WO1996027357A1

WO1996027357A1 - Transfer device

Info

Publication number: WO1996027357A1
Application number: PCT/SE1996/000270
Authority: WO
Inventors: Björn ROSS
Original assignee: Ross Medical Equipment, Romedic Ab
Priority date: 1995-03-06
Filing date: 1996-03-01
Publication date: 1996-09-12
Also published as: SE503592C2; SE9500787L; AU4960696A; SE9500787D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new device, which facilitates the transfer of a person positioned on a base. The device according to the invention comprises at least two sheets adapted to be arranged on the base and comprising a first sheet, which has at least one low-friction surface, and a second sheet, which has at least one low-friction surface. When used, these two low-friction surfaces face one another, the first sheet being in contact with the base, fixed in relation thereto, and the second sheet being arranged on top of the first sheet. The second sheet is provided with a fastening means adapted to prevent unintentional movements.

Description

TRANSFER DEVICE

Introduction

The present invention relates to a device which facilitates the transfer, such as turning, of a subject positioned on a base, for instance, a patient in a nursing bed. The device can also be used to prevent pressure sores on a person confined to bed.

Technical Background of the Invention In nursing as well as geriatric care, bedridden states occur frequently. The staff and/or the families nursing the bedridden persons often meet with back and joint injuries owing to the strenuous lifting motions that are necessary in the daily care, such as bed-making, taking care of the personal hygiene etc.

Persons who are forced to spend a long time in bed are, besides, often affected by injuries caused by pres¬ sure, such as pressure sores.

A number of aids are available on the market to facilitate the transfer of bedridden persons. In most cases, they are based on the principle of reducing the friction between person and base, such that a transfer can be carried out by pulling the person sideways. The aids can be, for instance, sliding sheets, sliding boards, sliding mats or devices comprising small castors. The inconvenience of these products is that they are either too hard to be comfortable or so soft that they may cause hygienic problems.

One of the best of the above-mentioned aids is slid- ing mats. The inconvenience of sliding mats that are today available on the market is that, since they are tubular, they afford transfer possibilities but in one direction at a time, i.e. sideways in one direction or the other. After this transfer, the sliding mat must be turned to make it possible to carry out a new transfer in a different direction.

US 4,051,565 discloses a tubular aid, a so-called transfer unit, for transferring, for instance, lying per- sons. The unit consists of a tube of a mat-like material, whose outside consists of a tough, hard-wearing material having a high friction coefficient, e.g. foam rubber, and whose inside consists of a material having a low friction coefficient, e.g. nylon or Teflon. The inconvenience of this unit is, however, as mentioned above that transfer can only take place in one direction at a time. Moreover, the person to be transferred must be partly moved over to the tubular unit, since at least the shoulder and part of the side of the body must rest on the unit to make it possible to perform the transfer by pulling. This involves a lifting operation for the person carrying out the trans¬ fer and can, besides, be unfavourable for the perscn who is being transferred in certain states of ill-health, such as back injuries. A further problem is that the thus transferred person is forced to change bases, which may be disadvantageous in such states as skin burns.

According to US 5,148,558, one has tried to eliminate the above-mentioned inconveniences by constructing a device for transferring patients, comprising two thin layers under the patient. Thanks to the device being perforated, it can be divided after accomplishment of the transfer and be removed without having to roll over or move the patient. The uppermost layer is attached to the base in the corners by means of a plurality of cuffs. This construction also uses the principle of having two bases which easily slide against one another owing to low fric¬ tion. The low-friction surfaces are in this case one side of one subjacent layer, which is folded under the patient. Owing to this folding construction, the number of possible transfers is restricted by the width of the lower layer, and it is not possible to move the patient in the longi¬ tudinal direction. The purpose of the perforation is that it should be necessary to use the device during the actual transfer operation only.

Summary of the Invention The present invention concerns the elimination of the above-described inconveniences by means of a new device, which facilitates the transfer, such as turning, of a person or subject positioned on a base, especially a lying person. The inventive device comprises at least two sheets adapted to be arranged on the base and comprises a first sheet having at least one low-friction surface, and a second sheet having at least one low-friction surface, the sheets being adapted to be arranged on the base, such that the first sheet contacts the base and fixed in relation thereto and the second sheet is arranged on top of the first sheet. The low-friction surfaces of the two sheets are adapted to be turned so that they contact one another, and the second sheet is provided with a fastening means for preventing unintentional movements. In contrast to the prior-art transfer units protected by patents, the device according to the invention is adapted to be arranged more or less permanently under the patient, which is particu¬ larly advantageous in states of illhealth requiring a maximum of stillness, such as spine injuries and the like.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In connection with the invention, the expression "low friction", which is used to describe the sides of the sheets facing each other, is defined as such a low fric- tion that a person can pull, without any great effort, another person by means of the device, in the lateral or longitudinal direction.

