U.S. patent number 3,829,914 [Application Number 05/318,401] was granted by the patent office on 1974-08-20 for patient positioning device.
Invention is credited to Clara A. Treat.
United States Patent |
3,829,914 |
Treat |
August 20, 1974 |
PATIENT POSITIONING DEVICE
Abstract
A patient positioning device includes an elongated flexible
laminated sheet adapted to be arranged on a bed beneath the body of
a patient and having a friction-type top surface for frictionally
supporting the patient and a slippery bottom surface slidable along
the bed, longitudinal end loop handles at each corner of the sheet
for pulling the patient along the bed and for removable anchoring
to the bed to locate the patient in a predetermined position
thereon, and a pair of longitudinal side strap handles spaced along
each side of the sheet for transversely shifting and particularly
lifting the patient, thereby adapting the device for use as a soft
stretcher in transporting the patient.
Inventors: |
Treat; Clara A. (North
Tonawanda, NY) |
Family
ID: |
23238045 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/318,401 |
Filed: |
December 26, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/81.1T; 5/495;
5/925; 5/625 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
7/1026 (20130101); A47C 21/00 (20130101); A61G
2200/32 (20130101); Y10S 5/925 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
21/00 (20060101); A61G 7/10 (20060101); A47c
023/00 (); A47c 003/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/81,82,89,327R,334 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sommer & Sommer
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A patient positioning device comprising an elongated and
generally rectangular, flexible laminated sheet adapted to be
placed lengthwise on a bed beneath the body of a patient, said
sheet having an upper layer of fibrous material forming a
friction-type top surface adapted to frictionally support the
patient's body and a lower layer of plastic material forming a
slippery bottom surface adapted to slide along the bed, and means
securing said upper and lower layers together along their side and
end margins, all in order to facilitate longitudinal shifting of
the patient on the bed by a single attendant pulling said sheet and
the patient thereon along the bed.
2. The patient positioning device of claim 1 wherein said securing
means include a reinforcing border tape means of fibrous material
covering the side and end margins of said upper and lower layers
and sewn in place, for permanently attaching said upper and lower
layers together, with said plastic material being
polytetrafluoroethylene.
3. The patient positioning device of claim 1 wherein said securing
means include a series of snap fasteners severally composed of
mating male and female members, with said female members being
spaced along the side and end margins of one of said upper and
lower layers and said male members being spaced along the side and
end margins of the other of said upper and lower layers, for
removably attaching said upper and lower layers together, with said
plastic material being polytetrafluoroethylene.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of patient positioning,
and more particularly to a new and improved patient positioning
device especially adapted for use in shifting a patient
longitudinally along and transversely of a bed, but also adapted
for use as a soft stretcher in lifting and transporting a
patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the major problems in caring for bed ridden patients in
hospitals or elsewhere is the tendency for a patient to slide or
slump longitudinally along the bed from the desired position to an
uncomfortable cramped position. While this sliding can occur toward
either end of the bed, depending upon whether the legs or upper
parts of the patient's body are elevated, such as in the
transversely hinged spring and/or mattress support structure of a
typical hospital type bed, the most recurrent situation encountered
is the tendency of a patient, whose upper body is elevated in a
semi-sitting position, to slide toward the foot of the bed,
resulting in the patient assuming an uncomfortable cramped
position. In order to restore the patient to the desired position,
it is often necessary for two attendants to slide and/or lift the
patient back to a comfortable position. The larger, heavier and/or
more helpless the patient, the more difficult this operation
becomes.
One attempt to alleviate this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,284,816, wherein a supplemental bed sheet combination composed of
a transversely positioned elongated bed sheet having transverse
tubes or loops intermediate its ends is positioned so that the
loops lay along the longitudinal edges of the mattress beneath the
patient with the end flaps tucked beneath the mattress. When it is
desired to reposition the slumped patient, two attendants are
required, each of whom inserts an elongated wooden pole through the
tubes and then lifts and moves the patient longitudinally to the
desired position on the bed. Of course, this patented device
represents an improvement over direct manual movement of the
patient, but still requires the presence of two strong attendants
to accomplish the desired result, as well as the insertion and
withdrawal of the two poles, and untucking and retucking of the
flaps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to
provide a new and improved patient positioning device which is so
constructed and designed as to eliminate the need for two
attendants as well as the poles and flaps of the patented device
for such longitudinal shifting of the patient on the bed. To this
end, the inventive patient positioning device includes an elongated
flexible sheet adapted to be placed lengthwise on a bed beneath the
body of a patient, such sheet having upper means forming a friction
type top surface adapted to frictionally support the patient's body
and lower means forming a slippery bottom surface adapted to slide
along the bed, all in order to facilitate longitudinal shifting of
the patient on the bed by a single attendant pulling such sheet and
the patient thereon along the bed.
