Pub. No.: US 2008/0289.109 A1 Jackson (43) Pub
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US 20080289 109A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0289.109 A1 JacksOn (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 27, 2008 (54) HUMAN HAND MIMETIC AND PEDIATRIC Publication Classification BOLSTER SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVICE (51) Int. Cl. A47G 9/10 (2006.01) (76) Inventor: Yamile Jackson, Houston, TX (US) (s2 usc.. 5/632; 5/424; 5/655 Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT BUCHE & ASSOCIATES, P.C. A human hand mimetic and pediatric Support system device 875 PROSPECT, SUITE 305, SUITE 205 to provide comfort, positioning aid, sense of security and LA JOLLA, CA 92037 (US) Support for infants, especially premature infants or other users lacking full mobility. This device consists of a cavity in (21) Appl. No.: 12/123,337 the shape of a human hand (glove/mitten) partially or totally filled with a freely flowable material and closed at the cuff. An (22) Filed: May 19, 2008 optional extension to the cuff mimics an arm/forearm to pro vide extra length, weight and/or flexibility of usage. This Related U.S. Application Data device provides continual gentle pressure and Subtle restraint by mimicking the touch of a human hand and conforming to (62) Division of application No. 10/414,518, filed on Apr. the contour of the body. The device may be used directly 15, 2003. touching the skin, is washable without disassembly, and it does not interfere with medical or other equipment. It may be (60) Provisional application No. 60/374,296, filed on Apr. used under or over the body of the infant (excluding the face) 22, 2002, provisional application No. 60/383,932, or to secure external items in place Such as pacifiers, bottles, filed on May 30, 2002. paperwork, toys, tubes, etc.) Patent Application Publication Nov. 27, 2008 Sheet 1 of 3 US 2008/0289.109 A1 Patent Application Publication Nov. 27, 2008 Sheet 2 of 3 US 2008/0289.109 A1 Patent Application Publication Nov. 27, 2008 Sheet 3 of 3 US 2008/0289.109 A1 US 2008/0289 109 A1 Nov. 27, 2008 HUMAN HAND MIMETIC AND PEDIATRIC interfere with hospital equipment such as tubes, cables, etc. BOLSTER SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVICE Moreover, the items that are rolled (towels, t-shirts, etc) may unroll and not provide the support needed; and, the families of CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED the infants, for the most part, must provide the stuffed ani APPLICATIONS mals, so not every infant has one to use for comfort. 0001. This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/414, 0010. The human hand mimetic and pediatric bolster Sup 518 for a “Human hand mimetic and pediatric bolster support port system device of this invention provides the intended use system device' which was originally filed on Apr. 15, 2003, of all the devices mentioned above by assisting as: claiming priority from provisional application Ser. No. 0011 Positional aid: by providing boundaries and the abil 60/374.296 (filed Apr. 22, 2002) (“Human hand mimetic ity to use the device on top/under/around or away from the device') and also claiming priority from provisional applica body when laying in any position or sitting up, or by assisting tion Ser. No. 60/383,932 (filed May 30, 2002) (“Pediatric with positioning and securing external elements such as Bolster Support System'). This application incorporates by medical equipment (tubes, etc), blankets, pacifiers, etc. reference all prior disclosures referenced in this paragraph. 0012. It provides support by preventing rolling of the infant by applying pressure to any body part (except the face) STATEMENT REGARDING FED SPONSORED while in prone position (i.e., on top of the back, legs, back of R&D the head, etc, or under the stomach, etc.) or Supine position (i.e., under the head, or under or on top of arms, legs, etc.) or 0002. Not Applicable sideling (i.e., on the back of the head, or on top of the hip, as back Support, on or between the legs, etc.). The device also REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A may include and extension to the cuff to simulate an arm/ TABLE, ORACOMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING forearm to give extra Support by increasing the Volume and APPENDIX maintaining the density. In addition, this extension may be 0003) Not Applicable converted to be a pediatric bolster support system by shifting and securing the pellets to the extension's side and making its BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION density 100%, that way, the extension becomes harder, less 0004. This invention relates to a device to provide com flexible and heavier, providing extra support to the infant. fort, positioning aid, sense of security and Support for infants, This device, when converted to the pediatric bolster system, especially premature infants or other