JPH0311231B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a body support cushion mechanism for preventing the occurrence of bedsores by alternately supporting the body of patients by reducing pressure in groups. It is.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

A conventional body support mechanism that supports the body of a patient by alternately decompressing each group has a large number of inflatable and deflated air sacs arranged vertically and horizontally. There is an air mat that can be inflated and deflated by communicating with it. Such an air mat supplies pressurized air using an air pump to pressurize the air sacs in one group, and at the same time depressurizes the air sacs in the other group by removing air. By repeating this process alternately, the pressurized body part is depressurized after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, thereby preventing obstruction of blood circulation due to continued pressurization for a long time.

However, since air mats perform pressurization and depressurization by taking in and out air in this way, it is difficult to shorten the pressurization and depressurization cycle beyond a certain degree, and the blood flow during the pressurization period is reduced. The problem is that the inhibition continues for a relatively long time. Also,
Air mats are made of airtight resin sheets, so they tend to accumulate heat and moisture between the parts of the body that come into contact with them. There are problems with the use of air support, and furthermore, there are problems such as seasickness and discomfort when sleeping.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems.

[Means for solving problems]

The structure of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 corresponding to embodiments.
To explain based on the drawings, the present invention includes a large number of coil springs 1 made of a shape memory alloy arranged vertically and horizontally, and a current-carrying electric wire 2 connected to each coil spring 1.
By appropriately controlling energization for each group A and B, the temperature is changed for each group A and B, and the structure is configured to be freely displaceable due to the shape memory effect.

In such a configuration, the method of arranging a large number of coil springs 1 is to store and support each coil spring 1 independently in a support pocket or the like.
Coil springs can be arranged vertically and horizontally, or as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 50-135411, coil springs can be molded with soft cylindrical bodies, etc., and can be supported by fitting them into circular holes of elastic flexible boards. or by loosely coupling adjacent coil springs 1 as in the configurations shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which will be described later.
It is preferable to arrange the coil springs so that the displacement of each coil spring 1 is not hindered by the adjacent coil springs 1 as much as possible. Furthermore, the arrangement shape of the large number of coil springs 1 may be such that they are regularly arranged in a continuous manner such as a mesh shape or a staggered shape, or the arrangement density of the coil springs 1 may be arranged sparsely or densely as appropriate. good. Further, the large number of coil springs 1 are insulated individually or insulated into desired groups, so that at least desired groups can be insulated.

[Effect]

In the above configuration, a large number of coil springs 1 are divided into two groups A and B such that vertically and horizontally adjacent coil springs 1 form different groups, as shown in FIG. The current-carrying electric wires 2 are connected so as to be energized every B, and each coil spring 1 has a shape memorized so as to contract when a predetermined temperature rises, for example.

If only the coil springs 1 of group A are first energized, the temperature will rise due to Joule heat, so the coil springs 1 will contract due to the shape memory effect, and the coil springs 1 of group B, which are not energized, will contract due to the shape memory effect. 1 remains the same, the body load on the cushion mechanism of the present invention is mostly supported by the coil springs 1 of group B. Next, group A
When the coil springs 1 of group B are stopped energizing and the coil springs 1 of group B are started to be energized, the coil springs 1 of group A expand again due to temperature drop due to heat radiation, and the coil springs 1 of group B Since it is contracted by rising, the load of the body is now supported by the coil springs 1 of group A. Such groups A and B
By continuously performing energization control for each coil spring 1, the parts of the body supported by the coil springs 1, that is, the parts of the body that are pressurized, alternate in accordance with the distribution of the groups A and B. The occurrence of pressure ulcers can be prevented by reducing the pressure and thus preventing obstruction of blood circulation due to continued pressurization for a long period of time.

〔Example〕

In the body support cushion mechanism of the present invention,
As described above, it is desirable that the adjacent coil springs 1 be arranged in a configuration that does not inhibit the displacement of the other coil springs 1 as much as possible.As described above, for example, the adjacent coil springs 1 may be arranged with loose coupling between the adjacent coil springs 1. There is a configuration to do this.
For example, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, a support member 4 is attached to both ends of each coil spring 1 with connecting arms 3 protruding from the outside corresponding to the adjacent coil springs 1, and the adjacent connecting arms 3 are connected to each other. The connecting arms 3 that are close to each other are connected with a play 7 by a connecting member 6 provided with a connecting protrusion 5 that fits loosely into each other. In this structure, at least one side of the supporting member 4 and the connecting member 6 is made of an insulating material to connect the adjacent coil springs 1 while reducing mutual interference as much as possible. It is possible to provide insulation between the springs 1. Furthermore, in the configurations shown in FIGS. 3a, b, and c, adjacent coil springs 1 are connected to each other through detours 8.
The coil springs 1 are connected by a spring wire 9 so as to constitute a coil spring 1, and the detour path 8 connects the adjacent coil springs 1 while minimizing interference between them. In this configuration, by insulating the connecting portion between the spring wire 9 and the coil spring 1, it is possible to insulate adjacent coil springs 1 from each other.

