Abstract:
A head stabilizer for a patient support backboard comprising a pair of slotted retainers extending laterally across the top of the backboard, and a pair of hinged head restraint units with projections for reception in the retainer slots to selectively position these units apart from each other laterally of the backboard. The head restraint units are removable for cleaning and may be folded up for storage on the backboard between the retainers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a novel and advantageous arrangement for stabilizing the head and neck of a patient, usually an injured person, placed on a backboard. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Various patient support backboards, both upper body boards and full body stretchers, have been proposed heretofore in which straps stabilize the patient&#39;s body by holding it against the backboard. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,656, head straps on the backboard are supplemented by laterally adjustable head restraints which engage the patient&#39;s head on opposite sides. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a novel head stabilizer for a patient support backboard which has laterally adjustable head restraint units for engaging the opposite sides of a patient&#39;s head, each such unit being collapsible from an operative, erected position to an inoperative, folded-down, storage position on the backboard. 
     A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and advantageous head stabilizer for a patient support backboard. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide such a head stabilizer which is adjustable to fit various sized heads, from that of an infant to that of a grown person, even one wearing a football or hockey helmet or a biker&#39;s or motorcyclist&#39;s helmet, and is collapsible for storage in an inoperative position on the backboard itself. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide such a head stabilizer which is readily removable from the backboard for cleaning, after which it may be reattached to the backboard for use again. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the upper part of a backboard provided with a head stabilizer in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1 just below the head stabilizer on the backboard and showing a patient&#39;s head in phantom; 
     FIG. 3 is a simplified elevation of the left-hand unit of the stabilizer, taken along the line  3 — 3  in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with this stabilizer unit collapsed to a foldeddown storage position on the backboard. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before explaining the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the particular arrangement shown and described since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, the backboard  10  is of conventional design and may be of wood, metal or suitable substantially rigid plastic construction. The backboard has longitudinally elongated hand-hold openings  11  and  12  near its opposite side edges  13  and  14 , and a laterally elongated opening  15  near its top edge  16 . The length of the backboard may be just enough to accommodate an adult person&#39;s back and head, or it may be part of a stretcher that is long enough to support the full length of an adult lying prone. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a novel head stabilizer is provided on backboard  10  a short distance down from the hand-hold opening  15  near its top edge. This stabilizer comprises a pair of laterally adjustably positioned head restraint units  20  and  30 , each of which is collapsible from the erected, operative position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a collapsed, recessed, folded-down position, shown in FIG. 4 for the left-hand stabilizer unit  20 . 
     The left-hand head restraint unit  20  comprises a pair of thin, flat, rectangular, substantially rigid plates  21  and  22 , which may be of suitable metal, plastic or wood. These plates are pivotally connected to one another along adjoining edges by a hinge  23  having a hinge pin  24  that projects a substantial distance beyond both plates  21  and  22  at the opposite end edge of each (i.e., the end edge toward the top edge  16  of the backboard, and the end edge hinge away from the top edge of the backboard). 
     Along its edge away from the hinge  23 , plate  21  has a reinforcing segment  21   a  to which outwardly projecting pins  25  and  26  are rigidly joined at its opposite ends. Pin  25  projects toward the top edge  16  of the backboard, and pin  26  projects away from it. 
     Similarly, along its opposite edge from hinge  23 , the other plate  22  of head restraint unit  20  has a reinforcing segment  22   a  to which outwardly projecting pins  27  and  28  are rigidly joined at its opposite ends. Pin  27  projects toward the top edge  16  of backboard  10 , and pin  28  projects away from it. 
     As is clear from FIG. 1, the hinge pin  24  and pins  25 ,  26 ,  27  and  28  all extend lengthwise of the backboard. 
     The right-hand head restraint unit  30  is a mirror image of unit  20 . Elements of unit  30  which correspond to those of unit  20  are given the same reference numerals, plus  10 , as those of unit  20 . These corresponding elements need not be described again in detail. 
