Turning aid pad and turning aid mattress

Abstract

To provide a mattress which assists a turnover of a user who is lowered in a muscle force by himself / herself.SOLUTION: A turnover assist pad 2 which is used by being placed on a mattress, an underquilt or a carpet comprises a first pad 3 which is arranged in a height direction, and on which an upper half body side of a user is placed, and a second pad 4 on which waist buttocks of a lower half body side of the user are placed. The second pad is formed of a cushion material having a prescribed thickness, a second support part 41 having a width narrower than a width of a pelvis of the user is arranged in a center part in a width direction, a pair of second hardness gradient parts 42 are arranged at both end parts in the width direction, a hardness gradient whose apparent hardness becomes gradually low is formed toward the outside from an end part of the second support part, and the turnover assist pad supports at least a part of the waist buttocks of the user who is in a supine posture, and also supports a greater trochanter of a thighbone of the user when the user turns over.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a turning assistance pad and mattress, and more particularly to a turning assistance pad and mattress that allows a user, such as a person requiring care, to turn over in bed by himself / herself in order to encourage the independence of the person requiring care. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, as the super-aging society progresses, importance has been placed on independent living support care to promote the independence of those who require care. Independence support programs for those who require care are roughly divided into those related to in-bed movements (movements of getting up and down) from lying on one's back to rolling over, sitting up, and standing up, and those related to movements after getting out of bed (rehabilitation, daily activities).

[0003] Among these, movements on the bed are the most important basic movements and are the starting point of independence, so various proposals and studies have been made on support methods and support tools to enable smooth movements on the bed. For example, when performing movements on the bed from lying on one's back to standing up, one must first change position from lying on one's back (supine position) to lying on one's side (lateral position), that is, turn over.

[0004] Therefore, Patent Document 1 describes a mattress with a structure that makes it easy to turn over, based on the knowledge that by selectively sinking the shoulders and upper arms in the turning direction into the mattress, the shoulders that sink into the mattress become the axis of rotation for turning over and promoting turning over. This mattress has a central block that is arranged in the center of the mattress in the width direction and supports the back and waist of a user in a supine position, and end blocks that are arranged at both ends of the mattress in the width direction and support the shoulders of the user in a supine position, the central block is formed to be softer than the outer peripheral parts of the end blocks, and the end blocks are provided with a hardness adjustment means that adjusts the hardness of the end blocks so that a hardness gradient is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases toward the direction of contact with the central block, and adjusts the apparent hardness of the end blocks so that the apparent hardness of the positions that contact the shoulders of the user in a supine position is lower than the apparent hardness of the central block. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-57712 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The turning motion when changing posture from supine to lateral can be roughly divided into a bending-turning type consisting of head turning → upper body turning → pelvis turning → lower limbs turning, and an extension-turning type consisting of lower limbs turning → pelvis turning simultaneously with or after lower limbs turning → upper body turning → head turning. In the upper body turning, the shoulder turning motion is the most stressful motion. Therefore, by making the shoulder turning motion unhindered and easy to turn, it becomes easy to turn in either turning type. In this respect, in the mattress of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the hardness adjusting means provided in the end block makes it easy for the user's shoulders and upper arms to selectively sink into the part of the end block that is adjusted to a low hardness, and the shoulders that sink into that part become the rotation axis of turning, promoting turning.

[0007] However, the inventors of the present application have found that, in general, people who require nursing care and have poor muscle strength in the lower body and abdomen often perform a bending and rotating type of turning motion that starts from the upper body, and even if they can turn the upper body, they tend to have difficulty turning the pelvis. Specifically, when trying to turn, they can turn the upper body sideways by grabbing the railings at the side of the bed with their hands, but then they are unable to turn the lower body sideways, and they give up and return the upper body to its original upright position, which means that they are unable to turn over completely. In this way, it has been found that when a user who has reduced muscle strength to turn the lower body tries to turn over on their own, the turning motion of the pelvis is a big hurdle. In this regard, the mattress of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 focuses only on the turning motion of the shoulders, and no consideration has been given to turning over the pelvis while also focusing on the turning motion of the pelvis.

[0008] On the other hand, while recovery through sleep is generally essential for health, in recent years attention has been paid to improving the "quality of sleep," and natural turning over during sleep has been noted as one of the factors that contribute to improving the quality of sleep. In this case, that is, during sleep, not only turning over in a flexion-rotation type that starts from the upper body, but also turning over in a stretch-rotation type that starts from the lower body, as well as various types of turning over that are not classified as these, are known to occur unconsciously. Therefore, there is a demand for tools and mattresses that can encourage various types of turning over and enable smoother turning over.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide a turning assistance device and mattress that can facilitate the pelvic rotation movement that is difficult for users with reduced muscle strength, and help them turn in bed on their own.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a turning assistance device and mattress that can facilitate the series of movements required for turning over for users with reduced muscle strength, and can assist them in turning over on their own.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a turning aid and mattress that can encourage various types of turning movements to improve the quality of sleep and allow the user to turn over more smoothly and naturally. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, the turning assist pad of the present invention is a turning assist pad that is placed on a mattress, a futon or a rug when used, and includes at least a first pad arranged in the height direction on which the upper body side of the user is placed, and a second pad on which at least the lower back and buttocks of the user's lower body side are placed, the first pad is made of a cushioning material of a predetermined thickness and is configured to support at least a part of the back of the user in a supine position, and the second pad is made of a cushioning material of a predetermined thickness and has a widthwise center portion of the second pad. The second pad has a second support portion having a width narrower than the width of the user's pelvis, and a pair of second hardness gradient portions are provided at both widthwise ends of the second pad in at least a portion of the length of the second support portion, and the second hardness gradient portions have a second hardness adjustment means for adjusting the hardness gradient so that the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion toward the outside, and the second support portion supports at least a portion of the lower back and buttocks of the user in a supine position, and the second hardness gradient portion is configured to support the greater trochanter of the user's femur when turning over.

[0013] In a lying position, the user's upper body is supported by the first pad, and the lower body is supported by the second pad. The head and back, which are centered on the spine, are stably supported by the first pad, and the lower back and buttocks, which are centered on the sacrum, are stably supported by the second support part of the second pad. When turning over in a bending and rotation type of motion, which starts from the upper body, the pelvis is turned after the upper body is turned. When the pelvis is turned, the greater trochanter of the femur, which is in the direction of turning and requires the most force for the turning motion, and the surrounding parts of the pelvis, such as the ilium nearby, are supported by the second hardness gradient part. The second hardness gradient part has a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support part toward the outside, so that when the surrounding parts of the pelvis, such as the greater trochanter of the femur, which are in the direction of turning, touch the second hardness gradient part, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness. Therefore, the distance between the point where the pelvis periphery, such as the greater trochanter of the femur, contacts the second hardness gradient section and the user's body axis becomes shorter, so the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis is reduced, and the lower body can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the lower limbs from the turning of the pelvis. This reduces the load on the lower body, so that even a user with reduced muscle strength involved in turning the lower body can easily turn over on his / her own. The second hardness gradient section, which has the effect of encouraging turning over, is configured so that its apparent hardness gradually decreases and does not have a large hardness difference, so that the sleeping posture is stable, the sleeping comfort is excellent, and the turning over motion can be performed stably.

[0014] In addition, when turning over in an extension-rotation type, in which the lower body is the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the pelvis surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction and the ilium nearby, are supported by the second hardness gradient section. Since the second hardness gradient section has a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support section toward the outside, when the pelvis surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction, touches the second hardness gradient section, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness. Therefore, the distance between the contact point and the user's body axis becomes closer, the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis becomes smaller, and the lower body side can be easily turned.

[0015] Furthermore, in the turning assistance pad of the present invention, a first support section having a width equal to or smaller than the shoulder width of the user is provided in the widthwise central portion of the first pad, and a pair of first hardness gradient sections are provided at both widthwise ends of the first pad along at least a portion of the length of the first support section, and the first hardness gradient sections have a first hardness adjustment means for adjusting the hardness gradient so that the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support section toward the outside, and it is also preferable that the first support section supports at least a portion of the back of the user in a supine position, and the first hardness gradient sections are configured to support the shoulders of the user when turning over.

[0016] When lying on one's back, the upper half of the user's body is supported by the first pad, and the lower half of the user's body is supported by the second pad. The head and back, which are centered around the spine, are stably supported by the first support part, and the buttocks, which are centered around the sacrum of the lower body, are stably supported by the second support part. When turning over in a bending and rotating type of motion, in which the upper body is the starting point of the motion, the shoulder, which is in the direction of turning and requires the most force for the turning motion, is supported by the first hardness gradient part. The first hardness gradient part has a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support part toward the outside, so that when the shoulder in the direction of turning touches the first hardness gradient part, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness. Therefore, the distance between the point where the shoulder touches the first hardness gradient section and the user's body axis becomes shorter, so that the force (torque) required to turn the upper body side becomes smaller, and the upper body side can be easily turned. In addition, when turning the pelvis following the turning of the upper body side, the pelvis surrounding parts such as the greater trochanter of the femur and the ilium nearby, which are in the direction of turning, are supported by the second hardness gradient section. Since the second hardness gradient section also has a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support section toward the outside, the point where the pelvis surrounding parts such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning touches the second hardness gradient section sinks, so that the distance between this contact point and the user's body axis becomes shorter, so that the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis becomes smaller, and the lower body side can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the lower limbs from the turning of the pelvis. This reduces the load on not only the upper body but also the lower body, making it easier to turn over on your own. The first and second hardness gradient sections, which have the effect of encouraging turning over, are configured so that their apparent hardness gradually decreases and there is no large difference in hardness, so that the sleeping position is stable, the sleeping comfort is excellent, and the turning over motion can be performed stably.

[0017] In addition, when turning over in an extension-rotation type, in which the lower body is the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the pelvis surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction and the ilium nearby, are supported by the second hardness gradient section. Since the second hardness gradient section has a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support section toward the outside, when the pelvis surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction, touches the second hardness gradient section, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness. Therefore, the distance between this contact point and the user's body axis becomes closer, and the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis becomes smaller, making it easier to turn the lower body side. Then, when the upper body starts turning in conjunction with the turning of the lower body side, the shoulder in the turning direction, which requires the most force in the turning motion, is supported by the first hardness gradient section. The first hardness gradient section also has a hardness gradient that gradually decreases from the end of the first support section outward, so that the point where the shoulder in the direction of turning touches the first hardness gradient section sinks, and the distance between this contact point and the user's body axis becomes closer, reducing the force (torque) required to turn the upper body side, making it easier to turn the upper body side. This reduces the load on not only the upper body but also the lower body when turning over in extension and rotation type, making it easier to turn on your own.

[0018] In addition, it is also preferable that the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion are adjusted to be different in the turning assist pad of the present invention. By making the hardness gradient S of the first hardness gradient portion of the first pad on the upper body side and the second hardness gradient portion of the second pad on the lower body side different, the turning timing and the load reduction effect related to turning can be appropriately adjusted between the upper body side and the lower body side, so that a turning assist pad can be obtained according to the muscle strength of the user and the desired turning type, etc.

[0019] Here, in the present invention, the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion refers to the degree of change (degree of decrease) in the apparent hardness of the first hardness gradient portion per a predetermined widthwise length of the first hardness gradient portion, specifically, the apparent hardness is the amount of deformation caused by a constant indentation force, and refers to the angle of the gradient calculated from the amount of deformation at each position in the widthwise direction of the first hardness gradient portion and the distance between each position. Similarly, the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion refers to the degree of change (degree of decrease) in the apparent hardness of the second hardness gradient portion per a predetermined widthwise length of the second hardness gradient portion, specifically, refers to the angle of the gradient calculated from the amount of deformation at each position in the widthwise direction of the second hardness gradient portion and the distance between each position. Note that detailed definitions of the hardness gradient S1, the hardness gradient S2, and the apparent hardness will be described later.

