EP0840587A1

EP0840587A1 - Patient lifting device

Info

Publication number: EP0840587A1
Application number: EP97920522A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans German Weiss
Original assignee: PVG Popularwissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH
Current assignee: PVG Popularwissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH
Priority date: 1996-04-18
Filing date: 1997-03-14
Publication date: 1998-05-13
Also published as: WO1997039714A1; DE19615224C2; DE19615224A1; DE29607024U1

Abstract

A patient lifting device has a lifting axis (53) mounted so as to rotate in a longitudinal cross arm (5) and lifting rollers (54) mounted thereon by means of unilaterally blocking roller bearings. A neck gripper (6), a plurality of body gripper fingers (7) and at least one leg gripper (8) are suspended from the lifting rollers by means of straps. The cross arm can be suspended from swivelling cantilevered arms (4). The gripping members (6, 7 and 8) have each a special design.

Description

Patient lifting device

Various variants of patient lifting devices are already known for lifting seriously ill, paralyzed or otherwise essentially incapable of movement or polytraumatized patients for the purpose of transferring, transporting, bathing and weighing.

For example from DE-PS 612 719, DE-PS 1 252 362, DE-OS 1 541 340 and DE-OS 24 60 858 different patient lifting devices with tong-like grippers are known in several stages of development to help the patient to grasp under and raise with several pliers-like gripping arrangements distributed along the body length.

A similarly, but far more complicated, patient lifting device is known from DE-OS 40 12 308, which has a plurality of multi-articulated support arms which are staggered along the patient and which extend from both sides, and is therefore an example of an extraordinary one complicated mechanism embodied.

These previously known patient lifting devices and other devices available on the market that embody variations of this construction principle are either unsatisfactory in their function or are far too complicated to handle. A relatively large number of such devices are therefore purchased, but are then not used sufficiently in practice because they are too cumbersome and do not require a lot of time or use of nursing staff to lift or roll the patient into use. On the one hand, this places a lot of stress on nursing staff, because the human body is not designed to lean large loads forward, which leads to high rates of failure by nursing staff. On the other hand, however, high demands must also be made of a lifting device with regard to the patient in order to keep poly-traumatized patients, in particular with multiple fractures, at risk of paraplegia or other impairments, as gently and evenly as possible and without unnecessary movements To seize the patient's body. In view of these requirements, the patient lifting devices currently available cannot satisfy.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a patient lifting device with which polytraumatized or otherwise seriously ill or paralyzed patients can be lifted completely uniformly, without significant pressure points and without other local stresses on the body, and this without further ado can be handled easily by a single caregiver.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the patient lifting device specified in claim 1 in its essential elements and further developed according to the subclaims.

The lifting device according to the invention ensures that the patient is lifted gently and easily and quickly

Handling by a single caregiver is painless for the patient in use and also does not represent a frightening monster for the patient in its appearance.

The patient lifting device according to the invention can be provided with its own stand, which can be moved to a patient bed as required, or can also be integrated with a patient bed on this It can be attached, and in one case or the other the lifting device can be arranged rigidly or can be pivoted between a bed lifting position and a non-use position or pivoting position for lowering the patient onto another bed, stretcher, etc.

The basic structure and the essential details of the patient lifting device according to the invention are described in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

1 is a patient-grown on a bed

Lifts according to the invention in side views

FIG. 2 shows the patient lifting device according to FIG. 1 attached to the patient bed in a front view, FIG.

3 shows the patient lifting device mounted on the patient bed according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in plan view,

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of a swivel arm and the traverse of the patient lifting device in an enlarged manner compared to FIG. 2

Front view,

Fig. 5 shows a section along the section line V-V in

Fig. 4,

6a and 6b the neck gripper of the patient lifting device in

Front view and side view,

Fig. 6c shows a cross section along the line C-C in

6a by the neck gripper shovel, 7a and 7b a leg gripper of the patient lifting device in

Front view and side view,

8 shows a body forceps gripper of the patient lifting device in front view,

FIG. 9 shows the ratchet adjustment mechanism of a body forceps gripper on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 8, FIG.

