Patent Publication Number: US-11020301-B2

Title: Support apparatus

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/562,429 filed on Sep. 23, 2017 by Nancy Jo Messerschmidt of Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a support apparatus that manually suspends and can move an individual from a first rest surface to a second rest surface. More particularly, the present invention discloses that the support apparatus as a planar element uses selectively graspable areas for an attendant to more easily suspend and possibly move the individual while providing a high strength, comfortable, and dry absorbent support apparatus. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Looking at the prior art in the individual support apparatus arts in U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,813 to Gastle, et al. disclosed is a patient support device comprising a flexible support means, the support means having a pair of ends each of which includes a pair of hand holds, the hand holds being formed by cut outs in each corner of the support means, each of the cutouts forming a flap that engages the palm of the user&#39;s hand when lifting a patient. Further in Gastle &#39;813, in each of the cut outs being aligned with a respective cutout so that, during use, the hand holds may be nested together to form an integral handle with overlapping flaps, see FIG. 6b, wherein the support means being formed of reinforced sheet material having sufficient rigidity to enable the integral handle to resist collapse, the support means being dimensioned to position the hand holds above a floor surface in order to minimize discomfort experienced by a user when lifting a patient. The novelty in Gastle &#39;813 is in the fold over flaps in the hand holds, again see FIG. 6b. 
     Continuing, in the individual support apparatus arts in U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,902 to Fash, disclosed is a lifting sheet formed of a sheet of fabric substantially rectangular in plan view and folded upon itself to provide confronting layers with the edges of the layers over-lapping, stitches securing the over-lapping edges together, the folded sheet having an integral seat and a back, the back having parallel extending slits formed therein in a direction from transverse edges thereof and providing together with back an elongated arm sleeve extending along the transverse edge of the back and opening through said slits from the opposite side edges of the back. Also in Fash, the sheet on the side edge portions of the seat providing there between an arm sleeve extending toward the forward edge portion of the seat, and a hand strap formed in each of the side edge portions of the seat at the forward end of the last named arm sleeve, see Page 1 lines 59-71 and Page 2 lines 1-2. The novelty in Fash is in the double back layer of material. 
     Next, in the individual support prior art area, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,701,225 to Latiff, disclosed is an under pad comprising: a top layer; an absorbent layer disposed adjacent the top layer; a non-porous waterproof bottom layer disposed adjacent the absorbent layer; at least two handles on opposite sides of the under pad; a handle opening defined by each of the at least two handles; an annular foam layer disposed below the absorbent layer and circumscribing the handle opening. The novelty in Latiff is in the annular foam layer. 
     Continuing, in the individual support area in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,335 to Gastle, et al. disclosed a patient support device comprising a flexible support means, the support means having a pair of ends each of which includes a pair of hand holds, the hand holds being formed by an aperture which is dimensioned to receive the palm of a user&#39;s hand when lifting a patient and flap means hinged to one edge of the aperture permitting the flap means to engage the palm of the user&#39;s hand when lifting a patient. In Gastle &#39;335, each of the hand holds being aligned with a respective hand hold and the support means having a sufficient width so that, during use, the support means may be wrapped around a patient and the flap means may be nested together to form an integral handle, the support means being formed of reinforced sheet material having sufficient rigidity to enable the integral handle to resist collapse, the support means being dimensioned to position said hand holds above a floor surface in order to minimize discomfort experienced by a user when lifting a patient. In Gastle &#39;335 the novelty is in the sheet rigidity in the handle. 
     Further, in the individual support prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,327 to Smith, disclosed is a patient moving device comprising a sheet of fabric material having a perimeter edge with multiple corners, an elongated continuous handle strap of a known width positioned movably around the perimeter edge of the sheet, a means for restricting movement of the handle strap to the sheet, loops adjustably positioned at the corners of the sheet, means for automatically adjusting sizes of the loops relative each other. The novelty in Smith is in the perimeter reinforcement. 
