US3580523A

US3580523A - Retractable safety belt for hospital gurneys and the like

Info

Publication number: US3580523A
Application number: US775793A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter George Preston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-11-14
Filing date: 1968-11-14
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25

Abstract

A safety belt for use on patient supporting hospital equipment such as operating tables, gurneys, wheelchairs and the like which includes an elongated restraining strap adapted to be disposed in transversely circumscribing relation about the patient support and having opposite releasably connectable ends disposed in overlapping position about the patient. The strap has an intermediate portion connected to a retracting roller releasably detachable anchored to the hospital equipment, the strap in extended patient circumscribing relation serves to hold the anchors more securely in place.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Walter George Preston Tulare, Calif. 21 Appl. No. 775,793 [22] Filed Nov. 14, 1968 [45 Patented May 25, 1971 73] Assignee John T. Posey [54] RETRACTABLE SAFETY BELT FOR HOSPITAL GURNEYS AND THE LIKE 11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 242/l07.l, 297/388 [51] Int. Cl B65h 75/48 [50] Field of Search 242/107,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,814,504 11/1957 Campbell et a1 242/107.1X

3,241,881 3/1966 Camahan et al 297/385 3,313,511 4/1967 Koerner et al. 297/385UX 3,402,901 9/1968 Van l-louton 242/l07.1 1 3,425,646 2/1969 Hollowell 242/l07.l1

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant ExaminerWerner l-l. Schroeder Attorney-Huebner and Worrel ABSTRACT: A safety belt for use on patient supporting hospital equipment such as operating tables, gumeys, wheelchairs and the like which includes an elongated restraining strap adapted to be disposed in transversely circumscribing relation about the patient support and having opposite releasably connectable ends disposed in overlapping position about the patient. The strap has an intermediate portion connected to a retracting roller releasably detachable anchored to the hospital equipment, the strap in extended patient circumseribing relation serves to hold the anchors more securely in place.

Patented May 25, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WALTER 6. PRESTON IN VE N TO)? m 7 A TTORNEVS Patented May 25, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALTER G. PRESTON INVEN TOR M YM A TTORNEV i RETRACTABLE SAFETY BELT FOR HOSPITAL GURNEYS AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to safety belts and more particularly to safety belts for use on hospital equipment such as operating tables, gurneys, wheelchairs and the like.

The need for restraining and immobilizing a patient during an operation isreadily apparent. There is also frequently a need for restraining a patient in bed or during transport because of a patients incapacitation or irrationality due to illness, reaction to drugs or postoperative conditions. Restraint is needed to prevent patients from falling off the equipment or thrashing about and opening up incisions and the like. Various mechanisms have been utilized for immobilizing patients under the conditions described including straps which are buckled or otherwise secured. Such straps, however, have not proved entirely satisfactory for the reason that when not in use they dangle loosely with the tendency to become twisted and entangled with the equipment. Such straps therefore are not presented in suitable condition for connection about the patient. Additionally, the loose straps interfere with the movement of hospital personnel in the vicinity of the equipment. Furthermore, the straps are usually fixedly connected to equipment which prevents their ready detachment for cleaning and sterilization thereby presenting a problem of sanitatron.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safety belt which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

Another object is to provide a safety belt for hospital equipment which i: retractable to preclude the presence of loose dangling ends, the ends being kept out of the way of interference with the operation of the equipment and personnel, yet readily accessible for easy and rapid connection in overlapping relation about the patient.

Another object is to provide an extendable restraining strap which is normally held in retracted condition and is guided for extension and retraction to preclude twisting of the strap.

Another object is to provide a retractable belt which is adjustable for use on different types of hospital equipment.

Another object is to provide a safety belt for hospital equipment which is easily attachable and detachable in its entirety for ready removal as a unit for cleaning and sterilizing.

Another object is to provide a safety belt mounted on hospital equipment which is capable of disposition about a patient and extendable to the full length thereof in operation without imposing undue strain on the means mounting the belt on the equipment.

Another object is to provide a safety belt for use on hospital equipment, which is detachably anchored to the equipment, and the belt in operative relation functions to hold the anchors more securely in place.

