Abstract:
A rigid sling system is provided to ease the lifting of a disabled person by sliding its constituent sections under the subject as opposed to lifting the disabled person into the sling. This sling system is comprised of two sections, a right section and a left section. A right side main frame and its appropriate straps, a back connector, a right leg support, and a front connector with its appropriate straps are constituent members of the right section of the sling system. A left main frame and its appropriate straps, a left leg support are constituent members of the left section of the sling system. The two sections interlock via the connectors and configure to become engaged to a person lifting the sling system.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/334,639 filed May 5, 2010, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to slings used with lifters to mobilize a disabled person. More particularly, the invention relates to a rigid sling system whose constituent sections may be slid under the individual and interlocked while the person is in a sitting position, e.g. in a wheelchair, embracing, as opposed to lifting, the individual into a sling and ready to become engaged to any lifting device via adjustable straps. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Due to the lack of mobility, a handicapped person is dependent on others. In addition to creating difficulties in completing daily tasks, this dependency also creates hardships for those around them. The lack of mobility and the feeling of burdening others have long term physical and mental effects on both the handicapped person and those around them. 
     Regardless of the means (e.g. lifter), a type of sling is used to move a disabled person from one point to another. At present, a variety of slings have been designed and are being employed. Existing slings are either too bulky or there is a need to position the disabled person into them, which requires some manual lifting of the subject, or they are made of a type of fabric or strap supports which makes these slings flexible. The flexibility of these slings combined with the compressibility of the disabled person&#39;s body requires a long vertical range of movement for the lifting devices to do the actual lifting, resulting in limitations in the usefulness of these types of slings. These slings also exert lateral pressure on the individual&#39;s body causing discomfort and possibly affecting circulation in the contact area. 
     What is needed, therefore, are means to eliminate the disadvantages of the existing slings for lifting a disabled person. The use of a rigid sling system that can be slid comfortably and safely under the disabled person with minimal effort from a lay person and secures the subject without inserting lateral pressure while requiring minimal lifting of the subject is highly desirable. Hence this invention provides a practical solution. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of the invention provides a durable, rigid, lightweight sling system with its constituent sections easily able to slide under a disabled person, then interlock and support the person. All the constituent pieces that come in contact with the person&#39;s body are coated with hypoallergenic material. In addition, it is designed to be used for toilet and bathing purposes. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides a rigid sling system with a lifting device to use minimal vertical movement to separate the person from the place they are sitting. It also eliminates the lateral forces on the user, thus making the whole process easier and more comfortable. 
     In another embodiment, the use of such a sling system does not require another individual to lift the disabled person into the sling. Rather, the assistant may place this sling system easily and safely under the subject while the subject is sitting in a wheelchair, car, couch, bed, or office chair. This may be accomplished by simply pushing the disabled person to one side, which will position the buttocks and thigh so the proper section of the sling may be slid under the proper area. This process will be repeated for the opposite side. After both sections are in position and assembled, the sling is ready for use. Note that this assisting person could be almost anyone, man, woman, or young adult. 
     In another embodiment, when the sling system is used to transfer a disabled person to a car or any other place and one wishes to remove it from under the person, just undo the locking system to detach the left and the right sections of the sling and slide out the constituent sections safely and easily, confident that it can be readily used as needed. 
     In another embodiment, no tools are required for assembling or disassembling of the sling system. When the sling system sections are detached, it may be transported or stored anywhere without occupying much space. 
     The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in view of the drawings, photos, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PHOTOS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of the two piece sling system, ready to be attached to a lifting device configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a right section of the sling system configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2B  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a left section of the sling system configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  is a block diagram illustrating a top view of a grip member  63  of  FIG. 3B . 
         FIG. 3B  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a back side connector configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3C  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a grip member of  FIG. 4C . 
         FIG. 3D  is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a bracket of  FIG. 4C  in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a right leg support member configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4B  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a right side main frame configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4C  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of a front side connector configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5A  is a block diagram illustrating a front view of  FIG. 5C  configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5B  is a block diagram illustrating a top view of  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 5C  is a block diagram illustrating side view of a back side connector plate of  FIG. 3B  receiver configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a left side main frame configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a right side main frame configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a photograph of one embodiment of the sling system being interlocked and connected to a lifter. 
