GB2562755A

GB2562755A - A sling with improved comfort

Info

Publication number: GB2562755A
Application number: GB1708303.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Handley Richard
Original assignee: Care & Independence Ltd
Current assignee: Care & Independence Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-24
Filing date: 2017-05-24
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-24
Also published as: GB201708303D0; GB2562755B

Abstract

The sling 10 has one or more panels 14 for supporting a person 12 and is for lifting the person 12, e.g. to move an elderly or infirm person between bath, bed and/or wheelchair. The panel(s) 14 define an outline 16 of a back supporting portion 18 and two leg supporting portions 20, each leg portion 20 connected to the back portion 18, and one or more fasteners 22 connected to the panel(s) 14. The outline 16 has two convex/curved parts 16a bulging outwards at a part of the back portion 18 between the leg portions 20. The curved parts 16a reduce the pressure gradient when lifting the person 12, allowing for more comfort and reducing the risk of skin abrasions. The curved parts 16a may meet at a point 24, potentially forming an acute angle. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the sling 10.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Care & Independence Limited Telford Business Centre, Telford Road, BICESTER, Oxfordshire, 0X26 4LD, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Richard Handley (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Richard Turner

Room 3 The Rufus Centre, Steppingley Road, FLITWICK, Bedfordshire, MK45 1AH, United Kingdom (51) INT CL:

A61G 7/10 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

US 5396670 A (58) Field of Search:

INT CL A61G

Other: WPI, EPODOC (54) Title of the Invention: A sling with improved comfort Abstract Title: A sling with improved comfort (57) The sling 10 has one or more panels 14 for supporting a person 12 and is for lifting the person 12, e.g. to move an elderly or infirm person between bath, bed and/or wheelchair. The panel(s) 14 define an outline 16 of a back supporting portion 18 and two leg supporting portions 20, each leg portion 20 connected to the back portion 18, and one or more fasteners 22 connected to the panel(s) 14. The outline 16 has two convex/curved parts 16a bulging outwards at a part of the back portion 18 between the leg portions 20. The curved parts 16a reduce the pressure gradient when lifting the person 12, allowing for more comfort and reducing the risk of skin abrasions. The curved parts 16a may meet at a point 24, potentially forming an acute angle. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the sling 10.

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Fig. 1

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Fig. 4

DESCRIPTION

A SLING WITH IMPROVED COMFORT

This invention relates to a sling and to a method of manufacturing the sling.

While caring for elderly or infirm people, it is common to use a sling to move such a person, for example from a bed to a wheelchair or in and out of a bath. The sling is designed to be used to lift the person and to support their entire weight while they are being moved. Normally some sort of overhead mechanical system will be used in addition to the sling, with the sling being attached to a hoist or gantry, to provide the necessary mechanical support for the weight of the person being moved. Such slings are often used for moving people in and out of baths and also in dry situations where there is no water present. Since the person that is being moved in such a sling is often elderly and/or infirm, the care and comfort of the person being moved in the sling is of paramount importance. In particular, it is known that skin damage can occur to the person being moved, for example caused by rubbing of the edge of the sling against the patient’s bare skin.

Such a sling is disclosed in European patent application EP 3009118, for example. The sling is for lifting a person and comprises a back panel for supporting the back of a person, two leg panels each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg panel connected to the back panel, and each leg panel comprising a first smooth layer and a second knitted fabric layer, the first smooth layer and the second knitted fabric layer of each leg panel in direct contact with no additional layers, and one or more fastening components connected to the panels. While this sling is designed to provide padding and a comfortable contact with the person’s skin, the external outline of the sling is such that the edge of the sling can still cause discomfort for a user of the sling, in certain circumstances.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sling for lifting a person comprising one or more panels for supporting a person, the panel(s) defining an outline defining a back portion for supporting the back of a person and two leg portions each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg portion connected to the back portion, and one or more fastening components connected to the panel(s), wherein the outline of the panel(s) is so shaped that a part of the outline that defines the back portion between the two leg portions comprises two convex parts bulging outwards.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a sling for lifting a person comprising forming one or more panels for supporting a person, the panel(s) defining an outline defining a back portion for supporting the back of a person and two leg portions each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg portion connected to the back portion, and attaching one or more fastening components to the panel(s), wherein the outline of the panel(s) is so shaped that a part of the outline that defines the back portion between the two leg portions comprises two convex parts bulging outwards.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a sling that is designed to reduce the possibility of skin damage occurring to the person being moved in the sling, through the improved shape of the sling. The shape of the sling is determined by the external outline of the sling, which is made from one or more panels. The outline of the sling, in the part which is where the body portion of the sling lies between the two leg portions of the sling, is shaped with two convex parts that bulge outwards from the body portion of the sling. This shape results in a more comfortable contact between the sling and the user’s body, such that when the leg portions of the sling are folded under the user’s legs and the sling is in contact with the user’s body there is a lower likelihood of the user suffering discomfort or skin damage. In the prior art sling described in the European patent application referred to above, the relevant part of the outline of the sling is U-shaped, with the single curve being concave and bulging inwards. The aperture shape between the leg portions significantly reduces the pressure gradient at the sacrum, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the person in the sling and improving comfort.

