Patent Application
20180125732
The invention relates generally to a stretcher device, and in particular to one that is collapsible.
The burgeoning elderly population has bolstered demand for ambulance services, due to this demographics' heavy use of emergency healthcare services compared with other age groups. The increased usage of smartphones, factory-installed vehicle communication & infotainment products, the risk of severe weather, and general car accidents will drive growth in the emergency services which in turn drives the need for stretchers to assist with the sick and wounded increasing the use and need for stretchers.
Stretchers, currently, are bulky, hard to use and take up too much room for storage and transport.
There is still room for improvement in the art.
The present invention is a Telescoping Litter/Portable Collapsing Stretcher idea. A “litter” is a military term for a stretcher apparatus used to carry a patient from the field to an ambulance. This invention would be collapse-able and “telescope” down into a smaller size when not in use. It would also have pockets for various medical equipment incorporated into the design.
As for the structure: the stretcher has three main components. The first component is an internal support structure made of either metal or plastic materials capable of holding a minimum of 300 lbs, capable of telescoping into itself or collapsing onto itself, and with the ability to be “locked” and “unlocked” as needed. The second component is a set of removable outer shells or panels made of a plastic material, which is both heat/cold resistant, able to sustain its functionality when introduced to austere environments/elements, and can be rapidly cleaned by the user for future tasks. The third component is a “spider strap” used to secure the patient to the stretcher device. The straps would be color coded to quickly indicate which buckle fits to which buckle attachment on the stretcher.
The current invention is more efficient, effective and functional than the current art.
Without restricting the full scope of this invention, the preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the following drawings:
There are a number of significant design features and improvements incorporated within the invention.
The current invention is directed to Telescoping Litter/Portable Collapsing Stretcher idea. It is a stretcher apparatus used to carry a patient from one point to another.
The stretcher 1 would be collapse-able and “telescope” down into a smaller size when not in use. It would also have pockets for various medical equipment incorporated into the design.
While collapsed, as shown in
The stretcher 1 has three main components.
The first component is an internal support structure as shown in
The second component is a set of removable outer shells or panels (10, 15, 20) made of a plastic material, which is both heat/cold resistant, able to sustain its functionality when introduced to austere environments/elements, and can be rapidly cleaned by the user for future tasks.
As shown in
The stretcher 1 is supported by the support structure 80 which is located on the bottom of the stretcher 1 as shown in
The stretcher's outer shells or panels (10, 15, 20) has a number of sections, two end sections, a top section 10 and a bottom section 15 with one or more middle sections 20. In the preferred embodiment there are two end sections (10, 15) and one middle section 20 as shown in
As shown in
The middle section(s) 20 are rectangular in shape with a top and bottom and two thin solid outside thin sides. The end sections (10 and 15) are rectangular in shape with tapered or round corners with solid thin outside sides that go around sides and the top on the top section 10 and bottom on the bottom section 15. The tapered or round corners are for safety to make sure that there are no sharp edges that could hurt someone.
The outer shells or panels sections would be made of a sturdy hard plastic but could be made of other materials such as a light weight metal like aluminum or cloth around a frame.
The sections will have hand hold openings 30 to allow the people using the stretcher 1 to have a better hold on the stretcher 1. The hand hold openings 30 are placed along the edge of the sections including the top and the bottom. The hand hold opening 30 have rounded edges and are open holes in the sections.
The stretcher 1 is design so that it will work with straps 40 that will hold the person on the stretcher 1. The straps 40, in the preferred embodiment, will go across the foot/leg area, the waist area, the chest areas and two straps will go over the shoulder areas as shown in
The stretcher 1 would have pockets for various medical equipment incorporated into the design.
The stretcher 1 is designed to be transported in the collapsed configuration either in hand or in a backpack. When the user is ready to put the stretcher 1 into operation, the user should be able to (1) place one of his/her feet into the handhold at the end of the stretcher 1 (2) grasp both sides of the outermost shell and (3) pull the outermost shell upwards to extend each panel out of each other until the device is fully extended and locked into position as shown in
The unique features of this product will provide the following benefits:
Collapsible,
Quickly folds out, and
Straps to secure the patients.
While the methods disclosed herein have been described and shown with reference to particular steps performed in a particular order, it is understood that these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered to form an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the embodiments. Accordingly, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of the steps is not a limitation of the embodiments. Furthermore, methods and mechanisms of the embodiments will sometimes be described in singular form for clarity. However, some embodiments may include multiple iterations of a method or multiple variations of a mechanism unless noted otherwise. For example, when a connection is disclosed in one embodiment, the scope of the embodiment is intended to also cover the use of multiple connections.
Certain features of the embodiments, which may have been, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in various combinations in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the embodiments, which may have been, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Embodiments described in conjunction with specific examples are presented by way of example, and not limitation. Moreover, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
