JPH03254746A - Air mat - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit massage effect without giving the uncomfortable feeling such as seasickness by varying the internal pressure in an air circuit according to the position and time and generating the 1/4 undulation of pressure within a prescribed range. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of air chambers 2 and 3 are formed in a mat 1 consisting of an air transmissible cloth bag, etc., and made of the synthetic resin such as rubber and vinyl chloride resin. The air chambers 2 and 3 constitute the air circuits in the A system or B system. An air pump 4 for the A system and an air pump 5 for B system are installed, and the air chambers 2 and 3 are expanded by the sent-out air, and the average pressure is kept at the selected value according to the body weight of a patient. A plurality of small holes 6 are formed on the upper surfaces of the air chambers 2 and 3, and air is jetted toward the undersurface of a human body, and the human body is kept in the dried state. A pump control part 7 performs adjustment so that the air supplied into the A and B systems is kept within a prescribed pressure range for a prescribed time. This adjustment is carried out through the proportional control system by varying the ratio between the electric conduction voltage time for driving the pumps 4 and 5 and the stop time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an air mat. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air mat that can be particularly suitably used as a so-called air mattress for preventing bedsores, and that can achieve a pine surge effect without causing discomfort such as seasickness to the patient.

[Prior Art] Various types of mattresses have been proposed to prevent or treat bedsores caused by congestion, sweating, and uncleanliness caused by increased local pressure at the contact area between the bed and the body of so-called bedridden patients. ing. One of these is an air mat that supports the entire body by filling it with air in a bag made of synthetic resin such as rubber or vinyl chloride resin, and supports the protruding parts of the skeleton along with the muscles, regardless of unevenness, with equal pressure across the entire surface. More widely used than possible.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, conventional air mats for preventing bedsores include a raft-shaped swim bladder (31) and an air pump (32).
) in which the body is supported by the entire contact surface with the mat while being filled with air, and in parallel with support by the air bag, air is blown out from micro holes (33) formed on the top surface of the air bag. There is a method that uses this air to dry the body (see Figure 6). The former air mat disperses and reduces the pressure on the pressure-receiving surface of the body, while the latter air mat also dries the body with air, creating an oxidizing atmosphere that prevents the growth of anaerobic bacteria and keeps the body clean. The effect of being able to do something can be changed.

On the other hand, in recent years, in addition to the above-mentioned stationary type, methods have been introduced that repeatedly fill and release the air in the float bladder or air bladder over time or in different parts, thereby changing the internal pressure of the air mattress and producing a pine surge effect on the body. It has been proposed (see Figures 7 and 8). This type of air mat is said to improve blood circulation due to the pine surge effect, reduce blood circulation disorders, and dramatically improve bedsore prevention effects.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although the above-described air mattress that changes the internal pressure can produce a pine surge effect, the patient may suffer from seasickness due to vertical and rolling movement of the body position due to changes in the internal pressure of the air mattress. There was a problem in that it interfered with restful sleep.

Furthermore, the reliability of air pumps and air switching devices for air mattresses, which are in constant operation, has been achieved to the point where the air pumps are guaranteed for one year; The driving rotary valve (34) method (see Figure 7) also uses a solenoid valve (
35) The switching method (see Figure 8) also has a short service life.
Another problem is that the failure rate is high. For this reason,
There was a strong need for a new system to replace the rotary switching system and the solenoid valve switching system, which have structural weaknesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air mattress that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an air mattress that can achieve the pine surge effect without causing discomfort such as seasickness to the patient. Another object of the present invention is to provide an air mat that, in addition to the above-mentioned pine surge effect, can operate with high reliability and stability over a long period of time.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The air mat of the present invention has at least one air circuit, and the air circuit is filled with air from an air pump to provide cushioning properties, and the air mat has a cushioning property. It is characterized in that it is configured to change the internal pressure over time to produce pressure fluctuations of 1/f within a predetermined range.