[0020] It is also preferable that the turning assist pad of the present invention is adjusted so that the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion is greater than the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion (S1>S2). This makes it possible to obtain a turning assist pad that enhances the effect of promoting turning of the upper body side and allows the lower body side to turn gently when turning.

[0021] It is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support part of the turning assist pad of the present invention is wider than the width W2 of the second support part (W1>W2). As a result, the hardness gradient part is located closer to the center of the width direction of the turning assist pad in the second pad on the lower body side than in the first pad on the upper body side, so that when the user tries to turn the pelvis, the peripheral part of the pelvis in the turning direction quickly comes into contact with the second hardness gradient part and is supported, and the timing to start turning the pelvis with low torque is set early. Therefore, when the user turns over in a bending-rotation type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. Also, when the user turns over in an extension-rotation type, the turning of the pelvis starts smoothly and is easily linked to the turning of the upper body side. In this way, the turning movement of the lower body (hereinafter also referred to as the turning movement of the lower body), which is a combination of the turning movement of the pelvis and the turning movement of the lower limbs, and the turning movement of the upper body are linked with lower torque, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

[0022] It is also preferable that the hardness H1 of the cushion material forming the first support part of the turning assist pad of the present invention is higher than the hardness H2 of the cushion material forming the second support part (H1>H2). As a result, when the user is lying on his / her back, the part supported by the second support part sinks more than the part supported by the first support part. Therefore, a step is generated between the upper surface of the first support part of the first pad on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support part of the second pad on the lower body side, and this step supports the body line from the buttocks to the lumbar spine of the user while following the line of the body, so that a natural sleeping posture is obtained, and when the user turns over, this step promotes the start of the turning motion of the pelvis. As a result, in both the bending-rotation type and the extension-rotation type turning motion, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are more naturally linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

[0023] In addition, it is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support part is wider than the width W2 of the second support part (W1>W2), and the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient part and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part are approximately equal (S1=S2). As a result, the hardness gradient part of the second pad on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the width direction of the turning assistance pad than the first pad on the upper body side, so that when the user tries to turn the pelvis, the peripheral part of the pelvis in the turning direction quickly comes into contact with the second hardness gradient part and is supported, and therefore, when the user turns in a bending-rotation type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. On the other hand, when the user turns in an extension-rotation type, the turning of the lower body side starts smoothly and is easily linked to the turning of the upper body side. In addition, by making the hardness gradients of both hardness gradient sections approximately equal (S1=S2), the turning forces of the upper and lower body can be set to be similar. This allows the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body to be linked, and the balance of the turning torque between the upper and lower body sides is improved, making it easier for the user to turn over on their own.

[0024] In addition, in the turning assistance pad of the present invention, the width W1 of the first support part is wider than the width W2 of the second support part (W1>W2), the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient part and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part are substantially equal (S1=S2), and the hardness H1 of the cushion material forming the first support part is higher than the hardness H2 of the cushion material forming the second support part (H1>H2). As a result, when the user is lying on his / her back, the part supported by the second support part sinks more than the part supported by the first support part, and a step is generated between the upper surface of the first support part of the first pad on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support part of the second pad on the lower body side. This step supports the user's body line from the buttocks to the lumbar vertebrae while following the line of the body, so that a natural sleeping posture is obtained, and when the user turns over, this step promotes the start of the rotation of the pelvis. In addition, by making the width W1 of the first support part wider than the width W2 of the second support part (W1>W2), when the user turns over in a bending-rotation type, the start of the pelvis turning motion after the upper body turns is promoted, and when the user turns over in an extension-rotation type, the pelvis starts turning smoothly, and the linkage of the turning from the lower body side to the upper body side becomes easier. In addition, by making the hardness gradients of both hardness gradient parts approximately equal (S1=S2), the turning forces of the upper body side and the lower body side can be set to be equal. As a result, the turning motion of the upper body side and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked, and the balance of the turning torque of the upper body side and the lower body side becomes good, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

[0025] In addition, it is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support part and the width W2 of the second support part are substantially equal (W1=W2), the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient part and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part are substantially equal (S1=S2), and the hardness H1 of the cushion material forming the first support part is higher than the hardness H2 of the cushion material forming the second support part (H1>H2). As a result, when the user is lying on his / her back, the part supported by the second support part sinks more than the part supported by the first support part, so that a step is generated between the upper surface of the first support part of the first pad on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support part of the second pad on the lower body side. This step supports the user's buttocks to the lumbar spine while following the line of the body, and when the user turns over, this step promotes the start of the rotation of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body are linked, so that the simple configuration makes it easy for the user to turn over on his / her own.

[0026] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, the second hardness adjusting means is preferably a plurality of cushion materials having different hardness, and the plurality of cushion materials are arranged so that the hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support part toward the outside to form a second hardness gradient part. In this way, a suitable means is selected as a means for forming a hardness gradient in the second hardness gradient part, in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support part toward the outside.

[0027] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, it is also preferable that the first hardness adjusting means is a plurality of cushion materials having different hardness, and the plurality of cushion materials are arranged so that the hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support part toward the outside to form the first hardness gradient part. In this way, a suitable means is selected as a means for forming a hardness gradient in the first hardness gradient part, in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support part toward the outside.

[0028] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, the second hardness adjustment means is a plurality of grooves or slits formed on the upper or lower surface of the second hardness gradient portion, the plurality of grooves or slits are arranged in the length direction of the second hardness gradient portion, and from the end of the second support portion outward, (i) have an arrangement region formed so that the void volume of each groove gradually increases, (ii) have an arrangement region formed so that the cut length of each slit gradually increases, or (iii) have an arrangement region formed so that the interval between adjacent grooves or slits gradually narrows. This allows a suitable means to be selected as a means for forming a hardness gradient in the second hardness gradient portion in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion outward.

[0029] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, the first hardness adjusting means is a plurality of grooves or slits formed on the upper or lower surface of the first hardness gradient portion, the plurality of grooves or slits are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the first hardness gradient portion, and from the end of the first support portion outward, (i) have an arrangement region formed so that the void volume of each groove gradually increases, (ii) have an arrangement region formed so that the cut length of each slit gradually increases, or (iii) have an arrangement region formed so that the interval between adjacent grooves or slits gradually narrows. This allows for the selection of a suitable means for forming a hardness gradient in the first hardness gradient portion in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion outward.

[0030] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, it is also preferable that the increase in the void volume of the groove is achieved by increasing the groove depth, widening the groove width, or a combination of these. In this way, a suitable means for increasing the void volume of the groove can be selected.

[0031] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, the second hardness adjusting means is preferably a plurality of through holes or blind holes formed in the thickness direction of the second hardness gradient portion, and the plurality of through holes or blind holes are preferably arranged so that at least one of the void volume or number gradually increases from the end of the second support portion toward the outside. This allows for the selection of a suitable means for forming a hardness gradient in the second hardness gradient portion in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion toward the outside.

[0032] In addition, in the turning assist pad of the present invention, the first hardness adjusting means is preferably a plurality of through holes or blind holes formed in the thickness direction of the first hardness gradient portion, and the plurality of through holes or blind holes are preferably arranged so that at least one of the void volume or number gradually increases from the end of the first support portion toward the outside. This allows for the selection of a suitable means for forming a hardness gradient in the first hardness gradient portion, in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion toward the outside.

[0033] In addition, it is also preferable that the turning assistance pad of the present invention has at least a third pad made of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness disposed between the first pad and the second pad, thereby forming a turning assistance pad that is adjusted to the user's physique, ease of movement, etc.

[0034] Moreover, it is also preferable that the turning assist pad of the present invention has a third pad made of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness arranged on the leg side of the second pad, and this third pad has the same structure as the first pad. This results in a turning assist pad in which the first pads are arranged on both sides of the second pad in the length direction of the turning assist pad, so that the effects of the present invention can be obtained regardless of the direction in which the user sleeps.

[0035] The turning assist mattress of the present invention is a mattress equipped with the above-mentioned turning assist pad, and the turning assist pad is disposed on a base layer formed of a cushioning material, thereby obtaining a mattress incorporating the turning assist pad.

[0036] In addition, in the turning assist mattress of the present invention, it is also preferable that the first pad and the second pad are spaced apart on the base layer, so that a suitable position on the base layer for arranging the turning assist pad can be selected.

[0037] In addition, it is also preferable that the width of the base layer of the turning assist mattress of the present invention is wider than the width of the first pad and the second pad, and that an end block protruding in the height direction is disposed on at least one end of the base layer in the width direction at least part of the length direction of the base layer. By providing the end block, it is possible to prevent the user from falling off the base layer when turning over, and the user can turn over on the mattress more safely.

[0038] Furthermore, the turning assist mattress of the present invention preferably has at least one upper layer made of a cushioning material laminated on the turning assist pad, and the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the upper layer is lower than the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the first support part of the first pad. By selecting a cushioning material for the upper layer that is lower in hardness than the cushioning material constituting the first support part of the first pad, the functionality of the turning assist pad is maintained while the user's body comes into contact with the soft upper layer, improving the comfort of the mattress. Effect of the Invention

[0039] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a turning assistance pad and a mattress equipped with the same, which have the following excellent effects. (1) Since the load associated with turning the lower body, particularly the load associated with turning the pelvis, is reduced, even a user with reduced muscle strength involved in turning the lower body can easily turn over on his / her own. (2) The structure links the rotation of the upper body and the rotation of the pelvis, making it easier for users with reduced muscle strength to turn over on their own. (3) It is possible to encourage various types of turning over movements, which promotes natural turning over during sleep and contributes to improving the quality of sleep. (4) When sleeping on your back (supine position), it works to open the thoracic vertebrae, making it easier to breathe while sleeping and contributing to improving the quality of sleep. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] 1A is a perspective view of a turning assist pad according to a first embodiment, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB' in FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing positions at which the turning assist pad of FIG. 1 comes into contact with the shoulders and pelvis of a user in a supine position. [Diagram 3] Graph (a) showing the relationship between the widthwise position of the turning pad and the apparent hardness of the first hardness gradient section, and graph (b) showing the relationship between the widthwise position of the turning pad and the apparent hardness of the second hardness gradient section. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the torque (T=F×L) when the upper body rotates in a supine position, where (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the torque when using the turning assist pad of the first embodiment, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the torque when using a normal mattress as a comparative example. [Diagram 5] 5A is a perspective view showing another example of a turning assist pad according to the first embodiment, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC' in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD' in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another example of a turning assist pad according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the turning assistance pad shown in FIG. 1 is used. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring the apparent hardness of a first hardness gradient portion and a second hardness gradient portion of the present invention. [Figure 9]9(a) is a perspective view of a turning assist pad according to a second embodiment, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE' in FIG. 9(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF' in FIG. 9(a). [Figure 10] 10A is a perspective view of a turning assist pad according to a third embodiment, FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG' in FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional view taken along line HH' in FIG. [Figure 11] 11(a) is a perspective view of a turning assist pad according to a fourth embodiment, and FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II' in FIG. [Figure 12] 12(a) is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of a turning assist mattress incorporating a turning assist pad, (b) is a side view of the first pad in FIG. 12(a) seen from the head side, and (c) is a side view of the second pad in FIG. 12(a) seen from the leg side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the turning assist pad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is composed of a first pad 3 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed and a second pad 4 on which the lower half of the user's body is placed, and the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are arranged in a line in the height direction. In this specification, the term "up and down" refers to the up and down direction when the turning assist pad 2 is placed on a mattress or a rug and used, that is, the up and down direction in Fig. 1. In this specification, the width direction refers to the width direction when the turning assist pad 2 is used, that is, the left and right direction in Fig. 2, and the length direction refers to the length direction (height direction) when the turning assist pad 2 is used, that is, the up and down direction in the center diagram of Fig. 2.

