FR3100709A1 - GRIPPING DEVICE FOR A STRETCHER, STRETCHER AND MOTORIZED TROLLEY ASSOCIATED WITH INTEGRATED WIRELESS CONTROLS FOR MOTORIZED FUNCTIONS - Google Patents

Abstract

This gripping device (10) of a stretcher is of the type comprising: - a hollow metal support bar (11) intended to be secured to said stretcher in order to support the weight of a patient; and - a handle (12) fixed to one end of said support bar (11). The support bar (11) and the handle (12) have a light (14, 15) capable of integrating a support (16) of at least one battery (17) in said support bar (11). The handle (12) comprises a front part (18) formed around said support bar (11) and supports an electronic circuit comprising wireless communication means; said electronic circuit being connected with said support (16) by means of connections passing through said lumen (14) of said support bar (11). Figure for the abstract: Fig 1

Description

DEVICE FOR GRIPPING A STRETCHER, STRETCHER AND MOTORIZED TROLLEY ASSOCIATED WITH INTEGRATED WIRELESS CONTROLS FOR MOTORIZED FUNCTIONS

The invention relates to a device for gripping a stretcher, that is to say the means for lifting and/or moving a stretcher. The invention relates more particularly to a gripping device incorporating wireless control means. The invention also relates to an associated stretcher and motorized trolley.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application for stretchers mounted on motorized trolleys.

Prior art

A stretcher conventionally comprises hollow metal bars, one end of which is provided with a handle to enable the stretcher-bearer to grip the stretcher, as for example described in document WO 2001/70161. Stretcher handles are subjected to numerous shocks when transporting patients because stretcher-bearers regularly work in cramped environments, such as stairs. Thus, the handle must be as solid and as ergonomic as possible to limit the risk of the stretcher-bearer dropping the stretcher. In addition, if the handle is too bulky compared to the volume of the metal bar, it risks forming a stop which could come into contact with the walls when the stretcher-bearers evolve in cramped environments.

There is also the problem of integrating wireless control means into a handle of a stretcher. Indeed, to sustainably power these wireless control means, it is necessary to use an energy storage source associated with an electronic circuit. If these elements are arranged around the metal bar, they create an extra thickness which risks damaging the handle during use. In addition, it is not possible to integrate the electronic circuit inside the metal support bar because this bar would form a Faraday cage and would at least partially block wireless transmissions.

The technical problem of the invention is therefore to integrate wireless control means into a handle of a stretcher without creating extra thickness and limiting the impact of the metal support bar on wireless communications.

Presentation of the invention

To solve this problem, the invention proposes to use a handle fixed to a support bar of a stretcher, the handle and the support bar comprising a slot allowing a support for at least one battery to be integrated into the inside the support bar. The handle further comprises an electronic circuit incorporating wireless communication means. This electronic circuit is mounted around the support bar on a front part of the handle so as to limit the influence of the metal bar on wireless communications. Connections between the support of at least one battery and the electronic circuit are also formed in the front part of the handle.

Thus, the invention proposes to use the internal space of the support bar to integrate at least one battery without creating extra thickness and to mount the electronic circuit around the support bar to limit the disruption of wireless communications.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a device for gripping a stretcher, said device comprising:
– a hollow metal support bar intended to be secured to said stretcher so as to support the weight of a patient; And
– a handle attached to one end of said support bar.

The invention is characterized in that the support bar and the handle have a slot allowing the integration of a support of at least one battery in said support bar; said handle has a front part formed around said support bar and supports an electronic circuit comprising wireless communication means; said electronic circuit is connected with said support by means of connections passing through said light of said support bar.

The invention thus makes it possible to obtain a particularly compact handle while integrating wireless communication means. The invention can be used to wirelessly control any type of electronic device. Preferably, the handle is used to control a motorized trolley supporting the stretcher. Thus, the handle can control the movement in height of the stretcher on the motorized carriage or the connection between the motorized carriage and a receiver arranged in an ambulance.

According to one embodiment, said support comprises an axis fixed in said handle so as to allow movement of said support between two positions: a replacement position in which said at least one battery is extracted from said support bar; and a power position in which said at least one battery is inserted inside said support bar.

This embodiment makes it easy to replace the battery. Preferably, said support comprises a lug intended to cooperate with a cam of a screw accessible from a rear part of said handle so that a rotation of said screw causes said support to move from said supply position to said replacement. It is thus particularly simple to extract the support from the bar without dismantling the entire handle. In addition, to limit the oxidation of the head of the screw, said gripping device preferably comprises a cover intended to cover the head of said screw.

According to one embodiment, said light of said support bar has, in the direction of said front part, a greater length than the length of said light of the handle. This embodiment allows the positioning of the axis of the support. Preferably, connection wires extend between said support and said electronic circuit through a front part of said lumen of said support bar.

