A technical solution which automatically extends the standard length of hospital bed mattresses, namely therapeutic or inflatable mattresses or other types of mattresses designed for a bed with an extendible loading surface.

Background art

Various types of mattresses are used for hospital beds, from the standard mattresses to atypical mattresses such as therapeutic mattresses placed on the loading surface of the bed. Air mattresses, which include active and reactive mattresses, are a known type of therapeutic mattress. Active mattresses can be further classified into alternating mattresses and non-alternating, or constant, mattresses. Alternating mattresses are characterized in that the pressure changes in the individual air chambers. These mattresses are largely used to treat patients who have already developed decubitus. Non-alternating active mattresses are characterized in that they constantly have a low pressure.

The majority of active and reactive mattresses have a standard length of 2 m and are designed for the standard loading surface length of hospital beds, which is also 2 m.

With the average height of patients increasing, hospital bed manufacturers have long been producing beds with an extendible loading surface in order to rid hospitals of the necessity to keep extra-long beds in storage for patients of above average height. In most cases, a standard bed with an extendible loading surface is equipped with a mattress that has the standard length of 2 m, which means that a trough (gap) appears between the mattress and the head of the bed when the bed is extended. This gap must be filled, and it is usually filled with an external pillow or a foam block which the staff must insert into the space. This solution is accompanied by several problems. The first problem to arise is storage; available storage space for these pillows becomes necessary. The area where the pillows or blocks are stored is generally in an area other than the bed, and the staff must therefore look for them. Such pillows or extension blocks are often lost as well. Another problem arises when the bed is used in its extended form. The block often falls out of the gap, or an uncomfortable gap forms between the mattress and the extension pillow, which may also cause decubitus on the patient's body parts that are in contact with this gap. A third problem may arise when a patient who should be using a therapeutic mattress of standard dimensions drops into the extended section of the firm part of the mattress due to his above-average height, meaning that its therapeutic properties become useless and that the patient is then at risk of developing decubitus in the place where his body comes into contact with the solid part of the extendible panel.

Of course, there are mattresses which attempt to extend when the loading surface is extended, so that there is no need to place a pillow between the mattress and the head of the loading surface. Patent J P2006136669(A) is one example of such a solution. In this solution, the size of the mattress matches the length of the bed loading surface when the bed is extended, while the mattress is in one piece. The foot of the mattress is, however, made of soft material and is perforated so that the mattress length can contract when the bed is contracted. However, this is suitable only when the patient does not need any sort of treatment, which may be detrimental in some cases.

Another way of dealing with the gap between mattress and headboard is, for example, the technical therapeutic mattress solution of Patent US5745937(A), wherein the mattress is contracted by deflating the first and second air chambers. Some mattresses described by this example are extended or contracted by the density ratio in the chambers. For this solution to work, there must be a large number of inflatable chambers in the mattress, which also needs a compressor to adjust the pressure in the chambers. In this solution, the mattress cannot extend automatically concurrently with the loading surface without the mattress being adjusted to do so with the compressor.

Summary of the invention

The above problems emerge on the loading surface of the extended hospital bed, care bed, examination bed, stretcher etc., when these beds are equipped with standard-sized mattresses, which are 2 m in length. The proposed technical solution is for an automatically extending mattress, or rather, a therapeutic mattress with the standard mattress length. The automatic extension is resolved using an extendible panel consisting in at least one hollow foam chamber enclosed in a tight sleeve with at least one outlet positioned on at least one lateral end. The extendible panel is further equipped, on at least one side of the outer sleeve, with fasteners, which can be used to attach the outer sleeve to the inside of the sleeve of the large outer mattress, or a standard-length therapeutic mattress. A therapeutic or standard mattress (henceforward "mattress") has a sleeve larger than its standard length and breadth, and therefore is longer and wider precisely so a mattress and extendible panel will fit inside. The large outer sleeve (henceforward "outer sleeve") is equipped with fasteners for attaching the extendible panel on its inner side at least one end . The extendible panel is precisely as large as the gap between the mattress and the head of the bed loading surface when extended.

