Hybrid stretcher

Abstract

A stretcher comprising a hollow body made in one piece and extending longitudinally is described. In the stretcher there is an upper seat, intended to accommodate a patient in pronated position that includes a flexible bearing plane surrounded by perimetric retaining side walls. The retaining side walls are tilted with respect to the bearing plane and the lower surface of the hollow rigid body include continuous convex curved struts extending at least under the retaining side walls.

Claims

1. A stretcher comprising a substantially rectangular frame with upper and lower surfaces and a longitudinally extending flat bearing plain positioned centrally on the frame and flanked on each longer side by retaining side walls extending radially less than 5 inches and tilted upward at an angle α not exceeding 35° with respect to said flat bearing plain, the stretcher including a plurality of co-planar curved skids with round terminal ends which are positioned under the retaining side walls for reduced friction when sliding the stretcher in proximity to a patient for loading and to brace the stretcher when carried; wherein the round terminal ends of the skids are concentric with a plurality of stretcher carriage handles to provide a rounded pivot point for pivoting and loading the patient on the stretcher; further comprising longitudinal stiffening bars embedded under the flat bearing plain, parallel to one another and to long sides of the rectangular stretcher, to balance the stretcher when carried.

2. The stretcher as defined in claim 1, further comprising a means for damping untoward forces or shocks which may be exerted on the stretcher during carriage of patients.

3. The stretcher defined in claim 2, the means for damping comprising a plurality of through-slots are positioned longitudinally within the flat bearing plain, said through slots delimited by vertical walls traversing the substantially rectangular frame from the upper to lower surfaces, having a rigid portion proximate to the lower surface and a flexible portion proximate to the upper surface that impart flexibility to the substantially rectangular frame.

4. The stretcher defined in claim 3, wherein the through-slot vertical walls form variant shapes of the through-slots including substantially square through the lower surface and substantially oval through the upper surface of the substantially rectangular frame body.

5. The stretcher defined in claim 4, further comprising deformation of the through-slot vertical walls concomitant and proportionate to shocks and forces applied, and restoration of the through-slot walls to an original shape upon abatement of forces on the stretcher.

6. The stretcher as defined in claim 5, wherein said continuous convex curved skids extend from a lower surface of the rigid rectangular frame covering each of said longitudinal stiffening bars and peripheral surface ends of said retaining side walls.

7. The stretcher as defined in claim 6, wherein the retaining side walls include a plurality of windows for ease of first responders to grip and transport the stretcher.

8. The stretcher as defined in claim 7, wherein some windows are crossed by a pin for anchoring karabiners that allow hooking outer immobilization belts that are applied as needed.

9. The stretcher as defined in claim 8, wherein there are belts for immobilizing the patient that emanate from the retaining side walls along the opposed longest sides of the stretcher, and wherein the belts are housed in winders in the rigid rectangular frame when in a non-operative condition.

10. The stretcher as defined in claim 9, wherein the ends of the belts are provided with buckles that remain hidden inserted in opposite housings obtained in the retaining side walls where the belts for immobilizing the patient are housed completely in the respective winders in a non-operative condition.

11. The stretcher as defined in claim 10, wherein at least three pairs of belts are provided for immobilizing the patient and distributed along the opposed longest sides.

12. The stretcher as defined in claim 11, a concurrent tightening means comprising a plurality of tubular bars with splits to receive an end of each belt, wherein the tubular bars are in turn housed in longitudinal holes provided with passages for the belts, and each of the plurality of tubular bars projects from the hollow rigid body having at a terminal end of an activating and locking lever.

13. The stretcher as defined in claim 12, wherein as the buckles are hooked to one another, the belts secured on the patient, in which condition the belts crossing the slits wedged into the tubular bars and the locking levers can be rotated a fraction of a revolution, and consequent to this rotation, all belts of each side of the stretcher are concurrently locked inside the rigid rectangular frame.

14. The stretcher as defined in claim 13, further comprising flexible carriage handles for providing a minimal sway to the stretcher which further diminish forces experienced by the patient during carriage.

15. The stretcher as defined in claim 14, wherein the flexible carriage handles include a rubber or other flexible material laminate which serves as a grip area to facilitate carriage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become dearer in the following description, which was made by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a stretcher according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 1A is a plan view of the stretcher wherein line IV-IV traverses the concentric round terminal ends of the skids and longitudinal carriage handles.

