JP7623700B2 - Turning aid pad and turning aid mattress - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a turning assistance pad and mattress, and in particular to a turning assistance pad and mattress that allows the user, such as a person requiring care, to turn over in bed using their own strength in order to encourage the independence of the person requiring care.

In recent years, as the super-aging society advances, importance has been placed on independent living support care to promote the independence of those who require care. Independence support programs for those who require care are broadly divided into those related to movements in bed (movements of getting up and going) from lying on one's back, rolling over, sitting up, and then standing up, and those related to movements after getting out of bed (rehabilitation, daily activities).

Of these, movements on the bed are the most important basic movements and are the starting point of independence, so various support methods and tools to enable smooth movements on the bed have been proposed and studied. For example, when performing movements on the bed from lying on one's back to standing up, one must first change position from lying on one's back (supine position) to lying on one's side (lateral position), in other words, turn over.

Patent Document 1 describes a mattress with a structure that makes it easy to turn over, based on the knowledge that by selectively sinking the shoulders and upper arms in the direction of turning into the mattress, the shoulders that sink into the mattress become the axis of rotation for turning over and promoting turning over. This mattress has a central block that is located in the center of the width of the mattress and supports the back and waist of a user in a supine position, and end blocks that are located at both ends of the width of the mattress and support the shoulders of a user in a supine position, the central block is formed to be softer than the outer peripheral parts of the end blocks, and the end blocks are provided with a hardness adjustment means that adjusts the hardness of the end blocks so that a hardness gradient is formed in which the apparent hardness gradually decreases in the direction of contact with the central block, and adjusts the apparent hardness of the end blocks so that the apparent hardness of the positions in contact with the shoulders of a user in a supine position is lower than the apparent hardness of the central block.

JP 2018-57712 A

The turning motion when changing posture from supine to lateral can be roughly divided into a bending-turning type consisting of head turning → upper body turning → pelvis turning → lower limbs turning, and an extension-turning type consisting of lower limbs turning → pelvis turning simultaneously with or after lower limbs turning → upper body turning → head turning. In the upper body turning, the shoulder turning motion is particularly the most stressful of all the turning motions. Therefore, by making it easy to turn the shoulders without hindering their turning motion, it becomes easy to turn in either turning type. In this regard, in the mattress of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the hardness adjustment means provided in the end block makes it easy for the user's shoulders and upper arms to selectively sink into the parts of the end block that are adjusted to a low hardness, and the shoulders that sink into those parts become the axis of rotation for turning, promoting turning.

However, the inventors of the present application have found that, in general, people who require nursing care and who have little muscle strength in the lower body and abdomen often perform a bending and rotating type of turning motion that starts from the upper body, and even if they can turn the upper body, they tend to have difficulty turning the pelvis. Specifically, when trying to turn, they can turn the upper body to the side by grabbing the railings at the side of the bed with their hands, but then they are unable to turn the lower body to the side, and they give up and return the upper body to the original upright position, which means that they are unable to turn over completely. In this way, it was found that when a user who has reduced muscle strength to turn the lower body tries to turn over on their own, the turning of the pelvis is a major hurdle. In this regard, the mattress of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 focuses only on the turning of the shoulders, and no consideration has been given to turning the pelvis to complete the turning.

On the other hand, while recovery through sleep is generally essential for good health, in recent years attention has been focused on improving "sleep quality," with natural turning over during sleep being seen as one of the factors that contribute to improved sleep quality. In this case, that is, during sleep, it is known that not only flexion-rotation type turning that starts from the upper body, but also extension-rotation type turning that starts from the lower body, as well as various other types of turning movements that cannot be classified as these, are performed unconsciously. Therefore, there is a demand for tools and mattresses that can encourage various types of turning over movements and enable smoother turning over.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and its purpose is to provide a turning aid and mattress that can facilitate the pelvic rotation movement that is difficult for users with weakened muscles and help them turn in bed on their own.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a turning aid and mattress that can facilitate the series of movements required for turning over in bed for users with reduced muscle strength and assist them in turning over on their own.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a turning aid and mattress that can encourage various types of turning movements to improve the quality of sleep and allow the user to turn more smoothly and naturally.

In order to solve the above problems, the turning assistance pad of the present invention is a turning assistance pad that is placed on a mattress, a futon, or a rug when used, and the turning assistance pad at least comprises a first pad on which the upper half of the user's body is placed, and a second pad on which at least the lower half of the user's body is placed, the first pad being arranged in the height direction, and formed of a cushioning material of a predetermined thickness and configured to support at least a part of the back of the user in a supine position, the second pad being formed of a cushioning material of a predetermined thickness, a second support surface formed with a width narrower than the width of the user's pelvis is provided in the widthwise center of the second pad, and a pair of second inclined portions that slope down in an inclined or stepped manner from the end of the second support surface to the outside are provided at at least a part of the length of the second support surface at both ends in the width direction of the second pad, the second support surface supporting at least a part of the lower half of the user's body when the user turns over, and the second inclined portions supporting the greater trochanter of the femur when the user turns over.

When lying on one's back, the user's upper body is supported by the first pad, and the lower body is supported by the second pad. Of these, the back part centered on the head and spine is stably supported by the first pad, and the lower back and buttocks part centered on the sacrum of the lower body is stably supported by the second support surface of the second pad. When turning over in a bending and rotation type of motion that starts from the upper body, the pelvis is turned after the upper body is turned, and when the pelvis is turned, the greater trochanter of the femur and the surrounding parts of the pelvis such as the ilium nearby, which are in the direction of turning and require the most force for the turning motion, are supported by the second inclined part. Since the second inclined portion is inclined downward from the end of the second support surface, the distance between the point where the pelvis periphery, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning, touches the second inclined portion and the user's body axis becomes closer, so the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis is reduced, and the lower body can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the lower limbs from the turning of the pelvis. This reduces the load related to the turning of the lower body, making it easier for users with reduced muscle strength involved in turning the lower body to turn on their own.

In addition, when turning over in an extension-rotation type of motion, with the lower body as the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body, and when the pelvis is turned, the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning and the surrounding parts of the pelvis such as the ilium nearby are supported by the second inclined part. Because the second inclined part slopes downward from the end of the second support surface, the distance between the point where the surrounding parts of the pelvis such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning contacts the second inclined part and the user's body axis is reduced, so the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis is reduced, and the lower body can be turned easily.

In addition, the turning assistance pad of the present invention is preferably configured such that a first support surface is provided in the widthwise center of the first pad, the width of the first support surface being equal to or smaller than the shoulder width of the user, and a pair of first inclined portions are provided at both widthwise ends of the first pad, at at least a portion of the length of the first support surface, sloping downward in an inclined or stepped manner from the end of the first support surface outward, the first support surface supporting at least a portion of the back of the user in a supine position, and the first inclined portions supporting the shoulders of the user when turning over.

When lying on one's back, the user's upper body is supported by the first pad, and the lower body is supported by the second pad. The head and back, centered on the spine, are stably supported by the first support surface, and the buttocks, centered on the sacrum of the lower body, are stably supported by the second support surface. When turning over in a bending and rotating type of motion, with the upper body as the starting point, the shoulder, which is in the direction of turning and requires the most force to turn, is supported by the first inclined portion when turning the upper body. Since the first inclined portion is inclined downward from the end of the first support surface, the distance between the point where the shoulder touches the first inclined portion and the user's body axis is shortened, and the force (torque) required to turn the upper body is reduced, making it easier to turn the upper body. In addition, when turning the pelvis following the turning of the upper body, the pelvis surrounding parts such as the greater trochanter of the femur and the ilium nearby, which are in the direction of turning and require the most force for the turning motion, are supported by the second inclined part. Since the second inclined part also slopes downward from the end of the second support surface, the distance between the point where the pelvis surrounding parts such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning and the user's body axis is shortened, so that the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis is reduced, and the lower body side can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the lower limbs from the turning of the pelvis. This reduces the load on not only the upper body but also the lower body, making it easier to turn on one's own.

In addition, when turning over in an extension-rotation type of motion, with the lower body as the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the pelvic surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction and the ilium nearby, are supported by the second inclined portion. Since the second inclined portion slopes downward from the end of the second support surface, the distance between the point where the pelvic surroundings, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the turning direction, contacts the second inclined portion and the user's body axis is shortened, so that the force (torque) required to turn the pelvis is reduced, making it easier to turn the lower body side. Then, when the upper body starts turning in conjunction with the turning of the lower body side, the shoulders, which are in the turning direction and require the most force in the turning motion, are supported by the first inclined portion. Since the first inclined portion is inclined downward from the end of the first support surface, the distance between the point where the shoulder touches the first inclined portion and the axis of the user's body is shortened, so the force (torque) required to turn the upper body side is reduced, making it easier to turn the upper body side. As a result, even in the extension rotation type of turning, the load on not only the upper body but also the lower body is reduced, making it easier to turn on one's own.

In addition, it is also preferable that the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion relative to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion relative to the horizontal plane are different in the turning assist pad of the present invention. By making the inclination angle θ of the inclined portion of the first pad on the upper body side and the inclined portion of the second pad on the lower body side different, the timing of turning and the load reduction effect related to turning can be appropriately adjusted between the upper body side and the lower body side, so that a turning assist pad can be obtained according to the user's muscle strength, desired turning type, etc.

Here, in the present invention, when the first inclined portion is not formed from a flat surface but formed in a stepped shape, the inclination angle θ1 refers to the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane, which is an inclined surface that includes a line connecting the end of the first support surface in a cross-sectional view with the tip of the lowest step that constitutes the first inclined portion by the shortest straight line, which is the inclined surface. Similarly, in the present invention, when the second inclined portion is formed in a stepped shape, the inclination angle θ2 refers to the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane, which is an inclined surface that includes a line connecting the end of the second support surface in a cross-sectional view with the tip of the lowest step that constitutes the second inclined portion by the shortest straight line, which is the inclined surface. In the present invention, when the first inclined portion is not flat but curved, the inclination angle θ1 refers to the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane, the inclined surface being a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the first support surface and the inclination end point of the bottom surface end of the first pad (bottom surface end of the first inclined portion) with the shortest straight line in the cross-sectional view. Similarly, when the second inclined portion is curved, the inclination angle θ2 refers to the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane, the inclined surface being a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the second support surface and the inclination end point of the bottom surface end of the second pad (bottom surface end of the second inclined portion) with the shortest straight line in the cross-sectional view.

It is also preferable that the turning assistance pad of the present invention has a larger inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane than the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane (θ1>θ2). This enhances the effect of promoting turning of the upper body side, and allows the turning assistance pad to be obtained that allows the lower body side to turn gently when turning.

