US3565483A - Safety harness - Google Patents

Safety harness Download PDF

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Publication number
US3565483A
US3565483A US784748A US3565483DA US3565483A US 3565483 A US3565483 A US 3565483A US 784748 A US784748 A US 784748A US 3565483D A US3565483D A US 3565483DA US 3565483 A US3565483 A US 3565483A
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strap
secured
patient
chair
patients
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Expired - Lifetime
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US784748A
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English (en)
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John T Posey
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Individual
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Individual
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10—Parts, details or accessories

Definitions

  • a safety harness including a V-shaped shoulder piece adapted to be placed over a patients head and secured to a first transverse strap provided with loops at each end for connecting it to handles of a support such as a wheel chair.
  • the apex of the V-shaped shoulder piece is adjacent the patients chest, and is secured to a second transverse strap extending away from the apex in opposite directions, Ends of the second transverse strap are adapted to be secured to the chair to restrain a patient in it.
  • Velcro material is secured to the handles and the loops at each end of the first transverse strap.
  • restraining devices which support the patient while he is disposed in a wheel chair.
  • One class of such devices provides straps which are substantially horizontally disposed about the patients lower trunk and which are looped around a back rest of the chair and are there tied together. Although these devices restrain the patient to the chair, they do not prevent the trunk of the patient from slumping forward. Moreover, the relatively narrow straps become uncomfortable to the patient after a relatively short period of time since they rub against the patients body and can pinch should he bend his upper trunk forward.
  • a particular shortcoming common to all presently available wheel chair patient-restraining devices is that they are not easily adjustable for use on patients and chairs of different sizes.
  • the typical prior art restraining device When applied to a chair, the typical prior art restraining device is disposed at the same position relative to the chair. This causes it to fit against d1fferent portions of the patients body, depending upon his size.
  • the most comfortable and effective position for a patient of one size might be a relatively ineffective and uncomfortable position for a patient having a different size.
  • hospitals and other institutions providing chairs for all types and sizes of patients must stock a large number of different sizes of such "ice restraining devices. This, of course, is costly and further contributes to the already high cost of patient care.
  • failure to stock an adequate number of different sizes results in an undesirable compromise on the care given a patient.
  • This invention provides a safety harness for use on support structures such as chairs and the like to restrain a patient therein and prevent him from falling out of it.
  • a first transverse strap and a V- shaped shoulder piece The latter includes first and second belts which are angularly inclined relative to each other. Portions of the belts remote from each other are secured to the first transverse strap, Adjacent ends of the belts are secured together to form an apex which is secured to a center piece which fits near the midrifi of the patient.
  • the ends of the first strap are adapted to be connected to the support structure.
  • a second transverse strap is secured to the center piece, extends away from it in opposing directions and is disposed substantially transversely to the center piece adjacent the patients trunk. The ends of the second strap are adapted to be secured to a member of the support.
  • the safety harness of this invention comfortably supports the patient While he sits, and prevents him from slumping forward.
  • the V-shaped shoulder piece gently restrains the patients shoulders and maintains his body in an upright position adjacent the back rest of the chair.
  • the center piece is disposed adjacent the patients chest bone and restrains the lower portions of the patients trunk from moving away from the chairs back rest. Additionally, the second transverse strap fits snugly against the sides of the patients trunk and restrains lateral movement in the chair.
  • This harness not only provides large contact areas with the patients body to reduce surface pressure on the patients body and accompanying skin irritations, but also applies the restraining forces to those parts of the body where they are most effective.
  • the belts of the V-shaped shoulder piece restrain the body at the shoulders which are farthest removed from the hips about which the trunk pivots when it slumps forward. A minimal restraining force is therefore required since a maximum moment arm relative to the pivotal axis is obtained.
  • This safety harness is ideally adapted to be adjustable to accommodate patients of different heights and weights.
  • the sec-0nd transverse strap can :be moved toward or away from the V-shaped shoulder piece according to the height of the patient.
  • the second transverse strap is further adjustable in a lengthwise direction to increase or decrease is length according to the patients size. It is, herefore, on longer necessary to stock safety harnesses of different sizes, resulting in a corresponding reduction of the operating expenses of hospitals and similar institutions.
  • a separate loop on each end of the first trans-verse strap fits over rearwardly extending handles on conventional wheel or patient chairs.
  • a first kind of Velcro material is secured to the handles, and a second kind is secured to the interior of the loops to lock them firmly to the chair.
  • the length of the first strap is adjustable to facilitate putting the loops on and taking them off the chair handles.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the safety harness on a patient in a conventional wheel chair
  • FIG. 2 is a plan 'view of the safety harness shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is aview on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.
  • a safety harness includes substantially parallel, laterally spaced first and second transverse straps 12 and 14, a V-shaped shoulder piece 16 connected at its apex to an elongated center piece 18.
  • the safety harness can be constructed of any suitable material, but preferably it is of a strong, reinforced webbing which can be laundered by ordinary means.
  • a separate loop 20 is at each end of the strap.
  • the loop is preferably constructed integrally with the strap by securing an end '21 to a portion of the strap intermediate the end and the center of the strap.
