WO2015033008A1

WO2015033008A1 - Mattress and posture correction appliance therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2015033008A1
Application number: PCT/ES2014/070678
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Oreja Puerto
Original assignee: Daniel Oreja Puerto
Priority date: 2013-09-03
Filing date: 2014-09-02
Publication date: 2015-03-12

Abstract

The invention relates to a posture correction appliance installed in a mattress, comprising a device which generates an alarm for inducing the person sleeping to change their posture from one of supine decubitus to one of lateral decubitus, a linear set (10) of pressure sensors (106) arranged transversely in the mattress below the area supporting the shoulder of the person sleeping, and an electronic control unit (101) for processing the signals emitted by the pressure sensors, determining the posture of the person sleeping, and emitting, as required, a command to actuate the mechanism for generating the alarm for inducing a change in the posture of the person sleeping. The mattress comprises a plurality of transverse areas (65) provided with a foam element (9), sensors for detecting pressure on the foam element, and a constrictive knot which surrounds the foam element and allows it to be constrained or released, according to the amount of tightening, in order to adjust the height thereof.

Description

Mattress and postural correction device for the same

The present disclosure refers to a postural correction apparatus to be installed in a mattress and also refers to said mattress.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

It is estimated that between 4% and 6% of the population suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome), which partially or totally prevents unconscious breathing of the affected person while sleeping. This is due to a resistance or obstruction in the upper airways caused by the sum or combination of several conditioning factors, physiological or external, such as:

- morphological abnormalities related to the proportional dimensions of the neck;

- overweight;

- macroglossia;

- hypertrophy or flaccidity of related soft tissues;

- loss of circumstantial tone in the breathing muscles;

- alcohol or tobacco consumption;

- stress, etc.

By preventing the normal renewal of air in the lungs, oxygenation in the blood supply is reduced. The desaturation caused is detected by the organism to avoid obstruction and reactivate voluntary breathing, which causes continuous unconscious awakening of the brain throughout the night, so that, since normal breathing is not possible during sleep, the The brain must remain in a state of alertness or semivigilia without being able to reach the appropriate phases to obtain a restful sleep, resulting in a fragmented and superficial sleep, with hardly any effectiveness.

Positional anti-supine treatment is the initiation therapy to be prescribed to a person affected by snoring or moderate sleep apnea, since it has been widely demonstrated that if the sleeper remains in the lateral decubitus position while sleeping, the upper airways are more permeable to the passage of the air and the evolution is considerably improved general of the patient, for example reducing his arterial hypertension.

Mechanical or electronic systems are known for the detection of body position or posture and the production of an alarm, in order to change posture to avoid the supine position during sleep and thus reduce snoring. This type of device measures the movements of the sleeper and by means of textile belts or harnesses they are attached to the neck, skull, abdomen, neck, arm, or back of the sleeper, but the fastening systems that are usually used are not reliable enough in what It refers to the accuracy of the positional measurement of the patient, because they have a tendency to slide with the patient's movements during the course of the night, so that they are not totally effective for an optimal postural treatment. On the other hand, there are manually adjustable ergonomic systems applied in mattresses or rest equipment in order to prevent, for example, bed sores, but in these systems the pressure must be adjusted manually in the different support areas, according to the criteria visual of the therapeutic professional regarding the morphology of the patient, and the system is pneumatic, so that the toilet inflates or deflates different tubular elements located inside the mattress, with the risk of an erroneous or inaccurate pressure adjustment due to the different weights and batches morphologies of the sleepers, making an intuitive adjustment complicated. In addition, the supply of compressed air for the operation of the adjustment system is done by an independent compressor, which is uncomfortable, bulky and noisy.

Sleep apnea is also treated by CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapeutic air insufflators, which are also affected by body position, since a majority of patients using CPAP are likely to increase resistance in their upper airways during the supine position, which requires more pressure in the supine position. In fact, in the article by Oksenberg et al. "The Sleep Supine Position Has a Major Effect on Optimal Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure", CHEST 1999, 1 16: 1000-1006, it is recommended to perform the titration of a patient (define his optimal treatment pressure) in the supine position, since that this position is what causes greater number and severity of obstructive events. However, in the opinion of the present inventor, a prescribed pressure or titration based solely on the supine decubitus posture is not entirely advisable, because the excess of insufflated pressure during the lateral decubitus posture is harmful to the respiratory system when the sleeper adopts the lateral decubitus posture, since there is a significant reduction in resistance or obstruction in the upper airways. In addition, the programming of different pressures according to the position of the sleeper is remarkably complicated.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

To solve the aforementioned problems, a system that controls the sleeper in a non-invasive way and effectively measures the lateral decubitus position with respect to the supine position, and that makes a positional identification of the patient and makes the appropriate titration for each posture, would be convenient.

In one aspect, a postural correction apparatus to be installed in a mattress comprises:

- a device producing a warning to induce the sleeper to change from a supine position to a lateral position;

- a linear set of pressure sensors intended to be placed transversely on the mattress under the shoulder support area of the sleeper, so that they can detect a higher pressure on a smaller subset of sensors when the sleeper is in a lateral recumbent position that the pressure detected on a larger subset of sensors when the sleeper is in the supine position;

- an electronic control unit to process the signals from the pressure sensors, determine the position of the sleeper and issue, where appropriate, an order of action to the mechanism producing the warning to induce a change of position of the sleeper, supine to lateral recumbency. As indicated, when the sleeper adopts the supine position and rests his back on the sensor area, he is pressing more sensors than when adopting the lateral decubitus position, on which he rests only the shoulder, so that the pressure on the affected sensors is much higher in the latter case and, therefore, it can be determined without a doubt whether or not the sleeper is in the lateral decubitus posture and, if it is not, You can activate the warning device to cause a change in posture.

The warning device can produce a tactile warning, so that, during use, if the sleeper remains supine for more than, for example, 30 seconds, a tactile warning is activated by a vibration or a gentle shaking under the pillow. The power of the tactile warning can increase progressively and stop when the sleeper adopts the lateral decubitus position.

In fact, the use of the postural correction apparatus may be such that it comprises a delay of more than 30 or 40 seconds in the operation of the device producing the warning after a supine position supposition detection, in order to establish that the supine position does not suppose be transitional but sustained. Said use can also comprise a delay of between fifteen and thirty minutes for any action after the connection of the apparatus when going to sleep, for example twenty minutes, to allow time for the sleeper to start sleeping. The mattress may have a trap door that communicates with an elongated hole that houses the sensors. This cavity would have an adequate capacity to comfortably contain one shoulder and part of the sleeper's arm, so that, when adopting the lateral recumbency and resting the shoulder on the trapdoor, this yields and the weight falls directly on the measuring area, consequently pressing a subset of sensors that is different in the supine position and in the lateral decubitus position, since when supporting the entire back the amount of sensors covered is much greater than when supporting the shoulder and the pressure is distributed between them considerably reducing the load unitary impact. Furthermore, when the sensors remain at the bottom of a recess in a lower plane with respect to the mattress surface, they are not accessible in the same way when supporting the shoulder than when supporting the back, because due to the difference in its dimensions, the shoulder sinks directly by pressing the sensors but not the back, so that, depending on the amount of sensors pressed and the unit load they receive, the posture can be determined of the sleeper.

