Abstract:
An arm supporting pillow in sling apparatus, comprising in combination a flexible sling, with a first strap having connection to the sling to be supported by a user, an insert pillow received in the sling, to be retrievable from the sling, the sling and pillow dimensioned to receive a user&#39;s forearm alongside the pillow, in the sling.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 10/718,058, filed Nov. 21, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,213. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to human arm supports, and more particularly to comfortably supporting that forearm in an immobile position, spaced from the torso. 
   There is need for such arm supporting device, and particularly after surgery, and when a patient is bedridden. In particular, there is need for a simple, effective, arm support that is easily applied with minimum disturbance to the arm itself, and with coded straps and/or pillow connection facilitating ease and rapidity of correct application to the user&#39;s arm. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved arm support apparatus meeting the above need. Basically the invention is embodied in a sling apparatus that comprises, in combination: 
   a) a flexible sling, with a first strap having connection to the sling, to be supported by a user&#39;s shoulder area, 
   b) an insert pillow received in the sling, and to be retrievable from the sling, 
   c) the sling and pillow dimensioned to receive a user&#39;s forearm alongside the pillow, in the sling, there being a second strap having connection to the sling and pillow for holding the sling and pillow proximate the user&#39;s body, said first strap connection having color A and said second strap connection having color B. 
   As will be seen, the pillow typically has a width between 2½ and 5 inches, to support the forearm at that distance from the human torso to which the sling is applied, the pillow extending forwardly, along side the forearm and held in that position by the sling. Also, the pillow preferably consists of foam material, and has a jacket covering the foam material, and may have releasable connection to the sling for positioning. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a sling having forwardly extending panels which are foldable to be connectible together along upper extent of the sling, to close the sling over the user&#39;s forearm and pillow, and to allow upward opening of the sling to release the user&#39;s forearm and the pillow. 
   Yet another object is to provide a strap that extends about the user&#39;s body and has opposite ends respectively connected to the sling and to the pillow, and having length to extend about the user&#39;s body. 
   A further object is to provide a sling having a releasable drop panel which, when dropped, allows the user&#39;s forearm to dangle downwardly from and below the sling. A user&#39;s hand holder associated with the pillow is manipulable to release the hand and arm, to hang downwardly as described. 
   An added object is to provide a sling having a bottom panel which is adjustable in width to allow sling size adjustment. Such sling size adjustment easily accommodates to different size (width) arms to be retained against the side of the pillow by the sling, so that only one size pillow is needed, but multiple sizes are accommodated. 
   Additional objects include provision of strap structure incorporating elongated body strap structure having connection to the pillow proximate one end of the sling, and also having connection to the opposite end of the sling. The connection or connections typically include elements with adjustable connections to the strap structure. The strap structure typically includes strap terminal portions with VELCRO connection to intermediate extent of the strap structure, proximate a side of the sling. Such terminal portions extend toward one another, and said strap terminal portions and said elements all have color A. 
   Further objects include provision of a sling support strap that has end connections at opposite ends of the sling. Such connections typically include loops having color B; and there may be two of said loops at said side of the sling, of color B, and either or both of said two loops is or are connected to the support strap, via an auxiliary VELCRO strap. 
   An additional object includes provision of 
   d) a body strap having connection of color B to the sling and pillow; and 
   e) a support strap having connection of color A to the sling, at spaced locations. 
   The pillow may have VELCRO connection to the sling at multiple locations C. Such A, B and C color coding of connections facilitates ease and rapidity of assembly, use and application of the device, as will be seen. 
