Patent Publication Number: US-2022235556-A1

Title: Stair transport device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to transport platforms and more particularly a platform that provides a level surface over stairs for transporting medical patients and other items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stairs can present a major obstacle for anyone who desires to transport anything up them particularly anything on wheels, such as a wheeled gurney used to transport medical patients. When faced with such an obstacle, most often a patient has to be removed from a wheeled gurney and carried up the stairs by one or more persons, particularly if a patient is heavy. When doing so there is a risk that a patient can be dropped and injured or condition worsened by not being maintained in a horizontal position. Also, as medical transport vans are normally operated by a single worker, often another person must be called to assist to carry a person up stairs, thereby incurring additional labor and costs. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a transport platform that can be used to transport items on wheels over stairs that is adjustable to accommodate varying number of stairs and is collapsible for east storage and portability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a platform device for that allows persons and other items to be easily and safely transported over stairs. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is adjustable in height to accommodate a range of stair levels. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device that is collapsible for convenient handling and storage. 
     The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a stair transport device having three major components—a planar platform having a top, bottom, two sides, a front end and a rear end; a leg attached to each side at the front end of the planar platform; and a cross support bar connecting the two legs, said cross bar having a T at each end which the legs pass through. Preferably, each leg has a top section and a bottom section, each section having a plurality of apertures, the bottom section having a cross section less than the cross section of the upper section such that the lower section can slide up or down into the top section. The T ends of cross support section each have at least one aperture with a pull pin for insertion into the at least one aperture in each T end and the top and bottom sections to adjust a height of the platform. The platform preferably has raised edges on the two sides thereof to guide wheeled transport devices on the platform. The stair platform device is collapsible as the legs are rotatably attached to the platform by a connection plate having an aperture into which a pin can be inserted to maintain the legs in a vertical and perpendicular position relative to the platform during use and to maintain the legs in a folded position when the platform is in a collapsed mode for handling and storage. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a stair transport device of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the stair transport device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the stair transport device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the stair transport device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the stair transport device of the present invention in collapsed storage and handling mode; and 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the stair transport device of the present invention in collapsed storage and handling mode. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered components in the drawings is as follows:
           1 . transport device, generally     2 . platform top     3 . legs     3   a . top section of legs     3   b . extendable bottom section of legs     4 . cross bar     5 . side rails     6   a . upper pull pin     6   b . lower pull pin     7 . non-skid material     8 . gurney     9 . patient     10 . gurney guide wheels     11 . gurney ground wheels     12 . leg base     13 . apertures     14 . leg holding bolt     15 . platform holding bolts     16 . platform bottom     17 . platform front     18 . platform back     19 . connection plates     20 . platform sides     21 . stairs     22 . ground surface     23 . cross bar T-ends     24 . top step       

     With reference to the drawing figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the stair transport device  1  of the present invention in use. The stair transport device  1  has three essential component: one, a planar top platform  2  having two sides  20 , a front end  17 , a back end  18  and a bottom  16 ; two, a pair of legs  3  connected on each side  20  at the front  17  of the platform  2  by a connection plate  19 ; and three, a cross bar  4  connecting the legs  3  at a desired height. When a wheeled object, like a gurney  8  as shown in  FIG. 1 , carrying a patient  9  over a ground surface  22  on ground surface wheels  11  approaches the platform  2  with upper guide wheels  10 , the gurney ground wheels  11  fold up compact under the gurney  8  and the gurney  8  is pushed over and across the platform  2 . The platform  2  preferably has two raised rails  5  on each side to prevent the guide wheels  10  of gurney  8  from falling off the sides  20  of the platform  2 . Additionally, the platform  2  may have non-skid tape or material  7  on top to provide traction and deter slippage during use. The legs  3  have apertures  13  along the length thereof to allow pins to be placed for height adjustment purposes. The legs  3  preferably have a rubber base  12  to provide traction for the legs  3  on a ground surface  22 . As shown in use in  FIG. 1  the back end  18  of platform  2  is placed over the top step  24  to provide a level runway with the gurney guide wheels  10 . 
     As also illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the legs  3  consist of two sections, a top section  3   a  and a bottom section  3   b . The cross section of the lower leg section  3   b  is less than the cross section of the upper leg section  3   a  so the lower section  3   b  slidably fits into the upper section  3   a  so it can be moved up or down within the upper section  3   a  depending on the height of the stairs  21  being transported over so that the platform  2  is level over a top stair. The cross bar  4  has T ends which encompass the legs  3  and apertures  13  into which pull pins  6   b  can be inserted to affix the legs  3  at a desired height to match the height of the stairs  21 . The legs  3  and platform  2  are maintained in a perpendicular use position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  by top pull pin  6   a  inserted through an aperture in the connection plate  19  and top section  3   a  of the legs  3 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , side and top views of the transport device  1  of the present invention, respectively, are illustrated showing the component discussed above in relation to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the transport device  1  when it is positioned in a collapsed mode for easy handling and storage when not in use. The transport device  1  is placed in a collapsed mode by simply pulling the upper pull pin  6   a  at the top of each leg  3  and rotating each leg  3  upward in line with the platform  2  and then reinserting the pin  6   a  to secure the device in the collapsed mode.  FIG. 5  also more clearly shows the platform holding bolts  15  and leg holding bolts  14  in the connection plate  19 . 
     It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.