It is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support surface of the turning assistance pad of the present invention is wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2). As a result, the inclined portion of the second pad on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the width direction of the turning assistance pad than the first pad on the upper body side, so that when the user tries to turn the pelvis, the peripheral portion of the pelvis in the turning direction is quickly grounded and supported by this second inclined portion, and the timing for starting to turn the pelvis with low torque is set early. Therefore, when the user turns over in a bending-rotation type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. Also, when the user turns over in an extension-rotation type, the turning of the pelvis starts smoothly, making it easier to link with the turning of the upper body side. In this way, the turning movement of the lower body (hereinafter also referred to as the turning movement of the lower body), which is a combination of the turning movement of the pelvis and the turning movement of the lower limbs, and the turning movement of the upper body are linked with lower torque, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

It is also preferable that the height H1 of the first support surface of the turning assistance pad of the present invention is higher than the height H2 of the second support surface (H1>H2). This creates a step between the first pad on the upper body side and the second pad on the lower body side, and this step supports the user's body line from the buttocks to the lumbar spine while following the line of the body, allowing a natural sleeping posture to be obtained and promoting the start of the rotational movement of the pelvis when the user turns over. Therefore, in both the bending-rotation type and the extension-rotation type turning movements, the turning movement of the upper body and the turning movement of the lower body are more naturally linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

In addition, it is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support surface is wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2), and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane are approximately equal (θ1=θ2). As a result, the inclined portion of the second pad on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the width direction of the turning assistance pad than the first pad on the upper body side, so that when the user tries to turn the pelvis, the peripheral portion of the pelvis in the turning direction is quickly grounded and supported by the second inclined portion, and therefore, when the user turns in a bending-rotation type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. On the other hand, when the user turns in an extension-rotation type, the turning of the lower body side starts smoothly and is easily linked to the turning of the upper body side. In addition, by making the inclination angles of both inclined portions approximately equal (θ1 = θ2), the turning forces of the upper and lower body can be set to be similar. This allows the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body to be linked, and the balance of the turning torque between the upper and lower body sides is improved, making it easier for the user to turn over on their own.

In addition, it is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support surface is wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2), the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane are approximately equal (θ1=θ2), and the height H1 of the first support surface is higher than the height H2 of the second support surface (H1>H2). As a result, a step is created between the first pad on the upper body side and the second pad on the lower body side, and this step supports the user's body line from the buttocks to the lumbar vertebrae while following the line of the body, thereby obtaining a natural sleeping posture and promoting the start of the pelvis turning movement when the user turns over. In addition, by making the width W1 of the first support surface wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2), when the user turns over in a bending-rotation type, the start of the pelvis turning motion after the upper body turns is promoted, and when the user turns over in a stretch-rotation type, the pelvis starts turning smoothly, and it becomes easier to link the turning from the lower body side to the upper body side. In addition, by making the inclination angles of both inclined parts approximately equal (θ1=θ2), it is possible to set the turning forces of the upper body side and the lower body side to be equal. As a result, the turning motion of the upper body side and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked, and the balance of the turning torque of the upper body side and the lower body side is improved, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

In addition, it is also preferable that the width W1 of the first support surface and the width W2 of the second support surface are approximately equal (W1 = W2), the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane are approximately equal (θ1 = θ2), and the height H1 of the first support surface is higher than the height H2 of the second support surface (H1 > H2). As a result, a step is created between the first pad on the upper body side and the second pad on the lower body side, and this step supports the user's body line from the buttocks to the lumbar spine while following the line of the user's body from the buttocks to the lumbar spine, and when the user turns over in bed, this step promotes the start of the turning movement of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning movement of the upper body and the turning movement of the lower body side are linked, making it easy to turn over on one's own with a simple configuration.

It is also preferable that the turning assistance pad of the present invention has at least a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness disposed between the first pad and the second pad. This allows the formation of a turning assistance pad that is adjusted to the user's physique, ease of movement, etc.

In addition, it is also preferable that the turning assistance pad of the present invention has a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness disposed on the leg side of the second pad, and that this third pad has the same configuration as the first pad. This results in a turning assistance pad in which the first pad is disposed on both sides of the second pad in the length direction of the turning assistance pad, so that the effect of the present invention can be obtained regardless of the direction in which the user sleeps.

The turning assistance mattress of the present invention is a mattress equipped with the turning assistance pad described above, and the turning assistance pad is placed on a base layer formed of a cushioning material. This results in a mattress incorporating the turning assistance pad.

In addition, it is also preferable that the first pad and the second pad are spaced apart on the base layer in the turning assist mattress of the present invention. This allows a suitable position on the base layer to be selected for the turning assist pad.

In addition, it is also preferable that the width of the base layer of the turning assistance mattress of the present invention is wider than the width of the first pad and the second pad, and that an end block protruding in the height direction is disposed on at least one end of the width direction of the base layer, at least in part of the length direction of the base layer. The provision of the end block can prevent the user from falling off the base layer when turning over, and allows the user to turn over on the mattress more safely.

In addition, the turning assistance mattress of the present invention preferably has at least one upper layer made of a cushioning material laminated on the turning assistance pad, and the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the upper layer is lower than the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the first pad. By selecting a cushioning material for the upper layer that is lower in hardness than the cushioning material of the first pad, the functionality of the turning assistance pad is maintained while the user's body comes into contact with the soft upper layer, improving the comfort of the mattress.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a turning assistance pad and a mattress equipped with the same, which have the following excellent effects.
(1) Since the load associated with turning the lower body, particularly the load associated with turning the pelvis, is reduced, even a user with reduced muscle strength involved in turning the lower body can easily turn over on his/her own.
(2) The structure links the rotation of the upper body and the rotation of the pelvis, making it easier for users with reduced muscle strength to turn over on their own.
(3) Since it is possible to encourage various types of turning over movements, it promotes natural turning over during sleep, which contributes to improving the quality of sleep.
(4) When sleeping on your back (supine position), it acts to open the thoracic vertebrae, making it easier to breathe while sleeping and contributing to improving the quality of sleep.

1A is a perspective view of a turning assist pad according to a first embodiment, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' in FIG. 2 is a diagram showing positions at which the turning assist pad of FIG. 1 comes into contact with the shoulders and pelvis of a user in a supine position. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the torque (T=F×L) when the upper body rotates in a supine position, where (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the torque when using the turning assist pad of the first embodiment, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the torque when using a normal mattress as a comparative example. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of a turning assistance pad according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of a turning assistance pad according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the turning assistance pad shown in FIG. 1 is used. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a turning assistance pad according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of another turning assistance pad according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a turning assistance pad according to a third embodiment. 10A is an oblique view of a turning assist pad according to a fourth embodiment, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C' in FIG. 10A, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D' in FIG. 10A. 11A is a perspective view showing an example of another turning assist pad relating to the fourth embodiment, (b) a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E' in FIG. 11A, and (c) a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F' in FIG. 11A. 12A is a perspective view of a turning assistance pad according to a fifth embodiment, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line G-G' in FIG. 13(a) is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of a turning assist mattress incorporating a turning assist pad, (b) is a side view of the first pad in FIG. 13(a) seen from the head side, and (c) is a side view of the second pad in FIG. 13(a) seen from the foot side. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a turning assistance mattress according to another embodiment. FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a simulator used to quantify the load of a rolling motion, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring torque related to a rolling motion using this simulator. 11 is a graph showing the relationship between the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the turning assist pad in Example 1 and torque. 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the inclined structure and torque of the turning assist pad in Example 2. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of five turning aid pads tested in Example 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing four turning assist pads tested in Comparative Examples 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the construction of the three turn aid mattresses tested in Example 4.

1 and 2, the turning assistance pad 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is composed of a first pad 3 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed, and a second pad 4 on which the lower half of the user's body is placed, and the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are arranged in a line in the height direction. In this specification, the term "up and down" refers to the up and down direction when the turning assistance pad 2 is placed on a mattress or a rug and used, i.e., the up and down direction in FIG. 1. In addition, in this specification, the width direction refers to the width direction when the turning assistance pad 2 is used, i.e., the left and right direction in FIG. 2, and the length direction refers to the length direction (height direction) when the turning assistance pad 2 is used, i.e., the up and down direction in FIG. 2.

First, we will explain the first pad 3 on which the upper body of the user is placed. As shown in Figure 1, the first pad 3 has a first support surface 31 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the longitudinal direction (height direction) in the center of the width direction, and a first inclined portion 32 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces that slope downward outward from the end of the first support surface 31 in the longitudinal direction.

The widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 in the first pad 3 and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 can be set so as to provide the desired effect to the first pad 3. By appropriately setting the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31, the timing at which the upper body side starts turning, the turning start torque, and the support stability of the back in the supine position can be adjusted, and by cooperating with the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 31, the torque during the turning operation can be adjusted, and the desired low-stress turning operation of the upper body side can be appropriately set. Specifically, the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 is set to a range in which the support stability of the upper body side of the user is ensured, and the smaller the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 is set within that range, the smaller the force (torque) required to turn the upper body side becomes, and the earlier the turning operation starts. Also, the larger the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 is set, the smaller the torque required to turn the upper body side becomes. Therefore, by combining the set values of the width direction length W1 of the first support surface 31 and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32, the ease of turning of the upper body side can be adjusted according to the turning pattern, the body type of the user, etc. The first support surface 31 and the first inclined portion 32 will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 is configured to support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position. In this embodiment, the first support surface 31 is formed to have a width W1 of 25 cm, a length (height direction) of 90 cm, and a height H1 (thickness of the cushion material of the first support surface 31 portion) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the back of the user B in a supine position, centered on the head and spine. As described later, the width W1 of the first support surface 31 is formed to be equal to or less than the shoulder width SW of the user B, preferably equal to or less than the length from one acromion to the other acromion (acromion width) of the user B, because the shoulder S of the user B in a supine position needs to be positioned so as to face the first inclined portion 32 on the outside of the first support surface 31. The shoulder S of the user B is the vicinity of the acromion, and includes at least the area from the acromion to the greater tuberosity of the humerus. The shoulder width SW of the user B is the length from one shoulder to the other shoulder, and more specifically, the maximum horizontal diameter of the body measured perpendicular to the sagittal plane at the position where the outline of the deltoid muscle is most outwardly projected. The widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 is set to a width equal to or less than the shoulder width of the user, preferably equal to or less than the acromion width, and is preferably equal to or greater than the length between the left and right inferior angles of the scapula of the user B from the viewpoint of stably supporting the upper body of the user B, and more specifically, is preferably set to 15 cm to 40 cm, more preferably 15 cm to 35 cm, and particularly preferably 20 cm to 30 cm. As will be described later, in the case where the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 and the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41 are equal (W1=W2), the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 is set to be equal to or less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, which is the maximum setting value of the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41. The length of the first support surface 31 in the longitudinal direction (height direction) is appropriately set so as to support the head to back of the user B. Furthermore, the height H1 of the first support surface 31 is appropriately set in combination with the inclination angle θ1 described later so as to reduce the force required to turn the upper body and allow the user B to turn over appropriately. In addition, the first support surface 31 is formed as a substantially flat surface in this embodiment, but may be formed in any shape as long as it can support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in the supine position, and the shape is not limited to a flat surface.