According to one embodiment, said handle is fixed to said support bar by means of a screw passing through the electronic circuit, a bore formed within said handle and a bore formed within said support bar. In addition or alternatively, said support has a shape adapted to a shape of said opening of said support bar so as to allow said handle to be held on said support bar by means of cooperation between said shape of said support and said shape of said light. Thus, the screw passing through the electronic circuit only serves to hold the handle in its position when opening the battery holder. The main blocking in the handle is ensured by the cooperation of the battery support and the light of the support bar thus limiting the stresses on the screw passing through the electronic circuit.

According to one embodiment, said support is configured to receive, in a superimposed manner, two batteries of cylindrical shape. This embodiment makes it possible to efficiently integrate batteries into the height of a conventional support bar.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a stretcher comprising two support bars substantially parallel to each other, between which a support element is held, at least one end of one of the two support bars being provided with a grip according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a motorized trolley comprising at least one motorization and a receptacle for holding a stretcher according to the second aspect of the invention; said gripping device being configured to control said at least one motorization of said carriage.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gripping device according to the invention in which a support for at least one battery is in the replacement position; And

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the elements of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the invention

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a gripping device 10 of a stretcher. The gripping device 10 comprises a support bar 11 which is intended to support the stretcher. This support bar 11 typically consists of a hollow metal bar, of substantially rectangular cross-section with a height which can vary between 2 and 5 cm and a width which can vary between 1 and 3 cm.

The stretcher can correspond to any known type of stretcher whether it is a stretcher mounted on a trolley or not. Preferably, the invention is used for a motorized trolley supporting a stretcher; whether it is a one-piece or two-piece trolley, i.e. a trolley attached or not to the stretcher.

Indeed, in the context of a motorized carriage, it is necessary to provide means for controlling the motorizations of the carriage. The present invention proposes the use of a handle 12 integrating an electronic circuit 20 making it possible to remotely control electronic equipment. Thus, the handle 12 of the invention can be used to control the movements of a motorized carriage. As a variant, this handle 12 can be used to control other electronic devices without modifying the invention.

The complexity of the invention resides in the integration of the electronic wireless communication and power supply elements of the electronic circuit 20 without creating excessive thicknesses that are detrimental to the gripping device 10 and without limiting the communication capacities of the wireless communication means. of the electronic circuit 20 .

To do this, the electronic circuit 20 is powered by batteries 17 which are mounted on a support 16 integrated inside the bar 11 .

The invention can be used with one or more batteries 17 and the shape of the batteries can vary without changing the invention. The electronic circuit 20 is placed around the bar 11 in such a way that the metallic elements forming the bar 11 do not disturb the wireless transmissions of the electronic circuit 20 . The connection between the batteries 17 and the electronic circuit 20 is made by two contactors 22 and 23 which are placed inside the support 16 .

To be able to easily replace the batteries 17 , the support 16 is mounted articulated on a shaft 33 fixed in the body of the handle 12 . The support 16 is thus movable between two positions: a position for replacing the batteries 17 , as illustrated in FIG. 1, and a supply position in which the support 16 enters inside a slot 15 of the handle and of a light 14 of the bar 11 . Thus, when the support 16 is integrated into the slots 14 and 15 , the upper part of the support 16 forms the upper part of a conventional handle.

The user can therefore handle the handle as usual. To do this, the handle is preferably provided with ergonomic zones 34 arranged in the lower part of the handle 12 and allowing the user's fingers to be positioned.

The lumen 14 of the bar is longer than the lumen 15 of the handle 12 so that the lumen 14 extends more widely in the direction of the front part 18 of the handle 12 . In this front part 18 , connection wires coming from the front contactor 22 connect the batteries 17 to the electronic circuit 20 . In front of this slot 14 , the support bar 11 also has a bore 46 as well as an adjustment screw 35 . The adjustment screw 35 is only intended to adjust the length of the support bar when the support bar incorporates a second internal sliding bar inside the support bar 11 . The bore 46 makes it possible to hold the handle 12 on the bar 11 . To do this, a fixing screw 26 passes through the electronic circuit 20 then a bore 45 of the handle 12 and the bore 46 of the bar 11 . However, given the forces exerted on the handle 12 , this simple fixing screw 26 may be insufficient to withstand the various forces and guarantee the fixing of the handle 12 on the bar 11 . Thus, the shape of the support 16 is preferably adapted to the shape of the slot 14 so that, when the support 16 is in the supply position, it also helps to hold the handle 12 on the bar 11 by means of a cooperation between the shape of the support 16 and the shape of the light 14 . Thus, the maintenance of the handle 12 on the bar 11 is mainly ensured by the cooperation between the shape of the support 16 and the shape of the slot 14 , and the screw 26 only makes it possible to maintain the handle 12 when the support 16 is moved out of of light 14 .

Furthermore, the electronic circuit 20 is preferably made in several parts arranged above and on either side of a front part 18 of the handle 12 . The upper part of the electronic circuit 20 is fixed by the screw 26 while the side parts are fixed by lugs 27 penetrating through the electronic circuit 20 and covered by a fixing washer 28 . On this electronic circuit, several push buttons 21 are welded together with at least one wireless communication module 24 .

