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(11) | EP 3 009 118 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | AN IMPROVED SLING |
| (57) A sling 10 for lifting a person comprises a back panel 12 for supporting the back
of a person, two leg panels 14 each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg panel
14 connected to the back panel 12, and each leg panel 14 comprising a first smooth
layer and a second knitted fabric layer, the first smooth layer and the second knitted
fabric layer of each leg panel 14 in direct contact with no additional layers, and
one or more fastening components 18 connected to the panels 12, 14.
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[0002] While caring for elderly or infirm people, it is common to use slings to move such people, for example from a bed to a wheelchair or in and out of a bath. The sling is designed to be used to lift a person and to support their entire weight while they are being moved. Normally some sort of overhead mechanical system will be used in addition to the sling, with the sling being attached to a hoist or gantry, to provide the necessary mechanical support for the weight of the person being moved. Such slings are commonly used for moving people in and out of baths and there is therefore a need for a sling that is practical for use in many different situations. In particular, slings without padding in the leg support have a tendency to ruck up which makes them less comfortable. Using foam for padding can retain water when a patient is lifted from a bath tub which drains from the sling whilst the patient is being transferred. The water draining on the floor is considered a nuisance and can be a slipping hazard.
[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sling for lifting a person comprising a back panel for supporting the back of a person, two leg panels each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg panel connected to the back panel, and each leg panel comprising a first smooth layer and a second knitted fabric layer, the first smooth layer and the second knitted fabric layer of each leg panel in direct contact with no additional layers, and one or more fastening components connected to the panels.
[0005] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a sling for lifting a person comprising attaching together a back panel for supporting the back of a person, two leg panels each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg panel connected to the back panel, and each leg panel comprising a first smooth layer and a second knitted fabric layer, the first smooth layer and the second knitted fabric layer of each leg panel in direct contact with no additional layers, and one or more fastening components connected to the panels.
[0006] Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to provide a sling that can be used comfortably with a person who is being moved in and out of a bath, since a laminate of a spacer (knitted) fabric and a slippery (smooth) fabric such as silicone coated nylon, provides good support in the leg panel of the sling, is easy to fit, has a reduced risk of causing shear because of the slippery fabric and water drains quickly from the sling, since the spacer fabric does not retain the water. The combination of layers in the leg panel eliminates the problems incurred with foam and the problems incurred with spacer fabric without the slippery fabric lining. Only two layers are provided, which are in direct contact with each other.
[0007] Fabrics offer differing levels of friction. For example, a knitted spacer fabric typically has a higher level of friction than woven nylon with a silicone coating. Lower friction fabrics used in the construction of slings can make them easier to fit to a patient and reduce the risk of tissue damage due to shear. The leg panel preferably has two layers only in direct contact with each other. The inner smooth layer is the layer that is intended to contact the patient's skin and reduces the risk of soft tissue damage, by providing a low level of friction between the layer and the patient's skin. The outer spacer layer, which is formed of a knitted fabric, is designed to provide padding for the patient to increase their comfort while they are in the sling and also to ensure that the sling does not retain water.
[0008] Advantageously, the sling can further comprise two intermediate panels, each connected to the back panel and to a respective leg panel, where the intermediate panels are comprised of water draining material and comprise less than 50% of the surface area of the sling. The water draining material used for the intermediate panels, which can be a mesh material, allows water to drain away when the person being lifted from the bath, while only a relatively small proportion of the sling is actually constructed from the water draining material, which means that there is a reduced chance of any course material that is being used as the water draining material causing skin irritation on the part of the person being moved. The tissue viability risk of the sling is much reduced by the use of only a small amount of water draining material (less than 50% of the total surface area of the sling), but nevertheless good draining functionality is achieved by the design of the sling, which uses the water draining material between the main back and leg supports of the sling to allow water to escape. When a person is being lifted from a bath, for example, the water will drain away through the sling via the intermediate panels, which are preferably of a mesh construction.