1 and 2, the pair of first inclined portions 32 of the first pad 3 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the first support surface 31, and are formed so as to support the entire shoulders and upper arms of the user B when turning over. The first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 supports the back of the user B, while the area consisting of the shoulders S and the back side portion connected to the shoulders S, which is not supported by the first support surface 31 (hereinafter referred to as the shoulder surrounding area SA), is located so as to face the first inclined portions 32 that incline downward from the end of the first support surface 31. Therefore, when the user B turns his/her upper body, the shoulder surrounding area SA in the turning direction is supported by the first inclined portions 32. As shown in Fig. 3(a), when the user B turns over, the distance between the contact point G of the shoulder peripheral area SA including the user's shoulder S in the turning direction and the first inclined portion 32 and the user's body axis X becomes closer, and the force required to turn the upper body becomes smaller, facilitating the turning of the upper body. Here, the shoulder peripheral area SA is a portion including at least the shoulder S of the user B (the area from the acromion to the greater tuberosity of the humerus) and is not supported by the first support surface 31, and therefore includes the area from the greater tuberosity of the humerus of the user B to the inferior angle of the scapula on the back side depending on the setting of the width direction length W1 of the first support surface 31. In addition, the first inclined portion 32 in this embodiment is formed from a flat surface, but it may also be formed from a curved structure or a stepped structure as shown in the embodiment described later. Here, the inclined portion in the stepped structure may include a substantially vertical inclined surface, and may be, for example, a step-like structure, or a structure in which an initial inclined surface continuing from the end of the first support surface 31 is formed vertically and then changes to an acute-angled inclined surface. By forming the first inclined portion 32 as a stepped inclined surface in this manner, the ease of turning of the upper body side can be more finely adjusted according to the turning pattern and the body type of the user. In addition, a structure in which the inclination angle of the first inclined portion 32 changes gradually (continuously or discontinuously) toward the length direction of the first pad 3 is also included. Note that the first inclined portion 32 is only required to be formed so as to support at least the shoulder surrounding area SA of the body of the user B in the supine position, and therefore does not have to be provided along the length direction of the first support surface 31, and the first inclined portion may be provided only in the shoulder surrounding area SA of the user B.

The action of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the torque (T=F×L) when the upper body of a user in a supine position turns. FIG. 3(a) shows the torque when using the turnover assistance pad according to this embodiment, and FIG. 3(b) shows the torque when using a normal flat mattress. In this figure, the force required for turning over is expressed as the torque (strength of twist) about the center of rotation (body axis) X. The torque T is expressed as the product (T=F×L) of the force F acting in the tangential direction of the rotation circle and the distance L between the grounding point G and the center of rotation X. Therefore, the value of the torque T is reduced by shortening the distance L between the grounding point G and the center of rotation X. FIG. 3(b) shows an example of a normal mattress (without an inclined portion), and in this example, the position G where the shoulder periphery SA of the user B touches the mattress is relatively outside the shoulder S. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 3(a), by providing the first inclined portion 32 on the first pad 3, the position G where the shoulder area SA of the user B touches the first pad 3 moves more inward than in Fig. 3(b), so that the contact point G approaches the rotation center X, the distance L between the contact point G and the rotation center X becomes shorter, and the torque T decreases. Therefore, the load on the upper body side to turn becomes smaller, and the upper body side can be turned with less force.

When the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 relative to the horizontal plane is large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the shoulder peripheral portion SA and the center of rotation X becomes shorter, so the force applied to turn the upper body side is reduced, but on the other hand, if the turning motion becomes too easy, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ1 to achieve both supine position stability, which also contributes to sleeping comfort, and ease of turning (turning). Specifically, when the first inclined portion 32 is formed from a flat inclined surface as in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 is preferably less than 40 degrees, more preferably less than 30 degrees, even more preferably 5 to 20 degrees, and particularly preferably 10 to 15 degrees. In the case where the first inclined portion 32 is not formed from a flat surface as in the present embodiment but is formed from a stepped structure, the inclination angle θ1 is defined as a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point and the tip of the lowest step constituting the first inclined portion 32 with the shortest straight line, and the angle of this inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane is defined as the inclination angle θ1. In the case where the first inclined portion 32 is formed from a curved structure, the inclination angle θ1 is defined as a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the first support surface 31 with the inclination end point of the bottom surface end of the first pad 3 (the bottom surface end of the first inclined portion 32) with the shortest straight line, and the angle of this inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane is defined as the inclination angle θ1. Furthermore, when the inclination angle of the first inclined portion 32 is formed as a structure in which it changes gradually (continuously or discontinuously) toward the longitudinal direction of the first pad 3, the inclination angle θ1 is the angle of the inclined surface of the portion supporting the shoulder peripheral area SA of the user B.

Next, the second pad 4 on which the user's lower body is placed will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the second pad 4 has a second support surface 41 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the longitudinal direction (height direction) in the widthwise center thereof, and a second inclined portion 42 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces sloping downward outward from the longitudinal end of the second support surface 41.

The widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41 in the second pad 4 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 can be set so as to provide the desired effect to the second pad 4. By appropriately setting the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41, the timing at which the lower body (pelvis) starts turning, the turning start torque, and the support stability of the pelvis in the supine position can be adjusted, and by cooperating with the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42, the torque of the turning operation can be adjusted, and the desired low-stress turning operation of the lower body can be appropriately set. Specifically, the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41 is set to a range in which the support stability of the user's lower body is ensured, and the smaller the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41 is set within that range, the smaller the force (torque) required to turn the lower body side becomes, and the earlier the turning operation starts. Also, the larger the inclination angle θ2 is set, the smaller the torque required to turn the lower body side becomes. Therefore, by combining the set values of the width direction length W2 of the second support surface 41 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42, the ease of turning of the lower body side can be adjusted according to the turning pattern, the body type of the user, etc. The second support surface 41 and the second inclined portion 42 will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of the body of the user B in a supine position. In this embodiment, the second support surface 41 is formed to have a width W2 of 13 cm, a length (height direction) of 90 cm, and a height H2 (thickness of the cushion material of the second support surface 41 portion) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the lower back and buttocks of the user B in a supine position, centered on the sacrum. As described later, the width W2 of the second support surface 41 is formed to be less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, since the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B in a supine position needs to be positioned so as to face the second inclined portion 42 on the outside of the second support surface 41. Here, the width PW of the pelvis of the user B is the length from one anterior superior iliac spine P to the other anterior superior iliac spine P. The anterior superior iliac spine P is a protrusion at the front edge of the iliac crest of the ilium that constitutes the pelvis. Specifically, the width W2 of the second support surface 41 is set to be equal to or less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, and from the viewpoint of stably supporting the lower body of the user B, it is preferable to set it to be equal to or greater than the width between at least the posterior superior iliac spines (protrusions at the rear edge of the iliac crest of the pelvis) of the body of the user B, more specifically, it is preferable to set it to 5 cm to 30 cm, more preferably to 10 cm to 25 cm, and even more preferably to 10 cm to 20 cm. In addition, the length of the second support surface 41 in the length direction (height direction) is appropriately set so as to support the lower body of the user B. Furthermore, the height H2 of the second support surface 41 is appropriately set in accordance with the inclination angle θ2 described later so as to reduce the force required to turn the lower body. In addition, in this embodiment, the second support surface 41 is formed as an approximately flat surface, but it may be formed in any shape as long as it is capable of supporting at least a portion of the back of the body of user B in a supine position, and the shape is not limited to a flat surface.

1 and 2, the pair of second inclined portions 42 of the second pad 4 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the second support surface 41, and are formed so as to support at least the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B when he turns over. The second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 supports the lower back and buttocks of the user B, centered on the space between the posterior superior iliac spines, while the area (hereinafter referred to as the pelvic peripheral portion PA) consisting of the greater trochanter of the femur, the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis, and the buttocks side portion connected to the anterior superior iliac spine P, which is not supported by the second support surface 41, is located so as to face the second inclined portion 42 that inclines downward from the end of the second support surface 41. Therefore, when the user B turns his lower body, the pelvic peripheral portion PA in the turning direction is supported by the second inclined portion 42. In this way, when the user B turns over in his/her sleep, the distance between the ground contact point G of the pelvis peripheral portion PA including the greater trochanter of the user's femur in the turning direction and the second inclined portion 42 and the user's body axis X becomes closer, and the force required for turning the pelvis becomes smaller, so that the turning of the lower body side is promoted. The action of promoting the turning of the lower body side is the same as the action of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 shown in FIG. 3(a) in FIG. 3. Here, the pelvis peripheral portion PA is a portion including at least the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B and the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis, which is not supported by the second support surface 41, and therefore includes the area from the anterior superior iliac spine P of the pelvis of the user B to the posterior superior iliac spine on the buttocks side depending on the setting of the width direction length W2 of the second support surface 41. In addition, the second inclined portion 42 in this embodiment is formed from a plane, but it can also be a curved structure or a stepped structure as shown in the embodiment described later. Here, the inclined surface in the case of the stepped structure may include a substantially vertical inclined surface, for example, a step-like structure, or a structure in which the first inclined surface continuing from the end of the second support surface 41 is formed vertically and then changes to an acute-angled inclined surface. By making the second inclined portion 42 a stepped inclined surface in this way, the ease of turning of the lower body side can be more finely adjusted according to the turning pattern and the body type of the user. In addition, a structure in which the inclination angle of the second inclined portion 42 gradually changes (continuously or discontinuously) toward the length direction of the second pad 4 is also included. Note that the second inclined portion 42 only needs to be formed to support at least the pelvis surrounding portion PA of the body of the user B in the supine position, and therefore does not need to be provided along the length direction of the second support surface 41, and the second inclined portion may be provided only on the pelvis surrounding portion PA of the user B.

When the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 relative to the horizontal plane is increased, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the pelvis peripheral portion PA and the center of rotation X becomes shorter, so the torque of the pelvis is reduced, and as a result, the force applied to turn the lower body is reduced. On the other hand, if the pelvis is turned too easily, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ2 so that both the stability in the supine position and the ease of turning (turning) are achieved. Specifically, when the second inclined portion 42 is formed from a flat inclined surface as in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ2 is preferably less than 35 degrees, more preferably 5 to 20 degrees, and particularly preferably 10 to 15 degrees. In the case where the second inclined portion 42 is not formed from a flat surface as in the present embodiment but is formed from a stepped structure, the inclination angle θ2 is defined as a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point and the tip of the lowest step constituting the second inclined portion 42 with the shortest straight line, and the angle of this inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane is defined as the inclination angle θ2. In the case where the second inclined portion 42 is formed from a curved structure, the inclination angle θ2 is defined as a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the second support surface 41 with the inclination end point of the bottom surface end of the second pad 4 (bottom surface end of the second inclined portion 42) with the shortest straight line, and the angle of this inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane is defined as the inclination angle θ2. Furthermore, when the inclination angle of the second inclined portion 42 is formed as a structure in which it changes gradually (continuously or discontinuously) toward the longitudinal direction of the second pad 4, the inclination angle θ2 is the angle of the inclined surface of the portion supporting the pelvic area PA of the user B.

The turning assistance pad 2 of this embodiment is designed to facilitate turning over in accordance with the desired turning type by combining the set values of the widthwise length W1 of the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32, and the widthwise length W2 of the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42. Therefore, the relationship between the components of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 for the turning assistance pad 2 of this embodiment will be described below.

