Device for movement/transport of a person

Details Device for movement/transport of a person Device for movement/transport of a person

1999-05-07

2001-04-24

Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)

Beds

With means for relocating an invalid

Hoistline attachable load supporting frame and sling or...

C005S08110R, C005S083100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06219862

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for movement/transport of in particular a handicapped person, comprising a transport device such as a patient lifter or lifting unit, a holder extending from the transport device as necessary via a strap or a journal for at least one head-end and one foot-end bracket element with attachments for a carrying element such as a sling for holding the person, where the bracket elements are adjustable and swivelable relative to the holder such that the person in the carrying element can be moved from a lying position to a sitting or approximately sitting position and vice versa.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A corresponding device is known from NL 192602. Here a holder in which three gears forming a transmission are arranged extends from a journal. Arms extend from the outer gears, at the end of which arms bracket elements are arranged that in turn have attachment elements for a carrying sling. It is achieved by the central gear, arranged between the outer gears and meshing with these, that the swiveling action of the arms connected to the bracket element is synchronous. The transmission makes it possible to swivel a person from a lying position to a sitting position and vice versa, however the design has the drawback that the forces transmitted via the gears necessitate regular servicing to ensure proper functioning. If however one of the gears is damaged, the device can no longer be used.
The problem underlying the present invention is to develop a device of the type mentioned at the outset such that problem-free movement of a person from a lying to a sitting position and vice versa is possible without the need for transmission elements requiring regular servicing. At the same time, it should be possible for the person to move to the required position himself/herself without outside assistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem is solved in accordance with the invention substantially in that the bracket elements extend from the first and second ends of at least one slide rail that passes through a holder in sliding form, in that the slide rail is either arc shaped with its center point in the area of the person to be transported, or straight, and in that the attachment points for the carrying element are arranged relative to the slide rail such that when the person is unsupported the slide rail is movable inside the holder by gravity such that the person takes up a substantially sitting position.
In accordance with the invention, automatic movement of a person takes place depending on that person's position, to the extent that when the person is lifted out of the lying position automatic movement to the sitting position, takes place, by means of the slide rail being moved automatically inside the holder by gravity such that the foot-end attachment points are lowered and the head-end attachment points of the holding sling or cloth are lifted. The result is an automatic movement of the person from a lying position to a sitting one. Conversely, when the person is set down on a horizontal surface, adjustment of the slide rail inside the holder takes place as the holder is further lowered, so that the person is lain down and can then be removed without difficulty from the sling element. Here the holder is, with a straight slide rail, rotatable about an axis running perpendicular to the movement path of the slide rail to the extent that the necessary gravity-related swiveling of the slide rail and hence its sliding movement inside the holder is possible for movement of the person. The rotary movement itself can be limited by stops.
In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the holder comprises two receptacles rigidly connected to one another for one slide rail each, the receptacle itself having a guide channel for the sliding elements limiting the slide rail, said elements preferably being designed as wheels or castors and having a circumferential recess such as a guide groove. As a result, the sliding element is guided securely inside the receptacle, so that low-friction adjustment is possible by the rolling of the sliding elements.
The receptacles themselves can be rotatable to the necessary extent separately or as a unit via their connection in the case of straight slide rails.
In the case that rollers are used as sliding elements, it is provided that at least three rollers running in one plane are provided per receptacle, with two rollers to be supports for the slide rail and a third roller between the two others above the slide rail.
The rotation point of each receptacle should be in the lower part or below the slide rail.
The receptacles having the guide channels for the slide rails should themselves be preferably connected by a rod such as a tube, which in turn is connected to the transport device, such as patient lifter or ceiling lifter.
According to a further development of the invention, it is provided that the foot-end bracket element has a preferably trapezoidal or triangular frame whose one base line is connected to the first ends of the slide rails and from whose opposite base line or tip extends the foot-end attachment for the carrying element. Here the foot-end attachment can be swivelable relative to the frame.
Furthermore, a head-end bracket element should extend, preferably in articulated form, from every further second end of the slide rails; this bracket element has in turn a head-end attachment for the carrying element in each case.
This ensures an automatic alignment of the bracket elements to the position to the person to be lifted or moved, as a result of which the slide rail is in turn moved to the necessary extent inside the guide channel.
The attachments themselves can be so-called clips to which the carrying element is attached.
To ensure that the person in the sitting position is not swiveled into a possibly not very stable or comfortable position by externally exerted forces, it is provided that a strap or another element with the same effect extends from the head-end area of the carrying element or at least from a head-end bracket element or a head-end attachment; this strap or equivalent element is connectable to the tube running between the receptacles when the person is in the sitting position. This ensures that the slide rails can no longer be adjusted inside the holders such that the person is shifted to a lying position.
As an alternative or supplement thereto, a temporary connection by, for example, a strap such as a double strap can be made from the foot-end bracket element, in particular from a frame section such as base line or tip at a distance from the slide rail. As a result the person can be transported in the lying position, since the slide rail cannot then be adjusted under the force of gravity. It is also possible to provide receptacles in the strap by sewing, said receptacles being fittable to a hook extending from the foot-end bracket element in order to set a required inclination angle for the person being transported.
A particularly smooth automatic movement of a person from a lying to a sitting position and vice versa is achieved when the slide rail has a radius r of 400>r>250 mm, in particular 350>r>300 mm.
Further details, advantages and features of the invention are shown not only in the claims and in the features they contain—singly and/or in combination—but also in the following description of a preferred embodiment shown in the drawing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2339007 (1944-01-01), Gahm
patent: 3234568 (1966-02-01), Fischer
patent: 4420052 (1983-12-01), Hale
patent: 5327592 (1994-07-01), Stump
patent: 5388289 (1995-02-01), Casperson
patent: 5649329 (1997-07-01), Horcher et al.
patent: 5809591 (1998-09-01), Capaldi et al.
patent: 192602 (1996-07-01), None

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