Patent Publication Number: US-2016235214-A1

Title: Multi-dimensional therapeutic mattress having multiple sections operable for turn assistance and leg support

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure is generally directed to mattresses and more particularly to a multi-dimensional therapeutic mattress that includes a plurality of different sections, which offer assistance in turning a patient and provide therapeutic support including leg support. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of healthcare, many patients may be confined to bed rest for an extended period of time. Such patients may include disabled or paralyzed patients, patients recovering from surgery, geriatric patients, obese patients, and the like. These patients typically are placed on a regular bed mattress or traditional hospital mattress. Regular bed mattresses and traditional hospital mattresses do not offer therapeutic support for a patient that is on bed rest. The lack of therapeutic support, combined with extended confinement to the bed, can cause pressure-related maladies, such as bed sores. To relieve pressure in a bedridden patient, standard protocol in healthcare facilities calls for frequently turning and repositioning the patient. Conventional mattresses also offer no assistance for turning the patient. 
     Under many patient care protocols, a patient on bed rest must be turned frequently (e.g., every two hours). This typically requires two people. This can be extremely difficult because caregivers have to lift the patient with one or more sheets placed underneath the immobile patient and turn the patient. In some cases, this process must be repeated every two hours. This process can be painful for both the caregiver and the patient. It is also costly and difficult to schedule for healthcare facilities because it requires the assistance of multiple caregivers to execute. Caregiver-to-patient staff ratios may not be able to accommodate their patients as frequently as they should. In home health care and hospice environments, the burden to turn the patient often falls on a parent, spouse, or relative who cannot accomplish turning their loved one on their own. Thus, the family is faced with the difficult decision to place their family member in a long-term care facility due to their inability to care for them appropriately. 
     Some specialized mattresses for bed rest patients (including some with air chambers) purport to offer pressure relief, and may claim to assist in turning a patient. One problem with these mattresses is prohibitive cost. The price range for specialized mattresses can range from $3,000 to $10,000 or even higher. As hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities try to lower the cost of care, such mattresses tend to be prohibitively expensive. Likewise, in home healthcare environments, such an expensive mattress is usually not acceptable. Moreover, the effectiveness of these mattresses has not been established, in most cases, to substantiate their high cost. 
     While lower-cost mattresses exist, such mattresses typically only address one aspect of patient care. That is, lower-cost mattresses usually only offer one zone of pressure relief and provide no assistance in turning the patient. While some other mattresses assist with turning a patient, these mattresses only provide assistance through a narrow range of angles, such as 30 degrees to the left and 30 degrees to the right. Moreover, these mattresses typically have no solutions for pressure relief. Thus, there are no low-cost solutions that address all of these concerns. 
     To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object to provide at least the advantages below. Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a low-cost therapeutic mattress that provides adequate therapeutic support for the patient and assists a caregiver in turning the patient. The mattress includes multiple separately-inflatable sections and multiple layers made of inexpensive materials. The mattress offers therapeutic pressure relief, assistance with turning the patient, and also provides assistance in transferring the patient. The inflation features of the mattress are easy to learn and to operate. Moreover, the mattress only requires one person to operate. 
     According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a therapeutic mattress includes a foundation layer formed of a supportive material, and a dynamic layer disposed above the foundation layer. The dynamic layer includes a plurality of powered, separately inflatable sections, the separately inflatable sections comprising a left section, a right section, and a lower section. 
     In some embodiments, each of the left section and the right section, when inflated, form an angled wedge having a low end at a midline of the mattress and a high end at an outside edge of the mattress. The angle of the wedge may be controllable by an operator via a control, and can be selected to be any value in a range of 0 degrees to approximately 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the left section and the right section each extend laterally from the midline of the mattress outward to the outside edge of the mattress and extend longitudinally from a head end of the mattress to a location approximately corresponding to a person&#39;s thigh. In some embodiments, the lower section extends laterally across the mattress and extends longitudinally from a foot end of the mattress to a location approximately corresponding to a person&#39;s thigh. 
     The lower section, when inflated, may form an elevated ridge that extends laterally across the mattress, the ridge disposed at a location approximately corresponding to just above a person&#39;s heel. 
     In some embodiments, the foundation layer includes at least one of a head elevation region, a lumbar support region, and a foot elevation region. In some embodiments, the head elevation region increases in thickness longitudinally from a location approximately corresponding to a person&#39;s shoulders to a head end of the mattress. In some embodiments, the foundation layer is formed of a viscoelastic memory foam material or any suitable material. 
