U.S. patent number 3,742,528 [Application Number 05/226,605] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-03 for mattress for invalids.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Firma Otto Bock Orthopadische Industrie KG. Invention is credited to Josef Munch.
United States Patent |
3,742,528 |
Munch |
July 3, 1973 |
MATTRESS FOR INVALIDS
Abstract
A frame of foam polymer with a rectangular cutout, positioned to
underlie the major part of the body of a patient recumbent thereon,
is cemented onto a base plate serving as a support for a
multiplicity of square or rectangular inserts of like foam material
detachably secured to the base plate with the aid of mating pegs
and holes so as to be removable at locations proximal to a
pressure-sensitive part of the patient's body. A transverse pad at
the foot end of the mattress has vertical recess open toward the
head end to receive the feet of the patient whose legs rest on
anatomically shaped wedge pieces which extend into these recesses
but terminate short of their closed ends to leave room for the
unsupported heels of the patient.
Inventors: |
Munch; Josef (Duisburg-Hamborn,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Firma Otto Bock Orthopadische
Industrie KG (Duderstadt, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
26710543 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/226,605 |
Filed: |
February 15, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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34094 |
May 4, 1970 |
3639927 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/723; 5/734;
5/648; 5/733; 5/651 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
27/20 (20130101); A61G 7/05715 (20130101); A47C
27/148 (20130101); A47C 27/15 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61G
7/057 (20060101); A61g 007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/91,345,352,357 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending
application Ser. No. 34,094, filed May 4, 1970 now U.S. Pat. No.
3,639,927.
Claims
I claim:
1. A mattress comprising a generally rectangular base plate, a
horizontal frame of resilient material fixedly secured to said base
plate and substantially coextensive therewith, said frame being
provided with a central output positioned to underlie the major
part of the body of a patient recumbent thereon, and a multiplicity
of resilient inserts with smooth upper surfaces closely juxtaposed
in said cutout to form a continuous surface with said frame, each
of said inserts being provided on its underside with a plurality of
depending pegs, said base plate being provided with a multiplicity
of complementary holes receiving said pegs for enabling selective
removal of any insert from said frame to relieve pressure on a
sensitive part of the patient's body.
2. A mattress as defined in claim 1 wherein said holes are
uniformly distributed throughout said cutout in an orthogonal
array, each of said inserts being provided with a plurality of
correspondingly equispaced pegs.
3. A mattress as defined in claim 2 wherein said inserts are
rectangular and differ at least partly from one another in size and
in the number of said pegs.
Description
My present invention relates to a mattress to be used by invalids
and other persons with oversensitivity to external pressure on
parts of their body.
Amputees, paraplegics and other persons react with varying degrees
of discomfort to such pressures which frequently lead to bruises at
points of concentrated stress, e.g., in the region of the hips or
buttocks in the case of a recumbent body. It is therefore desirable
to provide for a more even stress distribution by spreading the
area of contact between the body and the mattress on which the
patient is resting, a task calling for a wide variety of mattress
configurations according to the size of the patient and the nature
of the ailment.
It is, therefore, the general object of my present invention to
provide a mattress construction which can be quickly and easily
adapted to specific requirements for the purpose of relieving local
pressure on the body of a patient.
A related object is to provide means in combination with such a
mattress for keeping the feet of the patient free from pressure of
both the underlying mattress and an overlying blanket.
A further object is to provide a mattress, e.g. for hospital beds,
which can be quickly restored to use by a replacement of certain
parts upon being soiled or otherwise damaged.
A more particular object is to provide a mattress of the character
disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,927 with improved means
for modifying its shape.
In accordance with the present improvement, the inserts and at
least the underlying part of the base plate are provided with
complementary formations, such as mating pegs and holes, which
facilitate their separation but positively locate each insert
within the cutout so as to prevent it from shifting therein upon
the removal of an adjoining insert.
Advantageously, the male formations or projections (pegs) are
provided on the undersides of the insert whereas the female
formations or depressions (holes) are located on the base plate so
as to leave more space underneath a sensitive part of a patient's
body. In this case it is also possible to form all or most of the
base surface with such holes so that different types of frames,
with larger or smaller cutouts, can be fitted thereon as required.
The frame could be permanently cemented onto the base plate but may
also be detachably secured thereto with the aid of a
pressure-activated adhesive.
