TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of the present disclosure relates to devices for storing a patient transport litter and for facilitating carrying of the patient transport litter to an injured person needing litter transport.
BACKGROUND
Patient transport litters, such as folding type pole litters, are used by medical and emergency personnel for carrying an injured person from a site of an injury to another location and, in some instances, for transporting an injured person in a vehicle, such as an ambulance or helicopter. Folding type pole litters are well known collapsible litters which, when not in use, are arranged to fold into a compact generally elongated block-type storage condition, as is well known in the military and emergency rescue art. The term “patient transport litters”, as used herein, is also intended to include collapsible sleds and stretchers, which may be stored in a compact rolled or folded configuration.
The present inventor has recognized a need for an improved device for storing a patient transport litter and for carrying the patient transport litter from a vehicle or other storage location to the site of the injury.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a litter storage and carrier apparatus;
FIG. 2 is a front perspective assembly view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing a litter carrier component of the apparatus separated from a support mount component of the apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the litter carrier component of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the support mount component of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown mounted for storage on an external spare tire of a vehicle, with dashed lines illustrating a removable shroud shown in FIGS. 7 and 8;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 5, mounted to an alternate mounting support including a pair of parallel vertical bars;
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 covered by a removable protective shroud; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the protective shroud of FIG. 8 shown removed from the litter storage and carrier apparatus, with its opening facing upward in a duffel bag configuration and one of a pair of carrying handles deployed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing a litter storage and carrier apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment in a complete, connected-together condition ready for mounted securement onto a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the litter storage and carrier apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 but showing the litter carrier 12 component and the support mount 14 component of the apparatus in condition separated from one another.
First, with reference to the litter carrier 12 component of the assembly, seen best in the front perspective view of FIG. 2 and the corresponding rear perspective view of FIG. 3, the litter carrier 12 comprises a substantially hollow bag or container body 12′, 12″ configured to receive and confine a folded pole litter L shown schematically in collapsed condition and secured in the container body 12′, 12″. Although the litter carrier 12 may, if desired, be formed as a substantially rigid, hollow container, it is preferably constructed as a flexible, bag-like member formed of selected flexible fabric material such as canvas or other durable material.
The litter carrier 12 may serve as a bag enclosure with an open top end which may if desired be releasably closed as by a top flap, or the bag member may be provided in the form of an enclosure that is openable along the length of a side wall, not unlike that of an athletic bag construction, or provided in other forms of bag enclosure constructions as may be desired. However, in the preferred embodiment illustrated the litter carrier 12 includes a generally flexible longitudinally elongated back panel 16 connecting a lower bag section 12′ to a separate, vertically spaced upper bag section 12″. As shown, each bag section 12′, 12″ includes peripheral side and front walls, the lower bag section 12′ also including a bottom bag wall panel and the upper bag section 12″ also including a top wall panel 18. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the top wall 18 of the bag is formed with a double thickness of material which forms an interior pocket therebetween, releasably closed by cover flap 20, the pocket for holding medical supplies, etc. as may be desired. The cover flap 20 releasably attaches to the outer surface of the top wall 18 via strips of hook-and-loop fastener material (e.g. VELCRO™) or another kind of fastener.
Means is provided to interconnect and secure the upper and lower bag sections 12′, 12″ positively in position confining therein a patient transport litter, such as a collapsed pole litter L, as seen in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown, a strap member 22 may be secured to the lower bag section 12′ or to the back panel 16 and extended beneath and upwardly along the lower section 12′, the strap extending vertically upwards to a buckle component 24 arranged for releasable connection to a corresponding mating buckle component 26 secured, as by strap members 28 to the upper bag section 12″ or to an upper part of back panel 16. A strap adjustment slide member 30 may be provided as shown in order to adjust the length of the strap member 22 to assure positive and snug securement of the upper and lower bag sections 12′, 12″ to each other for snug confinement of the litter structure L in the litter carrier 12. The extension of the strap member 22 beneath the bottom of the lower bag section 12′ may also provide for additional support of the somewhat heavy pole litter assembly carried in the bag litter carrier 12.
As will also be apparent, when it is desired to remove the pole litter L from the bag, the buckle components 24, 26 are disengaged and the upper bag section 12″ is lifted upwardly and rotated about its attachment to the rear panel 16, thereby exposing substantially all of the pole litter L except the bottommost portion contained within the lower bag section 12′, thus allowing for expedited, unhindered access to the pole litter L for removal when needed at the site of an injury.
