FR2583977A1 - Stretcher intended in particular for people with injuries to the vertebral column - Google Patents

Abstract

The stretcher is provided for carrying away casualties in the vertical position. This stretcher principally includes a flat support 10, 70 on which a collar 2, chest part 3 and trouser part 4 allow the trunk and head of the casualty to be held. Straps C1 to C4, whose position on the flat support is adjustable, allow adjustment of the respective distances between the collar, chest part and trouser part as a function of the morphology of the casualty to be carried. Application in particular to carrying away casualties from a metal pylon.

Description

stretcher intended, in particular, for the wounded
affected in the spine.

 The present invention relates to stretchers intended, in particular, for injured persons injured in the spine or likely to have been injured in the spine. The stretcher according to the invention esp more specifically, but not only, designed for the evacuation, in a vertical position of the wounded by narrow passages; such evacuation conditions are encountered, for example, during accidents occurring in the beams of a metal pylon or during cavern exploration.

 There are stretchers on which the injured person is held using inflatable tubes; due to their volume, these stretchers cannot be used for evacuation through narrow passages.

 There are also stretchers that have a kind of sheath in which the injured person is wrapped, who is then lying on a support. The sheath is made of canvas and is provided with longitudinal stiffening elements and straps; Thanks to the straps, the body of an injured medium taxi is laterally blocked in the sheath, from the head to the knees. The support, also provided with longitudinal stiffeners, comprises flaps which are closed on the wounded by means of straps. The implementation of this stretcher is .difficult due, in particular, to the numerous straps to be handled and, moreover , the injured person is poorly retained in the vertical position, the sheath then tending to slide down.

 The object of the present invention is to propose a stretcher which makes it possible both to avoid, or at least to reduce the disadvantages of the prior art.

This is obtained, in particular, by a stretcher capable of adapting to different human morphologies
According to the invention a stretcher intended, in particular, for 'olessés affected to the spine and comprising a flat support, is characterized in that it also comprises three separate fixing means, integral with the support to maintain the troric- head of the injured person, adjustment means for adjusting the respective distances between the three fixing means and in that the three fixing means constitute respectively: a neck brace for fixing the head of the injured person, a chest plate for fixing the chest of the injured person and a slip for fixing the injured person's pelvis, this slip being provided with closure elements on its two sides.

The present invention will be better understood and other characteristics will appear with the aid of the description below and of the figures relating thereto which represent:
FIG. 1, a view of a stretcher according to the invention,
- Figures 2a, 2b, 2c views, according to different positions, of a
articulated part of the stretcher of figure l,
- Figures 3 and 4, respectively schematic front views
and in profile showing the position of a casualty on a stretcher
like the one in figure 1.

 In the various figures each element is always designated by the same reference.

 Figure 1 is a detailed perspective view of a stretcher according to the invention. This stretcher a foldable stretcher which comprises an upper element, l, and a lower element, 7, connected by two articulations 6, 6 ′ of which only one, 6, is visible in FIG. 1 the operation of the articulation 6 will be explained in detail using Figures 2a, 2b and 2c.

 The upper element 1 comprises a flat support, 10, of about 40 x 95 cm, produced using a metal plate 11 fixed on two longitudinal members 12, 13, held by two cross-pieces TI, T2. A neck brace, 2, a plastron, 3, and a panty, 4, are placed on the plate 11 of which they are integral.

The neck brace 2 has two loop belts C1, C2 which each pass through two oblong holes H1, H2, drilled in the plate 11, to close under the plate II; these belts have a double role: to make the neck brace fixed with respect to the plate II and to allow its adjustment according to the largest dimension of stretcher. With the neck brace 2 is associated a chin rest 20 fitted with fixing straps; this neck brace is distinguished from a conventional neck brace by the fact that it comprises a protective visor, V, made of transparent plastic fixed by a hinge on the neck brace and maintained in the protective position by a strap V 'provided with a closure by dry adhesive tape known under the trademark
Velcro.

