Body support apparatus

Claim 1

Body support apparatus comprising: a flat rectangularly shaped member adapted to be on top of a rectangular mattress in a hospital bed; a body supporting structure on the upper surface of said member, said structure including at least one hollow element rising above said upper surface and filled with a fluid selected from the class of fluids which consists of air and water; and a separate flexible pocket disposed below the lower surface of said member adjacent one selected end thereof for removably receiving and enclosing an end of the mattress adjacent said selected end, said pocket being secured to said lower surface by a line of seal which is narrow to permit the pocket to be flexible and easy to fit, said line being elongated in the transverse direction of said member and extending over almost the entire width, each end of said line terminating in a short leg which extends longitudinally along said member away from said selected end, said line being disposed intermediate the transverse center line of said member and said selected end, said pocket extending in width along the entire width of said member and extending in length from the free ends of said legs to the selected end of said member whereby said pocket holds the member in position and prevents said member from sliding downward toward the other end of the mattress when the adjacent mattress end is raised.