     In some embodiments, the therapeutic mattress may also include a plurality of friction reduction components disposed on a bottom surface of the mattress, and at least one handle disposed on left and right sides of the mattress. The therapeutic mattress may also include an exterior layer that is airtight, waterproof, resistant to puncture, and resistant to mildew, bacteria, bed bugs, dust mites, and mold. In some embodiments, the mattress has no zippers. 
     In another embodiment, a mattress system includes a therapeutic mattress, an inflation control unit, and a power source. The therapeutic mattress includes a foundation layer formed of a supportive material, and a dynamic layer disposed above the foundation layer. The dynamic layer includes a plurality of powered, separately inflatable sections, the separately inflatable sections comprising a left section, a right section, and a lower section. The inflation control unit includes a plurality of controls configured to control inflation operation of the inflatable sections. 
     In some embodiments, each of the left section and the right section of the mattress, when inflated, form an angled wedge having a low end at a midline of the mattress and a high end at an outside edge of the mattress. In some embodiments, the angle of the wedge is controllable by an operator via a control, and can be selected to be any value in a range of 0 degrees to approximately 90 degrees. The left section and the right section may each extend laterally from the midline of the mattress outward to the outside edge of the mattress and extend longitudinally from a head end of the mattress to a location approximately corresponding to a person&#39;s thigh. In some embodiments, the lower section extends laterally across the mattress and extends longitudinally from a foot end of the mattress to a location approximately corresponding to a person&#39;s thigh, and the lower section, when inflated, forms an elevated ridge that extends laterally across the mattress, the ridge disposed at a location approximately corresponding to just above a person&#39;s heel. 
     In some embodiments, the foundation layer includes at least one of a head elevation region, a lumbar support region, and a foot elevation region. In some embodiments, the therapeutic mattress further includes a plurality of friction reduction components disposed on a bottom surface of the mattress, and at least one handle disposed on left and right sides of the mattress. In some embodiments, the controls include a separate control for each of the inflatable sections, and the power source includes a battery-powered backup power supply. 
     Although specific advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include all, some, or none of the enumerated advantages. Additionally, other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its features, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts: 
         FIGS. 1A through 1G  illustrate different views of an example therapeutic mattress according to this disclosure; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system that includes the therapeutic mattress, according to this disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1A through 2 , described below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged device or system. To simplify the drawings, the reference numerals from previous drawings may sometimes not be repeated for structures that have already been identified. For purposes of clarity of illustration, some features of the structures may sometimes not be drawn to scale. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the disclosure in unnecessary detail. And, terms described below, which are defined considering functions in the present disclosure, can be different depending on user and operator&#39;s intention or practice. Therefore, the terms should be defined on the basis of the disclosure throughout this specification. 
     Embodiments of this disclosure provide a low-cost mattress that provides adequate therapeutic support for the patient and assists a caregiver in turning the patient. The mattress includes multiple sections and multiple layers made of inexpensive materials. The mattress offers therapeutic pressure relief, assistance with turning the patient, and also provides assistance in transferring the patient. At least one of the layers is inflatable. The inflation features of the mattress are easy to use and only require one person to operate. 
     Using the disclosed multi-featured mattress, healthcare facilities are able to work efficiently and with reduced staff, while offering improved care to the patient. In home healthcare situations, family members are able to independently care for their patients without feeling compelled to place them in long-term care facilities. In addition to the low capital cost of the mattress itself, the mattress reduces operating costs by removing the need for multiple assistants, and provides ease of frequent rotation, thus preventing pressure ulcers. This, in turn, can reduce possible future litigation that has become a costly burden for all areas of healthcare. In some embodiments, the mattress may be eligible for coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, or other public or private healthcare insurance plans. 
       FIGS. 1A through 1G  illustrate different views of an example therapeutic mattress according to this disclosure. In particular,  FIG. 1A  illustrates a top view of the mattress  100 , while  FIG. 1B  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the mattress  100  taken along the line A-A, and  FIG. 1C  illustrates a cross-sectional end view of the mattress  100  taken along the line B-B.  FIGS. 1D through 1F  illustrate the mattress  100  in various stages of inflation.  FIG. 1G  illustrates a bottom view of the mattress  100 . The embodiments of the mattress  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A-1G  are for illustration only. Other embodiments of the mattress  100  could be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the mattress  100  is generally rectangular when viewed from an overhead vantage point. The mattress  100  comprises a complete mattress, unlike some prior art structures, which include only a mattress pad, cover, or overlay. The dimensions of the mattress  100  may be selected to conform to different types of beds or bed frames, such as a standard bed frame or a hospital bed platform. To accommodate patients of different heights and sizes, the mattress  100  may be produced in a variety of different sizes. For example, the mattress  100  may be produced in sizes including, but not limited to, child size, adult size, and oversize/bariatric; or small, medium, large, and extra-large; or any other suitable combination of sizes. 
