WO2007069237A2 - Systeme de support du bras et composants de celui-ci - Google Patents

Systeme de support du bras et composants de celui-ci Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2007069237A2
WO2007069237A2 PCT/IL2006/001395 IL2006001395W WO2007069237A2 WO 2007069237 A2 WO2007069237 A2 WO 2007069237A2 IL 2006001395 W IL2006001395 W IL 2006001395W WO 2007069237 A2 WO2007069237 A2 WO 2007069237A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
arm
support
arm support
support system
mother
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2006/001395
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2007069237A3 (fr
Inventor
Roni Adiri
Noam Adiri
Original Assignee
Microdel Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Microdel Ltd. filed Critical Microdel Ltd.
Priority to US12/097,305 priority Critical patent/US20080313813A1/en
Priority to EP06821615A priority patent/EP1962642A4/fr
Publication of WO2007069237A2 publication Critical patent/WO2007069237A2/fr
Publication of WO2007069237A3 publication Critical patent/WO2007069237A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47D—FURNITURE SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN
    • A47D13/00—Other nursery furniture
    • A47D13/08—Devices for use in guiding or supporting children, e.g. safety harness
    • A47D13/083—Baby feeding cushions

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to providing an arm support system, which, among other uses, may be used for stabilizing and supporting the arm of a breastfeeding mother whilst cradling an infant in the traditional suckling position.
  • the mother Whilst breastfeeding her baby, the mother (or wet nurse) is required to align the baby's mouth with her nipple. Traditionally the mother sits on a chair and cradles the infant in her arms. Holding a baby like this for any length of time puts considerable stress on the mother's body. Many mothers suffer from cramps in the lower back, neck, shoulders and arms. Even bottle fed babies are typically supported in a similar position whilst feeding, resulting in similar muscle fatigue.
  • a bed pillow, bolster, cushion or the like may be used to provide support for the baby, or for the elbow of the cradling arm.
  • Such solutions are only partially successful, particularly for nursing mothers who must adjust the height of the baby's head to align it with the nipple of the breast.
  • 6,233,767 describes a support pillow which has a generally crescent shaped configuration, having a central portion and two opposed arms that project from the central portion.
  • the support pillow includes an inflatable air chamber and a removable cover. It provides support for the entire body of the baby and not just for the cradling arm of the user. However, since the support pillow does not attach to the user's body, it may slip, and, in consequence, is both unsafe and awkward.
  • Nursing slings are designed to hold a baby at the breast.
  • the weight of the sling pulls on the mother's neck and upper back and can cause considerable stress and be very uncomfortable. Reversing the baby to nurse on the other breast can be quite cumbersome and annoying to the baby.
  • a sling type device also tends to pull the baby's head and body toward the mother, which restricts the baby's freedom of movement and may be dangerous as well.
  • the present invention relates to a support system that offers numerous advantages over the prior art.
  • the cradling arm be well supported, and that the weight of the infant be transferred to the leg of carer, to reduce fatigue, back ache and stress on arms and shoulders.
  • the cradling arm is removably fixed to the support system, so that arm cannot slip if the nursing mother should doze off whilst nursing at night, for example.
  • the support system be lightweight and collapsible, and be easily packed away for transportation. It is a particular aim of preferred embodiments that a general purpose cloth be removably attached to the support system to be in convenient reach. Such a cloth may serve a multitude of functions such as for covering the mother's breast when nursing in public places, for protecting the mother's clothes whilst burping the infant or for wiping up milk droplets from breast or from baby's face.
  • the support system be ergonomic and adaptable to the body of the mother.
  • the support system allows easy and comfortable alignment of the infant's mouth with the nipple of the mother's breast to ensure comfortable feeding.
  • the present invention is directed to providing a support system for supporting a user's arm on the user's thigh, the support system comprises: (i) a sleeve for surrounding the user's arm; (ii) an arm support having a base for engaging the thigh and an upper surface for supporting the arm, and (iii) a temporary attaching means for attaching the sleeve to the arm support.
