Hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle

The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is an apparatus that is adapted for use with vehicles. The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is further adapted for use with a stretcher. The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is intended for use by emergency personnel to allow a stretcher to be secured to the hood of a vehicle such that a person can be transported by stretcher using the vehicle. The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle comprises a stretcher, a container, a lid, a plurality of anchors, a plurality of webbings, and a plurality of strain devices.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

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REFERENCE TO APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of transporting medical patients and vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients, more specifically, an accessory adapted for use with vehicles to facilitate the transport of patients.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is an apparatus that is adapted for use with vehicles. The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is further adapted for use with a stretcher. The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is intended for use by emergency personnel to allow a stretcher to be secured to the hood of a vehicle such that a person can be transported by stretcher using the vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hood-mounted stretcher that is able to be affixed atop of a hood of a vehicle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container that works in concert with or in lieu of the hood-mounted stretcher in order to provide a place to contain items adjacent a hood of a respective vehicle.

It is a further object of the invention for the hood-mounted stretcher to be affixed on top of or adjacent to the container.

It is a further object of the invention for hardware of the invention to be used to support a rope for formation of a vehicle and personnel barricade.

These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle in detail, it is to be understood that the hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The hood-mounted stretcher for use with a vehicle100(hereinafter invention) comprises a stretcher101, a container102, a lid103, a plurality of anchors104, a plurality of webbings105, and a plurality of strain devices106. The invention100is an apparatus that is adapted for use with a vehicle131. The invention100is further adapted for use with a stretcher101. The invention100is intended for use by emergency personnel to allow a stretcher101to be secured to the hood132of a vehicle131such that a person can be transported by stretcher101using the vehicle131. The stretcher101is a readily and commercially available stretcher101that is used for the transport of patients.

The container102is a hollow rectangular structure that is sized to receive one or more stretchers101for storage purposes when not in use. In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the container102is formed from a polycarbonate resin to provide bullet resistance to the container102such that the container102itself can be used as a shield in emergency situations. The container102further comprises an open surface141that allows access into the interior chamber142of the container102.

The lid103is a rectangular plate that is sized to cover and close the open surface141of the container102. In the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, the lid103is formed from the same bullet resistant material as the container102. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the lid103is attached to the container102using a first locking fastener111and a second locking fastener112. The first locking fastener111and the second locking fastener112are identical. The first locking fastener111and the second locking fastener112are commercially available fasteners that have a mechanism that positively secures the attachment of the first element to the second element of each fastener such that this positive attachment cannot work loose as a result of vibration or other forces. As shown most clearly inFIG. 3, in the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, a wire mechanism113is used to provide the positive attachment.

The purpose of the plurality of anchors104is to provide a plurality of secure anchor points to which the container102can be attached such that the container102will not shift during transport. Each of the plurality of anchors104is a mooring device that is fastened to the hood132of the vehicle131such that each of the plurality of webbings105can be fastened to one or more anchors selected from the plurality of anchors104. The plurality of webbings105are discussed elsewhere in this disclosure.

The plurality of webbings105is a collection of individual webbings that are used to: 1) secure the container102to the hood132of the vehicle131; and, 2) support the stretcher101when the stretcher101is placed on the container102. As shown most clearly inFIG. 5, each webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105is looped through two anchors selected from the plurality of anchors104. The each webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105is further placed on the container102such that the container102is between each webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105and the hood of the vehicle131. Each of the two ends of each webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105are attached to each other using a strain device selected from the plurality of strain devices106. The purpose of each the each strain device selected from the plurality of strain devices106is to: 1) attach the two ends of a webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105to each other; and, 2) to place each webbing selected from the plurality of webbings105under tension such that each of the plurality of webbings105will support the stretcher101when the stretcher101is placed on the container102.

