NZ602234B - A Cushioning System - Google Patents

Abstract

602234 Disclosed is a cushioning system for relieving pressure sores for wheelchair users. The system comprises a flexible sheet support, a plurality of padding cells of differing sizes and containing air and/or foam; and attachment means of hook and loop fasteners, associated in part with the sheet support and in part with the padding cells. The system is formed such that the cells are detachably engageable with the sheet support by way of the attachment means, and the number and size of cells is sufficient to enable a user to adjustably assemble cells with respect to the support sheet to provide contoured padding for at least part of the human body. The sheet support and the padding cells together provide a detachable cushion. eet support and in part with the padding cells. The system is formed such that the cells are detachably engageable with the sheet support by way of the attachment means, and the number and size of cells is sufficient to enable a user to adjustably assemble cells with respect to the support sheet to provide contoured padding for at least part of the human body. The sheet support and the padding cells together provide a detachable cushion.

Description

Patents Form No. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A Cushioning System I, Rouand James Mortimer Scarlett, a New Zealand citizen, of 67 Trafalgar Street, Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare this invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: TITLE A cushioning system.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a cushioning system, in a preferred embodiment to a cushioning system for use with a wheelchair, where a plurality of cells form part of a cushion or are mounted to a seat base and/or backrest to provide cushioning.

BACKGROUND Wheelchair users may be required to be seated in a wheelchair for extended periods.

It is therefore important that wheelchair seating provides efficient padding to provide comfort and to assist in preventing injuries associated with being seated for long periods. It is also helpful if wheelchair seating can be customised to meet the requirements of individual wheelchair users. It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing the above needs or to at least provide a useful alternative to known cushioning products.

The term “comprising” and derivatives thereof, eg “comprises”, if and when used herein in relation to a combination of features should not be taken as excluding the possibility that the combination may have further unspecified features. For example, a statement that an arrangement “comprises” certain parts does not mean that it cannot also, optionally, have additional parts.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cushioning system comprising: a) a flexible sheet support; b) a plurality of padding cells; and c) attachment means, associated in part with the sheet support and in part with the padding cells; the system formed such that the cells are detachably engageable with the sheet support by way of the attachment means, and the number and size of cells is sufficient to enable a user to adjustably assemble cells with respect to the support sheet to provide contoured padding for at least part of the human body.

Preferably the sheet support and the padding cells provide a detachable cushion.

Preferably the parts of the attachment means associated with each cell are on two opposite sides of the cell.

Preferably the cells have flexible tabs to facilitate attachment to the sheet support.

Preferably the sheet support has a series of slots through which the tabs of the cells can pass.

Preferably the cells are of differing size to facilitate the adjustable contoured padding.

Preferably the cells are detachably stackable upon one another to facilitate the adjustable contoured padding.

Preferably the attachment means comprises a hook and loop fastener system.

Preferably the cells contain air and/or foam.

Preferably the sheet support and the padding cells are enclosed within a fabric cover.

Preferably the sheet support and the padding cells are engageable with a cushion.

Preferably the sheet support has flaps for attaching to the cushion.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a seat comprising a cushion system described above.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a wheelchair comprising a cushion system described above.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mattress comprising a cushion system described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cushioning system; Figure 2 is an alternative perspective view of the cushioning system showing the underside of the system; Figure 3a is a perspective view of an air cell; Figure 3b is a bottom view of the air cell; Figure 3c is a side view of the air cell; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cushioning system attached to a cushion base; Figure 5a is an alternative cushioning system showing a base and pads separately; Figure 5b is the alternative cushioning system showing the pads attached to the base; Figure 6a is a perspective view of a further alternative cushioning system using foam disks; Figure 6b is top, bottom, side and perspective views of a foam disk.

Figure 7a is an alternative perspective view of the front of the foam disk system; Figure 7b is a perspective view of the rear of the foam disk system; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the foam disk system inside a backrest cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to figure 1, there is provided a cushioning system 1 comprising a flexible sheet-like fabric panel 2 and a plurality of air cells 3. Each air cell 3 is made of flexible urethane material welded around a piece of cushioning foam. The foam is in addition to air within the cell 3 so that if the cell 3 were to burst and release the air, the cell retains some padding by way of the foam. The panel 2 has a plurality of slots 4 through which tabs 5 at each end of each cell 3 can pass. The upper side of the panel is fabric. Referring to figure 2, the panel underside 6 comprises loop fabric of a hook and loop system, for example, Velcro™.

Referring to figures 3a, 3b and 3c, there are circular dots 7 proximate the end of each tab 5. The dots 7 have hook fabric of a hook and loop system, for example, Velcro™, on one side of each dot 7. To attach the air cells 3 to the panel 2, the tabs are passed through the slots 4 and are folded toward the panel underside 6 so that the hook fabric of each dot 7 engages with the loop fabric of the panel underside 6 to hold each air cell 3 in place on the panel 2. The cells 3 can thus be arranged on the panel 2 in a customised way. For example, air cells can be attached toward either the left or the right of the upper side of the panel 2 to provide padding on that side only or in any desired configuration allowed by the slots 4. Air cells 3 can be individually replaced if one is damaged.

