WO1998047415A1

WO1998047415A1 - Lying- or sitting cushion

Info

Publication number: WO1998047415A1
Application number: PCT/SE1998/000732
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan AHLÉN
Original assignee: Ahlen Jan
Priority date: 1997-04-23
Filing date: 1998-04-22
Publication date: 1998-10-29
Also published as: SE9701512D0; SE9701512L; AU7096298A

Abstract

A device in such sitting or lying cushions, which comprises a number of elongated air or gas-filled compartments (12), which are disposed close to each other and are separated from each at least partially by parallel running adjoining seams, said compartments being at least partially combined with a support (10), said compartments being entirely separated from each other by the adjoining seams which run transversely of the mattress and in which at least every second adjoining seam is affixed to the support and in which the distance between two adjacent adjoining seams which are secured to the support is less than the combined width of two adjacent compartments (12). The compartments (12) are entirely closed and have a slight super-pressure such as of the order of 20-200 H2O relative to the pressure of the ambient air, and to form bag-elements (11) which each comprises at least one displacement element (13), which fills the bag like element at least essentially viz. to the order to 60 - 95 %, and which is adapted to be gas or air filled to a pressure slightly above the said pressure in the compartment so that the displacement element thereby controls the pressure in the bag-element (12) to a suitable value to avoid pressure wounds.

Description

Lying- or sitting cushion.

The present invenuon relates to a lying or sitting cusluon, and more particularly to a lying or situng cushion of the kind which comprises a number of elongated, air or gas filled compartments, which are disposed close to each other and are separated from each other at least partially by parallel rutuung joining seams, said compartments being partly combined with a support

The invention has been created in connection with ceπain jobs especially beds for illness, and it will therefore be disclosed essentially with reference to mattresses, although it is not confined thereto

A mattress of a similar kind is disclosed in EP 88201 01 4 (Publication number 0 296 689) The mattress disclosed therein is characterised essentially in that the compart ments are wholly separated front each other by means of adjoining seams that run transversely of the mattress, and in that at least every setond joining seam is combined with the support, the distance between two joining seams that are adhered to ihe support being less than the combined length of two adjacent compartments, and an elongated element is disposed in each of the pockets, which is thus formed from the support and said department

According to a sub-claim each of the adjoining seam is fixed to the support

Mattresses of the just mentioned European patent have sometimes been deemed to be satisfying to their function However, they suffer from some disadvantages, among which shall be paiucularly mentioned that they are comparatively complicated in manufactiuc, and in that they by arising leakage permit the palienl lo by lying directly on one or inoie of the in the pieseiit context ' lving' - uniπendly resilient elements, without immediately observing this Such a thiυugh-going press through the intended air cushioning involves naturally, a great uncertainly and niav lead lo that difficult to leak lying or pre .Miig damages will anse last

The present invention has aimed at providing lying or silling cusluon that do not have the above mentioned draw backs

The invention will be disclosed in more details below with relerence to the accompanying dmvungs, on which a μau oi embodiments, picked as an example, of the lying υt sitting cushion according to ihe invention are shown

The sitting or lying cushion according to the present invention which comprises a plurality of elongated air or gas filled compartments that are disposed close to each other and are separated from each otlu'i by at least partially i mining adjoining seams by which the coinpailinents aie at least partially combined with a support, said compartments being enurelv separated fiom each other by the adjoining seams that run transversely of the mattress, wherein at least every second adjoining seam runs transversely of the mattress, wherein at least eveiy second of the adjoining seams is adjoined 10 the support and the distance between two adjacent seams that die affixed to the support is less than the combined width of two adjacent compartments is Jiaiacteπscd in that the compartments aic uitiich closed aie subjected to a sm;ιll supei-piessure, such as of the order of 20 - 200 nun H₂0 relative the pressure of the ambient air and to form bag elements that fill the compartment element to an essential poition, vi of the order of 60 - 95 % and which is adapted to be an ore gas filled to a pressure slightly exceeding the pressure in the department and so that the deplacement degree by this controls the filling in the compartments and thereby in the facken to a suitable degree so as to avoid avoid pressure damages

According to the invention it is preferred that the content of the compartments is a pressure equalising element, preferably Un the shape of resilient cell-plastic strip of a thickness of about 2 - 10 mm, laid in between the inner surface of the respective element and the outer surface of the displacement element, prelerably in the shape of a stπp of the material which is sold under the registered trade nark "Sensatex "

