GB2154981A

GB2154981A - Lifting apparatus for invalids

Info

Publication number: GB2154981A
Application number: GB08504910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Richard James
Original assignee: James Industries Ltd
Current assignee: James Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1984-02-29
Filing date: 1985-02-26
Publication date: 1985-09-18
Also published as: GB2154981B; GB8504910D0

Abstract

Apparatus for lifting invalids comprising a hoist 1, 3, 4, with a lifting arm 4 having a hanger arrangement 7 providing two spaced outer rear suspension points 16 and 17 and a central front suspension point 18. The three suspension points 16, 17, 18 are rigidly located relative to the axis of a rigid vertical bearing 8 by which the hanger is attached to the outer end of the arm 4. A one-piece sling 6 in use suspended from the hanger arrangement 7 comprises a main back portion 9 and two spaced dependent leg portions 10 and 11. The sling 6 is provided with attachments 12, 13, 14 and 15 whereby the back portion 9 can be suspended from the suspension points 16 and 17 and the leg portions 10 and 11 can be suspended jointly from the suspension point 18. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lifting apparatus for invalids This invention relates to lifting apparatus which employs sling support of an invalid while lifted by a hoist, Sling support of an invalid, which term as used herein includes hospital patients and disabled persons generally, during lifting by a hoist and also during transport thereby, when the hoist isof a mobile character, has been employed for many years. The hoist usually has a lifting arm at the end of which a hanger or "spreader" bar presenting spaced suspension points is mounted. The support sling arrangement is suspended at the suspension points, normally through suspension chains or tapes.

The most common sling arrangement employs separate back and thigh support slings suspended from the same two points at the ends of the hanger bar. Although this arrangement has been widely used it has the disadvantage that the invalid swings freely in a pendulum-like manner about the suspension points and that it is necessary to attach and position the two slings separately. The support is also not entirely comfortable and with some physical conditions cannot satisfactorily be used.

Of recent years one-piece slings have been developed with a main back portion and two leg portions which are respectively passed under and up between the legs of the supported invalid. Such a support sling, which is sometimes referred to as a "divided leg sling", has considerable advantages in terms of comfort and firm support being particularly advantageous when spinal support is required, as well as-simplicity and ease of application.

However, the one-piece sling lifting arrangements which have been-employed suffer from certain disadvantages. In one arrangement the leg portions have been attached to the same two suspension points as the back portion.

This has the disadvantage that the sling arrangement tends to splay apart the legs of the invalid which is an undignified and often embarrassing position, particularly when the invalid suffers from a lack of muscular tone and thus cannot oppose this tendency.

In another arrangement a hanger frame suspended on the hanger bar presents four spaced suspension points, two rear points for the main portion of the sling and two forward points for the leg portions which are crossed over above the legs of the invalid. The two forward suspension points and the two rear suspension points are similarly spaced, and although this overcomes the tendency to splay the legs apart it results in increased pressure on the inner sides of the thighs which is for many invalids a particularly sensitive area.

Furthermore, in both these arrangements there is a lack of stability with free pendulumlike swinging on the hanger bar.

In a third prior arrangement the main sling portion is suspended from four points on a large and cumbersome hanger frame and the leg portions wrap around the thighs of the patient and are hooked back to the main portion. This provides a stable suspension and overcomes the splaying out problem but further increases the pressure on the inner sides of the thighs and also applies pressure to the sensitive upper sides thereof. Furthermore the thighs of the suspended invalid are inaccessible for treatment, or for the application of padding which is often necessary with sensitive limbs.

The object of the invention is to provide lifting apparatus with a one-piece sling suspension arrangement which provides a stable suspension while overcoming the disadvantages of prior arrangements.

According to the invention apparatus for lifting invalids comprises, in combination: a hoist with a lifting arm having a hanger arrangement providing two spaced outer suspension points and either a single central suspension point or two inner suspension points positioned inwardly of said outer suspension points; and a one-piece sling comprising a main back portion and two dependent leg portions, the sling being provided with attachments whereby the back portion can be suspended from the two outer suspension points and the leg portions can be suspended jointly from said central front suspension point or separately from said two inner suspension points.

Preferably said outer suspension points are disposed rearwardly of said central or inner suspension points, in relation to the orientation of an invalid when supported in the sling.

The outer suspension points are desirably at a different level from said central or inner suspension points. In preferred embodiments all of said suspension points are relatively arranged in a fixed disposition with respect to a point which is fixed with respect to the arm.

Preferably the hanger arrangement pivots about a more-or-less vertical axis to allow the horizontal orientation of a suspended invalid to be varied as is most usually required, and the relatively fixed relative disposition of the suspension points relative to the arm can then be achieved by means of a rigid vertical bearing at the end of the arm, that is to say a bearing which defines a fixed more-or-less vertical pivot axis. The hanger arrangement may comprise a spreader bar which is inclined downwardly and outwardly from the point of attachment to the arm and which provides at its ends said two outer and rearwardly disposed suspension points, with a single or two closely-spaced inner suspension points disposed adjacent the centre of the spreader bar more-or-less directly below the arm attach ment point to provide a front suspension point or points.This provides an arrangement in which the front suspension point or points from which the leg portions of the sling are suspended is at a higher level than the rear suspension points and provides a very stable suspension arrangement.