In some examples, each sensor in the linear set of pressure sensors comprises an electric pressure switch that is at rest in the open state and closes under pressure, and is connected in parallel to a resistor, all resistors having substantially the same resistive value. and all switch-resistor pairs being connected in series. With this arrangement, the total resistance varies according to the position of the sleeper because, upon receiving pressure, each switch short-circuits a resistance and subtracts its resistive value from the total resistive value. In some examples, the linear set of pressure sensors comprises a plurality of electrical pressure switches that at rest are in the closed state and open under pressure, and are connected in series. The warning producing device can be a positive pressure air insufflator device (CPAP) connected to the plurality of switches in series, the deactivation of the insufflator device being provided when the sleeper adopts the position of lateral decubitus and therefore exerts more pressure on a smaller number of pressure switches and can open any of them, deactivating the insufflator, and its activation being provided when the sleeper is in the supine position, in which case the pressure is distributed between a greater number of elastic switches and It is not enough to open any of them. However, nothing prevents the use of a CPAP insufflator with other types of sensors.

In some examples, the warning producing device is a mechanism producing a tactile warning comprising a base, a cover, two geared motors attached to the base, two spindles individually connected to the geared motors, and two individually threaded tubes to the spindles and connected to the cover, so that the tubes can raise, tilt or vibrate the cover according to the mode of operation of the gearmotors, which is governed by the electronic control unit.

During use, if the sleeper remains supine more than, for For example, 30 seconds, a tactile warning is activated by a vibration or a gentle shaking under the pillow. The power of the tactile warning increases progressively and stops when the sleeper finally adopts the lateral decubitus posture, a position that is also propitiated when presenting the mattress, on the shoulder support surface, the aforementioned trapdoor towards the hollow, because when coinciding With the dimension of the shoulder and yielding easily, the sleeper, who unconsciously perceives the opening of the hatch doors with a slight contact, recognizes the situation intuitively and supports the shoulder in the appropriate area. In addition, by having a comfortable space for the shoulder in which the pressure is reduced, the sleeper remains in said posture much longer without the need to change position, since a drawback of the positional antisupine treatment is that having to remain during All the time of sleep in the lateral decubitus position, the tendons and ligaments of the humerus and shoulder blade undergo a stretch and pressure to a very high degree and maintained over time, with the harmful consequence of the appearance of important episodes of tendonitis. But this harmful effect does not occur with the present system, thanks to the release of the shoulder of all the pressure due to the weight of the trunk, because this weight is distributed equally between the hip, ribs, shoulder and skull.

In some examples, the linear set of pressure sensors may comprise two flexible conductive supports and a resistive composition located between said supports, so that the resistive value of the resistive composition may vary depending on the pressure exerted on any subset of sensors. In this case the linear set of sensors is a continuous strip and not a discrete series of sensors.

In fact, the postural correction apparatus can be used with a conventional (non-specific) mattress, in which case the linear set of pressure sensors can be provided with a sheath and an adjustable tape to form a loop that would be arranged transversely and externally on the mattress at shoulder height, while the control unit is arranged externally on the side or under the bottom of the mattress and can wirelessly control an insufflator device and a wireless alarm device, which can be inserted into the own control unit, in a sleeper pajama pocket, in a wristband or in a mask ocular occlusion Further details of the wireless alarm device are given below.

In any case, the linear set of pressure sensors can be approximately 1 mm thick.

A specific mattress may comprise a postural correction apparatus according to the explanations in the preceding paragraphs, so that the linear set of pressure sensors is located transversely under the sleeping area of the sleeper's shoulder.

The mattress may comprise a housing under the pillow area for the warning producing device, especially if the warning is tactile. The mattress may be a half-body mat comprising a ribbed transverse recess for the shoulder support, a raised surface for the pillow support and, on the other side of the ribbed transverse recess, a sloping downward surface for the lateral side support trunk in the lateral decubitus position, so that the linear set of pressure sensors is located under the ribbed transverse recess and the warning producing device is located under the raised surface. This type of mattress is intended to be used on a conventional mattress.

It can be said that these examples of mattresses constitute anti-supine systems.

In some examples the mattress may comprise a plurality of cross sections, each provided with a first foam element, a linear set of pressure sensors located on the first foam element, and a constrictor fabric that wraps the first foam element, a geared motor and a winding shaft that is driven by the geared motor and allows the constrictor fabric to be wound, constraining or releasing the first foam element, depending on whether it is pressed more or less, to adjust its height, so that if the pressure detected on an area of the mattress by a subset of sensors located under this area is greater than a preset threshold, then the winding axis, driven by the geared motor, narrows the constrictor fabrics covered by said area and constrain the corresponding first foam elements, thus decreasing the height of said area and also the pressure exerted on it by the body of the sleeper, and, reciprocally, of the mattress on the body.

It can be said that this and the following examples of mattresses constitute self-ergonomic systems.

In some examples, the winding axis can be divided into two segments of semicircular section between which the constrictor fabric is inserted to allow its winding on said axis as a result of its rotation.

In some examples, the foam element can be prismatic and rectangular in section, and each cross section can comprise two geared motors and corresponding winding axes that extend to one side and the other of the foam element, next to its lower face, to to be able to roll the constrictor fabric from two opposite ends thereof and thus allow to adjust the height of the foam element so that the upper face thereof is inclined. In this way, a smooth transition can be achieved, without abrupt steps, between contiguous cross sections.

There is a special cross section that is located under the sleeping area of the shoulder of the sleeper (it is special because it serves to detect the posture of the sleeper, as explained above). In some examples, the height of this cross section can be adjusted manually, for which it can comprise a base, a cover, a first foam element located between the two, constnctive belts that surround the base and the cover, a gearmotor and a winding shaft located under the base that is driven by the geared motor and allows winding the constnctive belts, so that they can constrict or release the first foam element to adjust its height. The linear set of pressure sensors of said special cross section can be located on said cover and under a second foam element. In fact, the sensors of all the sensors Transversals can be placed between two foam elements of different characteristics (for example, of different density).

A non-constricting loop can wrap the entire transverse sector, normal or special, and join the first and second foam elements. The density of the second foam element may be lower than the density of the first foam element when both are in a non-constrictive state, and the height of the second foam element in a non-constrictive state may be greater than the height of its housing within of the lacing on the first foam element, so that, if the first foam element is constrained and then it gives space to the second foam element, it expands and its density decreases but the height of the transverse sector can be maintained. In some examples, the present disclosure includes electronic equipment for use in combination with a mattress or rest base during sleep, particularly in a postural treatment for the purpose of alleviating or in some cases eliminating respiratory obstruction during sleep related to the SAOS. By means of specific pressure sensors, the electronic equipment measures the load and contour or silhouette of the sleeper and adapts automatically. In parallel, it measures the position of the latter in order to propitiate the lateral decubitus posture by means of a tactile alarm under the pillow, or wirelessly by placing the wireless alarm device in a pajama pocket, in a wrist wristband adjustable as a clock, or in a specific mask for ocular occlusion of those traditionally used for sleeping avoiding ambient luminosity.

The postural sensor comprises a plurality of pressure sensors that remain attached in a flexible linear support arranged in a row that is installed in a bed mattress, specific or not. The specific location of the sensor row is transversely in the area where the shoulder rests when a sleeper adopts the lateral decubitus posture, so that when adopting said posture a subset of sensors is pressed with the shoulder. This effect does not occur in the same way when adopting the supine position, since when supporting the back the amount of sensors covered is much greater than when supporting the shoulder, so that the load is distributed among all of them considerably reducing the impact load unitarily The surface destined for the support of the shoulder and the arm of the user can be adjusted in different levels of height, for which a hollow can be created under said support surface. This action is carried out by means of an electromechanism that constrains and reduces the size of the foam element that constitutes said support surface, so that when the sensors remain in a lower plane with respect to the mattress surface the measurement is improved, since the sensors do not they are accessible in the same way when supporting the shoulder than when supporting the back, since due to the difference in dimensions, the shoulder sinks by pressing the sensors more directly and the back does not, so that, depending on the amount of pressure sensors and the unit load they receive, it can be determined without a doubt in which position and posture the sleeper remains.

