AN ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING A PERSON

Abstract: Arrangement for supporting a person (2) when the person is being moved between two locations, this movement being accomplished by means of a lifting arrangement. The arrangement provides secure and effective support for a person whom it is desired to move. A coupling element (14), on which a supporting element (11) co-acting with the back (10) of the person is mounted, extends from a centrally positioned frame on which supporting elements (8, 4, 5) for supporting the person under their seat (9) and armpits (6, 7) are mounted.

Description: An Arrangement for Supporting a Person The present invention relates to an arrangement for supporting a person when the person is being moved be- • tween two locations, this movement being accomplished by means of a lifting arrangement. The main object of the present invention is primarily to provide an arrangement of .the above-mentioned kindwhich enables the person who is using the arrangement to be effectively carried and supported, for example so they can be moved from a wheelchair to a vehicle, or between a wheelchair and a bath. The said object is achieved by means of an arrange¬ ment according to the present invention which is essenti¬ ally characterised in that acoupling element, on which a supporting element co-acting with the back of the person is mounted, extends from a centrally positioned frame on which supporting elements for supporting the person under their seat and armpits are mounted. The invention is described in the following by way of a preferred embodiment example of a supporting arrangement, with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which Figure Λ shows the arrangement in use, supporting a person, Figure 2 shows the supporting arrangement with an associated lifting arrangement which can be coupled to it, in a position viewed obliquely from behind the said sup¬ porting arrangement, Figure shows the said lifting arrangement swung into a closed state, Figure shows the supporting arrangement viewed ob- liquely from behind, and Figure 5 shows the supporting arrangement viewed ob¬ liquely from the front. A supporting arrangement 1 according to the present invention, which is suitable for supporting a person 2 One 5 of the two armpit supporting elements 4 and 5 respectively is preferably rigidly connected to the coup¬ ling element 14 in the vicinity of its upper end 140. In order to protect the person 2 from injury or from suffer- ing discomfort when using the arrangement 1 the said sup¬ porting elements 4, 5, 8, 11 are made of soft material, and are preferably stuffed elements, for example bar- shaped cushions, etc. Adjustment of the other one of the supporting ele- ments 4 and 5 and optionally the supporting element 8 as well is possible in that the respective ends of the frame 3 have openings 17, 18, 19 designed to receive connecting elements 20, 1 , 21 which are connected to the supporting elements 4, 5, 8, and can be locked in the desired posi- tion by means of locking devices 22, 23, preferably also in the form of screw devices. An attachment device 24, preferably in the form of a coupling of the quick-coupling type, is connected to " the frame 3 in the vicinity of its upυer central part 3B be- tween the two laterally extending arms 3 2 » 3-5 which ex¬ tend in opposite directions from the substantially ver- tical frame part 3 . The said attach ent device 24which is formed, for example, of a coupling element with a hole through it, is designed to allow simple and quick coup- ling and uncoupling of the arrangement 1 with and from a lifting arrangement 25 which is designed for moving the said arrangement 1 and the person 2 supported on it be¬ tween the desired locations. A lifting arrangement 2 which is suitable for moving the said supporting arrangement 1 is shown on the drawings in .Figures 2 and 3 and partly in Figure 1, and consists of an outer and an inner pivot arm 26 and respectively, which are pivotably mounted on each other via an articu¬ lation 29 connected to a drive motor 28. The inner pivot arm 7 is mounted so that it can pivot around a substan ¬ tially horizontal axis 30 which is located at the upper OMPI end 31A of a column-like upright 31 which may be rigidly connected to a wall, a vehicle, etc., and which can ex¬ pediently be rotated around its central axis 32. An actuating arrangement 33 in the form of an extensible and 5 retractable arm, preferably telescopic, extends between the upright 31 and the said inner pivot arm 27 and is actuated expediently by a similar disc motor 34 as the motor 28 which acts between the arms 26, 27. A terminal position stop device is expediently mounted on the said 10 actuating arrangement 33 . for example in the form of a rod 35 which extends along the arm 33 and is guided by a guide element 36 connected to the arm 33- The outer end 26A of the outer arm 26 bears a connecting element 37 . for example in the form of a pin 37, which can co-act -15 with the said attachment device 24 disposed on the sup¬ porting arrangement 1. The two motors 28, 34 are expediently connected to a manually-operated remote control device (not shown on the drawings) for the lifting arrangement 25, enabling 2o the person 2 whom it is intended to move by means thereof via the supporting arrangement 1 to operate the lifting arrangement themselves and to control its movements. The functioning of the arrangement described above may be as follows: 25 After having expediently released the screw 23, the coupling element 14 