[0042] First, the first pad 3 on which the upper body of the user is placed will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the first pad 3 includes a first support portion 31 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of the width direction, and a first hardness gradient portion 32 disposed on both sides of the first support portion 31 and having an upper surface located substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of the first support portion 31. In this embodiment, the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 are formed separately. The first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 may be fixed to each other by adhesive or the like at their adjacent surfaces so that the positions of the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 are not misaligned, or may be fixed to the base layer 8 of the mattress to be incorporated by adhesive or the like.

[0043] The widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31 in the first pad 3 and the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion 32 can be set so as to provide a desired effect to the first pad 3. By appropriately setting the widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31, the timing at which the upper body side starts turning, the turning start torque, and the support stability of the back in a supine position can be adjusted, and by cooperating with the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion 32, the torque during the turning operation can be adjusted, and the desired low-stress turning operation of the upper body side can be appropriately set. Specifically, the widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31 is set to a range that ensures support stability of the upper body side of the user, and the smaller the widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31 is set within that range, the smaller the force (torque) required for turning the upper body side becomes, and the earlier the turning operation starts. Moreover, the greater the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient section 32 is set by the first hardness adjusting means 5, the smaller the torque required for turning the upper body side becomes. Therefore, by combining the set values ​​of the width direction length W1 of the first support section 31 and the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient section 32, the ease of turning the upper body side can be adjusted according to the turning pattern, the body type of the user, etc. The first support section 31 and the first hardness gradient section 32 will be described in detail below.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the first support part 31 of the first pad 3 is configured to support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position. In this embodiment, the first support part 31 is formed to have a width W1 of 25 cm, a length (height direction) of 80 cm, and a height (thickness of the cushion material of the first support part 31) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the head and back of the user B in a supine position, centered on the spine. As described later, the width W1 of the first support part 31 is formed to be equal to or smaller than the shoulder width SW of the user B, preferably equal to or smaller than the length from one acromion to the other acromion of the user B (acromion width). The shoulder S of the user B is the vicinity of the acromion, and includes at least the area from the acromion to the greater tuberosity of the humerus. The shoulder width SW of the user B is the length from one shoulder to the other shoulder, and more specifically, the maximum horizontal diameter of the body measured perpendicular to the sagittal plane at the position where the outline of the deltoid muscle protrudes most outward. The width direction length W1 of the first support part 31 is set to a width equal to or less than the shoulder width of the user, preferably equal to or less than the acromion width, and is preferably set to be equal to or greater than the length between the left and right subscapular angles of the user B from the viewpoint of stably supporting the upper body of the user B, and more specifically, is preferably set to 15 cm to 40 cm, more preferably 15 cm to 35 cm, and particularly preferably 20 cm to 30 cm. As will be described later, in the case where the width direction length W1 of the first support part 31 and the width direction length W2 of the second support part 41 are equal (W1=W2), the width direction length W1 of the first support part 31 is set to be equal to or less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, which is the maximum setting value of the width direction length W2 of the second support part 41. The length of the first support section 31 in the longitudinal direction (height direction) is appropriately set so as to support the head to back of the user B. Furthermore, the hardness H1 of the first support section 31 is appropriately set in combination with the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient section 32 and the hardness H2 of the second support section 41 described later so as to reduce the force required to turn the upper body and allow for appropriate turning over.In addition, although the upper surface portion of the first support portion 31 is formed as a substantially flat surface in this embodiment, it may be formed into any shape as long as it is capable of supporting at least a portion of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position, and the shape is not limited to a flat surface.

[0045] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pair of first hardness gradient parts 32 of the first pad 3 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the first support part 31, and are formed so as to support the entire shoulders and upper arms of the user B when he turns over. The first hardness gradient part 32 in this embodiment is formed to have a width of 12 cm, a length (height direction) of 80 cm, and a height (thickness of the cushioning material of the first hardness gradient part 32) of 3 cm. The first support part 31 of the first pad 3 supports the back of the user B, while the area consisting of the shoulder S of the user B and the back side part connected to the shoulder S (hereinafter referred to as the shoulder surrounding part SA) which is not supported by the first support part 31 is located so as to contact or face the first hardness gradient part 32 extending outward from the end part of the first support part 31. Therefore, when the user B turns his upper body, the shoulder surrounding part SA in the turning direction is supported by the first hardness gradient part 32. In this embodiment, the first hardness gradient portion 32 is provided with a first hardness adjusting means 5 consisting of four recessed grooves 5a to 5d. The first hardness gradient portion 32 is adjusted by the hardness adjusting means 5 so that a hardness gradient is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion 31 toward the outside. Here, the end of the first support portion 31 means the boundary between the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32, and in the present invention, the boundary between the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 means the inner end of the hardness adjusting means 5 provided in the first hardness gradient portion 32 that is located most inward in the width direction (5a in this embodiment).

[0046] Here, the "apparent hardness" of the first hardness gradient portion 32 in this specification does not refer to the hardness of the material of the cushioning material forming the first hardness gradient portion 32 itself, but refers to the hardness measured on the first hardness gradient portion 32 itself provided with the first hardness adjusting means 5, and refers to the hardness at the measurement portion obtained as the deformation amount (sinking amount) when the first hardness gradient portion 32 is deformed by applying pressure to a predetermined area in the thickness direction (downward) and reaches a predetermined repulsive force. Specifically, the "apparent hardness" is obtained by directly contacting a hemispherical aluminum pressing tool IN having a diameter of 85 mm with the measurement portion on the upper surface of the first hardness gradient portion 32 or the first support portion 31, as shown in FIG. 8, and measuring the sinking amount of the aluminum pressing tool IN when a load of up to 100 N is applied at a speed of 100±20 mm / min. The measurement environment conditions are in accordance with the JIS K6401-A method.

[0047] The "hardness gradient S1" of the first hardness gradient portion 32 in this specification will be described with reference to Fig. 3(a). The "hardness gradient S1" of the first hardness gradient portion 32 refers to the degree of change in apparent hardness per a predetermined widthwise length of the first hardness gradient portion 32, and refers to the inclination angle θ1 calculated by the following formula (1). Fig. 3(a) illustrates the relationship between the widthwise position of the first pad 3 and its apparent hardness (amount of deformation), and this graph illustrates the gradient (slope) of the apparent hardness when the apparent hardness at a predetermined position in the widthwise direction of the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 is plotted as the amount of deformation. Here, H2 shown in Fig. 3(a) is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) at the end of the first support part 31 which is the boundary between the first support part 31 and the first hardness gradient part 32, H1 is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) of the first support part 31 at a position 50 mm inward in the width direction from the measurement part of H2, and H3 is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) of the first hardness gradient part 32 at a position 50 mm outward in the width direction from the measurement part of H2. That is, the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient part 32 in the present invention is the degree of change in the apparent hardness in the gradient initial region of the first hardness gradient part 32 (region from the end of the first support part 31 as the starting point to 50 mm outward in the width direction) is calculated by the following formula (1) with the inclination angle θ1. Here, the apparent hardnesses (amounts of change) of H1, H2, and H3 are applied as positive values.

[0048]

number

[0049] Here, the apparent hardness is measured at three locations, centered on the end of first support portion 31, which is the boundary between first support portion 31 and first hardness gradient portion 32, and the hardness gradient S1 is calculated from the apparent hardness at these three locations. This is because the apparent hardness tends to be small (the amount of deformation tends to be large) near the boundary between first support portion 31 and first hardness gradient portion 32, and therefore the amount of deformation near this boundary is subtracted to calculate the actual inclination angle θ1 based on the end of first support portion 31. In addition, the degree of change in apparent hardness in the region extending 50 mm outward in the width direction from the end of the first support portion 31 (initial gradient region of the first hardness gradient portion 32) is defined as the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion 32, because the degree of change in apparent hardness in the region extending 50 mm outward in the width direction from the end of the first support portion 31, which is the starting point of turning when turning in your sleep, contributes to reducing torque when starting to turn when turning in your sleep.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3(a), the area outside the gradient initial area functions as an area for adjusting the turning motion of the upper body after the shoulder surrounding area SA starts turning when turning over (hereinafter, referred to as the turning adjustment area). In this embodiment, the gradient (inclination) of the apparent hardness of this turning adjustment area is approximately equal to the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area, but the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be freely set according to the desired turning motion. Although not particularly limited, for example, the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be set to be smaller than the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area in order to perform the turning motion slowly and stably, or the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be set to be larger than the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area in order to further promote the turning motion.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 1(b) and FIG. 3(a), the first hardness adjusting means 5 in this embodiment is four grooves 5a-5d formed by carving into the lower surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 32. The grooves 5a-5d are continuously arranged in the length direction of the first pad 3, and are formed so that the void volume of the grooves gradually increases toward the end of the width direction of the first pad 3, i.e., the end of the width direction of the first hardness gradient portion 32. In this embodiment, the increase in the void volume of the grooves 5a-5d is performed by gradually increasing the groove depth from the grooves 5a to 5c, and the increase in the void volume from the grooves 5c to 5d is performed by expanding the groove width. The increase in the void volume of the grooves may be performed so that the void volume gradually increases, for example, by increasing the groove depth, expanding the groove width, changing the cross-sectional shape of the groove, or a combination thereof, and is not limited to the method described in this embodiment. Furthermore, the number of grooves is appropriately determined depending on the width and length of the first hardness gradient portion 32, the hardness of the cushioning material, or the cross-sectional shape of the grooves, and is not limited to the number of grooves shown in this embodiment.

[0052] 3(a) shows a graph of the relationship between each widthwise position and apparent hardness for the first pad 3, in which the apparent hardness of the first pad 3 is substantially constant in the first support portion 31, but becomes slightly smaller from the boundary between the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32, and in the portion related to the first hardness gradient portion 32, a concave groove is formed so that the void volume gradually increases, and the hardness gradient is such that the apparent hardness gradually decreases toward the end of the first pad 3. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4(a), when the user B turns over in his / her sleep, the shoulder surrounding portion SA including the user's shoulder S in the turning direction is supported while sinking into the first hardness gradient portion 32, so that the distance between the ground contact point G with the first hardness gradient portion 32 and the user's body axis X becomes closer, the force required for turning the upper body becomes smaller, and the turning of the upper body side is promoted. The first hardness gradient portion, which has the effect of promoting the turning of the shoulder area, is configured so that its apparent hardness gradually decreases and does not have a large difference in hardness, so that the sleeping posture is stable, the sleeping comfort is excellent, and the turning motion can be performed stably. Here, the shoulder area SA is a portion including at least the shoulder S of the user B (the area from the acromion to the greater tuberosity of the humerus) and is not supported by the first support portion 31, so that the area from the greater tuberosity of the humerus of the user B to the inferior angle of the scapula on the back side is included depending on the setting of the widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31. In addition, the first hardness gradient portion 32 only needs to be formed so as to support at least the shoulder area SA of the body of the user B in the supine position, and therefore does not need to be provided along the length of the first support portion 31, and the first hardness gradient portion 32 may be provided only in the shoulder area SA of the user B.