During an example of use, if the sleeper remains supine for more than 30 seconds, a tactile warning is activated by a vibration. The power of the tactile warning increases progressively and stops when the sleeper finally adopts the lateral decubitus posture, which is also caused by presenting the support surface for the shoulder the aforementioned hollow caused by the mentioned constnctor mechanism, since being substantially coincident with the dimension of the shoulder and easily accessible, the sleeper recognizes the situation intuitively and supports the shoulder in the appropriate area, which, by having a loose shoulder space in which the pressure is reduced, which the self-ergonomic action of the rest of the support surface is added, the sleeper remains in this posture much longer because his need to change posture is reduced. This solves an inconvenience of the positional antisupine treatment, which was to have to remain during the entire sleep time in the lateral decubitus position, in which the tendons and ligaments of the humerus and shoulder blade undergo stretching and pressure to an increased and maintained degree in the time, with the harmful consequence of the occurrence of tendonitis episodes. As mentioned, the antisupine or autoergonomic system can also be carried out by means of a system that does not vary the level of height of the support surface, remaining constantly at the same level, in which case it can be done by varying or adjusting the density of the foam elements, so that the system provides a more enveloping effect and with more support of the sleeper. The postural correction apparatus can be adjusted with regard to the sensibility of detection, in order to activate the alarm in different degrees with respect to the inclination of the body position, in order to induce to adopt the lateral decubitus posture with more or less promptly. It should be noted that the user can choose the firmness of the mattress, so that he can adjust, for example, three degrees of firmness with respect to the original. The mattress can be used on an articulated bed base.

The equipment can incorporate a mechanism under the skull support area that, when activated, ascends in an adjustable manner on the plane of the mattress surface, thereby raising the pillow. The reason for the elevation of the pillow is that, during the lateral decubitus posture, the skull must remain in a higher plane with respect to the height at which it remains during the supine decubitus posture, in order to keep the skull axis aligned With the back axis. This differentiation in the level of height causes two drawbacks when adopting the lateral decubitus posture without pillow elevation: first, the skull, having no higher support, collapses and its mass adds to the trunk mass, with the consequent increased risk of tendinitis and poor therapeutic compliance; secondly, in the lateral position the position of the skull has a tendency not to keep its axis in line with that of the spine, which may result in cervical, back pain, etc., or poor postural therapeutic compliance. As mentioned, when combining the present postural treatment with

CPAP can avoid using the touch alarm, as explained below. By adopting the supine position, an increase in the air pressure of the insufflator is required and, consequently, the engine revolutions and the noise produced by it are increased. The opposite happens during the lateral decubitus posture, in which less pressure is required and less leakage and less noise occur. This change of automatic response in the air compressor between both positions produces differentiated cycles of functioning that are noticeable during sleep, and unconsciously leads to the identification by the sleeper of a clear difference between the two postures, which leads to a greater permanence in the lateral decubitus posture, which is more advantageous.

The replacement of the tactile warning device with the CPAP insufflator is advisable in patients with a pronounced positional aggravating factor and who for some reason cannot constantly remain in the lateral decubitus posture. An automatic regulation control of the pressure in the air generator is foreseen, in order to establish the pressure difference that must exist between the two positions and that also allows to adapt to different users, since there is a considerable percentage of patients with propensity to reduce, or even eliminate, the obstruction or resistance of the airways during sleep while remaining in the lateral recumbency, and in these cases an "accompanying" air pressure will be sufficient during lateral recumbent breathing.

Titration or automatic custom adjustment for an embodiment with load sensors can be carried out as follows: with the equipment connected, the user selects height adjustment and remains lying in a lateral decubitus position; after five seconds the height of the shoulder support surface drops and adapts to the user's load, or you can select manual adjustment and choose the one that is most comfortable for you; once the optimum height has been determined, an intermittent audible warning of confirmation and start of the measurement process and memorization of lateral postural loading is initiated (during the audible warning the user must remain in lateral recumbency as he normally does when sleeping); Once the height level of the support surface chosen by the user and the resulting signal on the load sensor are measured, both signals are memorized in the control unit and the sound warning ceases.

The automatic custom titration or adjustment for an embodiment in which the postural sensor is constituted with normally open pushbuttons or electrical switches can be carried out as follows: with the connected equipment the user must remain lying in a supine position, so that the affected switches close; when you select the autotune the device starts to emit an intermittent sound of confirmation of personalized self-adjustment and the shoulder support surface begins the descent gradually, until it is separated enough from the user's back so that the switch or electric button of the postural sensor stops receiving the load that keeps its circuit closed; at that time, or after descending 5 mm. more from that signal, the descent of the shoulder support surface stops and the sound warning ceases; then the measurement of the signal with respect to the travel traveled is memorized in the control unit, since it indicates the necessary descent that the support surface has to make so that the switch is not pressed and, therefore, does not close with the support of the back (although it can be connected when sleeping in lateral decubitus due to the permissibility to support the shoulder and thus avoid the production of the tactile warning).

The control unit may have a touch screen to reduce mechanical control commands, and also to display information, instructions for use through a demonstration video, etc. During the treatment, the control unit can operate with simultaneous snoring recording by means of a built-in microphone, which can be positioned in any location by means of a supplementary electric cable with a connector. The purpose of this recording would be to carry out a historical control regarding the evolution of the sound level of snoring during postural treatment. In addition to the level of snoring and body position, some parameter related to restless legs syndrome can also be measured.

The installation of a retractable foam system is foreseen on the entire mattress support surface, particularly on the surface where the hips are usually supported, since these constitute a very prominent part of the body during lateral recumbent posture, and also by the great morphological and dimensional diversity that the human hip presents.

In addition, the retractable action of the foam in contact with the prominences of the user's silhouette provides considerable help during sleep to those affected by osteoporosis, skeletal degenerative osteoarthritis, or any pain related to the bone system. It is expected that in the long term the auto-ergonomic action slows down or slows down these degenerative bone processes in a considerable percentage. Moreover, according to the preliminary tests carried out, this system is also intended as a good solution for convalescent patients after surgery, traffic accident, etc., where a maintained body position is often essential for the evolution and improvement of the patient, so that the adaptability of the support surface in these cases will be a good solution , specifically in areas where occasionally more or less extra support is required, respecting the post-traumatized parts according to the final result of the surgical intervention.

A planned improvement in the equipment to help fall asleep at bedtime is an optional action as a massage during the delayed delay, before activating the postural measurement and the tactile alarm, and is carried out by means of the retractable foam elements of the auto-ergonomic system The equipment can have massage configurations that provide various pleasant sensations to the user, although in all configurations the operation would begin by reducing the height of all self-adjusting foam elements at the same level, in order to compress the foam and create a reserve of captive pressure thanks to the elastic memory characteristics of polyurethane foam. Once all the elements have been leveled in a lower plane, the ascent of one or more foam elements is started by releasing the accumulated compression in them, so that, thanks to the elastic response, the bearing surface originates emergently, a single protrusion of elongated foam, with a sinuous profile and transverse to the mattress, producing a soft and enveloping pressure on the user's body. Once the maximum height level is reached, it begins to decrease and, simultaneously, the ascent of the adjacent foam element begins, creating an action as a gentle massage, due to the combined action of two or three elements of retractable foam in a repetitive process ; In this case you can select the area of the body where you prefer to receive the massage.

