Apparatus and system for turning and positioning a patient

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820902-B2
Application number	US-201514858897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2011
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A system for use with a bed having a frame and a supporting surface includes a sheet having a bottom surface placed above the supporting surface of the bed, a top surface, and a plurality of tether straps connected to and extending from the sheet. Each tether strap is configured for connection to the bed. The bottom surface is at least partially formed of a low friction material, and the top surface is at least partially formed of a high friction material, such that the top surface provides greater slipping resistance than the bottom surface. The tether straps include at least two pairs of tether straps, with one pair connected proximate a top edge of the sheet and another pair connected proximate a bottom edge of the sheet. The sheet may further include a sliding member on the bottom surface to assist in lateral sliding of the sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a bed comprising a frame and a mattress supported by the frame, the bed having a head, a foot, and first and second opposed sides;
placing a sheet on the bed, the sheet having a bottom surface that is placed above a supporting surface of the bed and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is at least partially formed of a first material having a first coefficient of friction, and the top surface is at least partially formed of a second material having a second coefficient of friction, and wherein the second coefficient of friction is higher than the first coefficient of friction such that the top surface provides greater slipping resistance than the bottom surface, the sheet further having a plurality of tether straps connected to the sheet and extending from the sheet, wherein the plurality of tether straps comprise at least a first pair of tether straps connected proximate a top edge of the sheet or a bottom edge of the sheet opposite the top edge, the sheet further having a sliding member formed of a low friction material connected to the bottom surface of the sheet, the sliding member having a fixed portion that is fixed to the bottom surface of the sheet along a longitudinal direction extending between the top and bottom edges, and a free portion that is moveable over a range of movement with respect to the bottom surface of the sheet along a lateral direction extending between the sides, and wherein the sheet of flexible sheet material is formed in a tubular structure, wherein the tubular structure has a central passage aligned with the longitudinal direction;
placing an absorbent pad into contact with the top surface of the sheet, wherein the second material resists sliding of the pad with respect to the top surface, due to the second coefficient of friction being higher;
positioning a patient above the supporting surface of the mattress, such that the supporting surface supports the patient and at least a portion of the patient rests on the absorbent pad;
connecting the first pair of tether straps to the bed;
placing a wedge at least partially underneath the sheet, the wedge having a base wall, a ramp surface positioned at an angle to the base wall to form an apex, and a back wall opposite the apex, by inserting the apex of the wedge underneath an edge of the sheet from the first side of the bed such that the base wall confronts the supporting surface of the mattress and the ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the sheet; and
moving the sheet toward the back wall of the wedge to slide the patient and at least a portion of the sheet at least partially up the ramp surface of the wedge, such that the ramp surface of the wedge partially supports the patient, to cause the patient to lie in an angled position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing a second wedge at least partially underneath the sheet, the second wedge having a second base wall, a second ramp surface positioned at a second angle to the second base wall to form a second apex, and a second back wall opposite the second apex, by inserting the second apex of the second wedge underneath the edge of the sheet from the first side of the bed such that the second base wall confronts the supporting surface of the mattress and the second ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the sheet.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the tether straps comprises an elastic portion forming at least a portion of a length of the tether strap.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the tether straps further comprises a non-elastic portion forming a portion of the length of the tether strap, wherein the elastic portion is connected at one end to the sheet and the elastic portion is connected at another end to the non-elastic portion, and the non-elastic portion is connected to the bed.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the non-elastic portion has hook-and-loop connecting structure configured to permit the non-elastic portion to connect to itself in a loop, and each of the tether straps is connected to the bed such that a connecting member on the bed is received in the loop.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting a fastener to the bed, wherein the fastener includes an engagement member, and wherein one of the tether straps is connected to the bed by engaging the one of the tether straps the engagement member of the fastener.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a sliding member formed of a low friction material and connected to the bottom surface of the sheet, the sliding member having a fixed portion that is fixed to the bottom surface of the sheet and a free portion that is moveable over a range of movement with respect to the bottom surface of the sheet along a lateral direction extending between side edges of the sheet, wherein when the sheet is moved toward the back wall of the wedge, at least a portion of the bottom surface of the sheet slides against the sliding member within the range of movement of the sliding member to reduce the friction of the sliding member.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of tether straps is connected proximate the top edge of the sheet and are connected to the bed proximate the head, and wherein the sheet further comprises a second pair of tether straps connected proximate the bottom edge of the sheet, the method further comprising connecting the second pair of tether straps to the bed proximate the foot.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first pair of tether straps are connected to opposed side edges of the sheet proximate the top edge, and the second pair of tether straps are connected to the opposed side edges of the sheet proximate the bottom edge.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first pair of tether straps are connected to the first and second sides of the bed proximate the head, and the second pair of tether straps are connected to the first and second sides the bed proximate the bottom edge.

11. A method comprising:
providing a bed comprising a frame and a mattress supported by the frame, the bed having a head, a foot, and first and second opposed sides;
placing a sheet on the bed, the sheet having a bottom surface that is placed above a supporting surface of the bed and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface has a low friction surface forming at least a portion of the bottom surface, and the top surface has a high friction surface forming at least a portion of the top surface, such that the top surface provides greater slipping resistance than the bottom surface, the sheet having a top edge positioned proximate a head of the bed, a bottom edge positioned proximate a foot of the bed, and first and second side edges located between the top and bottom edges, the sheet further having a sliding member formed of a low friction material connected to the bottom surface of the sheet, the sliding member having a fixed portion that is fixed to the bottom surface of the sheet along a longitudinal direction extending between the top and bottom edges, and a free portion that is moveable over a range of movement with respect to the bottom surface of the sheet along a lateral direction extending between the side edges, and wherein the sheet of flexible sheet material is formed in a tubular structure, wherein the tubular structure has a central passage aligned with the longitudinal direction;
positioning the patient above the supporting surface of the bed, such that at least a portion of the patient rests above the sheet; and
moving the first side edge of the sheet toward the first side of the bed along the lateral direction, wherein a

Assignees

• Sage Products Llc

Inventors

• Ponsi Larry
• Layer James

Classifications

• A61G7/015

  divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position · CPC title

• A61G7/0514

  mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections · CPC title

• A61G7/001 Primary

  with means for turning-over the patient · CPC title

• A61G7/10

  Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons, e.g. special adaptations of hoists thereto · CPC title

• A61G7/0509

  sliding or pivoting downwards · CPC title