Background The invention relates to a patient support and a patient lifting means which can be used to enable bed ridden patients to be readily turned in bed. In hospitals, nursing homes, private homes and like situations many patients through a state of unconsciousness and/or disability are unable to turn themselves in bed and are required to be turned on a regular basis to maintain skin integrity and the like. In the past it has been usual practice for one or more attendants to manually lift, turn and slide a patient which can be difficult depending upon the weight of the patient.

This turning activity whilst necessary, creates a significant potential hazard to the attendants involved in the activity and is one which has lead to a number of injuries being reported. In addition the turning action can cause some distress to patients and result in injury.

One proposal to overcome this problem is disclosed in WO 02/45656 (PCT/US01/46891) and involves the use of inflatable bladders to be located under each side of the patient which can be selectively inflated to cause the patient to be turned on the bed. Another proposal has been disclosed in US675925 and relates to the use of a sheet upon which the patient is required to lie whereby the one side edge can be located over the patient and the attendant then locates themselves beside the bed and pulls the overlying side to cause the patient to be rolled towards them. The uppermost side is then fixed to the side of the bed to hold the patient in position on their side. Whilst this arrangement can achieve the turning of a patient upon the bed it does require significant effort by the attendant

and also requires the sheet element to be present to maintain the patient in a position on their side.

Another arrangement has been disclosed in GB2130482 whereby the bed is associated with a continuous belt which overlies the bed and is supported at either side of the bed by a set of rollers which can be raised vertically to raise the portion of the belt which overlies the bed. In use the patient lies upon the belt and when it is desired to turn the patient the belt is raised and is caused to rotate which results in the patient rolling on the belt This arrangement is capital intensive in that it requires a specialised bed.

Disclosure of the Invention According to one aspect the invention resides in a patient support comprising a panel formed of a membrane which in use is to be positioned to overlie a bed and receive a patient tying on the bed, the panel having a pair of opposed side edges which in use are to lie proximate the sides of the bed, at least one lifting point provided at each edge, each edge being adapted to transmit the load between the panel and the lifting point such that the axial orientation of the patient supported on the panel is substantially unchanged when the panel is lifted at both edges by the lifting points.

According to another aspect the invention resides in a patient support and lifting means combination wherein the patient support comprises a panel formed of a membrane which in use is to be positioned to overlie a bed and receive a patient lying on the bed, the panel having a pair of opposed side edges which in use are to lie proximate the sides of the bed, at least one lifting point provided at each edge, each edge being adapted to transmit the load between the panel and the lifting point such that the axial orientation of the patient supported on the panel is substantially unchanged when the panel is lifted at both edges by the lifting points and the lifting means comprises a base, and upstanding support and a drive, an arm mounted to the upstanding support to provide a laterally extending support to locate a lifting point at a position spaced laterally from the lifting means which can be raised and lowered by the drive, the arm supporting a strut proximate its outer

end, the strut having opposed ends, said ends being adapted to be connected to opposed sides of the patient support, said strut pivotally supported from the arm at a pivot position located intermediate of the ends, a further drive between the arm and the strut to effect pivotal movement of the strut on the arm.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the panel is intended to underlie the bedding upon which the patient is normally resident According to a preferred feature of the invention the edges are linear and are associated with an elongate support receivable in the edges.

According to a preferred feature of the invention wherein the edges are arcuate and define a convex profile at each side of the panel.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the edges are reinforced.

According to a preferred feature of the invention in a plurality of lifting points are provided along each edge.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the patient support further comprises a harness adapted to be engagable with the lifting points and having a mounting adapted to be supported from at least one lifting means.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the patient support is formed of a fabric material.

According to another aspect the invention resides in an attachment for a lifting means, wherein the lifting means has a base, and upstanding support and a drive, said attachment comprising an arm adapted to be mounted to the upstanding support to provide a laterally extending support to locate a lifting point at a position spaced laterally from the lifting means which can be raised and lowered by the drive, the arm supporting a strut proximate its outer end, the strut having opposed ends, said ends being adapted to be connected to opposed sides of a patient support, said strut pivotally supported from the arm at a pivot position

located intermediate of the ends, a further drive between the arm and the strut to effect pivotal movement of the strut on the arm.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the attachment is incorporated into a lifting means.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the attachment comprises a permanent element of the lifting means.

