WO1991003223A1

WO1991003223A1 - Mattress assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1991003223A1
Application number: PCT/GB1990/001341
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frederick Hugh Howorth
Original assignee: Frederick Hugh Howorth
Priority date: 1989-09-01
Filing date: 1990-08-30
Publication date: 1991-03-21
Also published as: GB8919772D0; GB2235374A

Abstract

The assembly comprises spaced apart elongate side sections (10, 12) which are impermeable and resilient and are retained upon an impermeable base sheet (A). An elongate central section (14) of open cell foamed plastics material is arranged between the side sections (10, 12), and a longitudinal air passageway (16) extends therebelow with air ducts (20) leading to the upper surface. In use air supplied to the passageway (16) flows upwards through the ducts (20) in the central section (14) to aerate the skin of the patient. This aeration reduces the risk of bedsores and aids treatment of burns, or hypothermia patients. The central section (14) is optionally formed of a plurality of interchangeable parts (24) arranged end to end. These may have different resiliences and permeabilities so that an appropriate selection can be made for patients of different weight and sensitive areas of the patient's body requiring greater aeration or particular reduction of support pressure.

Description

MATTRESS ASSEMBLY

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a mattress assembly intended to be supplied with air, which will pass through the mattress to the body of a person lying thereon. Such ventilation assists in healing and reducing discomfort in the case of burns patients, and in the prevention of bedsores, and can also find other uses, such as the treatment of hypothermia victims by warm air.

BACKGROUND ART

Previous ventilated mattress arrangements are known, as described for example in UK Specification No. 1532219, but these have proved too expensive to be commercially successful.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a less complex, less expensive and yet equally effective mattress assembly.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a mattress assembly is proposed which comprises spaced apart elongate side sections, which are impermeable and resilient and are retained upon an impermeable sheet providing the undersurface of the assembly, and an elongate central section of foamed plastics material arranged between the side sections, the side sections and the central section together constituting the major support structure of the mattress assembly, longitudinally extending air passageway means being provided below the central section, which is itself provided with air duct means, such as gaps, openings or apertures, leading from the passageway means to the upper surface of said central section.

In use, air will be supplied to the passageway(s) from an external source by a pipe at one end of the mattress with an opening communicating with the end of the or each passageway, or by a respective pipe branch projecting into or directed towards the ends of the or each passageway. Air will flow rapidly along the passageway(s) and upwards through the ducts to impinge on the patient's body, where it is required for aeration of the skin, both to supply oxygen and to remove moisture, thus reducing the risk of bedsores.

The air passageway means may conveniently comprise one or more longitudinal channels formed in the undersurface of the central section. A single channel located on the mid line should suffice.

Advantageously, in order to prevent closure of the air ducts and air passagewa (ε) by a heavy patient, the or each passageway is defined by a shape-sustaining channel section member which may be located below the central section, or embedded in its undersurface, i.e. in the aforesaid longitudinal undersurface channel(s).

The central section itself is advantageously formed of several separate parts arranged end to end longitudinally of the assembly, with gaps or openings therebetween (e.g. by grooves in facing surfaces thereof) constituting the air ducts. Preferably these parts are readily interchangeable and of different resilience and/or height and/or permeabilitiy to cater for different body weights of patients, different requirements of permeability and support pressure in different regions of the body (e.g. less support pressure in the region of the buttocks and shoulders if these have been burnt or otherwise injured and/or enhanced aeration to minimise bed sores in these areas). Moreover all or only some parts may have a waterproof coating to facilitate cleaning, or be located within respective envelopes of waterproof material for the same reason, since incontinence of patients cannot be ruled out.

In preferred embodiments, the central section of the mattress assembly is formed of open cell foamed plastics although, as mentioned, a waterproof coating or waterproof envelope may be applied.

To facilitate air flow from the passageway(s ) to the body of the patient, grooves may also be formed in the undersurface of the central section transversely or obliquely to the longitudinal extent of the assembly, and specific gaps may be allowed to remain between the side sections and the central section.

Larger recesses may be cut out from the underside of the central section material below body areas of special sensitivity, such as the shoulders or buttocks to reduce support pressure in areas particularly prone to bedsores or particularly sensitive owing to burns or other injur .

In a particularly advantageous development the central section or each part thereof may be wedge shaped in cross-section, having a wider upper surface tapering to a narrower base, and the side sections have correspondingly sloping edges facing the central section, so that the latter fits snugly therebetween. This allows the weight of the patient to be borne to a greater extent, along the sides, by the side sections of the mattress assembly. It also assists correct location of removable, interchangeable central section parts (i.e. when the central section is formed of multiple parts) .

