Cover for a support surface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing support surfaces, such as hospital beds, often cause discomfort during position transitions due to compression and require significant effort to reposition patients, especially those with reduced mobility, leading to strain and potential injury for caregivers.

Innovation Solution

A cover for support surfaces featuring a ticking material with a friction reducing overlay made of low friction material, forming a pattern of spaced-apart overlay elements to facilitate patient displacement, while maintaining breathability and elasticity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional ticking material is used for the cover, then the cover provides good breathability and elasticity, but it creates high friction that causes patient discomfort during position transitions and makes repositioning difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of patient displacementVSAvoidfriction-induced discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The overlay is segmented into a pattern of spaced-apart overlay elements rather than being continuous. This segmentation reduces the overall friction surface area while maintaining breathability through the gaps between elements, directly addressing the contradiction between friction reduction and breathability preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The low friction material is applied locally as an overlay on specific portions of the ticking material rather than replacing the entire cover material. This allows different regions to have different properties: the overlay elements provide low friction for easy displacement, while the underlying ticking material maintains breathability and elasticity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If a continuous low friction overlay is applied on the ticking material, then friction is significantly reduced for easier patient displacement, but breathability and elasticity of the cover are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of patient displacementVSAvoidbreathability and elasticity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The overlay is divided into discrete spaced-apart elements rather than forming a continuous layer. The gaps between elements allow air circulation (maintaining breathability) and enable the underlying elastic ticking material to flex freely (maintaining elasticity), while still providing friction reduction where the overlay contacts the patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The overlay pattern creates an effectively porous structure with gaps between elements, allowing air and moisture to pass through to the breathable ticking material underneath, thus maintaining the breathability function while providing friction reduction at the patient interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the overlay elements are densely packed to maximize friction reduction, then patient displacement becomes easier, but the cover loses breathability and the ticking material cannot function properly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefriction reductionVSAvoidbreathability area

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The overlay is segmented into spaced-apart elements rather than being densely packed or continuous. This segmentation strategically balances friction reduction coverage with sufficient gaps to maintain breathability, allowing air and moisture to reach the underlying ticking material through the spaces between overlay elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces friction by approximately 30% and enhances patient comfort during position changes, making it easier for caregivers to reposition patients without compromising breathability or elasticity.

Implementation Method 1

a friction reducing overlay on at least a portion of the outer top surface for facilitating displacement of the person on the support surface, the friction reducing overlay being made of a low friction material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction reduction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS20260000215A1Cover for a support surface

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 UMANO MEDICAL INC

AI summary

A cover for a support surface includes: a ticking made of a ticking material configured to enclose a support layer of the support surface, the ticking having an outer top surface configured to face a person lying on the support surface; and a friction reducing overlay on at least a portion of the outer top surface for facilitating displacement of the person on the support surface, the friction reducing overlay being made of a low friction material formed onto the ticking material, the friction reducing overlay comprising a plurality of overlay elements that are spaced apart from each other to form an overlay pattern.