AU618349B2 - Evacuation restraint - Google Patents

Description

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OPI DATE 16/10/89 w( AOJP DATE 09/11/89 APPLN. ID 34140 89

PCT

PCT NUMBER PCT/AU89/00142 INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIOi, lw f 1 1 n r,, (51) International Patent Classification 4 V I1 11) trnatihal Mlication Number: WO 89/ 09039 A61G 1/00, 7/06 A l (43) International Publication Date: 5 October 1989 (05.10.89) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU89/00142 (81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), CH (European patent), DE (Euro- (22) Internat',nal Filing Date: 31 March 1989 (31.03.89) pean patent), FR (European patent), GB (European patent), IT (European patent), JP, LU (European patent), NL (European patent), SE (European patent), (31) Priority Application Number: PI 7672 US.

(32) Priority Date: 31 March 1988 (31.03.88) Published (33) Priority Country: AU With international search report.

(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): HEMCO INDUSTRIES PTY, LTD. [AU/AU]; Corner Victoria Daly Streets, West Brunswick, VIC 3055 (AU), (72) Inventor; and Inventor/Applicant (for US only) HEMPHILL, Desmond, John [AU/AU]; Western Highway, Ballarat, VIC 3350 (AU).

(74) Agent: SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE; 207 Riversdale Road, Hawthorn, VIC 3122 (AU).

(54) Title: EVACUATION RESTRAINT (57) Abstract An evacuation restraint comprising a base sheet of flexible fabric, a rigid support member of corrugated plastics board material including a central rectangular portion having its corrugations running longitudinally and smaller rectangular portions (4 and 5) flexibly connected to either end of the central portion having their corrugations running transversely, said support member being secured by sewing or adhesive to said base sheet said base sheet extending beyond the edges of said support member and having longitudinal straps (12 and 13) secured at its edges, bracing straps (17 and 18) extending from the straps (12 and 13) to the ends of the base sheet and transverse straps (20 and 21) having loop connectors (22 and 23) adapted to engage loops (16 and 19) secured to the edges of the base sheet to enable the base sheet to envelope a patient supported by a mattress for evacuation purposes, i WQ 89/09039 PCT/AU89/00142 1 TITLE: EVACUATION RESTRAINT 2 Field of the Invention: 3 This invention relates to improvements in evacuation 4 restraints of the type suitable for positioning under the mattress of a bed in a hospital or other institution housing 6 bed-confined persons.

7 Background of the Invention: 8 In our Australian Patent No. 536070 (AU-B 62281/80) we 9 have described an improved evacuation restraint which materially improved the securement of bedridden patients for 11 evacuation purposes. In using evacuation restraints 12 embodying the above invention, the mattress supporting a 13 bed-confined patient is utilised to minimise the disturbance 14 of the patient and to protect the patient during the evacuation procedure.

16 Further consideration of evacuation procedures has 17 shown that it is advantageous to be able to slide the 18 restraint-confined mattress along the floor, over obstacles 19 or down stairs. The restraint described in our earlier patent has been found to be not entirely suitable for that 21 purpose even though it offered a material improvement over 22 the previously known restraints in the manner in which it 23 confined a patient within a mattress.

24 To protect restraints of the above type against soiling and to enable it to be accessed in a standard manner to 26 minimise delays in the event of an emergency, the restraint 27 is desirably housed in a plastics envelope of the type 28 described in Australian Patent AU-B 34433/78 Patent 29 No. 4,186,453). However, in using packages of this type it has been found that access to the pull handles by means of 31 which the envelope is opened to gain access to the restraint 32 straps requires the mattress to be lifted to an excessive 33 extent whereby the patient may be undesirably disturbed.

34 Furthermore, the package described in the above patent is not entirely convenient to handle during manufacture, 36 marketing and storage prior to use and the cost of 37 manufacture of such packages is relatively high. I, 38 Summar of Invention and Objects: -2- It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved evacuation restraint in which the shortcomings of the prior art restraints discussed above are at least ameliorated. It is the secondary object of the invention to provide a simplified packaging envelope for such evacuation restraints.

Accordingly, the invention provides an evacuation restraint comprising a generally rectangular base sheet (1) of strong flexible material, a generally rectangular support member located centrally of said base sheet and joined thereto on top of said base sheet, said support member being formed of lightweight non-bulky material having greater rigidity than said base sheet being capable of deformation transversely of the support member, said base sheet extending substantially from either side of said support member to enable the base sheet in use to envelop a patient to be evacuated, strap members (12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21 secured at least to said base sheet (1) and extending from the sides of the base sheet said strap members including means (16, 19, 22, 23) for connecting opposite strap members (12,13) together at at least two longitudinally spaced positions, an~ta members (12,13) extending from at least one end of said base sheet by means of which the restraint may be manipulated during evacuation procedures, said support member (2) providing with said base sheet a smooth relatively rigid base on which the restraint may slide during evacuation procedures,- In a preferred form of the invention,, the restraint is enclosed within a protective envelope having means for gaining access to said base sheet and said straps.