     The above references indicate the current state of the art in patient mover/incontinence pad arts, wherein Gastle &#39;813 has handle fold over flaps, Fash has a double back layer, Latiff has a reinforced margin (see FIG. 6) and an annular foam layer also at the margin, Gastle &#39;335 has reinforced sheet handle rigidity, and Smith has a perimeter reinforcement handle. What is needed is a support apparatus that has the handle having various types of reinforcement for strength and a unique layering structure of the sheet pad material for strength, absorbency, and dryness. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Broadly, the present invention is a support apparatus for an attendant manually transporting an individual from a first rest surface to a second rest surface, the support apparatus including a flexible planar element with a thickness dimension, the flexible planar element having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion with a longitudinal axis spanning therebetween, the flexible planar element further having a first side margin portion and an opposing second side margin portion with a margin axis, wherein the margin axis and the longitudinal axis are substantially perpendicular to one another, wherein the first and second end portions and the first and second side margin portions all combined forming a peripheral portion of the flexible planar element. 
     Further included in the support apparatus is a flexible annular beam having a beam long axis and a substantially perpendicularly positioned beam short axis, the beam is disposed on the peripheral portion, the beam having a short beam dimension along a portion of the beam short axis that is greater than the flexible planar thickness dimension, wherein operationally the beam helps give a degree of stiffness to the flexible planar element and helps to provide a grasping handhold for the attendant along the peripheral portion. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which; 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an upper perspective use view of the support apparatus being used to suspend an individual over a first rest surface by two attendants for possible moving over to a second rest surface, wherein the attendants are using apertures for handholds on the support apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  shows a flat plan view of the support apparatus that includes the attendants using the aperture, further shown are a flexible planar element, first and second end portions, first and second side margins, a peripheral portion, along with a longitudinal axis and a margin axis, plus a flexible annular beam with a beam long axis; 
         FIG. 3  shows cross section  3 - 3  from  FIG. 2  being in particular the flexible planar element and peripheral portion with the flexible annular beam, including a textured coarse surface all in cross section to show how the peripheral portion is reinforced; 
         FIG. 4  shows cross section  4 - 4  from  FIG. 2  being in particular the flexible planar element and aperture with an aperture margin also with a flexible aperture beam, including a textured coarse surface all in cross section to show how the aperture is reinforced; 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross section of the five layer flexible planar element that includes a bamboo fabric, a polyester fabric, a fabric absorption &amp; evaporation layer, a nylon structure, and a woven reinforced fabric all disposed within a thickness dimension of the flexible planar element; and 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross section of the six layer flexible planar element that includes a bamboo fabric, a polyester fabric, a non woven super absorption fiber, urethane, the nylon structure, and the woven reinforced fabric all disposed within a thickness dimension of the flexible planar element. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS 
     
         
           50  Support apparatus 
           55  Attendant 
           60  Individual 
           65  First rest surface 
           70  Second rest surface 
           75  Flexible planar element 
           80  Thickness dimension 
           85  First end portion 
           90  Second end portion 
           95  Longitudinal axis 
           100  First side margin 
           105  Second side margin 
           110  Margin axis 
           115  Perpendicular position of the margin axis  110  and the longitudinal axis  95   
           120  Peripheral portion of the flexible planar element  75   
           125  Flexible annular beam 
           130  Beam long axis 
           135  Beam short axis 
           140  Perpendicular position of the beam long axis  130  to the beam short axis  135   
           145  Short beam dimension 
           150  Degree of stiffness 
           155  Gasping handhold 
           160  Flexible annular beam  125  being wrapped about the beam long axis  130   
           165  Encompassing layer of the flexible annular beam  125  about the beam long axis  130  for the flexible planar element  75   
           170  Textured coarse surface 
           175  Peaks of the textured coarse surface  170   
           180  Valleys of the textured coarse surface 
           185  Five layer construction material 
           190  Bamboo fabric 
           195  Polyester 
           200  Fabric absorption/evaporation mat branded as COZYMAT 
           205  Nylon structure 
           210  Woven reinforced fabric 
           215  Six layer construction material 
           220  Non woven super absorption fiber 
           225  Urethane 
           230  Aperture 
           235  Aperture margin 
           240  Reinforcing panel 
           245  Tensile strength capability 
           250  Flexible aperture  230  beam 
           255  Encompassing of the of the flexible aperture  230  beam  250   
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , shown is an upper perspective use view of the support apparatus  50  being used to suspend an individual  60  over a first rest surface  65  by two attendants  55  for possible moving over to a second rest surface  70 , wherein the attendants  55  are using apertures  230  for attendant  55  handholds  155  on the support apparatus  50 . 
