Contact and support structures comprising a plurality of fingers
A support structure for supporting and/or contacting a body or a part of a body. The support structure includes: a base layer having a first surface configured to face the body or part of body and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of fingers extending from the first surface, each finger extending in an axial direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface and having a distal end configured to support the body or part of body, the fingers being arranged at a distance from each other, wherein at least one finger is more rigid than a deformable portion of the base layer, the deformable portion surrounding the finger.
1 . A support structure for supporting and/or contacting a body or a part of a body, comprising: a base layer having a first surface configured to face said body or part of body and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of fingers extending from the first surface, wherein the base layer, as seen in cross section, has an undulating shape having undulations, wherein each finger extends from a crest portion of an undulation of the base layer, wherein the plurality of fingers are integrally formed with the base layer, each finger extending in an axial direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface and having a distal end configured to support or contact said body or part of body, the fingers being arranged at a distance from each other, wherein each finger is more rigid than a deformable portion of the base layer, the deformable portion surrounding said finger, wherein the base layer comprises a plurality of said deformable portions and a plurality of intermediary portions from which the fingers extend, the deformable portions being more flexible than the intermediary portions.
2 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein under pressure applied by or on the body or part of body, deformation of the deformable portion of the base layer exceeds deformation of the finger.
3 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein under pressure applied by or on the body or part of body, a displacement of the deformable portion of the base layer in a direction parallel to the axial direction exceeds a compression of the finger in the axial direction.
4 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein under pressure applied by or on the body or part of body, a displacement of the deformable portion of the base layer in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction exceeds a displacement of the distal end of the finger in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction such that adjacent fingers are separated by a distance.
5 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein when no pressure is applied, the deformable portion of the base layer has a substantially planar extension, and under pressure applied by or on the body or part of body, the deformable portion of the base layer has a concavely curved shape as seen from the first surface.
6 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a base portion and raised portions arranged at a distance from the base portion in a direction parallel to the axial direction, wherein at least one of said fingers extends from the raised portions.
7 . The support structure according to claim 6 , wherein the raised portion forms the deformable portion of the base layer.
8 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio between a thickness of the deformable portion of the base layer and a length of the finger is at least 1:5.
9 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein a total area of the distal ends of the fingers is less than 50% of a total area of the support structure.
10 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein a material forming said fingers has a Shore D value of at least 25.
11 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the finger has a substantially circular cross-section having a diameter, wherein a ratio between the diameter at the distal end of the finger and a length of the finger is at least 1:2.
12 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the finger has a substantially circular cross-section having a diameter, wherein a ratio between the diameter at the distal end of the finger and a distance between adjacent fingers is at least 1:2.
13 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio between a distance between adjacent fingers and a length of the finger is at least 1:2.
14 . The support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises at least one first opening.
15 . The support structure according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one second opening positioned in the finger and/or in the raised portion.
16 . A support arrangement, comprising:
a core layer,
a support structure according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure is arranged on the core layer,
a cover at least partially covering the support structure.
17 . A support structure for skin contact, comprising a base layer having a first surface and a second surface, opposite the first surface, a plurality of fingers extending from the first surface of the base layer, wherein each finger has a distal end configured to form a skin contacting surface, wherein the base layer, as seen in cross section, has an undulating shape having undulations, wherein each finger extends from a crest portion of an undulation of the base layer, and wherein each finger is configured such that, when pressure is applied on the plurality of fingers, deflection of the crest portion of the undulation of the base layer exceeds deflection of the finger, in a direction substantially parallel to an axial direction of the finger and the fingers are configured to deflect in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the finger.
18 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the support structure is a dressing.
19 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the undulating shape is sine wave shaped.
20 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the base layer is provided with at least one opening, wherein said at least one opening extends between the first surface and the second surface of the base layer at a trough portion of the undulation of the base layer.
21 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein at least the distal ends of the fingers are adhesive.
22 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the fingers extend from the base layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base layer.
23 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the fingers are more rigid than the crest portion of the undulations of the base layer.
24 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the base layer is flexible in a direction substantially parallel to the extension of the fingers.
25 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein the base layer is flexible in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extension of the fingers.
26 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein, when pressure is applied on the fingers, a displacement of the crest portion of the undulation of the base layer in a direction substantially parallel to the axial direction of the fingers exceeds compression of the finger in the axial direction.
27 . The support structure according to claim 17 , wherein, when pressure is applied on the fingers, a displacement of the crest portion of the undulation of the base layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the fingers exceeds a displacement of the distal end of the finger in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.
28 . A support structure for supporting and/or contacting a body or a part of a body, comprising: a base layer having a first surface configured to face said body or part of body and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of fingers extending from the first surface, wherein the plurality of fingers are integrally formed with the base layer, wherein the base layer, as seen in cross section, has an undulating shape having undulations, wherein each finger extends from a crest portion of an undulation of the base layer, each finger extending in an axial direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface and having a distal end configured to support or contact said body or part of body, the fingers being arranged at a distance from each other, wherein each finger is more rigid than a deformable portion of the base layer, the deformable portion surrounding said finger, wherein the base layer comprises a plurality of said deformable portions and a plurality of intermediary portions from which the fingers extend, the deformable portions being more flexible than the intermediary portions, the intermediary portions each extending from the first surface of the base layer to a respective one of the plurality of fingers.