Field litter support

A field litter support (1) includes two side structures (2, 3), each supporting at least one wheel (4) in order to define a frame (40), connecting devices (38a, 38b, 38c, 38d) for attaching a litter (100) to the frame (40), elements (5) adapted to reciprocally move the side structures (2, 3) and a mechanism (6) for blocking the elements (5), and therefore the structures (2, 3), in a predetermined position, attachable to the structures (2, 3). The structures (2, 3) are reciprocally moved close or away along the axis (60) of the wheels (4) without removing the frame (40). This characteristic, however, does not jeopardize the size, because, once the field litter support (1) has been packaged, it has a size equivalent to the one of the closed field litter supports of the prior art.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to the field of the field litter supports.

2. Description of the Related Art

As it is known, the field litter supports, adapted to support different types of field, emergency litters, spinal boards, and scoop stretchers, substantially comprise a frame equipped with big wheels, characterized by the fact it can be packaged in order to be easily transported.

Unfortunately, the packaging step of the litter supports of the prior art is time consuming because it is necessary each time to remove the wheels and put them in another place, in some litter support types, in a suitable compartment which is formed in the closed structure, in other types.

This steps of connecting or disconnecting the wheels from the frame, besides the fact they are provided with fast attaching and detaching systems, slow the steps of preparing the litter support, and are rather troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above mentioned problems by providing a further litter support adapted to be folded in a simple way and without removing its wheels.

Therefore, the main advantage consists of having a litter support which is certainly more handy than the litter support of the prior art, by keeping at the same time the size of the folded litter supports of the prior art.

Said objects and advantages are all met by the field litter support, object of the present invention, which is characterized by what is recited in the attached claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Particularly referring to the figures,1generally indicates a field litter support of the type comprising a frame40equipped with at least two wheels4and connecting devices38a,38b,38cand38dfor attaching a litter100(an emergency, field litters, spinal board or scoop stretcher) to said frame40.

For the sake of the description simplicity, it is considered a frame40formed by two side structures2and3, each supporting a wheel4.

Said field litter support1, according to the present invention, also comprises:means5integral with said side structures2,3which enable to reciprocally move close or away structures2,3along an axis60passing through the center of said wheels4;a mechanism6for blocking means5, and therefore structures2,3, in a predetermined position, connectable to the same structures2,3.

For the sake of simplicity, since said side structures2and3are identical, it will be described just one of the two.

The side structure2of the frame4consists of a tubular element7substantially forming a closed circuit. In fact, it is possible to distinguish two posts7aconnected at the top by a portion7bhaving the shape of a handle and at the bottom by a portion7chaving the shape of an arc.

Wheel4is rotatably connected to the center of said arc-shaped portion7cand is integral with it, in a way so that during the step of closing the device, it is not necessary to remove the wheel from its seat as it is instead done with the devices of the prior art.

The means5adapted to move close or away said side structures2,3are formed by four rods8,9,10, and11arranged as a pantograph, in other words, there are coupled two by two, centrally pivoted in hinge points12and13and parallelly located one to the other.

Each of said rods8,9,10, and11has at their respective ends eyelets8a,8b,9a,9b,10a,10b,11aand11bengaging upwardly and downwardly four bars14,15,16, and17, hinged to the side structures2and3, forming in this way rotating pairs. In fact, during the step of opening and/or closing the field litter support1, by the force applied by an user to said side structures2and3of frame40, the rods8,9,10, and11rotate around said four bars14,15,16, and17.

As it is clearly shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the mechanism6for blocking means5is integral with bars14,15inserted by their ends in openings22,23,24, and25present in the side structures2,3wherein they can freely rotate.

Moreover, each bar14and15supports, approximately midway along its length, a further rod18and19respectively connected to bars14and15, for example by means of hooking means or by welding.

By considering, for example, rod18: the first half18afrom the side of the bar14has a cylindrical shape, while the second half18bhas the same of a half of cylinder. The same is true for the rod19having a first cylindrical half19aon the side of the bar15and a second half19bhaving the shape of a half of cylinder.

Said rods18and19are hinged one to the other in a hinge point20present in the corresponding second halves18band19b.

It is pointed out that said rods18and19, after having being rotated around the hinge point20and having being taken on the same horizontal axis, they jointly form only one stiff rod (FIG. 4).

The mechanism6for blocking the two side structures2,3is characterized by a sleeve21splined to the rod19and abutting against elastic means26(for example a spring) located between the rod15and the sleeve21.

During the operation, when the rod19moves to the same horizontal axis of rod18, the sleeve21, urged by the elastic means26, moves along the rod19and covers the hinge point20by blocking in this way the rotation of said rods18and19. In other words, the sleeve21blocks the rods18and19, horizontally located, and consequently blocks the same field litter support1.

The field litter support1is provided with two front foldable bucks27and28and two back foldable bucks29and30, which are identical, fixable to the side structures2and3by means of straps which are hinged to said bucks27,28,29, and30, the bucks can vertically rotate around the straps in order to occupy two positions corresponding to the opening and closure of the field litter support1(FIGS. 1 and 6).