         FIG. 9  is a photograph of the sling system which has been swung to a position inside a vehicle configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a photograph of the right section  FIG. 2A  and the left section  FIG. 2B  of the sling system configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a photograph of a back side connector  FIG. 3B , connecting a left side main frame of  FIG. 2B  and a right side main frame of  FIG. 4B  via a back connector receiver of  FIG. 5C  configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a photograph of a front side connector  FIG. 4C  configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a photograph of a front side connector  FIG. 4C  connecting a right leg support member of  FIG. 4A  and a left leg support member of  FIG. 2B  configured in accordance with one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention provides a durable, rigid sling system comprised of a right side main frame  82  of  FIG. 4B , a left side main frame  42  of  FIG. 2B , a back side connector  FIG. 3B , a front side connector  FIG. 4C , a right leg support  FIG. 4A , a left leg support  46  of  FIG. 2B , and straps  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  30 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  of  FIG. 1 , strap  162  of  FIG. 7  and their appropriate buckles and hooks. All parts are configured to be assembled or disassembled without tools in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. 
     A right side main frame  82  of  FIG. 4B , a back side connector  FIG. 3B , a right leg support  FIG. 4A , and a front side connector  FIG. 4C  can be grouped using two Carriage bolts-Square neck  40 ,  44  of  FIG. 2A , and their respective Miniature Clamping knobs  40 A,  44 A of  FIG. 2A , and a clamping knob  112  to form the right section  FIG. 2A  of the sling system. All parts are configured to be assembled or disassembled without tools in accordance with one embodiment of this invention. 
     The left side main frame  42  of  FIG. 2B  and the left leg support  46  of  FIG. 2B  may be grouped together using a carriage bolt-square neck  48  of  FIG. 2B  with proper miniature clamping knob  48 A of  FIG. 2A  to form the left section  FIG. 2B  of the sling system. These members may be disassembled upon demand. All members are configured to be assembled or disassembled without tools in accordance with one embodiment of this invention. 
     When the left section  FIG. 2A  and the right sections  FIG. 2B  of the sling system are connected together, it will support the area under the thigh close to the knee, the buttocks and continuing up the back to the area under the shoulder blades and it resembles a legless chair with an opening in the center. This opening at the center serves two purposes: 1) it facilitates the placement of the sling system sections under the disabled person in accordance with one embodiment and 2) the sling system may be used for toilet and bathing purposes in accordance with another embodiment of this invention. 
     All the constituent pieces that are subject to come into contact with the body of the disabled person have a hypoallergenic coating in accordance with one embodiment of this invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the constituent portion of the right main frame  82  are a right-long frame  83  and a right-side support  93 . The right long frame  83  is hemmed at both ends, a back hem  160  and a front hem  166 . The front hem  166  has a special form  168  and will receive the right leg support  100  of  FIG. 4A . The back hem will receive the right side of a back side connector plate  74  of  FIG. 3B . The left side support  150 , in addition to providing a side support for a disabled person, also prevents folding of left-long frame  43 . In the right-side support  93  is a cutout  92  of  FIG. 4B  for the purpose of securing the right side hanging strap  34  of  FIGS. 1 and 7  and the short segment of the safety strap  162  of  FIG. 7 . The right main frame  82  and its constituent portions  83  and  93  may be made of a thin flat alloy metal, a reinforced plastic, fiberglass, or some other resilient material having a thickness of about 1.5 mm and a width of at least 5 cm. A front view of the right main frame  82  is shown in  FIG. 4B . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the constituent portions of the left main frame  42  are a left-long frame  43  and a left-side support  150 . The left long frame  42  has a configured front hem  156  to receive a left leg support  46  of  FIG. 2B . The back end of the left-long frame  43  is permanently attached to a back connector-receiving member  131  of  FIGS. 5A ,  5 C. The left side support  150 , in addition to providing a side support for a disabled person, also prevents folding of left-long frame  43 . In the left-side support  150  is a cutout  158  for the purpose of securing the left side hanging strap  30  of  FIGS. 1 and 6  and the long segment of the safety strap  38  of  FIGS. 1 and 6 . The left main frame  42  and its constituent portions  43  and  150  may be made of a thin flat alloy metal, a reinforced plastic, fiberglass, or some other resilient material having a thickness of about 1.5 mm and a width of at least 5 cm. A front view of the left main frame  42  is shown in  FIG. 2B . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are a front and a top view of  FIG. 5C  respectively. Referring to  FIG. 5C , the back connector receiver member  131  is permanently attached to the back end of the left main frame  42 . It has a guiding member  132  and a latching member  140 . The guiding member  132  has guiding elements  142 ,  146  and the latching member  140  has a hook end plate  143 , a push plate  145  for the purpose of unlatching, a counter weight  134 , a stopper  136  and a pivoting pin  138 .  FIG. 5B  shows that the guiding element  146  has a cutout  144  that serves two purposes. First, it acts as a guide for a notch  64  of a grip member  63  of  FIG. 3B  to properly pass through and latch on the hook end  143  of the latching element  140 . Second, it secures the grip element  52  of  FIG. 3A , preventing the back side connector  74  of  FIG. 3B  from being disconnected from the receiving member  131  of  FIG. 5C  when it is in use. 
