GB2402074A - Body support sling with non-inflatable pad - Google Patents

Abstract

A body support sling for lifting and suspending a patient I from an invalid hoist 10 comprises a flexible body support 21, suspension means 25,26 for suspending the sling from the invalid hoist 10, and at least one deformable non-inflatable pad 27,30. The or each deformable non-inflatable pad 27,30 is removably held by the flexible body support 21.

Description

BODY SUPPORT SLING

This invention relates to a body support sling for lifting and suspending a patient from an invalid hoist. s

A common complaint with known invalid lifting slings is the discomfort caused to invalids by the hard and cutting binding on the edge of current slings.

The present invention seeks to provide a sling which will give improved comfort to an invalid.

According to the present invention, there is provided a body support sling for lifting and suspending a patient from an invalid hoist, the sling comprising a flexible body support, suspension means for suspending the sling from an invalid hoist, and at least one deformable non- inflatable pad, the or each deformable non-inflatable pad being removably held by the flexible body support.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 17, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure l is a side perspective view illustrating a conventional one-piece sling and shown in use with a supported invalid; Figure 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of a sling, according to the present invention; Figures 3a and 3b show deformable non-inflatable pads for fitting in pouches of the sling of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through part of the sling shown in Figure 2.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the conventional sling shown therein has a one-piece full body support I comprising a body portion 2 with lower end dependent leg support portions 3 and an upper end head support extension 4. The body portion 2 supports the back and shoulders of the suspended invalid I with the portions 3 respectively extending beneath and up between the thighs of the invalid whose head H is supported by the extension 4. Short extension tapes 5 providing suspension means are permanently attached by stitching to the body portion 2 in the shoulder regions thereof, and suspension tapes 6 are similarly attached to the ends of the leg support portions 3.

The body support I is manufactured from a sheet of synthetic textile fabric, and it is tailored to conform closely to the shape of the body of the invalid I. The sling is illustrated in the drawings as used with a hoist 10 having a cantilever lifting arm 11 supporting a sling hanger 12 of unitary construction and from which the sling is directly suspended. However, it could be used with other types of hoist including ceiling hoists. Only the outer end of the lifting arm 11 is shown, and the hanger 12 is connected to the arm 11 through a pivotal connection 13. The connection is mounted in a bearing 14 providing a vertical pivotal axis A at the end of the arm 11 and it is pivotally connected to the hanger 12 at points 13a.

The hanger 12 is of symmetrical form with spaced arms 15 which respectively pivot on connection 13 and which at their free ends provide a pair of spaced sling attachment points to which the tapes 5 are attached. At the other end the hanger has a central rod 16 terminating in a hand grip 17 and presenting, on opposite sides, a second pair of sling attachment points to which the suspension tapes 6 are attached.

The suspension tapes 5 and 6 are doubled over and pass through respective connecting elements 7 which, as shown, are in the form of key-hole plates that hook onto headed attachment studs 18 providing the respective attachment points on the hanger 12 but which could, for example, be in the form of loop attachments.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings, the sling shown therein has a full body support 21 of similar shape to that shown in Figure 1. The body support 21 has a body portion 22 with lower end dependent leg support portions 23 and an upper end head support extension 24. It also has two suspension tapes 25 attached by stitching to the body portion 22 in the shoulder regions thereof and suspension tapes 26 stitched to the ends of the leg support portions 23. Attachment members in the form of keyhole plates 25a, 26_ are connected to the suspension tapes 25 and 26, as described above.

Deformable non-inflatable pads 27 (Figure 3_) can be inserted respectively in pouches 28 and 29 in the leg support portions 23 and a deformable non-inflatable pad (Figure 3_) can be inserted in a pouch 31 in the head support extension 24. The pads 27 and pouches 28 and 29 are complementarily shaped, as are the pad 30 and the pouch 31. The pads 27, 30 are thus a snug-fit in their pouches 28, 29 and 31.

Once the pads 27, 30 are housed, the pouches 28, 29 and 31 can then be releasably closed by hook and loop fastening means 32, shown in Figure 4. The pads 27, 30 are thus securely held by the body support 21. However, any suitable fastening means could be used instead of hook and loop.