The mattress disclosed in my copending application is in the form
of a generally rectangular horizontal frame, commensurate with the
body measurements of a patient whom it is intended to support,
which has a central longitudinal cutout positioned to underlie the
major part of the patient's body in a recumbent position, this
cutout being filled by a multiplicity of preferably rectangular
(e.g. square) inserts closely juxtaposed therein to form a
continuous surface with the frame. Both the frame and the inserts
are made of resilient cushioning material, preferably a foam
polymer, as is a headrest carried by the mattress. The inserts are
individually and selectively removable from the frame to relieve
the pressure upon sensitive parts of the patient's body. For this
purpose, the frame and the inserts are supported on a base plate
which underlies the cutout and has an outline substantially
registering with that of the frame.
In accordance with the present improvement, the inserts and at
least the underlying part of the base plate are provided with
complementary formations, such as mating pegs and holes, which
facilitate their separation but positively locate each insert
within the cutout so as to prevent it from shifting therein upon
the removal of an adjoining insert.
Advantageously, the male formations or projections (pegs) are
provided on the undersides of the insert whereas the female
formations or depressions (holes) are located on the base so as to
leave more space underneath a sensitive part of a patient's body.
In this case it is also possible to form all or most of the base
surface with such holes so that different types of frames, with
largers or smaller cutouts, can be fitted thereon as required. The
frame could be permanently cemented onto the base plate but may
also be detachably secured thereto with the aid of a
pressure-activated adhesive.
The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to
the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an improved mattress embodying my
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II -- II of FIG.
1; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mattress similar to the one shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The mattress shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a rectangular frame 2
of foam plastic cemented onto a rigid base plate 1 coextensive
therewith. Frame 2 has a rectangular central cutout 7, occupied by
an array of substantially identical inserts 3 of like foam plastic
and square outline. The inserts 3 with smooth upper surfaces as
shown are detachably secured to the base plate 1 by pegs 8 (FIG. 3)
fitting into holes 9 as shown in FIG. 3. A headrest 4, also of foam
plastic, is similarly cemented onto the right-hand end of frame 2
just beyond the cutout 7.
A pad 5, likewise of foam plastic, is detachably cemented onto the
frame 2 just beyond the end of cutout 7. A part of the frame 2 and
some of the inserts 3 are overlain by two elongate wedge pieces 6
which are anatomically shaped to conform to the hollow of the knees
of the patient and to support his shanks down to the region of the
ankles. Two forwardly open vertical recesses 5a in pad 5 receive
the ends of the wedge pieces 6 with enough clearance to accommodate
the heels of the patient whose toes do not quite reach the top of
the pad so that they will not be contacted by an overhanging
blanket 18. The wedge pieces 6 may be strips of foam plastic also
detachably cemented to the underlying mattress portions. In its
outward appearance, the mattress shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 resembles
that illustrated in corresponding Figures of my U.S. Pat. No.
3,639,927.
In FIG. 3 I have shown a mattress generally similar to that of
FIGS. 1 and 2, its frame 2' having a rectangular open-ended cutout
7' adjoining a headrest 4' but terminating short of a foot pad 5'.
Base plate 1' has a wedge-shaped end supporting the headrest 4'
which is here in the form of a simple strip extending across the
open end of cutout 7'. An adhesive layer 10 secures the frame 2'
and the headrest 4' to the base plate 1'. Foot pad 5' is
constructed of several sections including blocks 5b defining the
closed ends of recesses 5a.
The uniformly shaped inserts 3 of FIGS. 1 and 2 have been replaced
in FIG. 3 by a variety of inserts including narrower pieces 3a and
wider pieces 3b, the latter being of square shape and provided on
their undersides with nine pegs 8 whereas the inserts 3a have only
a single row of three pegs. These pegs fit into holes 9 of base 1'
which are equispaced in an orthogonal array within cutout 7', the
inserts 3a and 3b being thus positionable with different
orientations anywhere within the cutout. Other inserts 3c and 3d
overly groups of four and six holes 9, respectively, and are
provided on their undersides with corresponding numbers of pegs 8.
The availability of these diverse shapes affords great versatility
in selecting an area free from pressure, particularly in the case
of restless patients who may change their position frequently and
for whom it may therefore become necessary to enlarge an
insert-free zone originally provided in the mattress.
The illustrated cylindrical shape of the pegs and holes makes them
easier to produce but is not essential; the same freedom of
emplacement can be had with, say, prismatic or pyramidal formations
of square outline as well as with conical (or frustoconical) pegs
and holes.
The wedge pieces 6 of FIGS. 1 and 2, omitted in FIG. 3, can of
course also be used with the latter embodiment.
The wege pieces 6, the headrest 4' and/or the pad 5' could also be
removably attached to the frame 2' or the underlying base 1' with
the aid of complementary formations such as pegs and holes.
It will be apparent that, in the case of a soiled mattress, only
some of the inserts 3, 3a - 3d may have to be replaced to provide a
clean supporting surface for the patient.
* * * * *