In the turning assistance pad 2 of this embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 with respect to the horizontal plane are configured to be different. By making the inclination angle θ of the inclined portions of each pad different, the load reduction effect related to turning can be appropriately adjusted between the upper body side and the lower body side, and a turning assistance pad 2 can be obtained according to the muscle strength, body type, turning type, etc. of the user B. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of promoting mainly bending and rotation type turning, it is preferable to configure the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 to be larger than the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 (θ1>θ2). This enhances the effect of promoting the turning of the upper body, which is the start of the turning motion, and also enhances the stability of the lower body in a supine position, and promotes the turning motion that gently links the turning of the pelvis. Specifically, although not particularly limited, the turning assist pad 2 shown in FIG. 1 is formed with the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 being 15 degrees, and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 being 10 degrees.

In the turning assistance pad 2 of this embodiment, the width W1 of the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 and the width W2 of the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 can be formed to be approximately the same length as in the turning assistance pad 2 shown in FIG. 4, but it is preferable to form the width W1 of the first support surface wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2). As a result, the inclined portion of the second pad 4 on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the width of the turning assistance pad 2 than the first pad 3 on the upper body side, and the timing of the start of the turning of the pelvis is earlier, so that the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked with lower torque, making it easier to turn on one's own. Specifically, although not particularly limited, the width W1 of the first support surface 31 of the turning assistance pad 2 shown in FIG. 1 is 25 cm, and the width W2 of the second support surface 41 is 13 cm. Depending on the type of turning that is to be promoted, the width W1 of the first support surface may be narrower than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1<W2).

Also, Fig. 4 shows an example of another form of the turn assist pad 2 of this embodiment in which the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 are different (θ1 ≠ θ2). In the turn assist pad 2 shown in Fig. 4, the width W1 of the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 and the width W2 of the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 are formed to be approximately the same length (W1 = W2), but in order to make the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 different, the height H1 of the first support surface 31 is formed higher than the height H2 of the second support surface 41 (H1 > H2). As a result, the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 is larger than the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 (θ1 > θ2). As a result, a step is created between the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 on the upper body side and the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 on the lower body side, and the part of the user B from the buttocks to the lumbar spine is supported along this step, making it easier to obtain a natural sleeping posture, and when the user B turns over in his sleep, this step makes it easier for the pelvis to turn, facilitating the start of the turning motion of the lower body side. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are easily linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own. Note that, although an example in which the width W1 of the first support surface 31 and the width W2 of the second support surface 41 are approximately the same length (W1=W2) are shown in FIG. 4, this is not limiting, and it is of course possible to form the width W1 of the first support surface to be wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2), or conversely, to be narrower (W1<W2).

The first pad 3 and the second pad 4 constituting the turning assistance pad 2 according to the present invention are each formed of a cushion material having the above-mentioned predetermined thickness (height). As the first cushion material forming the first pad 3, a material having a hardness that does not significantly deform in the thickness direction when the user is lying in a supine position and does not greatly deform the inclination of the first inclined portion 32 is preferably selected. In addition, the first support surface 31 and the first inclined portion 32 constituting the first pad 3 can be formed of cushion materials of different hardness, and the first pad 3 can be obtained by combining these. In this case, it is preferable to select a cushion material that is softer than the cushion material that forms the first inclined portion 32 as the cushion material forming the first support surface 31, so that the first support surface 31 has excellent body pressure dispersion and can flexibly support the body of the user B in contact with the first support surface 31, and the first inclined portion 32 promotes the turning movement of the upper body while keeping the distance L between the ground contact point G and the center of rotation X short without causing the user's shoulder S to sink too much. Furthermore, for both the first support surface 31 and the first inclined portion 32, it is possible to combine a plurality of different cushioning materials to obtain the portions corresponding to each, for example, it is possible to laminate a plurality of cushioning materials to obtain the portion corresponding to the first support surface 31, or it is possible to combine different cushioning materials for the shoulder surrounding area SA and other portions of the portion corresponding to the first inclined portion 32. Note that when the first support surface 31 and the first inclined portion 32 constituting the first pad 3 are formed from the same cushioning material, it is also possible to subject the first support surface 31 to slit processing or the like to reduce the apparent hardness and make it softer.

As the second cushion material forming the second pad 4, a material having a hardness that does not significantly deform in the thickness direction when the user is lying supine and does not greatly deform the inclination of the second inclined portion 42 is preferably selected. In addition, the second support surface 41 and the second inclined portion 42 constituting the second pad 4 can be formed from cushion materials of different hardness, and the second pad 4 can be obtained by combining these. In this case, it is preferable to select a cushion material that is softer than the cushion material that forms the second inclined portion 42 as the cushion material forming the second support surface 41, so that the second support surface 41 has excellent body pressure dispersion properties and can flexibly support the body of the user B in contact with the second support surface 41, and during the turning movement of the pelvis, the second inclined portion 42 promotes the turning movement of the lower body while keeping the distance L between the contact point G and the center of rotation X short without allowing the part that comes into contact with the user's pelvic peripheral portion PA to sink too much. Furthermore, for both the second support surface 41 and the second inclined portion 42, it is possible to combine multiple different cushioning materials to obtain the portions corresponding to each, for example, it is possible to laminate multiple cushioning materials to obtain the portion corresponding to the second support surface 41, or it is possible to combine different cushioning materials for the pelvis surrounding area PA and other portions of the portion corresponding to the second inclined portion 42. Note that when the second support surface 41 and the second inclined portion 42 constituting the second pad 4 are formed from the same cushioning material, it is also possible to subject the second support surface 41 to slit processing or the like to reduce the apparent hardness and make it softer.

The first and second cushioning materials described above are not particularly limited as long as they have the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foams, three-dimensional net structures, and cotton moldings are preferably used, and resin foams are more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of resin foams include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam. The first and second cushioning materials may be made of the same material or different materials.

In this embodiment, as described above, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are formed of different cushioning materials. Therefore, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be detachably fixed on their adjacent surfaces by an engaging means such as a hook-and-loop fastener, or may be fixed by adhesive, etc., so that the positions of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 do not shift. In addition, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be fixed to the mattress or rug on which the turning assistance pad 2 is placed, or the base layer 6 described later, by an engaging means or adhesive, etc., and at this time, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be spaced apart so as to have a predetermined gap. Furthermore, when the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 are formed of the same cushioning material, the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 may be formed integrally.

In addition, while the turning assistance pad 2 in this embodiment is composed of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, at least one third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness may be provided between the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, on the head side of the first pad 3, or on the leg side of the second pad 4. By providing a third pad that mainly supports the head, waist, or legs of user B separately, a cushioning material that supports the head, waist, or legs can be separately selected according to user B's preference for comfort and body shape, etc., and a turning assistance pad 2 with improved comfort can be obtained.

Figure 5 shows another example of the turning assistance pad 2 of this embodiment, in which the above-mentioned third pad is provided on the leg side of the second pad 4. In this turning assistance pad 2, the third pad provided on the leg side of the second pad 4 supports the lower limbs, and is formed with the same configuration as the first pad 3. In other words, the third pad also has the first support surface 31 and first inclined portion 32 that the first pad 3 has. In this way, by making the first pad 3 and the third pad the same configuration, the effect of the present invention can be obtained regardless of the direction in which the user sleeps relative to the length direction of the turning assistance pad 2.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, a method of using the turnover assist pad 2 according to this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the user B lies on his back on the turnover assist pad 2. At this time, the user B's lying position is adjusted so that the upper half of the user B's body is supported by the first pad 3 and the lower half of the user B's body is supported by the second pad 4, and the shoulder area SA including the shoulder S of the user B is positioned to face the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3, and the pelvis area PA including the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B is positioned to face the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4. In this state, the back part including the head and spine is stably supported by the first support surface 31, and the buttocks part including the sacrum of the lower body is stably supported by the second support surface 32.

Next, in the case of bending and rotating type turning over, as shown in Figures 6(b) to 6(d), when user B tries to turn his upper body in the turning direction, the shoulder area SA is supported by the first inclined portion 32. In this way, when user B turns over, the distance between the contact point G of the user's shoulder area SA in the turning direction and the first inclined portion 32 and the user's body axis X becomes closer, so that the force required to turn the upper body becomes smaller and the upper body can be turned easily. Then, as shown in Figures 6(c) to 6(e), the lower body turns in conjunction with the upper body turning. In detail, in the turning assistance pad 2 according to this embodiment, the width W2 of the second support surface 41 is narrower than the width W1 of the first support surface 31, so that the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 on the lower body side is located closer to the center in the width direction of the turning assistance pad 2, and the turning of the pelvis starts at an early timing with low torque. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6(c), when the turning motion of the upper body side of the user B is being performed, the turning motion of the pelvis that is in contact with the second inclined portion 42 of the turning assistance pad 2 starts to move, and the turning motion on the second inclined portion 42 progresses. As a result, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked, making it easier to turn on one's own. As shown in Fig. 6(d), when user B tries to turn his/her pelvis in the direction of turning, the pelvis peripheral portion PA is supported by the second inclined portion 42 toward the greater trochanter of the femur of user B, which requires the most force for turning, and the distance between the pelvis peripheral portion PA of the user in the direction of turning, the ground contact point G of the second inclined portion 42, and the body axis X of the user becomes closer. This reduces the force required to turn the pelvis, and the lower body side can be easily turned, completing the turning as shown in Fig. 6(e). In the case of the extension-rotation type of turning, the order of the linkage between the lower body and the upper body is reversed, but the action of the first pad 3 contributing to the turning of the upper body and the action of the second pad 4 on the turning of the lower body are the same as in the case of the bending-rotation type.

Next, the turning assistance pad 20 according to the second embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the turning assistance pad 20 according to this embodiment is composed of a first pad 30 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed, and a second pad 40 on which the lower half of the user's body is placed, and the first pad 30 and the second pad 40 are arranged in a line in the height direction. The first pad 30 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed has a first support surface 310 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of its width direction, and a first inclined portion 320 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces that slope downward from the end of the length direction of the first support surface 310 toward the outside. The second pad 40 has a second support surface 410 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of its width direction, and a second inclined portion 420 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces that slope downward from the end of the length direction of the second support surface 410 toward the outside.

