Apparatus and system for boosting, transferring, turning and positioning a patient

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9849053-B2
Application number	US-201514829361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A patient positioning system for use with a patient on a bed includes an inflatable patient support device, and optionally, other components such as one or more wedges and/or an absorbent pad. The device includes top and bottom sheets, where the top sheet is connected to the bottom sheet to define a cavity, such that the top and bottom sheets form top and bottom walls of the cavity in use. The device further has passages extending from the cavity to an exterior of the device, through the bottom sheet, and gussets connected to the top and bottom sheets and extending across the cavity. The passages permit air to pass from the cavity to the exterior of the device and to flow between the bottom surface of the device and the surface supporting the device. Selective glide assemblies may be used to resist sliding of these components in certain directions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable device comprising:
a top sheet;
a bottom sheet, wherein the top sheet is connected to the bottom sheet to define a cavity configured to be inflated, wherein the top sheet forms a top wall of the cavity in use, and the bottom sheet forms a bottom wall of the cavity in use;
a plurality of passages extending from the cavity to an exterior of the device, through the bottom sheet, wherein the plurality of passages are configured to permit air to pass from the cavity to the exterior of the device and to flow between a bottom surface of the device and a supporting surface upon which the device is configured to rest; and
a plurality of gussets connected to the top sheet and the bottom sheet and extending across the cavity, each of the plurality of gussets including a base connected to the bottom sheet and extending along the bottom sheet, and two arms extending from the base across the cavity to the top sheet, wherein the arms are connected to the top sheet,
wherein at least the base of each gusset is an air-permeable material, and wherein a first gusset of the plurality of gussets is positioned to cover at least one of the passages, such that the air-permeable material of the base of the first gusset is configured to allow air to pass through the base and out through the at least one of the passages to escape to the exterior of the device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet are at least partially formed of a material that is impermeable to liquid and air and is permeable to water vapor.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a port in communication with the cavity and with the exterior of the device, configured for connection to an air output for inflation of the cavity.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top sheet forms the top wall of the cavity and a top surface of the device, wherein the bottom sheet forms the bottom wall of the cavity and the bottom surface of the device, and wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet are each formed of a single layer and are formed as separate pieces which are joined together around their edges.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top sheet has a high friction material on a top surface thereof, wherein the high friction material has a greater resistance to sliding than a material of the bottom sheet.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gussets are positioned such that the bases of the gussets cover all of the plurality of passages.

7. A system comprising the device of claim 1 , and at least one wedge comprising a wedge body having a base wall, a ramp surface, a back wall, and a front end opposite the back wall, wherein the wedge is configured to be positioned under the device such that the base wall confronts the supporting surface and the ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the device.

8. A method comprising placing the device of claim 1 above a bed and beneath a patient, such that the patient rests on the device, and inflating the device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the device and the patient.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a center and at least two side edges, and wherein the passages are configured to permit a greater amount of air flow to escape proximate the center of the inflatable device than proximate the side edges of the inflatable device.

Assignees

• Sage Products Llc

Inventors

• Rigoni Michael J
• Sweetwood Garrett W
• Fowler Paul M
• Davis Gregory T
• Kennedy Jeffrey A
• Hanifl Paul H

Classifications

• A61G7/05769

  with inflatable chambers · CPC title

• A61G1/01

  Sheets specially adapted for use as or with stretchers (restraining devices used in nursing A61F5/37) · CPC title

• A61G7/001

  with means for turning-over the patient · CPC title

• A61F2013/15154

  for hospitalised patients · CPC title

• A61G7/05715

  with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material · CPC title