[0009] Preferably, the sling has one or more steering strips connected to the back panel. This provides a sling that can be used to move and lift a person and will have steering strips (not loops) provided, that are functional for a carer to use to guide the movement of the person, without being tempted to lift the person. For example, if a person is being moved from their bed to a wheelchair, then while they are in the sling and being moved on a hoist or gantry, the steering strips can be used by a carer to guide the person into the wheelchair, but without the possibility that the carer will use the strips for lifting the person. It has been found that carers will use hoops on slings to try and lift a person (perhaps the final few centimetres into the wheelchair) and this is dangerous for the carer's back.
[0010] By providing only strips, they cannot be used for anything other than steering the sling with the person while their weight is supported by the hoist or gantry. A carer cannot grasp the strip to move the person, as the carer's hand will simply slip off the steering strip if they attempt to use the strip to move the weight of the person under their care. A second advantage of using a strip rather than a loop of material is that the steering strip cannot get caught on something when the sling is being used to move a person, which can happen with a loop of material, with the consequent dangers for the health of the person being moved. A steering strip cannot get snagged, which is not the case if a loop of material is used for this purpose.
[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front view of a sling,
Figure 2 is a section through a leg panel of the sling,
Figure 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of the sling,
Figure 4 is a rear view of the sling of Figure 3,
Figure 5 is a side view of the sling of Figure 1 in use, and
Figure 6 is a different side view of the sling of Figure 1 in use.
[0012] Figure 1 shows the front of the sling 10, which is for lifting a person, and comprises a back panel 12 for supporting the back of a person, two leg panels 14 each for supporting the leg of a person, each leg panel 14 connected to the back panel 12, and fastening components 18 connected to the panels 12 and 14. In this embodiment the leg panels 14 are directly connected to the back panel 12. Each leg panel 14 is comprised of a first smooth layer and a second knitted fabric layer (shown in more detail in Figure 2), where the first smooth layer and the second knitted fabric layer of each leg panel 14 are in direct contact with no additional layers. The sling 10 is designed for use with a patient or a person with reduced mobility who needs assistance while moving. The person may be in a wheelchair and needs to be moved from their wheelchair into a bath, for example, or vice versa. The sling 10 can also be used for helping a person in and out of bed.
[0013] The sling 10 is designed to be used comfortably with a person who is being moved in and out of a bath, since the laminate in the leg panels 14, which is made up of a spacer (knitted) fabric and a slippery (smooth) fabric such as silicone coated nylon, provides good support in the leg panel 14 of the sling 10, has a reduced risk of causing shear because of the slippery fabric and water drains quickly from the sling 10, since the spacer fabric does not retain the water. The inner smooth layer contacts the patient's skin and reduces the risk of soft tissue damage, by providing a low level of friction between the layer and the patient's skin. The outer spacer layer, which is formed of a knitted fabric, is designed to provide padding for the patient to increase their comfort while they are in the sling 10 and also to ensure that the sling 10 does not retain water.
[0014] Figure 2 shows a section through the laminate that is used to form the leg panels 14. Each leg panel 14 comprises a first smooth layer 34 and a second knitted fabric layer 36, where the first smooth layer 34 and the second knitted fabric layer 36 of each leg panel 14 are in direct contact with no additional layers, in-between or on either side. The smooth layer 34 (which is designed to be in direct contact with the patient's skin) is comprised of a silicone elastomer coated onto both sides of a dyed nylon substrate. This layer 34 is designed to provide comfort to the patient, when in contact with the patient's skin.