Among the problems of the prior art described above, the first problem, that is, prevention of seasickness and disturbance of sleep, can be solved by causing the internal pressure of the mat to fluctuate by 1/f within a required range. This l/f' fluctuation is divided into "white fluctuation" in which the way it changes is completely chaotic and excessive, and "r" which is monotonous with little change.
It is a fluctuation that is just intermediate between "11f2 fluctuation",
It is the most soothing change in nature. For example, the strength of a breeze, the sound of a babbling stream, the human heartbeat, the rhythm of applause, etc. are all changes in this "1/f fluctuation."

On the other hand, the second problem, the short service life and high failure frequency, requires changing the air supply switching system for pine and tree from the air circuit switching system, which is prone to failures, to the pump drive power switching system. By doing so, it is possible to guarantee permanent reliability due to semiconductor silicon risk.

In other words, the pressure of one air circuit is adjusted by starting or stopping one air pump and by selecting the number and size of the air discharge holes provided in the air circuit, thereby reducing the r l/f fluctuation. It is possible to move around the fume type air mattress for preventing bedsores, which has a predetermined internal pressure that changes in small steps. In order to exhibit the pine surge effect by alternately and significantly changing the internal pressure of the mat locally, it is sufficient to provide a plurality of air circuits and alternately connect and disconnect the power supply circuits of each system.

For example, in the case of an air mattress with two systems, A system and B system, two sets of the above-mentioned 1 air circuit system are combined, and A
%BConstitute two air circuits. Then, using the control method shown in Figure 2, the power supply circuit is alternately turned on and off to supply or stop air at a predetermined pressure from each pump with small pressure changes, and to suppress large-scale 1/f fluctuations. ”, both A and B strains can be made to repeat swelling and shrinking at will. In this way, it is possible to produce a highly reliable air mat for preventing pressure sores, which allows the pine surge effect to be achieved both locally and temporally, and which does not cause any discomfort.

[Embodiment] The air mattress of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the air mattress of the present invention. The air mat shown in Figure 1 has two air circuits and two air pumps, and the pumps are turned on and off when the power is turned on and off, and the internal pressure of the air circuits is thereby regulated within a predetermined range. This is a fumarole wave type bed sore prevention mat.

In FIG. 1, (1) is a mat made of a breathable cloth bag or the like, and a plurality of air chambers (2) and (3) are formed within this mat (1). This air chamber (2),
(3) is made of synthetic resin such as rubber or vinyl chloride resin, like the raft-shaped float bags often used when swimming in the sea. These air chambers (2) and (3) constitute either an A-system or a B-system air circuit. 1st
In the embodiment shown in the figure, the A system air chamber (2)
and the B system air chamber (3) are arranged alternately,
This arrangement can be changed as appropriate. These plurality of air chambers (2) and (3) work together to support the human body.

(4) is an air pump for system A, and (5) is an air pump for system B. The air pumped by these pumps (4) and (5) causes air chambers (2) for system A and system B, (3) is inflated and the average pressure is approximately 20 mI
The pressure is maintained within the range of IIHg/cj to 60mmHg/cot, which is selected depending on the patient's weight (higher pressure is selected for heavier people). By lying on the mat (1), the patient's weight is supported by the entire surface of the mat (1) that is in contact with the body, so that the pressure applied to each part is distributed and no localized load is applied. Therefore, there is no problem with blood circulation, and the occurrence of bedsores can be prevented.

A plurality of small holes (6), the size of which can be poked with a needle tip, are formed on the upper surfaces of the air chambers (2) and (3) constituting the air circuit. In Figure 1, this small hole (6) is shown for clarity.
is exaggerated. The number and size of the small holes (6) may be appropriately selected depending on the weight of the patient, but approximately 10 to 100 holes and 0.000 holes, respectively. The approximate value is O1 to 0.5■. Air is blown out from the small holes (6) toward the lower surface of the human body, and moisture caused by sweat is dissipated, keeping the human body dry. By creating an oxygen atmosphere, the proliferation of anaerobic putrefactive bacteria is prevented, and the progression of bedsores and the release of strange odors are prevented.

