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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an inflatable air mattress positioner system
adapted to be removably installed in a casket to support a cadaver in a
desired position for viewing.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Support systems for human beings are common and employed for a variety of
physiological, protective and relaxation applications, as shown in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 587,224, 795,108, 1,491,146, 1,510,187, 3,308,491, 4,339,151,
4,424,599, 4,694,520, 4,949,412, 4,986,738, 4,998,301, 5,020,168 and
5,103,519. Support devices are also used to support cadavers as disclosed
in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,099,977, 2,618,041, 2,859,505,
3,955,252, and 5,201,102.
Conventional support systems used in caskets, coffins and alternative
containers consist of an adjustable spring-mattress system that can be
raised or lowered and tilted to some extent from side to side and from
head to foot, in a plane, by a crank-screw system to position the cadaver
for viewing. It has been found, however, that the crank-screw system
cannot in all circumstances completely position the cadaver so as to be
aesthetically pleasing for mourners. Consequently, it is often necessary
to support various portions of the body with objects such as conventional
pillows, empty formalin bottles, tissue paper or other objects. Such
objects selected are positioned beneath the body to affect the body so
that the position of the cadaver is favorable for the mourners' viewing.
The conventional spring-mattress system is costly, both for its moving
parts and labor intense manufacturing, and for mounting in an existing
casket. This system is not easily reusable and is ultimately disposed of
with the casket regardless of the final method of disposition (cremation,
burial or entombment).
Alternatively, it has been found in the art to omit use of the
spring-mattress system and to line the bottom of the casket, coffin or
alternative container with wood shavings and/or excelsior or other types
of filler material to form a "mattress" for the remains. Again, the
mortician must mold the bed of shavings or excelsior to the body so that
the body is in an acceptable viewing position. This entails extracting the
filling from beneath the cadaver or inserting additional filling or
readjusting the existing filling at a particular point beneath the body.
This method can be time consuming and can result in the need for further
adjustment or support of the cadaver with conventional pillows, empty
formalin bottles, tissue paper or other objects so that the position of
the cadaver is once again favorable for the mourners' viewing. This system
however, almost always requires the mortician to remove the material from
under the cadaver to close the casket lid. The remaining filling is lost
to the burial, cremation or entombment.
It is also known to insert or remove filling in a pillow for use to support
the head of the cadaver in an acceptable position for mourner viewing.
However, the same disadvantages of lack of adjustment which are common to
the mattress leads to the need of additional positioning materials such as
additional pillows, bottles, tissue paper or other objects to achieve the
desired position of the cadavers head.
Additionally, a problem with the cadaver positioning systems of the prior
art is that the head and back of the cadaver that is being prepared for
viewing is not always acceptable when it is initially placed in the
casket, coffin or alternative container. The chin may be positioned too
close or too far from the chest so that the chin exceeds that which would
be acceptable to mourners or look natural with respect to the chest on a
vertical plane. In order to correctly position the head, any number of
different materials such as empty formalin bottles, conventional pillows,
tissue paper and other objects must be placed under the middle of the
cadaver's back to raise the back and position the head to an acceptable
standard of height for mourner viewing. This current technique is often
time consuming, requires many adjustments and could be perceived as less
than professional if the additional positioning materials were seen by the
mourners and the general public.
Some attempts have been implemented to correct the disadvantages of the
support devices and methods currently employed in the funeral industry as
follows:
McKelvey, U.S. Pat. No. 587,224, discloses an inflatable headrest used with
dental, surgical or other chairs. The pad is made of a molded rubber
having an oblong or oval shape. The upper side is depressed to adapt to
the shape of the head of the patient and the underside is attachable to a
support.
Doellinger, U.S. Pat. No. 795,108, discloses a pneumatic pillow comprising
an inflatable rubber bag covered by a pillow case. An air pump is
contained within the pillow for inflating the pillow.
Larson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,146, discloses a head cushion comprising a
plurality of substantially elliptical pieces of pliable material secured
together around the edges to provide a closed chamber therewithin. This
chamber may be inflated with air to provide padding. Bands are provided to
the cushion to surround the person's head to attach the cushion thereto.
Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,510,187, discloses an inflatable head rest
comprising a pillow adapted to rest in the hollow of a person's neck. The
pillow projects forward over the shoulder of the person in a U-shape
extending close to the neck and sides of the head. Straps are attached to
the pillow to attach it to the person's body to hold it in place. The tube
may be inflated to a desired inflation during use and deflated for packing
and storage.
Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,041, discloses an embalmer's headrest
comprising a base and a head support. The headrest may be vertically
adjusted with respect to the base.
Spence, U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,491, discloses a cushion containing a
hydrostatic gel covered with a highly elastic material. This cushion
readily adapts itself to the contour of the surface of the supported body.
Reda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,252, discloses a corpse positioner and restrainer
with a rigid support member and a cradling portion disposed thereon. The
device is sold in a collapsed form and may be assembled by moving the
transverse portions toward each other. The device may be formed from
corrugated pasteboard.
