NL2025443B1 - Transporter configured to transport a human body, and connector therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a transporter configured to transport a human body, in particular a scoop stretcher, comprising a connector configured to releasably connect a first and a second transporter half, wherein: - a male member of the connector that is associated With the first transporter half is insertable into and removable from a female member of the connector that is associated With the second transporter half, Wherein the male and female member at their interface define a releasable connection having a connected state and a disconnected state; - a lock is configured to lock the male member relative to the female member in the connected state; and - a pivot is arranged between the releasable connection and one of the first and the second transporter half to provide a flexible alignment of the male member relative to the female member. The invention is further related to a connector for such a transporter.

Description

Transporter configured to transport a human body, and connector therefor The present invention relates to a transporter configured to transport a human body, as well as to a connector for such a transporter.

Ambulance personnel are exposed to various physically demanding situations during work. For example, raising a stretcher, carrying heavy equipment, riding with (heavy) patients on slopes and curbs, and evacuating patients on stairs impose a physical load for the personnel. To alleviate the workload of ambulance personnel, Applicant developed a transport device configured to transport a human body, such as a patient, that effectively combines the functionality of a (scoop) stretcher for transporting a patient in a lying position and a transporter for transporting a patient in a seating position in one device, which is the subject of international patent application WO 2018/190709 Al.

Research has shown that many patients could be transported while sitting upright or under a slight back angle. In the seating mode, patients may be transported in a seating position, but the seating mode may also allow the transporter to be used as an equipment trolley, allowing ambulance personnel to comfortably and securely transport their heavy medical equipment towards an emergency. On the way back to the ambulance, the transporter may be used as either an equipment trolley or as a transporter for transporting a patient when in the seating mode, or alternatively as a scoop stretcher when the patient needs to be stabilized or is unconscious, which requires transport in a lying position of the patient.

Scoop stretchers are most frequently used to lift injured people from the ground, either because of unconsciousness or in order to maintain stability in the case of trauma with suspected spinal cord injury. Use of scoop stretchers reduces the chance of undesirable movement of injured areas during transfer of a trauma patient, as they maintain the patient in a supine alignment during transfer. In order to safely lift an injured patient from the ground with a minimum risk of causing movement that may aggravate any suspected spinal cord injury, a scoop stretcher comprises two stretcher halves. A patient’s body may be lifted on one side first, allowing the ambulance personnel to slide, i.e. “scoop”, one stretcher half under that respective lifted side of the body. Successively, the other side of the patient’s body may be lifted. now also sliding the other stretcher half under the patient’s body. Finally, both halves of the scoop stretcher need to be securely connected.

Connecting both halves of the scoop stretcher often imposes challenges. Firstly, the connection has to be made, requiring an aligning of a male member and a female member of a connector of both scoop stretcher halves at the position were they are to be connected to each other. The underground is often not completely flat and/or an uneven load distribution of the patient’s body on the stretcher halves may cause torsion or misalignment, and consequently prior art scoop stretchers are normally designed with significant play at the connection to enable easy engagement of the male and female members at the connection. Secondly, a connector for connecting the halves of the scoop stretcher needs to be comfortably accessible, and the resulting connection needs to be stable and secure while also allowing easy intentional disengagement.

Stability of the connection imposes contradictory demands in view of being able to align and connect easily, because a stable connection requires minimal play between the male and female members of the connection.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a transporter and connector therefor, that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated or alleviated.

Said objective is achieved with the transporter configured to transport a human body, in particular a scoop stretcher, according to the present invention, comprising a connector configured to releasably connect a first and a second transporter half, wherein: - a male member of the connector that is associated with the first transporter half is insertable into and removable from a female member of the connector that is associated with the second transporter half, wherein the male and female member at their interface define a releasable connection having a connected state and a disconnected state; - a lock is configured to lock the male member relative to the female member in the connected state; and - a pivot is arranged between the releasable connection and one of the first and the second transporter half to provide a flexible alignment of the male member relative to the female member.