(4) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the stretcher according to the plan II-II of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the stretcher according to the plan III-III of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of the stretcher according to the present invention in a first condition of use;

(7) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the stretcher in FIG. 4 in a second condition of use;

(8) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of some elements of the stretcher depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5;

(9) FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a first slot wall flexed by force applied in carriage;

(10) FIG. 8 is an elevation view of a second slot wall distortion from additional force applied;

(11) FIG. 9 is an elevation view of first and second slot walls flexed and the wall of an adjacent slot also distorted from yet a stronger force or shock applied;

(12) FIG. 10 is an end view of the stretcher in use with curved skids, round handle and co-extensive round skid ends combining to position the stretcher proximate to a patient;

(13) FIG. 11 is a top view of the stretcher in use to safely roll a patient aboard the stretcher.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) The upper seat 20 of the stretcher 10 designed for accommodating a patient in a prone position is shown in the plan view of FIG. 1. The upper seat 20 includes a bearing plane 30 surrounded on its perimeter by retaining side walls 40.

(15) In particular, the stretcher 10 comprises a hollow rigid body made in one piece of radiotransparent plastic material, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) for example, and formed, for example, by rotational molding processes in order to obtain both a robust and light structure and to form possible cavities that are useful in some embodiments. The stretcher 10 preferably has dimensions that are able to accommodate a heavy patient, for example an athlete who plays sports for which there is a high risk of trauma, for example rugby, football and the like. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the stretcher 10 can have an overall length of six and one-half to seven feet and a maximum width of about one and three-quarters to two feet.

(16) The retaining side walls 40 include a plurality of windows 45 to make it easier for the first responders to grip and transport the stretcher 10. Some windows 45 are crossed by a pin 46 for anchoring karabiners or similar hooking means, to allow hooking the outer immobilization belts that are applied as needed.

(17) In the stretcher 10 depicted in FIG. 1, there are through-slots 3 crossing the hollow body longitudinally. The slots 3 are positioned inside the perimeter of the bearing plane 30 making the overall weight of the rigid hollow body lighter. Moreover, the vertical walls 5 delimiting or defining the slots and traversing the hollow body from the upper to lower surfaces of the hollow body have a rigid bottom portion and a flexible region near the top, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 3. The vertical walls 5 of the slots 3 traversing through the upper and lower surfaces of the stretcher impart flexibility to the entire structure in addition to reducing the weight of the material forming the hollow rigid body. Furthermore, upper regions of vertical walls 5 of the slots 3 connecting the upper and lower surfaces of the hollow rigid body serve as shock absorbing means that dampen forces exerted on the stretcher 10.

(18) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the retaining side walls 40 are tilted with respect to the bearing plane 30 by an angle, (alpha) α not greater than 35, for example by an angle of about 30°, and protrude from the lower surface of the hollow rigid body by a height not greater than 4 to 5 inches, for example about 4.7 Inches.

(19) The continuous convex curved surface portions 41 of the lower surface of the stretcher 10 at least under the retaining side walls 40 are also highlighted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The continuous convex curved surface portions, skids or struts 41 arranged in co-planar fashion, diminish friction by reducing of points of contact with the underlying surface, facilitate the sideways sliding of the stretcher 10 during the step of loading a patient in the upper seat 20, thus limiting the risk to the patient. Round terminal ends of the skids 41 are co-extensive with handle portions 42, serving as round pivot points for raising the stretcher an a side.

(20) Longitudinal stiffening bars 35 are embedded under the bearing plane 30 of the upper seat 20 to provide morn robustness and rigidity to the bearing plane 30, so that the stretcher 10 can also be used as a spinal board. The longitudinal stiffening bars are preferably made of light radiotransparent material, such as fiberglass or the like for example.

(21) The upper seat 20 intended to accommodate a patient can, for example, have a coarse surface to make it easier to maintain the patient in the seat 20, while the lower surface of the hollow rigid body can, for example, be coarse or smooth, but are preferably smooth especially at the continuous convex curved surface portions 41 in order to facilitate the sideways sliding of the stretcher 10 and, consequently, the step of loading the patient on the stretcher.

