Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to flexible patient supports which are made from or incorporate flexible support sheets or panels.

Background of the Invention

There are various types of patient supports used for lifting a patient from a sitting or reclining position or for moving a patient. Typically, such supports are made of strong materials, for instance metal and/or canvas or other strong fabric. Examples include harnesses and the like.

In cases where a patient is to be raised from a sitting position, it is sometimes advantageous or necessary to hold the patient's knees and/or ankles to prevent the patient slipping. For this purpose, it is known to provide knee or ankle supports which are positioned by the knees, shins or ankles. As the patient rises to a standing position, the knees, shins or ankles press against the supports to assist the patient. Often significant pressure is applied by the patient's knees, shins or ankles on the supports. The supports are typically made in the form of metal plates covered in foam or soft plastic for comfort. This is particularly the case when the support is a leg or knee support, where stress is produced on the knees and also knee caps.

Similarly, known fabric supports and harnesses are generally relatively stiff. They also have stitch lines which can be relatively hard, causing discomfort and grazing to the patient.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention seeks to provide improved medical supports.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a patient support including at least one support membrane made of stretchable material.

It is conventional with patient supports to provide patient supports with fabric elements or membranes which are flexible but made of strong material, typically a strong canvas or fabric material. The material is also typically stitched at its edges and at other contour parts, for strength. By contrast, the teachings herein provide a support membrane which is made of a stretchable material. This has the effect in use of exhibiting some give when subjected to load, in practice of a patient. Such give, or elasticity, increases patient comfort particularly in comparison with existing devices which can be uncomfortable. Furthermore, the give of the membrane assists in conforming this and thus the support to the patient, which can reduce the chance of slippage of the patient during handling.

Advantageously, the membrane is formed from a sheet material. In another embodiment, the membrane is moulded to a predetermined shape, typically contoured for a person.

In the preferred embodiment, the membrane is formed from silicone. In other embodiments, the membrane is formed from polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), rubber or a rubber-like material.

In some embodiments the membrane may be formed from a stretchable fabric.

Preferably, the patient support includes a support structure, to which the membrane is connected. Advantageously, the membrane is connected to the support structure only at edges or extremities thereof. It will be appreciated that with such a structure, the membrane can flex while on the support. In this regard, it is preferred that there is no component of the assembly which is disposed behind the operative side of the membrane, such that this can flex without causing the patient to come into contact with any other part of the support, such as a metal plate as occurs with existing knee supports.

Advantageously, thus, the membrane is free to flex on the support structure.

In an embodiment, the support structure provides a lateral frame across which the membrane is connected. The lateral frame may include first and second side elements to which the membrane is connected, where edges of the

membrane between the lateral frames are preferably able to flex.

Such a structure may be a knee/leg support, shin support or an ankle support. In another embodiment, the patient support is a sling.

In the preferred embodiments, the membrane is free of stitching where the body is placed, for instance free of stitching save for at a support structure.

The support may be a knee support, a calf support, a rear support or a back support.

In another embodiment, there is provided a stretcher assembly including a frame, the membrane being in the form of a moulded support element or providing a plurality of belts. Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 3 show in schematic form an embodiment of patient support;

Figures 4 and 5 show in schematic form another embodiment of patient support; and

Figures 6 and 7 show in schematic form an embodiment of patient back support.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Described below are various embodiments of flexible patient support which include a stretchable membrane designed to carry the patient's weight or a part of the patient's weight. The supports are useful in assisting a patient to rise, for example to a standing position, and also for lifting a patient in a hospital or care home environment. Amongst the embodiments described below is a membrane which is at least partially stretchable and this may be made of a singular material or maybe a multi-layer, which structure is at least partially stretchable. It is envisaged that in most embodiments the membrane will stretch only a given amount under a given load and will remain flexible beyond such load.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, these show a first embodiment of support 10 for use in supporting a patient 12 and particularly for assisting the patient 12 to rise from a sitting to a standing position. The patient support 10 includes, in this example, first and second lateral support elements 14, 16, which may be substantially rigid rods made of metal or other strong material. Connected to the support elements 14, 16 is a stretchable membrane 18 which in this example has a substantially rectangular form. First and second edges 20, 22 of the membrane 18 are attached to the frame in any suitable manner. They may, for example, be bonded to the frame, fixed within attachment elements of the lateral support 14, 16 (not shown), or may be wrapped around the lateral supports and held by stitching or any other suitable method.

The membrane 18 is preferably of a width sufficient to accommodate both of a patient's legs and knees and for this purpose may have a width of around 50 to around 80 cm or so, although may be narrower or wider than this dependent upon the nature of the patient. The membrane 18 may also have a height in the region of around 40 to around 70 cm or so, although again may have a lesser or greater height in dependence upon the nature of the patient.