10 shows another embodiment of a patient lifting device which is placed on a patient bed, in side view,

11 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 10 in front view, and

12 an embodiment of a patient lifting device with its own mobile stand is moved in a side view over a patient bed.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 3) and described in the following, the patient lifting device is, as already mentioned, integrated with a sickbed 1 on it. The two bed posts 2 arranged on a bed side are extended by columns 3, each of which merges into a horizontal cantilever arm 4 at the top. The columns 3 are each rotatably mounted in the bed post 2 in question, so that the cantilever arm connected thereto can be pivoted in the horizontal plane, as indicated in the top view according to FIG. 3. There, the bed lifting position for lifting a patient in bed is shown in full lines, while the position of the cantilever arms 4 is shown in dashed lines in the laterally pivoted position. In the laterally pivoted position, the actual lifting device, which is described in more detail below, is pivoted laterally next to the bed 1. In this swiveled sideways Position, a patient previously raised from the bed can be lowered onto a push stretcher, a couch or an X-ray table. This position is also shown in FIG. 2, which shows the hospital bed with the patient lifting device viewed from one end of the bed.

As further shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a crossbar 5 hangs on the two cantilever arms 4 of the columns 3 and runs in the longitudinal direction of the bed 1 and in the use position (see FIG. 3) is arranged approximately in the middle above the bed and in the non-use position (see Fig. 2) hangs next to the bed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a neck gripper 6, a plurality of body forceps grippers 7 (two are shown in FIG. 1) and at least one leg gripper 8 hang on the cross member 5.

These components, which will be described later in detail, can be lifted and lowered on the crossmember 5 and are adjustable in the longitudinal direction.

The suspension of the crossmember 5 on the two cantilever arms 4 can be better understood from FIGS. 4 and 5.

Fig. 5 shows a section along the section line V-V in

• Fig. 4. This shows the cross section of a cantilever arm 4 which is designed as a double U-rail with a roof arch running above it. A carriage 9 with rollers 10 can be moved along the cantilever arm 4 in the double rail thus formed. A support rod 12 is rotatably suspended on the carriage 9 in a ball bearing 11 and is connected to an end region of the crossmember 5 (see FIG. 1). As a result, the pivoting movement of the cantilever arms 4 according to FIG. 3 between the use position and the non-use position can be converted into a corresponding parallel displacement of the cross member 5, although the two support rods 12 of the cross member 5 are each rigidly attached to the end section thereof are, but via the ball bearing 11 relative to the because the carriage 9 can be rotated and the carriage 9 can be moved along the respective cantilever arm in the course of the pivoting of the cantilever arms 4, as is easy for the technician to understand.

The structure of the crossmember 5 is shown in FIG. 4. The crossmember then consists of two parallel longitudinal support tubes 51 and cross plates 52 which connect them to one another and which bear a lifting axis 53 mounted in ball bearings below the support tubes 51. Belt rollers 54 sit on the lifting axis 53, on which the gripping members 6, 7 and 8 are each suspended. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the lifting axis 53 is arranged asymmetrically in the crossmember 5, so that the belts which hang down from these belt rolls in each case in an extension of a circumferential rod run essentially centrally with respect to the crossbar and thus the load attacks in the middle.

Four to eight belt rollers with lifting belts can be arranged on the lifting axis 53 as required. The belt rollers are preferably arranged on the lifting axis with roller bearings which lock on one side, so that the belt rollers can be freely rotated in the winding direction of the belts, but lock in the rolling direction. In the event of a relief movement (turning in the winding direction), the belt rollers can also be moved on the lifting axis, so that the longitudinal position of the individual gripping members 6 or 7 or 8 can be easily adapted for the respective patient. If necessary, means known per se, such as clamping rings or the like, can also be provided in order to be able to fix the belt rollers so that they cannot move in a set axial position, which is useful, for example, if the device is used continuously for only one and the same patient. The coupling of the belt rollers 54 with the lifting axis 53 via self-locking roller bearings also has the advantage that a loose belt can be tensioned by simply turning the belt roller by hand and thus the height of all the gripping members can be individually adjusted before the patient is lifted can be. When the belt rollers are loaded by the patient, they are on the lifting axis fixed and cannot yield under load.

At one end of the lifting axis 53, a motor 55 is installed in the traverse, which is preferably coupled to the lifting axis via a planetary gear. The motor is preferably braked mechanically by a spring mechanism. When the engine is working, i.e. when the engine is switched on, the braking effect is then canceled by electromagnetic means. If the power fails, the braking effect can be canceled using a hand lever (not shown). A remote control hanging from a cable can expediently be used to actuate the motor, as is known per se.

In order to be able to measure the weight of a raised patient, weighing units or corresponding sensors are preferably installed in the two carriages 9, with which the cross member 5 is suspended on the two cantilever arms 4, and they generate an electrical signal corresponding to the respective load testify so that a weight display is produced by adding the two signals and corresponding calibration taking into account the dead weight of the cross member with the gripping members located thereon.

