Abstract:
Patient body part traction exerting and control kit apparatus, comprising in combination a motor driven rotary drive means to tension a traction exerting line; a support means carrying rotary drive means and configured to be attached to equipment at an attraction exertion site, to present drive means for traction line operation attached to aid rotary drive means; the support means having a first section attached to the equipment, and a second section carrying rotary drive means for displacement enabling sideward shifting of a traction line to accommodate patient body shifting, while under traction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to improvements in traction exerting equipment, as applicable to injured patients, and more particularly to precisely adjustable traction exerting equipment useful for fracture management. 
     Current bedside fracture management requires constant attention and maintenance of cumbersome and sometimes dangerous traction weights. Bedside fracture management technology has remained the same for decades, posing the same problems and patient care issues ongoing. Precise balance, alignment and adequate space are required to fulfill and maintain the delicate physician ordered parameters. Each fracture situation is unique, demanding a high level of attention and care. Natural in-bed patient movement, bedside nursing care, and patient transfer from one point to another are all restricted and encumbered by the use of weighted traction sandbags. As with the evolution of all technology, fracture management technology requires elevation to a new level of performance optimization. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a major object of the invention to provide improved traction management apparatus meeting the above needs. Basically, the equipment is embodied in patient&#39;s body part traction exerting and control apparatus comprising in combination: 
     a) a motor driven rotary drive means to tension a traction exerting line, 
     b) a support means carrying said rotary drive means and configured to be attached to equipment at a traction exertion site, to present said drive means for traction line operation attached to said rotary drive means, 
     c) the support means having a first section attached to said equipment, and a second section carrying the rotary drive means for displacement enabling sideward shifting of the traction line to accommodate patient body shifting, while under traction. 
     As will be seen, the support means typically has connections enabling selective attachment to said equipment. 
     Another object includes provision of the support means to comprise a housing containing the rotary drive means in a position to receive attachment of a disposable drum to wind said line. In this regard, the disposable drum presented toward an open side of the housing that passes the line at the time of traction line connection to the patient&#39;s body part, for traction exertion. 
     Another object is to provide controllable electric motor carried by the housing and operatively connected to said rotary drive means for controlling rotation thereof, there being motor controls carried by the housing. 
     A further object is to provide a supply of the disposable drums, for successive assembly to said rotary drive means at times of traction exertion application to body parts of successive patients. 
     Yet another object is to provide the second section to have linear displacement connection to said first section. In this regard, the rotary drum means is presented for longitudinal traction line connection, allowing transverse displacement of the rotary drive means. 
     A yet further object is to provide at least one auxiliary motorized control associated with the apparatus for controlling an auxiliary line that extends to a frame positioned to support said body part under traction. As will be seen, the auxiliary control may be removably carried by said support means or housing. At least two motorized auxiliary controls may be provided for respectively controlling the two auxiliary lines that extend to the frame positioned to support said body part under traction. The two such lines typically extend to two different portions of said frame, to control elevation and tilting thereof. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a system incorporation the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view taken in section, diagrammatically showing a kit carrying components of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a traction means attached to a patient&#39;s leg and to a traction force exerting line; 
         FIG. 4  shows a winding spool attached to a rotary holder or drum; and 
         FIGS. 5-9  show alternate forms of the apparatus; and 
         FIGS. 10-13  show satellite drives associated with a kit box, for controlling elevation of a patient&#39;s body and/or legs. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One preferred form of the patient body part traction exerting and control apparatus is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Typically a kit  10  is configured to be attached to a fixed bar  11  at the foot end of a hospital bed  12 . A carrier box container  13  forming part of the kit has a rear wall  14  recessed at  14   a  to receive the bar, and a clamp  15 , or other means to adjustably hold the kit to the bar, enables vertical adjustment of the kit in relation to the foot  16   a  and leg  16   b  of a patient  16  in bed  12 . 
       FIGS. 1-3  shown a leg traction fork  17  attached at  18  to the leg  16   b , and having a narrowed looped end  17   a  attached to a traction force exerting line or strand  20 . Tension is exerted in arrow indicating direction  21 . 
     A motor driven rotary drive means is provided, as for example a holder such as drum  23  rotated about axis  24 , by electric motor  25 , located in carrier container. Support means  26  locates the motor in the box, so that axis  24  typically extends generally horizontally. A line winding spool  27  is releasably attached to drum or holder  23 . The spool  27  is typically disposable, as is line  20 , after use. It is configured to fit on the holder  23  to be released and disposed of after traction exertion is terminated. And a supply  100  of such disposable spools, as with traction lines  20  attached, is shown. 
