Evacu zip and carry strap with clamp

An Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp device has a body generally rectangular in shape with a chest merging to a neck that widens to a shoulder. From the shoulder, a cover and a spaced below lower jaw extend opposite the neck. Beneath the cover, an upper jaw pivots upon a pin to mutually engage teeth with teeth upon the lower jaw. A knob joined to a shaft advances a rod to move the upper jaw from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the device grips a pillowtop or other material for rapid conversion of it into a stretcher for evacuation. The knob to turns towards counterclockwise for closing the upper jaw to the lower jaw. The invention also includes a strap extending from the chest. An alternate embodiment includes lighting directed towards the two jaws.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Background of the Invention

The Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp device generally relates to litters and stretchers and more specifically to a clamp that grasps a pillowtop converting it into a stretcher for a patient.

For millennia, people have carried their ill, their wounded, and their dead. Early on, people carried others by hauling them over their shoulders. In time, litters of various forms and purposes developed. In modern times, stretchers, gurneys, Stokes litters, and the like have appeared on the scene to transport persons by others. Typically a stretcher has one person lying upon it in a recumbent position and two other persons carry the stretcher from its ends.

A stretcher can begin simply as a blanket, sheet, tarp, or other flexible, sheet material. Persons then fold the edges of the blanket over two poles and have the edges towards the center of the stretcher. A patient then is placed upon the edges of the blanket so that the patient's weight generates frictional engagement of the blanket. The friction prevents the blanket edges from separating, under most conditions. Two other persons then grasp the poles and carry the stretcher away. From that humble beginning, stretchers have various manufactured forms that often have a canvas construction upon wooden poles. The wooden poles have feet and hinged spanners between them. The wooden poles collapse the canvas into a compact though still elongated form. Stretchers see use with fire departments, police departments, other first responders, military units, and other groups where injury may occur and transport of the injured appears necessary.

However, people don't receive injuries every moment and stretchers may remain dormant and rarely used. People who do receive an injury, make their way to medical care, often a hospital. People may use an ambulance, other hired vehicle, drive themselves, or have others drive them to a hospital. A hospital then provides a gurney or other equipment to transport a patient in and around a hospital. Though hospital is mentioned, other medical facilities are also implied in the term. Though the term stretcher is mentioned in this application, it implies the terms gurney, litter and the like.

Hospitals though remain a part of the environment. The environment, from time to time, sends a difficult situation towards a hospital. Those situations include tornados, hurricanes, floods, power failures, internet outages, gas leaks, civil disturbances, and worse. A recent tornado in Joplin, Mo. applied a direct hit to a hospital. Hospital staff and others acted quickly and evacuated the patients from the hospital before the tornado arrived. The tornado blew out all windows to the hospital and caused other damage, rendering the hospital inoperative for over three days following a disaster. That hospital was part of the disaster for the town.

The evacuation though strained hospital resources. Ambulatory patients departed the hospital with the least assistance from staff. However, unconscious and other patients in severe conditions consumed staff attention as entire hospital beds were evacuated. Such bed evacuations consumed much elevator resources. In acute situations, staff carried patients as best they could down stairs.

Responding to the Joplin tornado and other events, the Joint Commission issued a standard regarding evacuation of patients from a hospital or other medical facility. Hospital operators now seek to comply with the standard.

Description of the Prior Art

From the simple stretchers described above to wheeled, powered, and automated gurneys, hospitals have various patient transports available for evacuation. However, wheeled gurneys call for elevators and ramps during evacuation of them out of a hospital building.

Presently, hospitals and other patient care facilities have a current, complicated process of rapid evacuation of bed-ridden and other hospitalized persons that have a disability, handicap, or other condition that renders them non-ambulatory. The prior art current practice to evacuate patients has a lack of time and of notification for pending disasters, a lack of education and proper use of products, and lack of immediate access and appropriate storage of prior art stretchers. The prior art suffers from a lack of training of staff on its proper use compounded by lack of access to it in time of acute need, such as an impending disaster.