The male and the female member may provide a stable and secure releasable connection. The stability of such a male-female connection increases when the length of the interface between the male and female member increases, which is unfortunately directly related to a more critical alignment of said male and female member when the male member is to be inserted into the female member. However, due to the pivot of the transporter according to the invention, it is guaranteed that the male and female member — even if they exhibit a length of several centimeters and only a limited radial play — may still be easily aligned.

Moreover, due to the pivot being arranged between the releasable connection and one of the first and the second transporter half, the pivot and the releasable connection are physically separated, i.e. they arranged at an offset. This allows the releasable connection and the pivot to be optimized independently of each other. In this way, the connecter is able to meet the contradictory demands of a stable and secure connection by a combination of minimal play in both of the releasable connection and the pivot, while the pivot does provide the flexibility that is required when the male member is to be aligned with the female member.

Whereas a connector having minimal play is desirable for any kind of transporter configured to transport a human body, this especially applies to a hybrid transport device that effectively combines the functionality of a (scoop) stretcher for transporting a patient in a lying position and a transporter for transporting a patient in a seating position in one device, which is the subject of international patent application WO 2018/190709 A1 of Applicant. After all, play in connectors of a transporter for transporting a patient, especially in the seating mode, would cause movement between both transporter halves and a related unstable and uncomfortable feeling to a patient sitting on said transporter. Moreover, play has the tendency to worsen as a result of wear caused by the movement between parts.

Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, may be an invention in its own right that is related to a different problem relative to the prior art.

In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a transporter configured to transport a human body according to the invention that is embodied as a scoop stretcher; Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of a connector of the transporter of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a connector of the transporter of Figure 1; Figure 4A is a detailed cross-sectional view of the connector in a connected state; Figure 4B is a detailed cross-sectional view of the connector in a connected state, wherein a release button displaces an activation pin inside and relative to a locking tube to thereby force the activation pin in a released state thereof to allow the connector to be disconnected; Figure 4C is a detailed cross-sectional view of the connector in a disconnected state; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further connector; Figure 6A is a detailed cross-sectional view of the further connector in a connected. state; Figure 6B is a detailed cross-sectional view of the further connector in a connected state, wherein a further release button displaces a further activation pin inside and relative to a further locking tube to thereby force the further activation pin in a released state thereof to allow the further connector to be disconnected;

Figure 6C is a detailed cross-sectional view of the further connector in a disconnected state; Figures 7A — 7C show the transporter functioning as a scoop stretcher; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the transporter of Figure 1 in a seating mode.

The transporter 1 that is configured to transport a human body may be a regular scoop stretcher or may be a hybrid transporter 1 as shown in the preferred embodiment of Figures 1-8. In Figure 1, they hybrid transporter 1 is shown a mode wherein it is a scoop stretcher 2. In Figure 8, the transporter 1 is shown in the seating mode.

In order to safely lift an injured patient from the ground with a minimum risk of causing movement that may aggravate any suspected spinal cord injury, the transporter 1 that is embodied as the scoop stretcher 2 of Figures 1-7 comprises a first transporter half 4 and a second transporter half 5, as well as a connector 6 configured to releasably connect the first and second transporter halves 4, 5 (Figure 2). The connector 6 comprises a male member 7 that is associated with the first {5 transporter half 4. This male member 7 is insertable into and removable from a female member 8 of the connector 6. The female member 8 is associated with the second transporter half 5, and the male and female member 7, 8 at their interface define a releasable connection 9 having a connected state (Figures 4A, 4B, 6A and 6B) and a disconnected state (Figures 4C and 6C). The connector 6 further comprises a lock 10 that is configured to lock the male member 7 relative to the female member 8 in the connected state.

In the connected state shown in Figures 4A and 6A the lock is active.

Using a release button 11, a user may unlock the lock 10 in the connected state, allowing the first and second transporter halves 4, 5 to be moved apart into the disconnected state shown in Figure 4C and 6C.