(7) is a pump control unit that adjusts the air sent to the A and B systems to be within a predetermined pressure range for a predetermined time. This adjustment can be performed by a proportional control method by changing the ratio of the energization time for driving the pump to the deactivation time.

The pump control unit (7) includes triacs (8) and (9) for starting or stopping the pumps (4) and (5), and a timer for sending necessary signals to the triacs (8) and +91. An OR circuit (14) for adding signals from □, 01), 02), and (2), □□□, and a receiving phase detector Qej for starting or stopping the pump when the potential is 0.

(7).

Next, the operation of the air mattress of this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2a to 211.

When an AC power supply voltage of 100V AC (see Figure 2a) is applied to the pumps (4) and (5) shown in Figure 1, strong air flows from the pumps (4) and (5) to the A line in the mat (1). and the B system, and the internal pressure of the air chambers (2) and (3) is the maximum pressure of the pump (for example, 200 tarnHg/
ctl), and the mat (1) expands to a large extent.

Then, the cushioning properties are lost, and it becomes unusable, and may even burst. Therefore, when the pump operates and sends air until it reaches a predetermined internal pressure, the pump is stopped and the air chamber ('2J
, (3) The pump is operated again when the air filled in it flows out from the small hole and the internal pressure has decreased to some extent.

The devices for this purpose are triacs (8), (9) and T3 timers. That is, the voltage applied to the pump from the AC power supply is controlled as shown in FIG. 20 by the signal shown in FIG. 2b, and the internal pressure of the mat (air chamber) is changed as shown in FIG. 2d.

On the other hand, in order to exhibit the so-called fir-surge effect by repeatedly inflating and deflating alternately while slightly overlapping the inflating times of the A and B lines, T+ timer 02) and T2 timer (2) ) (see FIGS. 2e and 2f) is processed by the timing synthesis circuit 01).

Then, output 1 (see Figure 2g) and output 2 (see Figure 2h) of the composite output waveform are sent to the Sorisum circuit 04) and the output of the T3 timer (see Figure 2b), respectively. and the control voltage (for A system and B system) shown in FIG.
For power system> are taken out from the AND circuits 04) and (2), and the triacs (8),
Add to gate (9). As a result, the second
There is a power supply voltage applied as shown in Figure 1, and the pump (
4) is driven, and the internal pressure of the mat changes as shown in the second figure, creating small waves and large waves. Similarly, in the B system, an internal pressure change (see FIG. 21) that changes with a time difference corresponding to the timing composite output 2 is caused.

In this case, if the fully expanded states of both the A and B systems overlap even temporarily, the body will be in a floating state, so the pressure rising process and pressure falling process should occur in parallel. Preferably, when one system is fully inflated, the other system is fully deflated.

[Effect of the invention] Pleasant change sensation range in the natural world according to theory: 0.51.5
- 1/f -17f (f, frequency of change) is shown in Figure 3. As people approach 1/f2, where there is little change, they can no longer tolerate the monotony; on the other hand, as they approach 0, where there is a steep change, they feel uncomfortable and unstable, and no one experiences physiological discomfort. I can feel it and imagine it. With the air pump of the present invention, by appropriately selecting the amount of supplied air and the amount of blast air, it is possible to obtain an internal pressure change of 1/f fluctuation, so that the user can lie down on the bed in a very comfortable state.

Furthermore, by maintaining the internal pressure of the air chamber within the required range and varying the pressure, it is possible to exert a fir-fir effect in small increments and to constantly provide pleasant stimulation to the body.