According to another aspect the invention resides in a lifting means having a base, and upstanding support and a drive, an arm mounted to the upstanding support to provide a laterally extending support to locate a lifting point at a position spaced laterally from the lifting means which can be raised and lowered by the drive, the arm supporting a strut proximate its outer end, the strut having opposed ends, said ends being adapted to be connected to opposed sides of a patient support, said strut pivotally supported from the arm at a pivot position located intermediate of the ends, a further drive between the arm and the strut to effect pivotal movement of the strut on the arm.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the pivot position is located to one side of the axis extending between the ends.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the pivot position is located substantially symmetrically with respect to the ends.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the strut comprises an elongate member and a central member which extends laterally from the elongate member, the pivot position located on the central member and the strut being supported from the arm such the elongate member is located below the arm, the further drive extending between the arm and the central member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the pivot position is located towards the end of the central member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention wherein the pivot position is located intermediate of the length of the central member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the further drive comprises an extendable and retractable member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the extendible and retractable member comprises a mechanical drive.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the extendible and retractable member comprises a fluid operated member.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the further drive comprises a geared drive.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the further drive comprises a chain and sprocket drive.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the further drive comprises a pulley drive.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the arm is pivotally supported from the upstanding support and the drive is adapted to cause relative pivotable movement of the arm on the upstanding support to cause the upward and downward movement of the lifting point.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the arm is rigidly supported from the upstanding support which is capable of extension and retraction and the drive is adapted to cause extension and retraction of the upstanding support to cause the upward and downward movement of the lifting point.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the arm is separable from the upstanding support.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of one of the embodiments of the patient support intended for use with the embodiments of the lifting means; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the linkage portion of the harness which can be applied to the patient support of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of the patient support intended for use with the embodiments of the lifting means; Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of a patient support and harness supported from a lifting means according to the first embodiment of the lifting means; Figure 5 is a sectional partial elevation of the first embodiment of the lifting means showing the pivotal support for the strut from the arm; Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the second embodiment of the lifting means; Figure 7 is a partial side elevation of the arm of the second embodiment of the lifting means; and Figure 8 is a sectional plan of the third embodiment of the lifting means.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments The embodiments relate to patient support comprising a panel which is to be placed on a bed and which is to receive a patient and a lifting means which can be used with the patient support. If desired the panel may be overlaid by bed sheet or like bedding for the comfort of a patient. The panel according to the

embodiment is formed from a fabric material which is porous and which has sufficient strength to be able to accommodate the weight of the patient when supported by the panel. The embodiments of the panel are illustrated at Figures 1 and 3.

According to one embodiment of the patient support and as shown at Figure 1 the panel 11 is of a rectangular configuration whereby its edges are intended to extend beyond the sides of the mattress. The side edges are reinforced. Such reinforcement can comprise the incorporation of an elongate member or semi rigid rod-like member, In addition the edges are provided with a set of lifting points 15 which comprise loops 13 fixed to the edges of a sheet at equally spaced intervals along the edges of the sheet. In addition the panel is reinforced by a number of transverse elements which extend transversely across the panel between the lifting points The first embodiment of the panel is intended to be utilised with a harness which connects each of the lifting points 15 with a lifting means according to any of the embodiments. The harness (as shown at Figure 2) comprises a linkage 40 which provides a connection between the lifting points 15 and the respective end of a strut 121 which is to be supported from a lifting means of the forms described below. The linkage 40 comprises a central mounting 41 which is intended to be received on the end of the strut, a set of ties 43 and an elongate support 45. The elongate support 45 is provided with a set of hooks 47 which are in one to one correspondence with the lifting points on the panel and the ties extend between the central mounting and the elongate support where the mountings of the ties to the elongate support are spaced along the elongate support. When an edge is supported by the linkage, the edge remains substantially collinear and the stresses are substantially evenly distributed along the edge.

According to another embodiment of the patient support and as shown at Figure 3 the panel 111 has a generally oval shape and is dimensioned to be received over the mattress of the bed such that the edges 113 extend beyond the sides of the mattress. The edges 113 are of a generally convex configuration and are reinforced. In addition the edges support a pair of lifting loops 115 in opposed

relation to each other where the support for the lifting loops is provided by means of a triangular web 117 which is fixed to the respective edge. In addition the panel is reinforced by a number of transverse elements which extend transversely across the panel at spaced intervals along the length of the panel.

In the case of both embodiments of the patient support the arrangement of the lifting points and their mounting to the respective edge is such that when the panel is lifted through the lifting points the central axis of the panel remains substantially collinear. This support is provided throughout the length of that central axis. The purpose of such is that when a patient is supported from both sets of lifting points the patient is not caused to undergo any significant distortion or to be subjected to significant discomfort.