[0053] The action of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the torque (T=F×L) when the upper body of a user in a supine position turns. FIG. 4(a) shows the torque when the turning assistance pad according to this embodiment is used, and FIG. 4(b) shows the torque when a normal flat mattress is used. In this figure, the force required for turning over is expressed as the torque (strength of twist) about the center of rotation (body axis) X. The torque T is expressed as the product (T=F×L) of the force F acting in the tangential direction of the rotation circle and the distance L between the ground contact point G and the center of rotation X. Therefore, the value of the torque T is reduced by shortening the distance L between the ground contact point G and the center of rotation X. FIG. 4(b) shows an example of a normal mattress (not provided with the first hardness adjustment means 5), and according to this example, the position G where the shoulder peripheral portion SA of the user B touches the mattress is relatively outside the shoulder portion S. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4(a), by providing the first hardness gradient portion 32 on the first pad 3, the position G where the shoulder periphery SA of the user B touches the first pad 3 moves more inward than in FIG. 4(b), so that the contact point G approaches the rotation center X, and the distance L between the contact point G and the rotation center X becomes shorter, and the torque T decreases. Therefore, the load on the upper body side to turn is reduced, so the upper body side can be turned with less force. In order to obtain this series of actions, it is important that the turn is started with a low torque, so it is important to set the hardness gradient S1 of the gradient initial region from the end of the first support portion 31 to 50 mm outward in the width direction, which is the region where the shoulder periphery SA of the user B is supported by the first hardness gradient portion 32 and the turning is promoted.

[0054] When the hardness gradient S1 adjusted by the first hardness adjustment means 5 becomes large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the shoulder surrounding area SA and the center of rotation X becomes short, so the force applied to turn the upper body side is reduced, but on the other hand, if the turning motion becomes too easy, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable, so it is preferable to set the hardness gradient S1 that achieves both supine position stability and ease of turning (turning), which also contributes to sleeping comfort, taking into consideration the gradient design of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area that adjusts the turning motion when turning. Specifically, the hardness gradient S1 is preferably set to an inclination angle θ1 of 0.2 to 90 degrees or more, and more preferably set to a range of 0.3 to 9 degrees when the gradient (slope) of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area is close to the gradient (slope) of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area as shown in FIG. 3(a).

[0055] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the grooves 5a to 5d constituting the first hardness adjusting means 5 of this embodiment are provided on the lower surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 32, but are not limited thereto and may be provided on the upper surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 32. The grooves 5a to 5d may be provided not only on the upper surface or lower surface of the first hardness gradient portion 32, but also on the upper and lower surfaces of the first hardness gradient portion 32 in combination, for example, the grooves 5d and 5b are provided on the upper surface and the grooves 5c and 5a are provided on the lower surface. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the grooves 5a to 5d in this embodiment is semicircular or semicircular, but may be horseshoe-shaped, circular, polygonal, or any other shape or combination thereof. Furthermore, it is of course possible to apply other forms of the hardness adjusting means shown and explained in the second to fourth embodiments described later (combinations of multiple cushioning materials having different hardnesses, slits, bottomed holes, or through holes) as the first hardness adjusting means 5 according to this embodiment.

[0056] Next, the second pad 4 on which the lower body of the user is placed will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the second pad 4 includes a second support portion 41 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of the width direction, and a second hardness gradient portion 42 disposed on both sides of the second support portion 41 and having an upper surface located substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of the second support portion 41. In this embodiment, the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 are formed separately. The second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 may be fixed to the adjacent surfaces of the two with an adhesive or the like so that the positions of the two are not shifted, or may be fixed to the base layer 8 of the mattress to be incorporated with an adhesive or the like.

[0057] The widthwise length W2 of the second support portion 41 in the second pad 4 and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion 42 can be set so as to provide a desired effect to the second pad 4. By appropriately setting the widthwise length W2 of the second support portion 41, the timing at which the lower body (pelvis) starts turning, the turning start torque, and the support stability of the pelvis in the supine position can be adjusted, and by cooperating with the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion 42, the torque of the turning operation can be adjusted, and the desired low-stress turning operation of the lower body can be appropriately set. Specifically, the widthwise length W2 of the second support portion 41 is set to a range that ensures support stability of the user's lower body, and the smaller the widthwise length W2 of the second support portion 41 is set within that range, the smaller the force (torque) required to turn the lower body becomes, and the earlier the turning operation starts. Moreover, the greater the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient section 42 is set by the second hardness adjusting means 6, the smaller the torque required for turning the lower body side becomes. Therefore, by combining the respective set values ​​of the width direction length W2 of the second support section 41 and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient section 42, the ease of turning the lower body side can be adjusted according to the turning pattern, the body type of the user, etc. The second support section 41 and the second hardness gradient section 42 will be described in detail below.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2, the second support part 41 of the second pad 4 is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of the body of the user B in a supine position. In this embodiment, the second support part 41 is formed to have a width W2 of 13 cm, a length (height direction) of 100 cm, and a height (thickness of the cushion material of the second support part 41) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the lower back and buttocks of the user B in a supine position, centered on the sacrum. As described later, the width W2 of the second support part 41 is formed to be equal to or less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, since the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B in a supine position needs to be disposed so as to contact or face the second hardness gradient part 42 on the outside of the second support part 41. Here, the width PW of the pelvis of the user B is the length from one anterior superior iliac spine P to the other anterior superior iliac spine P. The anterior superior iliac spine P is a protrusion at the front edge of the iliac crest of the ilium that constitutes the pelvis. Specifically, the width W2 of the second support part 41 is set to be equal to or less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, and from the viewpoint of stably supporting the lower body of the user B, is preferably set to be equal to or greater than the width between at least the posterior superior iliac spines (protrusions at the rear edge of the iliac crest of the pelvis) of the body of the user B, and more specifically, is preferably set to 5 cm to 30 cm, more preferably 10 cm to 25 cm, and even more preferably 10 cm to 20 cm. The length of the second support part 41 in the length direction (height direction) is appropriately set so as to support the lower body of the user B. Furthermore, the hardness H2 of the second support part 41 is appropriately set in accordance with the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part 42 and the hardness H1 of the first support part 31 so as to reduce the force required for turning the lower body. In addition, although the upper surface portion of the second support portion 41 is formed as a substantially flat surface in this embodiment, it may be formed into any shape as long as it is capable of supporting at least a portion of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position, and the shape is not limited to a flat surface.

[0059] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pair of second hardness gradient parts 42 of the second pad 4 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the second support part 41, and are formed so as to support at least the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B when turning over. The second hardness gradient part 42 in this embodiment is formed to have a width of 18 cm, a length (height direction) of 100 cm, and a height (thickness of the cushioning material of the second hardness gradient part 42) of 3 cm. The second support part 41 of the second pad 4 supports the lower back and buttocks of the user B, centered on the space between the posterior superior iliac spines, while the area (hereinafter referred to as the pelvis peripheral part PA) consisting of the greater trochanter of the femur, the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis, and the buttocks side part continuous with the anterior superior iliac spine P, which is not supported by the second support part 41, is located so as to be in contact with or opposite to the second hardness gradient part 42 extending outward from the end of the second support part 41. Therefore, when the user B turns his / her lower body, the pelvis surrounding area PA in the direction of turning is supported by the second hardness gradient section 42. In this embodiment, the second hardness gradient section 42 is provided with a second hardness adjustment means 6 consisting of seven grooves 6a to 6g. The hardness adjustment means 6 adjusts the second hardness gradient section 42 so that the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support section 41 toward the outside. Here, the end of the second support section 41 means the boundary between the second support section 41 and the second hardness gradient section 42, and in the present invention, the boundary between the second support section 41 and the second hardness gradient section 42 means the inner end of the hardness adjustment means 6 provided in the second hardness gradient section 42 that is located most inward in the width direction (6a in this embodiment).

[0060] Here, the "apparent hardness" of the second hardness gradient portion 42 in this specification does not refer to the hardness of the material of the cushioning material forming the second hardness gradient portion 42 itself, but refers to the hardness measured on the second hardness gradient portion 42 itself provided with the second hardness adjusting means 6, and refers to the hardness at the measurement portion obtained as the deformation amount (sinking amount) when the second hardness gradient portion 42 is deformed by applying pressure to a predetermined area in the thickness direction (downward) and reaches a predetermined repulsive force. Specifically, the "apparent hardness" is obtained by directly contacting a hemispherical aluminum pressing tool IN having a diameter of 85 mm with the measurement portion on the upper surface of the second hardness gradient portion 42 or the second support portion 41, as shown in FIG. 8, and measuring the sinking amount of the aluminum pressing tool IN when a load of up to 100 N is applied at a speed of 100±20 mm / min. The measurement environment conditions are in accordance with the JIS K6401-A method.

[0061] The "hardness gradient S2" of the second hardness gradient portion 42 in this specification will be described with reference to Fig. 3(b). The "hardness gradient S2" of the second hardness gradient portion 42 refers to the degree of change in apparent hardness per a predetermined widthwise length of the second hardness gradient portion 42, and refers to the inclination angle θ2 calculated by the following formula (2). Fig. 3(b) illustrates the relationship between the widthwise position of the second pad 4 and its apparent hardness (amount of deformation), and this graph shows the gradient (slope) of the apparent hardness when the apparent hardness at a predetermined position in the widthwise direction of the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 is plotted as the amount of deformation. Here, h2 shown in FIG. 3(b) is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) at the end of the second support part 41 which is the boundary between the second support part 41 and the second hardness gradient part 42, h1 is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) of the second support part 41 at a position moved 50 mm inward in the width direction from the measurement part of h2, and h3 is the apparent hardness (amount of deformation) of the second hardness gradient part 42 at a position moved 50 mm outward in the width direction from the measurement part of h2. That is, the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part 42 in the present invention is the change in apparent hardness in the gradient initial region of the second hardness gradient part 42 (region from the end of the second support part 41 as the starting point to 50 mm outward in the width direction) as an inclination angle θ2, which is calculated by the following formula (2). Here, the apparent hardnesses (amounts of change) of h1, h2, and h3 are applied as positive values.

[0062]

number

[0063] Here, the apparent hardness is measured at three locations, centered on the end of the second support portion 41, which is the boundary between the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42, and the hardness gradient S2 is calculated from the apparent hardness at these three locations. This is because the apparent hardness tends to be small (the amount of deformation tends to be large) near the boundary between the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42, and therefore the amount of deformation near this boundary is subtracted to calculate the actual inclination angle θ2 based on the end of the second support portion 41. In addition, the degree of change in apparent hardness in the region from the end of the second support part 41 to 50 mm outward in the width direction (initial gradient region of the second hardness gradient part 42) is defined as the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient part 42, because the degree of change in apparent hardness in the region from the end of the second support part 41, which is the starting point of turning when turning in your sleep, to 50 mm outward in the width direction contributes to reducing torque when starting to turn when turning in your sleep.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 3(b), the area outside the gradient initial area functions as an area for adjusting the turning motion of the lower body after the turning of the pelvis surrounding area PA starts during turning (hereinafter, referred to as the turning adjustment area). In this embodiment, the gradient (inclination) of the apparent hardness of this turning adjustment area is approximately equal to the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area, but the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be freely set according to the desired turning motion. Although not particularly limited, for example, the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be set to be smaller than the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area in order to perform the turning motion slowly and stably, or the gradient of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area can be set to be larger than the gradient of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area in order to further promote the turning motion.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 1(c) and FIG. 3(b), the second hardness adjusting means 6 in this embodiment is seven grooves 6a-6g formed by carving into the lower surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 42. The grooves 6a-6g are continuously arranged in the length direction of the second pad 4, and are formed so that the void volume of the grooves gradually increases toward the end of the width direction of the second pad 4, i.e., the end of the width direction of the second hardness gradient portion 42. The increase in the void volume of the grooves 6a-6g in this embodiment is performed by gradually expanding the groove width from the grooves 6a to 6d, and by gradually increasing the groove depth from the grooves 6d to 6f, and the increase in the void volume from the grooves 6f to 6g is performed by further expanding the groove width. The increase in the void volume of the grooves may be performed so that the void volume gradually increases, for example, by increasing the groove depth, widening the groove width, changing the cross-sectional shape of the groove, or a combination thereof, and is not limited to the method described in this embodiment. Furthermore, the number of grooves is appropriately determined depending on the width and length of the second hardness gradient portion 42, the hardness of the cushioning material, or the cross-sectional shape of the grooves, and is not limited to the number of grooves shown in this embodiment.