When the desired number and configuration of air cells 3 has been attached to the panel 2, the panel 2 is attached to a cushion base 8, as shown in figure 4. The top of the cushion base 8 is covered with hook fabric. The panel 2 is secured to the cushion base 8 by placing the panel 2 on the cushion base 8 so that the loop fabric of the panel 2 engages with the hook fabric of the cushion base 8. The cushion base 8 with attached panel 2 and air cells 3 is used on its own or is placed inside a cover and used as a cushion. Alternatively, with or without a cover, it may be used behind or in front of an existing wheelchair seat base or backrest.

There is shown in figures 5a and 5b an alternative wheelchair cushioning system 9 using customised pads. The pad system 9 is used in addition to or as an alternative to the wheelchair cushioning system 1. A flexible sheet-like fabric base 10 has a surface of loop Velcro™ fabric. A pelvic pad 11 and a number of thigh pads 12 and thigh wedges 13 each have a strip of hook Velcro™ fabric on one side, enabling them to be attached to the base 10. The pelvic pad 11, thigh pads 12 and thigh wedges 13 each have a strip of loop Velcro™ fabric on the other side, enabling pads and wedges to be stacked as desired to achieve a contoured surface suitable for the needs of an individual wheelchair user.

The pelvic pad 11 is designed to change the angle of the pelvis of a person sitting on the pad system 9 when it is in use and is placed on either the right or left of the base , depending on the needs of the user. The thigh pad 12 is rectangular in shape.

The thigh wedge 13 has at least one tapered side. The thigh pad 12 and thigh wedge 13 are lower in height than the pelvic pad 11 and are designed to reduce the severity of the angle between the pelvic pad 11 and the base 10.

When used in addition to the wheelchair cushioning system 1 to provide extra customised padding, the pad system 9 is attached to the wheelchair cushioning system 1 or cushion base 8 from the back side. The pad system 9 has a plurality of flaps 14 having loop Velcro™ fabric to attach to corresponding hook Velcro™ fabric (not shown in figure 4) on the wheelchair cushioning system 1 or cushion base 8.

Referring to figures 6a and 6b, in a further alternative embodiment of the invention there is provided a foam disk system 15. The foam disk system 15 has a cover 16 with zips 17. The cover 16 is made from spandex/Lycra™ or other suitable fabric.

The inside rear surface 18 of the cover 16 is loop Velcro™ fabric. A plurality of padded foam disks 19 have hook Velcro™ fabric on one surface and loop Velcro™ on an opposite surface. When in use the disks 19 are placed on the rear surface 18 of the cover 18. The hook fabric of each disk 19 engages with the loop fabric of the rear surface 18 of the cover 16 to hold each disk 19 in place.

Because the disks 19 have Velcro™ on each side, they can be attached to the rear surface 18 of the cover 16 but also stacked on top of each other. The disks 19 can thus be arranged in a customised way and rearranged as necessary. The disks 19 are approximately 50mm in diameter and approximately 10mm in width but may be made in greater or smaller sizes as desired.

Referring to figures 7a and 7b, the foam disk system 15 has an upper flap 20 and lower flaps 21 having loop Velcro™ fabric to attach to corresponding hook Velcro™ fabric of a backrest structure (not shown in figures 7a and 7b). Referring to figure 8, there is a cover 22 for backrest cushioning which is designed to open to allow the foam disk system 15 to be placed inside it. The backrest cover 22 may have interior hook Velcro™ attachments to engage with the upper flap 20 and lower flaps 21 of the foam disk system 15.

The cushioning systems described above assist in providing comfort to a user, in particular to a wheelchair user, and assist in relieving pressure on the body of a user required to sit for long periods of time.

While the cushioning systems described above are suitable for wheelchairs, they can also be used for other types of seating and for mattresses.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

WHAT WE

Claims (17)

CLAIM IS

1. A cushioning system comprising: a) a flexible sheet support; 5 b) a plurality of padding cells; and c) attachment means, associated in part with the sheet support and in part with the padding cells; the system formed such that the cells are detachably engageable with the sheet support by way of the attachment means, and the number and size of 10 cells is sufficient to enable a user to adjustably assemble cells with respect to the support sheet to provide contoured padding for at least part of the human body.

2. A cushioning system according to claim 1, wherein the sheet support and the 15 padding cells provide a detachable cushion.

3. A cushioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the parts of the attachment means associated with each cell are on two opposite sides of the cell.

4. A cushioning system according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the cells have flexible tabs to facilitate attachment to the sheet support.

5. A cushioning system according to claim 4, wherein the sheet support has a 25 series of slots through which the tabs of the cells can pass.

6. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cells are of differing size to facilitate the adjustable contoured padding. 30

7. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cells are detachably stackable upon one another to facilitate the adjustable contoured padding.

8. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein 35 the attachment means comprises a hook and loop fastener system.

9. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cells contain air and/or foam.

10. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet support and the padding cells are enclosed within a fabric cover. 5

11. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet support and the padding cells are engageable with a cushion.

12. A cushioning system according to claim 11, wherein the sheet support has flaps for attaching to the cushion.

13. A cushioning system according to any one of the preceding claims, substantially as herein described.

14. A cushioning system substantially as herein described with reference to 15 figures 1-4, or figures 5a-5b, or figures 6a-8.

15. A seat comprising a cushion system according to any one of the preceding claims. 20

16. A wheelchair comprising a cushion system according to any one of the preceding claims.

17. A mattress comprising a cushion system according to any one of claims 1-13. A.J. Pietras & Co 30 Attorney for the Applicant