JPS59129021A - Bed - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a bed having springs disposed therein to provide elasticity to the surface of the bed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Such a bed is shown diagrammatically in FIG. When such beds are used by bedridden patients or elderly people who have difficulty turning over, they may develop pressure sores on their backs, hips, etc. due to the pressure of their weight. This tends to happen when you are supporting someone.

Therefore, in order to prevent bedsores, means have been proposed or provided for moving the contact portion between the surface of the bed and the body. One method is to arrange a large number of airbags in a bed and move the contact area between the surface of the bed and the body by sequentially blowing air, pressurizing, and releasing air from each bag. However, this method had the following drawbacks. 1- That is, first of all, a mechanism for blowing air is required, and a valve for switching the air blowing light is also required, making the entire mechanism complicated. Furthermore, the sound produced when air is blown is noisy, and the life of the airbag is also a problem.

Other methods for preventing bedsores include mechanically moving the contact area between the bed surface and the body;
The mechanism is very complicated, and the bed itself is heavy. In addition, mechanical operations are noisy, and failures are common. Moreover, it is generally considered dangerous to use means that involve mechanical movement in beds.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention was made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and its main purpose is to provide a bed that can effectively prevent bedsores with a simple mechanism and without generating noise. (be.

The present invention is a bed in which at least one part of the spring is made from a shape memory alloy such as NI Ti series or CLIZnAIL7A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment according to the invention is shown diagrammatically in FIG. The difference between the conventional bed 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the bed 3 shown in FIG. 2 is the spring disposed within the bed. In the case of the bed 1 shown in Figure 1, the springs 2 are made of spring steel. However, in the case of the bed 3 shown in FIG. 2, the springs 4 are made of a shape memory alloy. Additionally, other differences are:
A heater 5 is arranged within the bed 3 and below each spring 4 made of a shape memory alloy.

Therefore, each spring 4 can be heated by this heater 5.

A second embodiment according to the invention is shown diagrammatically in FIG. In the case of the bed 6 shown in FIG. 3, a spring 2 made of ordinary spring steel is arranged inside a spring 4 made of a shape memory alloy. In this example,
A heater for heating the spring 4 made of shape memory alloy is placed outside the bed. Air heated by a heater placed outside is sent to each spring through a hot air passage 7 provided below each spring. Therefore, each spring 4 made of shape memory alloy is heated by this hot air.

A third embodiment according to the invention is schematically shown in FIG. In the case of the bed 8 shown in Fig. 4, the spring steel frame 1r, the tiles 7 Linz 2, and the inserts and nogs 4 made from the shape memory base metal are appropriately distributed and arranged in the bed B. ing. A heater 5 is arranged below each spring 4 made of a shape memory alloy, as in the case of the bed 3 shown in FIG.

For example, if the crystal structure of the shape memory base used in each of the above-mentioned implementations is martensitic 1 to phase at room temperature, and when heated to a predetermined temperature or higher, There is a phase C that undergoes a phase transition to the j-C+ phase. Springs made from shape-memory alloys are pre-treated with a shape-memory treatment so that their length increases when they undergo a phase transition to the orstenite phase.

As is well known, shape memory alloys have a crystal structure that is as soft and sinuous as a hair when it is in the 1-phase, and hard when it is in the 1-phase.

However, in the name E "It M", the material made from the shape memory alloy has a crystal structure of martensitic phase when it is not heated, so the feel of the bed is It becomes soft and supple.

On the other hand, when each spring 4 made of a shape memory alloy is heated by the heater 5 or wet air, it undergoes a phase transition to a hard austenite phase and recovers its shape so that its length is lengthened. Although the heater used in each embodiment may heat the springs 4 made of shape memory alloy all at once, it is preferable to heat the springs 4 (sequentially or randomly) at intervals of In this way, only the heated spring 4 made of the shape memory alloy undergoes a phase transition to the austenite phase and its length tends to increase. The body weight will be supported at the location where the spring is located.Then, the heater 4
If you change the area in sequence, the place that supports your weight will also change in sequence, thereby preventing bedsores.

In the embodiment described above, a heater is individually arranged corresponding to each spring 4 made of a shape memory alloy, but a heater that heats several springs 4 at once is provided. Alternatively, it may be a heater that heats all the springs 4 at once. Furthermore, even if the structure is such that only some of the plurality of springs 4 made of shape memory alloy arranged in the bed are heated by the heater, and the remaining springs are not heated at all. good. In that case, the unheated springs serve only to give the bed a supple feel.