Said bucks27,28,29, and30are necessary if the field litter support1is parked for loading/unloading a litter100, or for causing the patient to take the Trendeleburg posture on said litter100, that is the legs are higher than the rest of the body (FIG. 5) or the anti-Trendeleburg posture, that is the legs are lower than the rest of the body.

Further, said front and rear bucks27,28,29, and are connected two by two by a pair of tubular elements33hinged in the center by a hinge point34. By acting on said pair of tubular elements33the litter support1is folded (as shown inFIG. 2) or unfolded.

A side base41integral with the pair of tubular elements33, and outwardly projecting from at least one of said two bucks27and28, enables the operator to quicker and easier close the litter support1by simply pushing it by a foot. Therefore, by applying a force to said base41, since the base is integrally connected to one of said two tubular elements of the pair of tubular elements33, the tubular element, integral with the base, rotates around the hinge point34and it rotates also the second tubular element.

FIG. 6is a detailed view of the rear bucks29and30of the field litter support1. In the shown example, in an exemplifying and non limiting way, said bucks29and30have two mechanisms36,37which act as extension, shown located between a first operative working position, shown by the left buck29, wherein the mechanism36is under the buck29, and a rest non-operative position, shown by the right buck30, wherein the mechanism37is parallel to the buck30. Said mechanisms36and37are positioned in the two cited positions, respectively the operative and non-operative ones, by an elastic element (not shown because is known) such as a spring.

In other words, in order to take the Trendeleburg or anti-Trendeleburg postures, it is necessary that the field litter support1is forwardly or backwardly unbalanced. In order to obtain this goal, in an example of the embodiment the rear bucks29and30can be extended so that the front portion of the field litter support1is higher, in other words where the laid down patient has the legs.

Said extension mechanisms36,37can be obviously located on the front bucks27and28rather than on the rear bucks29and30. In the same way, it is possible to provide one extension mechanism for each bucks27,28,29, and30, this solution falling anyway in the scope of the attached claims.

Four devices38a,38b,38c, and38dfor hooking the litter are fixable to the handle-shaped portion7bof each side structures2and3. It can be noted that these devices are located in the horizontal area of the portions7bof the side structures2and3in order to stably fixing a litter100.

Since said hooking devices38a,38b,38c, and38dare identical, it will be described just one for simplicity.

Device38agenerally comprises two substantially tubular elements42aand43aparallelly and specularly located one on the other, connected one to the other in order to form a vice (FIG. 2).

The upper element42ahas a first hole44aon the shortest side, located inside the litter support1, and a second through hole45aon the longest sides.

Said first hole44ais used in the open arrangement when it is desired to support some spinal boards. In fact, the hole44aacts as a seat for one of the two ends of a telescopic rod46located between the two side structures2and3orthogonally to the latter.

In other words, as it is clearly shown inFIGS. 1,7and10, in order to arrange the spinal board, or any element having a width smaller than the conventional litters, it is necessary to form a support on the field litter support1on which locate the spinal board. Said support is formed by two telescopic rods46and47which respectively enter holes44a,44d, and44b,44cof elements42a,42b,42c, and42dof the hooking devices38a,38b,38c, and38d.

Instead, through holes45a,45b,45c, and45dare provided for receiving said telescopic rods46and47both when they are not necessary (therefore as a function of the type of litter to be positioned), and when the litter support1is folded. In the example shown inFIGS. 1 and 10, the rod47is parallel to the handle-shaped portion7bof the side structure3, inserted in the through holes45aand45bof the tubular elements42aand42b, while rod46is inserted in holes44aand44bof elements42aand42d.

As it is shown in figures, each element42a,42b,42c,42dhas a seat48afixedly receiving a telescopic bar adapted to be grasped by the user, as a handle.

In the attached figures, there are two telescopic bars50and51respectively hooked to the elements42a42b, and elements42d42c.

The hooking device38afurther provides an arm52ahaving a C-shape downwardly hinged to the outer end of the element43aaround which said arm52acan rotate in order to cover two main operative positions for respectively hooking and releasing the litter100. Particularly, an element, for example a spring (not shown in figures), contained in the element43a, enables the C-shaped arm52ato enter and exit the two mentioned positions.

Said hooking devices38a,38b,38c, and38dcan be easily and intuitively used by any user.

FIGS. 7,8, and9show sequential operative steps for locating an emergency litter100on the field litter support1and, therefore, the operative positions of arms52a,52b,52c,53dof the hooking devices38a,38b,38c, and38d.

Instead,FIGS. 10,11, and12show sequential operative steps for locating a spinal board100, or any element having a width less than the conventional litters, on the field litter support1, according to the present invention.

Lastly, according to the present invention, it is possible to hook to the handle-shaped portions7bof each side structures2and3, a bar53and54for hooking fluid distributors and accessories (FIG. 13), such as for example a bottle-holder55, flow meter56, phlebo-holder (not shown).

It is pointed out that, thanks to said bars53and54, said litter supports1form an autonomous operative medical unit, because, unlike the prior art, advantageously, it is not necessary a further accessories-holder trolley and a further user for moving said trolley. Since the field litter support1, object of the present invention, has the possibility to also transport the accessories necessary for medical operations, it also enables a reduction of the authorized personnel.