Beds – Invalid bed or surgical support – Tiltable along a transverse axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2001-04-10
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Beds
Invalid bed or surgical support
Tiltable along a transverse axis
C005S634000, C005S509100, C005S628000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212712
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The subject invention is related to an improved mobile stretcher, and more specifically to an improved mobile stretcher with a lateral recumbent positioning mechanism. The subject invention is more directly related to an improved mobile stretcher that tilts patients into a laterally raised position and secures the patients to the stretcher during and after tilting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Proper care of patients may require positioning, repositioning or transporting patients. Often the patient is non-ambulatory and must be situated in a specific position to perform medical examinations, surgery or other medical procedures. If the patient is non-ambulatory for a protracted period of time, it is often necessary to reposition the patient to avoid bed sores. In other instances the patient needs to be transported from one bed to another, or from a bed to a gurney or vice-versa. Mechanisms for positioning, repositioning, and transporting patients are well known in the prior art.
Devices for transferring non-ambulatory patients from one bed to another are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,174,434, 5,022,810, 2,542,963, 3,403,411 and G.B. 2477. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,174,434, 3,403,411, 2,542,963 and G.B. 2477 all teach devices for handling non-ambulatory patients, where the device provides a side tilting platform to aid in transferring the non-ambulatory patient onto or off of a hospital bed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,810 also teaches a device for transferring a non-ambulatory patient from and to a hospital bed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,810 discloses a laterally sliding transfer platform in addition to a side tilting platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,450 teaches a multi-position bed for positioning a patient for ease of transportation or to allow certain medical procedures. Multiple linkages pivotally attached to the bed and bed frame allow the bed to be situated into the various positions. The bed can be adjusted to laterally position the patient, or to provide a backrest which raises the patient's torso and head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,801 discloses a transporting and turning gurney for receiving and lifting a patient from a hospital bed, for transporting and depositing the patient on a hospital operating table, and for lifting and turning a patient for surgery. U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,801 teaches a rectangular frame (designed to receive a patient within the frame perimeter), a pair of support sheets, and a multiplicity of straps for supporting and attaching the patient to the frame. The frame can be rotated about its longitudinal axis for rotating the patient as needed.
There still exists a need to position a patient in a lateral recumbent position on a mobile bed or stretcher, and secure that patient to the mobile bed or stretcher while the patient is in a lateral recumbent position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The current invention is of an improved mobile stretcher, comprising a first lateral recumbent positioning means, a second lateral recumbent positioning means, one or more casters, a lower base frame, one or more lifting arms, an upper base frame, a mattress frame, and a patient retention means. The casters are rotatably attached to the lower base frame and the lower base frame is connected to the upper base frame via the lifting arms. The lifting arms are extendable and retractable; when the lifting arms are in the extended and locked position the mattress frame is positioned above the lower base frame.
The upper base frame and the mattress frame each form rectangles and are pivotally connected to the other along one of the long ends of their rectangles. Cross bars are positioned inside the mattress frame and the upper base frames connecting the first and second long ends of the upper base frame rectangle and the first and second long ends of the mattress frame rectangle. The cross bars are parallel to the short ends of the upper base frame rectangle and the short ends of the mattress frame rectangle. The first lateral recumbent positioning means has a first end and a second end, and the first lateral recumbent positioning means first end is connected to one of the cross bars of the upper base frame. The first lateral recumbent positioning means second end is connected to one of the cross bars of the mattress frame. The second lateral recumbent positioning means also has a first end and a second end. The second lateral recumbent positioning means first end is connected to another cross bar of the upper base frame rectangle, and the second lateral recumbent positioning means second end is connected to another cross bar of the mattress frame rectangle.
Each of the lateral recumbent positioning means has a retracted position and an extended position so that when each of the lateral recumbent positioning means is in the retracted position the angle between each of the short ends of the upper base frame rectangle and each of the short ends of the mattress frame rectangle is an angle close to 0°. Accordingly, when the lateral recumbent positioning means is in the extended position the angle between each of the short ends of the upper base frame rectangle and each of the short ends of the mattress frame rectangle is an angle greater than zero. The preferred angle between each of the short ends of the upper base frame rectangle and each of the short ends of the mattress frame rectangle (i.e. the lateral recumbent position) is an angle between 60° and 65°.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved mobile stretcher with a lateral recumbent positioning mechanism.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an improved mobile stretcher with a lateral recumbent positioning mechanism and a means for securing a patient to the mobile stretcher.
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Hewitt James M
Lee Larry Mason
Melius Terry Lee
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