LEG AND FOOT ELEVATOR

Abstract

A device for elevating the legs and feet of a supine patient is formed by a unitary body having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge and two opposing side edges. Two open channels extending from the front edge to the rear edge are formed in the top surface and are configured to accommodate the lower legs or feet of the patient. The channels are separated by a divider. The channels are sloped upward from rear to front, so that the feet are elevated the most. In use, the patient places both of their lower legs into the channels, with the feet extending beyond the front edge of the device. The elevation of the device prevents the feet from touching the supporting surface.

Claims

1. A device for elevating the legs and feet of a supine patient, comprising a unitary body having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge and two opposing side edges, wherein two open channels extending from the front edge to the rear edge are formed in the top surface, the channels being configured to accommodate and support the legs of the patient.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels extend parallel to each other.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels each have a constant width along a length extending from the front edge to the rear edge.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels are disposed at an increasing distance from the bottom surface, measured from the rear edge to the front edge.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the channels have a constant height and width, and wherein a thickness of the device increases from the rear edge to the front edge.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels each have a substantially semicircular cross-section.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the cross-section of each channel extends over a radial extent of not more than 180°.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface is convex in shape, measured from one side edge to the opposite side edge.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is constructed of a foam material.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels are spaced from each other by a distance of at least 2 inches.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channels are indented into the unitary body.

12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a support strip connected to the bottom surface at the front edge, the support strip increasing a height of the channels at the front edge of the device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the support strip is removable and interchangeable with additional support layers of differing heights.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a removable cover layer surrounding the device.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the cover layer is made of a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, paper, or plastic film.

16. The device according to claim 5, wherein a lowest point of each channel is spaced from the bottom surface by a distance of at least 2 inches at the rear end and by at least 3 inches at the front end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

[0016] In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a top and rear view of the device according to the invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along lines II-II of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device in use, with the top section cut away to show the depth of the channels;

[0020] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the device in use with the support strip attached, and with the top section cut away to show the depth of the channels; and

[0021] FIG. 5 shows a top and front end view of the device with a protective covering attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the device 1, which comprises a unitary body 10, having a top surface 11, a bottom surface 12, a front edge 13, a rear edge 14, a first side edge 15 and a second side edge 16. Channels 20, 21 for accommodating the lower legs of the patient are formed into the top surface 11, and extend from the front edge 13 to the rear edge 14 and have a bottom surface 23, 24. Channels 20, 21 are divided by a divider 18, which is of sufficient width to separate the lower extremities of the patient and prevent the knees from rubbing together. Channels 20, 21 are somewhat semicircular in cross-section and have a constant width and height along the extent of each channel from the front edge 13 to the rear edge 14. Bottom surface 12 is constructed to be concave in shape between side edges 15, 16, so that the device 1 may rock side-to side if pressure is placed on one side vs. the other, allowing for increased mobility and comfort of a patient whose legs are resting in channels 20, 21.

[0023] Device 1 is constructed so that the device is thicker at the front edge 13 than at the rear edge 14, with an upwardly sloping top surface 11. Channels 20, 21 are thus disposed as an oblique angle to horizontal when device 1 is resting on a horizontal support surface 60, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, channels 20, 21 have a height h.sub.1 from the bottom surface 12 of the device that is smaller at the rear edge 14, than a height h.sub.2 of the channels at the front edge 13 of the device 1. This allows the feet to be located at the highest point of elevation when the device is in use. In particular, it is desirable if the patient’s leg is elevated at an angle a of 15 degrees or more from horizontal.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the device 1 in use by a patient, with the top half cut-away to illustrate the position of the channels and the patient’s legs. The sloped orientation of channels 20, 21 can be seen in broken lines in the side view, so that when the patient’s lower legs are placed into channels 20, 21 of the device, the feet 50 extend out from the device at its greatest height from the supporting surface 60 at front end 13.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a similar view to FIG. 3, but where a support strip 30 is placed underneath front end 13, to raise the front end 13 up from the support surface 60 to add even more height and elevation angle to the device 1. Support strip 30 can be of any desired height, and can be interchangeable with other support strips of different thicknesses to allow the device to be used at a variety of heights and angles, based on the patient’s need. The support strip 30 can be made of foam, fabric layers, plastic or any other suitable material, and can be attached via hook-and-loop type closures, snaps, straps or any other suitable attachment system.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 5, a covering 40 can be placed over device 1 to protect device 1 from contaminants. The covering 40 can be disposable or washable, and can be made of any suitable material, such as woven or nonwoven fabric, plastic film or paper. It can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 5 that the device is substantially thicker at front end 13, shown in FIG. 5, than at rear end 14, which is shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.