The surfaces having low friction, the so-called low- friction surfaces, can be one or more on each sheet, and if desired, they can be of different shape. For instance, an embodiment is possible, in which the low-friction sur- faces are to be found in the positions subjected to the highest loads through the lying person's body.

The device according to the invention is, in contrast to the above-mentioned device according to US 5,148,558, adapted to be more or less permanently positioned under the patient, and besides permits, in contrast to US 5,148,558, an indefinite number of succeeding transfers in optional directions.

In one embodiment of the inventive device, the second or upper sheet is attached to the first or lower sheet by a fastening means. A fastening means which can be opened and closed a repeated number of times if the patient should be transferred from one bed to another, is prefer¬ red. The fastening means preferably is arranged somewhere along the edges of the sheets, such as adjacent one or both short sides, and it may comprise one or more parts. In a bed, the fastening means can be positioned, for in¬ stance, at the foot end or the head end of the bed, pre¬ ferably at the patient's head end, which is especially advantageous in beds that can be raised at the head end to make it possible for the patient to sit up.

The above-mentioned fastening means, which prevents unintentional movements of the upper sheet, can also be attached to a base. When the inventive device is used in a bed, the fastening device can comprise, for instance, some sort of bands or strips, which at one end are attached to the upper sheet, the fixing being carried out by winding said bands or strips through the end or frame of the bed and subsequently, by means of the other end, again secur- ing them to the upper sheet. The fastening means according to the invention can, of course, also be attached to some other suitable fastening point, which results in the above-defined securing.

Alternatively, or besides, the upper sheet can also be folded under the base, e.g. the mattress, to prevent sliding. According to a special embodiment of the device ac¬ cording to the invention, the fastening means is a Velcro fastener. Of course, it may also be any type of fastening means that serves the same purpose. According to a special embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned fastening means is one preventing movements in the longitudinal direction.

In a further embodiment of the inventive device, the upper sheet has at least one moisture-absorbing surface, which is adapted to be arranged against the patient. As a result, the device will be more hygienic for long-time use, and moisture is prevented from penetrating the upper sheet and reaching the contact surface between the two low-friction surfaces, which would make the device un- stable if the patient moves in permanent use. Preferably, the entire upper side of the upper sheet is a moisture- absorbing surface, but also embodiments in which only parts of the sheet have moisture-absorbing surfaces are possible. According to a special embodiment of the device according to the invention, the moisture-absorbing surface of the upper sheet comprises a particularly highly ab¬ sorbing material, such as cotton. Of course, the material can also be some other material having good absorbency. One more embodiment of the device according to the invention is represented by the case in which the upper sheet is of a substantially greater thickness than the lower sheet, thereby improving the resilience and softness of the device. According to the most preferred embodiment, the upper sheet is padded, but it can also be reinforced in other ways which result in the above-mentioned proper¬ ties. A softer and more resilient material is especially preferred as base for bedridden persons. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for e.g. patients having pressure sores or for those running the risk of being injured in this manner in ordinary beds. Although softer bases have previously been used for these patients, the combination of extra soft and, besides, highly absorbing bases with a device that facilitates transfer, as achieved by means of the inventive device, is completely new and makes nursing significantly easier. A padded portion of the upper sheet can also serve to absorb moisture, if the moisture-absorbing surface has attained maximum absorption.

In one embodiment of the inventive device, the low- friction surfaces of the sheets comprises nylon. Nylon has excellent sliding properties, while affording an advan¬ tageous stability to the device. The low-friction surfaces may comprise the same or different materials, as long as the desired and above-defined low friction is achieved.

These low-friction surfaces can, irrespective of the material, constitute entire sheet sides or parts thereof. It is possible to arrange e.g. strips of especially low friction, oriented in the direction in which the transfer is intended to take place. According to a preferred em¬ bodiment of the invention, the low-friction surface of the lower sheet, however, constitutes a substantial parr of the upper side of this sheet, while the low-friction surface of the upper sheet constitutes a substantial part of the underside of this sheet.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the lower sheet is fixed relative to the base by having at least one high-friction surface arranged against the base. The ex¬ pression "high friction" is intended to mean such a high friction that a person positioned on the device does not himself perform any substantial transfer, or sliding, of the lower sheet relative to the base when moving in the bed in a normal fashion. This high-friction surface covers, according to the preferred embodiment of the in¬ vention, the entire underside of the lower sheet, but also embodiments in which only parts of the lower sheet have a high friction are within the scope of the invention. For instance, the lower sheet can have a plurality of high- friction surfaces in the form of bands adjacent the edges or in some other pattern which is advantageous for the intended use.