Next, the body support cushion mechanism of the present invention can be constructed as a mattress 12 by being covered with a covering member 11 together with other cushion bodies 10, or as a body support device fixed on the floorboard of a bed or the like. , the patient is placed supine,
These specific configurations are appropriate. For example, the cushion body 10 and the covering member 11 are arranged so as to appropriately disperse the pressure of the coil spring 1 against the body so as not to cause pain or the like, and to reduce interference with adjacent coil springs 1 as much as possible. By providing appropriate elasticity, the effect of reducing the pressure at the pressurized area described above can be improved.
The body-supporting cushion mechanism of the present invention can be constructed as a mattress 12 with a structure similar to that of a spring unit in a conventional spring mattress. Furthermore, as described above, the body support cushion mechanism of the present invention can be used as a body support device fixed on the floorboard of a bed or as a mattress, or can be used alone for whole body use, or in combination with other body support mechanisms. It is also appropriate to configure it for whole body use. For example, the body support mechanism in the embodiment shown in FIG. By making it flow, it becomes bulky, and the body pressure of the area is distributed and supported by the bulk specific gravity through the breathable covering 15 on the upper surface, thereby preventing the occurrence of bedsores.

Furthermore, in the above description, the groups are configured as two groups, A and B, but they may be configured as more groups, and the distribution of the groups may be appropriate. In addition, in the above explanation, the coil spring 1 is made to have a shape memory so that it contracts when the temperature rises to a certain level, but it is of course possible to make the coil spring 1 have a shape memory so that it expands on the contrary. The temperature at which the memory appears can also be set to a desired temperature higher than the environmental temperature, taking into consideration the heat dissipation time when electricity is stopped.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention has a structure in which a large number of coil springs arranged vertically and horizontally are made of a shape memory alloy, and a current-carrying electric wire is connected to the coil springs to produce a shape-memory effect when energized. The coil springs are controlled to be energized for each group, and the pressurized body parts are decompressed after a predetermined period of time, so pressure ulcers can be prevented by preventing obstruction of blood circulation due to continued pressurization for a long time. There is an effect. The present invention is made of an airtight resin sheet and can improve breathability compared to conventional air mats that alternately support the body using air pressure. There is very little occurrence of a feeling of discomfort, and the cycle of pressurization and depressurization in depressurizing the pressure area can be shortened, and bedsores can be better prevented. It is also easy to change the connection of utility wires, or to change the connection electrically as appropriate in advance, and in this way, the distribution of groups to be controlled alternately can be changed, or these changes, etc. It is easy to perform this programmatically, and the cycle of pressurization and depressurization can be easily adjusted as necessary.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

All figures correspond to embodiments of the present invention, and the first
Figure a is a schematic plan view, Figures 1 b and c are schematic side views showing the operation, and Figures 2 a and b are a plan view, a side sectional view, and a side sectional view, respectively, showing an example of how the coil spring is arranged. Figures 3a, b, and c are explanatory plan views showing other examples of the coil spring arrangement method, and Figures 4a and b are plan views showing examples of combinations with other support mechanisms. It is an X-ray cross-sectional view. Code 1...Coil spring, 2...Electrifying wire, 3...Connection arm, 4...Support member, 5...Connection protrusion, 6...Connection member, 7...Play, 8...Detour, 9 ... Spring wire, 10 ... Cushion body, 11 ... Covering member, 12 ... Pine tress, 13 ... Hollow microparticles, 14 ... Vibration device,
15... Breathable coating.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A large number of coil springs made of shape memory alloy are arranged vertically and horizontally, and energization wiring is connected to each coil spring, and the temperature is controlled for each group by appropriately controlling the energization of each coil spring for each group. A cushion mechanism for supporting a body, characterized in that it is configured to be freely displaceable due to shape memory effect.