The lifting means according to the first embodiment and as shown at Figures 4 and 5 has a wheeled base 120 which supports an upstanding column 123. The upper end of the column pivotally supports an arm 129 and a fluid operated cylinder 137 is mounted between the column and the arm whereby expansion and contraction of the cylinder will result in the upward or downward displacement of the arm about the pivotal connection with the column. The arm 129 extends laterally from the lifting means to overlie the base 120. The outer end of the arm supports a T-shaped strut 124 having an elongate portion 121 and a central laterally extending portion 125. The central portion 125 is pivotally supported from the arm 129 and the ends of the elongate portion 121 receive the central mountings of the linkage 40, in the case of the first embodiment of the patient support (as shown) or the lifting point 115 of the second embodiment of patient support. The central portion 125 of the strut 124 is pivotally supported from the arm 129 through a pivot pin 127 at an intermediate position along the length of the central portion and as a result a portion of the central portion extends beyond the pivot. An extendible drive 133 (which may be of a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic form) or is provided between the outer end of the central portion and a bracket 135 provided on the inner end of the arm 123. With retraction and extension of the extendible drive 133, the strut is caused to pivot about the pivot pin 131 such that the ends of the strut are displaced vertically with respect to each other. As a result of such displacement the edges of the panel supported from the

strut are caused to be displaced vertically and such relative vertical displacement of the opposite sides of the panel result in the patient being turned.

In the use of the patient support according to its first embodiment and as been indicated previously the panel is intended to overlie the bed but underlie the bedding which is usually required under the patient. If one takes an instance where the patient is in the supine position and it is necessary to turn the patient to lie in a coma position on one or the other side, the linkage 40 is connected to the lifting points 15 along the edges of the panel. The lifting means is then moved into a position such that its base underlies the bed and the arm 129 overlies the patient. The central mountings 41 of the harness are then mounted to the respective end of the strut 125 and the arm of the lifting means is raised in accordance with its usual operation to lift the panel with the patient from the bed still in a supine position. Once the patient has been lifted from the bed, the strut 125 is then caused to rotate about the pivot pin 127 to vary the displacement of the edges of the panel relative to each other to cause to patient to roll from the supine position to a coma position lying on one or the other side. In this position the lifting means is moved laterally over the bed such that the patient is located substantially centrally on the mattress, the lifting means is lowered and the harness is disconnected from the strut and from the edges of the panel. A similar sequence of operation can be effected to cause rotation of a patient from a position which they are in a coma position to a supine position.

The second embodiment of the patient support (as shown at Figure 3) can be utilised with the first embodiment of the lifting means in a similar manner to effect the turning of a patient on a bed.

The effect of the first embodiment of the lifting means in its use with a patient support according to each of the embodiments thereof as described above is to provide a means whereby the patient is capable of being lifted from a bed and then moved from a supine position to a coma position lying on their side or alternatively from a coma position lying on their side to another coma position lying on their other side or alternatively from a coma position lying on their side to

a supine position without any adverse strain being experienced by an attendant or the patient having been subjected to adverse strain or discomfort.

According to a second embodiment of the lifting means and as shown at Figures 6 and 7 the pivotal movement of the strut is effected though a chain and sprocket drive 141 which is operated through a winding handle 143. The handle is associated with a suitable clutch mechanism and associated ratchet. drive to be able to cause pivotal movement of the strut in either direction.

According to a third embodiment of the lifting means and as shown at Figure 8 the pivotal movement of the strut is effected though a chain and sprocket drive 141 which is operated through an electric motor 145. A suitable clutch mechanism and gearbox enables the motor to cause pivotal movement of the strut in either direction at the desired speed.

According to an alternative further embodiment of the lifting means the strut comprises an elongate element pivotally supported at a central position from the arm in order that the strut is rotatable about a central transverse axis of the strut.

The rotation of the strut can be effected by utilisation of a drive means between the arm and the strut. Alternatively the strut may be caused to rotate as a result of manual effort being applied to one or the other side of the strut to cause the patient to roll.

According to a further alternative embodiment of the lifting means the length of the strut may be variable to accommodate for patients of varying widths.

According to a further embodiment of the lifting means which is applicable to each of the previous embodiments of the lifting means described above the lifting means comprises one in which the column is extendable and retractable and the arm is fixed to the arm.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise"or variations such as"comprises"or"comprising", will be understood to

imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiments described above and in particular need not be restricted to the particular geometric relationship of the rotatable mounting of the strut to the arm and of the drive means in relation to the strut to effect pivotal or rotational movement of the strut. In addition the extendible drive 133 can be located in any desired relationship to the arm in order to effect the desired movement of the strut. In addition the drive means utilised in causing the movement of the strut need not be limited to the particular form described in relation to the embodiment but can comprise any suitable form of drive. In addition the patient support need not be restricted to the configurations described above in relation to the embodiments of the patient support and can be formed of any material deemed suitable for the purpose.