   The novel sling and pillow apparatus therefore has many advantages as well as multiple modes of operation, all embodied within a single, effective, easily applied and removed apparatus, particularly as respects bedridden patients. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: 

   
     DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are frontal and rearward perspective views of preferred apparatus embodying one form of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a view like  FIG. 1  but showing sling panels separated away from a pillow retained in the sling; 
       FIG. 4  is a view of a bedridden patient to which the sling apparatus and pillow are easily applied, as for example by pillow insertion into the opened sling; 
       FIG. 5  is a more detailed view, taken in frontal perspective, showing the opened sling, and pillow; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view taken in section on lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a section taken in elevation on lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a vertical section showing a modification; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing another form of the invention, with color coded connections; 
       FIG. 10  is a rear elevation of the  FIG. 9  apparatus; 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  are views showing color coding of sub-straps in the  FIGS. 9 and 10  apparatus; 
       FIG. 13  is a view showing internal color coding of structure; and 
       FIG. 14  is a fragmentary view showing color coding of strap connection structure. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the drawings, a flexible sling  10  has a strap  11  to be supported by a user&#39;s shoulder area  12   a , so that the strap extends at  11   a  at the front of the user&#39;s body  12 , and at  11   b  at the rear of the body. 
   The sling has spaced apart, forwardly extending panels  10   a  and  10 , which are foldable to be connected together along upper extent  10   c  of the sling, as for example is shown in  FIG. 7 . Panel  10   a  is an inner panel positioned to rest against the user&#39;s side  14 ; and panel  10   b  is an outer panel positioned to extend as shown, adjacent the user&#39;s arm  12   b  in space  15 . A connection is shown at  16  for interconnecting upper extents of the panels, in a forward and rearward direction  17 . That connection may for example comprise hook and pile elements, as shown, enabling ready release of the connection  16 . 
   An insert pillow  18  is received into the sling, as for example downwardly when connection  16  is opened as seen in  FIG. 5 . The received pillow is located in space  20 , between arm space  15  and panel  10   a , whereby the pillow comfortably holds the user&#39;s arm  12   b  in outwardly spaced relation to the user&#39;s side  14 , the tensioned sling panel  10   b  holding the user&#39;s arm against the pillow side  18   a . The pillow may consist of yieldably compressible pad material  22  such as foam rubber, or foam plastic, and a jacket  23  surrounding the pad, as at  23   a - 23   d , in  FIG. 7 . A finger or hand retention strap  24  extends adjacent the forward end of the pillow at its side facing space  15 . The strap lower end  24   a  has VELCRO connection to the pillow, bottom panel  10   e  as at  70 . 
   The pillow itself preferably has adjustable VELCRO connection to the sling, as at connection  26  to sling panel  10   a , to adjustably position the pillow in the sling, for most comfort to the user&#39;s arm  12   b.    
   Sling strap  11   a  has connection to upper portions  10   a ′ and  10   b ′ of both sling panels  10   a  and  10   b , as seen in  FIG. 7 . See ring  30  connecting adjustable strap  31  to loop  32 ; and see ring  33  connecting adjustable strap  31  to loop  32 . Ring  35  connects loop  32  to sling shoulder strap  11   a , as shown. VELCRO connections  31   a  and  34   a  allow length adjustment of folded-back straps  31  and  34  whereby rotary positioning (see arrow  50 ) of the pillow in the sling can be achieved; and VELCRO connection  37  allows length adjustment of sling strap  11   b.    
   When strap  31  is disconnected from panel  10   b , outer sling panel  10   b  can be dropped, after release of the connection  16 . This allows alternative downward flexing and positioning of the user&#39;s arm  12   b , as to a hanging condition, as seen in  FIG. 3 , below the level of the sling panel  10   b , as for arm medical or other treatment, without requiring removal of the pillow  18  from the sling. Thereafter, the user&#39;s forearm  12   b  can be flexed up at the elbow and re-positioned adjacent the pillow side as in  FIG. 7 , and the panel  10   b  re-attached at  16  to panel  10   a , and strap  31  re-attached to loop  32 . These steps can be easily accomplished while the user is in lying or reclining position, as in a medical facility as seen in  FIG. 4 , without disturbing the sling straps  10   a  and  10   b , or a body retention strap  45 . The latter has attachment to the sling at  46 , as seen in  FIG. 2 , and to the pillow at  47  as seen in  FIG. 5 . These connections assure positioning of the pillow in the sling, during use and adjustment. The user&#39;s hand  12   c  is shown in  FIG. 1 , retained to the pillow by strap  24 . 
