GB2258639A

GB2258639A - Apparatus for carrying intravenous drip equipment.

Info

Publication number: GB2258639A
Application number: GB9117697A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Lawton; Jeremy Ward; Julian Read; Christopher Wintle
Original assignee: British Aerospace PLC
Current assignee: BAE Systems PLC
Priority date: 1991-08-15
Filing date: 1991-08-15
Publication date: 1993-02-17
Also published as: GB9117697D0

Abstract

A support for use on a wheelchair or a bed for intravenous drip equipment comprises means (2) to suspend at least one drip bag therefrom, means (3) to support pumping equipment to pump liquid from each drip bag to a patient and means to attach the apparatus to the wheelchair (1) or bed. A clamp 12 permits height adjustment of the member 11, which bears hooks 6, 7, 8, Attachment of the means 2 to the wheelchair is by clips attachable to the handlebar 15 and lower horizontal rail 16. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR CARRYING INTRAVENOUS DRIP EQUIPMENT This invention relates to apparatus for carrying intravenous drip equipment.

"Drip stands" are normally portable pieces of equipment which comprise means for suspending a sac of infusible liquid and often means for supporting one or more pumps to pump the infusible liquid from the sac to the patient. The means to suspend the sac normally comprises a horizontal tube or rail and means to support the pumps normally comprises a table or shelf member attachable to an upright which supports the horizontal tube.

When it is necessary to move or exercise a patient, the patient is often placed in a wheelchair which may be wheeled by a relative of the patient during visiting periods. When the patient is subject to liquid infusion by drip, it becomes necessary for the drip equipment to be transported along with the patient in the wheelchair. This operation normally requires at least two people to move both wheelchair and drip equipment from place to place, one person pushing the wheelchair and the other person pushing the drip stand connected to the patient.

It will be appreciated that this process can be extremely inconvenient and can unnecessarily tie up skilled hospital staff.

14-6686 It is an object of the invention to provide improved means of transporting a patient and attached drip equipment from one place to another.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for carrying intravenous drip equipment comprising means to suspend at least one liquid container therefrom, means to support liquid pressurising equipment and means to attach the apparatus to a wheelchair or bed for carrying a person to be infused by liquid from the equipment.

Preferably, the container suspension means includes a tubular member having at least one hook defined in a cutaway portion of the wall of the tube.

Advantageously, at least that part of the cutaway portion of the wall of the tube defining the at least one hook has a covering of plastics material which may be applied by dipping the tube in liquid plastics material.

The cutaway portion of the tubular member may extend generally horizontally, in use.

The tubular member may comprise an extensible support portion and a said cutaway portion extending orthogonal to one another and the support portion may be telescopic having clamping means releasable to lock two mutually telescoping portions thereof together.

The attachment means for the apparatus may include at least one releasable clamp to attach the suspension means to a wheelchair or bed.

The means for supporting the liquid pressurising equipment may comprise a shelf member releasably attachable to a wheelchair or bed.

The apparatus attachment means may comprise means to attach the shelf member between generally horizontal rails of a wheelchair or bed.

The shelf member attachment means may include at least one "U" shaped portion to engage each rail and the "U" shaped portions may each comprise a channel section having a recess at one end thereof cooperable with a wheelchair or bed rail extending orthogonally to each generally horizontal rail to prevent rotation of the channel section about the generally horizontal rail.

Each channel section may include means releasably to engage behind a said generally horizontal rail to lock the channel section in position.

Each channel section may have a groove extending therealong slidably to receive an edge of the shelf member.

At least one of the shelf member and each channel section may include means releasably to secure the shelf member in position.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair having apparatus according to the invention attached thereto, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a channel section and shelf member according to the invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view of liquid container suspension means, and Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of detail IV of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 shows apparatus according to the invention in position on a wheelchair 1. The apparatus is in two parts and comprises suspension means 2 for suspending three drip bags (not shown) therefrom. And means 3 for supporting liquid pumps (not shown).

Both drip bag suspension means 2 and pump support means 3 are releasably attached to the wheelchair 1.

The drip bag suspension means 2 comprises a telescopic tubular support length having a lower fixed portion 10 and an upper movable position 11 of smaller diameter. A clamp 12 enables the height of the movable portion 11 to be adjusted as desired.

The suspension means 2 also comprises a cutaway tubular portion 5 extending orthogonally from the support length 10, 11. The cutaway portion 5 has three hooks 6, 7 and 8 formed integrally therewith by removal of tubular wall material. By forming the hooks 6, 7 and 8 in this way the danger of injury to the eyes of a person pushing the wheelchair is avoided. The cutaway portion 5 is coated in plastics material 9 by a dipping process and the plastics material 9 may be shrunk wrapped around the material of the cutaway portion 5. Such a coating of plastics material 9 will form a protective layer over any sharp edges of the tubing, if made of metal for example, and will also afford corrosion protection.

Apparatus attachment means for attaching the suspension means 2 to the wheelchair 1 comprises a pair of clips 13, 14. Clip 13 being attachable to a handlebar 15 of the wheelchair and clip 14 being attachable to a lower horizontal rail 16 of the wheelchair.

The liquid pump support means 3 comprises a shelf member 17 suspended between a pair of "U" shaped portions in the form of channel sections, only one of which 18 is shown.

The channel section 18 defines a channel 19 through which passes the lower horizontal rail 16. A recess 20 is formed in the channel section 18 to receive an upright 21 of the wheelchair 1 to prevent rotation of channel section 18 thereabout.

Each channel section 18 includes means in the form of a pin 24 releasably to engage behind the horizontal rail 16 to lock the channel section in position. The pin 24 is spring loaded, but a simple threaded pin may equally well be used.

Movement of the channel section 18 for and aft of the wheelchair is prevented by the channel section 18 abutting a rail of the wheelchair extending orthogonally from the horizontal rail 16 in the form of a cross brace 22 pivotally interconnected with a second cross brace (not shown) for the other side of the wheelchair.

The shelf member 17 is slidably engagable with the channel sections along a groove 23 in each channel section. The shelf member 17 is secured in position by securing means in the form of a pin 28 passing through apertures 25 and 26 in the channel section 18 and through a cooperating aperture 27 in the shelf member 17.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus may be removed from the wheelchair in various ways. For example the liquid container suspension means may be removed by undoing the clips 13 and 14 or alternatively by unscrewing the clamp 12 and removing the movable portion 11 thereof. Also the liquid pump supporting means 3 may be entirely removed by retracting the pin 24 in each channel section and withdrawing both shelf member 17 and both channel sections from the wheelchair as a unit.

Alternatively, each pin 28 may be removed and the shelf member 17 may then be slid rearwardly along the grooves 23 of the channel sections out of engagement therewith. Both shelf member 17 and upper movable portion 11 of the suspension means 2 may be made compatible with a known drip stand in which case same could be removed from the wheelchair whilst leaving the lower fixed portion 10 of the suspension means 2 and the channel sections 18 in place for use with cooperating apparatus from other drip stands for different patients.

It will further appreciated from the above that the apparatus according to the invention may be fitted to any wheelchair of standard construction, whether folding or not and is therefore extremely versatile in its application.

Claims

Apparatus for carrying intravenous drip equipment comprising means to suspend at least one liquid container therefrom, means to support liquid pressurising equipment and means to attach the apparatus to a wheelchair or bed for carrying a person to be infused by liquid from the equipment.