The membrane 18 is, in this embodiment, held at its two lateral edges 20, 22, while its top and bottom edges 24, 26 are unsupported, thus allowing these to flex and stretch in use.

The height of the membrane is preferably sufficient to extend from the top of the foot, around the ankle, to well above the knees of the patient and has a width sufficient to accommodate both of the patient's knees when sitting down on a chair and having his/her legs slightly apart.

It will be appreciated that the lateral supports 14, 16 would typically be a part of a larger item of equipment in which the support elements 14, 16 are fixed so that these remain substantially rigid and steady during operation of the patient support 10. The skilled person will readily be able to appreciate the nature and structure of such equipment, being known in the art.

The membrane 18 may be made of silicone, which is the preferred material, but in other embodiments may be of polyurethane, rubber or a rubber-like material. It may also be made of a stretchable fabric material.

In some embodiments, the membrane 18 may be of substantially uniform thickness. In other embodiments, the membrane 18 may be provided with reinforcements such as zones of thicker material, for instance in the regions where the patient's body part or parts are intended to press against the membrane for instance in the knee area 30 as shown in Figure 2, in other embodiments being thicker in zones not contacted by the patient. The thicker zones of sheet material may extend over the whole of the relevant area of the membrane 18 (that is as depicted by zone 30 in Figure 2) or may be in the form of ribs or other enforcement elements. It will be appreciated also that where ribs or other reinforcement elements are used, these may be of a different material to that of a membrane and need not necessarily be of stretchable material given their positioning on a stretchable substrate (the material of the membrane 18).

The membrane 18 could be provided with signs, symbols or letters, which in some embodiments may be embossed or recessed into the material of the membrane 18. These could include, for example, product name, product characteristics and/or operating specifications, washing instructions, company logo, company name and any combinations of these.

The membrane 18 may be of any colour and in some embodiments it may be transparent or translucent so that a care worker can see, from the other side of the membrane, where a patient's knees, in this example, are positioned with respect to the membrane and in particular the contact area 30.

The knee support 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 provides for support to a patient's knees/legs, against which the patient 12 can press as the patient rises from a seating position. The membrane 18, attached to the lateral supports 14, 16, will take the force of the patient's legs during this movement and will in the first instance stretch to provide a soft cushioning function to the support 10. Once the membrane 18 has stretched beyond its initial stretch, it will provide an increasing restraining force to support the patient's legs and knees, thereby helping the patient reach a standing position. During this action, the stretch of the membrane 18 also assists in holding the patient's knees, by partially wrapping around the knees, which can reduce the chance of slippage of the patient.

The patient support 10 could also be positioned behind a patient's calves in order to support the calves and prevent slippage of the patient's feet. For this purpose, the support unit 10 could be made to have a height less than the patient's lower leg, preferably of no more than around 10 to around 50 cm. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments there may be provided upper and lower support elements or bars, connected to the support bars 14, 16, thereby to create a support frame.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, these show another embodiment of patient support 32, which in this case is a rear and trunk support, again made of silicone or any of the other materials disclosed herein. The support 32 includes first and second torso straps 34, 36 and first and second seat straps 38, 40. The straps will typically be provided with couplings such as hooks, rings and so on, for attachment to a harness of known type. The support 32 also includes a seat and trunk support membrane 42 which is shaped to support the patient's back and rear, as shown in Figure 5 in particular. At least the membrane 42 is made of a stretchable material although it is preferred that the straps 34-40 are also made of the same material. It will be appreciated though, that in some embodiments the straps 34-40 could be made of a non-stretchable material if desired.

Running down the membrane 42 is a strengthening band 44 which, as explained above, may be a region of greater thickness of membrane material or may be provided with strengthening ribs or other strengthening elements, again as described above. The membrane 42 may be made of a plurality of different thicknesses and in some embodiments may have a variable thickness across its extent.

The membrane 42 is preferably sufficiently high to cover up to the patient's head and extends low enough so as to support the back of the patient's thighs. It will be appreciated that the support 32 provides more attachment points than existing supports.

As with the embodiments of Figures 1 to 3, the support 32 may be made of any colour or may be transparent or translucent and may be provided with signs, symbols or letters thereon.

It is preferred that the support 32, as with all the supports disclosed herein, has no stitching of the membrane at least at those parts of the membrane which are likely to contact the patient 12. Stitching can make the device stiffer and provide protrusions or areas of hardness which are uncomfortable to the patient. The use of any of the materials disclosed above for the support 32 can avoid use of the stitching.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, these show another embodiment of support 50, which in this case is a back support for supporting a patient's back. This can be used for assisting a patient 12 to rise from a sitting position to a standing position, for example.