An existing system of evacuation has the trade name of MedSled® of ARC Products LLC, from Des Peres, Mo. This evacuation system utilizes a sheet of polymer material placed beneath a patient. The sheet is the rolled partially around the sides of the patient along the length of the patient. The users then apply straps from one edge of the sheet over the patient to the opposite edge. The users can adjust the straps for patient comfort. The users then lift the patient from a bed to a floor and drag the patient from the hospital room to safety.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp device for gripping pillowtops. The device utilizes a clamp with comfortable user grip, counterclockwise advancing knob, and two wide trays of teeth for grasping an existing pillowtop and converting it into a stretcher. The device through its construction avoids tearing of the pillowtop and promotes manual carrying for a long distance and time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp device has a body generally rectangular in shape with a chest merging to a neck that widens to a shoulder. From the shoulder a cover and a spaced below lower jaw extend opposite the neck. Beneath the cover, an upper jaw pivots upon a pin to mutually engage teeth with teeth upon the lower jaw. A knob joined to a shaft advances a rod to move the upper jaw from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the device grips a pillowtop or other material for rapid conversion of it into a stretcher for evacuation. The knob turns towards the left for closing the upper jaw to the lower jaw. The invention also includes a strap extending from the chest. An alternate embodiment of the invention includes lighting directed towards the two jaws.

The present invention allows the immediate use of an existing component of a hospital bed typically its pillowtop. The present invention provides for vertical evacuation, horizontal evacuation, and other non-traditional patient movement methods. The present invention rapidly transfers and evacuates disable, handicapped, bed-ridden and other non-ambulatory patients in times of disaster or other facility compromise.

The present invention includes a method of its use where a user unzips a pillowtop mattress from the main mattress of a hospital bed. The user then opens the invention and positions it upon the zipper teeth of the pillowtop and clamps it in place. This clamping positions the modified carrying straps to the pillowtop mattress. The modified carrying straps have an adjustable length to accommodate the height of any user and the stairwell decline during a vertical evacuation. The method of the invention has two steps: first an unzipping process of an existing hospital mattress, and second reattaching the modified carrying straps using the clamping of the invention.

The present invention integrates an existing industrial strength mattress zipper from a width and weight perspective that cooperates in a similar relationship with the modified carrying strap.

The application of straps to a pillowtop mattress determines the number of uses necessary to transfer or move a patient. The straps permit manufacturing and arranging into a harness form suitable to perform horizontal transfers of a patient by one user.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. The present invention also includes teeth made into replaceable trays, trays with lips and teeth, a thinning of the depth of the neck, swiveling of the light housing, a knob turning to the left, and a method for deploying the invention. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

One object of the present invention is to provide an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that grips a pillowtop of an existing hospital bed and supports the weight of a patient without tearing the pillowtop.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that eliminates storage and access vulnerabilities.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that greatly simplifies training of persons for its use.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that installs upon a pillowtop or other flexible sheet within a hospital room with semi-skilled or unskilled labor.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that eliminates searching, storing, and patient packing process used by the prior art.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that causes a user to pause before engaging the clamp for use.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that illuminates the area ahead of the Clamp of the invention.

Another object is to provide such an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp that has a low cost of manufacturing so the purchasing hospitals, clinics, supply managers, purchasing agents, physicians, staff members, government agencies, business establishments, and organizations can readily buy the Clamp of the invention through supply houses and contracting channels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention overcomes the prior art limitations by providing an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp. The present invention sees its use during an evacuation of a patient P as shown inFIG. 1. The patient lies in a recumbent position with a stretcher S formed from the pillowtop of a hospital mattress. The pillowtop has at least two of the invention as at1gripping along the perimeter of the pillowtop. Hospital staff may position the invention1at locations convenient to the staff and comfortable to the patient, typically proximate the patient's shoulders, that is forward of the patient's head H and in the vicinity of the patient's feet F. Each of the invention provides a strap2suitable for gripping by staff. Though this figure shows two of the invention, a matching pair is suggested for the other side of the pillowtop and for a stable lift of the patient. Though this figure has a recumbent patient for horizontal transfer, the invention provides for grip and closure of a pillowtop around a patient as during vertical transfer, such as down stairs or by ropes.