Furthermore, multiple air circuits are provided, and by repeatedly supplying and stopping air to each air circuit, it is possible to give the body a large-sized fir-fir effect, and this change is set to a fluctuation that gives a pleasant pine surge to the body. be able to. This makes it possible to promote blood circulation by changing the pressure of the pressure receiving part even for disabled people who are bedridden and unable to move, resulting in very effective treatment for preventing bedsores. In other words, it eliminates the dizziness, anxiety, and sleep disorders that occur in the conventional air circuit switching system that utilizes sudden pressure changes (see Figures 7 and 8), and ensures more comfortable treatment. In addition to the benefits for the human body, the air mat of the present invention has significant structural features. In other words, reliability is improved and failures are eliminated. By adopting the electric circuit electronic switching system, we have completely eliminated the occurrence of failures caused by the conventional air circuit switching system, and in addition, by operating the two pumps alternately, we can reduce the pump operating time by nearly half. It has become possible to guarantee the life of the pump for more than double the period, and the previous one-year warranty can now be extended to a three-year warranty.

This is of great significance and is the fundamental and greatest objective of the present invention. In other words, a "bedsore prevention mat" is an essential item that protects the sick and disabled around the clock.

For this reason, even if it is removed, physical pain, discomfort, insomnia, and progression of pressure sores may cause life-threatening inconveniences. Therefore, failure or unusability of the air mattress is a fatal blow to the user, and more than any other product, it is fundamentally important to ensure that there is no failure. In this respect, the present invention eliminates the motor-type rotary air circuit switching system and the solenoid valve-type air circuit switching system, which are prone to failure and have a short service life, and instead adopts a two-pump alternating driving force system using electronic non-contact power switching. Air pumps have the potential to eliminate failures and double the warranty period, which will have an immeasurable ripple effect.

In addition, if the air circuit switching method is sufficient for the purpose of use, it is possible to ignore the reliability and change the internal pressure by 1/f using the air circuit.
It is also possible to achieve natural comfort by controlling the air supply and exhaust to create fluctuations, and for patients who are sensitive to large fluctuations, both A and B systems can be adjusted to an appropriate pressure range when necessary. It is also possible to continue supplying air.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the air mattress of the present invention,
Figures 2a to 21 are explanatory diagrams of the air supply pattern of the air mattress shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of 1/f' fluctuation, and Figure 4 is a usage state of the conventional vertical raft type bedsore prevention air mattress. 5 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of the horizontal raft type air mattress in use, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of the horizontal raft type air mattress in use, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of the horizontal raft type air mattress in use. %B wave type air mattress in use. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the solenoid valve type A and B wave type air mattress in use. Figure 9 shows the switching method in Figure 7 or Figure 8. Electronic non-contact switching system 2
This is a block diagram when changing to a pump system. (Main symbols in the drawing) (1): Mat (3, (3): Air chamber (4), (5): Air pump (6): Small hole (7): Pump control part Ac100vO [v] Figure 2a 2b Figure 2C Figure 2d Figure 21 Figure 2j Figure 2 to 21 Figure 2e 2nd ↑ 2g; Jv2h Figure 3 Change frequency f (logarithmic scale) Figure 4 Uke 1 5 Figure 2 1 Offshore Figure 6 Figure 3 Off Figure 8 Figure 9

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An air mat having at least one air circuit, the air circuit being filled with air from an air pump to provide cushioning properties, the air mat having a cushioning property by temporally changing the internal pressure of the air circuit. An air mat characterized in that it is configured to cause pressure fluctuations of 1/f within a predetermined range. 2 It has at least two air circuits and an air pump corresponding to each air circuit, and changes the internal pressure of the air circuit locally and/or temporally so that the pressure fluctuates to 1/f within a predetermined range. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the air mattress is configured to produce the following effects. 3 Claim 1: The driving time of the air pump is controlled by intermittent connection with a power source, and the internal pressure of the air circuit is varied within a predetermined range.
Or the air mat described in 2. 4. The air mat according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the air circuit is provided with an appropriate number of air discharge holes.