EVACUATION RESTRAINT FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS

Abstract: An evacuation restraint of the type which is in use disposed under a mattress (M) of a bed and being operable in use to deform the mattress (M) about a patient (P) to protect the patient during evacuation by means of said restraint, said restraint comprising a generally rectangular base sheet (1), handling loops (3, 4) of webbing secured by stitching to said loose sheet (1), and a single length of webbing (2) secured to said base sheet (1) to define two spaced pairs of opposed loops (7, 8;9, 10) extending from the sides of the base sheet (1). Connecting straps (11, 12) are attached to the loop s (7, 9) and adjustably support hooked connectors (13). The connectors (13) are adapted to engage covered portions (16) of the opposite loops (8, 10) over a mattress (M) and patient (P) and on adjustment of the length of each strap (11, 12), the mattress (M) is deformed about the patient (P) with the loops (7, 8; 9, 10) providing diagonally extending support for the patient (P) within the mattress (M). The patient (P) protectively enclosed within the mattress (M) may then be transported by means of the handling loops (3, 4) for safe evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Description: EVACUATIONRESTRAINTFORBEDRIDDENPATIENTS This invention relates to improvements in evac¬ uation restraints of the type suitable for the evacua¬ tion of bedridden patients from hospitals and the like. Australian Patent Specification AU-A25673/77 des- cribes an evacuation restraint adapted to be disposed beneath the mattress of a bed and comprising two spaced straps extending longitudinally of the bed and three spaced transverse straps adapted to have their ends coup¬ led together to encircle the mattress and patient at the shoulder, hip and lower leg regions of the patient where¬ by the mattress is deformed about the patient to there¬ by protect the patient during the evacuation procedure. It has been found that evacuation restraints of the general type described above are somewhat difficult and expensive to manufacture and are somewhat cumbersome to use, especially in an emergency. It is the principal object of the present inven¬ tion to provide an improved evacuation restraint which is cheaper to manufacture and which has a better overall performance in use. The invention provides an evacuation restraint of the type which is in use disposed under a mattress of a bed and being operable in use to deform the mattress about a patient to protect the patient during the evac- uation procedure, said restraint being characterised by at least two looped members disposed in use on either side of the mattress, means for connecting said loops together over the mattress and patient to deform and support the mattress about the patient, and means at either end of the restraint for handling the mattress and patient when evacuation is required. The evacuation restraint preferably includes two loops extending in spaced relation from each side of the restraint in opposed pairs. The pair of loops at the head end of the restraint are preferably smaller than the other pair of loops to provide greater support for the upper portion of the patient's body. The loops and handling means are preferably sec¬ ured to a rectangular base sheet of strong material and the connecting means preferably comprise hooked connec¬ tors secured to adjustable length straps in turn secured to one loop, each hook connector being adapted to engage the opposed loop whereupon adjustment of the length of the strap draws the loops together and deforms the matt¬ ress around the patient. The handling means may prefer¬ ably comprise further loops at each end of the restraint. In a particularly preferred form of the inven- tion, said two loops are defined by a single length of webbing of suitable strength with portions o-f the webb¬ ing intersecting at several positions under the base sheet and at which positions the webbing is secured to the base sheet by sewing or other suitable means. It will be appreciated that when the opposed pairs of loops are connected together, the mattress is effectively supported along intersecting diagonal lines thereby providing greater support for the mattress in its deformed condition than the spaced transverse straps of the prior art restraint described in greater detail above. The restraint is preferably enclosed in a pack¬ age of the type described in Australian Patent Specifi¬ cation AU- 34433/78 since in this way the restraint creates the least possible interference to the usual OMPI bedmaking and cleaning procedures normally carried out in a hospital. However, certain improvements in the package described in the above application have been developed and are described in further detail below. One particularly preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of an evacuation restraint embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the loop connectors of the restraint; Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view show¬ ing the restraint in use, and Figure 4 is a perspective view from beneath of the restraint ready for