  • the support system is used for supporting the cradling arm of a mother whilst feeding an infant.
  • the arm support comprises a base, a upper surface and an inflatable airtight bladder, the base is configured to rest on a thigh of the mother and the upper surface is configured to support the cradling arm of the mother.
  • the arm support further comprises a valve for inflation and deflation of the airtight bladder.
  • the support system further comprises a pump for inflating the airtight bladder.
  • the arm support comprises an airtight bladder, a regulator for regulating the quantity of air within the airtight bladder and a resilient helical spring for urging the arm support into an expanded position.
  • the regulator includes a fine manual adjustment means for fine adjusting the quantity of air within the airtight bladder.
  • the base of the arm support comprises a securing means for securing the arm support to the thigh of the mother, such as rubber grips, straps, non-slip material and fastener strips, which are sticky back hook and loop strips such as those known and in common use around the world by the brand name of Velcro® strips
  • a securing means for securing the arm support to the thigh of the mother such as rubber grips, straps, non-slip material and fastener strips, which are sticky back hook and loop strips such as those known and in common use around the world by the brand name of Velcro® strips
  • Preferred embodiments of the arm support system further comprise a cloth that is removably connected to the sleeve by a coupling means that is optionally selected from a , group consisting of fastener strips, press-studs, zips, buttons and hook-and-eye fasteners.
  • the cloth is fabricated from a cotton fabric.
  • the height of the arm support is variable for aligning mouth of the infant with breast of the mother.
  • a second aspect of the invention is directed to the arm support of the arm support system as described hereinabove.
  • a third aspect of the invention is directed to the sleeve of the arm support system as described hereinabove.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mother suckling a breastfeeding baby, the mother using a support system of a first embodiment of the present invention to ergonomically support the cradling arm;
  • Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the mother and baby of Fig. 1, where a cloth is provided that is removably attached to the sleeve of the support system;
  • Fig. 2B is a perspective view of the mother baby, support system and cloth of Fig. 2A, where the cloth is used to cover head of baby and breast of mother;
  • Fig. 3 is an isometric projection of the arm support and sleeve, showing how the arm support may be inflated via a squeeze pump;
  • Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the sleeve and fully inflated arm support of the embodiment of Fig. 3, showing a one way ball valve on the squeeze pump;
  • Fig. 5 is a cross-section through a sleeve and partially inflated arm support of the embodiment of Fig. 3;
  • Fig. 6 is an isometric projection of a second embodiment of the present invention wherein the sleeve has an arcuate cross section and the two legs of the arch are affixable to the arm support via a pair fastener strips, the cloth is attachable to the wall of the sleeve via a third fastener strip;
  • Fig. 7 is a cut away view of the embodiment of Fig. 6 showing a helical spring that may replace or compliment the air filled bladder of the support cushion;
  • Fig. 8 is a cross section through a wide open, dual operation regulator for equalizing pressure inside the arm support with the surrounding air pressure;
  • Fig. 9 is a cross section through the dual operation regulator showing how fine adjustment of the amount of air within the arm support may be accomplished by manual opening of the regulator.
  • a support system 2 for supporting the cradling arm 14 of the carer of an infant 3, particularly, the cradling arm 14 of a breast-feeding mother 10 is shown.
  • the support system 2 includes a sleeve 12 that fits around the carer's arm 14 and is releasably attachable to an arm support 4 by fastener strips such as Velcro® or similar attaching means.
  • a cloth 22 (see Fig. 2 and 3), such as a towel or a traditional cloth diaper, is removable attached to the sleeve 12. Such a cloth 22 may be used for wiping the mouth of the infant 3, for protecting the carer's garments when burping the infant 3, and, for covering the head of the feeding infant 3 and mother's breast, providing privacy to the mother 10.
  • the arm support 4 is designed to be rested on the mother's thigh 8 and provides both support and stability to the mother's arm 14, thereby minimizing muscle cramp and strain in the upper body, lower back, neck, shoulders and arm as often suffered by nursing mothers 10 and, indeed, other carers, whilst cradling an infant 3.