(22) In any case, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stretcher 10 can be further provided with a rubber or other elastomeric layer 36 applied to form the bearing plane 20 of the upper seat 20 intended to accommodate a patient. This elastic layer 36, (shown with dash lines), which can flex and return to its original form, can be made during the initial operation by feeding the elastomeric material toward the end of the molding process, whereby the elastic layer is integral with the rectangular stretcher hollow body frame. Or alternatively, the elastic layer 36A (also depicted with dashed lines) can be created in a second procedure by covering the surface of upper seat 20 of the stretcher hollow body with rubber or other elastomeric laminate, preferably a radiotransparent material to enable medical tests and x-rays while a patient remains on the stretcher. Referring to FIG. 1A, the carriage handle 42 is concentric with the round end of each of the skids 41 presenting a round pivot point to raise one side of the stretcher 10. Flexible carriage handles 42 are preferred for providing a minimal sway to the stretcher for diminishing the seemingly unmanageable forces heretofore described. And handles 42 may include a rubber or other flexible material laminate which serves as a grip area to facilitate carriage.

(23) The embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 provides a stretcher 10 having belts 50 for immobilizing the patient. The belts 50 come out of the retaining side walls 40 along the opposed largest sides of the stretcher 10 and are housed in winders 60 embodied in the hollow rigid body of the stretcher 10 and tensioned to be fully wound when they are in non-operative condition. The winders 60, preferably provided with elastic return means, are installed in cavities 65 accessible through closed cover openings 67 inserted, for example, by pressure.

(24) The belts 50 are provided at their ends with buckles 51 and 52 that remain hidden inserted in apposite housings 54 (also see FIG. 1) obtained in the retaining side walls 40 when the belts 50 for immobilizing the patient are housed completely in the respective winders 60, i.e. in the non-operative condition.

(25) In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, three couples of belts 50 for immobilizing the patient and distributed along the opposed longest sides of the stretcher 10, that come out from passage channels 5 arranged, for example, in the lower part of the housings 54 are provided. In order to immobilize the patient more rapidly and safely, concurrent tightening means acting on the belts 50 distributed along each of the largest sides of the stretcher 10 are provided.

(26) Said means for concurrent or simultaneous tightening of the belts is consequent to the belts wrapped on spring loaded winders are threaded in splits 71 provided, for example, in tubular bars 70, that are crossed by the immobilization belts 50, wherein the splits of adjacent tubular bars are co-planar in both operative and non-operative conditions, as schematically represented in FIG. 6. The tubular bars 70 are in turn housed as the longitudinal holes 61 provided with passages for the belts 50, and each come out of the hollow rigid body with an activating and locking lever 75.

(27) When the belts 50 must be extracted, the actuating and loading levers 75 are oriented in the position denoted by the solid line in FIG. 6. In this position, corresponding to the condition represented in FIG. 4, the slits 71 of the tubular bars 70 are aligned with the respective passages obtained in the hollow rigid body and the belts 50 can be freely unwound from the winders 60.

(28) Once the buckles 51 and 52 (FIG. 5) are hooked to one another, the elastic return means of the winders 60 make the belts 50 adhere securely to the body of the patient. In this condition the actuating and locking levers 75 can be rotated for a fraction of a revolution, simultaneously realigning the slits 71, as depicted, for example, in FIG. 6 with the dashed lines. As such, the misaligned slits 71 frictionally impinge on the belts 50 and stop further extension. With rotation of the levers, all belts 50 of each side of the stretcher 10 are concurrently locked inside the hollow rigid body and the belt portions longitudinal holes 61, as schematically depicted in FIG. 5.

(29) FIG. 7 indicates how opposed vertical walls 5 of the slots 3, will temporarily deform proportionately and directionally responsive to the forces imposed on the stretcher during carriage. In FIG. 8, adjacent slots 3 will have concomitant, coordinated deformations that serve as means for dampening shocks to achieve an equilibrium favorable to the patient. FIG. 9 demonstrates that the walls of adjacent slots will likewise deform responsive to further forces or shocks applied to the stretcher. Upon completion of carriage for a particular patient, the rubber or other elastomeric material provides for return of the through-slot walls to their original form.

(30) FIGS. 10 and 11 demonstrate the ease of patient loading on the stretcher if roll loading procedure is indicated to be tolerable for the patient.

(31) Variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, shapes and materials can vary depending on particular needs and the various embodiments can be combined with one another for use as a spinal board or simple stretcher, also with the use of outer belts that can be anchored to the walls or apposite karabiner pins.