As seen best in FIG. 3, the litter carrier bag sections 12′ and 12″ preferably mount on the back panel 16, and a pair of strap members 32 are provided on back panel 16 opposite bag sections 12′, 12″ for convenient carrying of the litter carrier 12. As illustrated, these strap members 32 are preferably provided in the form of shoulder strap members which may include resilient padding 34 arranged for comfort when the litter carrier 12 is being carried by a user in a backpack condition. Adjustment slide members 36 may be provided for the strap members 32 in order to provide for adjustability of fit. The shoulder straps may also, if desired, be held in a hand of a user for carrying the litter carrier 12 as may be necessary when the user is already carrying a backpack.
As will be appreciated in viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the litter carrier 12 is provided for quick-release attachment onto the carrier support mount 14 for releasable but positive securement as is hereinafter described. Although the litter carrier 12 may be releasably mounted to the support mount 14 in many different ways suitable for quick release, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 the exterior face of the back panel 16 of litter carrier 12 bears a first component 38 of a two-part heavy duty hook and loop type fastener, such as the loop fabric component of VELCRO™ fastener material. In the particular arrangement illustrated, this first component is provided in four individual quarter sections of first component members 38 secured to back panel 16 in a spaced-apart configuration. Alternatively the first component members may be configured as a plurality of vertically elongated strips or as a large single member, if so desired as an alternative to the four quarter sections 38.
Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the support mount 14 is shown in an open condition not mounted on a supporting structure, the front side being seen in the front perspective view of FIG. 2 and the rear side being shown in the rear perspective view of FIG. 4. As shown, the support mount 14 is preferably formed as a laterally elongated sheet of flexible fabric material such as canvas or other durable material and defining a central mounting panel 40 and opposing left and right flexible side flaps 42, 44 extending laterally from left and right side margins of mounting panel 40 and arranged to pivot or bend along their connecting borders 42′ 44′ to the mounting panel 40.
As seen in FIG. 2, the front (or inner) face of the central mounting panel 40 bears the second component 46 of the aforementioned two part hook and loop fastener apparatus, e.g. VELCRO™-type hook material, which cooperates with the aforementioned first component 38 on litter carrier 12. The litter carrier 12 may be attached to the support mount 14 by simply pressing the back panel 16 of litter carrier 12 against the mounting panel 40 of the support mount 14 for interengagement of the corresponding first and second hook and loop fastener components 38, 46.
The litter carrier 12 may then be readily removed from its mounted engagement on the support mount 14 by simply pulling on the litter carrier 12 to separate the interengaging hook and loop members 38, 46. It is to be understood that while a quick-release mounting connection arrangement is illustrated herein as utilizing a heavy duty hook and loop type fastener apparatus, many other suitable types of releasable securement arrangements may be utilized as alternatives if so desired.
The mounting panel 40 may, if desired, include a space or pocket between its front side wall and rear side wall if desired for holding a rigid stiffener panel member (not shown), such as a plastic sheet, which may be provided to assure positive interengagement of the first and second fastener components 38, 46. The stiffener member may be removably contained within the pocket and prevented from inadvertent removal by top and/or bottom pocket closure flap members 48, 48′.
Also, the inner surfaces of the side flaps 42, 44 may support storage pocket members 50, 52 for convenient storage of desired small articles. As seen in FIG. 4, the opposite, outer surfaces of the side flaps 42, 44 may support similar storage pockets 54 if desired for additional storage of supplies, etc.
As will be understood in viewing FIG. 1 of the drawings, the side flaps 42, 44 are configured, when the carrier litter 12 is secured to the central mounting panel 40 by interengaging hook and loop components 38, 46 or other releasable securement arrangement alternatively provided, to extend around the sides and front of the litter carrier 12 and be secured together, as by first and second sets of interengaging quick-release buckle components 56, 56′, 58, 58′. In this manner the carrier mounting member 14 serves as a supporting jacket arranged to snugly confine the litter carrier 12 in mounted condition on the support mount 14 and positively retain the litter carrier 12 against inadvertent separation from the support mount 14. The side flaps 42, 44 may include overlapping regions bearing mating sections of hook-and-loop fastener material 59, 59′ (FIGS. 2 and 4), which assist in closure of side flaps 42, 44 and holding them in place while the first and second set of buckle components 56, 56′, 58, 58′ are joined. A handle 61 may be provided at a distal end of one of the side flaps 44 to facilitate separating the sections of hook-and-loop fastener material 59, 59′ and opening the side flaps 42, 44 for accessing litter carrier 12.
The support mount 14 may include a support strap 60 arranged to extend downwardly from mounting panel 40, beneath the litter carrier 12 and upwardly for connection, as by T-connector member 62, to the side flaps 42, 44 coupled together via T-connector 62 by one of the sets of buckle components 58, 58′ at the front of the apparatus 10, thereby forming a three-way harness around the litter carrier. In this manner, the weight of litter carrier 12 and its contents, including the litter L is positively transferred to the support mount 14, which in turn is securely mounted on a supporting structure as is hereinafter explained. This arrangement also assures positive confining, mounting engagement of the litter carrier 12 with the support mount 14 against unintentional separation due to virtually any lateral and vertical forces and impact that may be applied against the apparatus 10 when mounted on a vehicle or other supporting structure.
