Abstract:
A prone cart for transporting a patient in a hospital or clinic setting is provided. The prone cart includes a frame having a pair of extension slides coupled thereto and first and second sets of wheels. An upper portion includes first and second moveably adjustable trays operably coupled to said extension slides. The second tray includes a plurality of apertures in at least one side rail and the first tray includes at least one locking spring pin operably receivable by one of said plurality of apertures. The prone cart also includes a patient support surface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/991,915, filed on May 12, 2014, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to devices that provide transport to patients in a hospital setting and more specifically to prone carts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Depending on the medical pathology involved some patients may need to remain non-weight bearing and prone for prolonged periods of time during a hospital stay. To this end, a prone cart may be utilized. Prone carts are used for mobility by individuals, typically with spinal cord injury or for example Rhizotomy patients, for whom seated mobility, such as a wheelchair, is contraindicated. A prone cart is a flat/horizontal earl typically with a fixed height, propelled by the user while lying in a prone position. Currently available prone carts are uncomfortable, subjecting the patient to chronic neck, shoulder and back pain, and make social interaction and performing activities of daily hospital living difficult. Additionally, existing prone carts lack user accessible adjustability, as well as a storage area. 
     Therefore, a new design of prone cart is needed to overcome the problems with existing prone carts and which are further designed for safety, comfort and convenience and which offers users independence with increased mobility. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a prone cart which overcomes the problems associated with conventional prone carts. 
     In certain embodiments, the prone cart in accordance with the invention includes a patient surface that comprises a tray within a tray that is adjustable from 60 inches to 78 inches in 3 inch increments. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the patient surface has extra depth to accommodate custom padding and a variety of therapy pads. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the patient surface does not have any side obstructions that may interfere with patient transfers. 
     In another aspect of the invention the prone cart includes a protected opening for feet with a patient is laying in a prone position. 
     In another aspect of the invention the prone cart include a large storage tray that is easily accessible by the patient and that can be used for fill pads, pillows, safety belts or patient personal items. 
     In a further aspect of the invention a push handle is removably mounted in smooth corner blocks and can be moved to either end of the cart and secured in place. 
     In a further aspect of the invention a foot brake is positioned at the head end of the cart. 
     In a further aspect of the invention safety belts are included. The prone cart may include any number of safety belts, although four are depicted. One or more safety belts may clip onto an integral rail on a first tray portion and can be slid into the desired position. One set is configured to be inserted into one of a plurality of apertures on a second tray portion. 
     In yet a further aspect of the invention a set of large wheels with solid tires is provided. The wheels may include smooth enclosed hand rings for easy self-wheeling by the patient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a bettor understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the prone cart in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prone cart in the expanded position accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a prone cart in the expanded position in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a prone cart in the contracted position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which this invention pertains. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  an exemplary embodiment of the prone cart  10  in accordance with the invention is shown. Prone cart  10  broadly includes a lower portion and an upper portion. Lower portion comprises frame  12  having two standard sized wheel chair wheels  14 ,  14 ′ positioned at a front end  13  of the prone cart and two small wheels  16 ,  16 ′ positioned at the rear end  15  of the prone cart. Wheels  14 ,  14 ′ include smooth enclosed hand rings  200 , best seen in  FIG. 2 , for easy self-wheeling by the patient. Brake  18  is operably coupled to frame  12  at the front end of the prone cart and functions to engage large wheels  14  to slow or stop movement thereof by means known to those of skill in the art. Brake  18  can also be used to lock large wheels  14  in place to stop movement of the cart completely. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that brake  18  is conveniently placed at the front end of the prone cart and is operable by hand if the patient desires to stop or slow the cart or by foot if an operator wheeling the cart desires to stop of slow the cart. 