Additionally, according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the high-friction surface of the lower sheet extends over a less substantial part of the upper side of this sheet. One example of a lower sheet included in the inventive device thus has an underside, or a side facing the base, consisting of a low-friction surface, and an upper side, or side facing the person, in which case the intermediate part of the upper side, seen in the longitudinal direction, consists of a zone of the low-friction surface, while the areas outside this zone consist of the high-friction surface.

Moreover, or alternatively, the lower sheet can be fixed to the base by substantially enclosing the entire base, as does a mattress cover of a more conventional type, thereby keeping the lower sheet stable relative to the base. It can also be fixed to the base by means of some other construction which functions correspondingly, such as by tying.

One more preferred embodiment of the invention is represented by the case in which the upper sheet is sub¬ stantially unfolded, i.e. there is substantially only one layer of the lower sheet under the person. In this em- bodiment, the upper sheet and the lower sheet are separate from each other, which permits an unlimited number of succeeding transfers in optional directions.

Drawings Fig. A shows a base in the form of a bed, in which a lower sheet included in the inventive device is arranged on this base.

Fig. B shows an embodiment of an inventive device having an upper sheet arranged on the lower sheet accord- ing to Fig. A by a fastening means.

Fig. C is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an upper sheet included in the inventive device and having a moisture-absorbing surface, a padded portion and a low- friction surface.

Fig. D is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a lower sheet included in the inventive device and having a low-friction surface and a high-friction surface.

In more detail, Fig. A illustrates a first or lower sheet 1 included in the device according to the invention arranged on a mattress 2. The sheet 1 is provided with a fastening means 5, which is adapted to be fixed to a second sheet.

Fig. B describes an entire device according to the invention on the mattress 2. The device shows the first sheet 1 according to Fig. A arranged under a second sheet 6. The second sheet 6 is provided with a fastening means 7, consisting of a Velcro fastener, which is arranged ad¬ jacent the fastening means 5 of the first sheet 1. The transfer of a person positioned on the device can be car¬ ried out by loosening the upper sheet 6 from the lower sheet 1 and pulling the patient on the upper sheet 6 to a desired position, such as another bed.

Fig. C illustrates, described in more detail in a cross-sectional view, the second or upper sheet 6 included in the inventive device, comprising a low-friction surface 8, a padded portion 10 and a moisture-absorbing surface layer 9.

Fig. D shows in more detail the first or lower sheet 1 according to Figs A and B in a cross-sectional view. The sheet 1 has a low-friction surface 3 and a high-friction surface 4.

Claims

1. A device adapted to facilitate the transfer, such as turning, of a subject positioned on a base, especially a subject lying down, the device comprising at least two sheets which are adapted to be arranged on the base, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a first sheet (1) having at least one low-friction surface (3), and a second sheet (6) having at least one low-friction surface (8), the sheets being adapted to be arranged on the base (2) , such that the first sheet (1) contacts the base (2) and fixed in relation thereto and the second sheet (6) is arranged on top of the first sheet, the low-friction surfaces (3, 8) of the two sheets contacting one another and the second sheet (6) being provided with a fastening means (7) for preventing unintentional movements, said means being adapted to be more or less permanently positioned under the patient.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that the second sheet (6) is adapted to be fixed to the first sheet (1) by its fastening means (5, 7) .

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r - a c t e r i s e d in that the fastening means (7) is of the type that can be opened and closed repeatedly, pre¬ ferably a Velcro fastener.

4. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the fastening means (7) is designed such that the second sheet (6) is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction.

5. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the second sheet (6) also has at least one moisture-absorbing surface (9) of one or more materials, said surface being adapted to be arranged against the person.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that the moisture-absorbing surface (9) comprises cotton.

7. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the second sheet (6) has a padded portion (10).

8. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the low-fric¬ tion surfaces (3, 8) of the sheets comprises nylon.

9. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the first sheet (1) also comprises at least one high-friction surface which is adapted to face the base (2) , preferably such that unintentional lateral movements are prevented.

10. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the first sheet (1) is adapted to be fixed to the base (2), such that it can be slipped onto and round the base (2), which prefer¬ ably is a mattress.

11. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, .c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the first sheet (1) is substantially unfolded.

12. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said first and second sheets (1, 6) are separate from each other.