  • the support system 2 of the present invention may be useful for other applications, such as for supporting the arms of writers, typists, and computer mouse operators, for example.
  • the arm support 4 is hollow and air filled, and may be inflated and collapsed.
  • the user may vary the pressure within the arm support 4 over the entire range between fully inflated and fully deflated positions, and thereby support the cradling arm 14 at different heights, allowing it to be supported at an appropriate height to comfortably support the cradled infant's head at an appropriate elevation to allow ergonomic alignment of the baby to the breast to facilitate comfortable feeding. It will be appreciated that if the alignment is incorrect, the baby may receive an inadequate supply of milk, or might choke.
  • the base 6 and upper surface 20 of the arm support 4 are preferably constructed from a pliable material which conforms to the contours of the carer's thigh 8 and arm 14 respectively.
  • the underside of the base 6 is preferably provided with grips or is fabricated from an anti-slip material to firmly engage the thigh 8. Additionally or alternatively, straps may be provided for strapping the arm support 4 to the thigh 8. Although less practical for mothers wearing skirts, such straps are ideal for mothers wearing shorts or slacks, and may be closed with a quick release buckle such as widely used in baby car seats, high chairs and the like, or may use fastener strips such as Velcro® or similar.
  • the upper surface 20 of the arm support may be upholstered with a soft fabric for additional comfort. Mating pieces of fastener strips such as Velcro® or similar detachable fixing means are provided on the upper surface 20 of the arm support 4 and on the sleeve 12 for detachably connecting the sleeve 12 to the arm support 4.
  • the support system 2 includes an adjustable, portable arm support 4 that has a base 6 that engages the thigh 8 of the mother 10 (or wetnurse).
  • a detachable sleeve 12 that surrounds the forearm of the cradling arm 14 of the mother 10 is also provided.
  • the cradling arm 14 of the mother 10 rests on the arm support 4.
  • Mating fastener strips such as Velcro® strips 16, 18 (Fig. 3) are provided on the underside of the detachable sleeve 12 and on the upper surface 20 of the arm support 4 for securing the forearm 14 of the mother 10 to the arm support 4.
  • the strips 16, 18 provides an easily detachable securing means, but, nevertheless, holds the arm 14 to the arm support 4, providing support and preventing the arm 14 from slipping if the mother 10 should doze off whilst feeding the baby 3, as sometimes happens during night feeding sessions, for example.
  • the base 6 and upper surface 20 of the arm support 4 are padded or upholstered for comfort.
  • the detachable sleeve 12 is fabricated from a hypoallergenic material such as cotton, or from a wipe clean synthetic fabric such as nylon or polyester.
  • the detachable sleeve 12 may, however, be fabricated from a stiffer material, such as polypropylene, for example.
  • the sleeve 12 of the support system 2 is pulled over or wrapped around the mother's 10 arm and releasably attached or secured onto the arm support 4.
  • the arm support 4 of the invention provides firm support to the cradling arm 14 of the mother 10 and only indirectly supports the infant 3.
  • the upper surface 20 of the arm support 4 typically has a concave furrow running therealong, for accepting the underside of the sleeve 12.
  • a cloth 22 may be provided that is attachable to the sleeve 12 by an attaching means, such as a strip of Velcro® 24 (Fig. 1) on the sleeve 12 and a second strip (not shown) on the cloth 22.
  • Other attachment means such as press-studs, bottons, zippers and the like, might be substituted, however.
  • Such a cloth 22 is useful for a multitude of purposes, such as to wipe the mother's 10 nipple or the mouth of the infant 3.
  • the cloth 22 may be flipped upwards to cover the head of the infant 3, since many babies and infants feel secure when covered. Similarly, flipping the cloth 22 upwards in this manner conceals the mother's 10 breast, making nursing in public less embarassing to the mother and more socially acceptable. Additionally, the cloth may be used to protect the mother's 10 garments when burping the baby.
  • the arm support 4 is inflatable and deflatable, or at least includes one or more inflatable bladders therewithin.
  • a valve 26 is provided in a wall of the arm support 4, to which a pump 28 may be connected.
  • pump 28 may be a simple squeezable rubber bulb 30 that is connectable to the valve 26 by a piece of tubing 32. Squeezing the rubber bulb 30 forces air down tubing 32 through the valve 26 and into the arm support 4. When the squeezing force is relaxed, a one way valve 34 on the rubber bulb 30 allows air to enter the rubber bulb 30, returning it to its unsqueezed shape, for further pumping.
