GB2288329A

GB2288329A - Support system for the bed-bound

Info

Publication number: GB2288329A
Application number: GB9407613A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Gallivan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-04-16
Filing date: 1994-04-16
Publication date: 1995-10-18
Also published as: GB9407613D0

Abstract

A wedge shaped, inflatable, deflatable air cushion 3 which when placed between a bed mattress 2 and the divan base of the bed 1 will be undetected in its deflated state (fig. 3) but will raise both the mattress and the person resting on the bed when in its inflated state. The cushion may have separately inflatable compartments so that different degrees of elevation can be obtained. It could also be incorporated into an inflatable mattress. <IMAGE>

Description

BED SUPPORT SYSTEM This invention relates to a support system suitable for use in bed.

Whenever it is necessary to prop a bed-bound person up in bed, for example at meal times, hospitals can use specifically modified beds to assist in the task. Such beds are generally not favoured by the general public for use in their own homes because of cost and appearance. Nevertheless, most homes have to cope with individuals who, for one reason or another, for short or extended periods of time, are confined to bed. It is a physically difficult task to raise even comparatively small persons to a sitting position or propped up position when they are in bed. Then, while the person is semi-propped up the difficulty of the task is compounded by the need to place cushions behind the invalid to provide more permanent and comfortable support.

The present invention provides a support device suitable for use in bed and comprising an inflatable air cushion, having a base and an upper, support, surface and being formed and arranged so as to be substantially flat in a deflated condition and generally wedge-shaped in an inflated condition with said support surface inclined upwardly away from said base.

In use of a device of the present invention a user can be readily propped up from a recumbent position to a more or less reclining position simply by inflating the cushion without the need for a special form of bed construction, or cumbersome mechanism, or having to support the user temporarily during adjustment of the bed or the raising or insertion of the special mechanism.

It will be understood that, in principle, the device may be used on a bed either above or below the mattress, though the latter mode is generally preferred as the mattress serves to provide a more effective support to the user where part of this is raised, than would the inflatable cushion alone. It will though be understood that increased support may be obtained from the cushion by providing the upper support surface thereof with a more or less rigid panel. This would also have the advantage of defining more positively the wedge-shaped form of the cushion in its inflated condition.In addition or alternatively, the wedge-shaped form may also be defined by means of internal restraints such as webs or straps extending between the base and the support surface at more or less closely spaced intervals so as to limit their relative separation to a substantially constant value across the width of the cushion.

The cushion may also be provided with a plurality of superposed compartments provided with independently operable inflation/deflation means to facilitate provision of a plurality of different support levels and angles through selectively inflating different combinations of compartments. In addition the cushion may be extended at its "higher" end at a reduced angle which may even be horizontal or below horizontal for use when supporting the legs of a user. Thus it will be appreciated that a bed may be provided with two separate support devices at the foot and head ends of the bed, or a single support device with spaced apart cushions.

Various other arrangements are also possible as required to provide particular user support configurations or modes. In addition, instead of a conventional mattress there could be used an inflatable mattress which could if desired be provided with a support device of the invention with the cushion thereof more or less integrally formed with said inflatable mattress but independently inflatable.

In general the device is dimensioned so as to have a width corresponding substantially to the full width of a bed in which it is to be used so as to provide a substantially even support for the user across the width of the bed and minimise the possibility of the user rolling or sliding off to one side of the raised support.

Any convenient form of inflation means may be utilised to inflate the pump. At its simplest there could be used a one-way valve and mouth-piece for use by a helper or possibly even the user himself/herself. Preferably though there is used some form of pump means which may be manually operated e.g. a foot-pump or could be power operated. In the latter case it may be convenient to mount the pump control in a position more or less readily accessible by a person in the bed.

Advantageously the support device is provided with anchor or locating means e.g. tape or cord ties, hook and loop fasteners means etc. so as to more or less securely restrain the device in position on a bed. This is particularly desirable where the device is used above the mattress.

