Abstract: An inflatable air mattress adapted to be securely disposed on top of a conventional mattress for proper support of a patient employs a first upper air impervious rectangularly shaped flexible layer having opposite ends and opposite sides and a second lower air impervious rectangularly shaped flexible layer having like opposite ends and like opposite sides. The peripheries of the first and second layers are joined together in air impervious sealed relationship. The first and second layers are also joined together in air impervious sealed relationship in small selected areas spaced from each other and from said peripheries. An air inlet port is secured to the second layer and communicates with the interior of the layers. An air outlet port spaced from the inlet port is also secured to the second layer and communicates with the interior of the layers. First and second spaced strap engaging members are secured to the second layer adjacent one side of the second layer.

Abstract: Disposable hyperbaric oxygen dressing adapted to treatment of a body sore on the skin of a patient. A thin flexible oxygen impermeable plastic film has upper and lower surfaces. A rigid flat open cell plastic member is oxygen permeable. The member has a central opening, a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface. The upper member surface is sealed to the lower surface of the film, the film-member seal being oxygen impermeable. A first self-adhesive layer is secured to the lower surface of the member. A second layer of release paper is removably secured to the first layer. The first layer, after the second layer has been removed, is adapted to be removably sealed in an oxygen impermeable manner to the skin of the patient with the sore being disposed in the opening. An oxygen feed tube extending through the member into the central opening, said tube being oxygen impermeable and sealed to the member, the tube-member seal being oxygen impermeable.

Abstract: An instrument for measuring the pressure exerted upon a portion of the body of a bedridden individual lying on a mattress by that section of the mattress which is engaged by this body portion. A small flexible hollow member has a first air inlet and is adapted to be positioned for use between the body portion and the mattress section. A switch is disposed in the member with connecting leads extending out of the member. The switch is open when the air pressure in the member is at least equal to the exerted pressure and is closed when the air pressure in the member is less than the exerted pressure. A circuit including a lamp and an electric power source is connected to the switch to cause the lamp to be energized and lit when the switch is closed, the lamp being deenergized and dark when the switch is open. An air pressure meter has a second air inlet. A manually operated air pump is connected to both air inlets.

Abstract: A hollow flexible body adapted to rest upon a mattress has the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped which is horizontally elongated and is vertically shallow. The body has a closed bottom and sides with a top having a rectangular opening therein. The opening conforms in shape and size to the top but is somewhat smaller whereby a rectangular border separates the opening from the outer peripher of the top of the body. At least one water filled cushion is disposed in the body with a main portion exposed in the opening and with end portions extending in the body underneath the border. The cushion is detachably secured to the body.

Abstract: A thin flexible member, vertically elongated and hollow, has a rear surface and an oppositely disposed exposed front surface. The member has top and bottom edges and oppositely disposed side edges. The front surface has a slit communicating with the interior of the member which extends between the side edges thereof adjacent but below the top edge thereof. A horizontally elongated flexible strip extends across said member intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof and adjacent the front surface. The strip is secured to the side edges and is otherwise spaced from the front surface. The top portion of the member above the strip can be folded upon the remaining portion of said member and extend through the space between the strip and the member with the slit being disposed below the strip to seal the interior of the member. A flexible cushioning layer can be secured to the rear surface of the member. Alternatively, the member can have a rear pocket in which the cushioning layer can be removably disposed.