Patent Application
20170290440
The present invention relates to medical or otherwise bed covers, and used preferably for covering beds and the like. More particularly, it relates to an improved bed covering that keeps both the bed covering itself and bed occupant safely in place and provides a physical barrier preventing bed occupant excursion including rolling off the bed. Unlike any other bed covering, this bed cover is designed with integrated variations of perimeter rails integrally secured to one of more of the cover's borders providing flexibility of multiple uses utilizing its unique ability to inhibit excursion off the bed, and therefore facilitating protection while keeping the bed occupant comfortable and safe.
Covers for Beds, sometimes also known as sheets, are popular medical bed applications. However, improvements to such covers are still possible and this invention will be able to be modified and customized to fit all mattress sizes from including but not limited to hospital beds, baby cribs and no hospital mattresses.
It is commonly accepted that it may become necessary, for various reasons, to use an apparatus for preventing a bed occupant from falling off the bed during hospitalization or when safety is a concern. For example, if a person is hospitalized and is not restrained, they may fall off their bed, and possibly sustaining additional injuries. Further, occupants with diverse medical issues cannot negotiate safe bed movement i.e., changing resting positions and in these cases the possibility of falling off the bed is a avoidable event.
Typically, hospital beds have been designed with utilization of bed rails, which have limitations. Namely, the aesthetic value is not visually appealing. Also, existing bed rails are difficult to install and remove by some infirmed individuals without the assistance of others. Lastly, it is possible for a bed occupant to further injure themselves as the enter or exit a bed utilizing bed rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,131 to Diehl (1987), titled Bed Sheet Restraint, does not meet the requirements for in home use by a self-functioning individual. This restraint needs to be attached to the bed by a second individual after a person is lying in bed, and it renders the reclining individual helpless to exit the bed when necessary.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,950 to Bergeron (1997), titled Security Cover, is also an inferior product. This restraint is “made of a flexible and sturdy material such as canvas, tarpaulin, or the like”. This material is heavy, hot, hard to manipulate, hard to wash, and would not be conducive to providing a clean, cool, and comfortable sleeping environment.
Additionally, this cover has attached snap hooks that attach to a “flexible line” so that the cover can be slid up and down. Since material used for this flexible line is not specified, one may conclude that after much use, this flexible line may become frayed, brittle, or sharp, thus causing the line to break, snap, or cause injury, such as cutting the skin. Also, there is a risk of injury if an individual's arms or legs get caught in the openings that exist between the cover and the bed frame. According to this patent, a second person is needed to finally secure the security cover in place. There is therefore clearly a need for an improved apparatus for preventing a bed occupant from falling off the bed.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cover for medical related beddings. The cover for medical environment bedding may be used in any other place or system as well as comprise the most varied kinds of materials in conjunction or separately such as conventional mattress materials which may be rigid and/or flexible materials and/or the like without deviating from the invention since the characteristics originally claimed herein are not lost.
This model may contain other devices added thereto without deviating from the nature of the invention since the characteristics originally claimed herein are not lost.
There are no similar devices of this nature in the state of the art.
The novel bed cover for medical or therapeutic applications, subject matter of this patent, will be described in a clear, concise, and objective manner so that it can be clearly understood and put into practice by any specialist in this technological sector. Based on a set of illustrative drawings, the proposed model is presented by way of example and without an intention to limit the scope of the protection by the patent and only for more detailed analysis of the characteristics to be claimed.
This model, however, must not be limited to the presented form and other configurational conceptions may be considered since they contain the same distinctive functional characteristics of the basic model. This model may also be constructed in a manner that may be cleaned and reused or disposable.
Referring to
The base cover aspect 7 is made from a flexible and surface conforming material formed aspect and/or the like, and may be made with various materials including; foam, a plurality of blended synthetic plys, cotton, and the like. Base cover 7 is designed to create multiple profiles and/or a formed, aspect or the like that acting as barrier along the bottom aspect of the base cover aspect 7; base cover 7 is complemented by having either removable or fixed embodiment options, and/or the like, perimeter rails 1, 3, and 4, respectively and/or like removable fixed aspects. Base cover 7 can be designed to conform to various mattress shaped surfaces.
Referring to
In general, the foregoing description is provided for exemplary and illustrative purposes; the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For instance, the present invention may comprise other devices added thereto without deviating from the invention since the characteristics initially claimed herein are not lost. Also, certain aspects of the model presented herein may be altered such as: materials, shape, etc. without altering what has been originally claimed herein. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these and additional modifications, as well as adaptations for particular circumstances, will fall within the scope of the invention as herein shown and described and the claims appended hereto.