A pivot 12 is arranged between the releasable connection 9 and one of the first 4 and the second transporter half 5 to provide a flexible alignment of the male member 7 relative to the female member 8. In this way, the pivot 12 and the releasable connection 9 are physically separated, i.e. they arranged at an offset, which allows them to be optimized independently of each other.

In the shown preferred embodiment, the female member 8 is arranged in a tubular frame segment 13 of the second transporter half 5. The female member 8 may be a part to be arranged inside the tubular frame segment 13, but may alternatively also be integrated inside said tabular frame segment 13. Both the first 4 and the second transporter half 5 may comprise a tubular frame segment 13, 14 respectively (Figure 3). If the female member 8 is arranged in the tubular frame segment 13 of the second transporter half 5, said pivot 12 may be arranged between the male member 7 and its associated first transporter half 4 to thereby provide flexibility in aligning the male 7 and female member 8.

After all, the male member 7 may pivot relative to its associated first transporter half 4, allowing to male member 7 to be brought into alignment with the female member 8 that is associated with the second transporter half 5, even if the first and second transporter halves 5, 6 would be lying on an uneven underground and/or if a patient would cause an uneven load distribution on both the first 5 and second transporter halves 5, 6.

The stability of the releasable connection 9 of the male 7 and the female member 8 increases when the length of the interface between these members 7, 8 increases. The male member 7, and in particular the interface between the male 7 and the female member 8, preferably has a length of at least 3 cm, preferably of at least 4 cm, more preferably of at least 5 cm and most preferably of at least 6 cm.

The transporter 1 comprises two embodiments of a connector 6, the first type 6-1 being shown in Figures 3 and 4A-C, and the second type 6-2 being shown in Figures 5, and 6A-C. Both types of connector 6, 6-1, 6-2 are very similar, and similar reference numbers apply to similar features.

The male member 7 comprises a coaxial arrangement of a locking tube 13 and an activation pin 14 that is movable arranged in and relative to said locking tube 13 between a locking state (Figures 4A and 6A) and a release state (Figures 4B, 6B) of said activation pin 14.

In said locking state shown in Figures 4A and 6A, one or more than one locking element 15 is displaced radially outward relative to said activation pin 14 and configured to engage a corresponding locking edge 16 (Figure 4A) of or locking recess 17 (Figure 6A) in the female member 8.

Said one or more than one locking element 15 may be a locking ball 18 that is pushed radially outward in the locking state to extend partly radially outward relative to an outer circumferential surface 19 of the locking tube 13. The shown embodiment comprises two locking balls 18 for each connector 6.

The connector 6, 6-1, 6-2 further comprises a release button 11 configured to displace the activation pin 14 inside and relative to the locking tube 13 to thereby force the activation pin 14 in the released state thereof. The release button 11 may be pre-tensioned using a spring 20. When the release button 11 is pressed inward against the spring 20, a chamfered contact surface 21 may push the activation pin 14 to move it relative to the locking tube 13 (Figure 4B). The inward movement of the release button 11 causes the user to deliberately release the lock 10. If the release button 11 is arranged between the male member 7 and the pivot 12, it is easily and readily accessible by the user.

During normal use, when the release button 11 is not pushed inward by a user, the spring 20 forces the release button 11 into an outward position. In this position, the activation pin 14 may moved a small distance further towards spring 20, allowing a recess 22 of the activation pin 14 to be displaced relative to the locking element 15. The connector 6, 6-1, 6-2 further comprises a lock activator 23 configured to force the activation pin 14 into the locking state when the male 7 and the female member 8 are in the connected state, i.e. the state wherein the recess 22 of the activation pin 14 is displaced relative to the locking element 15, thereby pushing the locking element radially outward relative to the activation pin 14 to provide engagement of said locking element 15 with the corresponding locking edge 16 (Figure 4A) of or locking recess 17 (Figure 6A) in the female member 8. Lock 10 comprises the male member 7, the female member 8 and the lock activator 23.