Another object is to provide a retractable safety belt for hospital equipment which is of relatively inexpensive construction and operates in a reliable and facile manner.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are achieved bya safety belt for hospital equipment which includes a retractable roller detachably mounted on the equipment by a pair of straps, each having an anchor on the distal end thereof, the straps being adjustable for mounting the roller on different types of hospital equipment. Attached to the roller is the intermediate portion of a strap or webbing adapted to be disposed in circumscribing relation about a patient and having overlapping ends releasably connectable together for restraining or holding the patient immobilized. The webbing passes through guides and around the anchors when in circumscribing relation for securely holding the anchors in place. Upon disconnection and release of the overlapping ends of the webbing, the roller operates to retract the webbing, the guide serving to prevent twisting thereof. Each of the free ends of the webbing is provided with a stop which is engageable with one of the guides adjacent to an anchor for rendering such ends of the webbing readily accessible and precluding dangling of the ends of the webbing. The roller mounting, anchors and guides are constructed of bent wire for economy of construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view illustrating the use of safety belts embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view illustrating the manner of mounting a safety belt of the present invention on a piece of hospital equipment.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of one of the anchors and the relationship of the parts associated therewith.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the relationship of an anchor to the frame of a piece of hospital equipment and the disposition of one end of the hold ing strap in the retracted position thereof.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the holding strap retracting roller and the mounting therefor.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the roller and its mounting taken along a line transversely of the roller.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a pair of safety belt devices embodying the principles of the present invention and designated generally by the reference number 10. For illustrative purposes the devices 10 are shown and described as used on a piece of hospital equipment 12 which is a vehicle for transporting a patient 14 or any other object thereon, commonly referred to as a gurney. The vehicle 12 has a support surface 16 mounted on a frame 18 having wheels 20. The safety belt device of the present invention can, of course, be applied to other types of hospital equipment such as operating tables, beds wheelchairs, and the like. It is therefore to be understood that the features of the present invention, hereinafter described in greater detail, are capable of broad application and are not limited to use with gurneys or other hospital equipment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 18 includes a pair of side members or rails 22 interconnected by transverse members or ribs 24. Although the rails 22 are shown as being round with channel reinforcing members 26, the rails and other frame parts could be of rectangular configuration, as desired or deemed necessary. Detachably connected to each of the side rails 22 is an anchor 28, best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Associated with each anchor 28 is a mounting strap 30 and a connector 32. The mounting straps 30 extend inwardly and the inner ends thereof are connected to a frame 34 mounting a retracting roller 36, as shown in FIG. 2. Connected to the roller 36 is a holding or restraining strap 38 of suitable fabric or webbing having end portions 40a and 40b adapted to be placed in overlapping relation for circumscribing an object, such as a patients body or the like. The facing portions of the overlapping end portions 40a and 40b are provided with adhesive fabric material in the form of a layer 420 of bristle or hook material and a layer 42b of fleece or pile material. Such adhesive fabric material is commercially available under the trade name VEL- CRO. The layers, when pressed together, adhere to hold the overlapping end portions 40a and 40b connected but are easily pulled apart for disconnection of the end portions. The distal ends of the end portions are provided with projecting flaps, or catches 40c for a purpose later to become apparent.

Viewing FIG. 3, it is to be noted that the connector 32 is of bent wire and has a transverse portion 32a which interconnects a pair of legs 32b providing intumed end portions 32c on which is journaled a roller 44. The anchor member 28 is also of bent wire construction and includes a transverse portion 280 which is generally parallel to the portion 320 and interconnects a pair of bent legs 28b each with an angulated end 280 suitably configured to fit about a frame member to which the anchor is adapted to be connected. The anchor 28 further includes portions 28d, each of which is bent back and disposed generally parallel to an associated leg 28b beyond which the portion curves reversely, as at 28e, the anchor terminating in intumed ends on which a roller 46 is rotatably mounted. The anchor and the connector are so related that the legs 28b and reversely curved portions 282 are adjacent to and inwardly of the legs 32b and ends 32c, respectively.

Each mounting strap 30 has an end 30a which is folded over around the transverse portion of 32a of the connector 32 and passes between such portion and the transverse portion 280 of the anchor 28, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Referring to FIGS. and 6, the mounting straps 30 have inner ends 30b which are folded over and operatively related with a pair of connectors 48 of bent wire. Each connector 48 has a transverse portion 48a which interconnects a pair of legs 48b having inturned ends which mount a roller 50 for rotation. The strap end 3012 passes around the transverse portion 48a,

The mounting frame 34 is of bent wire construction and in cludes a pair of Ushaped members 52 each having a transverse portion 52a interconnecting a pair of legs 52b. Secured to the ends of the legs 52b are a pair of end plates 54 forming part of the retracting roller 36. The legs 52b are disposed in wardly of the legs 48b and the strap end 30b is disposed between the

transverse portion

52a and 48a, which portions are generally parallel to each other. Cooperatively related to the connectors 48 and the member 52 are a pair of arched members 56 having arcuate ends 560 interconnected by cross rods 58, each of which rotatably supports a roller 60. The arcuate ends 58a curve around the transverse portions 48a and are located adjacent to the junctures of the legs 52b with the transverse portion 52a, outwardly thereof. Thus, when an outward pull is exerted on a strap 30, the associated legs 52b are drawn against the associated rod 58 and the strap end 30b is pressed against the roller 60 and the transverse portion 52a by the transverse portion 48a. However, when the connector 48 is swung lever fashion, using the rod 58 as a fulcrum, the por tion 480 is moved away from the portion 520 and the roller 60 for relieving the pressure on the strap end 30b and loosening the strap 30.