Another object is to provide such patient positioning device
including end handle means on such sheet to facilitate such
longitudinal shifting and to locate the patient in a predetermined
position by removably anchoring such end handle means to the
bed.
A further object is to provide such patient positioning device
including side handle means on such sheet to facilitate transverse
shifting, and particularly lifting of the patient, thereby adapting
such device for use as a soft stretcher in transporting the
patient.
Still another object is to provide such patient positioning device
wherein such sheet includes an upper layer of fibrous material
forming such friction-type top surface and a lower layer of plastic
material forming such slippery bottom surface and wherein such
device includes means for permanently or removably securing such
upper and lower layers together.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become
evident from the following detailed description and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a hospital bed with a first preferred
embodiment of the inventive patient positioning device arranged on
the bed beneath a patient illustrated in solid lines as having
slumped to an uncomfortable forward position near the foot of the
bed and in dotted lines as having been pulled rearwardly by the
arms of a single attendant to the desired position closer to the
head of the bed.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bed, patient and
positioning device of FIG. 1 and showing the hinged spring and
mattress support structure articulated to raise the head portion
and break the leg and foot portions of such support structure for
locating the patient in a semi-sitting comfortable position
represented by dotted lines, with the uncomfortable slumped forward
position of the patient being represented by solid lines, as in
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan perspective view of such first
preferred embodiment of the inventive patient positioning device
and illustrating the upper fibrous layer of the sheet forming a
friction-type patient supporting top surface, together with the
fibrous reinforcing border tape, end loop handles and side strap
handles, all permanently sewn in place.
FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4-4
of FIG. 3 and showing structural details of the sewing of a fibrous
side strap handle.
FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5--5
of FIG. 3 and showing structural details of the sewing of a fibrous
end loop handle.
FIG. 6 is a further enlarged section taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 3
and showing structural details of the sewing of the fibrous border
tape.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan perspective view similar to FIG.
3 but illustrating the lower plastic layer of the sheet forming a
slippery bottom surface for sliding along the bed.
FIG. 8 is a top plan perspective view of a second preferred
embodiment of the inventive patient positioning device wherein the
upper fibrous layer is removably fastened to the lower plastic
layer, the former being provided with the side strap handles and
end loop handles.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 9--9 of
FIG. 8 and illustrating structural details of the sewing of an end
loop handle.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 10--10 of
FIG. 8 and illustrating structural details of the sewing of a side
strap handle.
FIG. 11 is a further enlarged fragmentary section taken on line
11--11 of FIG. 8 and illustrating in both dotted and solid lines
structural details of the removable fastening of the upper layer of
the sheet to the lower layer thereof, with the detached lower layer
being shown in dotted lines, and the reinforcing border tape on the
upper layer having a false upper lip shown in dotted lines prior to
sewing in place.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, a
typical hospital bed is generally indicated at B and includes an
upright head B1 and an upright foot B2 connected by the usual
runners B3. Suitably supported on runners B3 is a spring containing
frame S composed of a head portion S1, and intermediate or leg
portion S2 and a foot portion S3, suitably hinged together for
articulation for placing a patient P in a semi-sitting position
such as shown in FIG. 2, with the hinged connection between head
portion S1 and leg portion S2 being suitably connected to bed
runners B3 below the hips of the patient and the hinged connection
between leg portion S2 and foot portion S3 being located beneath
the knee joint of the patient. Inasmuch as the detailed
construction of the bed B, and particularly the mechanisms for
articulating the hinged portions of spring frame S, form no part of
the present invention, details of such mechanisms are not
shown.
Continuing with FIGS. 1 and 2, a mattress M is supported on spring
frame S and conforms to the articulated portions thereof for
supporting the patient. Actually, the position of patient P shown
in full lines represents the slumped forward position, with the
desired position being shown in dotted lines at P'.
A first preferred embodiment of the inventive patient positioner is
generally indicated at 20 and is shown as being arranged on
mattress M of bed B beneath the patient, such inventive device also
being shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 under the patient in the
slumped forward position P and in dotted lines under the patient in
the desired position P', with the hands H of a single attendant
being shown in FIG. 1 for pulling the patient longitudinally from
the undesirable solid line position to the desired dotted line
position, such attendant (not shown) conveniently standing behind
the head B1 of bed B.