     The mattress  100  is surrounded by at least one exterior layer that is airtight, waterproof, pliable, resistant to puncture, and resistant to mildew, bacteria, bed bugs, dust mites, and mold. The exterior layer can be any material exhibiting these characteristics, including, but not limited to, polyvinyl materials, plastic materials, other suitable materials, or combinations thereof In some embodiments, the exterior layer may include more than one layer, e.g., a cleanable, waterproof, mildew resistant layer and a puncture resistant layer. The exterior layer is easily cleanable and may be wiped clean with any standard antibacterial surface cleaner. 
     In some embodiments, the mattress  100  is formed as one integrated unit. The mattress  100  has no zippers, which can collect bacteria or germs, and can catch or pinch body parts while in use. The lack of zippers helps to reduce the possibility of any blood, viral, or bacterial illnesses that could be transmitted by way of any body fluids seeping into a zipper. In contrast, many traditional mattresses have zippers; this has become a growing topic of concern for healthcare facilities due to the increase in the number of diseases acquired while patients are in a hospital or long-term care facility. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1B and 1C , the mattress  100  includes at least two layers, including a therapeutic foundation layer  110  and a dynamic layer  120  over the foundation layer  110 . The foundation layer  110  is a static, non-powered layer formed of a therapeutic, resilient, supportive material. In some embodiments, the foundation layer  110  features a number of desirable mattress characteristics, including compressibility, cushioning, energy absorption, flexibility, light weight, low thermal conductivity, low water vapor transmission, mildew-resistance, resiliency, sound absorption, and vibration dampening. In a preferred embodiment, the foundation layer  110  is formed of viscoelastic “memory” foam material or another suitable material having one or more of the properties described above. 
     The foundation layer  110  is substantially flat across the bottom surface where the mattress  100  contacts the bed or bed frame (not shown). The foundation layer  110  varies in thickness along its length from the head end  112  to the foot end  114 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1B . Toward the head end  112 , the foundation layer  110  includes a head elevation region  116  that becomes gradually thicker, in order to elevate the head of the patient. The head elevation region  116  may start at a location approximately corresponding to the top of the patient&#39;s shoulders, and extend with increasing thickness to the head end  112  of the mattress  100 , thereby creating a sloped top surface of the head elevation region  116 . In a preferred embodiment, the slope of the top surface of the head elevation region  116  is approximately thirty degrees, although the slope may be less or greater in other embodiments. In some embodiments, there may be a curved transition from the flat region to the sloped region. 
     The head elevation region  116  elevates the patient&#39;s head, which may be necessary in the event that the patient requires tube feeding. Studies show that patients may suffer from aspirations and pneumonia due to lying in a supine position; therefore, experts recommend an increased head-of-bed elevation of 30-40 degrees. However, limited nurse training and a frequent lack of physician orders suggest that the head-of-bed elevation in clinical or home settings is often overlooked. The head elevation region  116  assists in providing the support necessary to sustain the patient&#39;s head in an appropriate position to prevent aspirations due to tube feeding, and to ensure that the patient is as comfortable as possible. 
     The foundation layer  110  also includes a lumbar support region  117  and a foot elevation region  118 . These regions  117 - 118  are regions where the foundation layer  110  has increased thickness (as measured in the vertical direction), as illustrated in  FIG. 1B . As with the head elevation region  116 , the increased thickness of the lumbar support region  117  and foot elevation region  118  provide additional therapeutic support in these key areas. In particular, the lumbar support region  117  provides further support for the patient&#39;s lower back (lumbar region). The foot elevation region  118  elevates the patient&#39;s feet to reduce the likelihood of pressure sores on the heels. This is an important concern for bedridden patients, as discussed in greater detail below. 
     The dynamic layer  120  is an electrically powered, variably adjustable, dynamically inflatable layer configured to provide additional therapeutic support and assist in turning a patient, as described in greater detail below. The dynamic layer  120  is disposed on top of, and connected to, the foundation layer  110 . 