Mounted for rotation on the end plates 54 is a sleeve or cylindrical housing 62 containing a coil spring 64, one end of which is connected to the sleeve and the other is connected to one of the end plates. The sleeve 62 is provided with a pair of fingers 66 spaced sufficiently from the cylindrical surface of the sleeve to receive the holding strap therebetween. With the ends 40a and 40b of the strap 38 released, the spring 64 is adapted to rotate the sleeve 62 and cause the intermediate portion of the safety belt to wrap therearound in a multiplicity of layers until the rollers 46 engage the catches 40c on the strap for stopping further retraction thereof.

OPERATION The operation of the device of the present invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. In the detached condition of the safety belt device 10, the restraining strap 38 is retracted by the roller 36 and is wrapped around the sleeve 62 in a multiplicity of layers. The anchors 28 are then applied to appropriate frame members, for example, the rails 22 of a hospital gurney or the like. With the anchors 28 in place, pull is exerted on the ends 300 of the mounting straps 30 for holding the anchors in place and supporting the roller mounting frame 34 substantially midway between the rails. With the pull exerted on the strap 38, the stop or catch 400 is in engagement with its respective roller 46, thus disposing the ends of the strap conveniently located at the side of the gurney or other equipment and readily accessible for grasping and placement about the body of the patient. The patient having been positioned on the gurney, it is but necessary to reach over and grasp the ends of the holding strap 38 and exert sufficient pull to extend the strap and place the end portions 40a and 40b thereof in overlapping relation so that the bristle and fleece adhesive fabric layers on such ends engage and hold the portions in place. It is to be noted that during pull on the ends of the strap 38, the several rollers around which it passes rotate and reduce frictional drag on the strap, thus minimizing the pull required to place the belt about a patient. It is also to be noted that the rollers 44 float with respect to the rollers 46 for accommodating different thicknesses of the strap. Furthermore, with the strap 38 disposed in place about the patient, the pressure of the strap on the rollers 44 causes the end portions 32c of the connector 32 to contact the reversely curved portions 28e of the associated anchor for camming the anchor and forcing it into tighter engagement with the rail 22. Thus, with the strap 38 fully extended and the ends thereof overlapped and engaged, the strap serves to restrain the patient substantially independently of the mounting for the roller 36.

To remove the strap 38 from about the patient, the distal end of the overlapping end portion 40a of the strap is grasped and pulled upwardly for disengaging the layer 42a from the layer 42b and separating the end portions of the strap. Upon release of the end portions, the roller 36 operates to retract the strap until the catches 400 are in engagement with the rollers 46, the several guides and rollers serving to prevent twisting of the strap as it is retracted.

To remove the safety belt device 10 from the hospital equipment, it is only necessary to swing one of the connectors 48 as a lever, with the associated rod 58 as a fulcrum therefor, for pulling on and loosening the end 30b of the associated mounting strap 30, whereupon the strap can be further loosened as necessary for disengaging the associated anchor 18 from the hospital equipment. The released anchor and associated parts are then passed to the other side of the equipment and the other anchor is disengaged, after which the device can be stored for later reuse or sent away for cleaning and sterilizing and the like.

There has thus been provided a safety belt of relatively light but relatively strong construction which is readily attachable and detachable relatively rapidly and operates in a reliable manner to hold both the restraining strap and its detachable connections in place on hospital equipment when the strap is placed in a restraining condition.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A retractable safety belt, for hospital gurneys and the like providing a patient support having elongated opposite sides, comprising an elongated strap disposable in transversely circumscribing relation about the patient support, said strap having opposite ends disposed in overlapping position about the patient support when the strap is in an extended position; strap retractor means connected to the strap intermediate its ends for simultaneous retractive movement of the opposite ends of the strap to retracted positions adjacent to the sides of the patient support; and anchor means on said sides of the patient support having supporting connection to said retractor means and providing a guide over which said strap is trained to hold said anchor means more tightly against said sides of the patient support, said anchor means including a member mounted for relative movement thereon and about which the strap is trained when disposed in said circumscribing relation about the patient support, said member in said relation to the strap being forced against the anchor means to urge the anchor means into locking engagement with the sides of the patient support.

