DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND/OR STABILIZING AT LEAST ONE LIVING BEING

Abstract

A device for supporting and/or stabilizing at least one living being, in particular a person or an animal, comprising a base element having an evacuable and/or inflatable interior, and at least one support section arranged on or in the base element for supporting the living being. The support section has at least one compressive strength different from the base element, and the at least one support section has at least two textile fabrics. The at least two textile fabrics are joined to one another spaced apart from one another by a plurality of threads, and the base element and the at least one support section are joined to one another non-detachably.

Claims

1. A device for supporting and/or stabilizing at least one living being, in particular a person or an animal, comprising a base element, which has an evacuable and/or inflatable interior, and at least one support section arranged on or in the base element for supporting the living being, wherein the support section has at least one compressive strength different from the base element, wherein the at least one support section has at least two textile fabrics, wherein the at least two textile fabrics are joined to one another spaced apart from one another by means of a plurality of threads, wherein the base element and the at least one support section are joined to one another non-detachably.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support section is formed as a knitted spacer fabric or woven spacer fabric.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the threads form a woven layer, preferably a pile layer, between the at least two textile fabrics

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two textile fabrics and/or the threads are made from a plastic, preferably from polyester.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base element and the at least one support section are formed integral with one another.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support section is formed fluidically isolated.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interior is inflatable and only filled with air.

8. The device according to one of claim 1, wherein the interior is evacuable and a granular material and/or an insertion body are/is arranged in the interior.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the insertion body is formed in the style of a knitted spacer fabric or a woven spacer fabric.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support section have/has a compressive strength of between 30 kPa and 60 kPa.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support section has a thickness of between 2 mm and 40 mm.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least four textile fabrics are provided and wherein the at least four textile fabrics are in each case joined to one another in pairs by means of a plurality of threads.

13. The device according to one of claim 1, wherein the at least one support section comprises at least two plies of knitted spacer fabric or woven spacer fabric.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein at least two of the at least two plies have different compressive strengths from one another.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the at least two plies has a compressive strength of between 35 kPa and 60 kPa, preferably between 45 kPa and 55 kPa, particularly preferably 49 kPa, and/or wherein at least one other of the at least two plies has a compressive strength of between 30 kPa and 55 kPa, preferably between 40 kPa and 50 kPa, particularly preferably 43 kPa.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support section comprises at least three plies of knitted spacer fabric or woven spacer fabric.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein at least two of the at least three plies have a first compressive strength and at least one other of the at least three plies has a second compressive strength.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the at least three plies are arranged such that a ply with a second compressive strength follows a ply with a first compressive strength and a ply with a first compressive strength follows a ply with a second compressive strength.

Description

[0048] Further details and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail below with the aid of the description of the figures with reference to the drawings. There are shown in:

[0049] FIG. 1a a schematic sectional view of an embodiment example of a device, wherein the interior is inflatable,

[0050] FIG. 1b a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment example of a device, wherein the interior is inflatable,

[0051] FIGS. 2a-i schematic sectional views of different embodiment examples of a device, wherein the interior is evaluable,

[0052] FIG. 3a a schematic top view of an embodiment example of a device with a person, and

[0053] FIG. 3b a schematic, perspective view of an embodiment of device.

[0054] FIG. 1a shows a schematic sectional view of an embodiment example of a device 1, wherein the interior 2a is inflatable and FIG. 1b a further embodiment example in an identical view. A base element 2 is visible, which has an inflatable interior 2a and an in-/outlet opening 2b. The arrow at the in-/outlet opening indicates that air is introduced into the interior 2a and the interior 2a or the base element 2 is inflated.

[0055] The base element 2 can for example consist of plastic and be formed like an air mattress. It is also conceivable that the interior 2a is subdivided into several chambers.

[0056] A support section 3 is arranged on the base element 2 in FIG. 1a. The support section 3 comprises two textile fabrics 3a and threads 3b which join the textile fabrics 3a to one another spaced apart from one another.

[0057] The support section 3 is substantially thus formed as a knitted or woven spacer fabric.

[0058] The embodiment example according to FIG. 1b differs to the effect that the support section 3 is now arranged in the base element 2. This thereby results in a flush surface of base element 2 and support section 3.