Riggs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,151, discloses a head restraint for supporting a
head while a person is seated in a chair. The device includes a strap that
can be wrapped around the back of the chair and an adjustable headband
secured to the strap of the head band which includes a head strap to
encircle the user's head. Adhesive patches are provided on the head strap
to secure the head strap about the user's head.
Markus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,301, discloses a collapsible bed pan support
made of a thin flexible material which may be inflated to support the body
to cause the upward sloping of the body from the back towards the buttox
and thigh areas of the patient. The support is relatively thin and can
remain under the patient. The support allows the patient to use a normal
bedpan.
Wood, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,168, discloses an inflatable handicapped chair
for use by a handicapped person in bathing. The chair has a base, a back,
and a plurality of individually inflatable portions to fit the handicapped
person.
McClure, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,102, discloses a casket bed system that
comprises a mattress with a plurality of independently inflatable sections
to position a cadaver in the casket. Means are provided to position the
head vertically with respect to the feet, to angle the upper torso, and to
adjust the head relative to the chest to properly space the chin from the
chest.
However, among these references, there is lacking a partially pneumatic
pillow which is structured of an inflatable bladder with one or more
chambers independently adjustable of one another and padding to adjustably
position the head of the cadaver, particularly the chin with respect to
the chest and the remaining part of the body, and a system of independent
air bladders which can be used with this or any other support system to
assist in positioning the back, arms or any other part of the cadaver that
requires adjustment, as well as an inflatable air mattress support system
with the structure and benefits of the present invention, which is
inexpensive to manufacture, completely reusable, retrofittable to existing
caskets, coffins or alternative containers and adapted for being removably
installed within a casket, coffin or alternative container without
altering the structure of the casket or any other positioning system
already installed in the casket or having the capability of completely
replacing any existing positioning system currently in use in caskets,
coffins or alternative containers.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inflatable air mattress positioner system of the present invention, for
use in positioning a cadaver in a casket, coffin or alternative container
includes a pillow with a chamber in which is disposed a bladder with a
plurality of air chambers, each one of which has a corresponding inflation
tube and valve assembly in communication therewith to permit inflation
thereof. A cushion material is also included in the pillow. The cushion
material coacts with the air bladder to position the head, upper arms,
chest and shoulder region of a cadaver so that the chin of the cadaver is
positioned at an acceptable height in relation to the chest in a manner
acceptable to the mortician and mourners. In addition, the assembly
includes an inflatable air mattress (bladder) having a plurality of air
chambers which are independently inflatable via an inflation tube and
valve assembly to position a cadaver at an appropriate height and angle in
the casket, coffin or alternative container for mourner viewing.
Additional air bladders separate of the main inflatable air mattress
(bladder) are also provided to be disposed under the cadaver to aid in
positioning the cadaver's head, back, neck, torso, arms and other areas as
desired, to be used as a spare or supplemental to the chambers in the main
air mattress and tilt the cadaver along its longitudinal axis for mourner
viewing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
inflatable support system for positioning a cadaver in a casket, coffin or
alternative container with unlimited adjustability.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a partially
pneumatic pillow as a component of an inflatable support system for a
cadaver positioned in a casket, coffin or alternative container.
It is even another object of the present invention to provide a partially
pneumatic pillow being formed of an inflatable portion and a cushion
portion to adjustably support and maintain the position of the head of the
cadaver with respect to the body.
It is another object of the present invention to have an inflatable support
system including a air mattress (bladder) having a plurality of
individually inflatable chambers which can be rearranged with respect to
one another to position the cadaver for mourner viewing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system of
separately independent air bladders of one or more chambers which can be
used with this system or any other system currently in use in caskets,
coffins or alternative containers regardless of size, design or material
used in their construction.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a partially
pneumatic pillow and an inflatable support system and a system of
independent air bladders which may be removably installed in a casket,
coffin or alternative container.
It is even another object of the present invention to provide a positioner
which requires no alteration of the casket, coffin or alternative
container or existing spring mattress system within the casket, coffin or
alternative container and which is reusable for subsequent mourner
viewings.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a partially
pneumatic pillow and an inflatable support system adapted to raise or
lower and tilt or roll the cadaver in a casket, coffin or alternative
container using no other materials (formalin bottles, conventional
pillows, tissue paper, etc.) other than the various individual air
bladders available within the positioning system.
It is still another object of this present invention to provide an
inflatable mattress system that can entirely eliminate and replace the
spring bed and crank system currently in use in caskets, coffins or
alternative containers with no alteration other than omitting the spring
bed and crank system components when the casket, coffin or alternative
container is manufactured.