Preferably, the two convex parts of the outline of the sling connect together at a point of the sling. The outline of the sling is preferably formed so that the two convex parts that bulge outwards meet at a point, which, in a plan view of the flat sling, looks like a small acute angle between the two convex parts. This shape in the outline, once the sling is folded and in use with a person in the sling, will fold into a more comfortable contact with the user’s skin, which will result in a lower likelihood of problems with the user’s contact with the edge of the sling. In this preferred arrangement, the two convex parts of the outline of the sling form mirror images around a longitudinal centre line of the sling.

Advantageously, the parts of the outline that define outermost edges of the leg portions of the sling are free from any binding or hem. The sling can be so arranged so that there is no binding or hem on the outer edge of the leg portions of the sling from the hip to the bottom of the leg portion. This improves again the comfort of the sling as there is a reduced likelihood of any material at the edge of the sling causing rubbing or abrasion on the skin of the person being moved by the sling. With no binding or hem on the outer edge of the leg support, there is an increased comfort for the person in the sling under their thighs.

Ideally, each leg portion is stitched by a stitch pattern that runs across from one side of the respective leg portion to the opposite side of the respective leg portion. In the most preferred arrangement, the stitch patterns on each leg portion form a zig-zig pattern along at least the majority of the length of the respective leg portion. A stitch pattern is used on the leg portions of the sling which has the stitches running across the leg portion rather than along the leg portion. Preferably, the stitch pattern runs as a zig-zag pattern along the majority if not all of the leg portion. This allows the sling to be stitched together in such a way that very few stitches (if any) are present at the physical edges of the sling at the leg portions. This again improves the comfort of the sling and reduces the likelihood of any material at the edge of the sling causing rubbing or abrasion on the skin of the person being moved by the sling. The stitch design in the leg section allows this section to move with a slight degree of stretch providing greater comfort to the person in the sling.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a front view of a sling,

Figure 2 is a front view of a leg portion of the sling,

Figure 3 is a side view of the sling in use, and

Figure 4 is a different side view of the sling in use.

Figure 1 shows a sling 10 for lifting a person. The sling 10 comprises one or more panels 14 for supporting a person, the panel(s) 14 defining an outline 16 defining a back portion 18 for supporting the back of a person and two leg portions 20 each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg portion 20 connected to the back portion 18, and one or more fastening components 22 connected to the panel(s) 14. The outline 16 of the panel(s) 14 is so shaped that a part of the outline 16 that defines the back portion 18 between the two leg portions 20 comprises two convex parts 16a bulging outwards. The shape of the back portion 18 gives significant support and comfort to the person in the sling 10 while the cut and type of fabric gives just enough stretch in the sling 10 to conform to the user’s body shape. The fabric is a two layer construction with a smooth fabric layer and a knitted fabric layer, although a single layer of material can also be used. The overall tailoring of the sling 10 increases the user’s comfort when they are in the sling 10.

The two convex parts 16a of the outline 16 of the sling 10 connect together at a point 24 of the sling 10. The connecting point 24 between the two convex parts 16a of the outline 16 of the sling 10 forms an acute angle between the two convex parts 16a. The two convex parts 16a of the outline 16 of the sling 10, which lie between the two leg portions 20, form mirror images around a longitudinal centre line of the sling 10. In fact the entire sling 10 is symmetrical around the centre line running longitudinally down the sling 10 (which would be a vertical line in Figure 1).

The sling 10 is shaped to reduce the possibility of skin damage occurring to a person being moved in the sling 10. The shape of the sling 10, in use, is determined by the outline 16 of the sling 10. The outline 16 of the sling 10, in the part which is where the back portion 18 of the sling 10 lies between the two leg portions 20 of the sling 10, is shaped with two convex parts 16a that bulge outwards from the back portion 18 of the sling 10. This shape results in a more comfortable contact between the sling 10 and the user’s body, such that when the leg portions 20 of the sling 10 are folded under the user’s legs and the sling 10 is in contact with the user’s body there is a lower likelihood of the user suffering discomfort or skin damage.

The sling 10 is preferably formed as a single multi-layer panel 14, although different panels 14 can be used for different parts of the sling 10, for example with individual leg panels that are connected to a single body or back panel. Two or more layers are preferably provided within the single panel 14, each layer of the panel 14 providing a different function, such as a main smooth layer for strength with an additional knitted fabric padded layer for comfort. The layers are stitched together in the manufacturing process to create the finished sling 10. The fastening components 22 are then connected to the panel(s) 14 to create the final sling 10. The sling 10 can be manufactured from a single layer of material.