 The front plate 3 comprises a rectangular piece of fabric, 30, of about 100 x 35 cm, placed on the plate; two loop belts C3 and C4 sewn at their ends on the piece of fabric 30, make it possible to surround the support 10 to ensure not only the fixing but also the height adjustment of the faceplate. In order to keep the injured person in the plastron, the latter has on the one hand two closures with dry adhesive tape Bl-B2, B3-B4 which allow the piece of fabric to be closed on itself in front of the injured person's chest, and d 'other hand two loop belts C5a + C5b = C5, C6a + C6b = C6, integral, at one of their ends, with the piece of fabric and, at the other of their ends, with the plane support 10; these straps, which pass in front of the upper chest of the injured person, prevent him from turning to the right or to the left. The maintenance of the injured person in the plastron is improved by two wedges in rubber foam DI, D2; these wedges, cut at a point, are glued to the piece of fabric in a position such that the plastron, when it is closed, rests almost everywhere in the same way on the chest of the injured person.

 The slip 4 comprises a piece of fabric 40 in the shape of an inverted T, a part of which, 41, located at the foot of the T is reinforced and is fixed by rivets on the support 10. The closure of the slip around the pelvis of the injured person is done folding the T bar in an arc and using four loop belts ClOa-ClOb, Clla-Cllb, Cl2a-Cl2b, Cl3a-Cl3b which allow to connect the two ends of the T bar, respectively to the two longitudinal edges of the flat support 10.

 The lower element 7 also comprises a flat support, 70, of approximately 40 x 95 cm, arranged, when the stretcher is unfolded, in the extension of the support 10 to constitute an overall flat support of approximately 40 x 190 cm. The support 70 is produced using a metal plate 71 fixed on two longitudinal members 72, 73 held by two crosspieces T3, T4. Six straps, S1 to 56, and a foot protector, 8, are placed on the plate 71 of which they are integral. The six straps are intended to hold the legs of the injured person; they are associated two by two using buckle belts C7 to C9, the ends of which are sewn respectively on the two straps which they associate. To each strap, S1 to 56, corresponds an oblong hole, H3 to 118, drilled in the plate 71, through which the belt associated with the strap in question passes to loop back under the plate 71 the oblong holes are all arranged along the largest dimension of the support 70 and the oblong holes of two associated straps are of the same length and located at the same height along the largest dimension of the support 70, so not only the straps are held by the belts but, in addition, their position can be adjusted along the leg of the injured.

 The foot protector 8 is formed by a rigid rectangular plate, 80, which a hinge 81, situated at the end of the plate 71 opposite the upper element 1, makes it possible either to fold against the plate 71 or, in position using the stretcher, placing it substantially at right angles to the plate 71, position in which it is maintained by means of two folding spacers 82, 83 located on either side of the plate 80; at their two ends, the spacers 82, 83 are mounted in rotation, about axes, respectively on the plate 71 and on the plate 80. Each spacer comprises two rods connected by an axis of rotation located substantially in the middle of the spacer, and a movable cleat which allows the two rods to be locked when they form an angle of 1800; this cleat consists of a pin and an elastic blade, one end of which is welded to one of the two rods and the other end of which is welded to the pin, thus the pin, which passes through a first hole drilled in the rod on which the elastic blade is welded, can pass through a second hole carried by the other rod and which comes opposite the first when the spacer is unfolded.

In addition to the parts which have just been described, the stretcher of FIG. 1 has six carrying handles P1 to P6 to allow the movement of the wounded man and four shackles M1 to M4 intended for fixing ropes to move vertically a casualty in a vertical position or for moving a casualty in a horizontal position, for example when towing under a helicopter. The handles P1,
P2, P5 and P6 are fixed respectively in the side members 12, 13, 72, 73, in the vicinity of the ends of the stretcher, while the handles P3, P4 are fixed respectively in the side members 12, 13 just after the front plate 3 seen from the neck brace 2. The shackles of shackles Ml to M4 respectively cross the side members 12, 13, 72, 73 at 2 cm from their end corresponding to the ends of the stretcher.

 FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c show, the articulation 6 of FIG. 1 with the lateral parts of the upper, 1, and lower elements, 7, to which it is coupled by two axes 62, 63 integral with the articulation 6. These three figures correspond respectively to the stretcher in the use position, in the open position and in the folded position. The articulation 6 comprises a metal piece of 175 x 30 mm, rounded at both ends, its width of 30 mm corresponding substantially to the thickness of the side members 12 and 72 (Figure 1) increased respectively by the thickness of the metal plates 11 and 71 (Figure 1) which, on the edges, are folded around the beams. The axes 62 and 63 are located in the vicinity of the ends of the joint and, after having crossed the beams 12 and 72 respectively (Figure 1) of the elements 1 and 7, end with bolts not visible in Figures 2a to 2c. The holes through which the axes 62, 63 pass through the elements 1 and 7 are a cylindrical hole for the axis 63 and an oblong hole, 61, for the axis 62; the hole 61 makes it possible to bring into contact (FIG. 2a) or to move aside (FIG. 2b) the elements 1 and 7. The articulation 6 comprises, like the spacers 82, 83, a cleat 64 consisting of a pin and d 'an elastic blade, one end of which is welded to the part 60 and the other end of which is welded to the pin; thus the pin, which crosses a first hole drilled in the part 60, allows, by crossing a second hole 64 ', shown as seen by transparency in FIG. 2b, to block the elements 1 and 7 in the position of use according to the Figure 2a; the transition to the open position, according to Figure 2b, requires lifting the pin; as for the passage from the open position according to Figure 2b to the folded position according to Figure 2c it is done by rotations of 90 around the axes 62 and 63. It should be noted that this possibility of folding the stretcher not only facilitates its storage but also its transport to the place of an accident, given, in particular, that in this folded position the neck brace with its visor, as well as the plastron, the briefs, the straps and the foot protector are at the protected from shocks and other risks of damage.

 Figures 3 and 4 show, schematically, seen from the front and in profile, an injured person, X, held in the stretcher by means of the neck brace 2 provided with the visor V, the plastron 3 equipped with belts C5 and C4, slip 4 and straps 51 to 56.

 It should be noted in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the foot protector 8 has a protective function when the injured person is lowered into an upright position but does not serve as a footrest to prevent a shock against the foot protector being transmitted by the legs to the spine of the injured person.

In FIG. 4, the arms of the injured person have not been shown to better show how the faceplate 3 and the underpants 4 hold the injured person
X.

It should also be noted that, given the small width of the stretcher required by the narrowness of certain passages through which an injured person can be transported (case of metal pylons for example), it is not planned to place the arms of the injured on both sides of his trunk on the stretcher; in fact two cases can be envisaged: either the injured person is conscious and can use his arms without problem and it will not be necessary to hold his arms, or the injured person is in such a state that he must also immobilize the arms and, in this case,
The immobilization will be obtained by means of straps, after having placed the forearms on the stomach of the injured person and having, in the case of fractures, blocked the fractured arm using splints.

 The present invention is not limited to the example described, thus it applies more generally to a stretcher comprising adjustable means for fixing the head, chest and pelvis of the injured person, even without means for fixing the legs or with a single strap for fixing the two legs. The invention applies to the case where the stretcher is in a single part, that is to say without the possibility of folding and to the case where the stretcher is clearly more than 40 cm wide and therefore requires evacuation conditions. more favorable than the stretcher described, at least as regards the minimum width of the passages to be crossed, it also applies to the case where the flat support is in several parts which fit into one another.

Claims (5)

 1. Stretcher intended, in particular, for injured patients affected to the spine and comprising a flat support (10, 70), characterized in that it also comprises three separate fixing means (2, 3, 4), integral with the support , to maintain the whole trunk-head of the injured person, adjustment means (C1, C2, C3, C4) for adjusting the respective distances between the three fixing means and in that the three fixing means constitute respectively: a neck brace (2) for fixing the injured person's head, a plastron (3) for fixing the injured person's chest and a panty (4) for fixing the injured person's pelvis, this panty being provided with closing elements (ClOa , ClOb, Cl la, Club, C12a, C12b, C13a, C13b) on both sides.  2. Stretcher according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat support comprises: a first part (10) on which the three fixing means (2, 3, 4) are hung and a second part (70) intended to receive the legs of the injured person and articulation means (6, 6 ′) for coupling the two parts and allowing them to be locked in a position corresponding to the position for transporting an injured person.  3. Stretcher according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises n (whole n at least equal to 1) straps (S1-S6) intended for fixing the legs of an injured person on the flat support ( 10, 70).  4. Stretcher according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flat support (10, 70) has a width of about 40 centimeters.  5. Stretcher according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a foot protector (8) formed using a plate (80) which, at least during the transport of an injured person, seen, seen from the neck brace, a protective screen secured to the flat support (10, 70) and located on the other side of the injured relative to the neck brace.