     Next,  FIG. 2  shows a flat plan view of the support apparatus  50  that includes the attendants  55  using the aperture  230 , further shown is a flexible planar element  75 , first  85  and second  90  end portions, first  100  and second  105  side margins, a peripheral portion  120 , along with a longitudinal axis  95  and a margin axis  110 , plus a flexible annular beam  125  with a beam long axis  130 . 
     Continuing,  FIG. 3  shows cross section  3 - 3  from  FIG. 2  being in particular the flexible planar element  75  and peripheral portion  120  with the flexible annular beam  125 , including a textured coarse surface  170  all in cross section to show how the peripheral portion  120  of the flexible planar element  75  is reinforced. 
     Further,  FIG. 4  shows cross section  4 - 4  from  FIG. 2  being in particular the flexible planar element  75  and aperture  230  with an aperture margin  235  also with a flexible aperture beam  250 , including a textured coarse surface  170  all in cross section to show how the aperture  230  is reinforced within the flexible planar element  75 . 
     Yet further,  FIG. 5  shows a cross section of the five layer  185  flexible planar element  75  that includes a bamboo fabric  190 , a polyester fabric  195 , a fabric absorption &amp; evaporation layer  200 , a nylon structure  205 , and a woven reinforced fabric  210  all disposed within a thickness dimension  80  of the flexible planar element  75 . 
     Continuing,  FIG. 6  shows a cross section of the six layer  215  flexible planar element  75  that includes a bamboo fabric  190 , a polyester fabric  195 , a non woven super absorption fiber  220 , urethane  225 , the nylon structure  205 , and the woven reinforced fabric  210  all disposed within a thickness dimension  80  of the flexible planar element  75 . 
     Broadly, the present invention is the support apparatus  50  for the attendant  55  manually transporting the individual  60  from the first rest surface  65  to the second rest surface  70 , or could be for the attendant  55  to manually just suspend the individual  60  for other purposes such as changing bedding and the like, as best shown in  FIG. 1 . The support apparatus  50  includes a flexible planar element  75  with the thickness dimension  80 , the flexible planar element  75  having the first end portion  85  and the opposing second end portion  90  with the longitudinal axis spanning therebetween  95 , the flexible planar element  75  further having the first side margin portion  100  and the opposing second side margin portion  105  with the margin axis  110 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 . Wherein the margin axis  110  and the longitudinal axis  95  are substantially perpendicular  115  to one another, plus wherein the first  85  and second  90  end portions and the first  100  and second  105  side margin portions are all combined forming the peripheral portion  120  of the flexible planar element  75 , again see  FIG. 2 . 
