GB2333089A

GB2333089A - A manual lifting device for a patient translocation apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2333089A
Application number: GB9800347A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siegfried Jomann Doescher
Original assignee: Jaeger Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Jaeger Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1998-01-09
Filing date: 1998-01-09
Publication date: 1999-07-14
Also published as: GB9800347D0; CA2230358A1; CA2230358C

Abstract

A manual supplementary or emergency lifting device for a patient moving apparatus comprises a slide 10 engaged with a screw threaded member 20 via a threaded hole (11, figure 2) and provides a manual back-up after loss of power to hydraulic piston means 55. The slide 10 is slidably mounted on a mast 51 of the patient moving device and is provided with a block 12 which engages piston 55. The member 20, which is rotated by the action of crank handle 38 and a drive member (30, figure 2) comprising a worm and helical screw (37, 31, figure 2), moves the slide vertically thereby raising or lowering the hoist and allowing the patient to dismount.

Description

MANUAL LIFTING/LOWERING DEVICE FOR A PATIENT TRANSLOCATION APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manual lifting/lowering device, and more particularly to a manual lifting/lowering device for a patient translocation apparatus, which makes the apparatus be effective even when a power source or a piston means of the apparatus works abnormally.

2. Description of Related Art Patient translocation apparatuses are widely used in hospitals and other medical institutions for moving a patient from one place to another.

Many patients may not have ability to walk well, so that the patient trans location apparatus becomes a very important medical instrument. A conventional patient translocation apparatus typically has a structure as shown in FIG. 5. The apparatus substantially includes a base 50, a mast 51 mounted on the base 50, a boom 52 supported by the mast 51, a hanger 53 engaged with the boom 52, a sling 54 suspended by the hanger and provided for the patient to be seated therein, and a piston means 55 with a piston 551. The piston means 55 is operated by remote control and has power source provided to raise or lower the boom 52, thereby lifting/lowering up the patient from one place and lowering the patient in an other place.

This conventional patient translocation apparatus has a disadvantage that the patient may be suspended for a long period of time in the case where the piston means 55 or its power source works abnormally, because the piston means 55 is operated by remote control.

Accordingly, there is a need for the apparatus to be effective in a state of emergency.

The present invention provides a manual lifting/lowering device for the patient translocation apparatus to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide a manual lifting/lowering device for a patient translocation apparatus which makes the apparatus effective even when a power source or a piston means of the apparatus works abnormally.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a manual lifting/lowering device is used in a patient translocation apparatus, the patient translocation apparatus includes a base, a boom supported by a mast mounted on the base, a hanger engaged with the boom for suspending the patient and a piston means to raise or lower the boom. The manual lifting/lowering device comprises a slide, a lifter and a driving member. The slide is engaged with the piston means and defines a screw hole therein and a through hole adjacent to the screw hole for movably receiving the mast. The lifter is movably received in the screw hole of the slide. The driving member is provided for driving the lifter up or down.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the lifter is configured to be a screw stem having a plain portion integrally formed thereon. The plain portion has a diameter smaller than that of the screw stem and defines a radial through hole for engagingly receiving the driving member.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the manual lifting/lowering device further includes a bracket mounted to an outer surface of the mast and under the slide. The bracket comprises a horizontal plate and a vertical plate. The horizontal plate defines a blind hole therein aligning with the screw hole of the slide and has a thrust bearing disposed in the blind hole for receiving and securing a bottom end of the screw stem.

