Classifications

• • 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
  • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
  • A61G7/05—Parts, details or accessories of beds
  • A61G7/0504—Harnesses or restraining devices in order to evacuate a patient with the mattress, e.g. in situations of emergency, disaster or fire
• • 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
  • A61G1/00—Stretchers
  • A61G1/04—Parts, details or accessories, e.g. head-, foot-, or like rests specially adapted for stretchers
  • A61G1/044—Straps, bands or belts

Definitions

• This invention relates to improvements in evacuation
• the restraint 7 is desirably housed in a plastics envelope of the type 8 described in Australian Patent AU-B 34433/78 (U.S. Patent 9 No. 4,186,453).
• the invention provides an evacuation restraint comprising a base sheet of strong flexible material, a relatively rigid support member located centrally of said base sheet and joined thereto, said base sheet extending beyond the periphery of said support member, strap members secured at least to said base sheet and extending from the sides of the base sheet, said strap members including means for connecting opposite strap members together at at least two longitudinally spaced positions, and strap members extending from at least one end of said base sheet by means of which the restraint may be manipulated during evacuation procedures, said relatively rigid support member providing a smooth base on which the restraint may slide during evacuation procedures.
• the restraint is enclosed within a protective envelope having means for gaining access to said base sheet and said straps.
• the protective envelope includes a base portion and a top portion, said top portion having one or more means for enabling removal of the top portion from the base portion.
• the top portion is preferably made from a suitable transparent plastics material and the means for enabling access comprises a line of weakening formed in said top portion and one or more gripping handles or tabs secured to said top portion by means of which the top portion may be torn open to expose the base sheet and straps.
• the support member preferably comprises a sheet of lightweight corrugated board which is most preferably formed from plastics materials. The board is preferably capable of being folded along at least two transverse lines so that the evacuation restraint and protective envelope may be folded into a more convenient size for marketing and storage purposes .
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the restraint in the unfolded position showing a mattress and patient ready to be enveloped
• Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation of the restraint of Figure 1
• Figure 3 shows the restraint in use
• Figure 4 shows -the restraint part l y f o l de d ready f or packaging
• Figure 5 shows the restraint packaged in its envelope
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the restraint partly opened
• Fi-gure 7 shows the packaged restraint in the folded condition.
• the restraint embodying the invention will be seen to comprise a generally rectangular base sheet 1 of flexible fabric, such as polyester, which has been treated to be fire resistant, water resistant and relatively friction free, for example by coating or impregnation with Teflon (registered trade mark).
• a relatively rigid support member 2 is secured centrally to the base sheet 1 by sewing or by adhesive.
• the support member 2 comprises a rectangular sheet 3 of corrugated board formed from plastics material, such as corrugated board sold under the trade mark Corflute, to each end of which small rectangular pieces 4 and 5 are flexibly attached, say by sewing or the like.
• the central rectangular portion 3 has its corrugations running longitudinally while the smaller portions 4 and 5 have its corrugations running transversely. Furthermore, the central portion 3 is formed with fold lines 6 and 7 to enable the end portions of 3 and the smaller portions 4 and 5 to be folded inwardly on to the most central portion of 3.
• webbing straps 12 and 13 are secured by sewing or by adhesive or the like to opposite longitudinal edges of the base sheet 1. The straps 12 and 13 extend beyond the ends of the base sheet 1 and terminate in loops L by means of which the restraint may be handled during an emergency. Strap portions 17, 18 extend from a point of attachment to each strap 12, 13 a short distance (e.g.
• a further length of webbing strap extends transversely across the base sheet 1 at 14 and is formed in small loops 15 and 16 extending from either edge of the base sheet where they are secured by sewing to the side straps 12 and 13.
• a still further length of webbing 21 extends tranversely across the sheet 1 near its lower end and is attached to the side straps 12 and 13.
• the webbing 21 defines a loop 19 at the right hand side of the sheet 1 and has a wire loop connector 23 of known construction secured thereto at the other end.
• a further strap 20 is attached to the loop 15 and has a similar adjustable wire loop connector 22 attached thereto.
• the connectors 22 and 23 are adapted to engage the loops 16 and 19 respectively, as shown most clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings, to cause a mattress and patient supported on the restraint to be enveloped for evacuation purposes.
• the side portions of the base sheet 1 and the restraint straps 12, 13, 14 and 21 are folded inwardly to the centre of the support member 2 and are then folded back on top of the inwardly folded portions.
• the end portions, including portions 4 and 5, are folded inwardly over the folded portions and the end portions of the straps 12 and 13 are tucked under the folded end portions so that the loops L are exposed at the ends of the folded restraint.
• the folding of the restraint is shown most clearly in Figure 4 of the drawings.
• the protective envelope for the restraint will be seen to comprise a base portion 27 of suitable plastics material which is either treated with a material which causes the material to be slightly sticky, or “non-slip” in character, or is made from a “non-slip” plastic to retain its position under a mattress in use and so that the base portion 27 tends to stay in position as the restraint is removed therefrom.
• a clear plastics top portion 28 is secured by heat sealing around the periphery of the bottom portion 27 and a central panel 29 of the top portion 28 is removable by tearing along a weakening line 30 formed during the heat sealing process.
• handles 31 are heat welded to each corner of the panel 29 at either end, for example, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings.
• one or more of the handles 31 may be printed with a replica of a hand to show how the handles are to be gripped when the panel is to be removed.
• Each handle is secured along a substantial portion of each corner of the panel 29 to ensure that the panel will tear away along the line 30 when the handles 31 are pulled.
• the package restraint is able to be folded along the lines 6 and 7 to a more convenient size as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. In use, the packaged restraint is stored centrally under the mattress M supporting a bed-confined patient P.
• the operator performing the evacuation reaches under the mattress and grips one or more of the handles 31 to tear the panel 29 from the protective envelope along the weakening line 30.
• the loops L at the ends are pulled and the diagonal portions 17, 18 assist in unfolding the portions 4 and 5 and the attached portions of the sheet 1.
• access is thereby gained to the handle 25 and the folded edges of the base sheet 1 may be moved by pulling the handles 24 and 25 sideways thereby giving access to the loops 16 and 19 and the straps 20 and 21.
• the connectors 22 and 23 are then engaged with the loops 16 and 19 and the lengths of the straps 20 and 21 adjusted to bring the mattress M into an enveloping relationship with the patient P, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.
• the patient P may then be evacuated by means of the loops L, 24 and 25. Since the support member 2 provides a relatively rigid flat surface covered by the base sheet 1, the restraint is able to slide over floors, stairs or obstructions, assisted by the low-friction coating on the base sheet 1. Furthermore, since the base sheet 1 almost encloses the mattress M and patient P, additional protection is provided in the event that fire or water are encountered. Thus, the restraint embodying the present invention provides a significant advance over the prior art restraints and provides even further advantages when contained in the improved protective envelope described above.

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3773010

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (14)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (7)

• 1989
  • 1989-03-31 DE DE89903977T patent/DE68909226T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-03-31 NZ NZ22855589A patent/NZ228555A/en unknown
  • 1989-03-31 WO PCT/AU1989/000142 patent/WO1989009039A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1989-03-31 EP EP19890903977 patent/EP0408624B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1989-03-31 CA CA 595440 patent/CA1331500C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (7)

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