Methods and devices for reducing stress concentration when supporting a body

a technology of stress concentration and supporting body, which is applied in the field of methods and devices for reducing stress concentration when supporting a body, can solve the problems of insufficient implementation of most schemes, discomfort and possible injury, and achieve the effect of reducing discomfort and injury, minimizing or eliminating any localized concentration of stress

US20050060809A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-03-24ROGERS JOHN E
8 Cites 18 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2005-03-24
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

This invention is of a method and equipment for reducing stress concentrations in a body supported in a horizontal or any reclining position up to and including a fully seated position. The stress reduction is accomplished by means of specially designed or arranged cushioning material contained inside a membrane or bladder wherein the pressure of a fluid inside the membrane can be controlled as a means of varying the cushioning effect (compressibility) of the material inside and holding the cushioning material in specific places to reduce fight-back of the material over supporting edges that may otherwise create undesirable shear on the supported body tissue.
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Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] Not applicable BACKGROUND

[0004] A person who is elderly or has some enervation and is confined to bed for an extended period, will have a propensity to develop tissue trauma sores (ischemic ulcers, decubitus ulcers or bedsores). Typically these sores appear over bony prominences where forces arising from the weight of the body are concentrated and the lack of movement leads to tissue destruction. (Those with normal sensation and mobility become “uncomfortable” and move to a different position while those under anesthetics can't move) To avoid such sores, some form of tissue pressure / shear interface should be provided to reduce these forces to a value that the tissue can tolerate. These tissue trauma forces may be adjusted in a number of ways; by “putting the load where the body can tolerate it”,...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0054] The basic features of the invention can be seen in FIG. 1. A foam pad 1 of any size or shape, containing one or more cutouts 2, is inserted into a closely fitting airtight bladder 3. A valve 4, is affixed to an opening 5, and an optional pumping means 6, for pressurizing or evacuating the bladder may be attached. It should be noted that the shape of the pad in FIG. 1 is for demonstration only and that the pad may also be in the shape of a torus, a circle, or a square for example, with a rectangular, or other-shaped center portion removed, or for that matter, any suitable body supporting shape.

[0055] As demonstrated by Rogers (inventor herein), U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,137, the deformation of a foam mattress around an opening through the foam in the form of a truncated upright cone (small radius at top) or bell-shaped, is such that the material around the edges of the opening tends to “roll” into the cavity when a load is placed upon the portion of the mattress containing the cut-...