Patent Grant
7549690
The present invention relates to cot fastening systems and in particular, to a floor-mounted arresting device of the antler type used in a cot fastening system for an emergency vehicle.
In ambulances and other emergency/rescue vehicles, removable, wheeled cots or stretchers are often provided for convenient and comfortable patient transportation from a remote accident site to the emergency vehicle. These cots or stretchers are often referred to as “roll-in” devices, and generally feature a plurality of wheels for inserting and removing the cot from the emergency vehicle, as well as an adjustable or multi-level fold down carriage supporting a set of wheels which enables the cot to be easily rolled along sidewalks, roads, or other access surfaces.
The mobile patient transportation cots or similar devices commonly include a structural frame, which is often tubular in nature, to provide lightweight support for the patient and the wheels, casters or other rolling mechanisms attached thereto. Once the patient is rolled to the emergency vehicle on the cot, the undercarriage may be collapsed and folded under the cot to facilitate insertion of the cot into the emergency vehicle. The cot is then rolled into the emergency vehicle and fastened into position for safe transportation.
A prior art cot fastening system 10 is illustrated by
While such cot fastening systems have been widely and successfully used, there are a plurality of designs for cots and other wheeled devices utilized in various emergency vehicles and the like, and interchangeable use of prior cot fastening systems often required modification of the fastening system itself or its installation, or adjustments to the system. In particular, prior art fastening system all use different mounting assemblies which depends on the particulars of the cot in use.
For example, prior art antler brackets require alternate antler bracket mounting locations in the floor of the emergency vehicle for the various types of cots, such as for example, the Model 30 and 35 series Ferno brand cots. Often, this requires installation of an additional mounting plate in the floor of the emergency vehicle if desiring to interchange one cot with another. However, when multiple emergency vehicles containing various types of cot fastening systems respond to an emergency, delays in removing patients from the scene may result due to the lack of interoperability, as particular cot must be match up with particular fastening systems.
This problem is further acerbated by the fact that from a regulation standpoint, some ambulance manufacturers must provide the floor cot mounting hardware (mount, locking bar, and antler bracket) that matches the cot being used (i.e., a Ferno brand cot must have Ferno brand floor hardware installed). Should an end user be considering a cot change or addition while at the same time ordering a new ambulance, the cot decision must be made before the mounts are installed in the new ambulance. Accordingly, a cot fastening system which accommodates a broader range of cot models and which automatically and dependably accepts and functions properly with those various models without modification or adjustment to the ambulance or cot fastening system to which the arresting device is a part thereof, is still a desire in the industry in order to reduce the number of issues regarding interoperability.
It is against the above background that the present invention provides improvements and advancements over the prior art. In particular, the present invention is an improved floor mounted arresting device for a cot fastening system that accepts a plurality of cots and devices of differing designs, without requiring modifications or installation changes to the ambulance or the cot fastening system to which the arresting device is a part thereof.
In one embodiment, an arresting device used in a cot fastening system of an emergency vehicle is disclosed. The arresting device comprises a pair of antler brackets each having first and second hook portions. The first hook portion have an orientation different from the second hook portion.
In another embodiment, an arresting device used in a cot fastening system of an emergency vehicle is disclosed. The arresting device comprises a pair of antler brackets each having first and second hook portions. The first hook portion have an orientation different from the second hook portion. A first bolting mount is also provided. The antler brackets are secured to the first bolting mount. A pair of first extension braces each having a first end secured between the first and second hook portions of a respective one of the antler brackets is provided. A pair of second extension braces each having a first end secured between the first hook portion and the first bolting mount of a respective one of the antlers brackets is also provided.
In still another embodiment, an arresting device used in a cot fastening system of an emergency vehicle is disclosed. The arresting device comprises a pair of antler brackets each having first and second hook portions. The first hook portion has a horizontal orientation, and the second hook portion has a vertical orientation. A first bolting mount is provided. The antler brackets are secured to the first bolting mount. A pair of first extension braces each having a first end secured between the first and second hook portions of a respective one of the antler brackets is also provided as well as a pair of second extension braces each having a first end secured between the first hook portion and the first bolting mount of a respective one of the antlers brackets. A second bolting mount is also provided, wherein second ends of each of the first and second extension braces are secured to the second bolting mount. In addition, the first and second bolting mounts each provide a removable fastener configured to releaseably engage a floor of the emergency vehicle. Portions of the antler brackets and the second extension braces are configured to lie in a plane parallel to the floor of the emergency vehicle.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.
The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views,
The term “cot” will be understood to refer to any of a variety of patient transfer devices, stretchers, carts or incubator transporters commonly known and utilized in the industry (e.g. Model 26 Series, Model 28 Series, Model 29-M, Model 30 Series, Models 35-A, 35-A+, and 35-P ProFlexx, Models 93ES and 93EX, XCalibur Cots, etc., such as available from Ferno-Washington, Inc. of Wilmington, Ohio). Such cots often have a pair of front loading wheels to facilitate insertion and removal of the device from an emergency vehicle, as well as a rear fold-down wheel assembly, including a plurality of wheels to facilitate rolling movement of the cot between the emergency vehicle and other locations. While the cots illustrated and described herein are contemplated as including wheels to facilitate movement of the cot along a planar surface, such wheels could be substituted by other devices such as slides, rollers, skis or the like.
The arresting device 110 as shown in
The first hook portions 140 have a first orientation, and the second hook portion 150 have a second orientation, which is different from the first orientation. In one embodiment, the first orientation situates the first hook portions 140 in a substantially horizontal position. In one embodiment, the second orientation situates the second hook portions 150 in a substantially vertical position. In still another embodiment, the first orientation situates the first hook portions 140 in a substantially horizontal position, and the second orientation situates the second hook portions 150 in a substantially vertical position.
Each of the pair of antler brackets 130 has a respective first extension brace 160. Each extension brace 160 has a first end 170 secured between the first and second hook portions 140, 150, and a second end 180 provided to a forward bolting mount 190. The forward bolting mount 190 in one embodiment is a unity piece such illustrated in
In one embodiment, the first extension braces 160 are a unity piece passing through the forward bolting mount 190. In another embodiment, the first extension braces 160 are individual pieces having the second ends 180 mounted to sides of the forward bolting mount 190. In another embodiment, the second ends 180 are mounted to sides of the first piece 190a of the forward bolting mount 190 as shown by
In one embodiment, the second extension braces 200 are a unity piece passing through the forward bolting mount 190. In a second embodiment, the second extension braces 200 are individual pieces having second ends 220 mounted to sides of the forward bolting mount 190. In another embodiment, the second ends 220 are mounted to sides of the second piece 190b of the forward bolting mount 190 as shown by
The antler brackets 130 further include elongated bracket portions 230 which each have a first end 240 which are provided to a rearward bolting mount 250. The elongated bracket portions 230 lie in a plane substantially parallel to the floor 45 of the emergency vehicle when the arresting device 110 is bolted to the floor 45 via removable fasteners 260 engaging the bolting pattern 70. Removable fasteners 260 are provided to releasably mount the arresting device 110 to the floor 45 of the emergency vehicle 80. In one embodiment, the removable fasteners 260 are knurled knob threaded bolts. In another embodiment, any other type of device(s) to releasably mount the arresting device 110 to the floor 45 of the emergency vehicle 80 may be used.
In one embodiment, the antler brackets 130 are a unity piece passing though the rearward bolting mount 250, and in a second embodiment, are individual pieces having the first ends 240 mounted to sides of the rearward bolting mount 250.
In one embodiment, the second extension braces 200 lie substantially in the same plane as the elongated bracket portions 230. In another embodiment, a portion 270 of each the first extension braces 160 lie substantially in the same plane as the elongated bracket portions 230. In still another embodiment, the portions of the first extension braces 160 and the second extension braces 200 lie substantially in the same plane as the elongated bracket portions 230. Providing the elongated bracket portions 230 and the second extension braces 200 in the above described manner permits a cot, such as cot 120 in
It is to be appreciated that the first hook portions 140 are used to engage a downwardly extending forward support frame members, such as members 50 of cot 60 illustrated in
In one embodiment, the arresting device 110 is metal. In other embodiments, the arresting device 110 may be any other suitable material sufficient to firmly hold a cot during an impact, such as during a crash of the emergency vehicle 80. The arresting device 110 may also includes a polymer bump guard 280, which is mounted to the rearward bolting mount 250.
A conventional and separate rear-fastening rail is also provided in conjunction with the arresting device 110 to secure the cot against rolling movement within the emergency vehicle. Together, the arresting device 110 and rear-fastening rail form a cot fastening system. One suitable rear-fastening rail 30 is shown in
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is not considered limited to what is described in the specification. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/837,333, filed Aug. 11, 2006.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080034496 A1 | Feb 2008 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60837333 | Aug 2006 | US |