The cushion may be made of any convenient air-tight material which is sufficiently strong to withstand reasonably long periods of inflation under pressure and deformation resulting from user movement on the bed.

Suitable materials that may be mentioned include various polmeric materials such as polyvinylchloride, natural or synthetic rubber, rubberised fabric etc. and other materials commonly used in air beds or mattresses and the like.

In a further aspect the present invention provides a variable support configuration bed having a substantially flat base, a mattress, and at least one support device of the invention provided at at least one end portion of said bed so as to provide an inclined support surface extending upwardly towards the distal end of said end portion in its inflated condition.

In use of the support device in an under-mattress mode, when the cushion is inflated, it will assume a predetermined wedge shape and in the process it will raise both the mattress and the person lying on top of the mattress to the angle determined by the wedge shape of the cushion. Commonly available mattresses are generally sufficiently flexible to permit this change of shape and the wedge shape of the cushion provides full support for the mattress and protects it from damage.

Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of some preferred embodiments illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment of a bed support of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the support of Fig.

1 in a deployed condition; Figure 3 is a similar view showing the support of Fig. 1 in a stowed or collapsed condition; Figure 4 is a partly cut-away view of the support of Fig.l; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a second embodiment; and Figure 6 is a side elevation of a third embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a bed B having a base 1, a mattress 2 and a support device of the invention in the form of a cushion 3 interposed therebetween. The base panel 4 of the cushion 3 is provided at its corners 5 with lugs 6 through which are disposed ties 7 for securing the cushion in position on the base 1.

In more detail the cushion 3 has a base panel 8, an upper support surface panel 9, and a rear wall 10 all of which are generally rectangular. The triangular end walls 11 which rise vertically from the base panel 8 help to define the generally wedge-shaped form of the cushion 3 in its inflated condition and help to determine the angle of the support surface 9. In order further to define the shape of the cushion in its inflated condition, several internal walls 12 similar to and parallel to the end walls 11 but with air passage apertures 13 therein are provided across the width of the cushion 3 between the end walls thereby providing a substantially constant support angle cvk across the width of the cushion.It will be appreciated that the support angle may be varied between relatively broad limits to suit different requirements e.g. reading, eating and/or different individual preferences. In general though the support angle c)% is desirably from 20 to 700, preferably from 30 to 600.

A supply tube 14 connected 15 to the cushion 3 leads via a control valve means 16 to a pump 17 and exhaust outlet 18. The control valve means 16 is used to control inflation/deflation of the cushion.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment in which the cushion 3 has two separate superposed compartments: a lower compartment 19 and an upper compartment 20 with respective support angles 4 1 and i 2 and respective supply tubes 14a, 14b. It will be appreciated that by selectively inflating different combinations of the two compartments 19, 20 up to three different support angles can be achieved: α 1, α 2 and α 1 + α 2 Fig. 6 shows yet another embodiment suitable for use at the foot of the bed wherein the cushion 3 is extended beyond the principal inclined support surface 9 to provide an additional support surface 21 which has a negative support angle.

Claims

1. A wedge-shaped, inflatable and deflatable air cushion which, when placed between the mattress and the divan base of a normal, domestic, modern bed, will not interfere with the normal use of the bed or be easily detected by the person lying on the bed when the cushion is in its deflated state but, when the cushion is inflated, the cushion will force both the end of the mattress under which it is placed, as well as that part of a person's anatomy resting above it, into a raised but fully supported position.

2. A wedge-shaped air cushion as claimed in Claim 1 with a means to easily inflate or deflate the cushion using commonly available air pumps.

3 A wedge-shaped air cushion as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 made of a thin, light-weight, flexible, air-proof material.

4. A wedge-shaped air cushion as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 which can be made to different widths to suit beds of different widths and also of different wedge angles to suit the different purposes for which the cushion will be required.

5. A wedge-shaped air cushion as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 or Claim 4 with means of attaching fixing ties in each of the four corners of the base of the cushion to secure it in position between the mattress and the divan base.

6. A wedge-shaped air cushion substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings.