Abstract:
Provided is a method for using a patient rescue bag, particularly for extreme wet weather use. A substantially rectangular upper portion is sized wider than a substantially rectangular lower portion such that longitudinal edges of the upper portion are folded downwardly and inwardly so that an inner layer of the upper portion is releasably attached to an outer layer of the lower portion. A patient is placed within the patient rescue bag such that the patient rests upon the lower portion and the upper portion is above the patient. The longitudinal edges of the upper portion are folded downwardly and inwardly to extend under the longitudinal edges of the lower portion. In this manner, the exposed edges of the connection between upper and lower portions are not subject to accumulated rain or snow seeping into the patient chamber or being forced in by helicopter downdraft.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/343,438 filed Jan. 31, 2006. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to an improved piece of safety and rescue equipment for keeping a person warm, dry and comfortable after the person has been injured and must be removed from a location that is remote from normal transportation routes. More specifically, the invention provides a design that is better suited for use during extreme wet condition and is resistant to helicopter rotor downdrafts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When a person is injured in a remote location, rescue workers often are required to hand carry the person on a stretcher to a location where an ambulance or helicopter can be reached. This is particularly true in remote locations consisting of rough terrain such as mountains, and in such circumstances the injured person would be exposed to the elements until the emergency rescue vehicle could be reached. A patient rescue bag for this purpose is described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,604, issued Feb. 7, 1995, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Since that time, rescue bags of this design have been put to use in increasingly hostile environments, such as by the military. In these situations, an injured person may have to be held at one location for a significant period of time during wet weather until it is safe for a transport vehicle to arrive on the scene. They may also be more likely, in these situations, to be held close to an evacuation helicopter&#39;s landing place directly below the propeller downdraft and to be present during the helicopter&#39;s landing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , therein is schematically shown a cross-sectional view of a prior art design of a patient rescue bag commonly in use by civilian rescue and evacuation teams. This design, as shown in my above-referenced prior patent, keeps the patient warm while providing access to any part of the patient&#39;s body around any part of the perimeter of the rescue bag. However, if it is necessary for the patient to remain exposed to wet weather conditions, precipitation (rain or snow) falling onto the upper layer can seep into the interior of the bag through the quick connect/disconnect fastener devices along the longitudinal edges of the bag. This problem can be exacerbated when the patient is exposed to the extremely powerful downdraft of a military rescue helicopter. 
     While my prior design is acceptable for most civilian applications, a new design addressing specific shortcomings for military or extreme wet weather situations was needed. Subsequent designs by others have not, heretofore, filled this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved patient rescue bag comprising generally rectangular upper and lower portions sized to receive a supine person there between. Each of the upper and lower portions have an outer surface, and interior surface, and an inner portion there between which includes thermal insulative material. The upper portion has a width greater than that of the lower portion such that longitudinal edges of the upper portion are folded downwardly and inwardly to extend under longitudinal edges of the lower portion. In this manner, rain or melting snow accumulating on the outside of the upper portion will be shed to the ground without seeping into the interior of the rescue bag. Likewise, intense downdraft from a helicopter rotor does not drive accumulated rain or snow into the interior of the bag through the peripheral access seams. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawing, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a prior art patient rescue bag construction; 
         FIG. 2  is a similar schematic cross-sectional view of a bag according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a pictorial view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a pictorial view with the upper and lower portions separated; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the outside (top) of the upper portion; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of the outside (bottom) of the lower portion; and 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the inside surface of the upper portion. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention represents an improvement over the patient rescue bag described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,604, issued Feb. 7, 1995, the content of which is fully incorporated herein by reference. A cross sectional view of the prior device  10 ′ is shown schematically in  FIG. 1 . In the prior version, the lower portion  12 ′ of the bag has a width greater than the upper portion  14 ′. Longitudinal edges  16 ,  18  of the lower portion  12 ′ are folded upwardly and inwardly to be secured to an outer surface of the upper portion  14 ′. The device  10 ′ provides a self-contained bedding system designed to provide patient access around its entire perimeter, while maintaining patient body temperature. This design  10 ′ remains adequate for most emergency medical transport situations. However, there are situations (military, in particular) where a patient being evacuated must be held for an extended period of time in extreme wet conditions. Rain or melted snow (schematically illustrated by arrows  20 ) that falls onto the upper portion can eventually seep through the fastener devices  22  (usually strips of hook and loop fastener material, such as VELCRO®) to the interior  24  of the bag  10 ′ where the patient (not shown) is situated. 