In the other drawing figures (6 to 9) the gripping members 6, 7 and 8 are shown in more detail.

6a and 6b and 6c show an example of the neck gripper 6. The neck gripper consists of a gripper bracket 61 and a neck lifting scoop 62 formed at the lower end thereof. This neck lifting scoop 62 is designed as a support scoop to be used in the neck area, which, like the end view according to FIG. 6a, is concave in its longitudinal course, that is to say trough-shaped, but, as the cross section according to FIG. 6c (section line CC in FIG. 6a) and also the side view according to FIG. 6b, shows in the transverse direction is convex upwards. On the one hand, it is adapted to the anatomical conditions in the neck area of the patient and, on the other hand, it provides a secure lateral stop.

7a and 7b show the leg gripper 8, which consists of a gripper bracket 81 and a leg lifting shovel 82 at the lower end of the gripper. The formation of the leg lifting shovel 82 has a double trough to support both legs. In the transverse direction, as the side view 7b shows, the leg lifting scoop 82, like the neck lifting scoop 62, has a cross-sectional profile which is convexly curved upward.

8 shows one of the body forceps grippers 7. This consists of two forceps arms 71, 72 which are connected to one another at the top by a joint 73.

The joint 73 is designed according to FIG. 9 as a ratchet joint with a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism consists of a gear 74, which is firmly connected to one leg 72, and a locking body 75 with two laterally offset locking tooth groups, which is arranged in the other gun arm 71. The locking body 75 is arranged so that it can be tilted so that one or the other locking tooth group comes into engagement with the gear 74 and therefore locks in one or the other pivoting direction. A rigid spring 76 presses on the back of the locking body 75 and sits there on a pin that is exactly in the center. The other end of the spring is connected to a changeover switch 77. The spring 76, which is rigid against lateral deflection, prevents the blocking body 75 from accidentally folding over from one tilt position into the other tilt position. In one locked position, the gun arms 71, 72 can be easily opened; in the other locking position they are locked against opening so that the patient is held securely.

The forceps arms 71 and 72 of the body forceps gripper 7 and also the neck gripper 6 and the leg gripper (s) 8 can be made from fiber-reinforced plastic material, for example from carbon fiber, glass fiber or aramid fiber fabric in connection with completely hardened, chemically new central epoxy resin. Such a material is body-friendly because it feels warm, and results in high mechanical resilience with a low weight of the gripping organs in question.

In use, the gripping members of the patient lifting device according to the invention can easily be pushed under the body without the patient needing to be moved in particular by slightly pushing in the flexible mattress at the point in question.

The lifting mechanism with the belt rollers, which sit on the lifting axis 53 in a self-locking manner, results in a simple, uncomplicated, easy-to-use construction which ensures a synchronous lifting of the entire body and which is easy for the patient to see and does not appear to be a threat which can also be produced at reasonable costs and can be easily and quickly adapted to the circumstances of the respective patient.

If required, an additional limb lifting tool can also be added, in order to be able to lift the extremity separately, but also equally as the rest of the body, for example in the event of an extremity injury, for example via a laterally attached deflection roller.

As already indicated at the beginning, instead of being built up integrated with a patient device, as in the present exemplary embodiment, a patient lifting device can also be built on a mobile stand, in which case the two columns 3 on the mobile stand (not shown) mon ¬ are. Depending on requirements, the columns 3 can be equipped with rigid cantilever arms 4, or the cantilever arms 4, as in the present exemplary embodiment, can be pivoted in order to be able to pivot a device which has been brought up to a bedside without a movement of the stand between a use position and a non-use position. With a rigid arrangement of columns and cantilevers on a stand, what Of course, represents a simpler version, the configuration of the cantilever arm 4 shown in FIG. 5 as a rail body with a carriage that can be moved therein can be omitted and the cross member 5 can be rigidly attached directly to the cantilever arms, with or without the interposition of a weighing unit on the respective one Hanging organ.

Even when attached to a patient bed, for example in the context of home nursing, a simple, non-pivotable version of the lifting device, that is to say a version with a rigidly suspended traverse without pivotable cantilever arms, is sufficient. In this case, the crossmember can be hung as required on side pillars with rigid cantilever arms or on pillars arranged centrally at the head and foot of the bed. Measures for changing the longitudinal distance between the columns can be provided to adapt to individual bed lengths.

10 and 11 show a lifting device mounted on a patient bed. Instead of two columns, two frame parts 30 are provided, which are arranged at the head and foot ends of a patient bed 1 and are each placed on the cross member 21 of the bed frame parts 20 on the head and foot sides.