Many other optional refinements are possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of a mattress assembly in accordance with the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the mattress assembly of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section of the same assembly along the line A-A in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse cross-section of the same assembly along the line B-B in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar transverse cross-section of a modified embodiment of the mattress assembly of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a similar transverse cross-section of a further embodiment of the mattress assembly of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross-section of another embodiment of mattress assembly in accordance with the present invention, the central section being shown raised a short distance to reveal the detail, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one individual part of the central section of the embodiment of Fig. 6. BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT INVENTION

The exemplary mattress assembly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 is rectangular, in the region of 2m long and lm wide, and consists of a base layer A, which is a strong, flexible, but impermeable plastics sheet e.g. of polyethylene, and a resilient upper layer B comprising elongate side sections 10, 12 and a central section 14, all of the same thickness, of the order of 10 to 15 cm. The side sections 10, 12 are secured by adhesive means, to the base sheet A and the latter may be folded over onto the top of the upper layer B at the head and foot end, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 the side sections 10, 12 are of closed cell foamed plastics material (inherently impermeable) whilst the central section 14 is of open cell foamed plastics material,^" and the sections 10, 12, 14 are of similar width.

In the main illustrated embodiment (Figs. 1 to 3 ) an elongate channel 16 is cut from the underside of the central section material approximately along the mid line of the assembly in the longitudinal direction rhereof. Also the central section 14 is formed of a number of separate parts 24 arranged end to end along the length of the assembly, with slight gaps 18 therebetween and also specific grooves 20 in adjoining edges forming openings (air ducts) in communication with the channel 16. The channel portion 16 of each part 24 of the central foam section aligns with channel portions 16 of adjacent parts 24. A substantially rigid, shape defining member may be located in each cut-out channel portion 16 to prevent occlusion of the air passageway defined by the channel by a heavy patient lying upon the assembly. The separate parts 24 of the central section 14 are readily removable and interchangeable. Parts of differing resilience and differing permeability are provided to allow for patients of different weight and also to allow support pressure to be off-loaded from especially sensitive areas such as buttocks, shoulders and heels which are prone to bedsores (caused by pressure and lack of aeration) and/or areas which are sensitive owing to burns or other injury. Also some or all of the parts 24 may have a waterproof coating at least on the upper surface to facilitate cleaning, and make provision for incontinence. Where such a coating is.provided on the side surfaces also it will facilitate sliding relative to the side sections 10, 12, which will assist when interchanging parts 24 to suit different patients or for cleaning.

It will also be noted from Fig. 3 that the parts 24 making up the central section 14 are wedge-shaped in cross-section and bear against corresponding sloping support surfaces of the side sections 10, 12. This facilitates location of the parts 24 between the side sections 10, 12, but more importantly allows some weight bearing by the side sections, further minimising risk of occlusion of the main air passageway provided by the channel 16 by heavy patients.

In use the mattress assembly is supplied with air through a connecting pipe 26 at one end from an external source. The air may be appropriately conditioned. It passes along the channel 16, and out through the gaps 18 and openings 20 between the central parts 24.

The benefits of the arrangement just described are that not only are all the relevant pressure areas of the body well aerated to remove moisture from the skin, and well oxygenated, but also by appropriate selecτion of parts 24 of differing resilience the foamed plastics exerts less support pressure in those areas and-therefore allows support of body weight to be transferred to, for example, the hollow of the back, the thighs etc. (areas less likely to be or prone to bedsores) .

A mattress assembly of this type could be used on either a conventional domestic bed or on an articulated hospital bed for the prevention and cure of bedsores, for the recovery from burns, for the control of patient temperature in intensive care (trauma) and for recovery from hypothermia.

The foregoing is only illustrative, not limitative of the scope of the invention and many variations are possible.

For example, Fig. 4, shows how an air passageway 116 can be provided below the entire central section 114. In this case, by approprioate shaping the wedge-shaped parts 124 are entirely supported above the base layer A by the sloping inner edge margins of the side sections. Again, shape defining channel-section members may be placed or fastened below the central section parts 124.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment where the central section parts 224 are not wedge-shaped.