     The front view of the front side connecter is presented in  FIG. 4C . The bracket  124  is made of alloy steel with a 2-3 mm thickness. It is about 10 centimeter long and has a width and a shape corresponding to the width and the shape of the leg supports  100  of  FIG. 4A and 46  of  FIG. 2B . This bracket  124  has a strap receiving element  113 , three guiding pins  116 ,  118 ,  134 , a guiding stud  132 , a safety stud  126 , a clamping knob  112 , bar knob  114 , and two walls  87 ,  89  of  FIG. 3D . The height of the short wall  89  of  FIG. 3D  is equal to the thickness of the leg supports  100 ,  46  of  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B respectively, and the height of the other wall  87  of  FIG. 3D  is around 12 mm. The function of this bracket  124  is to connect and align the leg supports  100 ,  46  of  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B respectively. The pin  134 , with a height of around 15 mm, passes through the right side of the bracket  124  and is secured in a way that the top portion of it is used as a guiding element  134  for the right leg support  100  of  FIG. 2A , and the bottom portion is used as the pin  91  of  FIG. 3D  for pivoting front connector-locking system  130 . After placing the right and the left leg supports in their proper place into the bracket  124  to unify them, the locking system  130  should be pivoted counter-clockwise over the leg supports, then the bar knob  114  is hand tightened for safety purposes. The locking system  130  has a handle  86  and two grip elements  88 ,  90  of  FIG. 3C . The grip element  90  is also used as a pivoting element for the front side-connector locking system. 
       FIG. 4A  shows the front view of a right leg support  100 . It is made of a thick flat alloy, a reinforced plastic, fiberglass, or some other stiff material, which is about 5 mm thick, 5-6 cm wide and about 20 cm long. The right leg support has a smooth bend  108  in the center along the width. This bend corresponds with the shape of the hem  166  of  FIG. 7  and the purpose is to provide a comfort zone under the thigh. It also has an upward curve  96  at the outside end to keep the leg from sliding off. The right leg support  100  has two 6 mm holes  98 ,  102 , a 10 mm rounded end groove  104  and a 10 mm bore  108 . After sliding the right leg support  100  through the hem  166  of  FIG. 7 , either one of the holes  98  or  102 , in correspondence with the holes  60 ,  68  of  FIG. 3B  may be aligned with the hole  110  of  FIG. 4B  (depending on the size of the disabled person) and will be secured together by using a 6 mm carriage bolt-square neck  44  and its proper miniature clamping knob  44 A of  FIG. 2A . The round groove  104  and the bore  108  will accept the pin  134  and the stud  132  of  FIG. 4C  respectively upon installation. 
       FIG. 2B  shows the front view of a left leg support  46  positioned in its proper place into the hem  154  of  FIG. 6  using a 6 mm carriage bolt-square neck  48  and its proper miniature clamping knob  44 A of  FIG. 2B . The shape of the left leg support  46  of one such embodiment is a mirror image of the right leg support  100  with the exception of having only one 6 mm hole  47  in correspondence with the guiding elements  66 ,  68  of  FIG. 3B . The round end groove  45  and the bore  41  will accept the pins  118 ,  116  of  FIG. 4C  respectively, upon installation. The back side connector plate  74  is made of a thick flat alloy, a reinforced plastic, fiberglass, or some other stiff material which is about 5 mm thick, 5-6 cm wide, and an appropriate length. 
