Device to limit the mobility of a person or object

Abstract

A mobility limiting system is provided which maintains the position of an individual or object. This device comprises a pad attached to a support surface and a vest worn by an individual or affixed to an object. The pad front and vest back are comprised of hook and loop material which bind to each other and secure the individual or object in place. The pad is secured to a support surface using straps. The vest closed with hook and loop will hold in a semi-fixed position until a purposeful movement releases the hold. The device uses an adhesive material to attach the individual or object to a stationary object thus limiting the mobility while maintaining it orientation. The device may also use tabs in place of the vest front panels which fold over the shoulders and around the torso to secure the individual or object similar to a vest.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefits of provisional application U.S. 61/401,813 filed on Aug. 20, 2010.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

No federally sponsored research or development was used in the development of this product.

SEQUENCE OR PROGRAM LISTING

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of mobility systems which limit movement of individuals or objects and more specifically to devices that aid in maintaining a fixed and secure position without the use of physical restraints.

Field of Classification Search: U.S. Cl. 5/424, 600, 603; 24/255, 442, 455; 119/814; 128/133, 134, 846, 869, 870, 874; 257/438; 297/465, 484

US PATENT DOCUMENTS

• U.S. Pat. No. 7,878,995 2/2011 Harty . . . 602/18
• U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,877 2/2007 Watson . . . 297/484
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,028 11/1999 Wetmore . . . 119/814
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,747 2/1997 Timms . . . 128/869
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,958 6/1987 Garman . . . 128/134
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,003 4/1987 Wirtz . . . 128/133
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,629 1/1987 Cummings . . . 280/801
• U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,425 9/1985 Yetter . . . 128/134

Often it is desirable to be able to limit the mobility of an individual or object with using restraints. Care-givers struggle with helping an individual maintain a position in a bed, wheelchair, chair, and other surface. This often occurs when having to lay down an infant or child while doing other tasks such as answering the phone or for adults in a bed laying flat or inclined and continually sliding down requiring the attention of a care-giver to reposition them. Commonly, infants will want to roll or sit up when the parent or care-giver is doing a task. Using a restraint is not comfortable for the infant and requires extensive handling and manipulations to restrain the child. Infants find this constraint undesireable due to loss of movement. And so an easy to use device which permits freedom of movement for the limbs and head while limiting the movement of the torso is desireable. A similar situation exists for adults that are bed ridden or invalid and must be repositioned frequently, as often as every 10 to 15 minutes due to the inability to support their body.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to limiting the mobility of an individual or object with the use of restraints. The device has an attachment area that limits the movement for individuals or objects. The device is designed to aid in maintaining a fixed and secure position without Use of physical restraints. The device will hold in a semi-fixed position until a purposeful movement releases the hold. The device uses an adhesive material to attach the individual or object to a stationary object thus limiting the mobility while maintaining it orientation.

The device is comprised of a base pad and a vest. The base pad is affixed to a stationary surface such as a bed or chair using straps. Along the back of the pad is a rubberized material to allow the pad to grip the support surface and be flexible to not encumber the movement of the individual or object. The top of the pad is comprised of a loop material which will bind with loops on a vest. The vest is made of a polymeric material such as cotton or other fabric which is washable. Attached to the back of the vest are strips of hook material which will bind to the top of the pad. The vest closure is hook and loop in which loop material is attached to one panel and the hook material is attached in a perpendicular direction on the other front panel. When the hook and loop on the front panels of the vest are in contact, they provide a secure fit to the individual or object which limits their mobility. The hook on the back of the vest attaches to the loop material of the affixed pad and holds the individual or object in place. The individual or object can be detached from the pad without having to undo straps or other restraining devices. Thus, it allows the parent to easily lift the infant from the stationary surface and an adult or child individual can lean forward to detach from the stationary surface. The vest still allows the limbs and head to move while limiting the mobility of the torso but not so tight as to be uncomfortable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the pad and vest.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the front of the vest.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the back of the vest.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the pad.