     Additionally, this problem can be exacerbated by the extraordinarily strong downdraft of a helicopter rotor when the patient must be held very close to the helicopter landing area. The downdraft will act to force rain water or melted snow  20  through the fastener connections. 
     The prior design possesses certain advantages in ordinary, civilian applications. The peripheral edges  16 ,  18  are easier visually to locate and selectively open for patient access when they are on the top surface of the upper portion and lost bodily fluids of the patient may be better contained. These advantages are outweighed by different concerns in other situations, however. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , therein is schematically shown a cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 1 , but of an improved construction of a patient rescue bag  10 . In the improved embodiment, the upper portion  14  is wider than the lower portion  12  and the longitudinal edges  26 ,  28  are wrapped downwardly and inwardly for connection to the underside of the lower portion  12 . Rain or snow  20  that falls on the outer surface of the upper portion  14  is shed off of the bag  10  without seeping or being driven into the interior  24  through the fasteners  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-8 , therein is shown a patient rescue bag generally indicated at  10 . Patient rescue bag  10  largely comprises an lower portion  12  and upper portion  14 , of which upper portion  14  includes a top outer layer  30 , which can have various attachments such as are discussed in my above-identified prior patent, and which is preferably sewn or glued to a top inner layer  32 . Top outer layer  30  and top inner layer  32  have generally rectangular perimeters and preferably are made to substantially the same length and width dimensions so that their longitudinal and transverse edges can be permanently attached together, respectively, at their perimeters when one layer is placed upon the other. A top insulative core  34  may be positioned between top outer layer  30  and top inner layer  32 . The edges of these two layers are preferably sewn together along three of their four edges, however, a permanent glue could be used as an alternative method of their attachment to one another. 
     Top outer layer  30  is preferably removably attached to top inner layer  32  along their fourth edge so that access is available to the inner space between these two layers. A transverse strip (not shown) of a hook and loop fastener material, such as VELCRO®, is preferably attached to the inner surface of top inner layer  32 , and is made of either male or female VELCRO®. A mating strip (also not shown) of VELCRO® is also attached to the inner surface of top outer layer  30  so that, when these two VELCRO® strips are engaged together, the fourth edge is mechanically closed. This closure construction is shown in my prior patent and is not an essential part of the present invention. 
     Top outer layer  30  and top inner layer  32  are preferably constructed of a waterproof, flexible material. One appropriate material for such use is STORM-TECH™ manufactured by Brookwood, located in Gardena, Calif. A preferred material for top insulative core  34  is down, however, it will be understood that any type of flexible thermal insulative material could be used in this application. Other exemplary materials for top insulative core  34  are cotton or a synthetic fiber such as PRIMALOFT™ (manufactured by Albany International). 
     A bottom outer layer  36  and a bottom inner layer  38  also have generally rectangular perimeters and preferably are made to substantially the same length and width dimensions so that their longitudinal and transverse edges can be permanently attached together, respectively, at their perimeters and around a bottom insulative core  40 , similar to the top insulative core  34 . Bottom outer and inner layers  36  and  38 , respectively, are preferably made of a waterproof, flexible material such as STORM-TECH™. 
     Bottom insulative core  40  is positioned between bottom outer layer  36  and bottom inner layer  38 . The edges of these two layers are preferably sewn together along three of the four edges, however, a permanent glue could be used as an alternative method of their attachment to one another. Bottom outer layer  36  is preferably removably attached to bottom inner layer  38  along the fourth edge so that access is available to the inner space between these two layers. As described above, a transverse strip (not shown) of a hook and loop fastener material, such as VELCRO®, is preferably attached to the inner surface of bottom inner layer  36  and is made of either male or female VELCRO®. A mating strip (not shown) of VELCRO® is also attached to the inner surface of bottom outer layer  36  so that, when these two VELCRO® strips are engaged together, the fourth edge is mechanically closed. 
     A disposable/replaceable adsorbent and liquid-proof liner may be used, as described in my prior patent. This feature is not shown herein in order to provide simplicity and clarity in illustrating the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , the upper portion  14  is constructed to be wider in the transverse direction than the lower portion  12 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 3-5 , upper portion  14  is flexible such that it can be folded or rolled near its longitudinal edges  42  and  44 . With index numeral  46  representing the “head” direction of patient rescue bag  10  and index numeral  48  representing the “feet” direction of patient rescue bag  10  it can be seen that longitudinal edges  42  and  44  are parallel to the length of a patient&#39;s body as the patient occupies patient area  24 . The attachment of upper portion  12  to lower portion  14  will be discussed in detail, below. 