[0066] 3(b) shows a graph of the relationship between each widthwise position and apparent hardness for the second pad 4. The apparent hardness of the second pad 4 is substantially constant in the second support portion 41, but becomes slightly smaller from the boundary between the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42. In the portion related to the second hardness gradient portion 42, the concave grooves are formed so that the void volume gradually increases, and the hardness gradient is such that the apparent hardness gradually decreases toward the end of the second pad 4. As a result, when the user B turns over in his / her sleep, the pelvis peripheral portion PA including the greater trochanter of the user's femur in the turning direction is supported while sinking into the second hardness gradient portion 42, so that the distance between the ground contact point G with the second hardness gradient portion 42 and the user's body axis X becomes closer, the force required for turning the pelvis becomes smaller, and the turning of the lower body side is promoted. The second hardness gradient portion, which has the effect of promoting this turning, is configured so that its apparent hardness gradually decreases and does not have a large difference in hardness, so that the sleeping posture is stable, the sleeping comfort is excellent, and the motion related to the turning can be performed stably. The action of promoting the turning of the lower body side is the same as the action of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 shown in FIG. 4(a) in FIG. 4. In order to obtain this series of actions, it is important that the turning is started with a low torque, so it is important to set the hardness gradient S2 of the gradient initial region from the end of the second support portion 41 to 50 mm outward in the width direction, which is the region where the turning is promoted while the pelvis surrounding portion PA of the user B is supported by the second hardness gradient portion 42. Here, the pelvis peripheral area PA is a portion including at least the greater trochanter of the femur and the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis of the user B, and is a portion that is not supported by the second support part 41, and therefore includes a region from the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis of the user B to the posterior superior iliac spine on the buttocks side, depending on the setting of the widthwise length W2 of the second support part 41. In addition, the second hardness gradient part 42 only needs to be formed to support at least the pelvis peripheral area PA of the body of the user B in the supine position, and therefore does not need to be provided over the entire length of the second support part 41, and may be configured to be provided only in the pelvis peripheral area PA of the user B.

[0067] When the hardness gradient S2 adjusted by the second hardness adjustment means 6 becomes large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the pelvis peripheral portion PA and the rotation center X becomes short, so the torque of the pelvis is reduced, and as a result, the force applied to the lower body to turn is reduced. However, if the pelvis is turned too easily, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the hardness gradient S2 to achieve both supine position stability and ease of turning (turning) in consideration of the gradient design of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area that adjusts the turning action when turning. Specifically, the hardness gradient S2 is preferably set to be 0.2 to 90 degrees or more as the inclination angle θ2, and more preferably set to be in the range of 0.3 to 9 degrees when the gradient (gradient) of the apparent hardness of the turning adjustment area is close to the gradient (gradient) of the apparent hardness of the gradient initial area as shown in FIG. 3(b).

[0068] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the grooves 6a to 6g constituting the second hardness adjusting means 6 of this embodiment are provided on the lower surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 42, but are not limited thereto and may be provided on the upper surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 42. The grooves 6a to 6g may be provided not only on the upper surface or lower surface of the second hardness gradient portion 42, but also on a combination of the upper surface and the lower surface of the second hardness gradient portion 42. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the grooves 6a to 6g in this embodiment is semicircular or semicircular, but may be horseshoe-shaped, circular, polygonal, or any other shape or combination thereof. Furthermore, it is of course possible to apply other forms of hardness adjusting means (combinations of multiple cushioning materials having different hardnesses, slits, bottomed holes, or through holes) shown and described in the second to fourth embodiments described later as the second hardness adjusting means 6 according to this embodiment.

[0069] The turning assist pad 2 of this embodiment is designed to facilitate turning over in accordance with the desired turning type by combining various design values ​​such as the widthwise length W1 of the first support portion 31 of the first pad 3 and the hardness gradient S1 by the first hardness adjusting means 5 of the first hardness gradient portion 32, and the widthwise length W2 of the second support portion 41 of the second pad 4 and the hardness gradient S2 by the second hardness adjusting means 6 of the second hardness gradient portion 42. Therefore, the relationship between the components of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 for the turning assist pad 2 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0070] In the turning assist pad 2 of this embodiment, the hardness gradient S1 indicating the degree of change in apparent hardness of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 is configured to be different from the hardness gradient S2 indicating the degree of change in apparent hardness of the second hardness gradient portion 42 of the second pad 4. By making the hardness gradients of each pad different, the effect of reducing the load associated with turning can be appropriately adjusted between the upper body side and the lower body side, and a turning assist pad 2 can be obtained that is suited to the muscle strength, body type, turning type, etc. of the user B. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of promoting mainly bending-rotation type turning over, it is preferable to configure the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 to be larger than the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion 42 of the second pad 4 (S1>S2), that is, to configure the apparent hardness change degree (inclination angle θ1) in the gradient initial region of the first hardness gradient portion 32 to be larger than the apparent hardness change degree (inclination angle θ2) in the gradient initial region of the second hardness gradient portion 42. This enhances the effect of promoting the turning of the upper body, which is the start of the turning over motion, and also enhances the stability of the lower body in the supine position, and promotes the turning over motion that is linked to the gradual turning of the pelvis.

[0071] In the turning-over assisting pad 2 of the present embodiment, the length W1 in the width direction of the first support portion 31 of the first pad 3 and the length W2 in the width direction of the second support portion 41 of the second pad 4 can be formed to have substantially the same length as the turning-over assisting pad 2 shown in FIG. 5, but it is preferable to form the width W1 of the first support portion wider than the width W2 of the second support portion (W1>W2). Thereby, the second hardness gradient portion 42 is positioned closer to the center in the width direction of the turning-over assisting pad 2 in the second pad 4 on the lower body side than the first pad 3 on the upper body side, and the timing of the start of the rotation of the pelvis is advanced. Therefore, the turning operation of the upper body and the turning operation of the lower body side are interlocked with lower torque, and it becomes easier to turn over by oneself. Specifically, although not particularly limited, for the turning-over assisting pad 2 shown in FIG. 1, the width W1 of the first support portion 31 is formed to be 25 cm, and the width W2 of the second support portion 41 is formed to be 13 cm. Depending on the type of turning over to be promoted, etc., it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the width W1 of the first support portion is formed narrower than the width W2 of the second support portion (W1<W2).

[0072] In addition, Fig. 5 shows an example of another form of the turning assistance pad 2 of the present embodiment, which has a configuration in which the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 is different from the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion 42 of the second pad 4 (S1≠S2). In the turning assistance pad 2 shown in Fig. 5, the width W1 of the first support portion 31 of the first pad 3 and the width W2 of the second support portion 41 of the second pad 4 are formed to have substantially the same length (W1 = W2), while the hardness H1 of the first support portion 31 is formed higher than the hardness H2 of the second support portion 41 (H1>H2). As a result, a step is generated between the upper surface of the first support portion 31 of the first pad 3 on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support portion 41 of the second pad 4 on the lower body side. Along this step, the portion from the hip to the lumbar region of the user B is supported, making it easier to obtain a natural sleeping posture. When the user B makes a turning motion, the step facilitates the rotation of the pelvis, promoting the start of the turning motion on the lower body side. Therefore, since the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are more likely to be interlocked, it becomes easier to turn over independently. In Fig. 5, an example where the width W1 of the first support portion 31 and the width W2 of the second support portion 41 are substantially the same length (W1 = W2) is shown, but it is not limited thereto. It is of course also possible to form the width W1 of the first support portion wider (W1>W2) than the width W2 of the second support portion, or conversely, to form it narrower (W1<W2).

[0073] The first pad 3 and the second pad 4 constituting the turning assist pad 2 according to the present invention are each formed of a cushion material having the above-mentioned predetermined thickness (height). As the first cushion material forming the first pad 3, a material having a hardness that does not significantly deform in the thickness direction when the user is lying in the supine position and does not significantly deform the shape of the first hardness gradient portion 32 is preferably selected. In the first pad 3 according to this embodiment, the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 are formed as separate bodies, but it is possible to use cushion materials of the same hardness for both of them, or cushion materials of different hardness suitable for each of them. In the latter case, it is preferable to select a cushioning material softer than the cushioning material forming the first hardness gradient portion 32 as the cushioning material forming the first support portion 31, so that the first support portion 31 has excellent body pressure dispersion and can flexibly support the body of the user B in contact with the first support portion 31, and the first hardness gradient portion 32 promotes the turning movement of the upper body without causing the user's shoulder S to sink too much, while keeping the distance L between the ground contact point G and the center of rotation X short. Furthermore, for both the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32, it is also possible to combine multiple different cushioning materials to obtain the corresponding portions. For example, it is possible to obtain the first support portion 31 by stacking multiple cushioning materials, or to combine different cushioning materials for the shoulder surrounding portion SA and other portions of the portion corresponding to the first hardness gradient portion 32. When the first support portion 31 and the first hardness gradient portion 32 constituting the first pad 3 are formed from the same cushioning material, it is possible to form the two as one piece, and further, it is also possible to subject the first support portion 31 to slit processing or the like to reduce the apparent hardness and make it softer.

[0074] Next, the second cushion material forming the second pad 4 is preferably selected to have a hardness that does not significantly deform in the thickness direction when the user is lying supine and does not greatly deform the shape of the second hardness gradient portion 42. In the second pad 4 according to this embodiment, the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 are formed as separate bodies, but it is possible to use cushion materials of the same hardness for both, or cushion materials of different hardness suitable for each. In the latter case, it is preferable to select a cushion material that is softer than the cushion material forming the second hardness gradient portion 42 as the cushion material forming the second support portion 41, so that the second support portion 41 has excellent body pressure dispersion and can flexibly support the body of the user B in contact with the second support portion 41, and at the time of turning the pelvis, the second hardness gradient portion 42 does not allow the part that comes into contact with the user's pelvis peripheral portion PA to sink too much, and promotes the turning motion of the lower body while keeping the distance L between the contact point G and the rotation center X short. Furthermore, for both the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42, it is possible to combine multiple different cushioning materials to obtain the corresponding portions, for example, it is possible to obtain the second support portion 41 by laminating multiple cushioning materials, or to form the portion corresponding to the second hardness gradient portion 42 by combining different cushioning materials for the pelvis surrounding portion PA and other portions. When the second support portion 41 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 constituting the second pad 4 are formed from the same cushioning material, it is possible to form both of them as one unit, and further, it is possible to perform slit processing or the like on the second support portion 41 to reduce the apparent hardness and make it softer.