[0015] The knitted fabric layer 36 (which is designed to provide comfort padding for the patient) is a 100% polyester knitted fabric that has a weight of 430 g/m2 (grams per metre squared) and has a thickness of 2.50 mm. Compared to the smooth layer 34, the knitted fabric layer 36 is thicker and heavier and provides padding to the patient when they are in the sling 10, in order to make the patient as comfortable as possible. The knitted fabric layer 36 is also designed so that it does not trap water in the leg panel 14 when a patient has been in a bath or swimming pool and is being removed from the bath or swimming pool using the sling 10. The knitted fabric layer 36 will allow water to drain away quickly, without retaining any liquid within the laminate layers 34 and 36 that make up the leg panel 14.
[0016] Figure 3 shows the front of a second embodiment of the sling 10, which comprises the back panel 12 for supporting the back of a person, two leg panels 14 each for supporting the leg of a person and in addition, two intermediate panels 16. The intermediate panels 16 are each connected to the back panel 12 and to a respective leg panel 14 and are connected between the back panel 12 and a respective leg panel 14, such that the connection between the back panel 12 and the leg panels 14 is now an indirect connection. The intermediate panels 16 are comprised of water draining material and comprise less than 50% of the overall surface area of the sling 10. The intermediate panels 16 are constructed from a mesh material, in this embodiment. The fastening components 18 are connected to the edges of the respective panels 12, 14 and 16.
[0017] The mesh area 16 is functionally a drainage area and could be made of materials other than a mesh, as long as water will drain through. The mesh panels 16 are set in a position where any water will drain easily when a person is lifted from a bath or pool. In this embodiment, the back support area 12 is made from a closely knitted fabric and the leg supports 14 are made from the laminate of Figure 2, neither of which would drain as fast as the drainage panels 16. The mesh material can also be the base for the back panel 12, with the back panel 12 manufactured individually and then added to the mesh material to make the sling 10.
[0018] The drainage panels 16 make up less than half of the surface area of the sling 10. The shape of the sling 10 may vary, but the drainage panels 16 can be used on alternative styles of sling 10. The principle is that the majority of the sling 10 is made from a material that is not a draining type and this will mean that the user of the sling 10, for example when they are being placed or removed from a bath, will have only a relatively small area of their exposed spin in contact with the draining panels 16. This reduces the likelihood of tissue viability risk for the person who is placed in the sling 10, since the draining panels 16 can be coarse against a person's skin.
[0019] Figure 4 shows the reverse of the second embodiment of the sling 10, which is identical to the front of the sling 10 shown in Figure 3, except for the provision of three steering strips 20, which are located in a central region of the back panel 12. The steering tails 20 are not closed loops and this provides a significant advantage in that they prevent a carer from using too much force on the steering strips 20 and also prevents them from snagging during a transfer of a patient in the sling 10. Whilst the tails 20 on the sling 10 are preferably flat webbing tape, they could be a cord or chain. There are three on the sling 10 but there could be one or more tails 20 for use when steering/guiding the person in the sling 10 into position when lowering onto a chair or toilet, for example.
[0020] Figure 5 shows the first embodiment of the sling 10 of Figure 1 in use for a person 22 who is being lifted out of a bath 24. The fastening components 18 of the sling 10 are connected to a gantry 26, which supports the weight of the person 22. In this side view of the sling 10 in use, a single leg panel 14 can be seen, with the back panel 12 being connected directly to the leg panel 14. The exterior of the leg panel 14 is comprised of the knitted fabric layer 36, and as the person 22 is lifted from the bath 24, water 28 is able to flow from the exterior of the leg panel 14 and back into the bath 24. The leg panel 14 does not retain the water 28 from the bath 24.
[0021] As can be seen from this schematic Figure, a significant proportion of the person's weight and skin area is borne by the leg panels 14. The internal layer 34 of the leg panels 14, which is the layer 34 of the leg panel 14 that contacts the patient's skin has a smooth surface. This smooth finish gives a low level of friction with the person's skin and this greatly reduces the likelihood of the leg panel 14 causing any skin irritation to the person 22, thereby minimising any tissue viability risk. There is still provided a good draining solution for the sling 10, as the exterior of the leg panels 14 is the knitted fabric layer 36 which will allow the excess water 28 to drain away, without being retained within the sling 10.