     As an example, note  FIG. 4 , showing the clam-shell spool  27 ′ having interconnectible end portions at  27 ″, and a tongue  27 ′″ that fits in a groove  30  in the drum  20 ′, to transmit torque from the drum to the spool. Other configurations may be provided enabling spool releasable attachment to the driving drum. Line  20  may be provided already attached, to the spool, as at  20   b  in  FIG. 4 , enabling spool sidewise or endwise fitting on the drive drum. The open side of the kit box (see opening  35  in front wall  34 ) enables reach-in positioning of the spool on the drum, and spool ready release, for disposal. 
     A motor control on the box, is indicated at  38 , for ease of motor control and operation. The motor may typically be a gear motor providing step-down of output RPM, to a low speed level, for slowly winding the spool, for slow line-winding and progressive traction exertion and holding. A line tension sensor  50  is shown in  FIG. 3 , and its output at  51  may be fed to the motor as for example to stop further tension exertion after a selected tension level is reached. The sensor may be adjustable to increase or decrease the selected or described level of tension exertion. 
       FIG. 2  shows the provision for position adjustment of the support means for the drum and spool. Such support means may include a support plate  60  carried by the box  13  to be shifted sidewardly (see arrows  61 ), and clamped in selected sideward position, in accordance with a patient&#39;s shifted leg position. Such shifting moves line  20  and traction device  17  to the left or right, a desired amount, for comfort. Plate  60  has an edge portion  60   a  slidable in a groove  60   b  in box wall  14 ; and a clamping screw is provided at  62  to hold plate  60  in selected transverse position. 
       FIG. 1  shows provision of at least one, and preferably two auxiliary motors as at  75  and  76 , controllable as by manually operable controls  75   a  and  76   a , for driving auxiliary drums  77  and  78 , the latter having associated lifting lines  77   a  and  78   a  extending to different portions of a leg support frame  79 , as for example to the front and rear of that frame. Motors  75  and  76 , and associated driven spools or drums may be carried by units  86  and  87  carried by an upper horizontal frame  80 , and shiftable along that frame  80  to extend over the supported portion of the leg frame  79 . The operator can then operate controls  75   a  and  76   a  on units  86  and  87  to control winding or unwinding of lines  77   a  and  78   a  connected to forward and rearward portions of the frame  79 , to precisely tilt, or elevate and/or lower different portions of frame  79  to precisely position the patient&#39;s leg under traction; and kit box  13  (from which traction is exerted) can be correspondingly elevated or lowered on bar  11 , to control the angle or position of line  20 , whereby the direction of traction can be controlled for any elevated positioning of the user&#39;s leg. Side to side selected positioning of the traction drum add a further adjusted parameter to such traction control, for maximum effectiveness, and patient comfort.  FIGS. 5-9  show alternative forms of the apparatus.  FIG. 9  shows laterally shifted position of plate  60 . 
     Controls  75   a  and  76   a  can be carried at a side or sides of kit box  13 ′, shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     A digitized read-out is shown at  99 . 
     Advantages of the device are as follows:
         Can be affixed to any type of post or rail in seconds   Full programmability—any physician ordered directives can be fulfilled in seconds with the push of a key pad   Securely stores information, dates, and specific patient data which can be printed out with a secure code access   Low battery and replace battery warning system   Full digital readout   LED backlit for easy, safe viewing in dark environments   Completely washable with standard disinfectants   Works with both skin and skeletal traction applications and disaster environment capable   Consumable aspect: replaceable cartridge/module per patient to ensure an aseptic cross contamination free application by way of a “snap in”, single use disposable drum   A vertically telescoping “spine” or car which allows the unit to be raised upward if necessary for clearance of rope   An adjustable base/floor to accommodate a spine board application   Spool housing is adjustable from side to side, and rotatable 90°.       

     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , they show a kit  100  including box  100   a , corresponding to box  10  in  FIG. 5 . It is attachable to fixed bars, as at  11  and  11   a  at the foot end of a hospital bed, as via holders or clamp  115  and  115   a . Recesses  125 - 128  in the box walls receive the bars, which firmly orient the box. 
     At the box top is a chamber  116  to receive an electrical battery  117 , when door  118  is opened. A top chamber  119  receives a transformer  119   a  to reduce standard hospital AC voltage to a lower DC voltage, such as 12 VDC, for supply to motor  120  in satellite boxes  121  and  122 , corresponding to boxes  75  and  76  seen in  FIG. 1 , and attachable to horizontal hospital frame bar  80 , seen in  FIG. 1 , as via clamps  121   a  and  122   a . Flexible lines  77   a  and  78   a  are wound on disposable drums or reels  77   a ′ and  78   a ′ received into and mounted for rotation in the satellite boxes. Lines  77   a  and  78   a  are extended and used to support the frame  79 , and the motors have associated controls that are manually controllable. 
       FIG. 11  shows box  100   a  having two sections  100  band  100   c , section  100   b  being laterally shiftable relative to section  100   a , to accommodate to patient shifting position. Line winding disposable spool  27  is releasably attached to drum  23 , as referred to above. Controls are carried at  126  on section  100   b . See also  FIGS. 12 and 13 .