The invention has its side view inFIG. 2and in an open position, that is, before gripping of a pillowtop from a hospital mattress. The invention1has a generally rectangular body3of compact form suitable for grasping by a user's hand, that is a staffer's hand. The body has a handle like portion that begins with a chest4shown towards the left of the figure that narrows into the plane of the figure forwardly and that narrows upwardly on the figure into a neck5. The neck has a generally arcuate form and a thickness less than the depth of the chest. The thickness of the neck denotes the amount of material below the top of the invention. The neck has its greatest thickness near the chest and a shoulder6, and its thinnest thickness generally centered between the chest and the shoulder. The body then widens from the neck outwardly and downwardly to the shoulder6. The chest, neck, and shoulder cooperate and provide a manual gripping surface for a user. During emplacement of the invention1, as jaws apart in the open position, the user curls his thumb and finger forefinger around the neck and advances the invention over the edge, zipper, and material of a pillowtop. Following clamping of the jaws upon is the pillowtop, a user may grip the neck comfortably to assist in carrying a patient a sizeable distance.

The shoulder has a similar depth as the chest. The shoulder then extends to the right of the figure with a lower jaw7that decreases its thickness slightly and has its least thickness at a chin8shown opposite form the chest. Above the lower jaw, the body has a cover9that extends to the right of the figure also while maintaining its constant thickness. The cover is generally coplanar with the remainder of the body as shown so that the body has a flat top surface as at3a.

The chest has an aperture4bthat admits the strap2for securement. The strap enters the aperture then wraps around a bar,4a, of the chest and then secures upon itself with stitching for a loop. Alternatively, a user may replace the strap with a belt, rope, and the like as an evacuation situation may require. In a further alternate embodiment, the strap2has a generally linear form with a buckle or other closure upon one end and an opposite free end. The free end inserts through the aperture4bof one invention1then spans across, that is, transverse a patient, inserts through another aperture4bof a second of the invention1, and then returns to the buckle or closure. The strap in this alternate embodiment spans across a curled up pillowtop.

Above the chest and the neck, the body has a knob10fixed to a shaft11that extends into the body3forwardly towards the cover9. The knob and the shaft rotated about an axis parallel to the length, that is, longitudinal axis of the body.

The shaft continues towards the cover9as shown to the right of the figure. Positioned beneath the cover and above the shoulder, the body has a pin12extending transverse the shoulder, that is perpendicular is to the shaft. The pin connects to an upper jaw13that extends outwardly to beneath the cover9and has a flush ending beneath the cover and above the chin. Above the chin8, the lower jaw has a lower tray14generally outwardly from the pin12. The lower tray has a gripping surface, such as teeth upon it. The lower tray engages the pillowtop during usage of the invention. Opposite the pin, the upper jaw13has an upper tray15with a gripping surface that cooperates with the lower tray. The upper tray aligns with the lower tray and here has a spacing above the lower tray thus denoting the open position. The upper tray and the lower tray have a generally thin rectangular shape with a length at least twice that of its width. The shape of the trays and the gripping surface cooperate to disperse the compressive forces from the clamp and the shear forces from the patient load applied to a contiguous portion of the pillowtop. The shape of the trays prevents tear our or other load failure of the pillowtop during usage.