packaging or for positioning under a mattress. The evacuation restraint shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings comprises a rectangular base sheet 1 of woven polyester fabric impregnated with a plastics material, for example material sold under the trade mark TREVEEIA, having the required properties of strength and fire resistance for use as part of an ev¬ acuation restraint for use in hospitals. The base sheet 1 is suitably about 132 cm in length by about 27 cm in width. Two lengths of polyester or nylon webbing 3 and 4 about 2.5 cm in width are secured under the base sheet 1 along portions 5 and 6 thereof by stitching or in any other suitable manner so as to define two hand¬ ling looρs at either end of the base sheet 1. A' fur- ther length 2 of similar webbing is secured under the base sheet 1 so that the webbing 2 defines a first pair of opposed mattress engaging loops 7 and 8 adjacent the head end of the restraint, and a second pair of opposed mattress engaging loops 9 and 10 adjacent the foot end of the restraint, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The handling loops 3 and 4 are of sufficient length to extend a suitable distance beyond either end of a mattress to enable handling of the mattress and patient from either end . The loops 3 and 4 are most suitably 180 cm and 250 cm long, respectively, the extra length in loop 4 enabling the handling of patients down stairways and the like. The loop 3 is secured to the endmost portions of the loops 7 and 8 and the loop 4 is similarly secured to the loops 9 and 10. These connections ensure that the loops 3 and 4 extend from the sides of the deformed mattress M when the restraint is in use and this stabilises the handling of the pat¬ ient by means of the handling loops 3 and 4 during the evacuation procedure. The mattress engaging loops 7 and 8 are approx- imately 85 cm in length and have their points of connec¬ tion to the base sheet 1 spaced apart by approximately 43 cm, while the mattress engaging loops 9 and 10 are approximately 110 cm in length and have their points of intersection with the base sheet 1 spaced approximately 63 cm apart. Each loop 7 and 8 has a length of ribbed poly¬ ester webbing 11 and 12 attached centrally thereto by sewing or the like and each length of webbing 11 and 12 has a connector clip 13 of the type shown in Figure 2 of the drawings adjustably attached thereto. If desired the lengths of webbing 9 and 10 may be releasably sec¬ ured to the loops 7 and 9 by means of a pin (not shown) engaging a loop formed in the end of the webbing lengths 11 and 12 and engaging a bifurcated fitting which is in turn attached to the respective loops 7 and 9. The pin is provided with a tag by means of which the pin may be removed by the patient or by a member of the hospital staff in the event that rapid removal of the restraint is required. The loops 8 and 10 have ribbed webbing coverings 16 at the positions at which the connectors 13 engage the respective loops 8 and 10 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The coverings 16 increase the grip bet- ween the connectors 13 and the respective loops 8 and 10 so that the connectors 13 are more positively held in position until the restraint is tightened. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, each conn¬ ector 13 will be seen to comprise a shaped loop of wire bent into a flattened hook configuration comprising opp¬ osed portions 17 and 18, a closed end portion 19 under which the lengths of webbing 11 and 12 are engaged and a webbing locking bar 20 slidably mounted in front of the portion 19. The lengths of webbing 11 and 12 engage the connector 13 and are adjustably locked in position by the bar 20 in the usual manner. As shown in Figure 2, the connectors 13 are hooked onto the covered portions of the loops 8 and 10 and the lengths of webbing 11 and 12 are pulled through the connector in the usual manner until the loops 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 are pulled together in the manner shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. To enable the handling loops 3 and 4 to be dis¬ tinguished from'the mattress engaging loops 7 to 10, and to enable the lengths of connector webbing 11, 12 to be distinguished from the loops 3, 4 and 7 to 10, these com¬ ponents are preferably made from webbing of different colours. Preferably the coverings 16 are of the same colour as the webbing 11 and 12. It will be appreciated from the above descrip- tion that the evacuation restraint embodying the inven¬ tion is particularly simple to manufacture and requires less webbing than the evacuation restraint according to the prior art referred to above. The material costs of the described embodiment are significantly lower than the material costs of the prior art restraint notwith- standing the inclusion of the base sheet 1. In addition, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the patient P is more firmly and securely held within the mattress by virtue of the fact that the respective portions of the loops 7 to 10 and the lengths of webbing 11 and 12 extend generally diagonally across the upper and lower portions of the