[0075] The first and second cushioning materials are not particularly limited as long as they have the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foam, three-dimensional net structure, and cotton molded body are preferably used, and resin foam is more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam. The first and second cushioning materials may be made of the same material or different materials.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are formed separately. Therefore, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be detachably fixed on their adjacent surfaces by an engaging means such as a hook-and-loop fastener, or may be fixed by an adhesive, etc., so that the positions of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 do not shift. The first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be fixed to a mattress or a rug on which the turning assistance pad 2 is placed, or to a base layer 8 described later, by an engaging means, an adhesive, etc., and at this time, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be spaced apart so as to have a predetermined gap. Furthermore, when the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are formed of the same cushioning material, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be formed integrally.

[0077] Furthermore, while the turning assist pad 2 in this embodiment is composed of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, at least one third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness may be provided between the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, on the head side of the first pad 3, or on the leg side of the second pad 4. By providing a third pad that mainly supports the head, waist, or legs of user B separately, a cushioning material that supports the head, waist, or legs can be separately selected according to user B's preference for comfort and body shape, etc., and thus a turning assist pad 2 with improved comfort can be obtained.

[0078] FIG. 6 shows another example of the turning assist pad 2 of this embodiment, in which the above-mentioned third pad is provided on the leg side of the second pad 4. In this turning assist pad 2, the third pad provided on the leg side of the second pad 4 supports the lower limbs, and the third pad is formed with the same configuration as the first pad 3. That is, the third pad also has the first support part 31 and the first hardness gradient part 32 provided in the first pad 3. In this way, by making the first pad 3 and the third pad the same configuration, the effect of the present invention can be obtained regardless of the direction in which the user sleeps with respect to the length direction of the turning assist pad 2.

[0079] Next, referring to FIG. 7, a method of using the turn assist pad 2 according to this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the user B lies on his / her back on the turn assist pad 2. At this time, the upper half of the user B's body is supported by the first pad 3, and the lower half of the user B's body is supported by the second pad 4. The user B's lying position is adjusted so that the shoulder peripheral area SA including the shoulder S of the user B contacts or faces the first hardness gradient area 32 of the first pad 3, and the pelvis peripheral area PA including the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B contacts or faces the second hardness gradient area 42 of the second pad 4. In this state, the back part including the head and spine is stably supported by the first support part 31, and the buttocks part including the sacrum of the lower body is stably supported by the second support part 41.

[0080] Next, in the case of bending and rotating type turning over, as shown in Fig. 7(b) to Fig. 7(d), when user B tries to turn his upper body in the turning direction, the shoulder surrounding area SA is supported by the first hardness gradient section 32. Since the first hardness gradient section 32 has a hardness gradient S1 in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support section 31 toward the outside, when the shoulder surrounding area SA in the turning direction touches the first hardness gradient section 32, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness, and the distance to the body axis X of user B becomes closer. In this way, when user B turns over, the distance between the contact point G between the shoulder surrounding area SA of the user in the turning direction and the first hardness gradient section 32 and the body axis X of the user becomes closer, so that the force required to turn the upper body becomes smaller, and the upper body can be easily turned. Then, as shown in Fig. 7(c) to Fig. 7(e), the lower body side turns in conjunction with the upper body side turning. In detail, in the turn assist pad 2 according to this embodiment, the width W2 of the second support part 41 is narrower than the width W1 of the first support part 31, so that the second hardness gradient part 42 of the second pad 4 on the lower body side is located closer to the widthwise center of the turn assist pad 2, and the pelvis starts turning at an early timing with low torque. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 7(c), while the upper body side of the user B is turning, the pelvis that is in contact with the second hardness gradient part 42 of the turn assist pad 2 starts turning, and the turning on the second hardness gradient part 42 progresses. As a result, the upper body side turning and the lower body side turning are linked, making it easier for the user to turn on his / her own. As shown in FIG. 7(d), when user B tries to turn his / her pelvis in the direction of turning, the pelvis peripheral portion PA is supported by the second hardness gradient portion 42 toward the greater trochanter of the femur of user B, which requires the most force to turn. Since the second hardness gradient portion 42 has a hardness gradient S2 in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion 41 toward the outside, when the pelvis peripheral portion PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning, touches the second hardness gradient portion 42, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness, and the distance to the body axis X of user B becomes closer. This reduces the force required to turn the pelvis, making it easier to turn the lower body, and turning is completed as shown in FIG. 7(e).In addition, in the case of the extension-rotation type of turning, the order in which the lower and upper body move together is reversed, but the action of the first pad 3 contributing to the turning of the upper body and the action of the second pad 4 in turning the lower body are the same as in the case of the flexion-rotation type described above.

[0081] Next, the turning assist pad 20 according to the second embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 9, the turning assist pad 20 according to this embodiment is composed of a first pad 30 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed, and a second pad 40 on which the lower half of the user's body is placed, and the first pad 30 and the second pad 40 are arranged in a line in the height direction. The first pad 30 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed includes a first support portion 310 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center in the width direction, and first hardness gradient portions 320 arranged on both sides of the first support portion 310 and having upper surfaces positioned substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of the first support portion 310. The second pad 40 also includes a second support portion 410 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center in the width direction, and second hardness gradient portions 420 disposed on both sides of the second support portion 410 and having upper surfaces positioned substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of the second support portion 410. In this embodiment, the first support portion 310 and the first hardness gradient portion 320 are integrally formed, and similarly, the second support portion 410 and the second hardness gradient portion 420 are also integrally formed.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 9, the first hardness gradient portion 320 in this embodiment is provided with a first hardness adjusting means 50 consisting of four slits 50a to 50d on its upper surface side. The first hardness gradient portion 320 is adjusted by the hardness adjusting means 50 so that a hardness gradient S10 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion 310 toward the outside. The end of the first support portion 310 means the boundary between the first support portion 310 and the first hardness gradient portion 320, and the boundary between the first support portion 310 and the first hardness gradient portion 320 means the inner end of the hardness adjusting means (50a in this embodiment) located most inward in the width direction among the hardness adjusting means 50 provided in the first hardness gradient portion 320. As shown in FIG. 9(b), the first hardness adjusting means 50 in this embodiment is four slits formed in a half-cut manner from the upper surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 320. The slits 50a to 50d are continuously arranged in the length direction of the first pad 30, and are formed so that the interval between adjacent slits gradually narrows toward the end in the width direction of the first pad 30, i.e., the end in the width direction of the first hardness gradient portion 320. When slits are used as the hardness adjusting means 50, the method is not limited to the above, and the hardness gradient S10 may be obtained by forming the cut length of each slit to gradually increase. The number of slits is appropriately determined depending on the width length of the first hardness gradient portion 320, the hardness of the cushioning material, etc., and is not limited to the number shown in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the slits 50a to 50d are provided on the upper surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 320, but are not limited thereto, and may be provided on the lower surface side of the first hardness gradient portion 220.

[0083] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 9, the second hardness gradient portion 420 in this embodiment is provided with a second hardness adjusting means 60 consisting of seven slits 60a to 60g on its upper surface side. The second hardness gradient portion 420 is adjusted by the hardness adjusting means 60 so that a hardness gradient S20 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion 410 toward the outside. The end of the second support portion 410 means the boundary between the second support portion 410 and the second hardness gradient portion 420, and the boundary between the second support portion 410 and the second hardness gradient portion 420 means the inner end of the hardness adjusting means (60a in this embodiment) located most inward in the width direction among the hardness adjusting means 60 provided in the second hardness gradient portion 420. As shown in FIG. 9(c), the second hardness adjusting means 60 in this embodiment is seven slits formed in a half-cut manner from the upper surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 420. The multiple slits 60a to 60g are continuously arranged in the length direction of the second pad 40, and are formed so that the interval between adjacent slits gradually narrows or the cut length of the slits gradually increases toward the end of the width direction of the second pad 40, i.e., the end of the width direction of the second hardness gradient portion 420. Specifically, the slits 60a to 60d are formed so that the interval between the slits gradually narrows, the slits 60d to 60f are formed so that the cut length of the slits gradually increases, and the slits 60f to 60g are formed so that the interval between the slits narrows. The number of slits is appropriately determined depending on the width length of the second hardness gradient portion 420, the hardness of the cushioning material, etc., and is not limited to the number shown in this embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, the slits 60a to 60g are provided on the upper surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 420, but this is not limiting, and the slits 60a to 60g may be provided on the lower surface side of the second hardness gradient portion 420.

[0084] Regarding the turn assist pad 20 of this embodiment, the relationship between the components of the first pad 30 and the second pad 40 will be described below with reference to Fig. 9. In the turn assist pad 20 of this embodiment, the hardness gradient S10 of the first hardness gradient section 320 of the first pad 30 and the hardness gradient S20 of the second hardness gradient section 420 of the second pad 40 are configured to be approximately the same. That is, the apparent hardness change rate (inclination angle θ10) in the gradient initial region of the first hardness gradient section 320 and the apparent hardness change rate (inclination angle θ20) in the gradient initial region of the second hardness gradient section 420 are designed to be approximately the same change rate. Furthermore, the widthwise length W10 of the first support portion 310 of the first pad 30 and the widthwise length W20 of the second support portion 410 of the second pad 40 are configured so that the width W10 of the first support portion is wider than the width W20 of the second support portion (W10>W20). As a result, the second hardness gradient portion 420 of the second pad 40 on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the widthwise direction of the turning assistance pad 20 than the first pad 30 on the upper body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the pelvis peripheral portion PA in the turning direction quickly touches the ground on the second hardness gradient portion 420 and is supported while sinking, and the timing at which the lower body starts turning with low torque is set early. Therefore, when the user B turns over in a bending and rotating type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. In addition, when turning over in an extension-rotation type of motion, the pelvis starts turning smoothly and is easily linked to the upper body turning. This allows the upper body turning motion and the lower body turning motion to be smoothly linked, and the torque balance between the upper body and lower body turning motions is good, making it easier to turn over on your own.

[0085] In addition, in the turning assist pad 20 according to this embodiment, it is also preferable that the hardness H10 of the first support portion 310 of the first pad 30 is higher than the hardness H20 of the second support portion 410 of the second pad 40 (H1>H2). As a result, a step is further formed between the upper surface of the first support portion 310 of the first pad 30 on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support portion 410 of the second pad 40 on the lower body side, so that the part from the buttocks to the lumbar spine of the user B is supported along this step, making it easier to obtain a natural sleeping posture, and when the user B turns over in his / her sleep, after the upper body side turns, this step and the step formed between the first hardness gradient portion 320 of the first pad 30 and the second hardness gradient portion 420 of the second pad 40 cooperate to further promote the start of the turning motion of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

[0086] Other explanations regarding the first pad 30 and second pad 40 constituting the turning assist pad 20 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other components of the third pad, etc., are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment described above, and their functions and effects are also similar.

[0087] Next, the turning assist pad 21 according to the third embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 10, the turning assist pad 21 according to this embodiment is composed of two first pads 301 and one second pad 401, and is configured by arranging the first pad 301, the second pad 401, and the first pad 301 in a line in the height direction in this order. The first pad 301 on which the upper body or legs of the user are placed is provided with a first support portion 311 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center in the width direction, and first hardness gradient portions 321 arranged on both sides of the first support portion 311 and having upper surfaces positioned substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of the first support portion 311. Further, second pad 401 on which the lower back and buttocks of the user are placed comprises second support portion 411 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) in the width direction center portion, and second hardness gradient portions 421 arranged on both sides of second support portion 411 and having upper surfaces positioned substantially on the same plane as the upper surface of second support portion 411. Note that, although two first pads 301 are provided in this embodiment, it is also possible to configure one first pad 301 for the upper body and one second pad 401 for the lower body.