Another pleasant sensation that provides a configuration of massage in the therapeutic system is the simulation of the displacement on the support surface of the aforementioned foam bulge that originates, since when producing the ascent and descent of the foam elements, with overlapping start and in correlative order, there is a displacement effect on the support surface of said protuberance as a soft and cozy pressure wave.

The adjustable action on the height in the area dedicated to the shoulder support can be independent of the self-ergonomic action that is performed on the rest of the mattress support surface, since the first action remains constantly at the therapeutic level titled for the purpose to propitiate at all times the lateral decubitus posture, while the auto-ergonomic action destined for the rest of the body remains constantly activated. Another advantage that provides a postural treatment antisupine maintained is the important immediate improvement or even the disappearance of episodes of low back pain. Indeed, the most widespread opinion among physiotherapists is that, to prevent or treat low back pain, it is convenient to remain in the lateral recumbency during sleep, due to the discharge of pressure in the lumbar vertebrae and their natural regeneration.

Another planned improvement is not to disturb the sleep of the bed partner during the activation of the postural touch alarm by vibration, for this a wireless alarm device can be implemented to be introduced in a pajama pocket, in a wrist strap adjustable to mode of clock, or in a specific mask for ocular occlusion, of those traditionally used for sleeping avoiding the ambient luminosity. In the electronic control unit you can select two alarm modes, "clock mode" or "mask mode", in order to apply one type of alarm or another, since in "clock mode" the touch alarm must have a power higher than the one to be used in "mask mode".

This wireless device can also be used as a traditional alarm clock but with the advantage of individual warning without waking the bed partner. The alarm action in "clock mode" during the wireless alarm can produce a tactile warning by vibration simultaneously with an intermittent light warning, so that it is easily recognizable by the user, clearly differentiating between the only tactile warning by postural alarm and the tactile warning. bright by programmable alarm clock. On the other hand, the alarm alarm in "mask mode" begins only with a very dim and progressive light warning for a few minutes, which resembles a sunrise, followed by a very soft vibration and with progressive power over time as a touch notice.

It is also planned to install a container with an interchangeable connector on the mattress, in order to use the user's mobile phone as a control unit after having programmed the corresponding application or software.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Particular embodiments are described below by way of non-limiting examples, referring to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view of a postural correction apparatus to be installed in a mattress;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a mattress with the postural correction apparatus but without a shoulder compartment;

Figure 3 represents an electronic circuit formed by open pressure switches and connected to individual resistors in parallel and subsequently connected in series;

Figure 4 represents an electronic circuit formed by closed pressure switches connected in series and subsequently connected in parallel with a transmitter-receiver circuit by inductive radio frequency; Figure 5 represents a specific mattress cross-sectioned at shoulder height, where the mechanical effect on the integrated electronic circuit and on the mattress itself is seen when the sleeper is in the supine position;

Figure 6 represents a specific mattress cross-sectioned at shoulder height, where the mechanical effect on the integrated electronic circuit and on the mattress itself is appreciated when the sleeper is in a lateral recumbent position;

Figure 7 represents a sleeper in a lateral decubitus position where the separation of the skull from the surface of the mattress is observed;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a bed accessory as a "half body" mat, with the integrated postural correction apparatus;

Figure 9 represents an independent postural correction apparatus for application to non-specific mattresses; Figure 10 is a side perspective view and with several self-adjusting cross sections of a piece of mattress, where the interior of an auto-ergonomic system is appreciated;

Figure 1 1 represents a continuous flexible linear pressure or load sensor; Figure 12 is a side perspective view and section of the mattress of Figure 10, where the auto-ergonomic system is represented in an active state simulating the imprint of a hypothetical sleeper, and a self-adjusting cross section located in the shoulder support area , which is shown in a retraction state; the transverse sectors located in the heel and in the hip area are also shown retracted, and in the header the lifting platform for the pillow is observed in an elevated state;

Figure 13 is a view analogous to that of Figure 12 in a massage-like use, with the central self-adjusting cross sections elevated, such that this conformation travels on the surface by way of a wave; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a control unit with a housing for the electric recharging of a wireless tactile warning device;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a mask for ocular occlusion provided with a nasal splint with receptacle for housing the wireless alarm device;

Figure 16 is a partial perspective and exploded view of the adjustable cross section located at shoulder height, where only one of the two necessary constrictor belts is shown, shown with the position it would hold assembled;

Figure 17 is a sectional view of the self-adjusting sector of Figure 16, in which a non-constrictive textile envelope is complementaryly installed; in the drawing on the left (26 A) the internal state of some foam elements is appreciated before the constrictor action, and in the drawing on the right (26 B) the internal state of the foam elements after the constraint is appreciated ; Y

Figure 18 is a perspective view of an independent therapeutic system attached to a non-specific mattress by means of an adjustable strap, and complementary devices with radio frequency reception for the production of wireless alarm and a CPAP insufflator provided with postural self-adjustment are also shown. of air flow. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a specific mattress 19 comprises a postural correction apparatus provided with an electronic control unit 101, a linear set 10 of pressure sensors 106 and a device producing a tactile warning. The control unit 101 incorporates externally a display screen 102 and control buttons 103, and inside it comprises an electronic microprocessor, complementary electronic components and rechargeable electric battery or renewable batteries. The control unit 101 communicates by means of a wiring 104 with the linear set 10 of pressure sensors 106, which are arranged in a row and installed in a flexible printed circuit 105 located transversely at the bottom of a recess or compartment of the mattress of dimensions appropriate to accommodate the shoulder of a sleeper, so that when supporting the shoulder pressure is exerted on the pressure sensors 106 by means of passive load receptors 107 that are fixed in the upper and lower area of each sensor. These passive receivers 107 are made from plastic plates with some flexibility, in order to effectively transmit the entire load to each pressure sensor 106. Pressure sensors 106 can be piezoelectric or resistive and measure the load that is exerts on them, thus generating an electrical signal that varies depending on the load they receive. For an effective measurement, between eight and twelve pressure sensors 106 are provided, although their number may vary, but they can also be constituted as a continuous resistive strip.

The detection can be carried out in another way, in which the passive load receivers 107 are covered by sparkling elements 108 that fill the passenger compartment intended for the shoulder, and which, being independent of each other, more effectively transmit the pressure so individual to each pressure sensor 106. In this embodiment there is no access hatch to the passenger compartment intended for shoulder support, since these sparkling elements 108 readily yield by their individual arrangement and performance, and can have a sliding wrap to optimize their response flexible.

When pressure sensors 106 are distributed transversely and uniformly in the area where the shoulder rests, when the sleeper is in the supine position resting on the back presses a higher number of sensors 106 than if it is in the lateral recumbent position resting on the shoulder, as can be seen in figures 5 and 6, respectively. The identification of the sleeper's posture is obtained by comparative computation between both positions with respect to the number of sensors 106 pressed, and simultaneously by interpreting the pressure they receive unitary, as this is markedly greater in the lateral decubitus posture. In addition, the load difference received by the pressure sensors 106 is widened by restricting the access of the back in the passenger compartment with respect to the access of the shoulder, which is facilitated due to the smaller dimension of the latter with respect to the dimension of the back.