The pad (FIG. 4) includes at least a textured, rubberized, non-slip backing fabric, loop fabric, web belting, double fold binding, parachute buckles, and coordinating thread . Pad may comprise any suitable material, such as cotton, polyester, acrylic, nylon, or other polymer or quilted fabric or by using materials for disposable garments. There may also be an inner liner which provides cushioning to the pad. Pad is flexible and may be washable. The pad buckles may be made of polymer or metallic material and can be a snap, clasp, button, hook, latch, buckle or other strap securing device or combinations thereof and allow for adjustable attachment of the pad to a support surface such as a bed, chair, table, wheelchair, toilet chair, etc. The materials for the pad are attached by sewing or by other means for attaching fabric such as adhesives, tapes, or thermal weld. The web belting, double fold binding, and the associated buckles are affixed to the straps by sewing or by other means for affixing straps to fabric such as snaps, clasp, button, hooks, latch or other means such adhesives, tapes, or thermal welds.

With the pad secured to a support surface using the straps, the individual or object is fitted with the vest and then positioned against the loop side of the pad allowing the fleece to bind to the hook surface. This prevents the torso of the individual from changing position while maintaining mobility of the limbs and head. The individual or object can easily be detached from the pad when the individual fitted with the vest leans forward or by lifting the object from the pad. Thus, mobility of an individual or object is limited when the vest attaches to the pad strapped to a stationary surface but not restrained directly as with straps.

Although an individual such as a child, infant, or adult is described in the embodiments above, a person of any age or an object may also be fixed in position as described above. Also, activities other than the above may be performed on the individual or object during use of the mobility limiting system, e.g. administering medication, medical procedures, etc.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the various modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the mobility limiting system may be of other configurations such as tab which fold over the shoulder and around the torso and are affixed to each other along the torso midline using hoop and loop on the end of the tabs. Furthermore, any or all parts of the

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is understood that the figures and description of the present invention may have been simplified to illustrate the elements that are relevant to a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements found in other mobility limiting systems. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements may be desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It is also to be understood that the drawings included herewith only provide a diagrammatic representation of the presently preferred structures of the present invention and that structures falling with the scope of the present invention may include structures different from those shown in the drawing. References will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures are provided with like reference designations.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an isometric view of the mobility limitation system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The mobility limitation system is an assembly of components including a pad and a vest (FIG. 1). The pad is removably secured to a stationary surface.

The vest front (FIG. 2) and back (3) are comprised of fabric such as mid-weight cotton liner and exterior of the front panels and mid-weight cotton for the liner and fusible fleece for the exterior of the back panel. The left and right front and back panels are attached by sewing or by other means for attaching fabric such as adhesives, tapes or thermal weld. Hook and loop strips are attached to the apposing front panels with the hook strip on one panel placed in a perpendicular direction to the loop strip on the opposite panel by sewing or by other means for attaching fabric such as adhesives, tapes, or thermal weld. The front and back panels are assembled to form a vest are attached by sewing or by other means for attaching fabric such as adhesives, tapes, or thermal weld with the fusible fleece on the exterior of the back. The hook and loop of the front panel can then be joined to close the vest front around the individual or object. mobility limiting system may be washable and/or water resistant or made of disposable materials. It is therefore to be understood that the present system is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed above, but it is intended to cover such modifications and variations as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A mobility limiting system for maintaining the horizontal, inclined, or vertical position of an individual or object without the use of physical restraints, said system comprising:

a. a pad of given length having an adhesive substrate such as flexible loop fabric within a single transverse plane

b. a pad of given length with side straps or other attachment devices for securing it to a support surface within a single transverse plane

c. a vest of given length consisting of fabric having front and back panels with an adhesive substrate such as hook and loop material on opposing front panels so that when the adhesive substrate areas of the front panels are communicated, the mobility of the torso of an individual is limited while maintaining freedom of movement of limbs and head or an object is enveloped by the vest.

d. a vest of given length consisting of adhesive substrate such as hook material on the exterior of the back panel for communicating to the adhesive substrate surface of the pad such as the loop fabric and with the pad secured to a support surface, holds an individual or object(s) in place while allowing the individual to detach from the pad with a leaning motion or to detach object(s) by grasping and lifting.

2. The mobility limiting system as in claim 1 where in the pad and vest comprises a waterproof surface.

3. The mobility limiting system as in claim 1 where in the pad and vest comprises a disposable device.

4. The mobility limit system as in claim 1 wherein the attachment straps on the sides of the pad are detachable from the support surface.

5. A mobility limiting system as in claim 1 wherein the front panels of the vest are replaced by tabs which fit over the shoulder and around the torso to secure the individual in position.