The relationship between the components of the first pad 30 and the second pad 40 of the turn assist pad 20 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 7. In the turn assist pad 20 of this embodiment, the inclination angle θ10 of the first inclined portion 320 of the first pad 30 with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ20 of the second inclined portion 420 of the second pad 40 with respect to the horizontal plane are configured at approximately the same angle. Furthermore, the width direction length W10 of the first support surface 310 of the first pad 30 and the width direction length W20 of the second support surface 410 of the second pad 40 are configured so that the width W1 of the first support surface is wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2). As a result, the inclined portion of the second pad 40 on the lower body side is located closer to the center of the width direction of the turning assistance pad 20 than the first pad 30 on the upper body side, and when the user B tries to turn the pelvis, the periphery of the pelvis in the turning direction is quickly grounded and supported by the second inclined portion 420, and the timing at which the lower body starts turning with low torque is set earlier. Therefore, when the user B turns over in a bending-rotation type, the start of the turning motion of the pelvis after the upper body side turns is promoted. Also, when the user B turns over in an extension-rotation type, the turning of the pelvis starts smoothly and is easily linked to the turning of the upper body side. As a result, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are smoothly linked, and the torque balance of the turning motions of the upper body side and the lower body side is good, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

Also, another example of the turning assist pad 20 of this embodiment is shown in Figure 8. In the turning assist pad 20 shown in Figure 7, the height H10 of the first support surface 310 of the first pad 30 and the height H20 of the second support surface 410 of the second pad 40 are formed at approximately the same height (H10 = H20), whereas in another example shown in Figure 8, the height H10 of the first support surface 310 is formed higher than the height H20 of the second support surface 410 (H1 > H2). As a result, a further step is created between the first support surface 310 of the first pad 30 on the upper body side and the second support surface 410 of the second pad 40 on the lower body side, so that the portion of the user B from the buttocks to the lumbar spine is supported along this step, making it easier to achieve a natural sleeping posture, and when the user B turns over in his sleep, after the upper body turns, this step and the step formed between the first inclined portion 320 of the first pad 30 and the second inclined portion 420 of the second pad 40 cooperate to further promote the start of the turning motion of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body are linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

Other explanations regarding the first pad 30 and second pad 40 constituting the turning assistance pad 20 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations of the third pad, etc., are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment described above, and their functions and effects are also similar.

Next, the turning assistance pad 21 according to the third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the turning assistance pad 21 according to this embodiment is composed of a first pad 301 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed, and a second pad 401 on which the lower half of the user's body is placed, and the first pad 301 and the second pad 401 are arranged in a line in the height direction. The first pad 301 on which the upper half of the user's body is placed has a first support surface 311 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) in the width direction center, and a first inclined portion 321 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces that slope downward from the end of the length direction of the first support surface 311 toward the outside. In addition, the second pad 401 has a second support surface 411 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the longitudinal direction (height direction) in the center of its width direction, and a second inclined portion 421 formed as a pair of inclined surfaces sloping downwardly outward from the longitudinal end portions of the second support surface 411.

The relationship between the first pad 301 and the second pad 401 of the turn assist pad 21 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 9. In the turn assist pad 21 of this embodiment, the inclination angle θ11 of the first inclined portion 321 of the first pad 301 with respect to the horizontal plane and the inclination angle θ21 of the second inclined portion 421 of the second pad 401 with respect to the horizontal plane are approximately the same angle, and the width W11 of the first support surface 311 of the first pad 301 and the width W21 of the second support surface 411 of the second pad 401 are configured to have approximately the same width and length. The height H11 of the first support surface 311 of the first pad 301 and the height H21 of the second support surface 411 of the second pad 401 are configured so that the height H11 of the first support surface 311 is higher than the height H21 of the second support surface 411 (H1>H2). As a result, a step is created between the first support surface 311 of the first pad 301 on the upper body side and the second support surface 411 of the second pad 401 on the lower body side, and the portion of the user B from the buttocks to the lumbar spine is supported along this step, making it easier to obtain a natural sleeping posture, and when the user B turns over in his sleep, after the upper body turns, this step and the step formed between the first inclined portion 321 of the first pad 301 and the second inclined portion 421 of the second pad 401 cooperate to promote the start of the turning motion of the pelvis. Therefore, the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body are linked, making it easier to turn over on one's own.

Other explanations regarding the first pad 301 and second pad 401 constituting the turning assistance pad 21 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations, are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc., in the first embodiment described above, and their actions and effects are also similar.

Next, the turning assistance pad 22 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the turning assistance pad 22 according to this embodiment is composed of two first pads 302 and one second pad 402, and is configured by arranging the first pad 302, the second pad 402, and the first pad 302 in a line in the height direction in this order. The first pad 302 on which the upper body or legs of the user are placed has a first support surface 312 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) in the width direction center, and a first inclined portion 322 formed as a pair of steps that slope down in a step-like manner from the end of the length direction of the first support surface 312 toward the outside. In addition, the second pad 402 on which the user's lower back and buttocks are placed has a second support surface 412 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the longitudinal direction (height direction) in the center of its width, and a second inclined portion 422 formed as a pair of steps sloping downward in steps outward from the longitudinal end portion of the second support surface 412.

The first support surface 312 of the first pad 302 in this embodiment is configured to support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position. The first support surface 312 in this embodiment is formed to have a widthwise length W12 of 39 cm, a lengthwise length (height direction) of 65 cm, and a height H12 (thickness of the cushioning material of the first support surface 312 portion) of 4 cm, and is designed to support the back of the user B in a supine position, centered on the head and spine. As described above, the widthwise length W12 of the first support surface 312 is formed to be equal to or less than the shoulder width SW of the user B, preferably equal to or less than the acromion width, since the shoulder S of the user B in a supine position needs to be positioned so as to face the first inclined portion 322 on the outside of the first support surface 312. In this embodiment, the first pad 302 is arranged on both sides of the longitudinal end of the second pad 402, so that the user can use the turning assistance pad 22 in either position, and the head and back of user B centered on the spine and the legs of user B are supported by the first support surface 312 of the first pad 302.

As shown in FIG. 10, the pair of first inclined portions 322 of the first pad 302 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the first support surface 312, and are formed so as to support the entire shoulders and upper arms of the user B when turning over. In this embodiment, the first inclined portion 322 is formed of one step, but it may be a multi-step structure consisting of two or more steps, and it is also possible to have a structure in which the width and gradient of each step are changed. By adjusting the width and gradient of these steps, the number of steps, etc., the inclination angle θ12 of the first inclined portion 322 described later can be adjusted to a suitable angle, and the ease of turning of the upper body side can be more finely adjusted according to the turning pattern and the user's body type, etc.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ12 of the first inclined portion 322 of the first pad 302 with respect to the horizontal plane refers to the angle of the inclined plane with respect to the horizontal plane when the inclination plane is a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the first support surface 312 in a cross-sectional view and the tip of the lowest step that constitutes the first inclined portion 322 with the shortest straight line. When the inclination angle θ12 is large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the shoulder periphery SA of the user B and the center of rotation X becomes shorter, so that the force applied to the turning of the upper body side is reduced, but on the other hand, if the turning motion becomes too easy, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ12 to achieve both supine position stability, which also contributes to sleeping comfort, and ease of turning (turning). Specifically, when the first inclined portion 322 is formed of a stepped inclined surface as in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ12 is preferably less than 40 degrees, more preferably 5 to 30 degrees, and particularly preferably 10 to 20 degrees. Even when the height and width of each step constituting the first inclined portion 322 are not constant, the inclination angle θ12 is the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane when the inclined surface is a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the first support surface 312 in a cross-sectional view and the tip of the lowest step constituting the first inclined portion 322 with the shortest straight line.

The second support surface 412 of the second pad 402 in this embodiment is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of the body of the user B in a supine position. The second support surface 412 in this embodiment is formed to have a widthwise length W22 of 27 cm, a lengthwise length (height direction) of 55 cm, and a height H22 (thickness of the cushioning material of the second support surface 412 portion) of 4 cm, and is designed to support the lower back and buttocks of the user B in a supine position, centered on the sacrum. As described above, the widthwise length W22 of the second support surface 412 is formed to be less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, because the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B in a supine position needs to be positioned so that it faces the second inclined portion 422 on the outside of the second support surface 412.

10, the pair of second inclined portions 422 of the second pad 402 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the second support surface 412, and are formed so as to support at least the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B when turning over. In this embodiment, the second inclined portion 422 is formed from one step, but it may be a multi-step structure consisting of two or more steps, and it is also possible to have a structure in which the width and gradient of each step are changed. By adjusting the width and gradient of these steps, the number of steps, etc., the inclination angle θ22 of the second inclined portion 422 described later can be adjusted to a suitable angle, and the ease of turning on the lower body side can be more finely adjusted according to the turning pattern and the user's body type.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ22 of the second inclined portion 422 of the second pad 402 with respect to the horizontal plane refers to the angle of the inclined plane with respect to the horizontal plane when the inclination plane is a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the second support surface 412 in a cross-sectional view and the tip of the lowest step constituting the second inclined portion 422 with the shortest straight line. When the inclination angle θ22 is large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the pelvis peripheral portion PA and the rotation center X becomes shorter, so that the rotation torque of the pelvis is reduced, and as a result, the force applied to the rotation of the lower body is reduced. On the other hand, if the pelvis rotation movement becomes too easy, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ22 so that both supine position stability and ease of turning (turning) are achieved. Specifically, when the second inclined portion 422 is formed of a stepped inclined surface as in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ22 is preferably less than 30 degrees, more preferably 4 to 20 degrees, and particularly preferably 4 to 10 degrees. Even when the height and width of each step constituting the second inclined portion 422 are not constant, the inclination angle θ22 is the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane when the inclined surface is a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the second support surface 412 in a cross-sectional view and the tip of the lowest step constituting the second inclined portion 422 with the shortest straight line.

Figure 11 shows an example of another form of the turning assistance pad 22 of this embodiment, in which the configuration of the second inclined portion 422 has been changed. In the turning assistance pad 22 shown in Figure 11, the width direction length of the second inclined portion 422 is shortened, so that the inclination angle θ22 of the second inclined portion 422 is designed to be larger than that of the embodiment of the turning assistance pad 22 shown in Figure 10. By making such adjustments, a turning assistance pad 22 that allows the lower body to turn more easily can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, the turning assistance pad 22 is formed so that the inclination angle θ12 of the first inclined portion 322 of the first pad 302 is larger than the inclination angle θ22 of the second inclined portion 422 of the second pad 402 (θ1>θ2) from the viewpoint of promoting bending and rotation type turning. This enhances the effect of promoting the turning of the upper body, which is the start of the turning motion, and also enhances the stability of the lower body in the supine position, and promotes the turning motion that gently links the turning of the pelvis. Specifically, although not particularly limited, the turning assistance pad 22 shown in Figures 10 and 11 is formed so that the inclination angle θ12 of the first inclined portion 322 is 10 to 20 degrees, and the inclination angle θ22 of the second inclined portion 422 is 5 to 15 degrees.

As shown in Fig. 10, the turn assist pad 22 of this embodiment is formed so that the width W12 of the first support surface is wider than the width W22 of the second support surface (W1>W2). As a result, the inclined portion of the second pad 402 on the lower back and buttocks side is located closer to the center of the width of the turn assist pad 22 than the first pad 302 on the upper body side, and the timing of the start of the pelvis turning is earlier, so that the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body side are linked with lower torque, making it easier to turn on one's own. Specifically, although not particularly limited, the turn assist pad 22 shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is formed so that the width W12 of the first support surface 312 is 39 cm and the width W22 of the second support surface 412 is 27 cm.

The first pad 302 and the second pad 402 constituting the turning assistance pad 22 according to the present invention are formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness (height). The first support surface 312 and the first inclined portion 322 constituting the first pad 302 may be formed of the same cushion material, but it is also preferable to form them with cushion materials of different hardness and combine them to obtain the first pad 302. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the first support surface 312 and the first inclined portion 322 constituting the first pad 302 are integrally formed with the same cushion material, and FIG. 11 shows an example in which the first support surface 312 and the first inclined portion 322 constituting the first pad 302 are formed with different cushion materials. Furthermore, for both the first support surface 312 and the first inclined portion 322, it is also possible to combine multiple different cushion materials to obtain the corresponding parts. For example, it is also possible to obtain the part corresponding to the first support surface 312 by stacking multiple cushion materials, or to form the first inclined portion 322 by stacking multiple cushion materials in a stepwise manner. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the first support surface 312 is formed by stacking a plurality of cushion materials.

