BEDDING

Abstract: Bedding for small children and persons who suffer from illnesses or are unable to move, and consequently wet their beds. In order to bind the liquid so that diapers or equivalent fomenting the baby or the patient become unnecessary, the bedding comprises depressions (4) or impressions or protruding parts located relatively close to each other. On top of the said element or adjacent to it there is removably adjusted a moisture-absorbing changeable part (5). The changeable part (5) includes a moisture-impermeable layer (6) and, if so desired, a moisture-absorbing part (7), or the changeable part is formed of tubular members with perforations on their upper surface, which members can be fitted into the depressions of the bedding element. The tubular members conduct the moisture into a removable receptacle or equivalent placed in another groove. The uppermost layer of the changeable part (5) is a highly moisture-permeable layer (8).

Description: BEDDING The present invention relates to a bedding for small children and such older persons who suffer froπ illnes¬ ses or are unable to move, and consequently wet their beds. Bed wetting is a serious problem, which in many cases leads to further complications such as cutaneous erup¬ tions and other difficultly curable diseases, particu¬ larly as regards patients who are chronically ill and unable to move. For children -and sick people it is customary to use moisture-absorbing diapers, the purpo¬ se whereof is to absorb the urine. In this case, how¬ ever, the skin of the patient is inconveniently fomen¬ ted by the diaper. There has been an effort to reduce the fomenting effect of the diapers by employing so- called dry diapers. The dry diaper consists of two separate layers, wherein the layer next to the skin is made of a highly liquid-permeable material and the ou- tjr surface of a liquid-absorbing material. Even with this construction, however, it has not been possible to eliminate the fomenting effect of the diaper comple¬ tely. Moreover, the diaper is capable of absorbing only relatively small amounts of liquid. In the previous art are also known so-called baby bed¬ dings, which are made of some suitable liquid-absorbing material, for example acidic cellulose. The absorbing capacity of such beddings is, however, very united, and as can be understood from their title, they are meant mainly for the use of small babies. The purpose of the present invention is to realize such a bedding for small children, sick people etc., which eliminates the above mentioned drawbacks. In order to achieve this, the bedding of the present invention is characterized by the novel features enlisted mainly in the Patent Claim 1. Among the most important advantages of the invention can be stated the following. By employing the present invention it is possible to get rid of fomenting dia¬ pers and other similar nuisances. By means of the inven¬ tion the baby remains fairly dry irrespective of urina¬ ting, if he is dressed in thin, permeable clothing, which is quickly dried up owing to the heat emanating from the skin. The bedding of the invention is also easy to keep clean only by changing the removable part of the bedding. The bedding of the invention, provided with a receptacle or equivalent, is particularly well suited for heavy patients. Thus it can be secured that the weight of the person does not press the moisture back onto the surfa¬ ce of the bedding, and that unpleasant odours etc. can be avoided. In the following the invention is described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Figure 1 is an axonometric illustration of one prefer¬ red embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows the bedding of Figure 1 in breadthwise cross-section along the line A-A. Figure 3 is an illustration of a changeable part belon¬ ging to one preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 is an illustration of another changeable part. Figure 5 is an axonometric illustration of another pre¬ ferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 shows the bedding of Figure 5 in lengthwise cross-section along the line B-B. Figure 7 shows the bedding of Figure S in breadthwise cross-section along the line C-C. O. .PI According to Figure 1 , the bedding of the invention comprises the mattress 1 made for instance of foamy plastic. Therein is formed the incision 2. Into the incision 2 is fixedly fitted the element 3. The detailed structure of the bedding is illustrated in Figure 2, which shows the bedding in breadthwise cross-section along the line A-A. The element 3 is pro¬ vided with several parallel grooves 4. On top of the element 3 there is located the changeable part 5, so that it fits into the grooves 4. The changeable part 5 comprises the liquid-impermeable layer 6, the form whereof matches to the form of the grooves 4. At each groove 4 the part 5 is filled with liquid-absorbing ma¬ terial 7. The top layer 8 of the changeable part is in turn made of some highly liquid-permeable material, such as fib¬ rous cloth. Figure 3 shows a separate illustration of the changeable part 5. The bedding functions so that the urine penetrates the top layer 8 of the changeable part 5 and is thereafter absorbed into the material 7 located within the grooves 4. Figure 4 presents another advantageous embodiment of the changeable part according to the invention. Also in this embodiment there are several parallel grooves located in the bedding. The fillets 9 of the change¬ able part are matched into these grooves. The change¬ able part is made of a suitable plastic film, for ins¬ tance polyethylene, by the method of heat-sealing. Be¬ cause the positioning of the fillets is relatively den¬ se, they are not filled with any moisture-absorbing material. The bedding embodiment according to Figure 5 is simi¬ lar to that of Figure 1 in all essential parts. At one fUK end of the incision 2 of the mattress 1, preferably at the foot of the