U.S. patent application number 11/210266 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for device for posturing an individual.
Invention is credited to Gregory Gelman, Igal Kushnir, Nissim Varon.
Application Number | 20070044238 11/210266 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37136897 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044238 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gelman; Gregory ; et
al. |
March 1, 2007 |
Device for posturing an individual
Abstract
A posturing device for posturing an individual so as to render
the individual's back accessible. The posturing device comprises a
base and a spine support system. The spine support system may be,
for example, a flexible chain that conforms to the spinal shape of
the individual. The device may also include one or more back
supports attached to the base where each back support is moveable
from a first configuration in which the back supports are applied
to the base, and the individual's back is exposed, except in the
spinal region, and a second configuration in which the back
supports form an angle with the base and provided support to the
back. The device may be used in order to carry out a treatment of
the individual's back or for applying one or more transducers, such
as microphones, to the individual's back.
Inventors: |
Gelman; Gregory; (Rehovot,
IL) ; Kushnir; Igal; (Pardes Hana, IL) ;
Varon; Nissim; (Kfar-Saba, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NATH & ASSOCIATES
112 South West Street
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
37136897 |
Appl. No.: |
11/210266 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/633 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G 2200/34 20130101;
A61G 13/12 20130101; A61G 13/121 20130101; A61G 7/07 20130101; A61G
13/1225 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/633 |
International
Class: |
A47C 16/00 20060101
A47C016/00 |
Claims
1. A posturing device for posturing an individual, comprising: (a)
a base, and (b) a spine support system attached to the base to
support the individual's spine while rendering the individual's
back accessible.
2. The posturing device according to claim 1 wherein the spine
support system comprises a chain.
3. Posturing device according to claim 2 wherein the chain includes
a layer of padding.
4. The posturing device according to claim 1 further comprising one
or more back supports attached to the base, each back support being
moveable from a first configuration in which the back supports are
applied to the base and a second configuration in which the back
supports form an angle with the base.
5. The posturing device according to claim 4 wherein the back
supports include a layer of padding.
6. The posturing device according to claim 4 wherein the back
supports are maintained in the second position by means of one or
more struts.
7. The posturing device according to claim 6 in which the struts
are slidable along the base between a first position in which the
back supports can assume their first position and a second position
in which the back supports are maintained in the second
position.
8. The posturing device according to claim 4 wherein the back
supports form an angle between 30 and 50.degree. with the base when
in the second position.
9. The posturing device according to claim 1 further comprising a
head rest.
10. A bed or couch comprising the posturing device according to
claim 1.
11. A method for posturing an individual so as to render the
individual's back accessible, comprising; (a) providing a posturing
device comprising (i) a base, and (ii) a spine support system
attached to the base to support the individual's spine while
rendering the individual's back accessible; and (b) placing the
individuals spine on the spine support system with the one or more
back supports in their first position. The method according to
claim 11 wherein the posturing device further comprises one or more
back supports attached to the base, each back support being
moveable from a first configuration in which the back supports are
applied to the base and a second configuration in which the back
supports form an angle with the base, and the method further
comprises a step of bringing the one or more back supports to their
second position.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the posturing device
is placed on a bed or couch.
13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the bed or couch is in
an upright position.
14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the posturing device
is integral with a bed or couch.
15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising performing
a treatment or examination of the individual's back.
16. The method according to claim 11 further comprising applying
one or more transducers to the individual's back.
17. The method according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the
transducers is a microphone.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to devices for posturing an
individual, for example, in order to carry out a medical treatment
or examination of the individual.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is often necessary to posture an individual, for example,
in order to carryout a medical treatment or examination. This is
particularly the case when the ability of the individual to
cooperate with the person performing the treatment or examination
is limited, for example, when the individual is unconscious or very
weak following a heart attack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides a device for posturing an
individual in a posture that allows access to the individual's
back. The device may be used when it is necessary to perform a
medical treatment or examination on the back, or to apply one or
more signal transducers, such as a microphone for recording lung
sounds, to the back. The device of the invention may be used in
cases where the ability of the individual to cooperate with the
delivery of the treatment or examination is limited or
non-existent.
[0004] The posturing device of the invention has a spine support
system that is used to support an individual's spine. The spine
support system includes a flexible element that can conform to the
shape of the individual's spine when the spine is applied to the
flexible element.
[0005] The posturing device of the invention preferably further
includes a back support system for supporting the individual's back
when access to the back is not required. The back support system
includes one or more back supports that are movable from a first
position in which the back supports do not contact the individual's
back when the individual's spine is supported by the flexible
element, and a second position, in which the back supports contact
the individual's back when the individual's spine is supported by
the flexible element. The back supports are maintained in the
second position by means of movable struts.
[0006] The posturing device of the invention may be used with a bed
or couch having an upright configuration, or may be integral with a
bed or couch. An individual to be postured by the posturing device
lies on the bed with his spine supported by the flexible element
and the back supports in their first position. In this
configuration, the individual's back, except for the spinal region
is accessible. When access to the individual's back is not
required, for example, between treatments or examinations, the back
supports are brought to their second position. In this
configuration, the individual's back is not accessible. However,
due to the support to the back provided by the back supports, the
individual's back is supported more stably and with greater
comfort. When it is desired to perform another treatment or
examination, the back supports are brought to their first
position.
