JPH0337425B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a body support device for preventing the occurrence of pressure ulcers by dispersing and supporting body pressure.

(Prior art and its problems) A conventional body support device for preventing the occurrence of bedsores by dispersing and supporting the body pressure of a patient, etc., includes, for example, air or water inside a flexible mat. There are air mats, waterbeds, etc. that are filled with fluid, and these spread the body pressure by expanding the area that supports the body using the elasticity and buoyancy of the enclosed fluid.

However, in such fluid-based body support devices, the part that comes into contact with the body is airtight and liquid-tight, so there is a strong tendency for heat and moisture to accumulate between the body and the body. There are problems with patient use and use during the summer, and fluid flow and waves can cause seasickness and discomfort when sleeping, and it is difficult to move the body during medical treatment or turning over in bed. There is a problem that it is inconvenient for daily life activities.

As another device, a support frame including a bottom wall and a surrounding wall is configured on the top of the bed, and a breathable sheet is stretched over the top surface of the support frame to configure a body support surface. In addition to filling the frame with medical ceramic beads, an air injection part connected to the blower is formed on the bottom wall, and the whole body is floated and supported by flowing the ceramic beads with the pressurized air. There is a device that supports the ceramic beads in a fixed state by stopping the press-fitting of the ceramic beads in the shape of the body and dispersing the body pressure in these conditions. Among the problems, although the heat storage and moisture storage problems can be solved, there is still the problem that it is difficult to move the body and daily activities are inconvenient, and the device as a whole is very large and expensive. Furthermore, there is a problem in that it becomes a complicated device, and it is very troublesome to replace the ceramic beads when exudates from the patient etc. accumulate beyond a predetermined level.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems.

(Means for solving the problems) Means for solving the above-mentioned problems will be explained based on FIGS. 1 and 2, which correspond to embodiments. The body support device for preventing pressure ulcers of the present invention A three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3 is housed in a housing body 2 whose upper surface is made up of a breathable sheet 1, and an aqueous solution of a solvent whose solubility changes depending on the temperature is filled in the housing body 2. The lower the concentration of the solvent, the higher the water absorption capacity and expansion, and the higher the concentration of the solvent, the lower the water absorption capacity. In addition to being equipped with a bubble generating section 4 that generates bubbles in objects, an air supply device 5 configured externally is provided.
and the bubble generating section 4 are connected by an air supply pipe 6, and the air supply device 5 is provided with a heating means 7 that can be activated or deactivated for heating the filling material via the supplied air. It is composed of

(Function) In the storage body 2, the superabsorbent resin absorbs the aqueous solution of the solvent, expands, and gels to support the weight of the patient's body on the breathable sheet 1. do. At this time, the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3
stabilizes the support of the body by regulating the unstable flow of the gel.

By the way, the water absorption capacity of a super absorbent resin, such as a starch-based ionic sol, changes as shown in Figure 3 with respect to the concentration of the solvent in the aqueous solution, that is, the lower the concentration of the solvent, the greater the water absorption capacity. Therefore, by changing the concentration of the solvent in the aqueous solution, the amount of water absorbed by the superabsorbent resin in the aqueous solution can be increased or decreased, thereby expanding or contracting the volume of the gel to support the body.

For example, FIG. 4 shows the water solubility of polypropylene glycol, one of the solvents in FIG. Make a change.
Therefore, when such a solvent is used, the concentration of the solvent in the aqueous solution can be lowered by changing the temperature of the aqueous solution, e.g., raising the temperature higher than a predetermined temperature to make the solvent insoluble. Therefore, as described above, the water absorption capacity of the super absorbent resin increases, and therefore the volume of the gel can be expanded. Conversely, when the temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the volume of the gel can be contracted.

In the present invention, such temperature change of the aqueous solution is performed by air supplied as bubbles 8 from the bubble generating section 4. That is, when the air supply device 5 is operated to supply air from the bubble generator 7 to the aqueous solution in the storage body 2 through the air supply pipe 6, when the heating means 7 is operated, air is supplied via the bubbles 8. The aqueous solution can be heated, thus increasing the temperature of the aqueous solution. Also, as mentioned above, when supplying air,
If the heating means 7 is not operated, air at ambient temperature is supplied as is, and the aqueous solution temperature decreases. Thus, by supplying air while the heating means 7 is in operation, the volume of the gel is expanded,
Furthermore, by supplying air without operating the heating means 7, the volume of the gel can be contracted.

The air bubbles 8 supplied as described above gradually rise due to their buoyancy, but at this time, the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3 becomes an obstacle to the upward movement, and some of the air bubbles 8 are Since the bubbles 8 are retained within the original mesh, the bubbles 8 can be retained in the gel within the storage body 2 for a relatively long period of time. The air bubbles retained in the gel can adjust the elasticity of the gel as a whole through its compressive elasticity. That is, the larger the amount of bubbles 8 retained, the smaller the elastic modulus of the gel can be. Moreover, such air bubbles have the effect of reducing the specific gravity of the gel as a whole and increasing heat retention.