     FIG. 8  shows an optional sling bottom panel  10   d  which is adjustable in width between side panels  10   a  and  10   b . See overlapping sections  10   d ′ and  10   d ″ of panel  10   d , VELCRO connected to allow width adjustment of  10   d , below the pillow. 
   The pillow width is typically between 2½ and 6 inches. The pillow may consist of an inflatable container, rather than foam rubber of foam plastic. The pillow may be removed or omitted, enabling use of the device in another arm sling mode. 
   In  FIG. 9 , the strap structure includes a sling support strap  11  having one strap end  11   c  connected to one end of the flexible sling  10  as via connection at  120 . The strap has an opposite end  11   d  connected to a side  10   a  of the sling, as via connection structure  121 . Connection  120  includes a loop such as ring  122 , and connection structure  121  includes loops such as rings  123  and  124 . The loops typically have colored surfaces, as for example matching colors B (such as white) surfaces on rings  122  and  123  that engage the strap ends or terminals. Those engaged strap terminals may have connections, such as adjustable length VELCRO connections of side facing color B, indicated as white in  FIG. 9  at strap side locations  11   e  and  11   f . Ring  124  has color C, as for example blue. It is connected to ring  123  by a short strap  125  of color B (white), and it is connected to the sling side  10   c  by a short adjustable length strap  128 , of color C, i.e. blue. Ring  122  is connected to the sling as by short strap  130 , of color B (white). See also ring  124 ′, and strap  128 ′ at the upper opposite side of the sling, in  FIG. 14 . 
   In addition strap ends  11   c  and  11   d  are lengthwise adjustable, as by looping through rings  122  and  123  and shiftable relative to those rings. Strap end extents  11   e ′ and  11   f ″ are typically VELCRO connected to strap medial extent  11   q . White colored end locations  11   e  and  11   f  may consist of white fabric adhered to strap end extents  11   e ′ and  11   f ″. The white coloring of the rings  122  and  123  indicates that the white colored ends, at  11   e  and  11   f  of the strap  11  are to be passed through those rings, facilitates rapid accurate assembly of the strap to the sling. 
   Body retention strap  45  has a medial portion  45 ′ that fits through loops or rings  130  and  131  retained at opposite ends of the flexible strap. Strap end extents  45   a  and  45   b  have identifying side facing coloring D at  45   c  and  45   d , as for example red, or associated colored fabric. This indicates to the user that strap end extents  45   a  and  45   b  are to be adjustably rapidly and accurately attached, as by VELCRO connections to exposed fabric on the strap material portion  45   a , after strap end assembly passage through the rings  130  and  131 , also having coloring D, as for example red, upon initial assembly of strap  45  to the sling opposite ends. Short straps  150  and  151 , also bearing coloring D, operatively attach the rings  130  and  131  to the sling. In the example, short strap  150  connects ring  130  to the end wall of pillow  18 , carried at the sling interior; and short strap  151  connects ring  131  to sling opposite end, at  46 . 
   See also  FIG. 13 , showing a color D connection ring  154  attached by color D short strap  155  to the opposite end  18 ′ of pillow  18 , or for alternate connection of the strap  45  to that end of the pillow. 
     FIG. 11  schematically shows the white fabric at  11   e  and  11   f  on the extended strap  11 ; and  FIG. 12  shows the red fabric at  45   c  and  45   d  on the extended strap  45 . 
   Finally,  FIG. 13  also shows colored matching fabric zones  160  and  161  at the sling interior, zone  160  located at the outer side wall  18   b  of pillow  18 , and zone  161  located at the inner side wall  10   q  of the sling fabric. Zones  160  and  161  are of the matching color E, as for example yellow, and indicates where the pillow is to be located, in the sling, as by face to face assembly of those VELCRO zones. The zones may also provide VELCRO connection of the pillow to the sling. 
   Another yellow VELCRO fabric zone  161 ′ may be provided at the inner side of the sling fabric wall  102 ′, at the opposite side of the pillow, for connection to  160  if the pillow is reversed, to support the user&#39;s opposite arm. Zones  161  and  161 ′ extend in generally parallel relation.