FIG. 3shows that in time of need or for training, the invention1has a closed position for gripping the perimeter of the pillowtop, that is, the zipper region of the pillowtop. To engage the gripping of the invention1, a user turns the knob10counterclockwise which is opposite the conventional right hand rule of threading. This opposite direction of engagement reminds the user to turn and secure the knob for gripping. In turning the knob, the shaft11advances forwardly towards the cover9and in doing so, depresses a rod16upon the upper jaw13. As the rod depresses, that is, drops from the cover, the rod urges the upper jaw downwardly upon its pivot from the pin12so that the upper tray15mutually engages the lower tray14. The two trays then clamp the perimeter of the pillowtop between them during usage as previously is shown inFIG. 1. The two trays mutually align as shown in the closed position of the invention1.

FIG. 4shows a top view of the invention1with the top surface3ain the foreground. The body3has a spade like shape in this view with a narrow portion, or handle, proximate the knob10and the shaft11that then widens after the neck5towards the shoulder6. The shoulder shows the pin12having its two ends12aextending slightly outwardly from the body. Outwardly from the pin ends12a, the cover9continues in a generally rectangular shape. Within the cover, shown in dotted line, the body has a chamber17that admits the rod16during the clamping of the upper tray upon the lower tray to attain the closed position.

Turning the invention1over,FIG. 5shows the bottom view of the invention where this surface3bof the invention typically aligns with a lower surface of the pillowtop. The knob10connects to the shaft11which enters the chest4and neck5as described and shown above. The neck5then widens the body3at the shoulder6and the lower jaw7then extends to the right. The lower jaw does not move relative to the rest of the body as it is the fixed jaw for the invention. The lower jaw extends towards its chin8that has two connectors14afor the lower tray. The connectors include preferably screws but alternatively bolts, rivets, swaged pins, welds, and the like.

Having previously referred to an open position and a closed position,FIG. 6shows front view of those two positions.FIG. 6ashows the invention1with the body3and the lower jaw7and the upper jaw13in an open positions, that is, the upper tray15is spaced above the lower tray14. The two trays14,15are shown having a plurality of teeth18thereon. The teeth18may have an irregular pattern or preferably two rows of is aligned separate, spaced apart, teeth. Outwardly from the teeth, the lower tray14connects to the lower jaw7proximate the chin8using the connectors14aas previously shown. The upper tray15connects to the upper jaw13and the upper jaw abuts the rod16. In the open position of the invention, the rod barely appears beneath the cover9.

Upon a user turning the knob counterclockwise, the rod16advances downwardly, that is, inwardly from the cover9. In doing so, the rod urges the upper jaw13downwardly towards the lower jaw7so that the upper tray15meets the lower tray14. The invention1then grips a pillowtop or any other material placed between the two trays14,15and their teeth18. A user turns the knob furthest counterclockwise to embed the teeth into the pillowtop.

A user sees the knob10in the foreground ofFIG. 7a back view of the invention1. The knob turns counterclockwise to close the jaws and clockwise to open them. The knob has a diameter that exceeds the width of the chest and a position so that the knob extends below a plane defined by the bottom surface3b. The knob has a round shape and a sufficient diameter to encourage rapid during by a user during an evacuation or other crisis. Preferably the knob has a minimum diameter of 0.75 inches. In an alternative embodiment, the knob is replaced by a pin with a length of at least 0.75 inches. Inwardly from the knob, the body has its chest4that extends through its neck5towards the shoulder6. The pin12has its ends12aextending outwardly from the plane of the shoulder and the jaws7,13remain concealed in the background of this view.