As time passes, the air bubbles 8 reach the upper surface of the gel and are released from the air permeable sheet 1 on the upper surface of the container 2 to the outside, and at this time, the air bubbles 8 touch the epidermis of the patient, etc. on the air permeable sheet 1. Stimulates and produces a pine surge effect. By supplying an amount of air bubbles 8 commensurate with the amount of air bubbles thus released from the air bubble generation section 4, the amount of air bubbles in the gel can be maintained at a desired amount. In addition, bubbles can be created by mixing surfactants such as polyvinyl alcohol.
It is also possible to extend the retention time, ie, the life span.

As described above, the present invention fills the storage body 2 with an aqueous solution of a super absorbent resin and a solvent whose solubility changes with temperature, and supports the body of a patient etc. in a gelled state. Can measure pressure dispersion.
At this time, the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3 stored in the storage body 2 regulates the unstable flow of the gel, thereby stabilizing the support of the body and suppressing the occurrence of seasickness and discomfort during sleep. It also makes it easier to move your body during medical treatment, turning over, etc. The present invention supplies air in the form of bubbles 8 from the lower part of the storage body 2, and heats and cools the air through the bubbles.
Since the concentration of the solvent in the aqueous solution absorbed by the superabsorbent resin is changed, and thus the water absorption capacity of the superabsorbent resin is changed, the volume of the gel can be expanded or contracted in response to the change in the water absorption capacity. By performing this alternately at appropriate intervals, it is possible to measure the change in body pressure. The air bubbles 8, which act as a heating and cooling means, also act as a temperature regulating means to appropriately maintain the temperature of the gel as a support for the body.

Furthermore, the air bubbles 8 can be retained in the gel for a relatively long period of time by the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3, and the elastic modulus of the gel as a whole can be reduced depending on the amount retained. This also makes it possible to effectively distribute the body pressure.

Next, specific examples of the constituent elements of the present invention will be explained.
First, the breathable sheet 1 can be made of an appropriate sheet such as cloth, which has countless minute mesh-like ventilation holes formed therein. Next, the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3
For example, it is possible to use an elastic body in which the film-like material of polyurethane foam is removed and only the three-dimensional skeletal structure remains. Next, as the super absorbent resin, in addition to those mentioned above, appropriate ones such as cellulose type and synthetic polymer type can be used. In addition to the solvents mentioned above, any solvent may be used as long as it does not have an adverse effect on the human body. Further, the specific configurations of the bubble generating section 4, air supply device 5, and heating means 7 may be determined as appropriate, and the air supply device 5 and heating means 7 may be configured automatically based on conditions such as the temperature of the gel, a program, etc. It can be configured to control the

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention fills a storage body with an aqueous solution of a superabsorbent resin and a solvent whose solubility changes depending on the temperature, gels it, and holds air bubbles in the gel. Because it supports the body, it is possible to measure body pressure distribution, and the three-dimensional reticular elastic body of the gel prevents unstable flow, so it stabilizes the support of the body and prevents seasickness and sleeping time. This has the effect of suppressing the occurrence of discomfort in the body, and making it easier to move the body during medical treatments, turning over, etc. Further, in the present invention, the volume of the gel is expanded and contracted by heating and cooling through the air bubbles, so by alternately performing this at appropriate time intervals, it is possible to measure changes in body pressure. Together with the above-mentioned body pressure dispersion, there is an effect that the occurrence of bedsores can be effectively prevented. Furthermore, the present invention can also stimulate the epidermis of a patient etc. using the air bubbles to produce a pine surge effect, and in this respect also has the effect of contributing to the prevention of bedsores.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of the main parts, and Fig. 3 is an explanation of the water absorption characteristics of the super absorbent resin with respect to the concentration of the solvent. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the dissolution characteristics of the solvent (polypropylene glycol) with respect to temperature. Symbols, 1... Breathable sheet, 2... Storage body, 3... Three-dimensional reticular elastic body, 4... Bubble generator, 5... Air supply device, 6... Air supply pipe, 7... Warming means, 8... Bubbles.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A three-dimensional reticular elastic body is housed in a housing whose top surface is made of a breathable sheet, and an aqueous solution of a solvent whose solubility changes depending on temperature is filled in the housing, and the concentration of the solvent becomes lower as the concentration of the solvent decreases. A super absorbent resin that expands as its water absorbing capacity increases, and shrinks as its water absorbing capacity decreases as the concentration of the solvent increases, is filled, and the lower part of the housing is filled with a bubble generator that generates air bubbles in the filled material. The bubble generating section is connected to an air supply device configured externally by an air supply pipe, and the air supply device includes an operation for heating the filling material via the supplied air; A body support device for preventing pressure ulcers, characterized by comprising a heating means that can be operated in a non-operating manner.