Beds – Invalid bed or surgical support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-03-27
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Beds
Invalid bed or surgical support
C005S086100, C005S625000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205601
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for transportation of patients, which is provided with a support having handles and arranged on wheels.
Such a patient transportation device is disclosed for example in the German patent document DE 195 46 882.8. The patient transportation device disclosed in this reference has an inclination compensation between the support and a padded lying member inserted in it. Small inclinations which occur in vehicles or airplanes are therefore compensatable in a satisfactory manner. During transportation of patients on inclined terrain or over ramps, the inclination compensation possibilities of the known support are however no longer sufficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, its an object of present invention to provide a patient's transportation device which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, on feature of present invention resides, briefly stated in a patient's transportation device in which the wheels are arranged vertically adjustable individually and/or in pairs.
When the patient's transportation device is designed in accordance with the present invention, an inclination compensation on the terrain is possible by descent of the corresponding wheel or wheels.
In accordance with a preferable embodiment of the invention, the vertical adjustment of the wheels is controlled by sensors. As a result the patient's transportation device is held always automatically in a horizontal position.
A further, important advantage is obtained in the inventive device when the wheels can be lowered into the lower side of the support, so that they do not project downwardly or project downwardly only over a small part beyond the lower side of the support.
Thereby the device can be inserted into an emergency car without difficulties, and so that a lifting of the support by hands is not needed. A trough which is available in an emergency vehicle is simply pulled over the rear of the emergency vehicle, and a front end of the transportation device is displaced onto the trough. Then first the front wheel and subsequently the rear wheels are lowered in the lower side of the support, while the support is further displaced onto the trough. This means a substantial unloading not only for the patients which are no longer subjected to high vibrations during insertion of the support into emergency vehicle, but also for the emergency personnel which must no longer lift the support.
The lowering of the wheels can be also performed so that it is controlled by sensors and therefore is fully automatic. The wheels can be arranged for this purpose for example on telescopable pipes. The telescopable pipes preferably can be extendable and retractable hydraulically or electrically.
In the event when the telescopable pipes are very long, they can be supported on the lower side of the support turnably, so that for lowering of the wheels in the lower side of the support, they can be simply folded.
At least one sliding bearing can be provided in the head region of the support on the lower side of the support, and preferably formed as a roller. It facilitates the displacement of the support onto the trough of an emergency vehicle. Such a roller can be however arranged in the central region of the support.
If the wheels are not completely lowerable in the lower side of the support, they can serve for facilitation of the insertion and the support onto the trough. The wheels can be arranged either directly on the support or on a chassis, from which the support is removable. When the wheels are arranged on a chassis, the support can move on the chassis preferably from two sides.
The wheels can be provided with tires and also can be steerable and foldable, to provide a good cross-country riding of the device. When the wheels moreover have a relatively great diameter and are supported springy, the device can also move over the stairs. For moving over the stairs, it is advantageous when the wheels are provided with a chain drive.
A padded member for lying, which preferably can be composed of synthetic plastic or a carbon fiber composite material is arranged in the support and is removable from it. Such a lying member is very light and sufficiently stable. The lying member can be foldable at least in one point in a transverse direction and provided with belts, so that a patient's transportation is possible in a seating position. Moreover, a device for compensation of impact inclinations of the support can be provided between the lying member and the support. As a result, during transportation of patients in an emergency vehicle or helicopters, painful and health-hazardous impacts and forces are compensated.
For the inclination and impact compensation, preferably a sensor-controlled hydraulic or electrical system can be provided between the support and the lying member. For facilitating the handling, all functions of the device can be controllable by a control device with a two-hand operation. The actuation can be performed preferably in the region of the support handles. Therefore, the corresponding operation can be activated during the displacement or carrying of the support.
It is further desirable to provide a patient transportation device which makes superfluous a transfer of the patients to another bed. In the event of having injuries, transferring of patients to another bed after their arrival in the hospital on the support from the emergency vehicle for their treatment in a hospital, such as for example shock room, computer tomography, operative accommodation and post-operative monitoring is connected with high health risks. It is therefore advantageous when in the support and/or in the frame, devices for monitoring and maintaining the vital parameters of the patients can be integrated. For example monitoring devices, in particular for monitoring heart activity, blood pressure, and body temperature can be integrated. Also, one of several ventilation devices can be provided as well.
With the support designed in such a manner, a seriously injured patient can be connected in the emergency vehicles to the monitoring and treatment devices and during a travel through the stations of a hospital, such as shock room, a computer tomography, an operation room can be held on the device. Also, after the operation the patient again can be held on the transportation device and monitored and treated afterwards. For this purpose, the device can be provided with infusion, and/or injection pumps, a pulse oximeter, a capnogriaph as well as a secretion aspirator. Also, poles with monitors, injection pumps, illumination devices, etc can be mounted on the device. When the device is equipped in this manner, receiving of the patients in the intensive station can be superfluous. The whole device forms a self-sufficient unit which requires no connections to the stationarily installed devices and thereby can be completely installed and simply transported.
One or several batteries and/or a circuit connection can be provided for a current supply. Thereby also a secondary transportation to other hospitals can be provided without transferring to other beds.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4834409 (1989-05-01), Kramer
patent: 4838563 (1989-06-01), Konishi et al.
patent: 5083625 (1992-01-01), Bleicher
patent: 5535465 (1996-07-01), Hannant
patent: 5794639 (1998-08-01), Einbinder
patent: 6036201 (2000-03-01), Pond et al.
patent: 39 19 207 C1 (1990-11-01), None
patent: 43 34 343 A1 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 195 46 822 A1 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 195 46 822 C2 (1997-09-01
Eppler Susanne
Nessmann Albin
Conley Fredrick
Melius Terry Lee
Striker Michael J.
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