It is still another object of this present invention to provide an
inflatable mattress (bladder) system that can entirely replace the
shredded material, wood wool shavings or excelsior mattress system
currently in use in caskets, coffins or alternative containers with no
alteration other than omitting such material when the casket, coffin or
alternative container is manufactured.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other important objects and features of the invention will be apparent from
the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a conventional casket having removably
installed therein the inflatable air mattress support system of/the
present invention;
FIG. 2 partially fragmented view, in perspective of the components of the
inflatable air mattress support system of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inflatable air mattress support system of
the present invention and means by which inflation of the invention can be
implemented;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of
FIG. 3, showing the inflatable air mattress support system of the present
invention in a casket for adjustably supporting a cadaver for viewing; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view from the head of a casket showing the
components of the present invention employed to position the cadaver for
viewing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, where like elements are identified by
similar reference numerals, in FIG. 1 an inflatable support system of the
present invention is shown generally at 10 and is disposed in a casket 12.
The inflatable support system 10 includes a plurality of coacting elements
to adjustably support a cadaver for mourner viewing.
The casket 12 may be of any conventional structure and includes side walls
14, a bottom 15, shown in FIG. 4 a forward end 16, a rearward end 18, a
lid 20, and hand railings 22 extended along the side wall, 14 of the
casket 12 to facilitate lifting and carrying the casket. The hand railings
22 are attached to the side walls 14 by any means known in the art such as
with mounting hardware that includes mounting plates 24, or escutcheons,
and mechanical fasteners such as screws or bolts 26 and nuts 28. The
interior of the bottom 15 may be provided with the conventional
spring-mattress (not shown) upon which the inflatable support system 10
may be positioned, or the assembly 10 can be positioned alone in the
interior 30 of the casket on the bottom 15 thereof. Certain areas adjacent
the casket are referred to as the hinge area side H and the viewing area M
(mourner viewing) side for reference purposes with regard to the
positioning of the air bladder positioner 10.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the elements of the inflatable support system 10
may include a partially pneumatic pillow generally indicated at 32, an
inflatable mattress (bladder) portion generally indicated at 34, a
longitudinal bladder generally indicated at 36, a head, neck, torso, back
or accessory bladder generally indicated at 38, a "spare" bladder
generally indicated at 40, used in the event that one of the main air
mattress chambers 60 a-f should develop a leak, and an arm positioning
bladder generally indicated at 108, all of which are manufactured from a
flexible plastic material as described hereinafter.
The partially pneumatic pillow 32 comprises a pillow case 42 having an
exterior surface 44, a top 41, a bottom 43 and sides 45, 46, 47 and 48.
Disposed within the pillow case 42 is a plurality of independently
inflatable air chambers 50a, 50b which are preferably joined to one
another, but not in communication with each other. Each one of the air
chambers 50a, 50b includes a corresponding inflation tube 52 of flexible
plastic material extending therefrom and in communication therewith. The
inflation tubes 52 extend through the side surface 45 of the pillow case
Each inflation tube 52 is provided with a valve V to control inflation and
deflation of the corresponding air bladder 50a, 50b. The inflation tubes
52 preferably extend from the side surface of the pillow case 42 adjacent
to the viewing area M.
The individual air chambers 50a, 50b can be joined together along a common
seam 58. By way of example, the partially pneumatic pillow 32 can be
approximately 25 inches long, 25 inches wide and 6 inches in height to
conform to practically all casket, coffin, or alternative container
interiors, although it will be understood that the pillow 32 can have
other dimensions depending upon the internal proportions of the casket 12
and/or the size of the cadaver and/or the head to be supported.
Additionally, it can be noted that more or less air chambers,
interconnected or separate, can be used to obtain a desired positioning
results in accordance with the present invention.
The partially pneumatic pillow 32 also includes, in a preferred embodiment
a cushion material 56 such as loose polyester fiber material, foam rubber
or the like, within the pillow case 42 to substantially cover the air
chambers 50a, 50b. It is preferred that a layer of approximately two
inches of the cushion material 56 be provided over the air chambers 50a,
50b, although this amount can be altered for altering the position of the
cadaver to be supported. The material 56 will adapt to the contour of the
cadaver, and particularly to the head. The cushion material 56 coacts with
the air chambers 50a, 50b, to position the head of the cadaver in a
natural position.
The mattress portion 34 of the invention includes a plurality of air
chambers 60a-f which are each of a similar construction to pillow air
chambers 50a, 50b. The mattress portion 34 may be formed in any manner
known in the art such as from a pair of plastic sheets 62, 64 which are
positioned in registration with each other so that a peripheral edge of
each of the plastic sheets 62, 64 are joined to form a common seam 66
which extends around the peripheral edge of the mattress portion 34. The
seam 66 may be formed by any known technique, some of which include
cementing, electrical fusing, heat stamping, etc. Corresponding portions
of the upper and lower sheets 62, 64 which are in registration are also
joined together to form seams 66 extending across the mattress so that the
independent air chambers 60a-f are formed.
Extending from each one of the air chambers 60a-f is a corresponding
inflation tube 52 in communication with the respective air chamber. Each
one of the inflation tubes 52 is provided with a corresponding valve V.
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