The lock activator 23 comprises an abutment 24 that is pre-tensioned with a spring IO 25. When the male 7 and the female member 8 are in the connected state shown in Figures 4A and GA, the pre-tensioned abutment 24 is pressed outward by the spring 25 and thereby brought in abutting contact with an end 30 of the activation pin 14. Consequently, activation pin 14 is pushed away, i.e. to the right in Figures 4A and GA. As long as the release button 11 is not actively pushed inward by a user, the activation pin 14 remains in a position locking the lock 10, wherein the locking element 15 is pushed radially outward. The pre-tensioned abutment 24 is thus configured to displace the activation pin 14 inside and relative to the locking tube 13 to thereby force the activation pin 14 in the locking state thereof.

If the release button 11 is actively pushed inward by a user, the activation pin 14 is moved against the spring 25 of the lock activator 23, i.e. towards the left in Figures 4B and 6B.

The recess 22 in the activation pin 14 and a through hole 27 in the locking tabe 13 are radially aligned to allow the locking element 15 to move radially inward towards the activation pin 14. As a result the locking element is disengaged from the locking edge 16 (Figure 4B) of or locking recess 17 (Figure 6B) in the female member 8. The male member 7 may now be moved out of the female member 8 to obtain the disconnected state shown in Figures 4C and 6C.

The male member 7 and the female member 8 preferably both comprise a circular cross section. A circular cross section is, due to its rotation symmetry, does not require an alignment in rotational direction, thereby further facilitating easy alignment of the male member 7 and the female member 8.

The entrance opening 26 of the female member is tapered to provide a larger diameter at the entrance.

The transporter 1 shown in the embodiments comprises a further connector 6, 6-2 configured to releasably connect the first 4 and the second transporter half 5, wherein said further connector 6, 6-2 is arranged at an opposite end of the first 4 and the second transporter half 5 relative to the connector 6, 6-1. As discussed above, both the connector 6, 6-1 (of the first type) and the further connector 6, 6-2 (of the second type) function in a similar way, the main difference being that the locking element 15 engages a locking edge 16 of the female member 8 for the connector 6, 6-1 of the first type, whereas the locking element 15 engages a locking recess 17 for the further connector 6, 6-2 (of the second type). The connector 6, 6-1 (of the first type) is arranged on an upper side in Figure 8, whereas the further connector 6, 6-2 (of the second type) is arranged at a lower side in Figure 8. The transporter 1 being a hybrid transporter 1 having a wheel chair mode shown in Figure 8 requires foot rests 28 being able to rotate around the tubular frame segments 13, 14 and therefore the further connector 6, 6-2 may be slightly different relative to the connector 6, 6-1. Tubular segments 29 allow this rotation of the foot rests 28. Said rotation is limited by the stops 31 shown in Figure 5. Figures 7A — 7C show the transporter 1 functioning as a scoop stretcher 2. In Figure 7A, both transporter halves 4, 5 are positioned alongside the patient. First the left body side may be lifted, after which the first transporter half 4 may be moved under the patient’s body. In Figure 7B, the upper connector 6, 6-1 is already connected, still allowing a pivoting movement of the second transporter half 5 relative to the first transporter half 4. If now the right side of the patient’s body is lifted, also the further connector 6, 6-2 may be brought into a connected state (Figure 70).

Please note that the further connector 6, 6-2 may be arranged identical or mirrored relative to the connector 6, 6-1. In Figure 7A, the first transporter half 4 is defined relative to the connector 6, 6-1. The further connector 6, 6-2 is arranged in a mirrored arrangement, meaning that the male member 7 of the further connector 6, 6-2 is associated with the second transporter half 5, and the female member 8 of the further connector 6, 6-2 is associated with the first transporter half

4. The skilled person will understand that is makes no difference for the present invention. The further connector 6, 6-2 comprises: - a further male member 7 that is associated with one of the first 4 and the second transporter half 5, wherein the further male member 7 is insertable into and removable from the further female member 8 that is associated with the other one of the first 4 and the second transporter half 5, wherein the further male member 7 and the further female member 8 at their interface define a further releasable connection 9 having a connected state and a disconnected state; - a further lock 10 that is configured to lock the further male member 7 relative to the further female member 8 in the connected state; and - a further pivot 12 that is arranged between the further releasable connection 9 and one of the first 4 and the second transporter half 4 to provide a flexible alignment of the further male member 7 relative to the further female member 8.