If the sleeper is in a lateral decubitus position on the right side and shifts to the lateral position on the left side, first the support of the right shoulder ceases, then the support of the back occurs, and finally the support of the left shoulder is performed; this correlative sequence of pressures is perfectly identified by the pressure sensors 106 and is of a non-complex interpretation to cause the activation of control commands on the tactile warning.

The device incorporates a delay of twenty minutes after the general connection, in order not to activate in the first moments while the user adjusts, etc. It also incorporates a delay of thirty seconds in the activation of the tactile warning, so that the sleeper can change positions calmly. Once the delayed delay of the general connection is finished, if during sleep the device detects that the sleeper remains in the supine position for more than thirty seconds, the tactile warning is activated with a progressive power over time, and stops with the adoption of lateral decubitus posture.

The touch message producing device is located in an elongated container located under the pillow and comprises a lid 1 16 and a base 1 10 that is connected to the control unit 101 via a cable 109, two gearmotors 1 1 1 arranged in the base 1 10, which when activated produces the rotation of two spindles 1 12, which cause the raising of two threaded tubes 1 13 having a hole 1 14 at its upper end. Each hole 1 14 is provided to hold the lid 1 16 by means of a rod (not shown) as an axis, which is inserted into the hole 1 14 and inserted into a hole 1 17 of the lid 1 16 (one for each rod ) until leaving the corresponding hole 1 17 on the opposite side of the lid 1 16 to join it and the base; this connection enables the controlled elevation and inclination of the cover 1 16 by virtue of the inclined design of the ends 1 18 of the cover 1 16, of a loose receptacle 1 15 provided in the cover 1 16 for the threaded pipes 1 13, and of the two shafts as axes that connect the base 1 10 with the cover 1 16, so that when the electric motors are activated, the cover 1 16 is raised or lowered depending on the direction of travel, since if the direction of travel is opposite on each motor, the cover 1 16 tilts towards one side or the other according to the direction of each motor. In this way, the cover 1 16 can be raised, tilted, or even shaken the pillow if the directions of travel are opposite and the motors are activated intermittently reversing their polarity in each switching.

To measure the path and position of the lid 1 16, two potentiometers are provided that accompany the movement of the threaded tubes 1 13. Thus, when the apparatus detects that the sleeper remains in a lateral recumbent position, the lid 1 16 is raised to the height programmed to compensate and level the skull with the spine, since during this position it requires a higher support 142, as can be seen in figure 7. Possibly the lid 1 16 inclines towards a lower plane on the side coinciding with the orientation of the sleeping posture at that time; said inclination is adjustable in a range of 5 ^or a

20 °, in order to promote the natural advancement of the jaw by its own weight and decrease the resistance in the upper pathways by unpacking the glottis. The postural correction apparatus can incorporate a motor with an eccentric counterweight on its axis as a self-vibrator, to produce a traditional tactile warning by means of a vibration. The sensitivity on the activation of the tactile warning can be adjusted by adjusting the threshold with respect to the load that the pressure sensors 106 receive, since the load that is measured in lateral decubitus position in the shoulder support area is the maximum signal to obtain , and this decreases proportionally with the inclination of the body towards the supine position, on which the back and the signal that is measured is the minimum to obtain, so that the activation threshold can be adjusted to occur at a few degrees of inclination, which correspond to an equivalent decrease in the load received by the sensors pressed.

The electronic detection system can be carried out as illustrated in the scheme of Figure 3, where it is carried out by means of electrical switches 132 in an "open" state, in which the electric current cannot circulate through them. These switches 132 are connected in parallel to two electrical resistors 133, all with the same resistive value, and the pairs formed by switch 132 and resistor 133 are connected in series. In this way the total resistance of the circuit 135 varies equivalently depending on the position taken by the sleeper, because, upon receiving pressure, each switch 132 avoids a resistance 133, subtracting its resistive value from the total computation of the circuit, so that at staying the sleeper in a lateral decubitus position, on which the shoulder rests, a reduced number of switches 134 is connected and the total resistance measured in the terminals 136 is higher than in the supine decubitus posture, on which it rests the back and the total number of connected switches, that is to say of resisted resistances, is remarkably greater, with which the total resistance in the terminals 136 decreases.

In another embodiment, the electronic detection system is carried out as shown in the scheme of Figure 4, where only electrical pressure switches 137 are installed in a "closed" state, so that the electric current can circulate through them if they do not receive pressure , and upon receiving pressure the switches 141 are disconnected and the electrical circuit is opened. This detection system is very simple, since being located at the bottom of the cabin that restricts access to the back during the supine position, the electric current circulates freely activating the tactile warning, but during the lateral decubitus position, in the it supports the shoulder that sinks until the switches 141 are pressed and disconnected, the electric current stops circulating through them and the tactile warning is deactivated. With this arrangement, the insufflation pressure for each position in a specific CPAP generator can be controlled in a simple way, which is carried out by connecting and communicating both devices by means of a cable or by a wireless communication system, in which case establishes an RFID system ("radio frequency identification"). This embodiment is carried out by interleaving in series the grouping of electrical pressure switches 137 in the circuit of an RFID antenna 138, so that when the pressure switches 137 remain connected for not receiving sufficient load due to the supine position, the The circuit also remains closed and the reception-emission of radio waves emitted previously by a transmitter-receiver included in the air generator is possible. As the RFID antenna 138 comprises conductive turns and is connected in parallel to a capacitor 139 of suitable capacity, a resonant circuit is established upon receiving radio waves at the specified frequency, thereby inducing a certain electrical energy at its terminals, which enters in resonance with the capacitor 139 charging it. In this way, the slight, but sufficient, accumulated electrical energy stimulates an electronic microcircuit 140 that incorporates a transducer-radio, which after processing emits a light response signal based on radio frequency waves, encoded or not, by the same antenna, so that when the emitter-receiver provided in the air generator detects the response signal caused by a particular position of the sleeper, it will act on the electronic control system that will increase or decrease the air pressure to be insufflated. This detection system can operate passively without an electric battery, or, to increase the emission range, an electric battery can be incorporated into the RDIF circuit, or several antennae 138 can be incorporated in parallel in order to receive and accumulate a higher electric charge

In another embodiment represented in Figure 8, the postural correction apparatus is integrated in a "half-body" mat 143 which has a grooved recess 146 provided for the shoulder support, a descending surface 147 for the depressive support of the trunk side and an elevated surface 145 for supporting the pillow in a plane suitable to the lateral recumbency. In the base it incorporates a foam material of greater hardness 144 as a lower cover; laterally it incorporates the control unit 101 and under the grooved recess 146 the linear assembly 106 is located with the pressure sensors. In this embodiment, a tactile warning is provided by a self-vibrating electric motor located under the raised surface 145 corresponding to the support for the pillow. The use of mat 143 in a combined manner on a mattress is expected conventional.

Figure 1 1 shows an embodiment where the detection system is independent, in order to enable the eventual use on any mattress or under a supplemental mat, for example to make a diagnosis of postural susceptibility. In this embodiment, the electronic postural correction apparatus comprises a housing 148 with control buttons 149 and, in its interior, an electronic microprocessor, data memory unit, rechargeable electric battery or renewable batteries, and a self-vibrating motor. Pressure sensors 151 are installed in a flexible electronic circuit, and this inside a silicone sheath 152 connected to the housing 148 via a wiring 150.

In another embodiment, the postural correction apparatus can be installed on a spring mattress, with the pressure sensors 106 located under the springs coinciding with the area where the shoulder rests during the lateral recumbent posture. In this case, the springs on the sensors offer less resistance to bending and are distributed in such a way that they cover the transverse area of the mattress approximately 30 centimeters wide after the pillow, in order to cause the shoulder to sink during the posture. lateral decubitus and to some extent restrict the sinking of the back during the supine position.