     Turning again to  FIG. 1A , it can be seen that the dynamic layer  120  includes multiple inflatable sections, including a left section  122 , a right section  124 , and a lower section  126 . The sections  122 - 126  are formed of the same airtight material and are connected by “breaks” or fold lines in the airtight material. The airtight material may include, but not limited to, any airtight material such as polyvinyl, another suitable material, or a combination thereof. 
     Each section  122 - 126  is separately inflatable or deflatable. That is, any one of the sections  122 - 126  can be separately inflated or deflated without affecting the remaining sections. Each section  122 - 126  includes a dedicated motorized fan or other inflation means (not shown) that inflates or deflates the corresponding section by blowing or otherwise transferring air into or out of the corresponding section through an inflation/deflation air channel. In other embodiments, the sections  122 - 126  may share a common fan or inflation means that moves air in or out of a particular section through one or more valves or a manifold. 
     The left section  122  and the right section  124  are adjacent to each other and extend downward from the head  112  of the mattress  100  to the edge of the lower section  126 , as shown in  FIG. 1A . Together, the left section  122  and the right section  124  are arranged to support the head, neck, entire back, buttocks, and the superior portion of the thigh area of the patient. The lower section  126  supports the inferior portion of the thigh area, and the knees, legs, and feet of the patient. The overall dimensions of the layers  122 - 126  can vary depending on the size of the mattress  100 , but are generally selected to support the aforementioned portions of the patient. When deflated, the layers  122 - 126  are substantially flat and have little thickness. 
       FIG. 1D  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the mattress  100  with the lower section  126  inflated. As shown in  FIG. 1D , when inflated, the lower section  126  forms an elevated ridge  130  that extends laterally across the mattress  100  above the foot elevation portion  118  of the foundation layer  110 . The inflated ridge  130  further elevates the lower part of the patient&#39;s legs and allows the heels of the patient to be lifted off the mattress. The amount of elevation of the heels is customizable based on the amount of inflation of the lower section  126  selected by the operator. 
     Studies show that the heels account for approximately 30% of all pressure ulcers that occur in bedridden patients. Keeping the heels elevated aids in preventing pressure ulcers in this particular region of the body. Traditionally, hospitals stack pillows underneath the ankles; however, they tend to not be effective for more than a few hours. The variably inflatable heel lift provided by the lower section  126  alleviates the need for additional pillows or heel protectors, which crowd the patient&#39;s bed and are limited in their effectiveness. 
       FIGS. 1E and 1F  illustrate cross-sectional end views of the mattress  100  taken along the line B-B, with the right section  124  partially inflated ( FIG. 1E ) and completely inflated ( FIG. 1F ). Although the left section  122  is not shown inflated, it will be understood that the left section  122  is formed and inflatable in a manner analogous to that of the right section  124 . 
     As shown in the figures, during inflation, the outside edge  128  of the right section  124  expands while the inner edge  129  of the right section  124  along the midline of the mattress  100  remains substantially fixed, thereby forming a wedge of increasing angle. The amount of inflation determines the height of the outside edge  128  and the angle of the top surface of the right section  124  relative to the bottom surface. At a maximum, the wedge may be approximately  90  degrees, such that the “top” surface of the right section  124  is substantially vertical. In order to accommodate the expansion, the outside edge  128  may be formed with folds (e.g., like an accordion), formed of an elastic material that stretches during inflation, or formed using another suitable method for allowing expansion. 
     As the right section  124  inflates and expands into a wedge shape, the right section  124  applies upward pressure to the right side of the patient&#39;s back, causing the patient to slowly turn onto his or her side. At maximum inflation, the wedge is approximately 90 degrees, and the patient is turned substantially on his or her side. Later, the patient can be turned to a different angle (e.g., 30 degrees, 60 degrees, etc.) by increasing or reducing the inflation, or returned to a flat position by deflating the right section  124  completely. In a similar manner, the patient can be turned on his or her other side by inflating the left section  122 . 
     The standard protocol followed by most healthcare facilities is to turn patients every two hours in an effort to reduce pressure ulcers. The areas over the sacrum, coccyx, ischial tuberosities, and greater trochanters account for most pressure ulcer sites; therefore, it is advantageous for bedridden patients to be turned as frequently as possible to prevent pressure ulcers from forming in these areas. Unfortunately, healthcare facilities and home healthcare environments are faced with difficulties in achieving this standard. With traditional mattresses, turning patients requires assistance from multiple people. Often, facilities are understaffed or family members are unavailable, and patient care deviates from the protocols that are necessary to reduce pressure ulcers. The prevention of pressure ulcers is crucial because the presence of even one pressure ulcer has been shown to increase the rate of mortality. Moreover, the treatment of one or multiple pressure ulcers can be painful, expensive, and could lead to serious diseases. The development of pressure ulcers may also have important legal consequences: failure to prevent pressure ulcers in healthcare settings has resulted in increasing, costly litigation. 