patient's body. As mentioned above, the evacuation restraint described above is preferably packaged within a plastics envelope of the general type described in Australian Patent Specification Aϋ-A 34433/78 with the loops 3 to 10 and the webbing 11 and 12 and connectors 13 folded and positioned for convenient access in an emergency. One preferred manner of folding and positioning the various parts of the restraint is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. As is shown in Figure 4, . the handling loops 3 and 4 are folded adjacent the respective ends of the base sheet 1 while the mattress engaging loops 7 and 9 are folded along the adjacent sides of the base sheet 1 near the ends thereof with the coverings 16 uppermost. Similarly, the loops 8 and 10 and the webbing lengths 11 and 12 are folded near the opposite sides of the base sheet 1 with the connectors 13 uppermost. Thus, the restraint may be packaged within a plastics envel¬ ope of the type described in the above Australian Spec¬ ification Au-A 34,433/78 with at least two removable portions approximately rectangular in shape located adjacent each end of the base sheet 1 to facilitate acc- ess to the various loops and connectors. Alternatively, the package described and claimed in the above specification may be modified to include two diagonal weakening lines in the cover of the pack¬ age extending over the base sheet in the regions of the folded loops 7 and 9 and 8 and 10, with manually engag- OM w V/IP able means being defined by folded portions of the cover of the package by means of which the cover may be gripp¬ ed and torn along the weakening lines. Weakening lines are also provided in the sides of the package to enable the various lengths of webbing to be withdrawn from the package to adopt the positions shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Claims: WHAT WE CLAIM IS : 1. An evacuation restraint of the type which is in use disposed under a mattress (M) of a bed and being operable in use to deform the mattress (M) about a pat¬ ient (P) to protect the patient (P) during evacua¬ tion by means of said restraint, said restraint being characterised by at least two looped members (7,8) dis¬ posed in use on either side of the mattress (M) , means (11,13) for connecting said loops (7,8) together over the mattress (M) and patient (P) to deform and support the mattress (M) about the patient (P) , and means (3,4) at either end of the restraint for handling the mattress (M) and patient (P) during the evacuation procedure. 2. The restraint of claim 1, characterised in that the restraint includes two looped members (7,9;8, 10) extending in spaced relation from each side of the restraint in opposed pairs, each opposed pair of looped members including a said means (11,13; 12,13) for conn¬ ecting said loops together over the mattress and patient. 3. The restraint of claim 2 , characterised in that said restraint has a head end and a foot end, said opposed pair of loops (7,8) adjacent said head end of said restraint being smaller than the pair of loops (9, 10) adjacent the foot end of said restraint to provide greater support for the upper portion of the body of a patient (P) supported within a mattress (M) held by means of said restraint. 4. The restraint of claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said looped members (7,8,9,10) and said handling means (3,4) are secured to a generally rectangular base sheet (1) of strong material providing an enlarged area of support under said mattress (M) when said restraint is in use. 5. The restraint of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said connecting means (11, 13; 12,13) comprises a length of strap (11;12) attached to one of said looped members, and a connector (13) adjustably attached to said strap and arranged to connect said strap to the other said looped member (8; 10) , such that upon adjustment of the length of said strap (11;12) the mattress (M) is deformed about the patient (P) . 6. The restraint of claim 5, characterised in that said connector (13) comprises a hooked member (17, 18) within which the other looped member is engaged. 7. The restraint of claim 6, characterised in that said looped members comprise loops of webbing (2) , said hooked member defining a narrow elongate slot with¬ in which a portion of said webbing (2) may be received. 8. The restraint of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said handling means com¬ prise further looped members (3,4) extending from either end of said restraint and connected to said looped mem¬ bers. 9. The restraint of claim 8, wherein said further looped members (3,4) are formed from separate lengths of webbing of a different colour to said looped members to enable said looped members and said further looped members to be readily distinguished. 10. The restraint of claim 9 when appended to claim 5, characterised in that said straps are formed from webbing of a different colour to said looped mem¬ bers and said further looped members.

Inventors: HEMPHILL D
Applicants: HEMCO IND PTY, HEMPHILL D, HEMCO IND PROPRIETARY LTD
Application year: 1980
Main classification: A61G1
IPC codes: A61G1, A61G7