Preferably the protective envelope includes a base portion and a top portion, said top portion having one or more means for enabling removal. of the top portion from the base portion. The top portion is preferably made from a suitable transparent plastics material and the means for enabling access comprises a line of weakening formed in said top Sportion and one or more gripping handles or tabs secured to is 11 Oi I a 2a said top portion by means of which the top portion may be torn open to expose the base sheet and straps.

The support member preferably comprises a sheet of lightweight corrugated board which is most preferably formed from plastics materials. The board is preferably capable of being folded along at least two transverse :lines so that the evacuation restraint and protective envelope may be folded into a more convenient size for marketing and storage PCF/AU89/00142 Wq 89/09039 3 1 purposes.

2 Brief Description of the Drawings: 3 One presently preferred form of the invention will now 4 be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 6 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the restraint in the 7 unfolded position showing a mattress and patient ready to be 8 enveloped; 9 Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation of the restraint of Figure 1; 11 Figure 3 shows the restraint in use; 12 Figure 4 shows the restraint partly folded ready for 13 packaging; 14 Figure 5 shows the restraint packaged in its envelope; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the restraint partly 16 opened; and 17 Figure 7 shows the packaged restraint in the folded 18 condition.

19 Description of Preferred Embodiment: Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, 21 the restraint embodying the invention will be seen to 22 comprise a generally rectangular base sheet 1 of flexible 23 fabric, such as polyester, which has been treated to be fire 24 resistant, water resistant and relatively friction free, for example by coating or impregnation with Teflon (registered 26 trade mark). A relatively rigid support member 2 is secured 27 centrally to the base sheet 1 by sewing or by adhesive. In 28 the present case, the support member 2 comprises a 29 rectangular sheet 3 of corrugated board formed from plastics material, such as corrugated board sold under the trade mark 31 Corflute, to each end of which small rectangular pieces 4 32 and 5 are flexibly attached, say by sewing or the like. It 33 will be noted from Figure 1 that the central rectangular 34 portion 3 has its corrugations running longitudinally while the smaller portions 4 and 5 have its corrugations running 36 transversely. Furthermore, the central portion 3 is formed 37 with fold lines 6 and 7 to enable the end portions of 3 and 38 the smaller portions 4 and 5 to be folded inwardly on to the I alu~-2:- Ii-S~ i---n I ;i~auau~n~u- WO 89/09039 pcT/AU89/0014Z 4 1 most central portion of 3.

2 Referring still to Figure 1 of the drawings, webbing 3 straps 12 and 13 are secured by sewi.ng or by adhesive or the 4 like to opposite longitudinal edges of the base sheet 1. The straps 12 and 13 extend beyond the ends of the base sheet 1 6 and terminate in loops L by means of which the restraint may 7 be handled during an emergency. Strap portions 17, 18 extend 8 from a point of attachment to each strap 12, 13 a short 9 distance about 6 cm) from the ends of the sheet 1 to a point of attachment to the end of the sheet 1 at the edge of 11 each smaller portion 4 and 5 by sewing, adhesive or the 12 like. A further length of webbing strap extends 13 transversely across the base sheet 1 at 14 and is formed in 14 small loops 15 and 16 extending from either edge of the base sheet where they are secured by sewing to the side straps 12 16 and 13. A still further length of webbing 21 extends 17 tranversely across the sheet 1 near its lower end and is 18 attached to the side straps 12 and 13. The webbing 21 19 defines a loop 19 at the right hand side of the sheet 1 and has a wire loop connector 23 of known construction secured 21 thereto at the other end. A further strap 20 is attacled 22 to the loop 15 and has a similar, adjustable wire loop 23 connector 22 attached thereto. The connectors 22 and 23 are 24 adapted to engage the loops 16 and 19 respectively, as shown most clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings, to cause a 26 mattress and patient supported on the restraint to be 27 enveloped for evacuation purposes.

28 To enable the restraint to be conveniently stored in a 29 protective package, the side portions of the base sheet 1 and the restraint straps 12, 13, 14 and 21 are folded 31 inwardly to the centre of the support member 2 and are then 32 folded back on top of the inwardly folded portions. The end 33 portions, including portions 4 and 5, are folded inwardly 34 over the folded portions and the end portions of the straps 12 and 13 are tucked under the tf;lded end portions so that 36 the loops L are exposed at the ends of the folded restraint.

37 The folding of the restraint is shown most clearly in Figure 38 4 of the drawings. The restraint is then ready to be WO 89/09039 PCT/AU89/00142

I

5 1 packaged in its protective envelope, as further described 2 below. To enable the side portions of the base sheet to be 3 readily unfolded, additional gripping loops 24 and 25 are 4 secured centrally to the underside of each edge of the base sheet 1, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. These 6 loops 24 and 25 also assist in the evacuation procedures 7 since the restraint may be centrally gripped thereby.