     To overcome these concerns, the variably inflatable left section  122  and right section  124  in the mattress  100  allows a single caregiver to easily turn the patient. This helps to reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers, and also assists in cleaning or bathing the patient. 
       FIG. 1G  illustrates a bottom view of the mattress  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1  G, the mattress  100  includes a plurality of friction reduction components  140  to provide for transfer assistance. The friction reduction components  140  have a flat surface formed of a low-friction material, such as a plastic polymer. The friction reduction components  140  assist in providing smooth movement when the mattress  100  is being transferred horizontally to another platform while the patient remains on the mattress  100 . This may be necessary when a patient must be transferred for surgery, x-rays, and the like. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the friction reduction components  140  are located generally in each corner of the mattress  100 , and are affixed to the bottom of the foundation layer  110  or the exterior layer that surrounds the mattress  100 . Generally speaking, the size and number of the friction reduction components  140  are selected such that the friction reduction components  140  cover only so much of the bottom surface of the mattress  100  as needed to provide a significant reduction in friction when sliding the mattress  100  to an adjacent platform. Of course, it will be understood that the number, size, shape, and arrangement of the friction reduction components  140  may vary according to need. One or more handles may also be placed on each of the left and right sides of the mattress  100  to facilitate the transfer. 
     Although  FIGS. 1A through 1G  depict one example of a therapeutic mattress  100 , various changes may be made to the figures. For example, while shown as a number of particular components, various components of the mattress  100  could be combined, subdivided, or omitted and additional components could be added according to particular needs. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system that includes the therapeutic mattress  100 , according to this disclosure. The embodiment of the system  200  shown in  FIG. 2  is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the system  200  could be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the system  200  includes the mattress  100 , an inflation control unit  210 , and a power source  220 . The inflation control unit  210  includes a control interface through which an operator controls inflation or deflation of each of the inflatable sections  122 - 126 . In an embodiment, the control interface may include a three-position switch  215  for control of the fan corresponding to each inflatable section  122 - 126 . Each three-position switch  215  may include an ‘inflate’ position (to inflate the section), an ‘off’ position (to turn off the fan), and a ‘deflate’ position (to deflate the section). Through actuation of any one or more of the three-position switches  215 , an operator can easily (and with little training) separately and variably inflate or deflate each of the inflatable sections  122 - 126 . 
     In an embodiment, the inflation control unit  210  is a handheld pendant-type control connected to the mattress  100  via a cord. In another embodiment, the inflation control unit  210  is integrated into the body of the mattress  100 . In yet another embodiment, the inflation control unit  210  is a wireless handheld control that communicates wirelessly with the mattress  100 . The inflation control unit  210  includes any controller, processor, electrical or electronic circuitry components, or any combination of these, as needed to provide inflation control of the inflatable sections  122 - 126 . 
     The power source  220  includes a power cord configured to plug into a standard AC electric outlet. The power source  220  also includes a backup power supply  225 , for use when AC power is not available (e.g., during a power outage). The backup power supply  225  may include one or more batteries, which may be rechargeable. The backup power supply  225  may be a separate unit connected to the inflation control unit  210  or the mattress  100 . Alternatively, the backup power supply  225  may be integrated into the inflation control unit  210  or the mattress  100 . 
     The embodiments of the mattress described herein assist in preventing pressure ulcers associated with bed rest or bedridden patients with limited or no individual mobility, such as post-surgery, disabled, and elderly patients. The mattress efficiently turns the patient without the caregiver having to physically touch the patient. This reduces associated pain in the patient and effort in the caregiver. Additionally, the mattress provides a high level of adjustable comfort in comparison to traditional hospital/long-term facility mattresses, and incorporates a transport mechanism to aid in the ease of moving the patient from one bed to another. The mattress provides all of these benefits in a low-cost design that is affordable to many patients. 
     It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. 
     As used herein, the phrase “at least one of”, when used with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used and only one item in the list may be needed. For example, “at least one of item A, item B, and item C” may include, for example, without limitation, item A or item A and item B. This example also may include item A, item B, and item C, or item B and item C. 
     While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.