  • the arm support 4 By allowing the arm support 4 to be inflated and deflated, it may be packed into a very small space, for easy transportation. By being essentially an air filled bladder, the arm support 4 is typically very lightweight. Furthermore, by varying the quantity of air pumped into the arm support 4, the position of the head of the feeding infant 3 may be adjusted, thereby allowing better alignment with the mother's 10 nipple. It will be appreciated that correct elevation of the baby's head makes suckling comfortable to the baby 3, it being appreciated that if baby 3 is uncomfortable, he / she will likely find feeling tiring, and may fall asleep without having consumed sufficient milk.
  • Comfortable feeding minimizes the amount of air swallowed, prevents choking, minimizes the need to burp, reducing the incidence of stomache cramps and colic. Feeding a baby 3 while in the horizontal position has been determined to be a cause of ear infection, and this problem is also minimized. Unlike with many prior art devices, transferring the baby 3 from one breast to the other is straightforward, and is quickly and smoothly accomplished, with the sleeve 12 (and arm support 4 if necessary) being easily moved from one side to the other. This minimizes trauma to the baby 3, and thereby to the mother 10, and, indirectly, perhaps to other members of the family or bystanders.
  • the one way valve 34 on the rubber bulb 30 may be a simple ball valve, comprising a ball 36 and hollow metal nut 38 that screws onto a female threaded inlet 40 that protrudes from the rubber bulb 30 of the pump 28.
  • support cushion 4 is fully inflated to a very high pressure, the base 6 of the arm support 4 will typically mold itself somewhat to the thigh 8 of the mother, preventing it from slipping thereoff.
  • the underside of the base 6 of the support cushion 4 may usefully be provided with some gripping means, or covered with a non-slip fabric for example, or straps may be provided for atachment to the thigh 8 of the mother 10.
  • a pump 28, such as the rubber bulb 30 type squeeze pump shown in Figs. 3 to 5 is an optional feature provided in some embodiments only, with preferred embodiments of the arm support 4 being optionally inflatable by mouth.
  • the arm support 104 includes an inner spring mechanism 150 (shown in Fig. 7) for rapid and automatic expansion.
  • Releasably attachable sleeve 112 and cloth 122 are attached to the arm support 104 with fastener strips such as Velcro® pieces 116A, 116B on the upper surface 120 of the arm support 104 and complementary fastener strips such as Velcro® pieces (not shown) on sleeve 112.
  • fastener strips such as Velcro® pieces 116A, 116B on the upper surface 120 of the arm support 104 and complementary fastener strips such as Velcro® pieces (not shown) on sleeve 112.
  • mating fastener strips such as Velcro® strips or other attachment means are provided for attaching the cloth 122 to the sleeve 112, mutatis mutandis.
  • a regulator 125 can be disposed upon the upper surface 120 of the arm support 104 or in any other suitable location, as will be further described in detail.
  • a regulator 125 is provided for adjusting the quantity of air within the arm support 104.
  • the arm support 104 When regulator 125 is open, the arm support 104 is expanded by the inner spring mechanism 150 and then the arm support 104 may be locked in the open position by closing the regulator 125.
  • the spring mechanism 150 (Fig. 7) may be collapsed by squeezing, and the regulator 125 may then be closed to keep the arm support 104 in a collapsed state. It will be appreciated that the collapsed arm support 104 takes up little volume and is easily packed into a handbag or the like.
  • the regulator 125 may be constructed from a hollow, bolt like, male threaded protrusion 128 that extends from the upper surface 120 of the arm support 104.
  • a threaded, cup like cover 134 screws onto the threaded protrusion 128.
  • a flange 138 extends outwards around the mouth of the cup like cover 134, and a washer 136 is provided. If cup like cover 134 is screwed firmly downwards, the flange 138 is brought downwards, blocking holes 137 at base of threaded protrusion 128, and squashing washer 136, providing an air tight seal. Unscrewing the cup separates flange 138 from surface thereunder, allowing air to enter or leave the arm support 104. With reference to Fig.
  • the regulator 125 is a dual mode regulator that includes a manual fine adjustment means 132 that may be manually depressed by a finger, thereby displacing a ball seal 135 or similar, and allowing air to flow therethrough.
  • the manual fine adjustment means 132 allows fine adjustment of the volume of the arm support 104 therebeneath and allows the height thereof to be adjusted to align the mouth of a suckling infant to the nipple of the mother, for example.