[0007] Thus, in its first aspect, the invention provides a
posturing device for posturing an individual so as to render the
individual's back accessible, comprising: [0008] (a) a base, and
[0009] (b) a spine support system attached to the base to support
the individual's spine while rendering the individual's back
accessible.
[0010] In its second aspect, the invention provides a method for
posturing an individual so as to render the individual's back
accessible, comprising; [0011] (a) providing a posturing device
comprising [0012] (i) a base, and [0013] (ii) a spine support
system attached to the base to support the individual's spine while
rendering the individual's back accessible; and [0014] (b) placing
the individuals spine on the spine support system with the one or
more back supports in their first position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may
be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be
described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a posturing device in accordance with the
invention having back supports applied to the base (FIG. 1a), and
forming an angle with the base (FIG. 1b); and
[0017] FIG. 2 shows use of the device of FIG. 1 to posture an
individual with his back exposed (FIG. 2a) and with his back
supported by back supports (FIG. 2b).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a posturing device 1 in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention. The device 1 has a first configuration
shown in FIG. 1a in which a back of an individual may be supported
only at the spine so as to allow access to most of the back. The
device 1 has a second configuration shown in FIG. 1b in which
support is provided to most of the back and the back is not
accessible.
[0019] The device 1 has a base 2 that is generally rectangular in
shape. A spine support system 4 is used to support an individual's
spine, as described in detail below. The spine support system 4
includes a bottom brace 6 and a top brace 8. The braces 6 and 8 are
fixed at an end 10 and 12, respectively, to the base 2. The spine
support system further comprises a flexible element 18. In this
embodiment, the flexible element 18 is a chain formed from
plurality of links 14. Six links 14a to 14f are shown in the
embodiment of FIG. 1. Adjacent links 14 in the spine support system
4 are hinged together at hinges 16 so as to form a flexible chain
18. The links 14a and 14f are terminal links in the chain 18 and
are hinged to the braces 6 and 8, respectively, at the hinges 16a
and 16h, respectively. The chain 18 conforms to the shape of an
individual's spine when the spine is applied to the chain 18, as
described below. Although six links 14a to 14f are shown in FIG. 1,
this is by way of example only, and the number of the links 14 and
the length of each link can be determined so as to produce a chain
18 having sufficient flexibility to allow the chain 18 to conform
comfortably to the spine. A layer of padding (not shown in FIG. 1)
is preferably applied to the links so as to provide a comfortable
fit to the spine. A head rest 20 may be attached to the uppermost
link 14f to support the individual's head, as described below. The
position of the head rest 20 is preferably adjustable by moving the
head rest 20 in a track 22 on the uppermost link 14f in order to
accommodate individuals of different heights. The head rest 20 may
be locked in a desired position along the track 20 by tightening a
locking screw (not visible in the perspective of FIG. 1).
[0020] The posturing device 1 further includes a back support
system for supporting the individual's back when access to the back
is not required, as explained below. The back support system
includes a first back support 24a and a second back support 24b.
The back support systems 24a and 24b are hinged to the base 2 at
hinges 26a and 26b, respectively, so as to allow the back supports
24a and b to rotate about the hinges 26a and 26b, respectively,
from a first position in which the supports 24a and 24b are in
contact with the support 2, as shown in FIG. 1a, and a second
position, in which the supports 24a and b form an angle with the
support 2, as shown in FIG. 1b. The back supports 24a and b are
maintained in the second position shown in FIG. 1b by means of
struts 27a and 27b respectively. The struts 27a and 27b are
slidable along a pair of tracks 28a and a pair of tracks 28b,
respectively, on the base 2. The struts 27a and 27b are slidable
along the tracks 29a and 29b, respectively, from a first position
shown in FIG. 1 in which the struts 26a and b are positioned on the
base 2 above the back supports 24a and 24b, respectively, and a
second position shown in FIG. 1b in which they are beneath the back
supports 24a and 24b, respectively. The back supports 24a and 24b
preferably include an upper layer of padding 25.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows use of the posturing device 1. The posturing
device 1 is used with a bed or couch 30 having an upright
configuration, as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the posturing
device 1 may be integral with the bed or couch 30. The posturing
device 1, in the first configuration shown in FIG. 1a, is placed on
the upright portion of a mattress or cushion of the bed 30 with the
top brace 8 at the top, as shown in FIG. 2a. An individual 32 to be
postured by the posturing device 1 lies on the bed 30 with his
spine supported by the flexible element 18. With the back supports
24 in their first position, the individual's back is accessible,
except for the spinal region. In this configuration, a medical
treatment or examination to the back may be performed to the back,
or one or more medical transducers, or other devices may be applied
to the back. When access to the individual's back is not required,
for example, between treatments or examinations, the back supports
are brought to their second position shown in FIG. 1b by sliding
the struts 27a and 27b from their first position (FIG. 1a) to their
second position (FIG. 1b). With the posturing device 1 in its
second position, the individual's trunk is supported by the back
supports 24 as well as by the flexible element 18 of the spinal
support system 4. In this configuration, the individuals back is
not accessible. However, due to the support of the back by the back
supports, the individual is supported more stably and in greater
comfort.
* * * * *