       FIG. 3B  presents the front view of the back side connector. It consists of a back side connector plate  74  and a locking system  61 . The back side connector plate has two cutouts  70  and  78 . These cutouts have their respective lead-in notches  72  and  80  at both ends to guide the back strap  24  of  FIG. 1  to pass through and seat it into position, or to remove the back strap  24  from the position in accordance with one embodiment of this invention. The plate  74  has two 6 mm holes,  60  and  78 , two guiding elements  66  and  68 , and around its center has a pivoting pin  76 . The constituent elements of the locking system  61  are: a handle  50 , a pivoting arm  62 , and grip elements  52 ,  54  of  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 3A  is the top view of grip member  63  of  FIG. 3B . Notice that the grip element  52  of  FIG. 3A  is longer than the other grip element and at its end has a notch  64  of  FIG. 3B . The grip member is made of bend resistant alloy steel. 
     To install the back side connector  FIG. 3B  on the right main frame  82  of  FIG. 4B  the back side connector plate  74  is simply slid into the hem  160  of  FIG. 7 , the hole  56  of  FIG. 4B  is aligned with either holes  60  or  78  of  FIG. 3B  (in correspondence with the usage of holes  98  or  102  of  FIG. 4A  for installing the right leg support), then a 6 mm carriage bolt-square neck  40  of  FIG. 2A  is inserted into the holes and they are secured using miniature clamping knob  40 A of  FIG. 2A . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a right hanging strap  34  is coupled to the right-side support  93  through the cutout  92  of  FIGS. 4B , and  7  and from the other end, after passing through a configured ring  26 , is threaded through a buckle  10  having a hooked end shape  10 . It also shows the left hanging strap  30  is coupled to the left-side support  150  of  FIG. 6  through the cutout  158  of  FIG. 6 , and from the other end, after passing through a configured ring  26 A, is threaded through a buckle  16  having a hooked end shape  16 A. 
       FIG. 1  also shows a front hanging strap  15 . The bottom segment  36  of front hanging strap  15  is coupled to the strap receiving element  113  of  FIG. 4C  and, from the other end, is threaded through a buckle  32 . Two top segments  20 ,  22  of front hanging strap  15  are, from one end, secured to the same buckle  32  and, from the other ends, secured to proper configured hooks  14 ,  12  respectively. The back support strap  24 , from one end, snaps on the configured ring  26  of the right hanging strap  34  using an eye hook  18 , then through the configured lead-in notches  70 ,  80  sit in the cutouts  72 ,  78  and, from the other end, snaps on the configured ring  26 A of the right hanging strap  30  using an eye hook  18 A. The long segment of the safety strap  38  is coupled to the lowest end of the left hanging strap  30  and, from the other end, is free. When the sling system is properly positioned under the person and is lifted from the wheelchair, the long segment of the safety belt  38  should be passed from under the person, threaded through the configured buckle  164  of  FIG. 7 , then pulled to tighten before removing the wheelchair 
     All straps are made of stretch resistant flexible material, but that are soft upon touch, such as heavy duty polyester. 
     For further clarification, if needed,  FIGS. 8 through 13  depict the features and the function of the sections, members, and parts described therein. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. Each and every page of this submission, and all contents thereon, however characterized, identified, or numbered, is considered a substantive part of this application for all purposes, irrespective of form or placement within the application. This specification is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. For example, straps can be logistic, ratchet, or cam strap, etc., the holes of the back connector plate can have other shapes, such as circular, oval, triangular, etc., the locking system may be replaced by a quick release clamp, etc., and the bar knob may be replaced by a double cam clamp, etc. Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
     Each of the various embodiments described above may be combined with other described embodiments in order to provide multiple features. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number of separate embodiments of the apparatus and method of the present invention, what has been described herein is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Accordingly, this description is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not to otherwise limit the scope of this invention.