The technical solution we propose is characterized in that the above-described extendible panel is connected to the larger outer sleeve of a therapeutic mattress or other mattress also in the sleeve. The mattress and extendible panel on the loading surface of the extending bed will contract completely automatically when the bed is returned to the original loading surface size, because the head of the loading surface compresses the extendible panel placed in the outer sleeve of the mattress. When this part of the mattress is compressed by the headboard, air is released from the foam chamber or chambers through a vent, causing the mattress to contract by the required span by which the bed was extended. By contrast, the mattress loading surface will automatically extend when the bed loading surface extends, because the pressure exerted on the extendible panel by the headboard will be released. At the same time, air will naturally flow into the foam chamber or chambers through the vent. In this way, the extendible panel will straighten and enlarge, and at the same time, the mattress will extend automatically, although mechanically.

This technical solution is uncomplicated and financially viable. It will simplify the work of staff operating the bed and reduce hospital storage costs for additional panels or spare pillows. It increases the comfort of patients who do not have to wait for the bed to extend. The external panel of the loading surface will not fall out, and the risk of decubitus is reduced, because there are no gaps for friction surfaces where decubitus could develop.

Brief description of drawings

See figure 1 for the deconstruction of the mattress with extension when extended. Figure 2 shows a lateral view of an assembled, extended mattress. Figure 3 is the lateral view of the extendible panel. Figure 4 is a view of the extendible panel from below. Figure 5 is a view of the end of the extendible panel in the sleeve.

Design examples

Figure 1 shows an automatically extending mattress when extended, which is designed, for example, for a hospital bed, care bed, examination bed, stretcher etc., with an available extendible loading surface, and which is composed in this instance of a configuration of therapeutic mattress 2, extendible panel 8, and mattress outer sleeve 3. In this figure, the automatically extending mattress 1 incorporates a therapeutic mattress 2 comprising a foam cover layer 4 designed as an overlay for the configuration of the air chambers 5, which are pneumatically connected by the tubing and fit into the moulded foam layer 7, where there is a second foam lining 6 between the air cells and foam layer. The lining is designed to fill the gaps between the air chambers 5 and the moulded foam layer 7 of the mattress i, wherein this therapeutic mattress 2 (henceforward mattress 2) of standard size is alternatively replaced by a standard mattress with the standard length.

Automatically extending mattress 1 is comprised of a mattress 2 and an extendible panel 8, wherein both parts are contained in the outer sleeve 3 of the mattress ±. The outer sleeve 3 of automatically extending mattress 1 is precisely big enough to contain a therapeutic or standard mattress 2 and an extendible panel 8 when extended. In a preferred embodiment, the mattress 2 may have one or several parts, made of one or several types of material or chambers, such as air chambers, foam chambers, etc. The outer sleeve 3 of the mattress 2 is longer than the standard mattress 2 precisely by the length by which the bed loading surface can be extended. In the same way, automatically extendible panel 8 is precisely large enough to fill the gap between the mattress 2 and the head of the bed loading surface, so that the patient's lower legs do not lie in an empty space above the loading surface, and do not fall onto the loading surface. In a preferred embodiment, the outer sleeve 2 of the mattress 2 is made of PVC, but may also be made of any other material, such as fabric, upholstery- or rubber-coated fabrics, or rubber or nylon, or other textile or upholstery fabric.

Figure 2 depicts the lateral view of automatically extending mattress 1 when assembled. In this example, the mattress comprises a therapeutic mattress 2 and an extendible panel 8. In a preferred embodiment, the automatically extending mattress 1 may be composed of a standard mattress 2 and an extendible panel 8. It is clear from this depiction that the therapeutic mattress 2 is ideally comprised of several parts, a foam part below and air chambers 4 which are pneumatically connected by the tubing. Furthermore, figure 2 shows a cross-section of the extendible panel 8 at the foot of the bed. Alternatively, the extendible panel 8 may be placed at the head of outer sleeve 3 of the automatically extending mattress This figure also clearly shows that the extendible panel 8 comprises several parts, two hollow foam chambers H , which are contained in tight sleeve 9 and equipped with two vents 10 on each side. Alternatively, the extendible panel 8 may be equipped with at least one vent 10 on at least one side of the sleeve. However, in a preferred embodiment, there may be more of these vents 10.

