Seating system with pressure relieving pad

Claim 2

A fluid pad for use in a seating system primarily intended for use to relieve pressure and to reduce development of decubitus ulcers, said fluid pad comprising; a pouch substantially filled with fluid having a viscosity of at least one, said pouch being substantially wedge-shaped in cross section with said wedge shape tapering down in vertical thickness from a thicker first end portion to a thinner second end portion, said wedge-shaped pouch being adapted for positioning in a shaped tray having a seating well defined by an upper surface which is inclined over a portion thereof with the thicker first end portion of said wedge-shaped pouch overlying at least a lowermost part of the upper surface of the seating well and with the thinner second end portion of said wedge-shaped pouch overlying at least a part of the inclined upper surface of the seating well.

Claim 3

The fluid pad of claim 1 wherein the cross section of said pouch is wedge-shaped in mutually perpendicular vertical planes.

Claim 4

The fluid pad of claim 1 wherein said pouch is substantially pie shaped.

Claim 5

The fluid pad of claim 1 wherein said pouch has an outer cover containing said fluid therein, said outer cover having a base adapted to overlie the upper surface of the seating well wherein the remainder of said outer cover is oversized and slack with portions thereof folding back on one another to prevent hammocking.

Claim 6

The fluid pad of claim 4 wherein said base has an area substantially the same as the area of the upper surface to be overlain thereby and wherein said oversizing to prevent hammocking is substantially in the remainder of said outer cover.

Claim 7

The fluid pad of claim 1 wherein the fluid is a highly viscous liquid.

Claim 8

The fluid pad primarily intended for use with a tray member having an upper surface to relieve pressure and to reduce the development of decubitus ulcers, said fluid pad comprising: a pouch partially filled with a fluid having a viscosity of at least one, said pouch being substantially wedge-shaped in cross section with said wedge shape tapering down in vertical thickness from a thicker first end portion to a thinner second end portion, said wedge-shaped pouch having a cover with a bottom portion, a top portion, a base portion, and two side portions, said bottom portion being adapted to overlie a part of the upper surface of said tray member,-said base portion extending upwardly from said bottom portion substantially adjacent said thicker first end portion of said wedge-shaped pouch, said top portion extending from said base portion at said thicker first end portion to the thinner second end portion, said bottom and top portions substantially meeting at said thinner second end portion to form an apex for the wedge shape, and said two side portions being spaced from each other and respectively extending substantially between said bottom and top portions and between said base portion at said thicker first end portion and the apex at said thinner second end portion, said top portion of said cover being oversized and convoluted from the base portion at said thicker first end portion to the apex at said thinner second end portion wherein the linear distance between the base portion and apex is substantially less than the distance therebetween as measured along the convolutions of said top portion of the cover thereby creating slack in said top portion, said base portion also being oversized and convoluted from the bottom portion upwardly to said top portion wherein the linear distance between the bottom and top portions at the thicker first end portion is substantially less than the distance therebetween as measured along the convolutions of said base portion of the cover thereby creating slack in said base portion.

Claim 9

The fluid pad primarily intended for use with a tray member having an upper surface to relieve pressure and to reduce the development of decubitus ulcers, said fluid pad comprising: a pouch partially filled with a fluid having a viscosity of at least one, said pouch being substantially wedge-shaped in cross section with said wedge shape tapering down in vertical thickness from a thicker first end portion to a thinner second end portion, said wedge-shaped pouch having a cover with a bottom portion, a top portion, a base portion, and two side portions, said bottom portion being adapted to overlie a part of the upper surface of said tray member,-said base portion extending upwardly from said bottom portion substantially adjacent said thicker first end portion of said wedge-shaped pouch, said top portion extending from said base portion at said thicker first end portion to the thinner second end portion, said bottom and top portions substantially meeting at said thinner second end portion to form an apex for the wedge shape, and said two side portions being spaced from each other and respectively extending substantially between said bottom and top portions and between said base portion at said thicker first end portion and the apex at said thinner second end portion, said top portion of said cover being oversized and convoluted from the base portion at said thicker first end portion to the apex at said thinner second end portion wherein the linear distance between the base portion and apex is substantially less than the distance therebetween as measured along the convolutions of said top portion of the cover thereby creating slack in said top portion, said base portion also being oversized and convoluted from the bottom portion upwardly to said top portion wherein the linear distance between the bottom and top portions at the thicker first end portion is substantially less than the distance therebetween as measured along the convolutions of said base portion of the cover thereby creating slack in said base portion.

Claim 10

The fluid pad of claim 7 wherein the slack in said base portion as measured by comparing the convoluted distance to the linear distance thereof is greater than the slack in the top portion as measured by comparing the convoluted distance to the linear distance thereof.

Claim 11

The fluid pad of claim 8 wherein the slack in said base portion is at least about 50% greater than the slack in said top portion.

Claim 12

The fluid pad of claim 9 wherein the slack in said base portion is at least about two times as great as the slack in said top portion.

Claim 13

The fluid pad of claim 7 wherein said base portion is also oversized and convoluted between the side portions of said cover wherein the linear distance between the side portions at the thicker first end portion is substantially less than the distance therebetween as measured along the convolutions of said base portion thereby creating additional slack in said base portion.

Claim 14

The fluid pad of claim 11 wherein the additional slack in said base portion as measured by comparing the convoluted distance thereof between the side portions and the linear distance therebetween is substantially less than the vertical slack in said base portion as measured by comparing the convoluted vertical distance to the linear vertical distance thereof.

Claim 15

The fluid pad of claim 12 wherein the vertical slack in the base portion in the vertical direction is at least about two times greater than said additional slack in said base portion.

Claim 16

The fluid pad of claim 11 wherein the additional slack in said base portion as measured by comparing the convoluted distance thereof between the side portions and the linear distance therebetween is less than the slack in the top portion as measured by comparing the convoluted distance to the linear distance thereof, and said slack in said top portion is less than the vertical slack in said base portion as measured by comparing the convoluted vertical distance to the linear vertical distance thereof.