Abstract:
An apparatus for assisting in personal health-care, for example, wound care, and treatment is presented herein. The apparatus has a platform connected to at least two adjustable sets of legs. The legs may be adjusted to substantially ensure levelness to the platform. A lighted mirror unit is connected to the platform to assist in better vision where an individual needs treatment. The platform may also include one or more storage trays

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present invention claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/821,322 as filed Aug. 3, 2006. 
     
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND ON THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The present invention relates generally to invalid and semi-invalid care beds, and more particularly to a mobile apparatus for assisting in personal health care, e.g., caring for physical wounds, to an individual in an invalid or semi-invalid condition. 
         [0007]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0008]    Health care costs are rising dramatically throughout the United States and other nations having advanced health-care systems. As a result of the rising health-care costs, more individuals are performing as much of their own personal medical treatment, when possible. 
         [0009]    In addition to attempting to reduce medical related costs, some individuals perform as much of their own medical-related treatment in order to retain a greater sense of dignity, allow themselves to remain in their own home, and to avoid having strangers, i.e., home health care workers, intrude into their lives. 
         [0010]    Some individuals may find themselves in an invalid or semi-invalid state, such that they are in a condition that they may treat their own health-care needs such as, for example, treating physical wounds, but still find it hard to achieve simple activities related to their treatment. 
         [0011]    For example, an individual having a hernia operation may find himself bedridden, but wanting to live at home without a health care worker. Although the individual may wish to retain a strong sense of dignity, he may not be able to easily change dressings protecting the operated region of his body as he cannot as easily move and see as he normally would. 
         [0012]    It is common practice in the invalid care industry to devise beds having features specifically adapted for invalid care. For example, beds may be designed to fold, tilt, move, and adjust in various manners to facilitate patient care and comfort. Various accessories have also been designed to cooperate with invalid beds such as stretchers, wheelchairs, eating trays, mechanical lifts and transfer boards. These invalid beds and accessories, however, tend to be expensive and cumbersome; neither of which is advantageous to an individual on a fixed income and/or in a small living space. 
         [0013]    Thus, what is desired is an affordable apparatus requiring minimal modification to be used by an individual in an invalid or semi-invalid state to maintain his own health care needs with less assistance from other individuals 
       SUMMARY 
       [0014]    The exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a mobile apparatus for supporting various items and assisting in personal medical care. The apparatus is comprised of platform comprising a topside and a bottom side. The platform is connected to at least two sets of adjustable legs. The adjustable legs are individually variable and lockable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the platform. An adjustable mirror unit is connected to the topside of the platform, wherein a position of the mirror unit on the platform may be moved and fixed. One or more storage trays are included on the topside of the platform for retaining various items. The apparatus is adjusted to span across the width of a body or a portion of a body of an individual in a substantially prone or sitting position such that the individual may reach the topside of the platform and adjust the mirror unit to view otherwise difficult or impossible to see body portions. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are described in the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side-view illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a mobile apparatus according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The mobile apparatus  10  of the various exemplary embodiments herein comprises a platform  20 , at least two sets of adjustable legs  25 , an adjustable mirror unit  30 , and one or more storage trays  35 . 
         [0019]    In the various exemplary embodiments, the platform  20 , comprises a topside  22  and a bottom side  24 . The platform of the mobile apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  is substantially rectangular in shape, although the platform may be of any geometric shape desired. 
         [0020]    The platform is connected to the at least two sets of adjustable legs  25 , preferably on the bottom side of the platform. The adjustable legs may be attached to the platform by any known connecting means, such as, for example, nails, screws, adhesive, or a combination thereof. 
         [0021]    In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable legs are attached to the platform via a set of one or more hinges that allows the adjustable legs to rotate towards the bottom side of the platform wherein they may be fixed for more convenient storage when not in use by an individual. 
         [0022]    Each set of adjustable legs is able to be varied in a direction substantially perpendicular to the platform. Each set of legs may comprise two individual legs, each of which may be varied such that the topside of the platform is substantially level. 
         [0023]    In addition to being variable, each of the sets of legs is lockable in position to better ensure that the topside of the platform will remain substantially level. 
         [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, each of the adjustable legs is comprised of an outer leg portion and an inner leg portion. The outer leg portion is connected to the bottom side of the platform, and a series of regularly spaced holes is located down a length of the outer leg portion. The inner leg portion moves in and out of the outer leg portion in the direction of the length. The inner leg portion includes a locking means for holding a desired portion of the inner leg portion within the outer leg portion. Such locking means may comprise one or more removable pins, a spring-loaded pin, and the like, which protrude through the regularly spaced holes. 
         [0025]    In another embodiment, each of the adjustable legs is comprised of an outer leg portion and an inner leg portion. The inner leg portion is connected to the bottom side of the platform, and a series of regularly spaced holes is located down a length of the inner leg portion. The outer leg portion moves in and out of the inner leg portion in the direction of the length. The outer leg portion includes a locking means for holding a desired portion of the inner leg portion within the outer leg portion. Such locking means may comprise one or more removable pins, a spring-loaded pin, and the like, which protrude through the regularly spaced holes. 
         [0026]    The platform further comprises an adjustable mirror unit, preferably connected to the topside of the platform. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable mirror is moveable and fixable relative to the topside of the platform. 
         [0027]    In the various exemplary embodiments, the adjustable mirror unit is power operated, preferably by a battery, such that the mirror lights up as desired by the individual. Further, it is preferred that the adjustable mirror unit be able to rotate in a horizontal direction relative to the topside of the platform, tilt downward towards the topside of the platform, and twist and/or rotate in any directions between. The adjustable lighted mirror unit may include a swivel base. 
         [0028]    In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable mirror has a magnification greater than 1×. 
         [0029]    The adjustable lighted mirror may be connected to the topside of the platform in any known connection means. Preferably, the connection means is nails, screws, or adhesive. Most preferably, the adjustable lighted mirror unit slides and is fixable within a track connected to the topside of the platform. The adjustable lighted mirror unit may also be connected to the topside of the platform via VELCRO®. 
         [0030]    The platform may further comprise one or more storage trays on the topside of the platform, for the retaining of various items, such as, for example, gauze, tape, cutting tools, medications, and the like. 
         [0031]    In an exemplary embodiment, the platform may further comprise a set of handles for holding and moving the apparatus. 
         [0032]    In another exemplary embodiment, the platform includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion is connected to the two or more sets of adjustable legs, and the upper portion connected to the lower portion on a side opposite of the two or more sets of adjustable legs, such that the upper portion may freely rotate about the lower portion at a rotation point. Preferably, the rotation point is substantially central to the lower portion of the platform. 
         [0033]    The apparatus may be comprised of plastic, metal, wood, or a combination thereof. 
         [0034]    The apparatus may be utilized by an individual in a bed, chair, floor, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus spans over at least one leg of the individual. 
         [0035]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.