In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention, the driving member includes a slave element and a driving element. The slave element includes a helical gear, a plate formed on the helical gear and a pillar extending upward from the plate. The slave element further defines an axial hole for the plain portion of the lifter to be extended therethrough. The pillar defines a radial cutout aligning with the radial hole of the plain portion of the lifter and in communication with the axial hole, such that a pin can be extended through the cutout and the radial through hole of the plain portion to engage the slave element with the lifter. The driving element is configured as a worm with differential serrations.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a manual lifting/lowering device for a patient translocation apparatus in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the manual lifting/lowering device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the manual lifting/lowering device of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional side view showing the operation of the manual lifting/lowering device of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional patient translocation apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a manual lifting/lowering device in accordance with the present invention is used in a patient translocation apparatus and comes into effect when power source or a piston means of the apparatus has abnormally failed. The patient translocation apparatus has a structure substantially same as a conventional apparatus, which comprises a base 50, a boom 52 supported by a mast 51 mounted on the base 50, a hanger 53 engaged with the boom 52 for suspending the patient and a piston means 55 with a piston 551 driving the boom 52 up or down. The manual lifting/lowering device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention is mounted to the mast 51 of the patient translocation apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 2, the manual lifting/lowering device as the above mentioned comprises a slide 10, a lifter 20 and a driving member 30. The slide 10 has a block 12 integrally fornied at one side thereof to be pivotally engaged with the piston means 55 of the patient translocation apparatus. A longitudinal through hole 13 is defined in the slide 10 for movably receiving the mast 51 of the translocation apparatus. The slide 10 further defines a longitudinal screw hole 11 adjacent to the through hole 13 to threadingly receive the lifter 20 therein. The lifter 20 is configured to be a screw stem (not numbered) having a plain portion 21 integrally formed thereon. The plain portion 21 has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the screw stem and defines a radial through hole 211 therein. The driving member 30 is composed of a slave element 31 and a driving element 37. The slave element 31 includes a helical gear (not numbered), a plate 32 formed on the helical gear and a pillar 34 extending upward from the plate 32. An axial hole 33 is defined in the slave element 31 for the plain portion 21 of the lifter 20 to be extended therethrough. In addition, the pillar 34 defines a radial cutout 341 corresponding to the radial hole 211 of the plain portion 21 of the lifter 20 and in communication with the axial hole 33 of the slave element 31, such that a pin 22 can be extended through the cutout 341 and the radial hole 211 of the plain portion 21 to engage the slave element 31 with the lifter 20 when the radial cutout 341 is aligned with the radial hole 211. The driving element 37 of the driving member 30 can be configured as a worm with differential serrations engaged with the helical gear. The driving element 37 further includes a crank 38 for driving the driving element 37 and thereby driving the slide 10 up or down. Furthermore, the manual lifting/lowering device has a bracket 15 mounted to an outer surface of the mast 51 and under the slide 10. The bracket 15 comprises a horizontal plate (not numbered) and a vertical plate(not numbered). The horizontal plate defines a blind hole (not numbered) therein aligning with the screw hole 11 of the slide 10 and has a thrust bearing 151 disposed in the blind hole for receiving and securing a bottom end of the screw stem extending through the slide 10.

With reference to FIG. 3, in assembly, the slide 10 is firstly mounted around the mast 51 of the translocation apparatus. Then the stem of the lifter 20 is threaded into the screw hole 11 of the slide 10 and the lifter 20 is secured by the thrust bearing 151 of the bracket 15. Next, the slave element 31 of the driving member 30 is mounted to the lifter 20 and the pin 22 extends through the radial cutout 341 and the radial through hole 211. To secure the driving element 37 of the driving member 30, a casing 40 can be welded to the mast 51 to enclose the slave element 31 and the driving element 37, except for the crank 38. The casing 40 has a shaft sleeve 39 securely disposed therein for locating a distal end of the driving element 37.

In the situation where the piston means 55 works abnormally or the power source thereof is out, the piston 551 of the piston means 55 will be in a non-moving state. Therefore, the boom 52 can not be driven up or down due to the malfunction of the piston 551. At this time, the user may operate the crank 38 manually to drive the driving element 37. In this way, the slave element 31 will drive the lifter 20 to rotate, enabling the slide 10 to make an up or down movement along the length of the mast 51.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A manual lifting/lowering device for a patient trans location apparatus, said patient translocation apparatus including a base, a boom supported by a mast mounted on the base, a hanger engaged with the boom for suspending the patient and a piston means driving the boom up or down, said manual lifting/lowering device comprising: a slide engaged with the piston means, said slide defining a screw hole therein and a through hole adjacent to the screw hole for movably receiving the mast therein; a lifter rotatably received within the screw hole of the slide; and a driving member with a crank provided for driving the lifter torotate thereby allowing an up or down movement to the slide.
2. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slide has a block integrally formed at one side thereof for pivotedly connecting with a power source of the piston means.
3. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lifter is configured as a screw stem.
4. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 1 further including a bracket mounted to an outer surface of the mast and under the slide, said bracket comprising a horizontal plate and a vertical plate, said horizontal plate defining a blind hole therein aligning with the screw hole of the slide and having a thrust bearing disposed in the blind hole for receiving and securing a bottom end of the screw stem.
5. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lifter has a plain portion integrally formed on the screw stem, said plain portion having a diameter smaller than that of the screw stem and defining a radial through hole for engagingly receiving the driving member.
6. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving member includes a slave element and a driving element.
7. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said slave element includes a helical gear, a plate formed on the helical gear and a pillar extending upward from the plate, and defines an axial hole for the plain portion of the lifter to be extended therethrough, wherein said pillar defines a radial cutout aligning with the radial hole of the plain portion of the lifter and in communication with the axial hole, such that a pin can be extended through the cutout and the radial hole of the plain portion to engage the slave element with the lifter.
8. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said driving element is configured as a worm with differential serrations.
9. A manual lifting/lowering device as claimed in claim 1, further including a casing enclosing the driving member, except for the crank, said casing having a shaft sleeve disposed therein for securing the driving element.