A securement lattice 65 is provided for mounting the support mount 14 to a selected supporting structure such as a vehicle. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the exterior rear (or outer) side of the center mounting panel 40 mounts a plurality (three in the embodiment shown) of vertically-extending, laterally spaced apart parallel securement straps 64 extending from the top to the bottom of the central mounting panel 40. The mounting panel 40 also mounts as shown, a plurality (four illustrated in this embodiment) of laterally-extending, vertically spaced apart parallel securement straps 66. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art of strap attachment systems, the laterally extending, vertically spaced apart parallel securement straps 66 are secured to the supporting center mounting panel 40 so that vertically aligned columns of spaced-apart open channels are provided between the outer face of the mounting panel 40 and the securement straps 66 for passage therebetween of one or more vertically extending attachment straps 68, 68′ as shown in the drawings. In the same manner, the vertically extending, laterally spaced apart parallel securement straps 64 are secured in similar fashion to the center mounting panel 40 in order to provide laterally aligned rows of spaced-apart open channels for passage therethrough of one or more lateral attachment straps 70. The vertical and laterally spaced securement straps 64, 66 overlap to form the securement lattice structure 65 and define spaced-apart vertical and lateral channels between the lattice structure 65 and the mounting panel 40, which channels are adapted to threadably receive one or more attachment straps 68, 68′, 70 for mounting the support mount 14 to a supporting mount such as a vehicle.
Preferably the vertical attachment straps 68, 68′ and lateral attachment straps 70, 70′, 70″ are provided with means for adjustment of their length and tensioning such as can be provided by adjustment slide members 72.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the apparatus 10 in a condition of use supported on a support structure S such as a vehicle having a spare tire T mounted on a tire carrier structure C secured to the vehicle. In this arrangement, the support mount 14 is secured by a plurality of straps 70, 70′, 70″ engaging the laterally aligned channels provided by the vertical securement strap 64 and a vertically extending strap 68 engaging a selected row of vertically aligned channels provided by the laterally extending securement straps 66. Illustrated in dashed lines is a removable protective shroud 80, which may serve to protect apparatus 10 from weather, tampering, and theft.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of apparatus 10 supported on a supporting structure, which may be a vehicle, having vertically extending bar members B mounted thereon, as is typically provided on military vehicles. In this arrangement a plurality of attachment straps 70 are extended in an interweaving condition through laterally aligned channels provided by vertically extending securement straps 64 and the bar members B as shown. This arrangement provides for a secure attachment of the support mount 14 to the supporting bar members B, and by adjusting the straps 70 via slides 72 to tighten them after the straps 70 have been interwoven, the frictional tension positively securing the apparatus tightly to the supporting mount bars and against vertical sliding movement thereon. The same type of interweaving strap securement arrangement may be utilized on applications where the support bars might be horizontally extending, simply by using the channel arrangement provided by the laterally extending, vertically spaced apart securement straps 66 and strap members 68.
The mounting arrangements shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are merely illustrative of a variety of mounting arrangements that may be possible with the aforementioned strap securement arrangement previously described.
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the apparatus 10 shown covered by protective shroud 80. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of shroud 80 removed from the apparatus and laid open with an opening 82 of the shroud facing upward in a duffel bag configuration. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, opening 82 allows shroud 80 to be fitted over apparatus 10, and conversely receives apparatus 10 within an interior of the shroud 80. Shroud 80 includes an adjustable draw-closure device 86 comprising at least one draw strap 88 or cord, and preferably two draw straps, threaded through a passage extending around the mouth of opening 82. Pulling on draw strap 88 reduces the size of the opening 82 and draws the shroud more tightly around the support mount 14 and litter carrier 12 when shroud 80 is placed thereon. The draw-closure device 86 includes a buckle 92 cooperating with strap 88 to maintain the size of opening 82. Buckle 92 may be manually actuated for releasing strap 88, for increasing the size of opening 82, to thereby enable removal of the shroud from the support mount 14 and litter carrier 14. Handles 94 may be provided along the sides of shroud 80 for converting shroud 80 to a carry bag. Handles 94 may be folded back or retracted, when shroud 80 is in use as a protective cover, and retained against an inner surface of shroud 80 via hook-and-loop fastener strips. Draw-closure device 86 also allows the opening 82 to be adjusted to facilitate use of shroud 80 as a carrying bag, for example for carrying personal effects and gear of an injured person from the site of injury. A set of cinch loops 98 are provided around the perimeter of the opening 82 to enable the shroud 80 or bag to be drawn closed or otherwise secured with a cord, zip-tie, or cable-lock.
It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
Patent Grant
8118201