These various electronic elements as well as their connection are covered by a sealed protective cover 25 which is particularly resistant. As illustrated in Figure 1, the integration of the electronic circuit 20 and the protective cover 25 has a very small extra thickness compared to the thickness of the handle 12 and allows the operator to access several buttons of order 40 – 42 .

In the case of a motorized carriage, the control button 40 can control the automated recoil of the carriage when the latter cooperates with a receiver arranged in an ambulance, while the buttons 41 and 42 can control the raising or lowering of the carriage. to position the stretcher at user height.

Furthermore, other types of wireless control can be used without changing the invention. For example, buttons can be used to control the clamping or unclamping of one or more crutches of a motorized trolley so as to facilitate cooperation between the motorized trolley and a receiver arranged in an ambulance.

Another aspect of the invention resides in the means making it possible to replace the batteries 17 . Indeed, one embodiment of the invention proposes to arrange a screw 29 in the rear part 19 of the handle 12 in which a cam 30 is fixed. This cam 30 makes it possible to cooperate with a lug 32 arranged on the support 16 . When the screw 29 is driven in rotation by a tool in a first direction of rotation, for example a screwdriver, the cam 30 generates a displacement of the lug 32 , which causes a rotation of the support 16 with respect to the axis 33 and allows the upper face of the support 16 to come out a few millimeters , so that a user can continue the movement of extracting the support 16 and replace the batteries 17 .

In a second direction of rotation of the screw 29 , the screw 29 makes it possible to force the closure of the support 16 by exerting pressure on an end opposite to the axis 33 so that the lug 32 enters a housing provided at the end of screw 29 . An O-ring or an elastic washer, not shown and located under the head of the screw 29 , prevents rotation in the opposite direction of the screw 29 when the lug 32 is placed in the housing. In addition, this O-ring or this elastic washer seals the handle 12 at the level of the screw 29 .

Preferably, this rear screw 29 is protected by a cover 31 so that the head of the screw 29 is inaccessible and protected.

In conclusion, the invention makes it possible to produce a gripping device 10 for a stretcher which has dimensions substantially similar to existing handles, but which makes it possible to integrate an electronic circuit 20 with a wireless transmission module 24 placed around the bar support 11 and batteries 17 arranged inside the support bar 11 . The user of a stretcher can therefore control electronic devices without using a separate control, thus limiting the risk of losing the remote control.

Claims (11)

Gripping device (10) for a stretcher, of the type comprising:
– a support bar (11) hollow metal intended to be secured to said stretcher to support the weight of a patient; And
– a handle (12) fixed to one end (13) of said support bar (11);
characterized in that the support bar (11) and the handle (12) have a slot (14, 15) suitable for integrating a support (16) of at least one battery (17) in said support bar (11) ; said handle (12) comprising a front part (18) formed around said support bar (11) and supporting an electronic circuit (20) comprising wireless communication means (24); said electronic circuit (20) being connected with said support (16) by means of connections passing through said light (14) of said support bar (11). Gripping device according to Claim 1, in which the said support (16) comprises a pin (33) fixed in the said handle (12) so as to allow movement of the said support (16) between two positions: a replacement position in which the said at least one battery (17) is extracted from said support bar (11); and a power position in which said at least one battery (17) is inserted inside said support bar (11). Gripping device according to Claim 2, in which the said support (16) comprises a lug (32) intended to cooperate with a cam (30) of a screw (29) accessible from a rear part (19) of the said handle (12 ) so that a rotation of said screw (29) causes said support (16) to move from said supply position to said replacement position. A gripper according to claim 3, wherein said gripper (10) also includes a cover (31) for covering a head of said screw (29). Gripping device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the said opening (14) of the said support bar (11) has, in the direction of the said front part (18), a greater length than a length of the said light (15) of said handle (12). A gripping device according to claim 5, wherein connecting wires extend between said support (16) and said electronic circuit (20) through a forward portion of said lumen (14) of said support bar (11). Gripping device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the said handle (12) is fixed to the said support bar (11) by means of a screw (26) passing through the said electronic circuit (20), a bore ( 45) formed in said handle (12) and a bore (46) formed in said support bar (11). Gripping device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the said support (16) has a shape adapted to a shape of the said slot (14) of the said support bar (11) so as to allow said handle to be held (12) on said support bar (11) by means of cooperation between said shape of said support (16) and said shape of said lumen (14). 9. Gripping device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said support (16) is configured to receive, superimposed, two batteries (17) of cylindrical shape. Stretcher comprising two support bars (11) substantially parallel to each other, between which a support element is held, at least one end of one of the two support bars (11) being provided with a gripping device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9. Motorized carriage comprising at least one motorization and a receptacle for holding a stretcher according to claim 10, in which the gripping device (10) is configured to control the said at least one motorization of the said carriage.