# US 10,765,576 B2 · Apparatus and system for boosting, transferring, turning and positioning a patient > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,576 B2 - Document ID: US10765576B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/494,262 - Filed: 2017-04-21 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-18 - Assignees: Sage Products, LLC - Applicants: Sage Products, LLC - Inventors: Michael J. Rigoni; Garret W. Sweetwood; Paul M. Fowler; Gregory T. Davis; Jeffrey A. Kennedy; Paul H. Hanifl; Craig S. Golden; Mark D. Olson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765576B2 ## CPC - A61G 7/05769: {with inflatable chambers} - A61G 1/01: Sheets specially adapted for use as or with stretchers (restraining devices used in nursing A61F5/37) - A61G 7/001: {with means for turning-over the patient} - A61G 7/05715: {with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material} - A61G 7/1021: {Inflatable cushions} - A61G 7/1026: {Sliding sheets or mats} - A47C 27/08: Fluid mattresses - A47C 27/081: {of pneumatic type} - A47C 27/10: with two or more independently-fillable chambers - A61F 2013/15154: {for hospitalised patients} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An inflatable device for turning or positioning a person in a bed. The inflatable device includes an inflatable body formed by a top sheet and a bottom sheet disposed beneath the top sheet to define a cavity configured to be inflated such that the top sheet forms a top wall of the cavity and the bottom sheet forms a bottom wall of the cavity. The device further includes at least one port having a port opening in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to provide an air input for air for inflating the cavity, wherein the at least one port comprises an elastic member for adjusting a size of the port opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inflatable device for turning or positioning a person in a bed, the inflatable device comprising: an inflatable body formed by a top sheet and a bottom sheet disposed beneath the top sheet to define a cavity configured to be inflated such that the top sheet forms a top wall of the cavity and the bottom sheet forms a bottom wall of the cavity; at least one port having a port opening in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to provide an air input for air for inflating the cavity, wherein the at least one port comprises an elastic member for adjusting a size of the port opening; and a port sock comprising at least one side handle connected to the port sock adjacent the port opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inflatable device of claim 1, further comprising at least one port sock, wherein the at least one port sock comprises a first open end coupled to the inflatable body in fluid communication with the cavity and a second open end at an extended position away from the inflatable body, wherein the at least one port is located at the second open end of the at least one port sock. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inflatable device of claim 2, wherein the at least one port sock is configured to connect to a nozzle of an air pump. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The inflatable device of claim 3, wherein the port sock is configured to connect to a nozzle of an air pump comprising an oblong lip, wherein the oblong lip is configured to prevent the nozzle from disengaging with the port of the port sock. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inflatable device of claim 4, wherein the oblong lip is removable from the nozzle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inflatable device of claim 1, further comprising a valve for controlling a flow of air between the port and the cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inflatable device of claim 6, wherein the valve comprises a pocket positioned with the cavity having an entrance opening in communication with the port and at least one exit opening in communication with the cavity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inflatable device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gussets connected to the top sheet and the bottom sheet and extending across the cavity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inflatable device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of passages extending from the cavity to an exterior of the device wherein the passages are configured to permit air to pass from the cavity to the exterior of the device and flow between the bottom surface and a supporting surface disposed in support of the bottom surface of the device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The inflatable device of claim 9, further comprising a directional stitching material connected to the bottom surface and disposed to cover at least one of the plurality of passages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The inflatable device of claim 10, wherein the stitching material is air permeable and configured to allow air passing through the at least one of the plurality of passages to the exterior of the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The inflatable device of claim 10, wherein the stitching material is configured to have directional friction properties. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The inflatable device of claim 1, wherein the top surface comprises a high friction material such that the top sheet has a resistance to sliding greater than a resistance to sliding of the bottom sheet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A system comprising the inflatable device of claim 1 and at least one wedge body having a base wall, a ramp surface, and a back wall such that the ramp surface and the base wall form an apex at a front end of the wedge body, wherein the wedge is configured to be positioned beneath the inflatable device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The inflatable device of claim 14, wherein the at least one wedge body is deformable. ### Claim 16 An inflatable device for turning or positioning a person in a bed, the inflatable device comprising: an inflatable body formed by a top sheet and a bottom sheet disposed beneath the top sheet to define a cavity configured to be inflated such that the top sheet forms a top wall of the cavity and the bottom sheet forms a bottom wall of the cavity; and at least one port sock, wherein the at least one port sock comprises: a first open end coupled to the inflatable body in fluid communication with the cavity; a second open end at an extended position away from the inflatable body, wherein the second open end comprises a port having a port opening in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to provide an air input for air for inflating the cavity; and at least one side handle connected to the port sock and configured to allow adjustment of the port opening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The inflatable device of claim 16, wherein the at least one port sock is configured to connect to a nozzle of an air pump. ### Claim 18 A method of using an inflatable device for turning and positioning a person on a support surface, comprising: placing above a supporting surface an inflatable device comprising an inflatable body formed by a top sheet and a bottom sheet disposed in connection with the top sheet to form a cavity having the top sheet as a top wall and the bottom sheet as a bottom wall, and at least one port having a port opening in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to provide an air input for air for inflating the cavity, wherein the at least one port comprises an elastic member and at least one side handle connected to the port opening for adjusting a size of the port opening; placing a patient above the inflatable device; adjusting the port opening to receive a nozzle of an air pump; and inflating the device using the air pump. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising using the device to change a position of the patient on the support surface.