US3050748A

US3050748A - Invalid cushion

Info

Publication number: US3050748A
Application number: US67119A
Authority: US
Inventors: Deutinger Henry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-11-03
Filing date: 1960-11-03
Publication date: 1962-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-28

Description

g- 1962 H. DEUTINGER 3,050,748

INVALID CUSHION Filed Nov. 3, 1960 INVENTOR. HENRY DEUT/NGER A TTORNE Y United States Patent Gfifice .ifi flfii Patented Aug. 28, 1962 3,050,748 INVALID CUSHION Henry Deutinger, Oak Summit Road, RED. 2, Millbrook, N.Y. Filed Nov. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 67,119 6 Claims. (Cl. 338) The present invention relates to an invalid cushion.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention will be described in connection to an invalid cushion to be designed to be positioned at the base or in a bathtub where a person may be subjected to therapeutic flowing water treatment.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple readily applied lightweight inexpensive durable invalid cushion to support the weight of the body particularly in sitting position, and which may be readily adjusted or positioned at any location to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.

Another object is to provide a simple readily handled and inexpensive invalid cushion which may be readily mounted in any type of receptacle in which flowing water therapeutic treatment is to take place.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the V more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to provide two semi-circular enlarged inflated tubular portions connected at the rear by an equalizing relatively small tubular connection and at the forward portion by a short flat strap.

Desirably the edges of the semi-circular tubular portions on their outer periphery are provided with outstanding flat lips which may have extensions forwardly and real-wardly and laterally to carry rubber suction cups to permit convenient mounting on a bottom of a bathtub or other receptacle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

} wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a rubber invalid cushion according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown an invalid cushion A having semi-circular tubular portions B at the sides thereof with a small diameter stabilizing tubular element C and a forward strap D located further from the center point B than the tubular connection C, and desirably at a slightly lower position as indicated best in FIG. 3. a

The outer side edges F of the semi-circular tubular portions B are provided with the outstanding strips G which extend around the entire outer periphery but terminate at the forward central slot H and the rear central slot I.

The peripheral strips G are provided with the forward square projections K carrying the suction cups L with the rear square projections M carrying the suction cups N and with the side square projections P carrying the suction cups Q. I

here is provided aconnection stern R through which the semi-circular sections B may be inflated by a pump, by blowing with the mouth or by a compressed CO cartridge.

In designing the cushion, desirably the material is of rubber or elastic sheeting of substantial weight and thickness to support a human body weighing between to 250 pounds.

The tubular portions B have a small diameter of about 5 to 8 inches and a wall thickness of about /2 to inch.

The outstanding peripheral portions are generally formed integrally with the outer tapered edge F of the semicircular portions B, and they desirably have a thick ness of 1% to 1% inches of the tubular members-B.

The suction cups are desirably positioned beyond the periphery F of the semi-circular portions B, and their bottom surface 20 should desirably be flush with or parallel with the bottom face 21 of the semi-circular portions B.

Desirably, the plane of the peripheral edges G should be below the center point indicated at 22 of the tubular members B, and the preferred level is about one-half or midway between the center point 22 and the bottom face 21.

The tubular equalizing connections C should be tangent at 23 to the inside face 24 of the tubular members B, and it desirably should have a diameter of about one-quarter to one-half the diameter of the circular sections B, which should be positioned well inside the outer face or edge 25 of the tubular sections as indicated at FIG. 3.

The connecting strip D, which connect the two forwardly extending tabs K, should be aligned with the bottom of the small tube C as shown inFIG. 3.

By this construction, a balanced cushion is achieved.

This inflated cushion of FIGS. 1 to 3 is particularly suitable for invalids, and also air or carbon dioxide is the preferred filling material or other cushioning medium may be provided.

The shape is particularly suitable for supporting the weight of the body and prevents pressure on the anal region when used in a sitz bath.

The front and back channels H and K areboth efiected to permit application of the fluid and shifting of the weight of the body will enhance the turbulence of the water and gives the increased circulation.

The sheet material may be made of rubber or similar plastic of either natural or synthetic origin.

The suction cups will hold the cushion in position and will enable ready positioning thereof.

As many changes could be made in the above invalid cushion, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. An invalid cushion comprising separate semi-circular arcuate tubular portions with a small diameter rear tubular connection and a forward connecting strip and outwardly extending wide stabilizing peripheral flat strips, and suction cups mounted on the bottom of said fiat strips to hold said portions in position said flat strips being positioned midway between the top face and the bottom face of the tubular portions and terminating at the ends of the arcuate portions and having forward, rearward and lateral square extensions at the ends of the arcuate portions and midway of the arcuate portions.

1 2. An invalid cushion comprising separate semi-circular arcuate tubular portions with a small diameter rear tubular connection and a forward connecting strip and and lateral side extensions carrying said suction cups.

3. An invalid cushion comprising separate semi-circular arcuate tubular portions with a small diameter rear tubular connection and a forward connecting strip and outwardly extending wide stabilizing peripheral fiat strips, and suction cups mounted on bottom of said fiat strips to hold said portions in position said flat strips'being positioned midway between the top face and the bottom face of the tubular portions and terminating at the ends of the arcuate portions and having forward, rearward and lateral square extensions 'at the ends of the arcuate portions andmidway of the arcuate portions, said peripheral flat strips being integrally connected with the side edges of the semi-circular tubular portions and having a width at least more than half the width of the diameter of the tubular portions.

4. A double semi-circular arcuate tubular invalid bath tub cushion having separated side arcuate tubular members with their ends cut ofi in parallelism to each other and spaced from each other said cushion having top and bottom curved faces tangent to top and bottom horizontal planes and having outside and inside circular curved edges in vertical cylindrical concentric planes and having a rear edge and a forward edge, the inside edge being of circular cross section and the outside edge being formed by convergent walls of the arcuate tubular members and a wide thick peripheral strip of double thickness having rectangular extensions at the rear and forward edge and also midway between the rear and forward edge and a small diameter tube connecting the rear edge ends ofthe arcuate portions and a flat narrow 'arcuate strip connecting the front edge ends of the arcuate portions.

5. The cushion of claim 4, said wide thick strip and said narrow strip being in a plane midway between the top and bottom horizontal planes.

6. The cushion of claim 4, said small diameter tube being positioned at the inside circular curved edge and said fiat narrow strap being positioned beyond the outside circular edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 726,164 Hogan et al. Apr. 21, 1903 1,759,348 Fishman May 20, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 364,287 Great Britain Jan. 7, 1932 536,080 Great Britain May 1, 1941