Turning to FIGS. 3-7, the structure of the first preferred
embodiment 20 of the inventive patient positioning device is
illustrated in detail. Thus, the inventive device includes an
elongated and generally rectangular, flexible laminated sheet which
typically is about 4 feet long by about 3 feet wide and includes an
upper layer 22 (FIG. 3), a lower layer 24 (FIG. 7), end loop
handles 26, side strap handles 28, reinforcing border tape 30 and
thread 32.
Upper layer 22 is formed of fibrous material, which preferably is a
woven fabric, such as the flannel or muslin employed in bed sheets
generally, although it may be a non-woven fabric. This layer 22
forms a friction-type top surface which is relatively rough, for
frictionally supporting the body of the patient. Lower layer 24
preferably is formed of suitable plastic material with little or no
stretch, and with or without internal reinforcement, such as
polyethylene for example, and thus forms a low friction or smooth,
slippery bottom surface for sliding along the bed. As a result, the
combination of such friction-type top surface and slippery bottom
surface facilitates longitudinal shifting of the patient on the bed
by a single attendant pulling the sheet and the patient thereon
along the bed to the desired dotted line position such as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
Upper layer 22 and lower layer 24 are suitably permanently secured
together such as by the one row shown, or more rows, of thread 32
stitched therethrough along their side and end margins.
Alternatively, these two layers could be so secured together by
bonding, either adhesively or by heat. As a matter of fact, the
lower layer 24 could be formed as a coating on the underside of
upper layer 22, and such coating could be of suitable slippery
plastic material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene for example.
Preferably at each corner, the sheet is provided with end loop
handles 26 suitably secured in place and preferably formed of
suitable fibrous material, which may be the same as or similar to
that employed for upper layer 22. In addition, the sheet also is
provided with a pair of side strap handles 28 spaced longitudinally
along each side margin and suitably secured in place. Like end loop
handles 26, these side strap handles preferably are formed of
suitable fibrous material and preferably are sewn in place by
threads 32.
Although not absolutely necessary, in the first preferred
embodiment illustrated, a reinforcing, preferably fibrous border
tape 30 is folded over the side and end edges of upper and lower
layers 22, 24 to cover their margins, as shown in FIG. 6, and
preferably is sewn in place by thread 32 for permanently attaching
such upper and lower layers together. In employing reinforcing
border tape 30, this preferably is applied first, followed by
application of longitudinal end loop handles 26 and side strap
handles 28. The former preferably are secured, as shown in FIG. 5,
by arranging their free ends over tape 30 above and below the upper
and lower layers adjacent each corner of the sheet and by sewing
the thread 32 through each of these components. As for each pair of
longitudinal side strap handles 28, which are spaced along each
side margin of the sheet, as shown in FIG. 4, they preferably are
arranged over tape 30 above upper layer 22 and sewn in place by
thread 32 passing through each of the components.
Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first preferred
embodiment 20 of the inventive patient positioning device is shown
as being arranged longitudinally on mattress M beneath the body of
the patient who has slid or slumped forwardly to the solid line
position P. In view of the fact that the inventive device 20 is
made of flexible materials, it readily can be folded and/or rolled
beneath the body of the patient and then spread out, just as sheets
are changed on a bed while the patient remains in the bed by
rolling the patient first to one side and then the other to permit
interposition of device 20.
In order to slide the patient back up to the desired dotted line
position P', it is but a simple matter for a single attendant to
grip the rear corners, but preferably the rear end loop handles
with his or her hands H as he or she stands behind the head B1 of
bed B and reaches forwardly for this purpose. As noted above, the
combination of the friction-type top surface formed by upper layer
22 and the slippery bottom surface formed by lower layer 24,
together with end loop handles 26, cooperative to facilitate such
desired sliding movement of the patient, and eliminate the need for
the use of other devices or more than one attendant to accomplish
the desired result.
Once the patient has been properly repositioned, say to the dotted
line position P' of FIGS. 1 and 2, and if desired, inventive device
20 readily may be removed in the same manner as it was inserted, by
rolling the patient from side to side and folding and sliding
device 20 transversely from beneath the body of the patient. On the
other hand, inventive device 20 could be left in place to locate
and maintain the patient in the desired dotted line position P'
simply by anchoring rear end loop handles 26 to mattress M, such as
by means of pins or other suitable fasteners not shown.
Alternatively, and especially when the mattress M and spring frame
S are arranged in a flatter position, such end loop handles could
be made long enough to be removably anchored to the bed by looping
the same over the bed posts (not shown) sometimes provided at both
the head and foot of the bed.