As shown most clearly inFIGS. 4 and 5, in the first potential embodiment of the disclosure, each of the plurality of anchors104is a readily and commercially available U bolt that is either welded or bolted to the hood132of the vehicle131. The plurality of anchors104further comprises a first U bolt151, a second U bolt152, a third U bolt153, a fourth U bolt154, a fifth U bolt155, and a sixth U bolt156. The plurality of webbings105further comprises a first webbing121, a second webbing122, and a third webbing123. The first webbing121is further defined with a first end161and a second end162. The second webbing122is further defined with a third end163and a fourth end164. The third webbing123is further defined with a fifth end165and a sixth end166. Each of the plurality of strain devices106is a readily and commercially available quick release buckle with an associated ring and slider arrangement. Methods to use quick release buckles and ring and slider arrangements are well known and documented in the textile arts.

The plurality of strain devices106further comprises a first strain device124, a second strain device125and a third strain device126. To secure the first potential embodiment of the disclosure to a vehicle131, the container102is placed on top of the hood132of the vehicle131. The first webbing121is threaded through the first U bolt151and the second U bolt152and placed on top of the container102. The first end161and the second end162are then joined using the first strain device124and tension is applied to the first webbing121. The second webbing122is threaded through the third U bolt153and the fourth U bolt154and placed on top of the container102. The third end163and the fourth end164are then joined using the second strain device125and tension is applied to the second webbing122. The third webbing123is threaded through the fifth U bolt155and the sixth U bolt156and placed on top of the container102. The fifth end165and the sixth end166are then joined using the third strain device126and tension is applied to the third webbing123. The stretcher101is then placed on top of the container102such that it is supported by the first webbing121, the second webbing122, and the third webbing123. The lid103is stored within the vehicle131during transport.

Referring toFIG. 6, an alternative embodiment of the invention100simply affixes the stretcher to the hood132of the vehicle131. This embodiment of the invention100is in lieu of the container102.

Referring toFIG. 7, another alternative embodiment of the invention100uses a rope177that extends across the second U bolt152, the fourth U bolt154, and the sixth U bolt156. The rope177forms a barricade that is adapted to be supported via the vehicle131and personnel178.

Referring toFIG. 8depicts another configuration of use of the invention100whereby the container102supports the stretcher101, and a second stretcher181is attached adjacent to the container102and the stretcher101. Moreover, the second stretcher181is adapted to be secured to the hood132. The second stretcher181is aft of the stretcher101and the container102with respect to the hood132of the vehicle131.

The following definitions were used in this disclosure:

Buckle: As used in this disclosure, a buckle is a fastening that is used for joining a first loose end of a strap to a second loose end of the same strap or a different strap. A buckle further comprises a male connector that is attached to a first loose end and a female connector that is attached to a second loose end. The male connector has a pin or other structure that is generally caught by a structure formed in the female connector.

Fastener: As used in this disclosure, a fastener is a device that is used to join or affix two objects. Fasteners generally comprise a first element, which is attached to the first object and a second element, which is attached to the second object such that the first element and the second element join to affix the first object and the second object.

Quick Release Buckle: As used in this disclosure, a quick release buckle is a specific type of buckle wherein the buckle can be readily and easily disconnected by pressing a button or pinching one of the ends of the quick release buckle. Quick release buckles are readily and commercially available.

Ring and Slider Arrangement: As used in this disclosure, a ring and slider arrangement is an apparatus comprising a ring component and a slider component that is used to adjust the effective length of a webbing in an application. In the ring and slider arrangement, an end of the webbing is inserted through the slider component, looped through the ring component and then reverse threaded through the slider component for a second time. By adjusting the position of the slider component relative to the webbing, the effective length of the webbing can be adjusted. Ring and slider arrangements are well known and documented in the textile arts.

Textile: As used in this disclosure, a textile is a material that is woven, knitted, braided or felted. Synonyms in common usage for this definition include fabric and cloth.

Webbing: As used in this disclosure, a webbing is strong, close woven or knitted fabric that is used for straps or belting. As used in this disclosure, webbing is a fully formed material that is only cut to length for use. Webbing is not formed by cutting broader materials into strips.