2. The retractable safety belt of claim 1 in which the retractor means is supported in a mounting frame connected to the sides of the patient support by adjustable straps, each adjustable strap having an outer end connected to said anchor means and an inner end trained about a connector in sliding engagement with the frame, said connector being movably mounted on the frame, a pull on the adjustable strap in one direction serving to move the connector toward the frame for holding the adjustable strap end tightly therebetween, movement of the connector in the opposite direction serving to loosen the adjustable strap end.

3. The retractable safety belt of claim 2 in which the connector has a portion spaced from that portion engaging the adjustable strap which is operable as a lever for loosening the strap end.

4. A safety belt comprising an elongated strap adapted to be disposed in circumscribing relation about an object to be restrained, said strap having ends adapted to be releasably connected, retractor means connected to an intermediate part of the strap for retracting the same upon release of the strap ends, means for adjustably mounting the retractor means on a support, said mounting means including connection means releasably attachable to the support providing a turning point for the strap, and movable means associated with the connection means for engagement by said strap to urge the movable means against said connection means when the strap is disposed in said circumscribing relation for locking the connection means to the support.

5. The safety belt of claim 4 in which said movable means and said connection means provide associated camming portions so that said relative movement of the movable means with respect to the connection means cams .the latter into tighter engagement with the support.

6. The safety belt of claim 5 in which the connection means is of bent wire construction having a curved portion engaged by the movable means.

7. A retractable safety belt, for hospital gurneys and the like providing a patient support having elongated opposite sides, comprising an elongated strap disposable in transversely circumscribing relation about the patient support, said strap having opposite ends disposed in overlapping position about the patient support when the strap is in an extended position; strap retractor means connected to the strap intermediate its ends for simultaneous retractive movement of the opposite ends of the strap to positions adjacent to the sides of the patient support; and anchor means releasably longitudinally slidably mounted on said sides of the patient support having supporting connection to said retractor means and providing a guide over which said strap is trained when disposed in said circumscribing relation about the patient support to hold said anchor means in locking engagement with said sides of the patient support in selected adjustable positions longitudinally along the patient support.

8. The retractable safety belt of claim 7 in which said ends of the strap include flap portions engageable with said anchor means in said retracted positions to preclude further retraction of the ends of the strap around said sides of the patient support.

9. The retractable safety belt of claim 2 in which said frame includes a first substantially linear portion, a pair of legs extending from the portion, a second substantially linear portion disposed generally parallel to the first portion, a third substantially linear portion disposed generally parallel to the first portion and engageable with the pair of legs, and a strap having an end trained about the third portion and folded back to form a double layer, said double layer being disposed between the first and second portions, movement of the third portion toward the other portions serving to press the layers of the strap therebetween and hold the strap in place, movement of the third portion away from the other portions serving to loosen the strap.

l0. The retractable safety belt of claim 9 in which the second portion has connected thereto a pair of legs disposed outwardly of the first-named pair of legs and curved about the third portion, and the third portion has a pair of legs also disposed outwardly of the first-named pair of legs, said movement of the third portion toward the other portions engaging the third portion with the first-named pair of legs and the latter with the second portion.

11. The retractable safety belt of claim 10 in which said movement of the third portion away from the other portions is accomplished by swinging the legs associated with the third portion as a lever and using the second portion as a fulcrum.

Claims

1. A retractable safety belt, for hospital gurneys and the like providing a patient support having elongated opposite sides, comprising an elongated strap disposable in transversely circumscribing relation about the patient support, said strap having opposite ends disposed in overlapping position about the patient support when the strap is in an extended position; strap retractor means connected to the strap intermediate its ends for simultaneous retractive movement of the opposite ends of the strap to retracted positions adjacent to the sides of the patient support; and anchor means on said sides of the patient support having supporting connection to said retractor means and providing a guide over which said strap is trained to hold said anchor means more tightly against said sides of the patient support, said anchor means including a member mounted for relative movement thereon and about which the strap is trained when disposed in said circumscribing relation about the patient support, said member in said relation to the strap being forced against the anchor means to urge the anchor means into locking engagement with the sides of the patient support.

5. The safety belt of claim 4 in which said movable means and said connection means provide associated camming portions so that said relative movement of the movable means with respect to the connection means cams the latter into tighter engagement with the support.

10. The retractable safety belt of claim 9 in which the second portion has connected thereto a pair of legs disposed outwardly of the first-named pair of legs and curved about the third portion, and the third portion has a pair of legs also disposed outwardly of the first-named pair of legs, said movement of the third portion toward the other portions engaging the third portion with the first-named pair of legs and the latter with the second portion.