LIFTING AND TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR A PATIENT

Abstract: A lifting and transfer system for a patient includes a bed with a body portion (11), a patient-supporting portion (15) and a raising device (16) for raising, lowering and inclining the patient-supporting portion. A support frame (10) includes an essentially vertically extending lifting pillar (10b) and an essentially horizontally extending lifting arm (10a), wherein an end of the lifting arm is attached to the lifting pillar. A person lifter (13, 14) for lifting and lowering the patient is mounted on the free end of the lifting arm. The support frame (10) is secured to the body portion (11) of the bed at least during a patient transferring operation. The lifting pillar may be connected to the bed in such a way that it is movable in a substantially horizontal direction along the end of the bed body. The lifting arm is attached to the lifting pillar in such a way that it is pivotable in a substantially horizontal level about the vertical axis of the lifting pillar.

Description: LIFTING AND TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR A PATIENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a lifting and transfer syst for a patient. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Working conditions are often problematic when nursing mobil tyimpaired or paralyzed patients. Lifting the patient ergono ically difficult for the nurses. Today, there are ma kinds of auxiliary equipment available in hospitals f transferring and lifting the patients. Beds which a adjustable in height are generally considered to be the mo important of these auxiliary equipment. Also, transfer chair different lifting devices, for example mobile lifting devic on legs, bathroom lifters, hoists in the ceiling, etc. a commonly used. Further, shower chairs, sliding platforms a bath platforms are used for transferring and bathing patient However, these accessories are single devices designed for specific use. It may be impractical to use such accessor as they require substantial space and they are not alw available at the right time in the right place. Then, worki in a hurry, the nurses tend to use their own physical stren rather than look for auxiliary equipment. Further, structur ly light separate patient lifters are sometimes conside non-reliable for the safety of the patients, in particular the nurses are inexperienced in using the accessories. U. Patents Nos. 5,005,233 and 5,187,821 disclose hospital b provided with a transfer couch and equipment for transferr a patient. An advantage provided by these systems is that t are integrated parts of the bed and are thus always availab There is no need to bring many separate auxiliary devices the bed when a patient is to be lifted and transferr However, these devices can only be used for lifting transferring a patient in a lying position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a simpler safer and more versatile system than before for lifting transferring and nursing a patient irrespective of the positio of the patient. A patient lifting and transferring system according to th invention includes a hospital bed or a corresponding nursin bed having a raisable, lowerable and inclinable patient-suppor ting portion, a raising device for the patient-supportin portion and a support frame for a person lifter which comprise a substantially elongate frame portion, a lifting pillar, an a second frame portion connected to the pillar, i.e. a liftin arm, wherein one end of the lifting arm is substantiall horizontal and provided with the person lifter. A characteris tic feature of the invention is that the support frame i stationarily secured to the bed body at least during a perso lifting operation or a corresponding operation. In an embodiment of the invention, the pillar of the suppor frame is secured to the bed body in such a way that it i movable in a substantially horizontal level in the directio of the end of the bed body; and that the lifting arm i disposed in the lifting pillar in such a " manner that it i pivotable in a substantially horizontal level in relation t the vertical axis of the lifting pillar. In another embodiment of the invention, the lifting pillar o the support frame is provided with a foot portion 4 detachabl securing the support frame to the bed body. The lifting ar is mounted on the lifting pillar in such a way that it i pivotable in a substantially horizontal level in relation t the vertical axis of the lifting pillar. The foot portion ca be secured to a side of the bed or to an end of the bed. Th advantage provided by this embodiment is the fact that th system of the present invention can be used in connection wit suitable existing beds. The various features of novelty which characterize t invention are pointed out with particularity in the clai annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a bett understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, a specific objects attained by its use, reference should be h to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there a illustrated and described preferred embodiments of t inventio . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of the system according the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic view, on a larger scale showing a deta of the support frame of the system of the present invention Figs. 3a to 3c are schematic top views, on a smaller scal showing different positions of operation of the support fra of Fig. 1; Fig. 4a is a schematic side view of the system illustrating t transfer of a patient in a sitting position; Fig. 4b is a front view of the system of Fig. 4a; Fig. 5a is a schematic front view of the system showing different position of operation; Fig. 5b is a side view of the system of Fig. 5a Fig. 6a is a schematic side view of the system showing t transfer of a " patient in a lying position; Fig. 6b is a front view of the system of Fig. 6a; Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of a profile bar servi as part of a lifting frame; Figs. 8a to 8c are perspective views showing means for securi a lifting sheet to the lifting frame; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of t system according to the present invention; Figs. 10 and 10b are schematic top views showing differe positions of operation of the support frame of Fig. 9; Fig. 11a is a perspective view showing a means for securing t support frame to the bed body; Fig. lib is a sectional view taken along sectional line A-A o Fig. 11a; Fig. lie is a sectional view, similar to Fig. lib, showing th support frame and an auxiliary frame of the bed body bein secured to each other; and Fig. lid illustrates a detail of the securing means of Fig lib. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention. A hospita bed according to the invention comprises a support frame 1 formed by an elongate frame portion, i.e. a lifting pillar 10b a second frame portion extending over the bed, i.e. a liftin arm 10a, and carrying means for transferring and lifting patient supported by the support frame. According to thi embodiment of the invention, one end of the lifting pillar 10 is connected to one of the ends of bed body 11 in such a wa that the pillar can be moved in a horizontal level, i.e., i a direction transverse to the bed. The movement can be cause either manually or by means of power devices. A person lifte is mounted on the free end of the lifting arm 10a. The perso lifter includes a four-point lifting mechanism 13 provided wit four lifting belts 14 and a power means r preferably an electri motor, to move the rolled-up belts 14. The lifting pillar ca be moved along the end of the bed body in a slide rail 10 illustrated in Fig. 2. The bed illustrated in Fig. 1 include a patient-supporting portion 15, the height of which can b adjusted by a lifting device 16 illustrated encapsuled in Fig 1 Λ such as a scissors mechanism. The patient-supportin portion can also be inclined so as to have the head end of th bed up or down (the so-called Trandelenburg motion), an further the head end and the foot end can be separately set i different positions by know means with spindle motors. Fig. 3 illustrates schematically the location of the liftin pillar at the bed end during different operations. When th bed is transferred, or the patient is lifted but not transfer red from the bed, for example, during nursing operatio performed on the bed, the lifting pillar 10b is locat somewhere in the middle of the bed end, as illustrated in Fi 3a, and the lifting arm 10a is above the bed. When t patient, supported by the support frame, is lifted from the b or lowered onto the bed, the lifting pillar is transferr along the end of the bed body to either of the limit positio (Fig. 3b) at the corners of the bed end depending on the b side which the patient is to be transferred to. When t lifting pillar moves to this limit position a stabilizing l 17 (Fig. 5) is extended automatically, i.e. by force, to ensu that the bed does not turn over while the patient is bei transferred. The stabilizing leg can be also be stationar When the patient on the patient supporting portion of the b is to be transferred from the bed, the lifting arm is pivot to a position above the bed. The patient is suspended on t lifting belts and the lifting arm is pivoted to a positi beside the bed (Figs. 3b and 3c). During the transfer t person lifter moves parallel with the bed so that less spa is required beside the bed than in a situation where the lift turns to the side. The four lifting belts 14 of the pers lifter 13 work synchronously, i.e. they all lift at the sa time. The patient can be lifted and transferred both in sitting and in a lying position by means of this kind support frame system which is stationarily connected to the b at least during the lifting operation. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the transfer of a patient in a sitti position. It is advantageous for the transfer, if inclination of the head end and the foot end of the patie supporting portion of the bed can be adjusted separatel Further, the foot end preferably is composed of at least portions movable in relation to each other, so that adjustment of the inclination of the bed portion, for examp by the knees of the patient is also possible. Thus, patient-supporting portion 15 of the bed has several porti (Fig. 4) movable in relation to each other, for example, portion 15a supporting the back, a portion 15b supporting th thighs, and a portion 15c supporting the legs. The inclinatio of the portions can be adjusted by spindle motors. The patient is lifted to a sitting position by inclining th head end and the foot end portions of the patient-supportin portion (Fig. 5). The lifting pillar has been moved to on limit position of the bed end and the lifting arm is pivote above the bed. The height of the patient supporting