The present disclosure relates generally to a privacy or cubicle curtain system and a carrier utilized therein. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a breakaway carrier used to hang the cubicle or privacy curtain.
Drawable cubicle or privacy curtains are commonly used in various facilities to surround a given area. In healthcare facilities, the cubicle or privacy curtains are often used to surround or enclose patients to ensure privacy. Cubicle or privacy curtains are generally hung from or on a track system via one or more carriers that can slide within or over the track system. Most carriers use conventional hooks to hang or hold the cubicle or privacy curtain.
In some vulnerable patient populations, it is important that carriers are designed to break when a certain level of pulling pressure is exerted on the curtain. Such carriers are referred to as breakaway carriers, and can help to prevent vulnerable patients from using the curtain to harm themselves or induce self-pain. Traditionally when a pulling pressure is applied to the curtain, breakaway carriers with hooks can separate or break into two or more pieces. When breaking apart these separated pieces of the carrier can inflict harm or potentially maim patients. The separated pieces can also be deliberately or accidentally ingested by the patients.
In view of the above, a need exists in the art for a breakaway carrier that can improve patient safety, as well as a privacy or cubicle system that includes the improved breakaway carrier.
Accordingly, the disclosed subject matter described below provides various non-limiting examples of an improved breakaway carrier and privacy or cubicle system that includes the improved breakaway carrier. The improved breakaway carrier can increase patient safety and overcome some of the defects of traditional breakaway carriers.
In certain non-limiting embodiments, a breakaway carrier can include a first holder comprising one or more first legs and a second holder comprising one or more second legs. The breakaway carrier can include a central leg located between the first holder and second holder, and a chain having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is located in the first holder and the second end is located in the second holder. The breakaway carrier can be a spool carrier. The first holder and the second holder can be located on a bottom surface of the breakaway carrier. In some embodiments the chain can comprise plastic and/or can be a ball chain. The first end of the chain can be held in place by place by at least one first protrusion located on the one or more first legs or the central leg, and the second end of the chain can be held in place by at least one second protrusion located on the one or more second legs or the central leg. The first end of the chain can be held within a first recess of the first holder, and the second end of the chain can be held within a second recess of the second holder.
In some non-limiting embodiments, if and/or when the first end of the chain is pulled out of the first holder, the second end of the chain can remain located within the second holder. In other non-limiting embodiments, if and/or when the second end of the chain is pulled out of the second holder, the first end of the chain can remain located within the first holder. The carrier can have a weight capacity of 20 pounds. In one non-limiting embodiment the second holder and/or the first holder comprises three of the one or more first legs. The carrier, one or more first legs, and/or one or more second legs can be composed of plastic. In some non-limiting embodiments, the chain of the carrier can be threaded or inserted through a hole of a privacy or cubicle curtain.
Certain non-limiting embodiments can include a privacy or cubicle curtain system. The system can include a track system and a breakaway carrier that slides in or over the track system. The breakaway carrier can include a first holder including one or more first legs and a second holder including one or more second legs. The breakaway carrier can include a central leg located between the first holder and second holder and a chain having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is located in the first holder and the second end is located in the second holder. The system can include a privacy or cubicle curtain hanging from the breakaway carrier, wherein the chain of the breakaway carrier is threaded or inserted through a hole of the privacy or cubicle curtain.
The breakaway carrier of the privacy or cubicle curtain system can be a spool carrier. The first holder and the second holder can be located on a bottom surface of the carrier. In some embodiments the chain can comprise plastic and/or can be a ball chain. The first end of the chain can be held in place by place by at least one first protrusion located on the one or more first legs or the central leg, and the second end of the chain can be held in place by at least one second protrusion located on the one or more second legs or the central leg. The first end of the chain can be held within a first recess of the first holder, and the second end of the chain can be held within a second recess of the second holder. In some non-limiting embodiments, if and/or when the first end of the chain is pulled out of the first holder, the second end of the chain can remain located within the second holder. In other non-limiting embodiments, if and/or when the second end of the chain is pulled out of the second holder, the first end of the chain can remain located within the first holder. The carrier can have a weight capacity of 20 pounds. In one non-limiting embodiment the second holder and/or the first holder comprises three of the one or more first legs.
Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, which embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The examples and embodiments described below are merely exemplary, and should not be taken in any way to limit the scope of the disclosed subject matter.
Breakaway carrier 110 can slide, roll, glide, or otherwise move within or over the track system 170. In some embodiments breakaway carrier 110 can be manually moved within or over the track system 170 by a user, while in other embodiments breakaway carrier 110 can be automatically moved using one or more mechanical or electronic mechanism. A user, for example, can be a patient, a health professional, such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse, or any other employee or visitor of the healthcare facility in which the privacy or cubicle curtain 180 is located. Breakaway carrier 110 can be used to connect, hang, or hold the cubicle or privacy curtain 180. In some non-limiting embodiments, the breakaway carrier can include a hook, chain, loop, clip, wire, tab, or any other connector used to hang or hold the privacy or cubicle curtain 180. In
The privacy or cubicle curtains 180 can be composed of a single material or a combination of materials. For example, the curtains 180 can be fabricated with nylon, polyester, polypropylene, vinyl, non-vinyl, linen, any other known curtain material, or any combination thereof. In certain non-limiting embodiments the fabric of the privacy or cubicle curtain 180 can be fire retardant, recyclable, and/or antimicrobial. Given that the privacy or cubicle curtain can be used in a healthcare facility or environment, the curtain can become dirty or soiled. In some embodiments the one or more materials included within the curtain 180 can allow the curtain 180 to be removed and cleaned or washed.
In certain non-limiting embodiments breakaway carrier 110 can include one or more holders. In the example embodiment shown in
The proximal end of legs 131, 132 of first holder 121 and second holder 121 can be located on bottom surface 111 of carrier 110. In
The distal ends of one or more of legs 131, 132 can include an inwardly facing protrusion, as shown in
In certain non-limiting embodiments, central leg 140 can be located between first holder 121 and second holder 122. Similar to legs 131, 132, the proximal end of central leg 140 can be located on bottom surface 111 of carrier 110. In particular, central leg 140 can be attached or molded to bottom surface 111 of carrier 110. In some other non-limiting embodiments, central leg 140 can be attached or connected to carrier 110 using any known method, such as gluing, crimping, clipping, soldering, brazing, taping, or fastening. The distal end of central leg 140 can include one or more protrusions facing towards the recess of first holder 121 and second holder 122. Central leg 140 shown in
Legs 131 and central leg 140 can define a first recess within first holder 121, while legs 132 and central leg 140 can define a second recess within second holder 122. As shown in
In certain non-limiting embodiments, a ball can be located on the first end of chain 150 and another ball can be located on the second end of chain 150. The first end of chain 150 can be held in place by at least one first protrusion located on one or more first legs 131 and/or by a protrusion located on central leg 140. In addition, the second end of chain 150 is held in place by at least one second protrusion located on one or more second legs 132 and/or by a protrusion located on central leg 140. In other words, the balls located on each of the first and second ends of chain 150 are held in place by the protrusions located on first legs 131, second legs 132, and/or central leg 140.
As described above, chain 150 can be threaded through a hole of a privacy or cubicle curtain. After threading or insertion, privacy or cubical curtain can rest between the first and second ends of chain 150. In some embodiments, the privacy or cubical curtain can rest on the distal or bottom most point of chain 150, which can be located in the middle of chain 150 between the first end and the second end. In certain non-limiting embodiments, a downward pressure, such as a pulling pressure, can be applied to the privacy or cubicle curtain. Such downward pressure can be exhibited, for example, when a patient in the healthcare facility pulls, climbs, or hangs from the curtain. This downward pressure on the curtain can be transferred to chain 150 and ultimately to carrier 110.
As discussed above, for patient safety and health reasons it can be helpful for carrier 110 to break away when a sufficient downward pressure is applied, without any part of the carrier becoming disjointed or separating off from carrier 110. Doing so can help to prevent ingestion of the separated part and/or prevent the separated part from acting as a projectile and potentially harming nearby individuals. In accordance with these safety goals, when a sufficient downward pressure is applied the first end of chain 150 can be pulled out of first holder 121, while the second end of chain 150 can remain located within second holder 122. The release of the first end of chain 150 from first holder 121 can allow the privacy or cubicle curtain to detach, while having the second end of chain 150 remain within second holder 122 can prevent chain 150 from detaching from carrier 110. Having one end of chain 150 remain intact within holder 122 can ensure that the carrier allows the curtain to detach without having the chain separate from carrier 110. In addition, allowing one end of chain 150 to detach, while the other end of chain 150 remains intact, can help to prevent the separation of carrier 110 from the track system.
Although in certain non-limiting embodiments the first end of chain 150 can be pulled out of first holder 121, while the second end of chain 150 can remain located within second holder 122, in other non-limiting embodiments when the second end of chain 150 can be pulled out of second holder 122, while the first end of chain 150 can remain located within first holder 121. In the example embodiment shown in
In certain non-limiting embodiments, second holder 122 can have a higher weight resistance than first holder 121, or visa versa. Having second holder 122 with a higher weight resistance can help to ensure that the first end of chain 150 releases from first holder 121, while the second end of chain 150 can still be maintained within second holder 122. Such embodiments can allow the curtain to release while carrier 110 remains intact with the track system and/or chain 150 remains connected to carrier 110. In some non-limiting embodiments, first end or second end of chain 150 can be fixed within first holder 121 and second holder 122. For example, first end of chain 150 can be fixed to one or more first legs 131 of holder 121, or second end of chain 150 can be fixed to one or more second legs 132 of holder 122. The fixing of the first or second end of chain 150 to one or more first legs 131 or second legs 132 can be done using any known method or process, such as mechanical fastening, heat or friction welding, or adhesive or solvent bonding. In other non-limiting embodiments the first or second end of chain 150 can be affixed to one or more first legs 131 or second legs 132, respectively, using any other known method or process.
In certain non-limiting embodiments, however, both ends of chain 150 can release from first and second holders 121, 122, allowing both chain 150 and the privacy or cubicle curtain to release upon a sufficient downward pull. Allowing both ends of chain 150 to release can prevent carrier 110 from separating from the track system.
In some non-limiting embodiments carrier 110, holders 121, 122, legs 131, 132, central leg 140, chain 150, and/or ball 160 can be composed of plastic. The plastic, for example, can be acetal homopolymer, acetal copolymer, or any other plastic having the desired tensile strength, impact resistance, stiffness, creep and/or fatigue resistance. In the example embodiment shown in
The features, structures, or characteristics of certain embodiments described throughout this specification can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, the usage of the phrases “certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” or other similar language, throughout this specification refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, appearance of the phrases “in certain embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in other embodiments,” or other similar language, throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the disclosed subject matter as discussed above can be practiced with procedures in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which are different from those disclosed. Therefore, although the disclosed subject matter has been described based upon these embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20210330113 A1 | Oct 2021 | US |