The back support 50 includes four strap elements 52-58 at adjacent sides and at the top and bottom of a membrane 60 which covers a patient's back, as can be seen in Figure 7. As with the above-described embodiments, the back support may be provided with a zone 62 a greater thickness or which strengthening elements of the types described above.

The back support 50 shown in Figures 6 and 7 may have the same features as the supports disclosed above and in particular the rear and trunk support 32 shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The back support 50 may have a height such that it reaches above the patient's head and low enough to align with the patient's tail bone although, as with the other embodiments disclosed herein may have different dimensions.

As with the support 32, the back support 50 may have a membrane which is generally pre-curved or shaped to the patient although this is not necessary.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of support shown in Figures 4 to 7 and associated embodiments are not restricted to having four straps as they may have more than four and in some cases fewer than four.

The patient support may have many other configurations. One example is a rear support shaped and sized to support a patient's rear and having straps for attachment to a harness. Again, the rear support may have four straps as with the embodiments of Figures 4-7. Such a support could extend up to above the patient's waist and sufficiently to touch the back of the patient's thighs.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown an example of a stretcher frame assembly 70 according to another embodiment of the invention. The stretcher frame assembly 70 is shown coupled to a hoist 72 of conventional form and therefore not described herein in detail. The stretcher frame assembly 70 includes a generally rectangular open frame element 74 , again of conventional form, which has a shape and size larger than the frame of a typical patient, such that a person carried by the frame assembly 70 can lie comfortably within the frame element 74.

Coupled to the frame element 74, in this embodiment, there is provided a series of straps 76, 78 which extend from one frame side 80 to the other and are attached to the frame sides 80 by any suitable mechanism of which several will be apparent to the skilled person. One or more of the straps 78 may be wider and/or thicker than the other straps 78, for instance to support a heavier part of a patient, typically the head, patient's seat and so on. The straps will be made from the membrane taught herein, that is of stretchable material and may have all of the characteristics of the membrane taught herein. The provision of straps 76, 78 made of such membrane will allow the straps and hence the patient support to stretch controllably at the start of a support operation, that is when the patient is lowered onto the stretcher or the stretcher is raised from a ground or other support surface, providing in effect a soft contact, and will also enable to straps to conform better to the shape of the patient.

Other embodiments provide in place of the straps 76, 78, the frame assembly 70 could be provided with a support element in sheet form which extends across the entirety of or substantially the entirety of the space within the frame 80. Such a support element is preferably a moulded support, sometimes referred to as a shovel, formed of the membrane material taught herein. The support will thus have the same characteristics as taught herein. The membrane or shovel could have zones of different thickness, again as taught herein.

The stretcher can be used for carrying an injured patient. The arrangement can be such that the straps 76, 78 or shovel can be slid under the laying patient and then attached to the stretcher frame, so that the patient can then be raised off the ground. The stretcher can thus be used for assisting the transfer of a patient or animal that has fallen and possibly suffered back or neck injuries.

All of the embodiments of patient support described above and

contemplated by the teachings herein are able to spread pressure much more efficiently than stiff supports made of metal, tough fabric or other similar materials, in particular as the result of the stretchability of the membrane. Furthermore, the membrane will not cut into a patient's flesh in the same manner as prior art supports.

Moreover, when raising a patient, the patient support can apply what could be described as a slow start to the patient's movement as the result of stretching of the membrane, which not adds comfort to the patient. Conventional slings and other supports are not able to provide such a "soft start" due to their rigidity, firmness and non-stretchability.

The support taught herein can also be used for patient rehabilitation, for example enabling a patient to carry out sit-to-stand movements as well as stand-to-sit movements making use of the patient support, which will not be uncomfortable or painful to use as the material of the membrane 18 will stretch and flex at the same location of flexure of the patient's body. The support can also flex while the patient is standing, enabling the patient to relax more when upright. It is envisaged that the support could also be used to enable natural gait training. The support could be used as a training device, in which a patient can press against the support with comfort, with the membrane flexing to provide counter force and thus exercising for the patient.

When the membrane 18 is formed of silicone or similar material, the material will provide a certain amount of friction which can help in preventing slippage of the patient during movement. Moreover, the resilient nature of the membrane 18 can enable the support to be used by different patients without having to make any adjustments given that the membrane will stretch less or more in dependence upon the force applied to it. Similarly, the material of the membrane, particularly made of silicone or similar material can contour to the shape of the body and do so significantly better than stiff fabric slings.

The skilled person will appreciate that only some embodiments

contemplated by teachings herein are described above and that other designs of the patient support will be ready apparent to the skilled person.

It is also to be understood that the various features of the different embodiments disclosed herein may be used interchangeably from one

embodiment to another. The contents of the abstract which accompanies this application is incorporated herein by reference.