The deformable non-inflatable pads 27, 30 are generally in the form of a permanently sealed envelope or flexible casing. Depending on the contents of the pads 27, 30, the envelope or casing is formed from flexible plastics material, and this material may be fluid impermeable. The pads 27, 30 may be filled with foam, gel, visco-elastic material, or liquid. The liquid is typically water, but could be any suitable fluid. The pads 27, 30 may contain a combination of materials, or each pad can have a different one of the fillings, depending on requirements.

The pads 27, 30 may also be treatable. For example, the liquid or gel filling could be treatable to provide warmth to a patient suspended for a prolonged duration.

Furthermore, the gel material could be a thermo-reversible type gel which is Plowable when heated and which cures on cooling. This would allow shaping of the sling to a particular patient's body.

Further deformable non-inflatable pads can also be provided, for example to support the backside and/or lumbar region of a patient. In this case, further pouches Although there is only one pad and one pouch for each specific area of the sling, multiple smaller pads could be used. In this case, the pouches may be split to accept the smaller individual pads.

l 5 Two head support stiffener pockets 33 are sewn onto the material of the pouch 31. The pockets 33 extend substantially throughout the head support extension 24 and for a distance beyond a line joining the attachment points of the upper suspension tapes 25 of the sling. The two pockets 33 are spaced laterally of the sling and each contains a removable strip of resiliently flexible material, typically plastics material such as polypropylene.

The body support 21 can be manufactured from a flexible sheet of synthetic textile fabric and is in that regard similar to the conventional sling shown in Figure 1.

However, other sheet material could also be used, such as a flexible, air impermeable material e.g. Dartex P097 (C.S. & P) Types sold by Dartex Coatings Limited, of Nottingham, United Kingdom.

The deformable non-inflatable pads can be removed from their pouches, if desired, to enable the sling to be used in a conventional manner, and they can also be removed when the invalid has been lifted into a position in which he/she will remain for some considerable time.

The flexibility of the body support 21 allows for accommodation of persons of varying sizes and dimensions.

The deformable non-inflatable pads of the embodiments described above provide improved comfort particularly where an invalid has special lifting requirements, suffers from brittle bones, delicate skin or physical shape problems or 1S has specific medical requirements.

The sling described above is a hill body support sling which can lift and suspend a patient clear of the ground when used with an invalid hoist. However, the invention is equally applicable to other types of body support slings including toileting slings which include a relatively narrow body portion and two dependent leg portions (but no head extension).

The embodiments described above are given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the pouches could be dispensed with and the removable deformable non-inflatable pads could be held to the body support simply via hook and loop fastening means.

Claims (18)

1. A body support sling for lifting and suspending a patient from an invalid hoist, the sling comprising a flexible body support, suspension means for suspending the sling from an invalid hoist, and at least one deformable non-inflatable pad, the or each deformable non-inflatable pad being removably held by the flexible body support.

2. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension means comprise short suspension tapes permanently attached to the body support and connected to attachment members adapted to hook onto attachment points on the hoist.

3. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment members comprise keyhole plates adapted to hook onto headed attachment studs providing said attachment points.

4. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the body support includes a pouch corresponding to the or each deformable noninflatable pad and in which the said pad can be removably housed.

5. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 4, wherein the or each pouch is releasably closable by hook and loop fastening means.

6. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body support comprises a body portion and lower end dependent leg portions which in use respectively extend beneath and upwardly between the thighs of the invalid.

7. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 6, wherein each dependent leg portion has at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad.

8. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the body portion includes at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad.

9. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising an upper end head-support extension including at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad.

IS

10. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sling has at least one pocket extending substantially throughout the head support extension and for a distance beyond a line joining attachment points of upper suspension means of the sling and a removable sheet or strip of substantially rigid but resiliently flexible material is housed in the pocket.

11. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 10, wherein the substantially rigid but resiliently flexible material is a plastics material.

12. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each deformable non-inflatable pad is treatable.

13. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad comprises a foam filling.

14. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad comprises a gel filling.

IS. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad comprises a visco- elastic material filling.

16. A lifting sling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said deformable non-inflatable pad is filled with liquid.

17. A lifting sling as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid is water.

18. A body support sling for lifting and suspending a patient from an invalid hoist substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.