  • the inner face of each loop is lined with a layer 22 of Velcro material of either hook or pile type.
  • Each handle 23 of a wheel chair 24 is wrapped with a layer 25 of a type of Velcro material opposite from that in the loop at the ends of the first strap so the loops can be firmly, but temporarily, secured to the handles.
  • Velcro material is well known and described in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,717,437 and 3,009,235.
  • the V-shaped shoulder piece 16 includes a pair of belts 26 which are angularly inclined relative to each other and secured together at adjacent ends to form the apex of the V-shaped shoulder piece. Ends 27 of the belts, remote from each other, are secured to the first transverse strap 12 adjacent the loops 20 thereof. The ends 28' of the belts at the apex are secured to an upper end 30 of the downwardly extending and rectangularly shaped center piece 18.
  • the first transverse strap 12, the belts 26 of the shoulder piece 16, and the center piece 18 are connected to each other by stitching. Alternatively, they can be secured to each other by other mean, such as by glue or rivets (not shown).
  • the centerpiece 18 preferably includes three vertically spaced transverse openings 32, greater than the width of the second transverse strap 14 to enable the second transverse strap to facilitate easy removal and insertion from and in the openings.
  • the center piece is constructed by looping a strap 34 about its middle such that one-half the strap is disposed adjacent the other half and ends 36 of the strap are disposed adjacent each other. Intermediate portions of the now doubled up strap are stitched to define the openings 32.
  • the openings can, of course, be defined and constructed otherwise such as by securing individual lengths of material to the strap 34 to define the openings or by using a pair of straps (not shown) having a length equal to the length of the center piece and by suitably stitching the two straps together.
  • the elongated second transverse strap 14 is disposed in one of the openings 32 of the center piece 18 and has a separate buckel 38 secured to each end of the strap.
  • Each buckle engages the second strap intermediate a respective end thereof and center piece 18 to define a separate loop 40 at each end.
  • the length of the second transverse strap is adjusted by moving the buckles axially along the second transverse strap.
  • the buckles have a width which is less than the width of the openings.
  • the buckles 38 are preferably of the type which have three substantially parallel bars 42, the ends of the strap being secured to the center bar of the buckle, and which are connected with each other by a pair of substantially parallel cross bars 44, the cross bars being disposed closely adj acent the sides of the strap.
  • the first transverse strap 12 is of sufficient length to engage the loops 20 over rearwardly extending handles 23 (shown in FIG. 1) of the conventional wheel chair 24. Alternatively, they are fitted over rearwardly extending members (not shown) of a conventional patient chair or other support capable of receiving a patient in a sitting position.
  • the first transverse strap preferably is made up of first and second sections 45, 46, respectively.
  • a rectangular metal ring 47 is secured by stitching 48 in one end of the first section 45.
  • a layer 48A of one type of Velcro material is secured to one end of the second section 46.
  • a layer 49 of the opposite type of Velcro material is secured to the same side of the second section as the layer 48A so the first section with layer 48A can be passed through ring 47 and folded back on itself to lock the two Velcro layers together at any desired point to provide proper spacing between the loops at the ends of the first stra-p. This enables its application on supports having different sizes and configurations, and facilitates engaging and disengaging the first strap loops on the chair handles.
  • This harness is particularly adapted for use on wheel chairs such as are found around hospitals, rehabilitation homes, etc. It is constructed for the size of chair it is used on, which is generally a standard size, and permits quick and time saving installation.
  • the belts 2-4 of the V-shaped shoulder piece 16 are of a sufficient length to enable them to be placed over the head and neck of the patient sitting in the wheel chair such that the center piece 18 is disposed adjacent the chest bone of the patient.
  • the second transverse strap 14 is substantially longer than the first transverse strap 12 to allow it to be looped about the patients trunk as well as about a back rest 50 of the wheel chair to connect its ends to an outward protrusion 52 or to another suitable member of the wheel chair.
  • the safety harness 10 it is applied to a sitting patient, shown in FIG. 1 by initially placing the V-shaped shoulder piece 16 over the patients head such that the belts 26 rest on the patients shoulders,
  • the first transverse strap 12 is disposed adjacent the patients back and loops 20 of the first strap are slipped over the handle bars 23 of the wheel chair 24.
  • the second section of the first strap is slipped through the metal ring 47 and pulled back over itself until the loops are taut against the handles, firmly engaging the Velcro layers in the loop and on the handles.
  • the Velcro layers on the second section are then pressed together, locking the first strap in place.
  • the second transverse strap 14 is adjusted by inserting it in that opening 32 which most comfortably restrains the patient in the chair.
  • this may be the opening adjacent end 30 of the center piece or one remote therefrom.
  • the second transverse strap is then looped around the trunk of the patient and vertical members 54 of the back rest 50.
  • the second strap is crossed behind the back rest of the chair and loops 40 are secured to the rearwardly extending protrusions 52 of the wheel chair.
  • the second strap is tightened by moving the buckle 38 along the strap until the second transverse strap fits snugly around the patients trunk and securely restrains it to the back rest and seat of the wheel chair. In this position, the patient is comfortably but securely constrained.
  • the V-shaped shoulder piece prevents the patients trunk from slumping forward in the seat, and the center piece 18, together with the second transverse strap 14, secures the patients trunk to the back rest and prevents it from sliding away from under the harness.
  • a safety harness for supporting a patient in a chair having a pair of rearwardly projecting and horizontally spaced handles, the harness comprising:
  • a V-shaped shoulder piece including first and second belts joined together at an apex and extending away from each other, a portion of each of the belts remote from the apex being secured at longitudinally spaced locations to the first transverse strap;
  • a harness according to claim 1 which includes means References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1967 Scruggs 297-389 9/1969 Posey 297-389 REINALDO P. 'MACHADO, Primary Examiner