     The lower surface of bottom outer layer  36  is depicted in  FIG. 7  and preferably includes two long VELCRO® strips  50 ,  52  attached along the longitudinal edges  54 ,  56 . The upper surface of the bottom inner layer  38  (see  FIG. 5 ) includes a VELCRO® strip  58  positioned along the transverse edge  60  at the foot end  48 . The lower surface of the upper inner layer  32  is depicted in  FIG. 8  and preferably includes two long VELCRO® strips  62 ,  64  attached along the longitudinal edges  66 ,  68 . These strips  62 ,  64  are complementary to the longitudinal strips  50 ,  52  on the lower portion  12 . A third VELCRO® strip  70  is attached along the foot end  48  transverse edge  72  of the inner surface of the upper inner layer  32 . This strip  70  is complementary to the transverse strip  58  at the foot end  48  on the lower portion  12 . Reference to “complementary” strips of VELCRO® refer to the mating male/female or hook/loop components of any brand of this type of quick-release fastener systems. Other devices, such as a series of snaps, could also be employed for this purpose. 
     Once a patient has been placed upon the surface of bottom inner layer  38 , upper portion  14  can be placed on top of the patient and VELCRO® strip  58  can be attached to VELCRO® strip  70  to close the area nearest the patient&#39;s feet. 
     As described above, upper portion  14  is wider than lower portion  12 , and thus top inner layer  32  is wider than bottom inner layer  38  and bottom outer layer  36 . Two longitudinal fold lines  74 ,  76  ( FIGS. 5 and 8 ) are used to fold over the outer longitudinal edges  66  and  68  of top inner layer  32 . With top inner layer  32  folded over along fold line  74 , for example, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , VELCRO® strip  64  can then attach to complementary VELCRO® strip  52 . In a similar manner, VELCRO® strip  62  can be folded over, along fold line  76 , and attached to VELCRO® strip  50 . 
     As described above, the use of VELCRO® strips  50 ,  52  (and their mating VELCRO® strips  62 ,  64 ) along the longitudinal edges as well as the mating VELCRO® strips  58 ,  70  along transverse edges  60 ,  72  provide a means for releasably securing upper portion  14  to lower portion  12 . In addition, such releasably securing means allows access to a patient occupying patient area  24  from any direction (i.e., from any location) along all edges without disturbing any other parts of the releasably securing means (i.e., along other portions of the VELCRO® strips). Other types of releasably securing means could alternatively be used in lieu of VELCRO®, however, a standard zipper may not provide such instantaneous access to a mid-portion of one of the edges without disturbing the remaining length of zipper along the corresponding edge. 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 8 , the bag  10  may also include one or more interior pockets  78 ,  80  selectively positioned on the interior surface of the upper portion  14  and sized to hold a heat pack (not shown) in order to provide rapid thermal recovery to a patient suffering from hypothermia. Such heat packs could be any available product that is either heated from an external source or a chemically-reactive product (such as sodium acetate) that generates its own heat. In preferred form, the pockets  78 ,  80  are attached by sewing or gluing along two opposite transverse edges  79 ,  81  with intermediate laterally-facing edges  83 ,  85  releasably secured to hold the heat pack in place. In this manner, a heat pack may be inserted or removed easily from either side of the bag  10 . The pockets  78 ,  80  may be located centrally in the lateral direction and longitudinally to correspond with the position of the torso (at the chest and abdomen) of an average sized patient, as shown in  FIGS. 3-6  and  8 . 
     Referring now particularly to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , the bag  10  may also include a plurality of opposed web handles  82 ,  84  interconnected by transverse straps  86 . These handles  82 ,  84  and supporting cross straps  86  may be selectively positioned at longitudinal locations  88 ,  90 ,  92  to approximately correspond with the position of a typical patient&#39;s shoulders, hips and calves. Accordingly, a patient&#39;s body is supported in a manner that it will remain in a relatively straight supine position without bending when the bag  10  is used as a litter and carried by handles  82 ,  84 . Also in preferred form, quick release fasteners, such as corresponding VELCRO® strips  94 ,  96 , may be attached to the outer surface of the lower portion  36  and the handles  82 ,  84  to provide ready access to the handles for use, while making them easy to locate and keeping them free from inadvertent snagging. 
     If desired a hood or head covering (not shown) may be attached to the bag  10  using transverse strips of VELCRO® attached along the head end  46  edges of the top surface of the outer layer  30  of the upper portion  14  and the bottom surface of the outer layer  36  of the lower portion  12 . 
     The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.