As for the second pad 402, like the first pad 302, the second support surface 412 and the second inclined portion 422 may be formed of the same cushion material, but they may also be formed of cushion materials of different hardness and combined to obtain the second pad 402. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the second support surface 412 and the second inclined portion 422 constituting the second pad 402 are integrally formed of the same cushion material, and FIG. 11 shows an example in which the second support surface 412 and the second inclined portion 422 constituting the second pad 402 are formed of different cushion materials. Furthermore, for both the second support surface 412 and the second inclined portion 422, it is also possible to combine multiple different cushion materials to obtain parts corresponding to each. For example, it is also possible to obtain a part corresponding to the second support surface 412 by stacking multiple cushion materials, or to form the second inclined portion 422 by stacking multiple cushion materials in a stepwise manner. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the second support surface 412 is formed by stacking multiple cushion materials.

The first pad 302 and the second pad 402 can be made of the same or different cushioning materials depending on the desired physical properties such as ease of turning and body pressure dispersion. Figure 10 shows an example in which the first pad 302 and the second pad 402 are formed as separate bodies using different cushioning materials. Figure 11 shows an example in which the first pad 302 and the second pad 402 are integrally formed using the same multiple cushioning materials. Specifically, the turning assistance pad 22 is integrally formed by stacking two types of cushioning materials formed into a predetermined shape one above the other.

Other explanations regarding the first pad 302 and second pad 402 constituting the turning assistance pad 22 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations of the third pad, etc., are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment described above, and their actions and effects are also similar.

Next, the turning assistance pad 23 according to the fifth embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 12, the turning assistance pad 23 according to this embodiment is composed of two first pads 303 and one second pad 403, and is configured by arranging the first pad 303, the second pad 403, and the first pad 303 in a line in the height direction in this order. The first pad 303 on which the user's upper body and legs are placed has a first support surface 313 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of its width direction. The second pad 403 on which the user's hips and buttocks are placed has a second support surface 413 formed as a substantially flat surface extending in the length direction (height direction) at the center of its width direction, and a second inclined portion 423 formed as a pair of steps that slope down from the end of the length direction of the second support surface 413 toward the outside. In this embodiment, two first pads 303 are provided, but it is also possible to configure the device with one first pad 303 for the upper body and one second pad 403 for the lower body.

The first support surface 313 of the first pad 303 in this embodiment is configured to support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position. The first support surface 313 in this embodiment is formed to have a width W13 of 39 cm, a length (height direction) of 65 cm, and a height H13 (thickness of the cushioning material of the first support surface 313 portion) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the back of the user B in a supine position, centered on the head and spine. In this embodiment, the first support surface 313 is formed as a substantially flat surface, but it may be formed in any shape as long as it can support at least a part of the back of the body of the user B in a supine position, and the shape is not limited to a flat surface.

The second support surface 413 of the second pad 403 in this embodiment is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of the body of the user B in a supine position. The second support surface 413 in this embodiment is formed to have a widthwise length W23 of 27 cm, a lengthwise length (height direction) of 55 cm, and a height H23 (thickness of the cushioning material of the second support surface 413 portion) of 3 cm, and is designed to support the lower back and buttocks of the user B in a supine position, centered on the sacrum. The widthwise length W23 of the second support surface 413 is formed to be less than the width PW of the pelvis of the user B, since the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B in a supine position needs to be positioned so that it faces the second inclined portion 423 on the outside of the second support surface 413.

12, the pair of second inclined portions 423 of the second pad 403 in this embodiment are provided over the entire length of the second support surface 413, and are formed so as to support at least the greater trochanter of the femur of the user B during the rolling motion. The second inclined portion 423 in this embodiment is formed of one step, but may have a multi-step structure consisting of two or more steps, and may have a structure in which the width and gradient of each step are changed. By adjusting the width and gradient of these steps, the number of steps, etc., the inclination angle θ23 of the second inclined portion 422 described later can be adjusted to a suitable angle, and the ease of turning on the lower body side can be more finely adjusted according to the rolling pattern and the user's body type. Furthermore, the second inclined portion 423 is not limited to a step structure, and may be a sloped structure such as a flat surface or a curved surface as described in the above embodiment.

In this embodiment, the inclination angle θ23 of the second inclined portion 423 of the second pad 403 with respect to the horizontal plane is the angle of the inclined plane with respect to the horizontal plane when the inclination plane is a plane including a line connecting the inclination start point of the end of the second support surface 413 in a cross-sectional view and the tip of the lowest step that constitutes the second inclined portion 423 with the shortest straight line. When the inclination angle θ23 is large, the distance L between the ground contact point G of the pelvis peripheral portion PA and the rotation center X becomes shorter, so that the rotation torque of the pelvis is reduced, and as a result, the force applied to the rotation of the lower body is reduced. On the other hand, if the pelvis rotation movement becomes too easy, the body of the user B in the supine position becomes unstable. Therefore, it is preferable to set the inclination angle θ23 to achieve both supine position stability and ease of turning (turning). Specifically, when the second inclined portion 423 is formed from a stepped inclined surface, as in this embodiment, the inclination angle θ23 is preferably less than 30 degrees, more preferably 5 to 25 degrees, and particularly preferably 10 to 20 degrees.

The operation of the turning assistance pad 23 according to this embodiment will be described. When user B is lying on his/her back, the back part of user B, centered on the head and spine, is stably supported by the first pad 303, and the lower back and buttocks part, centered on the sacrum, of the lower body is stably supported by the second support surface 413 of the second pad. When turning over in a bending and rotation type of motion that starts from the upper body, the pelvis is turned after the upper body is turned, and during this pelvis turn, the pelvis peripheral part PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur and the ilium nearby, which are in the direction of turning and require the most force for the turning motion, are supported by the second inclined part 423. Since the second inclined portion 423 is inclined downward from the end of the second support surface 413, the distance between the point where the pelvis peripheral portion PA, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning, touches the second inclined portion and the user's body axis is shortened, so that the force required to turn the pelvis is reduced, and the lower body side can be easily turned in conjunction with the turning of the pelvis and the turning of the lower limbs. This reduces the load related to the turning of the lower body, making it easier to turn in bed. In addition, when turning in bed in an extension rotation type where the lower body is the starting point of the movement, the turning starts from the lower body side, and when the pelvis is turned, the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning and the pelvis peripheral portion PA, such as the ilium nearby, are supported by the second inclined portion 423. Since the second inclined portion 423 slopes downward from the end of the second support surface 413, the distance between the point where the pelvis periphery, such as the greater trochanter of the femur in the direction of turning, touches the second inclined portion 413 and the user's body axis is shortened, reducing the force required to turn the pelvis and making it easier to turn the lower body.

The first pad 303 and the second pad 403 constituting the turning assistance pad 23 according to the present invention are formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness (height). The second support surface 413 and the second inclined portion 423 constituting the second pad 403 may be formed of the same cushion material, but they can also be formed of cushion materials of different hardness and combined to form the second pad 403. Furthermore, for both the second support surface 413 and the second inclined portion 423, it is also possible to combine multiple different cushion materials to obtain parts corresponding to each. For example, it is also possible to stack multiple cushion materials to obtain a part corresponding to the second support surface 413, or to stack multiple cushion materials in a stepped manner to form the second inclined portion 423. In addition, the first pad 303 and the second pad 403 can be formed of the same cushion material or different cushion materials depending on the desired physical properties such as ease of turning and body pressure dispersion. FIG. 12 shows an example in which the first pad 303 and the second pad 403 are formed from different cushioning materials, but the first pad 303 and the second pad 403 may be integrally formed from the same multiple cushioning materials. As an example, it is also possible to form the turning assistance pad 23 by stacking two types of sheet-like cushioning materials formed into specific shapes one on top of the other.

Other explanations regarding the first pad 303 and second pad 403 constituting the turning assistance pad 23 in this embodiment, as well as explanations regarding other configurations of the third pad, etc., are similar to those of the first pad 3 and second pad 4, etc. in the first embodiment described above, and the first pad 302 and second pad 402, etc. in the fifth embodiment, and their actions and effects are also similar.

Next, the turning assistance mattress 1 of the present invention incorporating the above-mentioned turning assistance pad 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. The turning assistance mattress 1 of the present invention is generally constructed by stacking, from bottom to top, a base layer 6, a turning assistance pad 2, end blocks 7, and an upper layer 5. The turning assistance pad 2 is placed in the center of the width of the base layer 6, and the end blocks 7 are placed on both ends of the width of the base layer 6 along the length of the base layer 6 at a predetermined interval from the turning assistance pad 2. The components constituting the turning assistance mattress 1, such as the base layer 6, the turning assistance pad 2, the end blocks 7, and the upper layer 5, may be fixed by engagement means or adhesives at the contacting surfaces of the components so that the respective positions are not shifted.

First, the base layer 6 will be described. The base layer 6 of the turning support mattress 1 is made of a cushioning material that is relatively hard and can stably support the user's body. In the present embodiment, the base layer 6 is formed to have a width of 91 cm, a length of 195 cm, and a height of 2 cm, for example. The cushioning material of the base layer 6 is preferably one whose hardness is equal to or greater than that of the cushioning material constituting the first pad 31 and the second pad 41. The cushioning material of the base layer 6 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foam, three-dimensional net structure, and cotton molding are preferably used, and resin foam is more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

Next, we will explain the turning assistance pad 2. The turning assistance pad 2 incorporated in the turning assistance mattress 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the turning assistance pad 2 according to the first embodiment described above, and naturally includes the second to fifth embodiments, and any turning assistance pad according to any of the embodiments described above can be used.

Next, the end block 7 will be described. The end block 7 prevents the user B from rolling too far off the turnover assistance pad 2 and falling off the base layer 6 when turning over, and allows the user B to safely turn over on the mattress. In this embodiment, the end block 7 is formed to have a width of 10 cm, a length of 195 cm, and a height of 3 cm, as an example. In addition, by forming the end block 7 from a relatively hard cushioning material, the user can brace himself when he places his hands on the end block 7, and when he sits on the end block 7, the buttocks are held in the recess formed by the inclined parts 32 and 42 of each pad and the end block 7, and the end block 7 supports the area near the back of the thighs, making it easier to balance the sitting position and providing stability in sitting on the edge and stability in getting up. Specifically, the cushioning material of the end block 7 preferably has a hardness of 180 to 440 N, more preferably 200 to 300 N, and particularly preferably 210 to 250 N, as measured in accordance with JIS K6401 "Load-bearing flexible polyurethane foam." The cushioning material of the end block 7 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but resin foam, three-dimensional network structure, and cotton molding are preferably used, and resin foam is more preferred from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

In addition, in this embodiment, the end block 7 is placed on the base layer 6, but the end block 7 may not be placed on the base layer 6, but may be placed in contact with the longitudinal end of the base layer 6. In this case, since the upper surface of the end block 7 needs to protrude beyond the upper surface of the base layer 6, the height (thickness) of the end block 7 is made at least greater than the height of the base layer 6.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the end blocks 7 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the base layer 6, but they may be provided at only one end. Also, in this embodiment, the end blocks 7 are provided along the length of the base layer 6, but it is also possible to provide them at only a part of the length of the base layer 6, such as only around the center in the length direction. Furthermore, in order to improve the shape retention of the turning assistance mattress 1, it is also possible to provide the end blocks 7 at the ends in the width direction of the base layer 6.