8 Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, 9 the protective envelope for the restraint will be seen to comprise a base portion 27 of suitable plastics material 11 which is either treated with a material which causes the 12 material to be slightly sticky, or "non-slip" in character, 13 or is made from a "non-slip" plastic to retain its position 14 under a mattress in use and, so that the base portion 27 tends to stay in position as the restraint is removed 16 therefrom. A clear plastics top portion 28 is secured by 17 heat sealiz around the periphery of the bottom portion 27 18 and a central panel 29 of the top portion 28 is removable by 19 tearing along a weakening line 30 formed during the heat sealing process. To assist in the removal of the panel 29, 21 handles 31 are heat welded to each corner of the panel 29 at 22 either end, for example, as shown in Figure 5 of the 23 drawings. For instructional purposes, one or more of the 24 handles 31 may be printed with a replica of a hand to show how the handles are to be gripped when the panel is to be 26 removed. Each handle is secured along a substantial portion 27 of each corner of the panel 29 to ensure that the panel will 28 tear away along the line 30 when the handles 31 are pulled.

29 For transport and storage purposes, the package restraint is able to be folded along the lines 6 and 7 to a 31 more convenient size as shown iYi Figure 7 of the drawings.

32 In use, the packaged restraint is stored centrally 33 under the mattress M supporting a bed-confined patient P. In 34 the event of an emergency, the operator performing the evacuation reaches under the mattress and grips one or more 36 of the handles 31 to tear the panel 29 from the protective 37 envelope along the weakening line 30. The loops L at the 38 ends are pulled and the diagonal portions 17, 18 assist in f WO 89/09039 PCT/AU89/00142 6 1 unfolding the portions 4 and 5 and the attached portions of 2 the sheet 1. As shown in Figure 6, access is thereby gained 3 to the handle 25 and the folded edges of the base sheet 1 4 may be moved by pulling the handles 24 and 25 sideways thereby giving access to the loops 16 and 19 and the straps 6 20 and 21. The connectors 22 aad 23 are then engaged with 7 the loops 16 and 19 and the lengths of the straps 20 and 21 8 adjusted to bring the mattress M into an enveloping 9 relationship with the patient P, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The patient P may then be evacuated by means of 11 the loops L, 24 aid 12 Since the support member 2 provides a relatively rigid 13 flat surface covered by the base sheet 1, the restraint is 14 able to slide over floors, stairs or obstructions, assisted by the low-friction coating on the base sheet 1.

16 Furthermore, since the base sheet 1 almost encloses the 17 mattress M and patient P, additional prot'ection is provided 18 in the event that fire or water are encountered. Thus, the 19 restraint embodying the present invention provides a significant advance over the prior art restraints and 21 provides even further advantages when contained in the 22 improved protective envelope described above.

Claims (9)

1. An evacuation restraint comprising a generally rectangular base sheet of strong flexible material, a generally r-ctangular support member located centrally of said base sheet and joined thereto on top of said base sheet, said support member being formed of lightweight non-bulky material having greater rigidity than said base sheet being capable of deformation transversely of the support member, said base sheet extending substantially from either side of said support member to enable ttie base sheet in use to envelop a patient to be evacuated, strap members secured at least Sto said base sheet and extending from the sides of the base sheet said strap members including means for S 15 connecting opposite strap members together at at least two longitudinally spaced positions, and further strap members extending from at least one end of said base sheet by means of which the restraint may be manipulated during evacuation procedures, skid support member 20 providing with said base sheet a smooth relatively rigid base on which the restraint may slide during evacuation procedures.

2. The restraint of claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a sheet of lightweight corrugated board the corrugations of which extend longitudinally of tha restraint.

3. The restraint of claim 2, wherein said corrugated board is formed from plastics material.

4. The restraint of claim 2 or 3, wherein said support tb/hemcosp 91 10 11 tb/hemcospel0 91 10 11 -8- member comprises a central portion and separate rectangular portions flexibly attached to said central portion at either end thereof.

The restraint of claim 4 when appended to claim 3, wherein the corrugations of said separate rectangular portions extend at right angles to the corrugations in said central portion.

6. The restraint of any preceding claim, wherein said further strap members include two straps extending longitudinally of said base sheet and attached thereto adjacent each longitudinal edge thereof, each further strap member being formed into a hand loop at at least one end, bracing straps extending between said further strap members at a position spaced from each end of said 15 base sheet to said base sheet and/or said support

7. The restraint of any preceding claim, further comprising a protective envelope enclosing said restraint and having means for gaining access to said 20 base sheet and said strap members.

8. The restraint of claim 7, wherein said envelope includes a base portion and a top portion, said top portion having one or more means for enabling removal of said top portion from said base portion.

9. The restraint of claim 8, wherein said top portion is made from a transparent plastics material and the means for enabling access comprises a line of weakening formed in said top portion and one or more gripping handles or tabs secured to said top portion by means of tb/hemco.spel0 91 10 11 -9- which tht, top portion can be torn open to expose the base sheet and said strap means. An evacuation restraint substantially as hereinbefore described w it'. reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 91 10 11 CARTER SMITH EADLE Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: EMCO INDUSTRIES PTY. LTD. no#* doesl tb/henico. spelO 91 10 11