The invention will be disclosed in the following with lelerencc to the enclosed drawings, which a few embodiments picked as an example are shown

Fig 1 shows a first embodiment of the lying or sitting cushion according lo the invention in a vei ϋcal section, Fig 2 is a vertical section, similarly in a vertical section

The cushion as shown in fig 1, as an example, comprises a support 10, on which there are disposed a plurality of cushion elements 1 1 in the shape of gas- or air filled elements which are outwardly entnely closed and stands under a slight super-pressure in lelation to the ambient air, such as an super- pressure of about 20 - 200 mm H₂0 The compartment elements are disposed side by side and extend over the whole mattress On the upper side of the mattress the bag-like elements are covered by a thin layer 10A which preferably give the uppermost portions of the bag-like elements freely movable in sides, e g longitudinally of the mattress The length edges of the bag-like elements 11 are at least partially connected to the .uppoil in a manner so that the support 10 that the element 11 togethe r with the support will form cross- running pockets 12 Each such pocket 12 contains at least one cross-running displacement element which is adapted to be filled controllable with gas or air under super-pressure, v i of a magnitude slightly exceeding the above mentioned supci-picssure oi about 20 - 200 nun 1 O, and w hich clement normally fills the said pocket 12 In tins case the device is such that that the displacement elements 12 ill hold the bag-like elements inflated also in case a leakage should arise on the bag-like elements 1 1 and also such that the innermost pressure in the bag-like elements may be performed by variation ol the innermost pressure in the displacement elements II, and thus has a coi responding effect ion the innermost pressure in the bag-like elements 1 1 and theieb) on the magnitude thereol.

The units comprising the bag-like elements 1 1 and tl displacement elements therein mat in the longitudinal direction of the mattress be divided in groups, e g six such units for the legs, nine units foi the body and six further units lor the uppermost portion ol ihe bod> and the head The displacement elements for the various gioups is provided with gas or air under pressure thiough individually controllable inlet lines from a common pressure or gas source

Each bag-element contains between the inner side and the upper surface of the respective displacement element a pressure ecμialising elemen . vi/ in the shape of a pressure equalising strip of a resilient plastic mateiial, c g the material which is sold under ihc icgisiered tiade mark "Sensitex' This maienal serves to eliminate local pressures due to possible folding of the matei ial in the uppermost side 1 1 theieof, The surface magnitude of this pressure equalising material 14 coi responds nearly to the magnitude of the innei most side oi the support 1 1 In the embodiment according to fig 2 at least one springing element 15 is laid in into each bag like element 11, and more precisely preferably within the moonscissor-shaped displacement element π, which in this case will rest lightly against the inner surface of the bag-shaped element 11 and against the springing element 15

A plurality of modifications and alterations may be perform within the scope ol the invention

Claims

Claims.

1 An arrangement by sitting or lying mattresses of the class that composes a plurality of elongated, air or gas-filled compartments (12) which are disposed close to each other and are separated from each other at least partially by parallel running adjoining seems, said compartments being at least partially combined with a support (10), and said compartments being entirely separated from each other by means of said adjoining seems which run transversely of the mattress and where in at least every second adjoining seam is affixed to the support, and where in the distance between two adjacent adjoining seams which are affixed to the support is less than the combined width of two adjacent compartments (12), characterised in that, the compartments (12) are entirely closed and are subjected to a small super- pressure such as of the order of 20 - 200 mm H₂o relatively to the ambient air pressure, and to define bag like elements (1 1) which each one comprises at least one displacement element (13) which fills the bag like element essenually, viz to tlie order of 60 - 95% and which adapted to be gas or air-filled to a controllable pressure slightly above the said pressure in the compartments so that the displacement elements thereby controls the pressure in the bag like elements (11) and thereb) in the compartments (12) to suitable value to avoid pressure wounds

2 A device as claimed 1, characterised in that, the compartments (12) comprise a pressure equalising element (14) preferably in the shape of a resilient cell-plastic strip (14) having thickness of about

2 - lOinm disposed between the inner surface of the respective bag-element ( 1 1) and the outer surface of the displacement element ( 13), preferably in the shape of a strip of the material which is soled under the registered Trade mark "Scnsatex"

3 A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each compartment composes al least one elastic element (15), which occupies a consideiable poilion ol the .oluinc of the compartments