the support member 200 to maintain expansion. Since the flow of air to the area covered by the material 104 is limited, the amount of air (or other pressurized fluid) required to expand the support members 100 and 200 can be reduced. Further, the power required to expand the support members 100 and 200 and the noise level of the equipment are also reduced. In one exemplary embodiment, support member 100 is coupled to one pressurized fluid source and support member 200 is coupled to another pressurized fluid source. In such an exemplary embodiment, each pressurized fluid source may be configured with the required operating parameters. For example, the pressurized fluid source of the support member 100 is a high-capacity fluid source having a lower pressure than the pressurized fluid source of the support member 200.

  In an exemplary embodiment, support members 100 and 200 may be welded together to form a continuous patient support surface system 300. In other embodiments, the support members 100 and 200 may be wrapped with a cover (not shown) to form a continuous patient support surface 300.

  While exemplary embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail as described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. What has been set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the following claims, along with all the equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

  Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other variations of the invention described herein can be included within the scope of the invention when reading and understanding the present disclosure. For example, the patient's support surface can be coated with an antimicrobial agent, as is known or can be known.

  In the above detailed description, various forms are grouped according to some embodiments for the purpose of simplifying the present disclosure. Such disclosed methods are not to be construed as indicating an intention that the embodiments of the invention require more aspects than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims indicate, inventive subject matter lies in not all aspects of one disclosed embodiment. For this reason, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

Claims (16)

A patient support system comprising a first support member and a plurality of second support members multiple,
The first and second support members are
Comprising an inflatable enclosure comprising a first material and a second material;
The first material is substantially air impermeable;
The second material is air permeable and substantially liquid impermeable;
The second material is welded to the first material;
The first support member has a first height;
The second support member has a second height;
The first height is higher than the second height;
A support system, wherein at least one of the second support members is disposed between two first support members. Wherein and the first material of the first and second supporting members comprises an opening, the support according to claim 1, characterized in that said second material covers a portion of said opening System . The support member according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the second material of the first and second support members is high frequency (HF) welded to the first material. Supporting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 second material of the first support member, characterized in that a vapor-permeable. It said first and second support members, the support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an internal baffle. Wherein and the first material of the first and second support members comprises a urethane any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said second material is comprises polytetrafluoroethylene Support system as described in. It said first and second support members, the support system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises an opening configured to be coupled to a source of pressurized fluid . The first material of the first and second support members forms a sheet;
The sheet has an opening;
Supporting system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said second material covers said opening. The sheet comprises a first end, a second end, a first edge, and a second edge;
The first edge is coupled to the second edge;
The first end is sealed;
9. The support system of claim 8 , wherein the second end is sealed so that the sheet is configured to form an elongated inflatable enclosure. 10. A support system according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the sheet is configured to form a substantially cylindrical enclosure when inflated. 11. A support system according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein the elongate inflatable enclosure has a cross section with a height and width that is greater than the width. 12. A support system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the seat comprises an opening configured to couple to a source of pressurized fluid. The support system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the air-permeable and liquid-impermeable material of the second support member is further permeable to vapor. The source of pressurized fluid includes a first source of pressurized fluid coupled to the first support member and a second source of pressurized fluid fluidly coupled to the second support member. The support system according to claim 7 or 12 , characterized by comprising: A method for manufacturing a support member in a patient support system according to any one of claims 1 to 14 , wherein the method comprises:
Providing a sheet of the first material;
Forming an opening in the sheet;
Covering a part of the opening with the second material;
Welding the second material to the first material;
Configuring the sheet to form an inflatable enclosure;
A method characterized by comprising: The method of claim 15 , wherein the second material is radio frequency welded to the first material.

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