portio 15 is adjusted appropriately and the patient-supportingportio is inclined to have the foot end downwards. By the adjustmen of the patient-supporting portion of the bed and by the direc four-point lifting, the sitting position of the patient can b optimized so that it is not necessary to correct the position rather, the position corresponds to the sitting position in wheel chair. The patient is dressed in a lifting sheet or lifting vest which is secured, for example, by quick-lockin means to the lifting belts. The patient is lifted by th lifter 13 from the patient-supporting portion of the bed. Th lifting arm is pivoted to a position beside the bed (Fig. 5 such that the patient is beside the bed and ready to be lowere down by means of the lifter 13 to a wheel chair or a correspon ding means. A lifting and transfer system integrated in th bed at least for the time of the lifting operation guarantee that it is always available. Due to the stationary structure the lifting and transfer motions are always repeated in similar manner whereas with separate auxiliary devices move by the personnel they are not. Due to the repeated, robot-lik movements, the operations of the lifter and the bed can b automated by known methods so that the patient can move himsel or herself from the bed to a wheel chair or a correspondin means or back to the bed. This contributes to independen actions of the patient which is particularly important if th patient is nursed at home. The operation of the spindle motor inclining the patient-supporting portion of the bed and it portions can be controlled by logic control. Thus, it i possible to lift the patient to a predetermined appropriat sitting position by one push of a button. First the corre height of the patient-supporting portion is attained, then t appropriate knee angle, the inclination of the back portio and then the inclination of the patient-supporting portio The adjustment takes place one motion at a time. The patient supporting portion can be restored to the basic horizont position in the corresponding way. Also, the operations of t lifter and the support frame can be connected to the contr mentioned above. Until now it has not been possible combine the adjustment of the patient-supporting portion of t bed to support the lifting operation. Of course, it is n compulsory to automate the adjustment. Then the user of t bed must adjust the operations according to his judgement a experience. When the patient is totally confined to bed, must be lifted and nursed in a lying position which can carried out by means of a lifting frame 18 (Fig. 6) secured the lifting belts. When the patient is on the lifting fra secured to the belts, the patient-supporting portion is lower down and the lifting arm is pivoted to the side of the b until the frame is moved in alignment with the bed to position beside the bed (Fig. 3c) and can be lowered down a transport platform. In this way, the patient can transferred and the nursing personnel need not lift t patient. Fig. 9 illustrates another embodiment of the present inventi by which the same advantages are achieved as with the embo ment of Fig. 1. According to this embodiment, the supp frame is secured to the side of the bed. Fig. 9 illustra one way of securing the support frame to the bed. Both s bars 11a of the bed body 11 are provided with securing memb lOe having holes lOf into which pins lOg of the foot port lOh of the support frame are fitted. The securing point in side bar of the bed may be adjusted as desired. The f portion may be provided with an additional stabilizing leg extra support points. The foot portion is preferably provi with wheels. The support frame can be secured to the side the bed when the patient is transferred in a sitting position for example from the bed to a wheel chair. Fig. 10a illustra tes schematically the support frame of the person lifter by th side of the bed secured to the bed body 11. The person lifte 13 is at first above the bed such that the patient is suspende and supported by the lifting belts in a way corresponding t the one illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The lifting arm 10a i turned, as the arrow indicates, to the side of the bed and th patient can be lowered down by means of the lifter 13 to wheel chair or a corresponding device. Separate movabl lifters, which stand on legs and can be brought beside the bed are today generally used. However, it is not possible t achieve with these lifters the safe and fixed lifting path a with the system according to the present invention. With th prior art devices the transfer is performed by turning th whole lifter on wheels whereas according to the presen invention the lifting arm pivots about one point which i possible because there are support points provided also in th range of the bed. In addition to the embodiment illustrate in Fig. 9, the detachable support frame can be attached to th bed body also by many other suitable known connecting means For example, rails may be provided under the bed body int which the counter pieces of the lifter body are inserted an locked. A particularly formed plate may be provided under th bed body into which a corresponding plate or piece in a foo portion of the support frame is fitted and fixed. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 10b the detachabl support frame is connected at either end of the bed. If th existing bed body is not suitable, it is often necessary t connect the support frame 10 to the bed body 11 via a auxiliary frame lOd which has been previously connected to th bed body 11. The auxiliary frame is different for each typ of bed body and receives the load caused by the liftin operation. The use of the auxiliary frame provides th advantage that one type of support frame of the person lifte can be connected to different types of bed bodies in order t provide a lifting and transfer system of the invention. Wh the patient is transferred according to Fig. 10b from or to t bed supported by the support frame, the support frame 10 connected to the bed end so that the lifting pillar is situat in either limit position of the bed end. The support frame secured to the auxiliary frame lOd which has essentially t shape of a U the bottom of which is parallel with the bed e and the sides are secured to the side bars 11a of the bed bod The foot portion lOh of the support frame may be provided wi wheels and possibly also with a stabilizing leg. Also, t wheel can be lockable to serve as a stabilizer. The transf of the patients is performed as described in connection wi Fig. 6. Figs, lla-lld illustrate a way of securing the support fra 10 by suitable securing means to the auxiliary frame lOd. this case the securing means comprise mainly a groove in t auxiliary frame and a locking piece to be connected thereto a provided in the support frame. The auxiliary frame lOd provided with brackets 22 extending to the edge of the bed en A groove 23 is provided in each bracket. A locking piece in the surface of the foot portion lOh of the support frame placed against the auxiliary frame, which locking piece can fitted into the groove 23 in order to secure the support fra and the auxiliary frame to each other. Fig. lid illustrat the locking piece in detail. The locking piece 24 is connect via a rod 25 to an eccentric 26 provided with a lever 27 a located on the opposite side of the foot portion. In Fig. li the lever has been set free from the locking position and t locking piece 24 is inserted in the groove 23. When the lev is turned to the locking position, the piece 24 is locked the groove 23. The support frame is now secured in its pla according to Fig. lie for the lifting and transfer operation The support frame is locked in the groove in either of t brackets 22 depending on the side of the bed on which lifting and corresponding operations are performed. The auxiliary frame lOd is secured to the bed body by ordinar known means, such as screws or mechanical U-joints. Th lifting frame to be fastened to the belts 14 is preferably made of profile bars 100 (Fig. 7) into the grooves 110 of which the sheet under the patient can be secured, the sheet thus servin both as a bedding sheet and a lifting sheet. Also a washin underlay element, for example a PVC-coated polyester mesh, ca be secured to the frame under the patient which makes possibl bathing the patient conveniently in his own bed in his own roo both in institutions and at home, as illustrated in Fig. 6. A water-impervious element 19 is secured in the groove of th frame under the washing mesh. The element 19 collects th washing water and is provided with an orifice connected to hose 20 for discharging the water, for example, to a floo drain for a water collecting basin 21. The lifting sheet o a corresponding means can be connected to the profile bar b many different means. An advantageous application of securin the lifting sheet to the groove in the profile bar is illustra ted in Fig. 8a. The means is an elongate thin piece 200, suc as a string, a band, a solid plastic bar or a correspondin means, and a strip 210 made of a bendable material the lengt of which preferably corresponds to the length of the long sid of the lifting sheet 230. One long side of the strip 210 i formed so as to provide a tubular passage 240 into which th piece 200 is pushed, and the other long side of the strip i provided with ' a counter edge 250a of a connecting means 25 used for connecting the strip to the lifting sheet. The othe counter edge 250b is provided in the long side of the liftin sheet. The interconnecting means is preferably a zipper. Th edge of the strip 210 including the elongate piece 200 i pushed inside a groove 110 from the end of the profile bar 10 (Fig. 7) and the edge with the counter edge of the interconnec ting means, i.e. the half 250a of the zipper, remains outsid the groove via a longitudinal slot 120 in the groove and i detachably securable to the zipper half 250b in the liftin sheet. This securing method allows fast and simple changes o the lifting sheet or the like underlay element. Instead of zipper, holes 260 can be provided in the lifting sheet 230 the strip 210, through which the securing is performed clips, hooks, or other locking means (Fig. 8b). Alternative hooks disposed in the groove of the profile bar and connec to holes in the lifting sheet may be used. The elongate pi 200 may also be disposed in a tubular passage 240 provi directly in the sides of a simple, one-piece lifting sheet (Fig. 8c). The sides of the lifting sheet containing elongate pieces must be fitted into the grooves of the prof bar. The slot in the groove must be substantially narr than the diameter of the groove so as to prevent the elon piece, the hook or the like member disposed in the groove, f slipping out from the groove. The elongate piece or corresponding member must be dimensioned such that the p or the member can be