[0088] The first hardness gradient portion 321 in this embodiment is provided with a first hardness adjusting means 51, which is composed of four cushion materials 51a to 51d having different hardness in this embodiment. The first hardness gradient portion 321 is adjusted by the hardness adjusting means 51 so that a hardness gradient S11 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion 311 toward the outside. The end of the first support portion 311 means the boundary between the first support portion 311 and the first hardness gradient portion 321, and the boundary between the first support portion 311 and the first hardness gradient portion 321 means the inner end of the hardness adjusting means (51a in this embodiment) located most inward in the width direction among the hardness adjusting means 51 provided in the first hardness gradient portion 321. As shown in Figs. 10(a) and 10(b), the first hardness adjusting means 51 in this embodiment is four narrow cushion materials having different hardness. The four narrow cushion materials 51a to 51d are arranged along the length of the first pad 31, and are arranged so that the hardness of the cushion materials gradually decreases toward the end in the width direction of the first pad 31, i.e., the end in the width direction of the first hardness gradient portion 321. In this embodiment, the first hardness gradient portion 321 has a width length of 12 cm and a length in the length direction (height direction) of 65 cm, and each cushion material has a width length of 3 cm. The number of cushion materials having different hardness constituting the first hardness adjusting means 51 is appropriately determined depending on the width length of the first hardness gradient portion 321, the hardness of each cushion material, etc., and is not limited to the number shown in this embodiment.

[0089] On the other hand, the second hardness gradient portion 421 in this embodiment is also provided with a second hardness adjustment means 61 similar to the first hardness adjustment means 51 described above. The second hardness adjustment means 61 is composed of four cushion materials 61a to 61d having different hardness. The second hardness gradient portion 421 is adjusted by this hardness adjustment means 61 so that a hardness gradient S21 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion 411 toward the outside. Note that the end of the second support portion 411 means the boundary between the second support portion 411 and the second hardness gradient portion 421, and the boundary between the second support portion 411 and the second hardness gradient portion 421 means the inner end of the hardness adjustment means (61a in this embodiment) located most inward in the width direction among the hardness adjustment means 61 provided in the second hardness gradient portion 421. As shown in Figs. 10(a) and 10(c), the second hardness adjusting means 61 in this embodiment is four narrow cushion materials having different hardness. The four narrow cushion materials 61a to 61d are arranged along the length of the second pad 41, and are arranged so that the hardness of the cushion materials gradually decreases toward the end in the width direction of the second pad 41, i.e., the end in the width direction of the second hardness gradient portion 421. In this embodiment, the second hardness gradient portion 421 has a width length of 12 cm and a length in the length direction (height direction) of 55 cm, and each cushion material has a width length of 3 cm. The number of cushion materials having different hardness constituting the second hardness adjusting means 61 is appropriately determined depending on the width length of the second hardness gradient portion 421, the hardness of each cushion material, etc., and is not limited to the number shown in this embodiment.

[0090] The relationship between the components of the first pad 301 and the second pad 401 of the turn assist pad 21 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 10. In the turn assist pad 21 of this embodiment, the hardness gradient S11 of the first hardness gradient portion 321 of the first pad 301 and the hardness gradient S21 of the second hardness gradient portion 421 of the second pad 401 are configured to be approximately the same. That is, by making the hardness adjusting means 51 and 61 have the same configuration, the apparent hardness change degree (inclination angle θ11) in the gradient initial region of the first hardness gradient portion 321 and the apparent hardness change degree (inclination angle θ21) in the gradient initial region of the second hardness gradient portion 421 are designed to be approximately the same change degree. Furthermore, the width W11 of the first support portion 311 of the first pad 301 and the width W21 of the second support portion 411 of the second pad 401 are configured to be approximately the same width and length. The hardness H11 of the first support portion 311 of the first pad 301 and the hardness H21 of the second support portion 411 of the second pad 401 are configured so that the hardness H11 of the first support portion 311 is higher than the hardness H21 of the second support portion 411 (H1>H2). As a result, a step is generated between the upper surface of the first support portion 311 of the first pad 301 on the upper body side and the upper surface of the second support portion 411 of the second pad 401 on the lower body side, and the portion from the buttocks to the lumbar spine of the user B is supported along this step, making it easier to obtain a natural sleeping posture, and when the user B turns over in his sleep, after the upper body side turns, this step and the step formed between the first hardness gradient portion 321 of the first pad 301 and the second hardness gradient portion 421 of the second pad 401 cooperate to promote the start of the turning motion of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body are linked, making it easy to turn over on your own.

[0091] Other explanations regarding the first pad 301 and the second pad 401 constituting the turning assist pad 21 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations, are similar to those of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment and the first pad 30 and the second pad 40, etc. in the second embodiment described above, and their functions and effects are also similar.

[0092] Next, the turning assist pad 22 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, the turning assist pad 22 according to this embodiment is composed of two first pads 302 and one second pad 402, and is configured by arranging the first pad 302, the second pad 402, and the first pad 302 in a line in the height direction in this order. The first pad 302 on which the upper body or legs of the user are placed is provided with a first support part 312 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of the width direction. The second pad 402 on which the lower back and buttocks of the user are placed is provided with a second support part 412 having a substantially flat upper surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of the width direction, and second hardness gradient parts 422 arranged on both sides of the second support part 412 and whose upper surfaces are located on substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the second support part 412. In this way, in the turning assist pad 22 according to this embodiment, the first pad 302 is configured to be a normal flat pad, but only the second pad 402 is provided with the second hardness gradient portion 422. In this embodiment, the second support portion 412 and the second hardness gradient portion 422 are integrally formed. Note that, although two first pads 302 are provided in this embodiment, it is also possible to configure the pad 22 to have one first pad 302 for the upper body and one second pad 402 for the lower body.

[0093] 11, the second hardness gradient portion 422 in this embodiment is provided with a second hardness adjusting means 62 consisting of three types of through holes 62a to 62c penetrating the second hardness gradient portion 422 in the thickness direction. The sets of the three types of through holes 62a to 62c are continuously arranged at regular intervals in the length direction of the third pad 302. The second hardness gradient portion 422 is adjusted by the hardness adjusting means 62 so that a hardness gradient S22 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end portion of the second support portion 412 toward the outside. The end of the second support portion 412 means the boundary between the second support portion 412 and the second hardness gradient portion 422, and the boundary between the second support portion 412 and the second hardness gradient portion 422 means the inner end of the hardness adjustment means 62 (62a in this embodiment) located at the innermost position in the width direction among the hardness adjustment means 62 provided in the second hardness gradient portion 422. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 11(a) and 11(b), the hardness adjustment means 62 consisting of a plurality of through holes are arranged so that the void volume of the through holes gradually increases in the width direction of the second hardness gradient portion 422 from the end of the second support portion 412 toward the outside. In this embodiment, three sizes of through holes 62a to 62c are arranged, and the hole diameter of the through holes is gradually increased from the end of the second support portion 412 toward the end of the second pad 402. The hardness adjusting means 62 configured in this manner adjusts the second hardness gradient portion 422 so that a hardness gradient S22 is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases. The shape and number of the through holes and their arrangement are not limited to the arrangement and type shown in this embodiment. Furthermore, the hardness adjusting means 62 may be bottomed holes instead of through holes, or may be a combination of through holes and bottomed holes. In the case of bottomed holes, the hole depth is adjusted in addition to the hole diameter, number, and arrangement so that a hardness gradient S22 in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases is formed. The bottomed holes may be formed only on one side of the upper surface or the lower surface of the second hardness gradient portion 422, or on both sides.

[0094] The action of using the turning assist pad 22 according to this embodiment will be described. When the user B is lying on his / her back, the head and back part of the user B, centered on the spine, are stably supported by the first pad 302, and the lower back and buttock part, centered on the sacrum of the lower body, is stably supported by the second support part 412 of the second pad. When turning over in a bending and rotation type of motion with the upper body as the starting point, the pelvis is turned after the upper body is turned. During this pelvis turn, the pelvis peripheral part PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur and the ilium nearby, which are in the turning direction and require the most force for the turning motion, are supported by the second hardness gradient part 422. The second hardness gradient portion 422 is formed with a hardness gradient S22 in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion 412 toward the outside, so that when the pelvis peripheral portion PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning, touches the second hardness gradient portion 422, the contact point sinks by the amount of the gradually decreasing hardness, the distance between the contact point and the user's body axis becomes closer, the force required for turning the pelvis decreases, and the lower body side can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the lower limbs from the turning of the pelvis. This reduces the load related to the turning of the lower body, making it easier to turn in bed. The second hardness gradient portion 422, which has the effect of promoting this turning, is configured so that its apparent hardness gradually decreases and is configured so as not to have a large difference in hardness, so that the sleeping posture is stable, the sleeping comfort is excellent, and the movement related to the turning can be performed stably. In addition, in the case of turning over in an extension-rotation type in which the lower body is the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the pelvis surroundings PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction and the ilium nearby, are supported by the second hardness gradient section 422. Since the second hardness gradient section 422 is formed with a hardness gradient S22 in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support section 412 toward the outside, the point where the pelvis surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction, contacts the second hardness gradient section 412 sinks, becoming closer to the user's body axis, and the force required to turn the pelvis is reduced, making it easier to turn the lower body side.

[0095] Other explanations regarding the first pad 302 and second pad 402 constituting the turning assist pad 22 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations of the third pad, etc., are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment described above, and the first pads 30, 301 and second pads 40, 401, etc. in the second and third embodiments, and their functions and effects are also similar.

[0096] The turning assist pad of the present invention may be configured such that the first hardness gradient portion of the first pad and the second hardness gradient portion of the second pad have different hardness adjusting means. For example, the first hardness gradient portion and the second hardness gradient portion may be formed with different hardness adjusting means by using the hardness adjusting means in the first hardness gradient portion and the second hardness gradient portion exemplified in the first to fourth embodiments, or the two first (second) hardness gradient portions constituting the first (second) pad may be formed with different hardness adjusting means. Also, the hardness gradient portion may be configured such that different hardness adjusting means are combined.

[0097] Next, the turning assist mattress 1 of the present invention incorporating the above-mentioned turning assist pad 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. The turning assist mattress 1 of the present invention is generally constructed by stacking a base layer 8, a turning assist pad 2, end blocks 9, and an upper layer 7 in this order from bottom to top. The turning assist pad 2 is placed in the center of the width of the base layer 8, and the end blocks 9 are placed on both ends of the width of the base layer 8 along the length of the base layer 8 at a predetermined interval from the turning assist pad 2. The components constituting the turning assist mattress 1, such as the base layer 8, the turning assist pad 2, the end blocks 9, and the upper layer 7, may be fixed by an engagement means or adhesive on the surfaces where the components come into contact so that the positions of the components do not shift. The end blocks 9 may be arranged adjacent to the turning assist pad 2.

[0098] First, the base layer 8 will be described. The base layer 8 of the turning assist mattress 1 is made of a cushioning material that is relatively hard and can stably support the user's body. In the present embodiment, the base layer 8 is formed to have a width of 91 cm, a length of 195 cm, and a height of 2 cm, for example. The cushioning material of the base layer 8 is preferably one whose hardness is equal to or greater than that of the cushioning material constituting the first pad 3 and the second pad 4. The cushioning material of the base layer 8 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foam, three-dimensional net structure, and cotton molding are preferably used, and resin foam is more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of the resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

[0099] Next, we will explain the turning assist pad 2. The turning assist pad 2 incorporated in the turning assist mattress 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the turning assist pad 2 according to the first embodiment described above, and naturally includes the turning assist pads according to the second to fourth embodiments, and any turning assist pad according to any of the embodiments described above can be used.

