Decubitus ulcer mattress

• US 4,706,313 A
• Filed: 05/01/1986
• Issued: 11/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comfortex Corporation (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Comfortex Corporation (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US06/857,977
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 5/465, 5/464, 5/481, 5/470, 5/471, 5/473
• US Class Current: 5/722
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/20 with springs moulded in, or situated in cavities or openings in foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material

Abstract

A mattress consists of a foam body having recesses at positions corresponding to the locations of protruding portions of a patient lying on the mattress. Foam blocks can be selectively placed in portions of the recesses. An encasement member encases the foam body and includes a top foam sheet. A bloused waterproof, non-shearing, flame retardant and antibacterial top sheet forms a portion of the encasement member covering the foam sheet. A zipper in the encasement member enchances air circulation into and out of the mattress.

Claims

1. A mattress comprising:

a first flexible and resilient body having a substantially flat top surface, said top surface having a plurality of recesses;

at least one flexible and resilient second body fittable in said at least one recess and being sized and shaped such that when fitted in said at least one recess, a surface of said second body is substantially coplanar with said substantially flat top surface, a number of said second bodies being fewer than that of said recesses such that at least open of said recesses is empty; and

an encasement member encasing said first and second resilient bodies, said encasement member including a waterproof and flame retardart top sheet covering said top surface, and a flexible and resilient foam sheet positioned between said top surface and said top sheet and attached to said encasement member adjacent edges of said top surface, said top sheet being dimensioned with respect to said resilient foam sheet such that said top sheet is bloused when said resilient foam sheet is laid taut on said top surface,

wherein said foam sheet has a thickness, density and ILD sufficient, when a patient is lying on said mattress, to avoid a feeling of falling into said empty recess and sufficient to avoid a cookie cutter effect around said empty recess.

2. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said top sheet has a lower friction coefficient than said top surface and is secured thereto by means for permitting a central portion of said top sheet to slide on said top surface.

3. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said first and second bodies are formed of firm foam and said resilient sheet is formed of soft foam.

4. The mattress of claim 3 wherein said recesses do not extend through the thickness of said first body, whereby said recesses have a bottom surface.

5. The mattress of claim 4 wherein said plurality of recesses are positioned. at locations corresponding to protruding body portions of a person lying on said mattress.

6. The mattress of claim 5 wherein said recesses and second bodies are substantially parallelepiped in shape.

7. The mattress of claim 6 wherein said first and second bodies are formed of polyurethane foam having 1.8 lb per cubic foot density and an ILD of 35, and wherein said resilient foam sheet is formed of polyurethane foam having 1.0 lb per cubic foot density and an ILD of 15.

8. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said encasement member includes fitting fabric panels covering at least sides of said first body lateral to said top surface, said top sheet and said resilient foam sheet also being attached to said panels adjacent lateral edges of said top surface.

9. The mattress of claim 8 including a zipper in at least one of said fabric panels and separating said at least one of said panels into upper and lower panels portions.

10. The mattress of claim 8 wherein said panels are formed of nylon reinforced vinyl.

11. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said waterproof and flame retardant sheet is also non-shearing and antibacterial.

12. The mattress of claim 11 wherein said waterproof, non-shearing, flame retardant and laminated to nylon or polyesters tricot, antibacterial top sheet is a 70 denier Nylon taffeta, treated with a flame retardant, fungicidal, waterproof urethane agent.

13. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said foam sheet is attached to said encasement member by sewing.