is pulled out with its associated separate supporting element 5 co-acting with the armpit and the supporting element 11, making it possible for the person 2 who desires to use the supporting arrange- 30 ment 1 to introduce the supporting element 8 under his or her thigh and seat 9 ? and to introduce the supporting element 4 under one armpit 6, and to adjust it to the desired position, for example when the person 2 is sit¬ ting in a wheelchair. After this, the coupling element 35 I*-*- is pushed into the frame arm part 3 and is locked by means of the screw 23 in the desired position. At this time, the second supporting element 5 which is designed to co-act with the other armpit 7 of the person and the supporting element 11 for the back 10 are adjusted by means of the screws 23 and 16 respectively. After con- necting the arrangement 1 to the lifting arrangement 25 via the attachment devices 24 and 37 it is possible to lift the arrangement 1 and the person 2 supported thereon and to pivot them into the desired position by operating the drive motors 28, 34. The person sits comfortably and securely supported by the said arrangement 1 and it is also possible for the person 2 to remain sitting in the arrangement 1 for subsequent moving, after the arrange¬ ment 1 has been uncoupled from the lifting arrangement 25. The invention is not limited to the embodiment ex- ample shown on the drawings and described above, but may be modified within the framework of the following Patent Claims.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. An arrangement for supporting a person (2) when the person is being moved between two locations, this movement being accomplished by means of a lifting arrangement (25) » characterised in that a coupling element (14), on which a supporting element (11) co-acting with the back (10) of the person is mounted, extends from a centrally positioned frame (3) on which supporting elements (8, 4, 5) for sup¬ porting the person under their seat (9) and armpits (6, 7) are mounted. 2. - An arrangement according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that the arrangement (1) is constructed of tubes or similar elements which are provided with soft, preferably stuffed, elements in the vicinity of the said supporting elements (4, 5, 8, 11). 3- An arrangement according to either of Patent Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that a plurality of the said sup¬ porting elements (4, 5 . 8, 11) can be adjusted and locked by means of locking devices (16, 22, 23) co-acting between the frame part (3) and the supporting elements (20, 21) appertaining thereto and or between the coupling element (14) and the back-supporting element (11). 4. An arrangement according to any of Patent Claims 1 - 3 . characterised in that the said frame (3) is substan¬ tially in the shape of a T , and has at its lower end (3A) a section (12) extending forwards, away from the back - supporting element (11), fallowed by a section (13) extend¬ ing laterally which co-actswith the seat-supporting ele¬ ment (8). 5. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 4, characterised in that at the respective ends (3A, 3 2, 3-5) of the said frame (3) there are openings (17, 18, 19) in¬ tended for a plurality of supporting elements and adapted to receive elements (20, 14, 21) connected to the support¬ ing elements (4, 5, 8). 6. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 5 » characterised in that, viewed from one side of the ar¬ rangement, a separate supporting element (4) co-acting with an armpit and the said seat-supporting element (8) can be connected to one of the upper arms (3 ) of the frame and to the said laterally extending section (13) located lower down, respectively, while the back - sup¬ porting element (11) is connected via an intermediate connecting piece (14) to the other (5) of the said two supporting elements co-acting with the armpits and the other upper frame arm (3 ). 7. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 6, characterised in that at least one of the said two sup¬ porting elements (4, 5) co-acting with the armpits can be adjusted in the lateral direction, viewed looking away from the person who is using the arrangement (1), andthat the back-supporting element (11) which is formed of abar- shaped cushion extending across the back (10) of the per¬ son and preferably bent at an angle, being mounted on a 2 forwardly-extending strut (14 ), can be adjusted to posi¬ tion it nearer to and further away from the said frame (3). 8. An arrangement according to any of Patent Claims 4 - 7, characterised in that locking devices (16, 22, 23) in the form of screws are designed to co-act between two co-acting frames (3) which are movable relative to each other, and the rest of the coupling elements (20, 14, 14 2, 21). 9. An arrangement according to any of the preceding Claims, characterised in that in the region of the upper central part (3B) of the frame there is an attachment de¬ vice (24) which can be connected to a lifting arrangement (25), preferably constructed in the form of a pivot arm. 10. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 3, characterised in that the said attachment device (24)is of the quick-coupling type, preferably of the hole-and-pdn type (24, 37), which makes connection possible by moving the lifting arm (26) towards or away from the supporting arrangement (1).

Inventors: SVENSSON INGEMAR, SVENSSON, INGEMAR
Applicants: SVENSSON INGEMAR, SVENSSON, INGEMAR
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A61G7
IPC codes: A61G7