     Storage tray  20  is slidably received by frame  12 . Storage tray  20  is conveniently provided to allow a patient to store personal items or for fill pads, pillow, safety belts and the like. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that storage tray  20  is positioned at the front end  13  of the cart to allow the patient easy access to it. Handles (not shown) or other mechanisms may be operably coupled to the front end of the storage tray  20  to allow a user to easily slide the storage tray open. Storage tray  20  may be equipped with door  22  that is hingedly or magnetically coupled to the storage tray  20  sides  21 ,  21 ′ to allow the patient to flip the door open. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that door may be constructed from non-breakable glass or clear Plexiglas to allow a patient to view the contents. Alternatively door  22  may be constructed of a solid material to ensure that its contents remain private. Still alternatively, door  22  may be eliminated so that the patient or hospital personnel can simply slide or deposit contents into the storage tray  20  more easily. 
     Back end  15  of frame  12  includes a preferably large-sized well  24 . When a patient is in a prone position, well  24  accommodates the patient&#39;s feet whether the feet are encased in a case on whether the patient is wearing an ankle foot orthoses. Thus, well  24  allows the patient to maintain the prone position without putting pressure on the feet and/or toes. 
     Upper portion  11  of prone cart  10  comprises first and second moveably adjustable trays  30 ,  32  which are operably received by frame  12  and patient surface  34  which is operably received over first and second trays  30 ,  32 . First and second trays  30 ,  32  are supported by first and second extension slides, respectively  33 ,  33 ′. First and second trays  30 ,  32  are capable of a total of eighteen inches of linear adjustment in approximately three inch increments. Second tray  32  includes a plurality of apertures  36 , that operably received pull and twist locking spring pin  38  positioned on a side of first tray  30 . Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the total linear adjustment as well at the number and amount of increments may vary depending on the size of the prone cart. 
     First tray  30  is depicted as including push handle  40 . Push handle  40  may have a fixed height or an adjustable height. Push handle  40  is removably mountable in set of corner blocks  42  on an end of the first tray  30 . A second set of corner blocks  44  are located on an end of the second tray. Push handle  40  may be removed from the corner blocks on the first tray and repositioned in the corner blocks on the second tray to allow easy transfer to either end of the prone cart. Advantageously, corner blocks  42 ,  44  may have a rounded and smooth construction to prevent damage to walls or other objects the prone cart  10  may come into contact. 
     Second tray  32  includes a foot opening  46  at an end thereof formed in the surface of second tray  32  to allow a patient&#39;s feet to comfortably extend into the opening. Foot opening  46  is surrounded by a protected portion  48  formed by the second tray  32  which advantageously protects the patient&#39;s feet if the cart bumps into any objects during transit. 
     First and second trays  30 ,  32  have a depth of from 2,875 inches to 1,875 inches in order to accommodate not only the custom padding that comprises the patient surface  34  but also may accommodate a variety of therapy pads. When therapy pads are used, they replace an equally sized segment of the custom padded patient surface, which are made in a variety of sizes to accommodate the carts full-range of adjustability of overall length. The therapy pads and patient surface sections are interchangeable offering a variety of positioning options. Therapy pads are generally wedge-shaped as opposed to the patient surface pads which are flat. 
     Patient surface may be constructed with custom padding. The custom padding may be encased in a water-proof material such vinyl or Gortex and the like. Advantageously, the patient surface is shown as not having any side obstructions that may interfere with patient transfer. Those of skill in the art will appreciate, however, that side handles or other side elements may be included. 
     The upper portion  11  of prone cart  10  may include safety belts which may vary in number. As shown, the prone cart  10  in accordance with the invention includes four safety belts  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56  as best seen in  FIG. 2 . Three safety belts  50 ,  52 ,  54  are operably coupled, fixedly or moveably, to tabs  50 ′,  52 ′,  54 ′ on first tray  30 . The fourth safety belt  56  is removably coupled to one of plurality of openings  36  in second tray  32 . As the second and first trays are adjustably changed so too can fourth safety belt  56  be adjusted. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain aspects and embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that changes may be made in form or detail or both without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.