[0100] Next, the end block 9 will be described. By providing the end block 9, when the user B turns over, it is possible to prevent the user B from rolling too far off the turnover assistance pad 2 and falling off the base layer 8, and the user B can safely turn over on the mattress. In this embodiment, the end block 9 is formed to have a width of 10 cm, a length of 195 cm, and a height of 3 cm, as an example. In addition, by forming the end block 9 from a relatively hard cushioning material, the user can brace himself when he places his hands on the end block 9, and when he sits on the end block 9, the buttocks are held in the recess formed by the inclined parts 32, 42 of each pad and the end block 9, and the end block 9 supports the area near the back of the thighs, so that the user can easily balance in the sitting position and has stability in sitting on the edge and stability in getting up. Specifically, the cushioning material of the end block 9 is preferably one having a hardness of 180 to 440 N, more preferably 200 to 300 N, and particularly preferably 210 to 250 N, measured in accordance with JIS K6401 "Load-bearing flexible polyurethane foam". The cushioning material of the end block 9 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foam, three-dimensional network structure, and cotton molding are preferably used, and resin foam is more preferred from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of the resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

[0101] In this embodiment, the end block 9 is placed on the base layer 8, but the end block 9 may be placed in contact with an end of the base layer 8 in the longitudinal direction, rather than on the base layer 8. In this case, the upper surface of the end block 9 needs to protrude beyond the upper surface of the base layer 8, so the height (thickness) of the end block 9 is made at least greater than the height of the base layer 8.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the end blocks 9 are provided at both widthwise ends of the base layer 8, but they may be provided at only one of the ends. Also, in this embodiment, the end blocks 9 are provided along the length of the base layer 8, but it is also possible to provide them at only a part of the length of the base layer 8, such as only around the center in the lengthwise direction. Furthermore, in order to improve the shape retention of the turning assistance mattress 1, it is also possible to provide the end blocks 9 at the widthwise ends of the base layer 8.

[0103] Next, the upper layer 7 will be described. As shown in FIG. 12, the upper layer 7 is a layer that covers the upper surfaces of the above-mentioned turning assistance pad 2, end block 9, and base layer 8, and is made of a cushioning material that is softer than the turning assistance pad 2, end block 9, and base layer 8. In this embodiment, the upper layer 7 is formed so that the length in the width direction is 91 cm, the length in the length direction is 195 cm, and the height from the upper surface of the turning assistance pad 2 is 6 cm. As the cushioning material of the upper layer 7, from the viewpoint of maintaining the action and effect of the turning assistance pad 2 and improving the sleeping comfort and body pressure dispersion of the user B, the hardness measured in accordance with JIS K6401 "Load-bearing soft polyurethane foam" is preferably 50 to 160 N, more preferably 70 to 150 N, and particularly preferably 90 to 140 N. The cushioning material of the upper layer 7 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but a resin foam, a three-dimensional network structure, and a cotton molding are preferably used, and a resin foam is more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of the resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

[0104] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12(b) and Fig. 12(c), the upper layer 7 is formed as a flat sheet having a certain thickness, and between the upper layer 7 and the base layer 8, a space surrounded by the outside of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 and the end block 9, and a space surrounded by the outside of the second hardness gradient portion 42 of the second pad 4 and the end block 9 are formed. The shape of the upper layer 7 can be formed such that the lower surface side of the upper layer 7 is substantially fitted into the above-mentioned space. In addition, a cushioning material different from the upper layer 7 can be placed in this space, but in that case, it is preferable to select a cushioning material that is as soft as or softer than the cushioning material of the upper layer 7. In addition, if the effect of the hardness gradient portions 32, 42 of the turning assist pad 2 is reduced due to the stacking of the upper layer 7 or the cushioning material placed in the above-mentioned space, it is also possible to design and adjust the hardness gradients of the first hardness gradient portion 32 of the first pad 3 and the second hardness gradient portion 42 of the second pad 4 to be large.

[0105] In the present embodiment, the turning assistance mattress 1 is configured by laminating the turning assistance pad 2 and the end block 9 on the base layer 8, and further laminating the upper layer 7, but the end block 9 or the upper layer 7 may be omitted. Also, the end block 9 and the upper layer 7 may be omitted, and the turning assistance pad 2 may be laminated only on the base layer 8.

[0106] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the technical scope of the present invention includes various modified forms of design within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 Turning Mattress 2, 20, 21, 22 Turning pad 3, 30, 301, 302 1st pad 31, 310, 311, 312 1st support part 32, 320, 321 First hardness gradient section 4, 40, 401, 402 2nd Pad 41, 410, 411, 412 2nd support part 42, 420, 421, 422 Second hardness gradient section 5, 50, 51 Hardness adjusting means of the first hardness gradient portion 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d groove 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d slits 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d Cushioning materials of different hardness 6, 60, 61, 62 Hardness adjusting means of the second hardness gradient portion 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g groove 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d, 60e, 60f, 60g Slit 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d Cushioning materials of different hardness 62a, 62b, 62c through hole 7 Upper layer 8 Base Layer 9 End Block W1, W10, W11, W12 Width of first support W2, W20, W21, W22 Width of second support H1, H10, H11, H12 Hardness of the first support H2, H20, H21, H22 Hardness of the second support S1, S10, S11 Hardness gradient of the first hardness gradient section S2, S20, S21, S22 Hardness gradient of the second hardness gradient section B user S User's shoulder SW Shoulder width SA Shoulder area P Anterior superior iliac spine of the user's pelvis PW Pelvis width PA Pelvic area F Force acting in the tangent direction of the rolling circle L Distance between the ground contact point and the center of rotation G ground point X rotation center (body axis)

Claims

1. A turning-over assistance pad that is placed on a mattress, a futon, or a rug and used, The turning assistance pad includes at least a first pad on which the upper body of the user is placed, and a second pad on which at least the lower back and buttocks of the user are placed, the first pad being disposed in the height direction; The first pad is formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness, A first support portion having a width equal to or smaller than the shoulder width of a user is provided at a widthwise center portion of the first pad, a pair of first hardness gradient portions are provided at both ends of the first pad in a width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the first support portion; the first hardness gradient portion has a first hardness adjusting means for adjusting the hardness so as to form a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end portion of the first support portion toward the outside, The first support portion is configured to support at least a part of the back of a user in a supine position, and the first hardness gradient portion is configured to support the shoulders of the user when turning over in bed, The second pad is formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness. A second support portion having a width narrower than the width of the user's pelvis is provided at a widthwise center portion of the second pad, A pair of second hardness gradient portions is provided at both ends of the second pad in the width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the second support portion, the second hardness gradient portion has a second hardness adjusting means for adjusting the hardness so as to form a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end portion of the second support portion toward the outside, The second support portion is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of a user in a supine position, and the second hardness gradient portion is configured to support the greater trochanter of the femur of the user when the user turns over in bed, The turning assistance pad is characterized in that the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion are adjusted to be different from each other.

2. 2. The turning assistance pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion is adjusted to be greater than the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion (S1>S2).

3. 3. The turning assist pad according to claim 1, wherein a width W1 of the first support portion is greater than a width W2 of the second support portion (W1>W2).

4. The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the hardness H1 of the cushion material forming the first support portion is higher than the hardness H2 of the cushion material forming the second support portion (H1 > H2).

5. A turning-over assistance pad that is placed on a mattress, a futon, or a rug and used, The turning assistance pad includes at least a first pad on which the upper body of the user is placed, and a second pad on which at least the lower back and buttocks of the user are placed, the first pad being disposed in the height direction; The first pad is formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness, A first support portion having a width equal to or smaller than the shoulder width of a user is provided at a widthwise center portion of the first pad, a pair of first hardness gradient portions are provided at both ends of the first pad in a width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the first support portion; the first hardness gradient portion has a first hardness adjusting means for adjusting the hardness so as to form a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end portion of the first support portion toward the outside, The first support portion is configured to support at least a part of the back of a user in a supine position, and the first hardness gradient portion is configured to support the shoulders of the user when turning over in bed, The second pad is formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness. A second support portion having a width narrower than the width of the user's pelvis is provided at a widthwise center portion of the second pad, A pair of second hardness gradient portions is provided at both ends of the second pad in the width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the second support portion, the second hardness gradient portion has a second hardness adjusting means for adjusting the hardness so as to form a hardness gradient in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases from the end portion of the second support portion toward the outside, The second support portion is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of a user in a supine position, and the second hardness gradient portion is configured to support the greater trochanter of the femur of the user when the user turns over in bed, A width W1 of the first support portion is wider than a width W2 of the second support portion (W1>W2), The turning assistance pad is characterized in that the hardness gradient S1 of the first hardness gradient portion and the hardness gradient S2 of the second hardness gradient portion are equal (S1=S2).

6. 6. The turning assist pad according to claim 5, wherein the hardness H1 of the cushion material forming the first support portion is higher than the hardness H2 of the cushion material forming the second support portion (H1>H2).

7. The second hardness adjusting means is a plurality of cushioning materials having different hardnesses, The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the plurality of cushioning materials are arranged so that the hardness gradually decreases from the end of the second support portion toward the outside, thereby forming the second hardness gradient portion.

8. The first hardness adjusting means is a plurality of cushioning materials having different hardnesses, The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the plurality of cushioning materials are arranged so that the hardness gradually decreases from the end of the first support portion toward the outside, thereby forming the first hardness gradient portion.

9. the second hardness adjusting means is a plurality of grooves or slits formed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the second hardness gradient portion, The plurality of grooves or slits are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the second hardness gradient portion, and extend outward from an end of the second support portion. (i) having an arrangement region formed so that the void volume of each groove gradually increases; (ii) having an array region formed so that the cutting length of each slit gradually increases, or (iii) The turning assist pad according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has an arrangement region in which the intervals between adjacent grooves or slits are gradually narrowed.

10. the first hardness adjusting means is a plurality of grooves or slits formed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the first hardness gradient portion, The plurality of grooves or slits are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the first hardness gradient portion, and extend outward from an end of the first support portion. (i) having an arrangement region formed so that the void volume of each groove gradually increases; (ii) having an array region formed so that the cutting length of each slit gradually increases, or (iii) The turning assist pad according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has an arrangement region in which the intervals between adjacent grooves or slits are gradually narrowed.

11. 11. The turning pad according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the increase in the void volume of the groove is achieved by increasing the groove depth, widening the groove width, or a combination of these.

12. the second hardness adjusting means is a plurality of through holes or bottomed holes formed in a thickness direction of the second hardness gradient portion, The turning assistance pad of any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the multiple through holes or blind holes are arranged so that at least one of the void volume or number of the through holes or blind holes gradually increases from the end of the second support portion outward.

13. the first hardness adjusting means is a plurality of through holes or bottomed holes formed in a thickness direction of the first hardness gradient portion, The turning assistance pad of any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the multiple through holes or blind holes are arranged so that at least one of the void volume or number of the through holes or blind holes gradually increases from the end of the first support portion outward.

14. The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that at least a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness is disposed between the first pad and the second pad.

15. The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness is arranged on the leg side of the second pad, and the third pad has the same configuration as the first pad.

16. A mattress provided with the turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 15, The turning assistance pad is disposed on a base layer made of a cushioning material.

17. 17. The turn aid mattress of claim 16, wherein the first pad and the second pad are spaced apart on the base layer.

18. the width of the base layer is greater than the widths of the first pad and the second pad; A turning assistance mattress as described in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that an end block protruding in the height direction is arranged at at least one end of the width direction of the base layer, along at least a portion of the length direction of the base layer.

19. At least one upper layer made of a cushioning material is laminated on the turning pad, A turning assistance mattress as described in any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the upper layer is lower than the hardness of the cushioning material forming the first support portion of the first pad.

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