Figure 2 shows a more detailed view of a leg portion 20 of the sling 10. This view is shown in order to show in more detail the stitching pattern 26 used on the leg portion 20. Each leg portion 20 is stitched by a stitch pattern 26 that runs across from one side of the respective leg portion 20 to the opposite side of the respective leg portion 20. The stitch patterns 26 on each leg portion 20 form a zig-zig pattern 26 along at least the majority of the length of the respective leg portion 20. This allows the sling 10 to be stitched at the leg portions 20 in such a way that very few stitches (if any) are present at the physical edges of the sling 10. This further helps to improve the comfort of the sling 10 and reduces the likelihood of any material at the edge of the sling 10 causing rubbing or abrasion on the skin of the person being moved by the sling 10.

The parts of the outline 16 that define the outermost edges 16b of the leg portions 20 of the sling 10 are free from any binding or hem. The sling 10 is so designed that the outline 16b that defines the outer edges of the leg portions 20 of the sling 10, from the hip to the bottom of the leg portions 20, are free from any binding or hem. This also helps to improves the comfort of the sling 10 in use, as there is a reduced likelihood of any material at the edge of the sling 10 in the leg region, causing rubbing or abrasion on the skin of the person being moved by the sling 10.

Figure 3 shows the sling 10 in use for a person 12 who is being lifted out of a bath 28. The fastening components 22 of the sling 10 are connected to a gantry or hoist 30, which supports the weight of the person 12. In this side view of the sling 10 in use, a single leg portion 20 can be seen, with the back portion 18 being connected to the leg portion 20. As can be seen the majority of the person’s weight and skin area are borne by the back portion 18 and leg portion 20. Once the sling 10 is wrapped around the person 12, then the outline 16 of the sling is in contact with the skin of the person 12.

Figure 4 shows the sling 10 in use for a person 12 being manoeuvred into a wheelchair 32. A carer 34 is able to use a steering strip 36 to guide the person 12 into the wheelchair 32, while the person’s weight is being supported overhead using the gantry or hoist 30. The carer 34 can grasp the steering strip 36 with their hand and move the sling 10 into the desired position as the person 12 is placed in the wheelchair 32. The steering strip 36 is deliberately not a loop, firstly to avoid any possibility of snagging occurring, but also to remove the temptation for the carer 34 to try and lift the weight of the person 12 using a loop, should one be present.

Claims

1. A sling (10) for lifting a person (12) comprising:

• one or more panels (14) for supporting a person (12), the panel(s) (14) defining an outline (16) defining a back portion (18) for supporting the back of a person (12) and two leg portions (20) each for supporting the leg of a person (12), each leg portion (20) connected to the back portion (18), and • one or more fastening components (22) connected to the panel(s) (14), wherein the outline (16) of the panel(s) (14) is so shaped that a part of the outline (16) that defines the back portion (18) between the two leg portions (20) comprises two convex parts (16a) bulging outwards.

2. A sling according to claim 1, wherein the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) connect together at a point (24) of the sling (10).

3. A sling according to claim 2, wherein the connecting point (24) between the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) forms an acute angle between the two convex parts (16a).

4. A sling according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) form mirror images around a longitudinal centre line of the sling (10).

5. A sling according to any preceding claim, wherein the parts of the outline (16) that define outermost edges (16b) of the leg portions (20) of the sling (10) are free from any binding or hem.

6. A sling according to any preceding claim, wherein each leg portion (20) is stitched by a stitch pattern (26) that runs across from one side of the respective leg portion (20) to the opposite side of the respective leg portion (20).

7. A sling according to claim 6, wherein the stitch patterns (26) on each leg portion (20) form a zig-zig pattern (26) along at least the majority of the length of the respective leg portion (20).

8. A method of manufacturing a sling (10) for lifting a person (12) comprising:

• forming one or more panels (14) for supporting a person (12), the panel(s) (14) defining an outline (16) defining a back portion (18) for supporting the back of a person (12) and two leg portions (20) each for supporting the leg of a person (12), each leg portion (20) connected to the back portion (18), and • attaching one or more fastening components (22) to the panel(s) (14), wherein the outline (16) of the panel(s) (14) is so shaped that a part of the outline (16) that defines the back portion (18) between the two leg portions (20) comprises two convex parts (16a) bulging outwards.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) connect together at a point (24) of the sling (10).

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the connecting point (24) between the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) forms an acute angle between the two convex parts (16a).

11. A method according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the two convex parts (16a) of the outline (16) of the sling (10) form mirror images around a longitudinal centre line of the sling (10).

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12. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the parts of the outline (16) that define outermost edges (16b) of the leg portions (20) of the sling (10) are free from any binding or hem.

13. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein each io leg portion (20) is stitched by a stitch pattern (26) that runs across from one side of the respective leg portion (20) to the opposite side of the respective leg portion (20).

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the stitch patterns (26)

15 on each leg portion (20) form a zig-zig pattern (26) along at least the majority of the length of the respective leg portion (20).

Application No: GB1708303.1