GB2459566A

GB2459566A - Harness for head splint for stretcher

Info

Publication number: GB2459566A
Application number: GB0907378A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Richard Hyde
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2009-04-29
Publication date: 2009-11-04
Also published as: GB0907378D0; GB0807759D0

Abstract

A harness arrangement for use in securing a head location structure to a stretcher, the harness arrangement comprising two strap arrangements 2 which are connected by a connection portion 3, the strap arrangements being configured to be secured to the stretcher 20. Each strap may comprise three strap members 4,5,6 with hook loop formations.

Description

HARNESS ARRANGEMENT

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to harness arrangements.

Background

When transporting injured patients the patient is usually secured to a suitable stretcher. During this procedure the patient's head is placed in a head location structure, typically comprising two foam blocks. It is known to attach the structure to the stretcher by way of adhesive tape.

However, the tape often does not secure the structure adequately.

Furthermore, the clinicians/paramedics must ensure that they have an .. : adequate supply of the tape to hand. * S ****

We seek to provide a harness arrangement which ensures that the head * location structure is firmly secured to the stretcher. *..

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Summary

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*SSSS* * 15 According to the invention there is provided a harness arrangement for use in securing a head location structure to a stretcher, the harness arrangement comprising two strap arrangements which are connected by a connection portion, the strap arrangements being configured to be secured to the stretcher

Brief Description of the drawings

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a harness arrangement, Figure 2 is a partial schematic plan view of a harness arrangement attached to a stretcher, Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a harness assembly being attached to a stretcher, and Figure 4 is a partial schematic perspective view of head blocks attached to a stretcher by two harness arrangements.

Detailed Description

With reference initially to Figure 1 there is shown a harness : 10 arrangement 1 for use in locating a head location structure to a stretcher. * * **S.

* The harness arrangement 1 comprises two strap arrangements 2 which are connected by a connection portion 3. Each strap arrangement 2 comprises three webbing portions 4, 5 and 6, and the connection portion 3 being attached to the webbing portion 5. The harness arrangement 1 has attached to it a D-ring component 8. It is to be noted that webbing portions 5 and 6 are secured by stitching 7a underneath the D-ring -said webbing portions being formed from a single length of webbing. Webbing portion 4 is attached to webbing portions by stitching 7b.

As best seen in Figure 3, the webbing portion 4 comprises a base layer 4a onto which there is provided a field 4b of flexible hooks. The webbing portion 5 comprises a base layer 5a Onto which there is provided a field Sb of flexible hooks. The webbing portion 6 comprises a base layer 6 on each side of which there is provided a field 6b of flexible loops. The flexible hooks and the flexible loops are mateable so as to form a releasable fastening system. The fastening system sold under the trade mark Velcro� may conveniently be used.

The process of attaching the harness arrangement 1 to a stretcher 20 is now described. The stretcher 20 comprises a surrounding frame portion 21 and two support members 22 spaced-apart by an elongate aperture 24. The stretcher 20 is of the so-called splitable' type which is conveniently arranged to be separated longitudinally into two parts. A locking arrangement 25 of known type is provided at each distal end portion of the stretcher to allow the two parts to be in a connected condition or in a separated condition. The support members 22 are each provided with Cut-out regions which serve to define apertures 26 and 27. I... * * *

::..: As best seen in Figure 3 each strap arrangement is attached around the S.'.

frame portion 21. This is essentially achieved by saridwiching the webbing portion 6 between the webbing portions 4 and 5. The flexible hooks of fields 4b and Sb mate with a respective field 6b of flexible loops. Since the webbing portion is fastened by both the webbing portion 4 and the webbing portion 5 each strap arrangement is securably *S**.S * attached to the surrounding frame 21. It is to be noted, as best seen in Figure 2, that on each side of the stretcher one strap arrangement extends through the aperture 26 and the other extends through the aperture 27.

The connection portion 3 is dimensioned to be of a length which is approximately the distance between the apertures 26 and 27.

With both harness arrangements 1 attached to the surrounding frame, head blocks 30 constituting a head location structure are placed on each side of a patient's head (not shown). The blocks ensure that during transportation, the patient's head is kept stationary relative to the stretcher and so reduce the risk of further injury. The head blocks 30 each comprise foam material which is provided with an outer cover.

Each block 30 is provided with a through hole 31 arranged to accommodate a patient's ears. Strap members 35 are then attached to opposing pairs of D-ring components 8 which form eyelets. The strap members 35 each comprise two outer strap portions 35a and an intermediate strap portion 35b. By suitable tightening the strap members 35 locate the head blocks 30 so that they are substantially immovable. Since the connection portions 3 ensure that the connected strap arrangements 2 cannot be separated by more than the length of the connection portion 3, and since the connection portion is slightly less than the length of the head blocks (as can be seen in Figure 4) the risk of the strap members inadvertently being displaced so as to no longer secure the head blocks 30 is significantly reduced. * * *

The above described harness arrangement 1 advantageously allows the *uI.

removable head blocks to be substantially immovably secured in position in a quick and straightforward manner. Once the patient has been transported to the required destination the strap portions 35 can be quickly released from the strap arrangements 2 and so the blocks can be moved.

**.*.. * *

In an alternative embodiment, strap arrangements are provided comprising two strap members and a connection portion, which are each made of plasticised material (instead of from a fabric material, such as a woven fabric material). The alternative embodiment may also comprise buckle arrangements to secure each pair of strap members to the stretcher. Such an alternative embodiment provides the advantage that it is straightforward to clean for hygiene purposes. It will be appreciated that in a second alternative embodiment, the webbing portions 4, 5 and 6 are made of plasticised material (and are provided with hook and loop arrangements). * * S ** S **.* * * * S.* * S. * * . *.* .

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Claims

CLAiMS 1. A harness arrangement for use in securing a head location structure to a stretcher, the harness arrangement comprising two strap arrangements which are connected by a connection portion, the strap arrangements being configured to be secured to the stretcher.
2. A harness arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which each strap arrangement comprises three strap members.
3. A harness arrangement as claimed in claim 2 in which each strap member comprises at least one of a field of hooks and a field of loops, and the hooks of one strap member are configured to be removably secured to the loops of another strap member. * * . *. * I,..
4. A harness arrangement as claimed in claim 3 in which at least one of the strap members forms an intermediate strap member and comprises at least one of a field of hooks and a field of loops on each of the S..opposite sides of the member. * * S

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5. A harness arrangement as claimed in claim 4 in which in use when a strap arrangement is secured to a portion of the stretcher the two other strap members are secured to respective opposite sides of the intermediate strap member.
6. A harness arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which each strap arrangement is arranged, in use, to wrap around a portion of the stretcher.
7. A harness arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which each strap arrangement comprises an eyelet which is arranged to removably receive a webbing member which serves to hold the head location structure in place.
8. A harness arrangement as claimed in claim 7 in which the region of attachment of the connection portion on a strap arrangement is spaced from the eyelet.
9. A harness arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the connection portion is fixedly secured to the strap arrangements.
10. A harness arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6, 7, 8 or 9, but excluding any intervening dependency to any of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5, in which each strap arrangement comprises two strap members and a buckle arrangement to secure the strap members together to the stretcher. t * S S
11. Harness arrangement as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10 in which the strap members are made of plasticised material. *, S. * S *
12. Harness arrangement substantially as described with reference to the drawings.