As for side strap handles 28, these perform a useful function in
adapting inventive device 20 for use as a "soft" stretcher, such as
by providing grips for one attendant to slide the patient
transversely of the bed, if necessary, or for two attendants to
lift the patient and transport him or her, such as between the bed
and a chair or a table.
Referring now to FIGS. 8-11, a second preferred embodiment of the
inventive patient positioning device is generally indicated at 40,
and principally differs from the first preferred embodiment 20 in
that the upper fibrous layer is removably secured to the lower
plastic layer to facilitate separate cleaning and replacement of
the two layers. Dimensionally speaking, however, the two devices
essentially are the same. Thus, such second preferred embodiment
includes upper layer 42, lower layer 44, end loop handles 46, side
strap handles 48, reinforcing border tape 50, thread 52 and snap
fasteners 54.
As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 11, upper layer 42 may be made of
suitable fibrous material such as that referred to above for upper
layer 22 to provide the friction-type upper surface, while lower
plastic layer 44 may be formed of suitable plastic material, such
as the polyethylene indicated for lower layer 24, to provide the
smooth or slippery bottom surface. Likewise, preferably adjacent
each corner, the sheet is provided with preferably fibrous end loop
handles 46 suitably secured in place as by thread 52 and a pair of
preferably fibrous side strap handles 48 spaced longitudinally
along each side margin and suitably secured in place, as by thread
52.
However, upper and lower layers 42, 44 are removably secured
together adjacent their side and end margins preferably by a series
of snap fasteners made of suitable material such as metal or rigid
plastic, and generally indicated at 54. The lower female members 56
preferably are suitably secured to plastic layer 44, such as by
clinching the upper bulbous socket part 56a through the retaining
ring part 56b with the plastic layer 44 being pierced and
compressed between the two parts. Alternatively, these two parts
could be embedded in plastic layer 44, such as by molding the same
in situ. In addition, the upper male members 58 are suitably
secured to upper layer 42, such as by clinching the enlarged lower
end of the elongated and generally T-shaped stem part 58a into the
bulbous sheath part 58b, with the margin of upper fibrous layer 42
being pierced and compressed between these two parts. Thus, the
bulbous sheath parts 58b of male fasteners 58 are adapted to mate
with the complementary shaped socket parts 56a of female fasteners
56. As will be evident, the positions of the male and female
fastener members could be reversed, if desired.
Although not absolutely necessary, in such second preferred
embodiment, a preferably fibrous reinforcing border tape 50
preferably is folded over the edges of the side and end margins of
upper layer 42 and preferably is sewn in place by one or more rows
of thread 52, such as the two rows shown. In order to avoid contact
between upper fastener members 58 and the patient, border tape 50
preferably is provided with a reversely and outwardly folded upper
or "false" lip 50a. This lip is folded back after attachment of
upper fastener members 58, the stem parts 58a of which also pierce
the intermediate and lower lips 50b, c of border tape 50 when
installing such upper fasteners. Then, the components of upper
layer 42 and border tape 50 are sewn together by stitching thread
52 therethrough.
As shown in FIG. 9, the upper and lower free ends 46a, b of end
loop handles 46 may be sewn in place at the same time as the
foregoing components, with lower free end 46b preferably below
lower border tape lip 50c and upper free end 46a preferably
concealed beneath upper lip 50a. However, upper free end 46a could
be atop upper lip 50a, and handles 46 could be sewn in place
separately, as are side handles 48, as shown in FIG. 10.
As a further alternative, the end loop handles 46 could be secured
suitably to or made a part of lower plastic layer 44, instead of
upper fibrous layer 42, if so desired. The same is true of side
handles 48.
From a functional standpoint, the use of the second preferred
embodiment 40 essentially is the same as that for first preferred
embodiment 20, with the preferably fibrous end loop handles 46
being employed for the desired longitudinal shifting of the patient
along the bed and the preferably fibrous side strap handles 48
being employed for the desired transverse shifting, lifting and
transporting of the patient. The principal advantage of the second
preferred embodiment 40 over the first preferred embodiment 20 is
that the removable upper fibrous layer 42 can be washed separately
and replaced by another clean fibrous layer to permit continued use
of device 40, while the lower plastic layer 44 readily can be
cleaned whenever necessary, usually at less frequent intervals.
It now will be seen how the inventive device accomplishes its
various objects, and numerous advantages thereof likewise will be
apparent. While the inventive device has been described and
illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments,
various changes and modifications may be made therein by those
skilled in the art, without departing from the inventive concept,
the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.
* * * * *