[0059] FIGS. 2a to 2i show schematic sectional views of different embodiment examples of a device 1, wherein the interior 2a is evaluable.

[0060] A base element 2 is again visible, which has an evacuable interior 2a and an in-/outlet opening 2b here. The arrow at the in-/outlet opening indicates that air is extracted by suction from the interior 2a and the interior 2a or the base element 2 is thus evacuated.

[0061] The devices shown in these figures could for example be a vacuum mattress.

[0062] In the embodiment example according to FIG. 2a a support section 3 is arranged on the base element 2 in areas; in the embodiment example according to FIG. 2b the support section 3 substantially extends over the entire length of the base element 2.

[0063] Four textile fabrics 3a, 6a are provided in the embodiment example according to FIG. 2c, wherein in each case the textile fabrics 3a are joined to one another spaced apart from one another via threads 3b and the textile fabrics 6a are joined to one another spaced apart from one another via threads 6b.

[0064] The textile fabrics 3a and the threads 3b substantially represent a first ply L1 of knitted or woven spacer fabric and the textile fabrics 6a and the threads 6b represent a second ply L2 of knitted or woven spacer fabric.

[0065] FIG. 2d shows an embodiment example with four plies L1, L2, L3, L4 of knitted or woven spacer fabric and FIG. 2e an embodiment example with six plies L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 of knitted or woven spacer fabric.

[0066] In the embodiment examples with several plies of knitted spacer fabric, the plies can be of equal thickness/height or also of different thicknesses/heights.

[0067] The compressive strengths of the individual plies can also be the same or different.

[0068] In relation to both the thickness/height and the compressive strength of the plies, it can be provided that several plies are different or the same.

[0069] The arrangement of the plies can also vary. For example, plies with different properties can always be provided alternating or plies with the same properties in blocks.

[0070] FIG. 2f shows an embodiment example, in which the support area is again arranged in the base element 1.

[0071] In FIG. 2g an insertion body 5, which gives the device 1 additional structure and stability in an evacuated state, is arranged in the interior 2a of the base element 1.

[0072] In FIG. 2f granular material 4, which substantially serves the same purpose as the insertion body 5 in FIG. 2g, is arranged in the interior 2a.

[0073] In the embodiment example according to FIG. 2i both insertion body 5 and granular material 4 are provided. Besides the additional stability, the granular material 4 can also be kept evenly distributed in the interior 2a by the insertion body 5.

[0074] The embodiments according to FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2a to 2i can in principle be combined with one another as desired, for example an inflatable base element 2 with a multi-ply support section 3, an evacuable base element 2 with granular material 4 in the interior 2a and a support section 3 arranged in the interior 2a etc.

[0075] FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view of a device 1 and FIG. 3b a schematic top view of a device with a person.

[0076] FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view of an embodiment example of a device 1 with a person. In this embodiment example the base element 2 is formed as an evacuable mattress. The specific shape of the base element 2 makes it possible to optimally secure a person.

[0077] In this embodiment example of the invention the part of the support section 3 in the shoulder area serves for preventing pressure peaks on the person in said area.

[0078] The part of the support section 3 under the upper body/buttocks of the person provides for an even pressure distribution.

[0079] To this end, the base element 2 is laid on the sides around the person, so that the person is laterally supported. The two upper parts of the support section 3 then rest against the shoulders of the person and secure them.

[0080] The different areas of the support section 3 can be formed different or the same, i.e. they can have for example different or the same compressive strengths, a different or the same number of plies etc.

[0081] FIG. 3b shows a schematic, perspective view of an embodiment of a device 1. The base element 2 is made as a substantially cylindrical, inflatable pad.

[0082] The base element 2 can be inflated via an in-/outlet opening 2b. The support section 3 is arranged on the base element 2. This can be formed continuous, thus along the entire periphery of the base element 3, or only cover a particular area of the base element 3.

[0083] List of reference numbers: [0084] 1 device [0085] 2 base element [0086] 2a interior [0087] 2b in-/outlet opening [0088] 3 support section [0089] 3a textile fabrics [0090] 3b threads [0091] 4 granular material [0092] 5 insertion body [0093] 6a textile fabrics [0094] 6b threads [0095] L1 first ply [0096] L2 second ply [0097] L3 third ply [0098] L4 fourth ply [0099] L5 fifth ply [0100] L6 sixth ply