inserted easily into the groove but ca slip out through the slot. The cross section of the gro in the bar may be of circular form or, alternatively, triangular, square or rectangular configuration. The prof bar may be made of, for example, aluminum, steel or a compos material. The lifting frame preferably has long sides which are pro bars, and shorter sides which connect the long sides and supporting bars. Further, the system of the invention al securing various auxiliary devices in the grooves of lifting frame such as skull or limb tension arrangements infusion equipment. These devices, which are known as s are secured for example via an adapter in the groove of profile bar. For example, a limb tension patient has previ ly been confined to bed in such a way that it has been difficult to nurse him or her. Due to the system of present invention, the patient is no longer confined to bed only to the lifting frame which can be lifted and moved and patient thus nursed in the way described above. The invention provides many advantages compared to prior beds. The stationary lifting and transfer system is applic both in institutions and at home in the treatment and liftin of both patients who can sit and patients who are totall unable to move. The work of the nursing personnel is minimize in the transfer which saves time and strength. The movement required are ergonomically correct. The system is safe for th patient because the lifting apparatus is integrated in the be and thus the lifting path is always the same and predetermined The patient is not dependent on the experience of the nursin personnel which he is when separate patient lifting an transfer devices are used. The invention is not limited by the embodiments described abov which are presented as examples only but can be modified i various ways within the scope of protection defined by th appended patent claims.

Claims: We claim: 1. A lifting and transfer system for a patient, the syst comprising a bed with a body portion (11), a patient-supporti portion (15) and a raising device ' (16) for raising, lowerin and inclining the patient-supporting portion, a support fra (10) comprising an essentially vertically extending lifti pillar portion (10b) and an essentially horizontally extendi lifting arm portion (10a) having first and second ends, t first end being attached to the lifting pillar portion, and person lifting means (13, 14) for lifting and lowering t patient, the person lifting means being mounted on the seco end of the lifting arm portion, characterized in that t support frame (10) is secured to the body portion (11) of t bed at least during a patient transferring operation. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that t body portion (11) of the bed has two ends and two sides, t lifting pillar portion (10b) of the support frame being secur to one of the ends of the lifting pillar portion so as to slidable horizontally along the end of the body portion betwe limit positions, the vertically extending lifting pill portion having an axis, the lifting arm portion (10a) bei attached to the lifting pillar portion (10b) so as to pivotable in a substantially horizontal plane about the a of the lifting pillar portion. 3. The system according to claim 2, characterized by at le one stabilizing means (17) extendable from the body port (11) of the bed for stabilizing the support frame (10) when lifting pillar portion of the support frame is in one of limit positions. 4. The system according to claim 3, characterized by means automatically extending the stabilizing means (17). 5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that th stabilizing means (17) is stationary. 6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that th lifting pillar portion (10b) of the support frame comprises foot portion (lOh), means (10g; 24) for securing the foo portion to the body portion (11) of the bed, the verticall extending lifting pillar portion having an axis, the liftin arm portion (10a) being attached to the lifting pillar portio so as to be pivotable in a substantially horizontal plane abou the axis of the lifting pillar portion. 7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that th body portion (11) of the bed has two ends and two sides , an that the foot portion (10h) is secured to one of the ends o the body portion. 8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that th body portion of the bed has two ends and two sides, and tha the foot portion is secured to one of the sides of the bod portion. 9. The system according to claim 6, further characterized b an auxiliary frame (lOd) for securing the foot portion (lOh of the lifting pillar portion to the body portion (11). 10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that th body portion (11) has two ends, and that the auxiliary fram (lOd) is secured to one of the ends of the body portion (11) 11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that th person lifting means comprises a four-point lifting means (13 comprising four belts (14) and a power transmission means fo lifting and lowering the patient. 12. The system according to claim 11, characterized by lifting vest secured to the four-point lifting means f lifting and lowering the patient. 13. The system according to claim 11, characterized by lifting frame (18) secured to the four-point lifting means (1 14) for lifting and lowering the patient. 14. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that t patient-supporting portion (15) comprises a plurality portions movable and inclinable relative to each other. 15. The system according to claim 14, characterized in t the portions of the patient-supporting portion (15) compri portions for supporting the back of a patient, for supporti the thighs of a patient, and for supporting the legs of patient. 16. The system according to claim 14, characterized by mea for automatically moving and inclining the portions of patient-supporting portion. 17. The system according to claim 16, characterized by me for automatically operating the person lifting means (13, 1 and the support frame (10). MENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 29 September 1993 (29.09.93) ; original claims 1, 11 and 14 amended ; other claims unchanged (3 pages)] 1. A lifting and transfer system for a patient, the system comprising a bed with a body portion (11), a patient-suppor- ting portion (15) and a raising device (16) for raising, lowering, and inclining the patient-supporting portion, a support frame (10) comprising an essentially vertically extending lifting pillar portion (10b) and an essentially horizontally extending lifting arm portion (10a) having first and second ends, the first end being attached to the lifting pillar portion, and a person lifting means (13, 14) for lifting and lowering the patient, the person lifting means being mounted on the second end of the lifting arm portion, - characterized in that the support frame (10) is secured to the body portion (11) of the bed at least during a patient transferring operation and the support frame (10) is transferable between the operations. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized ii that the body portion (11) of the bed has two ends and two sides, the lifting pillar portion (10b) of the support frame being secured to one of the ends of the body portion so as to be slidable horizontally along the end of the body portion between limit positions, the vertically extending lifting pillar portion having an axis, the lifting arm portion (10a) being attached to the lifting pillar portion (10b) so as to be pivotable in a substantially horizontal plane about the axis of the lifting pillar portion. 3. The system according to claim 2, characterized by at least one stabilizing means (17) extendable from the body portion (11) of the bed for. stabilizing the support frame (10) when the lifting pillar portion of the support frame is in one of the limit positions. 4. The system according to claim 3, characterized by means for automatically extending the stabilizing means (17). 5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in tha the stabilizing means (17) is stationary. 6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in tha the lifting pillar portion (10b) of the support fram comprises a foot portion (lOh), means (lOg; 24) for securin the foot portion to the body portion (11) of the bed, th vertically extending lifting pillar portion having an axis, the lifting arm portion (10a) being attached to the liftin pillar portion so as to be pivotable in a substantiall horizontal plane about the axis of the lifting pilla portion. 7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in tha the body portion (11) of the bed has two ends and two sides, ar-d that the foot portion (lOh) is secured to one of the end of the body portion. 8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in tha the body portion of the bed has two ends and two sides, an that the foot portion is secured to one of the sides of th body portion. 9. The system according to claim 6, further characterized b an auxiliary frame (lOd) for securing the foot portion (lOh of the lifting pillar portion to the body portion (11). 10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in tha the body portion (11) has two ends, and that the auxiliar frame (lOd) is secured to one of the ends of the body portio (11). 11. The system according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the person lifting means comprises four-point lifting means (13) comprising four belts (14) and a power transmission means for lifting and lowering the patien . 12. The system according to claim 11, characterized by a lifting vest secured to the four-point lifting means for lifting and lowering the patient. 13. The system according to claim 11, characterized by a lifting frame (18) secured to the four-point lifting means (13, 14) for lifting and lowering the patient. 14. The system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the patient-supporting portion (15) comprises a plurality of portions movable and inclinable relative to each other. 15. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that the portions of the patient-supporting portion (15) comprise portions for supporting the back of a patient, for supporting the thighs of a patient, and for supporting the legs of a patient. 16. The system according to claim 14, characterized by means for automatically moving and inclining the portions of the patient-supporting portion. 17. The system according to claim 16, characterized by means for automatically operating the person lifting means (13, 14) and the support frame (10).

Inventors: OLKKONEN KARI, PAASONEN HANNU, VAELIMAA KALLE, OLKKONEN, KARI, PAASONEN, HANNU, VAELIMAA, KALLE
Applicants: AHLSTROEM CONSUMER PROD, AHLSTROM CONSUMER PRODUCTS LTD.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A61C7
IPC codes: A61G7