Although they show a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above described embodiment is intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. For example, although Figure 1 shows a scoop stretcher mode of a hybrid transporter developed by the Applicant and subject of the international patent application WO 2018/190709

Al, the skilled person will understand that the connector according to the invention is likewise applicable to scoop stretchers that lack such a seating mode.

It should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims.

Furthermore, it is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments.

The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the following claims.

Claims (18)

Conclusions Conveyor arranged for transporting a human body, in particular a scoop stretcher, comprising a connector adapted to releasably connect a first and a second conveyor half, wherein: - a male part of the connector, which is attached to the first conveyor half belongs, is insertable into and removable from a female portion of the connector associated with the second conveyor half, the male and female portions defining at their interface a releasable connection having a bonded state and a disengaged state; - a lock is arranged to lock the male part relative to the female part in the connected condition; and - a hinge is arranged between the releasable connection and one of the first and second conveyor halves to provide a flexible alignment of the male part with respect to the female part. i5 The conveyor of claim 1, wherein said female member is mounted in a tubular frame segment of the second conveyor half. Conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein both the first and the second belt conveyor halves comprise a tubular frame segment. Conveyor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said hinge is arranged between the male part and its associated first conveyor half. Conveyor according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the male part has a length of at least 3 cm, preferably at least 4 cm, more preferably at least 5 cm and most preferably at least 6 cm . Conveyor according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein - the male part comprises a coaxial arrangement of a locking tube and an activation pin movably arranged in and relative to said locking tube between a locking state and a releasing state of said activating pin ; and - in said locking state, one or more than one locking element is displaced radially outwardly of said activation pin and is arranged to engage a corresponding locking edge of, or locking recess in, the female part. The conveyor of claim 6, wherein said one or more locking element is a locking ball which in the locking state is radially pressed outwardly to extend partially radially outwardly with respect to an outer circumferential surface of the locking tube. Conveyor according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said connector further comprises an IO release button adapted to move the activation pin within and relative to the locking tube to force it into the release state. Conveyor according to claim 8, wherein the release button is arranged between the male part and the hinge. A conveyor according to at least one of claims 6-9, further comprising a locking activator adapted to force the activating pin into the locking state when the male and female parts are in the connected state. The conveyor of claim 10, wherein the locking activator comprises a biased stop which is in abutting contact with one end of the activating pin when the male and female members are in the engaged condition. A conveyor according to claim 11, wherein the biased stop is adapted to move the activation pin within and relative to the connecting tube to force the activation pin into the locking state. A conveyor according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the male part and the female part both have a circular cross-section. A conveyor according to claim 13, wherein the entrance opening of the female member is tapered to provide a larger diameter near the entrance. A conveyor according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising an additional connector adapted to releasably connect the first and second conveyor halves, said additional connector proximate an opposite end of the first and second conveyor halves from the connector has been fitted. A conveyor according to claim 15, wherein the additional connector comprises: - an additional male portion associated with one of the first and second conveyor halves, the additional male portion being insertable into and removable from the additional female portion associated with the said additional male portion. another belongs to one of the first and second conveyor halves, wherein the additional male portion and the additional female portion define at their interface an additional releasable connection having a bonded state and a disengaged state; - an additional lock adapted to lock the additional male part with respect to the additional female part in the connected state; and - an additional hinge arranged between the additional releasable connection and one of the first and second conveyor halves to provide flexible alignment of the additional male portion with respect to the additional female portion. A conveyor according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor is a shovel brand card. 18. Connector of or for a conveyor according to any one of the preceding claims.