Note that the term "shape memory alloy" used in this specification includes those having a transformation temperature lower than room temperature and exhibiting superelastic behavior near room temperature.

For springs made from this kind of shape memory alloy,
At room temperature, the spring exhibits superelastic behavior, giving the bed a supple feel, and heating this spring stiffens it, increasing its strength and preventing bedsores, as in the embodiments described above. can do.

As described above, according to the present invention, at least a part of the springs for imparting elasticity to the surface of the bed,
Since the bed is made from shape memory alloy, it feels soft and supple. In addition, since it uses springs made from shape memory alloy, the strength of the springs can be changed by heating each spring, which allows the relationship between the body of the person sleeping in the bend and the bed surface to be adjusted. Bedsores can be effectively prevented by changing the contact area. Furthermore, since the mechanism prevents bedsores by changing the shape of the shape memory alloy, the number of parts used in the mechanism can be reduced, and the mechanism itself is extremely simple.

Furthermore, even if equipped with a bedsore prevention mechanism, the weight of the bed itself can be reduced, there are fewer failures of the bedsore prevention mechanism, there is no need for peripheral equipment related to the bedsore prevention mechanism, and the noise generated by the bedsore prevention operation is reduced. There are many things that are difficult, such as the safety of the bedsore prevention mechanism and its operation.
This invention provides the following effects.

Example 1 A bed 3 having the structure shown in FIG. 2 was manufactured.

The spring 4 at this time was made of a shape memory alloy consisting of 155% by weight of N and the balance being T1. The spring 4 is subjected to shape memory treatment in advance so that its length increases when it is heated by the heater 5.

When each heater 5 was heated randomly at appropriate time intervals, the spring 4 heated by the heater 5 tried to stretch, and therefore the spring strength of the spring 4 increased. The body can now be supported by the spring 4, whose strength has increased. In this way, the place where the body was supported changed sequentially depending on the heating place of the heater 5. Note that since the crystal structure of the unheated spring 4 was a martensitic phase, only a small pressure was generated at the location where the unheated spring was located.

Example 2 A bed having the structure shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured. The spring 4 used at this time was made of Cu-2011% Zn-
It was made from a shape memory alloy with 7% by weight Al.

A warm air passage 7 is formed under each spring, and warm air is slowly blown into the bed from the outside in a preprogrammed order and at set time intervals from each hot air passage 7. Only the spring 4 located directly above the warm air passage 7 tried to expand, and only while the part where the spring was located was being heated, a strong pressure was exerted upward.

Example 3 A bed having the structure shown in FIG. 4 was manufactured. The spring 4 at this time was made of a shape memory alloy consisting of 55.2% N+ (1% by weight) and the remainder of Ti. This shape memory alloy has spring characteristics that exhibit so-called superelastic behavior at room temperature. When this bed 8 was used without heating the heater 5, a very supple and soft feel was obtained.

Next, when the heaters located below the springs 4 were heated one after another according to the program, the spring strength at each location of the springs 4 changed, which was effective in preventing bedsores.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a conventional bed. 2 to 4 are diagrams schematically showing embodiments according to the present invention. In the figure, 2 is a spring made of spring steel; 3.
6 and 8 are beds, 4 is a spring made of shape memory alloy, 5 is a heater, and 7 (shows a hot air passage).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A bed in which at least a portion of a spring for imparting elasticity to the surface of the bed is made of a shape memory alloy. (2) The bed according to claim 1, wherein the spring made of the shape memory base metal (h) is cooled by being heated by a heating means. (3) There are a plurality of springs made of the shape memory alloy, and the plurality of springs are arranged in a plurality of regions in the bed, and the heating means is arranged in a plurality of regions in the bed. 3. The bed according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of beds are provided corresponding to respective areas. (4) The bed according to claim 281 or 3, wherein the heating means is a heater installed within the bed. (5) The heating means is a heater placed in four parts of the bed, and the air warmed by the heater passes through the hot air passage provided in the bed to form the shape memory alloy made from the shape memory alloy. Claim 2 adapted to be sent to a spring.
The bed according to paragraph 3 or paragraph 3. (6) The spring made from the shape memory alloy is
The bed according to any one of claims 2 to 5, comprising a spring subjected to shape memory treatment so that its length expands and contracts when heated.