In an alternative arrangement, which may in some circumstances be preferred, the hanger arrangement comprises a rigid arm which projects downwardly from the centre of said spreader bar and is inclined away from said rear suspension points. This provides an arrangement in which the leg portions of the sling are suspended from a lower level than the main portion thereof and in which the front and rear suspension points are on opposite sides of the arm attachment point, which again provides an exceptionally stable suspension.

Although the hoist may have a pivotal arm, for example of parallelogram form, it is preferred that the arm should be of the type which moves along an upstanding column or support structure so that is undergoes solely translatory raising and lowering movement. As a result the suspended invalid remains at a fixed distance from the column during such movement.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of lifting apparatus in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows the illustrative combination in use with a suspended invalid; and Figure 2 shows a one-piece sling of the combination laid out flat.

The hoist of the lifting apparatus combination shown in the drawings comprises a mobile chassis 1 with support castors 2 andean upstanding column 3 supported centrally on the chassis 1 adjacent one end thereof. A lifting arm 4 which projects from the column 3 is movable therealong, with solely translatory movement, by a lifting mechanism which includes a manually operated winding handle 5 on the column 3.

A one-piece sling 6 of the illustrated combination in accordance with the invention is in use suspended from a hanger arrangement 7 attached at the outer end of the arm 4 is shown in Fig. 1. The hanger arrangement 7 is attached to the arm 4 through a rigid vertical bearing 8 which locates the arrangement 7 relative to the arm 4 while allowing it to turn about a vertical axis.

The one-piece sling 6 comprises a main back portion 9 and two spaced dependent leg portions 10 and 11. Suspension tapes 1 2 and 1 3 are attached to the upper corners of the generally rectangular main portion 9, as shown in Fig. 2, and suspension tapes 14 and 1 5 are attached to the ends of the leg portions 10 and 11.

The hanger arrangement 7 provides a symmetrical arrangement of two rear suspension points 1 6 and 1 7 and a central front suspension point 18, which suspension points are rigidly located by the bearing 8 one with respect to the other end with respect to the arm 4. These suspension points are all in the form of upwardly-open hooks, the hooks 1 6 and 1 7 being positioned at the end of a spreader bar 1 9 of cranked form so as to be inclined downwardly and to one side of the pivot axis from the point of attachment to the arm 4. The hook 1 8 is disposed more-or-less directly below the bearing 8 at the centre of the spreader bar 1 9.

To pick up an invalid such as 20 by the hoist, for example from a bed or wheelchair, the main sling portion 9 is positioned just under the buttocks and the leg portions 10 and 11 are respectively passed below the right and left thighs and up between the legs.

With the hoist appropriately positioned the tapes 1 2 and 1 3 are attached to the hooks 1 6 and 17 through suspension links 21 and 22, and the tapes 14 and 1 5 are attached to the central hook 1 8 through a duplex suspension link 23. The arm 4 is then raised by turning the handle 5 to raise the invalid 20 with the latter suspended in the one-piece sling 6 in the comfortable and stable position illustrated in Fig. 1. As can be seen from that figure not only is the suspended position one of comfort but the thighs are accessible, for example for treatment, and/or the arrangement obviates any tendency to splay the legs apart which is a drawback of the prior art. There is also a minimum of pressure on the inner surfaces of the thighs.

Claims

1. Apparatus for lifting invalids comprising, in combination: a hoist with a lifting arm having a hanger arrangement providing two spaced outer suspension points and either a single central suspension point or two inner suspension points positioned inwardly of said outer suspension points; and a one-piece sling comprising a main back portion and two dependent leg portions, the sling being provided with attachments whereby the back portion can be suspended from the two outer suspension points and the leg portions can be suspended jointly from said central front suspension point or separately from said two inner suspension point.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer suspension points are disposed rearwardly of said central or inner suspension points, in relation to the orientation of an invalid when supported in said sling.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said outer suspension points are at a different level from said central or inner suspension points.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein all of said suspension points are relatively arranged in a fixed disposition with respect to a point which is fixed with respect to said arm.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hanger arrangement pivots about a more-or-less vertical axis to allow the horizontal orientation of a suspended invalid to be varied, and is mounted adjacent the outer end of the arm by means of a rigid vertical bearing.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hanger arrangement comprises a spreader bar which is inclined downwardly and outwardly from a point of attachment to the arm, with said two outer suspension points respectively provided at the ends of the spreader bar and the central or two closely-spaced inner suspension points being disposed adjacent the centre of the spreader bar more-or-less directly below the arm attachment point.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hanger arrangement comprises a spreader bar which is in dined downwardly and outwardly from a point of attachment to the arm, with said two outer suspension points respectively provided at the ends of the spreader bar, and a rigid arm which projects downwardly from the centre of said spreader bar and is inclined away from said outer suspension points with the central or inner suspension points provided adjacent the lower end of said rigid arm, said central or inner suspension points being at a lower level than said outer suspension points.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said hoist has a pivotal lifting arm which pivots about a horizontal axis.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lifting arm is movable along an upstanding column or support structure of the hoist so that it undergoes solely translatory raising and lowering movement.

1 0. Apparatus for lifting invalids substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A one-piece sling for us in apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.