Cushion for preventing and alleviating bedsores

Claim 2

A body cushion for use in the prevention and alleviation of bedsores, comprising: a. a casing comprising upper and lower portions forming an enclosure, at least said upper portion being formed of a porous material, b. a resilient pad substantially filling said casing, c. a relatively thin sheet non-porous of material having at least one surface with substantially parallel spaced grooves formed therein, said sheet overlying said pad with said grooved surface facing said porous portion of said casing and being substantially coextensive therewith, and d. means for supplying air to said casing under pressure to cause said air to pass through the grooves in said sheet and emerge from said casing over substantially the entire area of the porous portion of said casing.

Claim 3

A body cushion according to claim 1 in which said upper casing portion is made of artificial sheepskin.

Claim 4

A body cushion according to claim 1 of a size and form to be placed under the body of the user extending from the region of the buttocks to the region of the shoulders, in which said resilient pad is tapered in thickness longitudinally to provide a relatively thick portion in the region of the buttocks and a relatively thin portion in the region of the shoulders of the user.

Claim 5

An arrangement of body cushions comprising a pair of elongated cushions according to claim 1 adapted to be placed under either side of the body of a user extending from the region of the buttocks to the region of the shoulders and leaving the central spinal portion of the body of the user unsupported.

Claim 6

An arrangement according to claim 4 including spacing means interconnecting the pair of cushions to maintain a desired separation between them.

Claim 7

A body cushion according to claim 1 including means for controlling the temperature of air supplied to said casing.

Claim 8

An arrangement of body cushions comprising a plurality of cushions according to claim 1 adapted to be placed in spaced adjacency to a region of the body of the user susceptible to formation of bedsores so as to support the body in that region without directly contacting the susceptible region.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 7 in which said cushions are tapered to provide maximum thickness in the portions thereof adapted to engage the body in the immediate vicinity of the body region susceptible to formation of bedsores.

Claim 10

A body cushion for use in the prevention and alleviation of bedsores, comprising: a. a casing comprising upper and lower portions forming an enclosure, at least said upper portion being formed of a porous material, the edges of said portions being provided with relatively airtight but readily separable seals to permit convenient access to the interior of said casing, b. a resilient pad within said casing and substantially coextensive with the lower portion thereof, c. a relatively thin sheet of material overlying said resilient pad, substantially coextensive therewith and having substantially parallel spaced grooves formed in its upper surface, d. a plurality of smaller movable resilient pads interposed between said grooved surface of said sheet and the upper portion of said casing so as to be adjustable in position to provide additional support for particular body regions, and e. means for supplying air to said casing under pressure to cause said air to pass through the grooves in said sheet and emerge from said casing over substantially the entire area of the porous portion of said casing.

Claim 11

A body cushion for use in the prevention and alleviation of bedsores, comprising: a. a casing comprising upper and lower portions forming an enclosure, at least said upper portion being formed of a porous material, the edges of said portions being provided with relatively airtight but readily separable seals to permit convenient access to the interior of said casing, b. a resilient pad within said casing and substantially coextensive with the lower portion thereof, c. a relatively thin sheet of material overlying said resilient pad, substantially coextensive therewith and having substantially parallel spaced grooves formed in its upper surface, d. a plurality of smaller movable resilient pads interposed between said grooved surface of said sheet and the upper portion of said casing so as to be adjustable in position to provide additional support for particular body regions, and e. means for supplying air to said casing under pressure to cause said air to pass through the grooves in said sheet and emerge from said casing over substantially the entire area of the porous portion of said casing.

Claim 12

A body cushion according to claim 9 in which the edges of the upper and lower portions of said casing are provided with separable fasteners permitting access to the inside of said casing for adjustment of said movable resilient pads.

Claim 13

A body cushion according to claim 8 in which said air supplying means comprises means for supplying air to said cushion at opposite ends thereof.

Claim 14

A body cushion according to claim 1 having the form of an annulus.