users lacking full mobil may not be placed over the infant as it does not totally con ity. It provides continual gentle pressure, aid in positioning, form to the shape of the body and it may be too heavy for and Subtle restraint by mimicking the shape/weight of a static premature infants. human hand and providing an optional extension that may be 0013 Sense of security: to the infant by placing it fully or converted to a pediatric bolster Support system device. partially over the body (except the face), giving the sense of 0005. The caregiver of premature and term infants must being touched and accompanied. It conforms to the body and determine the position that is more comfortable for the infant is Sufficiently heavy to prevent slipping. It can be used safely given his/her specific situation and medical condition. At the in any environment, is convenient, practical, washable with present, there are a variety of devices that are currently used out disassembly, and it is inexpensive, giving the possibility to assist on the comfort of infants: to provide one device for each infant minimizing potential 0006 Positional aids: Nurses use different elements to contamination due to sharing of devices among infants. It also secure the position of the infant and/or the medical equipment gives a sense of comfort for the infant's family as the shape of and other items both touching the infantas well as away from the device is appealing and familiar to them by resembling him, i.e., they tape the items to a nearby blanket and/or to a their own hands that stay with the infant while they cannot be small stuffed animals to secure the position of the medical with him/her. At the end of the hospitalization, the family may equipment (i.e., tubes, cables, etc) and other devices (i.e., take the device home with them and use it for support in the pacifiers, blankets, paperwork, etc.) car seat during transportation. 0007 Support: Towels, blankets, cloth diapers and even 0014. Many products have been developed to assist t-shirts are rolled to give Support and assist on positioning the infants, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,152 of Wilson (1999). infant while laying or sitting down. These devices are made In that patent, the sleep promoting and comforting device for out of cloth and they are soft and flexible thus they do not infants uses clips that may not be suitable for premature provide Sufficient Support, they also can unroll easily. infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as many 0008 Sense of security: caregivers often “swaddle’ of the premature infants in incubators or warmers do not wear infants in towels or blankets to give them some Support and clothing. Moreover, the use of clams and rod-like structures boundaries, in addition, Some place light and Small stuffed and the device that covers a great deal of the infant’s body may animals over the infants (on the chest or below and/or on the interfere with hospital equipment/devices such as warmers, back of the head) when they cannot use their own hands to IVs, tubes, etc. In addition, different sizes of the device must offer continual gentle pressure to their patients. However, be made to fit the different infant sizes. A device that can be these items do not conform to the body and may be too light used not only for term newborn infants but for premature defeating the purpose of its use. Currently, it is common to see infants as well and one that does not require different parts 1 to 5 infants for each nurse and the nurses can not use their that may malfunction or interfere with medical devices will own hands to give constant Support or restraint. be desirable. 0009 None of these devices above are made for the pur 0015. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,239 of Grazel (2000), pose mentioned; moreover, they do not conform to the the infant positioning device must be made to fit the weight infant’s bodies and while not serving the purpose well, they and height of the infant as the elongated sleeve is used to may be unsafe by creating a Suffocation hazard and also may surround or wrap about the infant, therefore, different sizes of US 2008/0289 109 A1 Nov. 27, 2008 the device must be provided to fit infants of different sizes, 0021 Accordingly, several objects and advantages my i.e., for those weighing 2 pounds or less up to those weighing HUMAN HAND MIMETIC AND PEDIATRIC BOLSTER 7 lbs or more. Moreover, this device is not to be placed on top SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVICE are: of the infant but surrounding him/her. It would be preferable 0022. 1. To provide a device that will provide continual that the same size device could be used on different size users gentle pressure and Subtle restraint to the user by mimicking and for its design to allow it to be placed on top, under, away a human hand and by the infant to provide flexibility of use and provide 0023 2.