In the previous paragraphs of this section, embodiments of an antisupine system have been described and in the following paragraphs, embodiments of an auto-ergonomic system will be described, referring to Figures 10 to 18.

A self-adjusting system intended for self-ergonomic action is installed under the support surface of the specific mattress 19 and comprises a flexible or articulated base 1 formed by independent transverse segments joined by a flexible joint or by a hinged joint in order to provide a minimum articulation or longitudinal flexion to the mattress. On each of these transverse segments there is a self-adjusting cross section 65 (see fig. 12) comprising a foam element 9, and an electric gearmotor 2 provided with internal speed counting, which is located in a soundproofed receptacle 6 and it drives a winding axis 3 formed by two longitudinal elements of semicircular profile. A constrictor fabric 8 is positioned between the two semicircular elements of the winding axis 3 to be wound by its rotation. Alternatively, the winding shaft 3 can be made by a metal tube with a longitudinal slot through which the constrictor fabric 8 is inserted. One end of the winding shaft 3 is coupled to the gearmotor 2 and the other end of the shaft 3 is inserted in a bearing provided on a support 4 fixed to the base 1. In the manufacturing process, it is envisaged that the constrictor fabric 8 will be supplied in reel to pre-assemble the winding shaft 3, so that pre-assembled coils formed by the constrictor fabric 8 and a certain number of winding shafts are formed. 3, specifically one for each section of fabric with a length corresponding to the surface to be covered of the foam element 9. During the assembly of the winding axis 3 in the gearmotor 2 and in the support 4 a loop is formed with the constrictor fabric 8 Each loop houses a foam element 9 and this is adhered by its surface superior to the underside of a flexible tape 1 1, made from a cut sheet of polyester, polycarbonate, or high density polypropylene, whose dimension is approximately coincident with that of the upper surface of the foam element 9, with an approximate thickness of 0.5 mm, and which has laterally interposed die-cut areas in an alternative way to which the excess material is removed. The purpose of the flexible belt 1 1 is to provide a stable surface to the pressure or load sensor 10 but without affecting the longitudinal flexibility of the foam element 9, and also to achieve a homogeneous constriction on the transverse surface thereof. The upper face of the flexible tape 1 1 remains adhered to the inside of the loop and adheres externally above the constrictor fabric 8 to the sensor 10 on the foam element 9. Then another foam element 12 adheres to the constrictor fabric 8 and, therefore, on the load sensor 10. In this way the cross section 65 is formed.

Finally everything is covered with a layer of foam 13 with high adaptability characteristics.

Depending on the assembly described, when the gearmotor 2 is operated, the rotation of the winding axis 3, and on it a fabric winding 7 is generated, thereby reducing the dimension of two adjacent ties but only one end at each, so that the two foam elements 9 are constrained unilaterally corresponding to the aforementioned ties, originating a channel or conformation 27 (see fig. 12) with two inclined planes on the upper surface of both. What is intended is to avoid a staggered joint with 90 ° between a foam element 12 that has changed its height and another that has not gone. In this way the final contact with the body of the sleeper is softer and more grateful. When two geared motors 2 are operated, the same foam element 9 is constrained on both sides, forming a channel with a horizontal central plane 28, but always finished in two inclined planes or lateral walls due to the partial constriction of the foam elements 9 adjacent to each side.

Load sensor 10 is shown individually in Figure 1 1. It comprises two flexible supports 14 conductors of electricity and of length approximately coinciding with that of the foam element 9, for example two tapes of tempered copper or two tapes of plastic material, preferably of polyester with a conductive ink film on one of its faces , etc. On one of the flexible supports 14 a layer of a resistive compound 15 is applied to the conductive face and then covered with the other flexible support 14, its conductive face being in contact with the available face of the resistive compound 15, so that it it is housed and adhered between the conductive faces of both flexible supports 14. Finally these are bathed in flexible insulating lacquer in order to seal the assembly and isolate the remaining conductive zone.

The resistive compound 15 can be formed based on graphite powder, transparent synthetic enamel and solvent, and is carried out in such a proportion that it results in a certain flexible response to crushing and with the appropriate resistive value. The tests carried out confirm that an infinite or vapors resistance óptimoΩ is the optimum value at rest, progressively decreasing the resistance value according to the received load, resulting in 5-10 Ω with a maximum load, depending on the mass of the sleeper. Thus, the continuous strip sensor 10 can cause pressure or load changes at any point on its surface, thanks to the fact that at that time the graphite molecules approach or separate from each other by increasing or decreasing respectively the conductivity between the flexible supports 14, thereby producing variations in their resistive value and the resulting signal is measured on a connector 18 through a cable 17. The Practical behavior of the load sensor 10 can be considered equivalent to that of an indeterminate set of resistors connected in parallel, but it has the important advantage of measuring the load at any point on its surface. Alternatively, instead of the resistive compound 15, a textile material impregnated or previously immersed in a conductive ink can be used, with an adequate proportion of conductive content so as to result with the electrical resistance defined in the preceding paragraph. In order to increase the effectiveness and comfort of this autoergonomic postural therapeutic system, it is planned to obtain an interpretable signal such as "face-to-face" or "lying user". The measurement of this signal is preferably carried out by means of the load sensors 10. In this way the electronic equipment is activated and deactivated with the action of lying down or getting up, respectively, without the user having to connect or disconnect the equipment daily, thus avoiding risks of forgetfulness in the activation of the therapeutic system. The procedure for the control and operation of the auto-ergonomic system is carried out from a reference load measurement obtained from the user as a constraint or retraction coefficient of the support surface. In a control unit 23 (see fig. 14) the constraint coefficient can be increased or decreased by independent segments on the bearing surface, thus varying the proportion of the constraint of the foam elements 9 with respect to the load they receive , in order to make a more personalized adjustment.

During the operation of the auto-ergonomic surface, the electronic controller or processor of the control unit 23 interprets the signals obtained in all the load sensors 10. If a movement or postural change occurs, it is accused by said sensors and the changes of load are identified, so that if a load sensor 10 measures greater or lesser signal outside the reference range or the threshold of activation, and if said signal remains stable for a period of time of, for example, five seconds, from that moment the corresponding self-adjusting cross section is activated in order to restore the appropriate pressure in that area. The purpose of the five-second delayed delay on activation is to filter the transcendent movements of the sleeper.

Figure 12 shows the specific mattress 19 partially sectioned and with the self-adjusting cross sections installed. A special self-adjusting cross section 26, wider and independent of the others, is installed in the shoulder support area and used for postural identification. This is shown in a state of retraction and in the rest of the support surface the remaining self-adjusting cross-sectional segments 65 are observed. In the area of the heel, a conformation 27 is observed caused by the unilateral retraction of two contiguous retractable elements, and in the The hip area shows a conformation 28 caused by the bilateral retraction of the central element and the unilateral retraction of the two adjacent retractable elements, one on each side. Figure 13 shows a massage operation using the auto-ergonomic device. This function is carried out without adding or using any extra element or device, and is performed by reversing the principle of operation of the auto-ergonomic system as follows: at the beginning of the activation of the massage action all foam elements 9 are constricted equally in a lower plane; once they have descended, the compression in the foam elements 9 corresponding to a selected massage configuration is released and accumulated in a repetitive process; for example, by releasing the pressure in a correlative, progressive and overlapping manner on three contiguous foam elements, a transverse protrusion 29 is created that moves along the support surface as a pressure wave. The system allows a personalized adjustment on the pressure that the user prefers with respect to the massage, which is achieved by selecting a greater or lesser initial decrease of the foam elements 9, in order to accumulate more or less pressure and, consequently, produce a more or less gentle massage; the greater the initial decrease, the greater the pressure of massage and the lower the initial decrease, the lower the pressure of massage. A maximum descent is shown in Figure 13 and, therefore, a transverse protrusion 29 maximum

In the specific mattress 19 three degrees of firmness can be selected on the basis of support with respect to the original or standard, for example increasing the hardness to a "medium" grade or to a "high" grade. This is done by reducing the height to the same level in all self-adjusting cross sections; when the foam elements 9 are constricted, the density or firmness of these eventually increases, so that, in order to obtain three different degrees, the original firmness is initially split as "soft" grade, the "medium" grade is achieved by constraining 10% The totality of the foam elements 9, and the "high" degree is achieved by constraining the aforementioned foam elements 20%.