Though the preceding description has referred to teeth18in trays14,15, the grip feature of the invention may arise with alternative configurations of the trays.FIG. 8shows from the side an alternate embodiment of the trays whereFIG. 8ahas the alternate trays14′,15′ in a closed position upon a material M. The lower tray14′ has a lip19, generally rounded and denoting the outside of the tray, that is, the edge towards the material M or pillowtop. Spaced inwardly from the lip, the lower tray14′ has a plurality of teeth18as described before. The upper tray15′ though has a slightly different arrangement. The upper tray15′ also has a lip19, rounded, that aligns with the lip in the lower tray14′. Spaced inwardly from the lip and less so than the teeth in the lower tray, the upper tray15′ has its teeth18. The teeth18of the upper tray15′ have a position generally between the lower tray's teeth and the upper tray's lip. This arrangement of the teeth18of the two trays14′,15′ pinches the material M at the lips19and then deflects the material inwardly from the lips for a secure grip of it.FIG. 8bshows the alternate trays in a perspective view with the lips19forwardly and the teeth18spaced inwardly from the lips19, the teeth of the lower tray being further inwardly than those of the upper tray. The trays have a generally rectangular form and a thickness as shown. Alternatively, the trays in the preferred embodiment and in the alternate embodiment have a smooth, or chromed, finish outside of the teeth18.

ThenFIG. 9shows the invention1in an exploded view with the back of it, or knob10to the lower left and the chin8and jaws7,13to the upper right. The invention1has its knob10that connects to the shaft11. The shaft then enters a first chamber17athat communicates to the chamber17inwardly in the body proximate the shoulder. Beneath the first chamber, the chest4has the aperture4bhere shown as rectangular that admits the strap2around a bar4a. Inwardly from the bar, the body narrows upwardly in the neck5and then widens outwardly and is downwardly to the shoulder6. The shoulder has the chamber17within it and then extends the cover9and the lower jaw7from it opposite the handle. The cover and the lower jaw have a generally parallel orientation. The lower jaw7tapers its thickness upwardly. Between the cover and the lower jaw, the body has a bore12btransverse the longitudinal axis of the body or the length. The bore is recessed from the shoulder and admits the pin12into it. The recessed bore then receives two tabs13aof the upper jaw13. The two tabs have a rounded shape and widths less than the width of the upper jaw. The tabs have their own bores into which inserts the pin12. Though the pin is described singularly, the Applicants foresee a two pin embodiment. The upper jaw has a generally rectangular form that fits beneath the cover and flush to all sides of the cover and lower jaw. The upper jaw has a depth that exceeds three times the length of the tabs. The upper jaw has a thickness that also is less than the diameter of the tabs. The upper jaw then moves upon the urging of the rod16operatively connected to the shaft11through the first chamber17aand the chamber17. Outwardly from the tabs, the upper jaw receives the upper tray15and above the chin8, the lower jaw receives the lower tray14. Both the upper tray15and the lower tray14have teeth18and alternatively lips19as previously described.

During an evacuation or other event using the invention, a user may not have lighting, such from a power failure or damage to a hospital.FIG. 10shows a light housing50that receives the previously described invention1. The housing includes a slot51of the similar or slightly greater width than the diameter of the knob10. The slot receives the knob portion of the invention first and the trays14,15of the jaws7,13remain outwardly from the housing50. The housing has a generally symmetric form with an upper surface52and a spaced below parallel lower surface53. The upper surface and the lower surface connect through two mirror image gambrel like sides54. Extending from the slot51to the sides54, the housing has its two collinear fronts55. Each front has at least one light, typically LED, as at56. Inwardly from the slot51towards a back57as shown, the upper surface has an aperture58through the lower surface that admits the strap2. The back, sides, and fronts have a height less than the diameter of the knob.

FIG. 11shows a top view of the housing50with the upper surface52in the foreground. The housing has one axis of symmetry through the center of the slot51. The slot has a rectangular shape sized to accept the knob, chest, and a portion of the neck of the invention1. Inwardly from the fronts55, the slot has a bar59spaced across a recess. The bar accommodates the knob once inserted into the slot. Rearward from the bar, the upper surface has its aperture58with a width slightly less than that of the chest and a depth through the upper surface to the lower surface. Spaced outwardly from the slot, the housing has a gambrel like shape in this view on its sides. The sides54begin at the fronts55and extend parallel to the slot for a distance rearward and then transition inwardly at three positions where the three transitions complete a ninety change in orientation of the side. The sides then merge with the back57which is generally parallel to the fronts and perpendicular to the slot. Opposite the back, the housing has the two fronts55spaced about the slot and each front having at least one light.