FIG. 12 shows a side view of a patient lifting device with a mobile stand 35 being driven over a normal patient bed 1. This is, unlike the construction mentioned above, in which the stand can be moved laterally on or under a patient bed and can also be pivoted Cantilever arms can be provided in order to be able to transport the raised patient to a bed lying next to it without moving the stand, in the manner of a gantry crane, the stand, similar to the design that can be placed on the bed according to 10 and 11, head and foot-side stand frame parts 36, which are connected at the top by a bridge-like frame part 37 to the traverse 5. Of course, the traverse 5 can also be mounted in any manner on transport organs provided as required, for example in X-ray rooms or operating theaters, in order to be able to lift patients and to be able to be moved in the longitudinal and transverse directions in the raised state, for example for positioning on an X-ray device or the like.

Of course, the device can also be provided with safety devices known per se, for example limit switches, light barriers or the like, which automatically interrupt a lifting process if, for example, a sister who has passed out can no longer switch off the motor when lifting. Light barriers can also be used to prevent a patient from being injured if he accidentally reaches into the functional mechanism when using the device.

The handling of the device can easily be done by a single person without physical effort, in that the operator, for example a nurse, brings the gripping organs under the body one after the other and then actuates the device to raise or lower using the remote control .

Claims

claims

1. patient lifting device, consisting of a longitudinal cross member (5) attached or to be attached to a supporting structure (3, 4), a drivable lifting axis (53) mounted in the longitudinal cross member, further with a plurality of lifting axles Axle (53) and lifting rollers (54) which can be rotated through the lifting axis, on each of which a flexible traction element is fastened, which is wound up or unwound when the rollers rotate, and with a number of gripping elements (6, 7, 8 ), each of which is suspended from one of the lifting rollers (54) via the pulling element in question and grips a neck gripper (6), a number of body forceps grippers (7) and at least one leg gripper (8).

2. Lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the crossbeam (5) is suspended with its end regions on both sides on a stand or supporting frame.

3. Lifting device according to claim 2, wherein a force measuring device for determining the weight is installed in each suspension connection (12) between the crossmember (5) and the stand or supporting frame (3, 4).

4. The lift apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein the stator and the support frame, two columns (3) each having a schwenkba- ren cantilever arm (4) and the crossbeam (5) with its at ^¬ the end regions to a respective one of the cantilever arms ( 4) is hung.

5. Lifting device according to claim 4, wherein each cantilever arm (4) is designed as a rail body, along which a Fahrwa¬ gene (9) with rollers (10) can be moved, with which the relevant end region of the crossmember (5) via a swivel joint (11) is connected (12).

6. Lifting device according to claim 5, wherein the cantilever arm is designed as a double U-rail with two laterally spaced U-rails, in which the rollers (10) of the carriage (9) are guided, and wherein the Connection between the crossmember (5) and the respective carriage (9) runs through the interspace between the two U-rails.

7. Lifting device according to claim 3 and according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the force measuring element is integrated in each case in the carriage (9).

8. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lifting rollers (54) are coupled to the lifting axis (53) via self-locking roller bearings on one side.

9. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the lifting rollers (54) are formed as belt rollers and the traction members are designed as belts.

10. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lifting rollers (54) are displaceable in the longitudinal direction on the lifting axis (53).

11. Lifting device according to claim 10, wherein locking members are provided for axially locking the belt rollers in a selected axial position on the lifting axis (53).

12. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lifting axis (53) can be driven by means of an electric motor (55) which is coupled to the lifting axis (53) via a planetary gear.

13. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the motor drive (55) of the lifting axis (53) is continuously braked via a mechanical brake which is automatically disengaged when the motor is switched on.

14. Lifting device according to claim 13, wherein the permanent brake is assigned a hand release lever.

15. Lifting device according to claim 14, wherein the hand release lever is provided with an electrical actuation lock, which enables actuation of the hand release lever only when the motor is de-energized.

16. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 15, in which at least one light barrier is arranged in the area of the crossbar, which stops the drive of the lifting axis (53) when reaching into the crossbar area.

17. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the neck gripper (6) is designed as a bracket (61) with a neck lifting vane (62) in the form of a trough encompassing the neck.

18. Lifting device according to claim 17, wherein the neck lift display (62) has a convex, upwardly curved cross-sectional shape.

19. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the leg gripper (8) is designed as a bracket (81) with a leg lifting scoop (82) in the form of a double trough with two troughs arranged next to one another.