In other respects the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 are just like Figs. 1 to 3 and the same reference numerals with addition of 100 or 200 have been used for corresponding parts.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another embodiment where the central section parts 324 are again wedge-shaped, but are much wider in extent, as a proportion of the overall width of the mattress, than in the preceding embodiments. The side sections 310 and 312 are correspondingly smaller and each have a cross-sectional shape approximating to a right angled triangle with a sloping support surface of relatively wide extent, matching the respective sloping sides of the undersurface of the central section parts 324. Viewing the mattress from above, the upper surface of the central section accounts for about 90 to 95%% of the width, while each side section accounts for only about 2.5 to 5% of the width. At the base, however, the lower surfaces of the three parts are fairly similar in extent. An arrangement like this, with a major proportion of the upper surface of the mattress provided by the central section parts has been found most suitable for patients who need to be rolled over to one side or another, in which respect joints in the surface may hinder movement.

The elongate side sections 310, 312 in this example are secured within respective side pockets of an evelope 300 of waterproof material, e.g. polyurethane coated nylon. The envelope material may be stitched or welded longitudinally to provide the pockets, into which the foamed plastics side sections will be inserted, with an area of double layer fabric therebetween, on which the undersurface of the central section parts will rest, when the latter are located between the side sections.

The central sections 324 are, as previously, each provided with an elongate channel 326 along the mid line of their lower surfaces and with vertical grooves 320 extending upwardly therefrom at each end, the grooves 320 of adjacent parts co-operating to form gaps or openings for passage of air upwards through the mattress. As mentioned, in Fig. 6 the central part 324 is shown artificially raised out of contact with the side sections for the sake of clarity.

Many other variations, which have not been illustrated, are also possible within the scope of the invention. For example, to enhance aeration and/or reduce support pressure, transverse recesses or grooves may be cut into the undersurface of the central section parts, or holes may be bored therethrough communicating with the main air passageway and possibly leading to gaps specifically left between the central section and the side sections e.g. by grooves formed in the facing side surfaces. In any event the join between the central and side sections will not be air tight.

Waterproof envelopes may be used as an alternative to a waterproof coating for some or all parts of the central section.

The central section need not be formed of many parts. At least three parts would be expected in most cases to allow variation in support pressure and waterpoofing in the central region. However, a one-piece central section could be possible, with specific vertical holes cut through as air ducts from the lower air passageway.

Claims

1. A mattress assembly comprising spaced apart elongate side sections (10, 12), which are impermeable and resilient and are retained upon an impermeable sheet (A) providing the undersurface of the assembly, and an elongate central section ( 14) of foamed plastics material arranged between the side sections, the side sections (10, 12) and the central section (14) together constituting the major support structure of the mattress assembly, longitudinally extending air passageway means ( 16 ) being provided below the central section (14) which is itself provided with air duct means, such as gaps, openings or apertures (18, 20) leading from the passageway means (16) to the upper surface of said central section.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the air passageway means (16) comprises at least one longitudinal channel formed in the under surface of the central section (14).

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the air passageway means (16) is defined by a shape sustaining channel section member located below or embedded in the undersurface of the central section (14) .

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the central section (14) consists of several parts (24) arranged end to end longitudinally of the assembly with gaps or openings (18, 20) between the adjacent parts constituting the air ducts.

5. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the gaps or openings between adjoining parts (24) are provided by grooves (20) in one or both abutting surfaces of said parts.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 wherein parts (24) of the central section are of differing resilience.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein

5 parts (24) of the central section are of differing height.

8. An assembly as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 7 wherein parts (24) of the central section are of differing permeability.

9. An assembly as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 8 wherein 0 at least some of the parts (24) of the central section

(14) are disposed inside respective envelopes of waterproof material.

10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the central section (14) or each part (24) thereof is

15 wedge-shaped in cross-section, having a wider upper surface tapering to a narrower base, and the side sections (10, 12) have correspondingly sloping edges facing the central section, so that the latter fits snugly therebetween.

20 11. An assembly as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the upper surface of the central section (324) accounts for 90 to 95% of the width of the upper surface of the assembly, while the upper region of each side section (310, 312) accounts for only 2.5 to 5% of the width thereof.

25 12. An assembly as claimed in Claim 10 or 11 .-'herein the side sections (310, 312) approximate in cross-sectional shape to right-angled triangles (Figs. 6 and 8) .

13. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the central section (14) or parts (24) thereof are formed 30 of open cell foamed plastics material. 12

14. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the central section (14) or parts (24) thereof are provided with an impermeable coating.

15. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein gaps remain between the side sections and the central section and transversely extending grooves are provided in the undersurface of the central section.

16. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the side sections (310, 312) are disposed inside pockets of an envelope (300) of impermeable material, which also provides the undersurface of the entire assembly.

17. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the side sections (10, 12) are formed of closed cell foamed plastics material.