JPH0337426B2 - - 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 at least the upper surface is made of a breathable sheet 1, and when electricity is applied to the housing body 2, the water absorption capacity decreases and contracts, and when the electricity supply is stopped, the water absorption capacity decreases. A super absorbent resin that expands as the temperature increases, and water to be absorbed by the super absorbent resin are filled, and a temperature adjusting means 6 for adjusting the temperature of the filled material is provided at an appropriate location in the storage body 2. Electrodes 4a and 4b for supplying electricity to the filling are provided, and means 5 for supplying electricity to the filling via the electrodes 4a and 4b.
is configured externally.

(Function) The superabsorbent resin absorbs water, expands, and gels in the storage body 2, thereby supporting the weight of the patient's body on the breathable sheet 1. At this time, sweat from the body is removed by the breathable sheet 1.
It is absorbed into the gel through the gel, so moisture is not trapped, and by adjusting the temperature of the gel using an appropriate temperature control means 6, unnecessary heat accumulation can be prevented. Further, when supporting the body weight as described above, the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3 can stably support the body by regulating unstable flow of the gel.

By the way, super absorbent resins such as starch-based ionic gels can be
It is known that water absorption capacity decreases. Therefore, when the current supply means 5 is operated to pass a minute current between the electrodes 4a and 4b, the superabsorbent resin gradually discharges the water it had previously absorbed and contracts, and when the current supply is stopped, it absorbs water again. and expand. In this way, the body pressure can be changed by alternately expanding and contracting the gel at appropriate intervals.

In this way, in the present invention, the weight of a patient's body is supported by a gel made by making a superabsorbent resin absorb water and expand.
Inflates alternately by controlling the current flow through a and 4b.
Since the gel contracts, body pressure can be dispersed and converted well, and together with the moisture absorption action of the gel through the breathable sheet 1 and the prevention action of unnecessary heat accumulation by regulating the temperature of the gel itself, Pressure ulcers can be effectively prevented. The unstable flow of the gel is regulated by the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3 housed in the storage body 2, thereby stabilizing the support of the body and thus preventing the occurrence of seasickness and discomfort when sleeping. In addition to being able to suppress this, it also makes it easier to move the body during medical treatment, turning over, etc.

(Embodiment) Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
The bubble generating section 7 is connected to the air supply pipe 9,
The air supply device 8 is provided with supply air heating means 10 to constitute the temperature adjustment means 6. That is, when the air supply device 8 is operated to supply air from the bubble generating section 7 via the air supply pipe 9, the heating means 1
When the heating means 10 is operated, the gel can be heated through the air bubbles 11, and when the heating means 10 is not operated, air at the ambient temperature is supplied as is, and the temperature of the gel can be lowered. In this embodiment, the supplied air bubbles 11 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 part of the air bubbles 11 rises due to the three-dimensional reticular elastic body 3. Since the air bubbles 11 are held within the three-dimensional mesh of the container 2, the air bubbles 11 can be held in the gel within the storage body 2 for a relatively long period of time. The air bubbles retained in the gel in this way can adjust the elasticity of the gel as a whole by their compressive elasticity. In other words, the more air bubbles 11 retained, the lower the elastic modulus of the gel can be. It has the effect of reducing overall specific gravity and increasing heat retention. In addition, as time passes, the air bubbles 11 finally 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, stimulating the epidermis of the patient, etc., and having a pine surge effect.

Next, the breathable sheet 1 can be composed of an appropriate sheet such as cloth, which has countless minute mesh-like ventilation holes formed therein. Next, 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 superabsorbent resin, appropriate ones such as starch-based ionic sol, cellulose-based, synthetic polymer-based, etc. can be used. Further, the water to be absorbed by the superabsorbent resin may be ordinary water or an aqueous solution mixed with a desired solvent. For example, as this solvent, like polypropylene glycol,
Assuming that the solubility of the solvent changes rapidly depending on the temperature, the volume of the gel can be increased by changing the solvent concentration of the aqueous solution and changing the water absorption capacity of the superabsorbent resin by changing the temperature of the gel by the temperature control means 6. can be expanded and contracted. The time required for the gel volume to change due to such a temperature change is:
Since the time required for the volume change due to energization described above is faster, by combining these methods, it is possible to diversify the manner of change.

Next, although the current-carrying electrodes 4a and 4b are schematically depicted as simple rod-shaped electrodes in the illustrated example, their specific configuration may be appropriately comb-shaped, such as facing each other.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention supports the body of the patient, etc. using the gelled superabsorbent resin in the container, so it is possible to measure body pressure distribution and reduce sweat from the body. is absorbed into the gel through the breathable sheet, and the temperature of the gel can be controlled by the temperature control means, which can prevent moisture and heat accumulation, thereby preventing bedsores. can. In addition, since the storage body contains a three-dimensional reticular elastic body, unstable flow of the gel can be prevented.
Therefore, it is possible to stabilize the support of the body and suppress the occurrence of seasickness and discomfort when sleeping, and
This has the effect of making it easier to move the body during treatment, turning over, etc. In addition, the present invention expands and contracts the volume of the gel by applying electricity, so by alternately performing this at appropriate time intervals, it is possible to measure changes in body pressure. It has the effect of effectively preventing the occurrence of pressure ulcers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of main parts. Reference numerals 1... Breathable sheet, 2... Storage body, 3... Three-dimensional network elastic body, 4a, 4b... Electrodes for electricity supply, 5... Electricity supply means, 6... Temperature adjustment means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A three-dimensional reticular elastic body is housed in a storage body whose upper surface is made of a breathable sheet, and when electricity is applied to the storage body, the water absorption capacity decreases and the body contracts, and when the electricity supply is stopped, the water absorption capacity increases and the body expands. A super absorbent resin and water to be absorbed by the super absorbent resin are filled, and temperature control means for regulating the temperature of the filled material and electrodes for energizing the filled material are provided at appropriate locations within the housing. A body support device for preventing pressure ulcers, characterized in that a means for supplying electricity to the filling via the electrode is configured externally.