20. Lifting device according to claim 19, wherein the leg lifting vane (82) has a convexly arched cross-sectional shape.

21. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the body forceps grippers (7) each have two forceps arms (71, 72) connected to one another by a ratchet joint (73).

22. Lifting device according to claim 21, wherein the ratchet joint (73) has a gear wheel (74) which is fixedly arranged on a pliers arm (72) and a switchable locking body (75) which interacts therewith and is arranged on the other pliers arm (71).

23. Lifting device according to claim 22, wherein the locking body (75) is arranged tiltably and has two locking tooth groups arranged on both sides of the tilt axis, which by tilting the locking body in one direction or the other for locking in one or the other pivoting direction with the tooth wheel (74) can be brought into engagement.

24. Lifting device according to claim 23, wherein a switching element (77) is connected to the locking body (75) via a rigid spring (76), this arrangement as a bistable spring mechanism for switching the locking body between one and the other tilting position is trained.

CHANGED REQUIREMENTS

[Received at the International Bureau on October 13, 1997 (October 13, 1997); original claims 1 and 17-24 by amended

Claims 1 and 17-21 replace all other claims unchanged (4 pages)]

1. patient lifting device, consisting of a longitudinal beam (5) fastened or to be fastened to a supporting structure (3, 4), a drivable lifting axis (53) mounted in the longitudinal beam, further with a plurality of on the

5 lifting axis (53) arranged and through the lifting axis with rotatable lifting rollers (54), on each of which a flexible pulling member is fastened, which is wound up or down when the rollers rotate, and with a number of gripping members (6, 7, 8), each on the respective tension member to

10 one of the lifting rollers (54) are suspended, the gripping organs comprising a number of body forceps grippers (7) and at least one leg gripper (8), characterized in that the gripping members have a neck gripper (6) which acts as a bracket (161) with a neck lifting scoop (62) in the form of a

15 the neck encompassing trough is designed so that the at least one leg gripper (8) is designed as a bracket (81) with a leg lifting scoop (82) in the form of a double trough with two troughs arranged next to one another, and that the body forceps grippers (7) each have two through a ratchet

20 pincer (71, 72) connected to each other (73).

2. Lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the cross member (5) with their mutual end regions on a stand or support

25 part is suspended.

3. Lifting device according to claim 2, wherein in each suspension connection (12) between the cross member (5) and the stand bze. Support frame (3, 4) a force measuring device for weight determination

30 is installed.

4. Lifting device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the stand. the support frame has two columns (3), each with a pivotable cantilever arm (4), and the crossbeam (5) with its two the end areas is suspended from one of the cantilever arms (4).

5. Lifting device according to claim 4, wherein each cantilever arm (4) is designed as a rail body, along which a Fahrwa¬ gene (9) with rollers (10) can be moved, with which the relevant end region of the crossmember (5) via a rotary joint (11) is connected (12).

6. Lifting device according to claim 5, wherein the cantilever arm is designed as a double U-rail with two spaced-apart U-rails, in which the rollers (10) of the trolley (9) are guided, and wherein the The connection between the traverse (5) and the respective carriage (9) runs through the space between the two U-rails.

7. Lifting device according to claim 3 and according to claim 5 or 6, where the force measuring element is integrated in each case in the carriage (9).

12. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lifting axis (53) by means of an electric motor (55) can be driven which is coupled to the lifting axis (53) via a planetary gear.

14. Lifting device according to claim 13, wherein the handbrake is assigned a hand release lever.

16. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 15, in which at least one light barrier is arranged in the area of the crossbar, which stops the drive of the lifting axis (53) when it engages in the crossbar area.

17. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the neck lifting scoop (62) has a convexly upwardly curved cross-sectional shape.

18. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the leg lifting scoop (82) has a convexly upwardly curved cross-sectional shape.

19. Lifting device according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the ratchet joint (73) has a gearwheel (74) which is fixedly arranged on a pliers arm (72) and a switchable locking body (75) arranged on the other pliers arm (71) and cooperating therewith ) having.

20. Lifting device according to claim 19, wherein the locking body (75) is arranged to be tiltable and has two locking tooth groups arranged on both sides of the tilting axis, which by tilting the Locking body in one or the other direction can be brought into engagement with the toothed wheel (74) for locking in one or the other pivoting direction.

21. Lifting device according to claim 20, wherein a switching element (77) is connected to the locking body (75) via a rigid spring (76), this arrangement being a bistable spring mechanism for switching the locking body between one and the other tilting position is trained.