ThenFIG. 12illustrates the housing from a front view, that is, as it accepts the invention1and illuminates a pillowtop grasped within the invention as earlier described inFIG. 1. The housing has a symmetric form in this view centered upon the slot51. Into the plane of this figure, the slot steps inwardly in width and has the bar59generally centered in the thickness of the housing. Forward from the bar, the slot has its full width ready to accept the invention. Outwardly left and right of the slot, the housing has the fronts55that have two lights56here shown. The lights have positions and orientations to illuminate an object or material grasped by the invention.

FIG. 13has the housing from a side view with a side54in the foreground. The side has the three transitions from the front at the right that then adjust the orientation of the housing to match that of the back57.

The back57appears in the foreground ofFIG. 14. The back is generally parallel to the plane of this figure while the sides54extend into the plane of this figure using the transitions as described for a gambrel like shape shown inFIG. 11. Each side also includes at least one light,56, preferably LED. The back also has a switch60the turns all of the lighting in the housing either on or off as selected by the user. Behind the switch60and inwardly from the back57, the housing has a compartment for an onboard power supply, typically a gang of batteries61connected by wiring into a circuit with the lights56and the switch60. The batteries have a suitable size for the thickness of the housing, such as AAA, AA, or 9V, or LR03, LR06, 6LR61 respectively.

AndFIG. 15shows a further alternate embodiment of the invention particularly the housing50. The knob10has its round shape and an inwardly beveled truncated conical base as at10a. This housing50then fits upon the conical base in a self centering manner. The housing has a generally symmetrical form that may rotate upon the conical base. The is housing has two wings62, coplanar, and symmetrically arranged upon a back57. Each wing has a front55, a gambrel like side54that transitions from the front to the back in two steps, and the back57that spans from one wing to the other. The back has an aperture centered in it that admits the conical base10aas shown. Each wing also has an upper surface52and an opposite lower surface, not shown but generally of similar shape as the upper surface. Each front has at least one light56, though two are shown here. On each wing the upper surface is spaced apart from the lower surface for a thickness allowing room for the lights, wiring, battery, and switch. One wing includes a compartment and the batteries in electrical communication to the lights of both wings and the switch in the other wing.

During an evacuation of a patient, such as before a tornado, other natural event, or a man made event, a user finds a patient upon a flexible sheet of material beneath the patient. Typically that flexible sheet, or pillowtop, extends lengthwise beneath the patient and has edges approximating four rectangular edges. A user then deploys at least three of the invention1upon the flexible sheet with two near the head of the patient and at least one near the feet of the patient. Each of the invention, or clamps, has a strap extending from it and suitable for grasping by a user. The user, or more likely a team of user, then engage each of the devices and turning the knobs, clamp the upper jaws upon the pillowtop. The user has to pause prior to engaging the device as the knob turns counterclockwise. With the at least three inventions engaged and clamped upon the pillowtop, the user, or team of users, lifts the straps and thus the patient for movement and transport from a location in danger to a safer location.

From the aforementioned description, an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp has been described. The device of the an Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp is uniquely capable of rapidly gripping a pillowtop upon from a hospital bed and then supporting a patient placed within the pillowtop. The Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp may be made to integrate with an existing high impact, commercial strength polymer zipper for durable mattress grade with a reinforced one way non slip clamp. Additionally, the strap would utilize a woven durable nylon and cotton blend or durable neoprene that provides for comfortable gripping and strong load carrying capacity.

The Evacu Zip and Carry Strap with Clamp and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, steel, aluminum, polymers, ferrous and non-ferrous metal foils, their alloys, and composites.

Moreover, in the specification and the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third” and the like—when they appear—are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, to upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.