bed, there is arranged a relatively wide groove 10 in the crosswise direction. The element 3' is provided with several parallel grooves 4', which become steadily deeper at least part of the way when moving form one end of the element 3 1 towards the cross¬ wise groove 10, as is clearly apparent from Figure 6. The groove 10 can be filled with a removable part 13 • made of a moisture-absorbing material, the part 13 being protected with a moisture-impermeable layer at least on the bottom side. Another possibility is to fit into the groove 10 a removable receptacle 13 r , which is at least partly closed. The grooves 4' are connected to the re¬ movable part 13 or to the receptacle 13'. The detailed structure of the bedding of Figure 5 is illustrated in -Figure 7, which shows a breadthwise cross- section of the bedding along the line C-C. On top of the element 3' there is fitted the changeable part 5' in such a fashion that it fits into the grooves 4' . The changeable part 5 f comprises a liquid-impermeable layer 6. The said layer forms, by means of its protru¬ ding parts 6 ' , which touch the bottoms of " the grooves 4 f , a tubular or hollow member, preferably matching to the cross-section of- the groove, the said member con¬ taining perforations 12 at its upper surface 11, loca¬ ted preferably at a distance of for instance a few cen¬ timeters from each other. The top layer of the change¬ able part is, as in the embodiment of Figure 1, made of a highly liquid-permeable material. The above described bedding functions in the following manner. The moisture penetrates the changeable part 5' and flows through the perforations 12 into the tubu¬ lar members located in the grooves 4*. Along these tu¬ bular members the urine flows further into the dispo- sable receptacle or equivalent, situated in the cross¬ wise groove 10. When the receptacle becomes full, it is replaced by a new one. The top layer 8 of the changeable part is changed often, whereas the layer 6 can be changed after longer intervals. In each of the above described embodiments the change¬ able part can be easily removed by gripping it at the edges and lifting it off the grooves of the bedding. It is to be pointed out that the impressions made in the bedding can have a shape different from the above description. In the embodiment of Figures 1-4 they can have for example circular shape, in which case the changeable part comprises matching protruding parts, or vice versa. The most important thing is that the absorbing part is located so far below the surface of the .changeable "part, that the patient is securely not in contact with the moisture. This naturally requires that the measures of the bedding are planned, taking the material properties into account, so that the pati¬ ent's weight does not press the moisture back up through the changeable part. If such a danger exists, it is better to use the bedding of Figures 5-7, which is sui¬ tably measured with respect to heavy patients in parti¬ cular. The moisture-impermeable layer 6 can be either a stationary member of the changeable part or removable therefrom. Several other modifications can also be applied to the present invention without deviating from- the following patent claims.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. A bedding for small children and persons suffering from illness or unable to move, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that in the bedding there are formed depres¬ sions (4, 4') or impressions, or protruding parts loca¬ ted fairly close to each other, and that on top of this part or adjacent to it there is removably fitted a mois¬ ture-absorbing changeable part (5, 13, 13'). 2. The bedding of Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the depressions formed in the bedding comprise parallel grooves (4, 4') or equivalent. 3. The bedding of Claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that the moisture-absorbing changeable part (5) comprises a moisture-impermeable layer Cδ) , which layer can be matched into the depressions (4) located in the bedding or in between the protruding parts there¬ of. 4. The bedding of Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the changeable part (5) comprises a moisture- absorbing part (7} , which is located on top of the mois¬ ture-impermeable layer (6) , at least at the points which are fitted into the impressions (4) of the bedding or in between the protruding parts thereof. 5. The bedding of Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the bedding there is formed a groove (10), whereto the grooves (4') of the bedding are connected. 6. The bedding of Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the grooves (4') are designed to deepen at least part of the way towards the groove (10). 7. The bedding of Claim 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that the changeable part (5') is formed of tubular or hollow members with perforations (12) on their upper surfaces (11) at suitable intervals, and which members can be matched into the depressions (4') or in between the proturbations . 8. The bedding of Claim 5, 6 or 7, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that within the groove (10) there is a moisture-absorbing changeable part (13) or a disposable receptacle (13') . 9. The bedding of any of the previous claims, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the changeable part (5, 5') comprises a highly moisture-permeable layer (8) x , which is arranged to be the uppermost layer, next to the pa¬ tient's skin. 10. The bedding of Claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the moisture-permeable layer (8) is designed to from a fairly smooth surface, whereas the moisture- impermeable layer (6) conforms to the shape of the de¬ pressions (4, 4') or the protruding parts of the bed¬ ding.

Inventors: HYRY SIRKKA
Applicants: HYRY SIRKKA
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A61G7
IPC codes: A61F5, A61F13