Landscapes

  • Undergarments, Swaddling Clothes, Handkerchiefs Or Underwear Materials (AREA)
  • Accommodation For Nursing Or Treatment Tables (AREA)

Abstract

Système (2) de support du bras, stabilisant et supportant de manière ergonomique le bras (14) d'une mère (10) allaitante tandis qu'elle berce un bébé (3) en position traditionnelle d’allaitement. Le système (2) de support du bras comprend un manchon (12) entourant le bras de l'utilisateur, un support (4) de bras comprenant : une base (6) en contact avec la cuisse, une surface supérieure (20) supportant le bras et des moyens (16, 18) de fixation temporaire fixant le manchon (12) au support (4) de bras. Le support (4) de bras peut être gonflé et dégonflé.
PCT/IL2006/001395 2005-12-15 2006-12-04 Systeme de support du bras et composants de celui-ci WO2007069237A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/097,305 US20080313813A1 (en) 2005-12-15 2006-12-04 Arm Support System And Components Thereof
EP06821615A EP1962642A4 (fr) 2005-12-15 2006-12-04 Systeme de support du bras et composants de celui-ci

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL172601 2005-12-15
IL172601A IL172601A0 (en) 2005-12-15 2005-12-15 Arm support system and components thereof

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2007069237A2 true WO2007069237A2 (fr) 2007-06-21
WO2007069237A3 WO2007069237A3 (fr) 2009-04-16

Family

ID=38163323

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2006/001395 WO2007069237A2 (fr) 2005-12-15 2006-12-04 Systeme de support du bras et composants de celui-ci

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20080313813A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1962642A4 (fr)
IL (1) IL172601A0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2007069237A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (7)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8418295B2 (en) * 2009-11-24 2013-04-16 Double Blessings, Inc. Nursing pillow with bolster around the circumference thereof and privacy shroud
US20130283533A1 (en) * 2012-04-26 2013-10-31 Dean Bendickson Pillow
US8495776B1 (en) * 2012-05-15 2013-07-30 Angela Kotob Toy sleeve
US8887334B1 (en) * 2013-09-04 2014-11-18 Timothy Schneidau Appendage-securable pillow using a bi-stable spring fastener
CN106388382B (zh) * 2016-05-25 2023-07-18 昆明理工大学 一种可伸缩折叠的哺乳拖装置
CN109793951B (zh) * 2019-04-01 2024-05-14 华中科技大学同济医学院附属协和医院 一种拔奶辅助支架
US11602451B1 (en) * 2019-06-27 2023-03-14 Preferred Prescription, Inc. Shoulder sling with air abduction pad

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US3864766A (en) * 1973-10-01 1975-02-11 Ancra Corp Self-adjusting contour pillow
US5154649A (en) * 1991-09-10 1992-10-13 Vicki Pender Inflatable nursing pillow
US5429416A (en) * 1993-03-25 1995-07-04 North Coast Medical, Inc. Self-supporting arm elevator
CA2141155A1 (fr) * 1995-01-26 1996-07-27 Taryn Creighton-Young Echarpe
CA2273750C (fr) * 1999-06-07 2000-10-24 Priva Inc. Oreiller de soutien gonflable
US6651282B1 (en) * 2000-01-19 2003-11-25 Stein Erik Skoug Nursing pillow for anatomically correct positioning of baby and mother
US20020133881A1 (en) * 2000-05-18 2002-09-26 Vrbas Mark J. Baby pillow
US6279185B1 (en) * 2000-09-14 2001-08-28 Susan H. Matthews Resilient support pillow and methods
US20030191418A1 (en) * 2002-04-04 2003-10-09 Pillari Elizabeth M. Breast and bottle feeding infant head support
US6918148B2 (en) * 2003-08-26 2005-07-19 Jeannie Auxila Arm pillow for holding a child
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US7261374B2 (en) * 2004-08-24 2007-08-28 Denise Potosky Arm support cushion

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Title
See references of EP1962642A4 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL172601A0 (en) 2006-04-10
WO2007069237A3 (fr) 2009-04-16
US20080313813A1 (en) 2008-12-25
EP1962642A4 (fr) 2010-02-24
EP1962642A2 (fr) 2008-09-03

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