The connectors 18 of the load sensors 10 are connected to the control unit 23 shown in Figure 14, which can be removed from the specific mattress 19 from a connector receptacle 24 (Fig. 12). The control unit 23 externally has a touch screen 30 and control buttons 31, and inside it a rechargeable battery, an electronic microcontroller, a microprocessor, a radio frequency transmitter, a memory for data storage, a vibrating motor , a microphone, a sound element and other complementary electronic components. With the control unit 23, the special self-adjusting cross section 26, located under the shoulder support surface, can be adjusted automatically or manually.

During the lateral load titration, the user has to position himself in lateral decubitus in order to obtain the reference signal in that posture, and later, during therapeutic use, the control unit 23 has the mission of interpreting the received signal and determine if the posture adopted during sleep corresponds to the supine or lateral decubitus position, in order to produce the tactile alarm by means of the vibrating motor if the posture corresponds to the supine position.

The control unit 23 comprises a recharging base 32 where a wireless alarm device 33 can be inserted in order to recharge its battery. The wireless alarm device 33 comprises a small and flattened container, which on the outside has a connector 34 for the electric recharge and for the data transmission, two light producing elements 35 located laterally, pushbuttons 36, preferably of membrane, for the programming of the timed alarm to an independent traditional alarm mode and for the alarm repetition function. When the control unit 23 is used in alarm mode, the alarm can be programmed to cease by identifying the "raised user" signal from the load sensors 10.

In therapeutic use, when the wireless alarm device 33 is removed from the recharge base 32 of the control unit 23, the postural alarm emission mode is automatically activated and the main vibrator contained in said control unit is deactivated. 23. In this, two operating modes of the wireless alarm device 33 can be selected: "clock mode" or "mask mode". In "clock mode", said device is inserted into a pajama pocket or into a receptacle provided in a wristband 63 (fig. 18) formed of textile or silicone material and preferably adjustable in the sleeper's wrist. In this case, the vibration of the touch alarm and the warning light after the previous progressivity with respect to the initial power, can operate at maximum power. In "mask mode" the wireless alarm device 33 is applied by means of an eye occlusion mask 37 shown in Figure 15. This mask comprises an adjustable strap 38 on the skull and looks similar to traditional opaque eye masks that They are used to avoid ambient brightness while the user sleeps, but with the peculiarity that in the part intended to contact and cover the nasal septum it incorporates, adhering or fixed, a housing 39 with an opening 40 through which the device is introduced wireless alarm 33. The aforementioned housing 39 has in its lower part two fins 41 adaptable to the user's nasal septum, which integrate a malleable wire 42 inside to perform the customized adaptation. Said wire has the appropriate hardness to produce adequate retention always maintaining the same position of the ocular occlusion mask 37 on the nasal septum, so that during the sleeper movements there is no slippage. A pair of conformations 43 provided on the sides of the housing 39 incorporate inside it the malleable wire 42, and by manipulating them a separation between the fabric of the occlusion mask can be formed eye and eyes of the sleeper, in order to enable eye movements related to the REM phase, without friction between the tissue of the ocular occlusion mask and the eyelids or eyelashes of the sleeper. The housing 39 is made of soft silicone, or with a material of similar characteristics, and is transparent or translucent, with the purpose of spreading the luminosity inside it and producing its own luminescence effect. In "mask mode" the light pre-alarm and the touch alarm operate with reduced power compared to the "clock mode". Figure 16 represents an alternative or complementary embodiment of the special self-adjusting cross section 26 with which the height level on the shoulder support surface of a specific mattress is modified. This special sector 26 comprises a base 44 and a cover 45 formed, for example, of a plastic material by extrusion. Subsequently, the base 44 is cut to the appropriate extent and machined for the realization of four conformations 59 provided therein. A length of 700 mm is suitable for a self-adjusting sector to be installed on a 900 mm wide mattress, reserving a 100 mm wide foam frame around the set of cross sections.

Between the base 44 and the cover 45 is located a foam element 46 of, for example, polyurethane of high elastic response, although it must have approximately 50% of the general density that constitutes the rest of the foam of the mattress, due to the greater thrust caused by the installation of the cover 45 during the support of the sleeper. The special sector 46 comprises an electric motor 50 with speed counting device and with speed reduction mechanism 51, integral with the motor output shaft incorporating a metal tube as a winding axis 52, which comprises at least two grooves passages 53 through which the two constrictor belts 54 are inserted, which are formed, for example, of polyester fiber. The weft of the tapes is constituted mostly by fiber tufts arranged in parallel in order to avoid stretching. A pulley 55 is positioned in each conformation 59 and fixed thereto by means of a pin 57 through two through holes 58 and the hole 56 of the pulley 55, so that four pulleys are formed through which the movement is conducted and facilitates of the two constrictor belts 54. The ends of these are fixed to the outer surface of the cover 45, so that, when the electric motor 50 is activated, rotation of the winding axis 52 occurs and the constrictor belts 54 are wound on it, with the effect of approaching the cover 45 and the base 44 with each other , thereby compressing the foam element 46 and reducing the height of the special sector 26.

The base 44 and the cover 45 have conformations 47 and 48, respectively, to provide rigidity to the structure and provide a level surface for the support of the load sensor 10. A second foam element 49 is adhered to the outer face of the cover 45, This foam element 49 is not compressed with the action of the special sector 26, since it is intended for contact and support of the sleeper and maintains the original density. It is expected that the speed at which the mechanism approximates the cover 45 towards the base 44 will be very reduced in order to be able to install an electric motor of small size, and therefore of low noise level, low consumption and low cost; said speed can be about 0.1 mm / second. In any embodiment of the self-ergonomic system, either by means of the constrictor belts 54 of the special self-adjusting sector 26, or by the constrictor fabric 8 and the foam element 9 of the other transverse sectors, a variant incorporates a second set of wrapping textile ties but not Constrictors For example, in the process by means of the constrictor fabric 8, the ends of the wrapping laces are fixed to a crossbar parallel to the winding axis 3 and, above this, the ends of the crossbar are fixed to the support 4 and to the soundproofed receptacle 6 at a higher level with respect to the winding axis 3, whereby the second loop wraps the assembly formed by the foam elements 9 and 12. In this embodiment the density of the foam element 12 is 50% lower than that of the element of foam 9, but the height is 200%. With these differences in density and height, the foam element 12 sticks to the foam element 9 when mounting the second wrapping loop, since it has a smaller dimension than the sum of the two foam elements 9 and 12 in order to compress the foam element (12) in order to increase its density by 200% and reduce its height by 50%, so that, during use, when the foam element constricts 9 expands the foam element 12 previously compressed, thereby reducing its density.