     Further included in the support apparatus  50  is the flexible annular beam  125  having the beam long axis  130  and a substantially perpendicularly positioned  140  beam short axis  135 , the beam  125  is disposed on the peripheral portion  120 , the beam  125  having a short beam dimension  145  along a portion of the beam short axis  135  that is greater than the flexible planar element  75  thickness dimension  80 , see  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Wherein operationally, the beam  125  helps give a degree of stiffness  150  to the flexible planar element  75  and helps to provide a grasping handhold  155  for the attendant  55  along the peripheral portion  120 , again see  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     As an option for the support apparatus  50 , the flexible annular beam  125  can be further constructed of being wrapped  160  about the beam  125  long axis  130  in an encompassing layer  165  of the flexible planar element  75  from the peripheral portion  120  to further add to an attachment strength as between the beam  125  and the flexible planar element  75 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 , also see  FIG. 2 . Another option for the support apparatus  50 , is wherein the flexible beam  125  can further comprise the textured course surface  170  with alternate peaks  175  and valleys  180  as the outer barrier sheet that covers the encompassing layer  165 , wherein operationally the outer barrier sheet adds a high friction grasping  155  surface for the attendant  55 , see  FIG. 3  and also  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     A further option for the support apparatus  50 , is wherein the flexible planar element  75  further comprises the five layer construction material  185  that is selected from the group consisting essentially of bamboo fabric  190 , polyester  195 , woven absorption/evaporation fabric  200 , nylon structure  205 , and woven reinforced fabric  210 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Yet another option for the support apparatus  50  wherein the flexible planar element  75  can further comprise the six layer construction material  215  that is selected from the group consisting essentially of bamboo fabric  190 , polyester  195 , non-woven super absorption fiber  220 , urethane  225 , nylon structure  205 , and woven reinforced fabric  210 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Broadly, the present invention is the support apparatus  50  for the attendant  55  manually transporting the individual  60  from the first rest surface  65  to the second rest surface  70 , or could be for the attendant  55  to manually just suspend the individual  60  for other purposes such as changing bedding and the like, as best shown in  FIG. 1 . The support apparatus  50  includes a flexible planar element  75  with the thickness dimension  80 , the flexible planar element  75  having the first end portion  85  and the opposing second end portion  90  with the longitudinal axis spanning therebetween  95 , the flexible planar element  75  further having the first side margin portion  100  and the opposing second side margin portion  105  with the margin axis  110 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 . Wherein the margin axis  110  and the longitudinal axis  95  are substantially perpendicular  115  to one another, plus wherein the first  85  and second  90  end portions and the first  100  and second  105  side margin portions are all combined forming the peripheral portion  120  of the flexible planar element  75 , again see  FIG. 2 . 
     Also included in the support apparatus  50  is the aperture  230  disposed therethrough the peripheral portion  120 , with the aperture  230  having an aperture margin portion  235  that has a reinforcing panel  240  affixed to the aperture margin  235 , wherein operationally the panel  240  adds tensile strength capability  245  to the aperture margin  235  to facilitate the attendant  55  manually grasping  155  therethrough the aperture  230 , see in particular  FIG. 4 , also see  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     Further included in the support apparatus  50  is the flexible annular beam  125  having the beam long axis  130  and a substantially perpendicularly positioned  140  beam short axis  135 , the beam  125  is disposed on the peripheral portion  120 , the beam  125  having a short beam dimension  145  along a portion of the beam short axis  135  that is greater than the flexible planar element  75  thickness dimension  80 , wherein operationally the beam  125  helps give a degree of stiffness  150  to the flexible planar element  75  and helps to provide a grasping handhold  155  for the attendant  55  along the peripheral portion  120 , see  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     Also optionally on the support apparatus  50  the aperture  230  reinforcing panel  240  can further comprise the flexible aperture beam  250  that is fixably wrapped in an encompassing layer  255  by the flexible planar element  75  to operationally further add tensile strength  245  to the aperture  230  margin  235 , see  FIG. 4  and also  FIG. 2 . In addition optionally for the support apparatus  50  wherein the flexible aperture beam  250  can further comprise a reinforcing panel  240  affixed to a portion of the flexible planar element  75  that comprises the aperture  230  margin  235 , wherein the reinforcing panel  240  has a textured course outer surface  170  with alternate peaks  175  and valleys  180 , wherein operationally the reinforcing panel  240  adds a high friction grasping  155  surface for the attendant  55 , see in particular  FIG. 4  and also  FIG. 2 . 
     CONCLUSION 
     Accordingly, the present invention of the support apparatus has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though; that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so modifications of the changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained therein.