Figure 3 depicts the front view of the independently extendible panel 8. The foam chambers H can clearly be seen positioned in the tight sleeve 9 and at the bottom end of sleeve 9 of extendible panel 8, there are fasteners 12 which secure the extendible panel 8 to the internal wall of the larger outer sleeve 3 of the mattress 2. Figure 4 depicts the bottom view of extendible panel 8, from which it is clear that the foam chambers JM are enclosed in the tight sleeve 9. On the outer bottom side of both lateral ends of the sleeve 9, it is equipped with three fasteners 12 to secure the extendible panel 8 to the inside of larger outer sleeve 3 of the mattress 2 in a preferred embodiment. All in all, this shows sleeve 9 equipped with six fasteners 12 in a preferred embodiment. Alternatively, at least one fastener 12 or several fasteners 12 may be positioned anywhere on the outside of the sleeve 9 of the extendible panel 8 such that the extendible panel 8 may be connected to the inside of the larger sleeve 2 of the mattress 1. The fasteners 12 may be made of any components, such as studs or push-buttons. Alternatively, the extendible panel 8 may be attached using other types of fasteners 12 from the following components: Velcro, zips, buttons or tacks, or push-buttons, clamps, staples, clips or buckles. The outer sleeve 3 of the mattress I is also equipped with fasteners for securing the extendible panel 8. The fasteners of the extendible panel 8 fit directly into their counterparts of the fastener 12, which are located on the inner side of the larger router sleeve 3 of the mattress 2. By sealing the standard mattress 2 and connecting the extendible panel 8 to the larger outer sleeve 3, an automatically extending mattress 1 is created.

Alternatively, the extendible panel 8 may be directly fastened to the standard or therapeutic mattress 2 using the fasteners 12. However, the mattress 2 must be equipped with the counterparts to the fasteners 12, into which the fasteners 12 of the extendible panel 8 will fit, so that the standard mattress 2 and extendible panel 8 form one whole, thus creating one automatically extending mattress In another alternative may be a combination of both of the above methods of fastening extendible panel 8, so that extendible panel 8 is equipped with fasteners 12 on different sides, making it possible to secure it to mattress 2 and also the inside of outer sleeve 3, which will then form the cover layer for all of automatically extending mattress 1. Fasteners 12 on mattress 2 or the inside of outer sleeve 3 form the counterpart of the connectors, which can be any of the following components: Velcro, zips, buttons or tacks, or push-buttons, staples or clamps, clips or buckles.

In addition, figure 5 shows the lateral view of extendible panel 8, where the inner filling of extendible panel 8 can be seen. This is ideally made of two hollow foam chambers

11 , moulded into the shape of two tunnels sealed in tight sleeve 9, which is ideally equipped to advantage on the lateral side with two vents 10. This figure also visibly depicts fasteners

12, which connect extendible panel 8 with the inside of outer sleeve 3 of mattress 2. Vents 10 are located on the lateral side of extendible panel 8 and enable foam chambers H to deflate themselves and, by contrast, to fill themselves at atmospheric pressure without using a compressor. Foam chambers H ideally have openings or cavities 13 in the form of tunnels, or alternatively chambers H and cavities 3 in the chambers may be any geometric shape. Alternatively, these openings or cavities 13 may take the form of holes, circles or semi-circles, rectangles, squares, triangles etc.

The principle underlying our proposed technical solution for an automatic extension of any type of mattress consists in mattress 2 of any model or type being placed into large sleeve 3 which, whatever the size of mattress 2, is precisely as big as the bed loading surface when extended. Secure extendible panel 8 before extending sleeve 3. The panel is constructed so that it deflates itself and reduces its volume when a part of the extended loading surface contracts. Without this, it would be necessary to remove it from the sleeve and somehow deflate it. By contrast, extendible panel 8 is constructed so that it automatically fills with air and increases in length when the bed loading surface is extended. It is unnecessary to inflate extendible panel 8 using a compressor. Automatic inflation is achieved using vents 10, which form part of the sleeve of hollow foam chambers 11 In the proposed solution, air vents 10 are ideally made of a plastic ring and lattice. However, the vent may also be made of other materials, such as rubber or textiles, and may also have any geometric shape, such as hole or circle, rectangle or square, triangle etc. Ideally, extendible panel 8 is detachable and the mattress for automatic extension can be removed. However, extendible panel 8 of the mattress may alternatively be firmly secured to mattress 2, so forming one whole. However, even in this case it is necessary that the outer sleeve of mattress 3 is larger than the standard sleeve of mattress 2 when not extended.

List of reference brands

1 - automatically extending mattress

2 - therapeutic mattress, or standard mattress (henceforward the mattress)

3 - mattress outer sleeve (cover)

4 - foam cover layer

5 - air chambers

6 - foam lining

7 - foam layer (block)

8 - extendible panel

9 - tight sleeve of extendible panel

10 - vent

11 - hollow foam chamber

12 - fastener

13 - cavity in foam chamber