Figure 17 shows the implementation of a non-constrictor textile tubular element 60 that envelops the special self-adjusting cross section 26. The original density of the sump foam element 49 A is 50% lower than the original density of the lower foam element 46 A, and the original height of the number is 200% greater than the space containing it, so that in a non-constricting state the lower foam element 46 A remains compressed by reducing its vertical dimension by 50%, so that when constrained the lower foam element 46 B and yield spaced to the sump foam element 49 B, it expands occupying said space and, consequently, recovers its original density, which as mentioned is 50% less than that of the foam element bottom 46 B.

By means of the implementation of a non-constrictor envelope element for the retention of the foam elements, the density of the support surface can be directly adjusted, maintaining the same height at all times.

Figure 18 shows a postural apparatus applicable to a conventional mattress 61. The measurement of the load signal with respect to the shoulder support is carried out by means of a postural sensor 62 formed by a set of load sensors contained in a preferably textile sheath, which has a length sufficient to make a loop and adjust transversely on the mattress 61. In this case the control unit 23 is located externally, on one side or on the bottom of the conventional mattress. The postural sensor 62 is constituted internally by a flexible and conductive tape of electricity as a support, to which a layer of resistive compound 15 is applied longitudinally, in the same way as in the load sensor 10, but the tape that covers and contacts with the resistive compound it is not totally conductive of electricity as the support, but it is a flexible electronic circuit with a certain number of independent and direct contacts on the resistive compound, for example twelve contacts. The purpose of this provision is to perform a more precise measure on the identification of the lateral decubitus posture with respect to the supine position, since, due to its external location on any conventional mattress, there is no restriction on the back support, so that the postural loads are more similar to each other, resulting in an insufficient load sensor with a point single measure. But by means of ten or twelve measuring points, a clearly differentiated measurement is achieved at all times between the lateral decubitus and supine recumbent positions.

The control unit 23 can control an insufflator device 64, and also the wireless alarm device 33 shown in Figure 18, which can be inserted into the eye occlusion mask 37 or wristband 63, or even in a pocket of the sleeper pajamas.

Although only particular embodiments have been represented and described herein, the person skilled in the art will know how to introduce modifications and replace some technical characteristics with equivalent ones, depending on the requirements of each case, without separating from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims. . In addition, the present disclosure covers all possible combinations of the particular embodiments described. The reference signs relating to the drawings and placed in parentheses in the claims are solely to improve their intelligibility and do not imply limiting themselves in any way to the described embodiments.

Claims

one . Postural correction device to be installed on a mattress, characterized by comprising:

- a linear set (10) of pressure sensors (106) intended to be placed transversely on the mattress under the shoulder support area of the sleeper, so that they can detect a higher pressure on a smaller subset of sensors when the sleeper is in a lateral decubitus position than the pressure detected on a larger subset of sensors when the sleeper is in a supine position;

- an electronic control unit (101; 23) to process the signals from the pressure sensors, determine the position of the sleeper and issue, where appropriate, an order of action to the mechanism producing the warning to induce a change of posture of the sleeping.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linear set (10) of pressure sensors comprises two flexible conductive supports (14) and a resistive composition (15) located between said supports, such that the resistive value of the composition Resistive can vary depending on the pressure exerted on a subset of sensors.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linear set (10) of pressure sensors (106) comprises a plurality of electrical pressure switches (137) that are opened under pressure and connected in series.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the warning producing device is a positive pressure air insufflator device that is connected to the plurality of series switches (137), the insufflation device being deactivated when the sleeper adopts the lateral decubitus position and, therefore, exerts more pressure on a smaller number of elastic switches (137), and its activation when the sleeper is in the supine position, in which case the pressure is distributed between a greater number of switches elastic (137) and it is not enough to open any of them.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the warning producing device is a mechanism producing a tactile warning comprising a base (1 10), a cover (1 16), two gearmotors (1 1 1 ) attached to the base, two spindles (1 12) individually connected to the gearmotors, and two tubes (1 13) individually threaded to the spindles and connected to the cover, so that the tubes can raise, tilt or vibrate the cover according to the mode of operation of the gearmotors, which is governed by the electronic control unit (101).

6. Mattress (19) comprising a postural correction apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, such that the linear set (10) of pressure sensors is located transversely under the shoulder rest area of the sleeper.

7. Mattress according to claim 6, comprising a housing under the pillow area for the warning producing device.

8. Mattress according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that it is a half-body mat (143) comprising a ribbed transverse recess (146) for shoulder support, a raised surface (145) for pillow support and, on the other side of the ribbed transverse recess, a sloping downward surface for the support of the trunk side in the lateral recumbent position, so that the linear set (10) of pressure sensors is located under the ribbed transverse recess and the device producing the warning is located under the raised surface.

9. A mattress according to claim 6 or 7, comprising a plurality of transverse sectors (65), each of which is provided with a first foam element (9), a linear set (10) of pressure sensors located above the first foam element, a constnctive fabric (8) that wraps the first foam element, a geared motor (2) and a winding shaft (3) that is driven by the geared motor and allows the constnctive fabric (8) to be wound, constraining or releasing the first foam element (9), depending on whether you squeeze it more or less, to adjust its height.

10. Mattress according to claim 9, wherein the winding axis (3) is divided into two segments of semicircular section between which the constrictor fabric (8) is inserted to allow its winding on said axis as a result of the rotation thereof .

eleven . Mattress according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the foam element (9) is prismatic and rectangular in section, and each cross section (65) comprises two geared motors (2) and corresponding winding axes (3) extending to one side and the other of the foam element, next to its lower face, to be able to wind the constrictor fabric (8) from two opposite ends thereof and thus allow to adjust the height of the foam element so that the upper face thereof be inclined

12. Mattress according to any of claims 9 to 1 1, comprising a cross section (26) located under the shoulder support area of the sleeper and whose height can be adjusted manually, for which this cross section comprises a base (44 ), a cover (45), a first foam element (46) located between them, a linear set (10) of pressure sensors located on the cover, constrictor belts (54) surrounding the base and the cover, a gearmotor (50, 51) and a winding shaft (52) that is located below the base, is driven by the gearmotor and allows winding the constrictor belts, so that they can constrict or release the first foam element to adjust its height.

13. Mattress according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein at least one cross section (65; 26) comprises a second foam element (12; 49) located on the linear set (10) of sensors, and a loop non-constrictor (60) that surrounds the transverse sector, the density of the second foam element (12; 49) being lower than the density of the first foam element (9; 46) when both are in a non-constricting state, and the height of the second foam element in a non-constricting state greater than the height of its housing within the textile tubular element on the first foam element, so that, if the first foam element is constrained and then it gives space to the second element of foam, it expands and its density decreases but the height of the cross section can be maintained.

14. Use of a postural correction apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a delay of between twenty and sixty seconds in the operation of the device producing the warning after a supine position supine detection, and also comprises a delay of between fifteen and thirty minutes for any action after connecting the device when going to sleep.

15. Use of a postural correction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the linear set (10) of pressure sensors is provided with a sheath and an adjustable tape to form a loop (62) that is arranged transverse and externally on a mattress (61) at shoulder height, the control unit (23) is arranged externally on the side or under the bottom of the mattress and can wirelessly control an insufflator device (64) and a wireless alarm device (33), which can be introduced in the control unit itself, in a sleeper pajama pocket, in a wristband (63) or in an ocular occlusion mask (37).