[0022] Figure 6 shows the sling 10 in use for a person 22 being manoeuvred into a wheelchair 30. A carer 32 is able to use a steering strip 20 to guide the person 22 into the wheelchair 30, while the person's weight is being supported overhead using the gantry 26. The carer 32 can grasp the steering strip 20 with their hand and move the sling 10 into the desired position as the person 22 is placed in the wheelchair 30. The steering strip 10 is deliberately not a loop, firstly to avoid any possibility of snagging occurring, but also to remove the temptation for the carer 32 to try and lift the weight of the person 22 using a loop, should one be present.
[0023] The steering strips 20 are located in a central portion of the back panel 12 and as can be seen in Figure 4, in the second embodiment of the sling 10, there are three steering strips 20, which can be used by the carer 32. The steering strips 20 can be grasped by the hand of the carer 32, but they cannot be used to try and manipulate the weight of the person 22, since the carer's hand will slip off the steering strip 20, should the carer 32 attempt to use the steering strips 20 in this way. This helps to prevent any damage to the back of the carer 32, as they will not be able to use the steering strips 20 for any purpose other than the simple action of the guiding the movement of the person 22.
[0024] A method of manufacturing the sling 10 for lifting a person 22 comprises attaching together the back panel 12 for supporting the back of a person 22, the two leg panels 14 each for supporting the leg of a person 24, each leg panel 14 connected to the back panel 12, and each leg panel 14 comprising a first smooth layer 34 and a second knitted fabric layer 36, the first smooth layer 34 and the second knitted fabric layer 36 of each leg panel 14 in direct contact with no additional layers, and one or more fastening components 18 connected to the panels 12, 14.
[0025] In the second embodiment of the sling 10, the method of manufacture further comprises attaching two intermediate panels 16, each connected between the back panel 12 and a respective leg panel 14. Either embodiment of the sling 10 can be completed by further comprising attaching one or more steering strips 20 to the back panel 12. In the preferred embodiment, three steering strips 20 are added to the back of the sling 10. The completed sling 10 can now be used with patients 22 and by their carers 32. The sling 10 provides comfort and support for the patient 22 while in use and further provides good draining function when used in wet environments such as a bath or pool.
1. A sling (10) for lifting a person (22) comprising:
• a back panel (12) for supporting the back of a person (22),
• two leg panels (14) each for supporting the leg of a person (22), each leg panel (14) connected to the back panel (12), and each leg panel (14) comprising a first smooth layer (34) and a second knitted fabric layer (36), the first smooth layer (34) and the second knitted fabric layer (36) of each leg panel (14) in direct contact with no additional layers, and
• one or more fastening components (18) connected to the panels (12,14).
2. A sling according to claim 1, and further comprising two intermediate panels (16),
each connected to the back panel (12) and to a respective leg panel (14).
3. A sling according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate panels (16) are comprised of
water draining material and comprise less than 50% of the surface area of the sling
(10).
4. A sling according to claim 1, 2 or 3, and further comprising one or more steering
strips (20) connected to the back panel (12).
5. A method of manufacturing a sling (10) for lifting a person (22) comprising attaching
together:
• a back panel (12) for supporting the back of a person (22),
• two leg panels (14) each for supporting the leg of a person (24), each leg panel (14) connected to the back panel (12), and each leg panel (14) comprising a first smooth layer (34) and a second knitted fabric layer (36), the first smooth layer (34) and the second knitted fabric layer (36) of each leg panel (14) in direct contact with no additional layers, and
• one or more fastening components (18) connected to the panels (12,14).
6. A method according to 5, and further comprising attaching two intermediate panels
(16), each connected between the back panel (12) and a respective leg panel (14).
7. A method according to claim 5 or 6, and further comprising attaching one or more steering
strips (20) to the back panel (12).