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
US784748A 1968-12-18 1968-12-18 Safety harness Expired - Lifetime US3565483A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US78474868A 1968-12-18 1968-12-18

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US3565483A true US3565483A (en) 1971-02-23

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US784748A Expired - Lifetime US3565483A (en) 1968-12-18 1968-12-18 Safety harness

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US (1) US3565483A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1225446A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4132230A (en) * 1977-08-23 1979-01-02 Ladd James T Restraining garment
US4330152A (en) * 1980-08-04 1982-05-18 Legan Sandra K Support and restraint apron
DE3708300C1 (en) * 1987-03-14 1988-10-13 Klimt Hans Ulrich Wheelchair
US5131683A (en) * 1990-11-08 1992-07-21 Johnson Ellis D Torso restraining assembly for automobile seat
US6247756B1 (en) * 2000-08-03 2001-06-19 Emil Wagner Safety and torso positioning apparatus
US6811222B1 (en) * 2002-06-10 2004-11-02 Cynthia K. Sumner Chin and neck brace
US20110140489A1 (en) * 2008-08-08 2011-06-16 Richard Knight Child Support Strap

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4132230A (en) * 1977-08-23 1979-01-02 Ladd James T Restraining garment
US4330152A (en) * 1980-08-04 1982-05-18 Legan Sandra K Support and restraint apron
DE3708300C1 (en) * 1987-03-14 1988-10-13 Klimt Hans Ulrich Wheelchair
US5131683A (en) * 1990-11-08 1992-07-21 Johnson Ellis D Torso restraining assembly for automobile seat
US6247756B1 (en) * 2000-08-03 2001-06-19 Emil Wagner Safety and torso positioning apparatus
US6811222B1 (en) * 2002-06-10 2004-11-02 Cynthia K. Sumner Chin and neck brace
US20110140489A1 (en) * 2008-08-08 2011-06-16 Richard Knight Child Support Strap
US8960804B2 (en) * 2008-08-08 2015-02-24 Systematic Strategy Limited Child support strap

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Publication number Publication date
GB1225446A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-17

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