     The left-hand head restraint unit  20  and the right-hand unit  30  are adjustably positioned in slotted retainer rails  40  and  50 , which are affixed to the backboard respectively just above and below the head restraint units, as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     At the left side of the longitudinal centerline of the backboard, retainer rail  40  presents a plurality of open-topped slots or recesses  41 , each of which is open at its end next to head restraint unit  20 . Each slot  41  can receive one of the projecting pins  25  and  27  of head unit  20  with a manually insertable and releasable snug fit, such as a snap-in fit. The several recesses  41  are spaced apart in succession laterally of the backboard  10  (and longitudinally of the retainer rail  40 ) so that the lateral position of head restraint unit  20  on the backboard can be selectively adjusted. Retainer rail  40  also is formed with a similar series of slots or recesses  42  at the right side of the longitudinal centerline of the backboard for receiving the protruding pins  35  and  37  of head restraint unit  30  with a manually insertable and removable close fit. With this arrangement, head unit  30  also can be adjustably positioned laterally of the headboard. 
     The opposite retainer rail  50  has a plurality of similar slots  51  on the left side of the longitudinal centerline of the backboard for holding the projecting pins  26  and  28  on head restraint unit  20 . Each slot  51  in retainer rail  50  is aligned laterally of the backboard with a corresponding slot  41  in retainer rail  40 . Each slot  51  is open-topped and is open at its end next to head unit  20 . Retainer rail  50  also has a plurality of open-topped, open-end recesses  52  at the right side of the backboard&#39;s longitudinal centerline for holding the projecting pins  36  and  38  of head restraint unit  30 . Slots  52  in rail  50  are aligned laterally of the headboard with corresponding slots  42  in retainer rail  40 . 
     With this arrangement, the head restraint units  20  and  30  can be selectively positioned at any of several positions laterally of the patient support backboard to accommodate the particular head of any patient. 
     When the head restraints are not to be used they may be folded down from the erected position, as shown for unit  20  in FIG. 3, to the collapsed position shown in FIG.  4 . To fold down the head restraint unit  20 , it is lifted up from the backboard to remove its pins  26  and  28  from the slots  51  in retainer rail  50  in which they are seated and to remove its pins  25  and  27  from the slots  41  in retainer rail  40  in which they are seated. Then, plates  21  and  22  of this head restraint are folded together, as indicated by the arrow in FIG.  3 . 
     After being cleaned, the head restraint units may be stored in place on the patient support backboard itself so as to be readily available for use on the next patient. One end of the hinge pin  24  is placed in one of the slots  51  in retainer rail  50 , as shown in FIG. 4, and the opposite end of this hinge pin is placed in the directly oppositely positioned slot  41  in retainer rail  40 . The projecting pins  26  and  28  of on plates  21  and  22 , respectively, are placed in another of the slots  51  in retainer rail  50 , and the projecting pins  25  and  27  on these plates are placed in the corresponding slot  41  in retainer rail  40 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the now-overlapped plates  21  and  22  of the folded-down head restraint unit  20  are disposed completely below the top face  50   a  of retainer rail  50  (as well as below the top face of retainer rail  40 ). However, it is to be understood that the folded-down head restraint unit  20  may be flush with the top faces of the retainer rails  40  and  50 , or they may project slightly above. 
     The other head restraint unit  30  may be folded down to a stored position in the same manner. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a hold-down strap S for the patient&#39;s head H may be provided on the backboard to extend across the top of the head. This strap is shown as extending across the bottom of the backboard and up across its opposite side edges and across the head restraints  20  and  30 . Opposite ends of the strap are manually releasably attached to each other in any suitable manner, such as by “Velcro” fasteners or by a buckle. However, it is to be understood that various other arrangements of the head strap differing from the one shown may be provided which are compatible with the head stabilizer of this invention. 
     It is to be understood that the present head stabilizer may be an add-on to an existing patient support backboard or it may be an original part of the backboard, in which case the top of the retainer rails of the stabilizer may be flush with the remainder of the top surface of the backboard, if desired.