Next, the upper layer 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper layer 5 is a layer that covers the upper surfaces of the above-mentioned turning assistance pad 2, end block 7, and base layer 6, and is made of a cushioning material that is softer than the turning assistance pad 2, end block 7, and base layer 6. In this embodiment, the upper layer 5 is formed so that the length in the width direction is 91 cm, the length in the length direction is 195 cm, and the height from the upper surface of the turning assistance pad 2 is 6 cm. As the cushioning material of the upper layer 5, from the viewpoint of maintaining the action and effect of the turning assistance pad 2 and improving the sleeping comfort and body pressure dispersion of the user B, the hardness measured in accordance with JIS K6401 "Load-bearing soft polyurethane foam" is preferably 50 to 160 N, more preferably 70 to 150 N, and particularly preferably 90 to 140 N. The cushioning material of the upper layer 5 is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-mentioned hardness and cushioning properties, but a resin foam, a three-dimensional network structure, and a cotton molding are preferably used, and a resin foam is more preferable from the viewpoint of ease of handling and processing. Specific examples of the resin foam include polyurethane foam, polyolefin foam, and silicone foam.

In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 13(b) and Fig. 13(c), the upper layer 5 is formed as a flat sheet having a certain thickness, and a space surrounded by the end block 7 and the first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42 of the turning assistance pad 2 is formed between the upper layer 5 and the base layer 6. By forming these spaces, the turning forces of the first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42 on the upper body side and the lower body side can be adjusted. In this case, the upper layer 5 is preferably formed of a material that can stretch and deform so as not to significantly impede the turning movement of the shoulder surrounding area SA or the pelvis surrounding area PA of the user B. In addition, it is also possible to form the lower surface side of the upper layer 5 into a shape that approximately fits into the above-mentioned space, that is, the space surrounded by the base layer 6, the end block 7, and the first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42 of the turning assistance pad 2. Furthermore, it is also possible to form the space surrounded by the base layer 6, the end block 7, and the first and second inclined portions 32 and 42 of the turn assist pad 2 so that only a part of the space remains. Also, a cushioning material different from the upper layer 5 can be placed in this space (the space surrounded by the base layer 6, the end block 7, and the first and second inclined portions 32 and 42 of the turn assist pad 2), and in that case, it is preferable to select a cushioning material that is as soft as or softer than the cushioning material of the upper layer 5. Note that, if the lamination of the upper layer 5 or the cushioning material placed in the space covers the inclined portions 32 and 42 of the turn assist pad 2, and the effect of the inclined portions 32 and 42 is reduced, the inclination angles of the first inclined portion 32 of the first pad 3 and the second inclined portion 42 of the second pad 4 may be designed to be larger.

13, the upper layer 5 covers the upper surfaces of the turning assistance pad 2, the end block 7, and the base layer 6, but the first support surface 31 and the second support surface 41 of the turning assistance pad 2 are not covered, and these support surfaces are exposed, and it is also possible to configure the upper layer 5 to cover the first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42. In this case, the upper layer 5 is arranged divided into at least two parts. In another embodiment, the upper layer 5 can be configured to cover only the first support surface 31 and/or the second support surface 41.

In the present embodiment, the turning assistance mattress 1 is constructed by stacking the turning assistance pad 2 and the end block 7 on the base layer 6, and then stacking the upper layer 5 on top of that, but the end block 7 or the upper layer 5 may be omitted. Also, the end block 7 and the upper layer 5 may be omitted, and the turning assistance pad 2 may be stacked only on the base layer 6.

Also, a turning assistance mattress 10 according to another embodiment is shown in FIG. 14. The turning assistance mattress 10 according to this embodiment is generally configured by stacking a turning assistance pad 2 on a base layer 60. As shown in FIG. 14, the base layer 60 in this embodiment is composed of a first base portion 60a on which the first pad 3 is arranged and a second base portion 60b on which the second pad 4 is arranged, and each is formed to have a different thickness (height). Specifically, the first base portion 60a is thick (high) and the second base portion 60b is thin (low), so that a step 60c is generated at the boundary between the first pad 3 and the second pad 4. The second pad 4 arranged in the lower part of this step has a height to the upper surface of the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 increased by this step difference, so that the descending length of the second inclined portion 42 is longer, and it is possible to easily turn the lower half of the user B's body side. However, if the step 60c is too large, it may be undesirable because the force of turning over may be too strong, so it is preferable to set the size of the step 60c according to conditions such as the inclination angle θ2 of the second pad 4. In FIG. 14, the base layer 60 has a structure in which the second base portion 60b on which the second pad 4 is placed is lower than the first base portion 60a, but the first base portion 60a on which the first pad 3 is placed may be lower than the second base portion 60b, and the step may be of a size according to conditions such as the inclination angle θ1. This embodiment can also be applied when the width or height of the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 and the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 are changed. In this embodiment, the turning assistance mattress 10 is configured only so that the turning assistance pad 2 is layered on the base layer 60, but it is of course possible to further layer the end block 7 and/or the upper layer 5 described above.

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[Example 1]
1. Study of the inclination angle and torque value of the inclined part of the turning assist pad The inventors considered the turning motion to be a rotational motion as shown in FIG. 3, and attempted to quantify the force required for the turning motion by the torque T. The torque T is expressed as the product (T=F×L) of the force F acting in the tangential direction of the rotation circle and the distance L between the ground contact point G and the center of rotation X. Therefore, a simulator simulating the human body shown in FIG. 15(a) was created. In this simulator, the upper body part simulating the shoulders and chest and the lower body part simulating the buttocks are connected by a waist part having a rotation axis. The rotation axis of the waist part is configured so that only the upper body part rotates up to a rotation angle of 40 degrees with respect to the stationary lower body part, and when the rotation angle exceeds 40 degrees, the rotation of the lower body part is linked to the rotation of the upper body part. Weights of 11 kg and 16 kg were attached to the shoulders and buttocks, respectively, and a torque meter (manufactured by WISRETEC, model number: WRG3-135) was attached to the tip of the rotation center X. First, in order to confirm the effectiveness of this simulator, the simulator was placed on a flat surface, a ratchet handle was inserted into one end of the torque meter, and the torque was measured by rotating it. The graph of the torque of the simulator until the turning over is completed and the graph of the myoelectric potential, which is biodata, until the turning over is completed showed similar shapes. Since the effectiveness of this simulator was confirmed from this result, the simulator was placed at a predetermined position on the turning assistance pad to be measured, simulating the supine state of the user, as shown in FIG. 15(b), and the torque was measured by inserting a ratchet handle into one end of the torque meter and rotating it. The torque was measured until the upper and lower body parts of the simulator were turned sideways, that is, until the turning over was completed, and the movement of the simulator was examined. The turn assist pad to be measured had a width W1 of the first support surface 31 of the first pad 3 and a width W2 of the second support surface 41 of the second pad 4 of 25 cm, a height H1 (thickness of the cushion material at the first support surface 31) of the first pad 3 and a height H2 (thickness of the cushion material at the second support surface 41) of the second pad 4 of 3 cm, and only the inclination angles of the first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42 were changed, and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion 32 and the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion 42 were the same angle (θ1 = θ2). The first inclined portion 32 and the second inclined portion 42 were formed as inclined surfaces made of flat surfaces. The inclination angles of the inclined surfaces of the inclined portions of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4 were 0° (flat surface), 5°, 10°, and 15°. The results are shown in the graph of FIG. 16.

In FIG. 16, the vertical axis indicates the torque (Nm) measured by the torque meter, and the horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time. The open circle marker indicates an inclination angle of 0°, the triangular marker indicates an inclination angle of 5°, the open square marker indicates an inclination angle of 10°, and the circular marker indicates an inclination angle of 15°. The illustrations shown below the horizontal axis of the graph are schematic illustrations of the turning state of user B in sleep corresponding to the movement of the simulator at each time. According to this graph, it is shown that the torque value when the simulator turns (when turning) is reduced by setting an inclination angle in the direction in which the simulator turns, and it is clear that there is a clear torque reduction effect by setting the inclination angle to 10° or more.

[Example 2]
2. Study of the inclination structure and torque value of the turning assist pad Using the simulator used in the above-mentioned Example 1, the torque related to the turning motion of the turning assist pad 2 (compound inclination structure) shown in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the turning assist pad (simple inclination structure) formed from the first pad and the second pad, but the width of each support surface and the inclination angle of each inclination part are formed so as to be the same, respectively, were measured. Note that both the first inclination part 32 and the second inclination part 42 are formed as inclined surfaces made of flat surfaces. The turning assist pad 2 shown in the first embodiment is composed of the first pad 3 and the second pad 4, and the width of each support surface and the inclination angle θ of each inclination part are formed so as to be different from each other (compound inclination structure). For comparison, the torque related to the turning motion of a flat turning assist pad (without inclination) that does not have the first inclination part 32 and the second inclination part 42 was also measured. The cushioning material constituting each of the turning assist pads was the same, and was urethane foam (product number M3200) manufactured by Oriental Jiajia (Ningbo) Sponge Products Co., Ltd. The results are shown in the graph of FIG.

In Figure 17, the vertical axis represents the torque (Nm) measured by a torque meter, and the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time. The circular markers represent the compound inclined structure, the open circular markers represent the simple inclined structure, and the open square markers represent the comparative example (no inclination). The illustrations shown below the horizontal axis of the graph are schematic diagrams of the turning state of user B in relation to the movement of the simulator at each time. This graph shows that the turning assistance pad of the present invention significantly reduces the maximum torque during the turning motion compared to the flat turning assistance pad of the comparative example without an inclined surface. Furthermore, by making the turning assistance pad have a structure (compound inclined structure) that individually adjusts and links the turning motion of the upper body and the turning motion of the lower body, i.e., by making the width W1 of the first support surface greater than the width W2 of the second support surface and the inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion greater than the inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion, it was shown that the torque value in the turning motion is further greatly reduced overall, not only for turning of the upper body but also for turning of the lower body, making it easier to turn.

[Example 3]
3. Evaluation of the Turning Assist Pad of the Present Invention Five types of turning assist pads 3a to 3e were prepared according to the specifications shown in Table 2 and Figures 18(a) to (e) below, and sensory tests were conducted on the ease of turning and the comfort when used as turning assist pads. Here, the turning assist pad of Example 3a shown in Figure 18(a) is the turning assist pad 2 with the compound inclined structure (first embodiment) tested in Example 2 above, and the turning assist pad of Example 3b shown in Figure 18(b) is the same as the turning assist pad with the simple inclined structure tested in Example 2 above. The turning assist pad of Example 3c shown in Fig. 18(c) corresponds to the turning assist pad 21 described in detail as the third embodiment, the turning assist pad of Example 3d shown in Fig. 18(d) corresponds to the turning assist pad 22 described in detail as the fourth embodiment, and the turning assist pad of Example 3e shown in Fig. 18(e) corresponds to the turning assist pad 23 described in detail as the fifth embodiment. The cushioning material constituting each of the turning assist pads of Examples 3a to 3e is the same, and polyurethane foam (product number M3200) made by Oriental Jiajia (Ningbo) Sponge Products Co., Ltd. is used.

The prepared pad was placed on the floor and tested for the following items on five male subjects in their 40s and 50s, as shown in Table 3. The test and evaluation methods were as follows.
(1) Turning Ability The spine was aligned with the center of the width of the turning assistance pad, and the subject was asked to turn over in a supine position (facing up) with the upper body supported by the first pad and the lower body supported by the second pad, by bending and rotating (turning the head → turning the upper body → turning the pelvis → turning the lower limbs) to evaluate the ease of turning over. The ease of turning over was evaluated based on the ease of turning over of the flat pad without an inclined portion (same as Comparative Example 1 described later) used as a comparative example in Example 2 above. In comparison with this flat pad, the pads were evaluated for each subject as follows: very easy to turn over, "◎", slightly easy to turn over, "△", and about the same. The evaluation of the most common evaluation among the five subjects was used as the evaluation result of the turning over ability. In addition, if there were multiple most common evaluations, the evaluation of the better one was used as the evaluation result. Similarly, the subject was also asked to turn over in bed using an extension-rotation movement (rotation of the lower limbs → rotation of the pelvis simultaneously with or after the rotation of the lower limbs → rotation of the upper body → rotation of the head), and the ease of turning over was similarly evaluated.

(2) Sleeping comfort The subject was placed in a supine position with the spine aligned with the center of the width of the turnover pad, with the upper half of the subject's body supported by the first pad and the lower half of the subject supported by the second pad, and the stability of the sleeping position was evaluated. Each subject was rated as "○" if the sleeping position was stable, "△" if it was slightly unstable, and "×" if it was unstable. The most common rating among the five subjects was used as the evaluation result for sleeping comfort. If there were multiple most common ratings, the better rating was used as the evaluation result.

The evaluation results of turning pads 3a to 3e of this embodiment are shown in Table 2.

The evaluation results of Example 3 showed that the turning assistance pad of the present invention improves turning ability while maintaining a stable sleeping comfort. In addition, the evaluation results of Examples 3a and 3d showed that whether the inclined portion is inclined or stepped, the turning ability is improved and there is no difference in the stability of the sleeping comfort. In addition, a comparison of Example 3b with Examples 3a, 3c, and 3d showed that turning ability is improved when the inclination angle θ1 of the first pad is greater than the inclination angle θ2 of the second pad, or when the support surface height H1 of the first pad is greater than the support surface height H2 of the second pad.

[Comparative Example]
4. Evaluation of other turning assistance pads Four types of pads, Comparative Examples 1 to 4, were prepared according to the specifications shown in Table 4 and Figures 19(a) to 19(d) below, and sensory tests were conducted on the ease of turning and the comfort when used as turning assistance pads. Five subjects and the test and evaluation methods were the same as those in Example 3 described above. The pad of Comparative Example 1 shown in Figure 19(a) is the same as the flat pad without an inclined portion used as a comparative example in Example 2 above, and is a conventional flat mattress. In the pad of Comparative Example 2 shown in Figure 19(b), the first pad 3 has an inclined portion, but the second pad is a flat pad without an inclined portion, and the width of the second pad is longer than the width of the pelvis. In addition, the pads of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 shown in Figures 19(c) and 19(d) do not have any inclined portion at all. The cushioning material constituting each pad of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 is the same, and polyurethane foam (product number M3200) from Toyo Jia Jia (Ningbo) Sponge Products Co., Ltd. was used. The evaluation results of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 are shown in Table 4.

The evaluation results of Example 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 show that the inclusion of the configuration of the present invention improves turning ability while maintaining a stable sleeping comfort. Furthermore, when the results of Example 3 and Comparative Example 2 are compared, it is found that even if the first pad acting on the rotational movement of the upper body has an inclined portion, turning ability decreases if the second pad acting on the rotational movement of the lower body does not have an inclined portion. It is also found that pads without inclined portions, such as Comparative Examples 3 and 4, reduce the stability of the body support near the ends of the support surface of each pad and outward from the ends, resulting in poor sleeping comfort.

[Example 4]
5. Evaluation of the Turning Assist Mattress of the Present Invention Three types of turning assistance mattresses 4a to 4c were fabricated according to the specifications shown in Table 5 and Figures 20(a) to (c) below, and the fabricated mattresses were placed on the floor and subjected to a sensory test on the ease of turning and comfort when used as turning assistance mattresses. Five subjects and the test and evaluation methods were the same as those in Example 3 described above.

The turning assistance mattress of Example 4a shown in Fig. 20(a) uses the turning assistance pad produced as Example 3a above, the turning assistance mattress of Example 4b shown in Fig. 20(b) uses the turning assistance pad produced as Example 3d above, and the turning assistance mattress of Example 4c shown in Fig. 20(c) uses the turning assistance pad produced as Example 3e above. Each turning assistance mattress was produced by stacking the base layer 6, each turning assistance pad and end block 7, and the upper layer 5 from bottom to top, with the turning assistance pad 2 placed in the center of the width of the base layer 6, and the end blocks 7 placed at both ends of the width of the base layer 6 at a predetermined interval from the turning assistance pad 2 along the length of the base layer 6. The cushioning material constituting the upper layer 5 was a urethane foam (product number MF-20, product of Inoac Corporation) having a size of 91 cm in width, 185 cm in length in the height direction, and 7 cm in thickness, and the cushioning material constituting the base layer 6 was a urethane foam (product number MF-50, product of Inoac Corporation) having a size of 91 cm in width, 185 cm in length in the height direction, and 2 cm in thickness. The cushioning material constituting the end block 7 was a urethane foam (product number MF-55, product of Inoac Corporation) having a size of 10 cm in width, 185 cm in length in the height direction, and 3 cm in thickness for Example 4a, and a urethane foam (product number MF-55, product of Inoac Corporation) having a size of 10 cm in width, 185 cm in length in the height direction, and 4 cm in thickness for Examples 4b and 4c. The evaluation results of Examples 4a to 4c are shown in Table 5.

The evaluation results of Examples 4a to 4c show that the mattress using the turning assistance pad of the present invention provides a stable sleeping comfort and is also excellent in turning ability. Thus, it was shown that the effect of improving turning ability is not lost even when a relatively thick upper layer 5 is layered on top of the turning assistance pad.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes within its technical scope various modified designs that do not deviate from the gist of the invention as described in the claims.

1, 10 Turning assistance mattress 2, 20, 21, 22, 23 Turning assistance pad 3, 30, 301, 302, 303 First pad 31, 310, 311, 312, 313 First support surface 32, 320, 321, 322 First inclined portion 4, 40, 401, 402, 403, 4' Second pad 41, 410, 411, 412, 413 Second support surface 42, 420, 421, 422, 423 Second inclined portion 5 Upper layer 6, 60 Base layer 60a First base portion 60b Second base portion 60c Step 7 End block W1, W10, W11, W12, W13 Width of first support surface W2, W20, W21, W22, W23 Width of second support surface H1, H10, H11, H12, H13 Height of first support surface H2, H20, H21, H22, H23 Height of second support surface θ1, θ10, θ11, θ12 Incline angle of first inclined portion θ2, θ20, θ21, θ22, θ23 Incline angle of second inclined portion B User S User's shoulders SW Shoulder width SA Shoulder peripheral area P Anterior superior iliac spine of user's pelvis PW Pelvis width PA Pelvis peripheral area F Force acting in the tangent direction of the rotation circle L Distance between ground contact point and center of rotation G Ground contact point X Center of rotation (body axis)

Claims (13)

A turning-over assistance pad that is placed on a mattress, a futon, or a rug and used,
The turning assistance pad includes at least a first pad on which the upper body of the user is placed, and a second pad on which at least the lower back and buttocks of the user are placed, the first pad being disposed in the height direction;
The first pad is formed of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness and is configured to support at least a part of the back of a user in a supine position;
A first support surface is provided at a widthwise center portion of the first pad, the width of the first support surface being equal to or smaller than the shoulder width of a user.
a pair of first inclined portions that are inclined downward in an inclined or stepped manner from the end of the first support surface toward the outside are provided at both ends of the first pad in the width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the first support surface;
The first support surface is configured to support at least a part of the back of a user in a supine position, and the first inclined portion is configured to support the shoulders of the user when the user turns over in bed,
The second pad is formed of a cushion material having a predetermined thickness.
A second support surface is provided at a widthwise center portion of the second pad, the second support surface being formed with a width narrower than the width of the user's pelvis.
a pair of second inclined portions that are inclined downward in an inclined or stepped manner from the end of the second support surface toward the outside are provided at both ends of the second pad in the width direction, at least in a part of the length direction of the second support surface;
The second support surface is configured to support at least a part of the lower back and buttocks of a user in a supine position, and the second inclined portion is configured to support the greater trochanter of the femur of the user when the user turns over in bed ,
The turning assistance pad is characterized in that the width W1 of the first support surface is wider than the width W2 of the second support surface (W1>W2) . 2. The turning assist pad according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane is different from an inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane. 3. The turning assist pad according to claim 2 , wherein an inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane is greater than an inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane (θ1>θ2). 4. The turning assist pad according to claim 2, wherein a height H1 of the first support surface is higher than a height H2 of the second support surface (H1>H2). 2. The turning assist pad according to claim 1 , wherein an inclination angle θ1 of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane and an inclination angle θ2 of the second inclined portion with respect to the horizontal plane are equal (θ1=θ2). 6. The turning assist pad according to claim 5 , wherein the height H1 of the first support surface is higher than the height H2 of the second support surface (H1>H2). The first support surface of the first pad is provided as a flat surface extending in a longitudinal direction;
7. The turning assistance pad according to claim 1, wherein the second support surface of the second pad is provided as a flat surface extending in the length direction. The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that at least a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness is disposed between the first pad and the second pad. The turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a third pad made of a cushioning material having a predetermined thickness is arranged on the leg side of the second pad, and the third pad has the same configuration as the first pad. A mattress provided with the turning assistance pad according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ,
The turning assistance pad is disposed on a base layer made of a cushioning material. 11. The turn aid mattress of claim 10 , wherein the first pad and the second pad are spaced apart on the base layer. the width of the base layer is greater than the widths of the first pad and the second pad;
The turning assistance mattress of claim 10 or 11 , characterized in that an end block protruding in the height direction is arranged at at least one end of the width direction of the base layer, and at least a portion of the length direction of the base layer. At least one upper layer made of a cushioning material is laminated on the turning pad,
The turning assistance mattress according to any one of claims 10 to 12 , characterized in that the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the upper layer is lower than the hardness of the cushioning material constituting the first pad.

Images