Patent Publication Number: US-8118201-B1

Title: Storage and carrier apparatus for patient transport litter

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. provisional application No. 60/809,139, filed May 25, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The field of the present disclosure relates to devices for storing a patient transport litter and for facilitating carrying of the patient transport litter to an injured person needing litter transport. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Patient transport litters, such as folding type pole litters, are used by medical and emergency personnel for carrying an injured person from a site of an injury to another location and, in some instances, for transporting an injured person in a vehicle, such as an ambulance or helicopter. Folding type pole litters are well known collapsible litters which, when not in use, are arranged to fold into a compact generally elongated block-type storage condition, as is well known in the military and emergency rescue art. The term “patient transport litters”, as used herein, is also intended to include collapsible sleds and stretchers, which may be stored in a compact rolled or folded configuration. 
     The present inventor has recognized a need for an improved device for storing a patient transport litter and for carrying the patient transport litter from a vehicle or other storage location to the site of the injury. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a litter storage and carrier apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective assembly view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , showing a litter carrier component of the apparatus separated from a support mount component of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the litter carrier component of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the support mount component of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary side elevation view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  shown mounted for storage on an external spare tire of a vehicle, with dashed lines illustrating a removable shroud shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus of  FIG. 5 , mounted to an alternate mounting support including a pair of parallel vertical bars; 
         FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  covered by a removable protective shroud; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the protective shroud of  FIG. 8  shown removed from the litter storage and carrier apparatus, with its opening facing upward in a duffel bag configuration and one of a pair of carrying handles deployed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view showing a litter storage and carrier apparatus  10  according to a first embodiment in a complete, connected-together condition ready for mounted securement onto a vehicle.  FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the litter storage and carrier apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  but showing the litter carrier  12  component and the support mount  14  component of the apparatus in condition separated from one another. 
     First, with reference to the litter carrier  12  component of the assembly, seen best in the front perspective view of  FIG. 2  and the corresponding rear perspective view of  FIG. 3 , the litter carrier  12  comprises a substantially hollow bag or container body  12 ′,  12 ″ configured to receive and confine a folded pole litter L shown schematically in collapsed condition and secured in the container body  12 ′,  12 ″. Although the litter carrier  12  may, if desired, be formed as a substantially rigid, hollow container, it is preferably constructed as a flexible, bag-like member formed of selected flexible fabric material such as canvas or other durable material. 
     The litter carrier  12  may serve as a bag enclosure with an open top end which may if desired be releasably closed as by a top flap, or the bag member may be provided in the form of an enclosure that is openable along the length of a side wall, not unlike that of an athletic bag construction, or provided in other forms of bag enclosure constructions as may be desired. However, in the preferred embodiment illustrated the litter carrier  12  includes a generally flexible longitudinally elongated back panel  16  connecting a lower bag section  12 ′ to a separate, vertically spaced upper bag section  12 ″. As shown, each bag section  12 ′,  12 ″ includes peripheral side and front walls, the lower bag section  12 ′ also including a bottom bag wall panel and the upper bag section  12 ″ also including a top wall panel  18 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, the top wall  18  of the bag is formed with a double thickness of material which forms an interior pocket therebetween, releasably closed by cover flap  20 , the pocket for holding medical supplies, etc. as may be desired. The cover flap  20  releasably attaches to the outer surface of the top wall  18  via strips of hook-and-loop fastener material (e.g. VELCRO™) or another kind of fastener. 
     Means is provided to interconnect and secure the upper and lower bag sections  12 ′,  12 ″ positively in position confining therein a patient transport litter, such as a collapsed pole litter L, as seen in  FIG. 2 . In the embodiment shown, a strap member  22  may be secured to the lower bag section  12 ′ or to the back panel  16  and extended beneath and upwardly along the lower section  12 ′, the strap extending vertically upwards to a buckle component  24  arranged for releasable connection to a corresponding mating buckle component  26  secured, as by strap members  28  to the upper bag section  12 ″ or to an upper part of back panel  16 . A strap adjustment slide member  30  may be provided as shown in order to adjust the length of the strap member  22  to assure positive and snug securement of the upper and lower bag sections  12 ′,  12 ″ to each other for snug confinement of the litter structure L in the litter carrier  12 . The extension of the strap member  22  beneath the bottom of the lower bag section  12 ′ may also provide for additional support of the somewhat heavy pole litter assembly carried in the bag litter carrier  12 . 
     As will also be apparent, when it is desired to remove the pole litter L from the bag, the buckle components  24 ,  26  are disengaged and the upper bag section  12 ″ is lifted upwardly and rotated about its attachment to the rear panel  16 , thereby exposing substantially all of the pole litter L except the bottommost portion contained within the lower bag section  12 ′, thus allowing for expedited, unhindered access to the pole litter L for removal when needed at the site of an injury. 
     As seen best in  FIG. 3 , the litter carrier bag sections  12 ′ and  12 ″ preferably mount on the back panel  16 , and a pair of strap members  32  are provided on back panel  16  opposite bag sections  12 ′,  12 ″ for convenient carrying of the litter carrier  12 . As illustrated, these strap members  32  are preferably provided in the form of shoulder strap members which may include resilient padding  34  arranged for comfort when the litter carrier  12  is being carried by a user in a backpack condition. Adjustment slide members  36  may be provided for the strap members  32  in order to provide for adjustability of fit. The shoulder straps may also, if desired, be held in a hand of a user for carrying the litter carrier  12  as may be necessary when the user is already carrying a backpack. 
     As will be appreciated in viewing  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, the litter carrier  12  is provided for quick-release attachment onto the carrier support mount  14  for releasable but positive securement as is hereinafter described. Although the litter carrier  12  may be releasably mounted to the support mount  14  in many different ways suitable for quick release, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3  the exterior face of the back panel  16  of litter carrier  12  bears a first component  38  of a two-part heavy duty hook and loop type fastener, such as the loop fabric component of VELCRO™ fastener material. In the particular arrangement illustrated, this first component is provided in four individual quarter sections of first component members  38  secured to back panel  16  in a spaced-apart configuration. Alternatively the first component members may be configured as a plurality of vertically elongated strips or as a large single member, if so desired as an alternative to the four quarter sections  38 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the support mount  14  is shown in an open condition not mounted on a supporting structure, the front side being seen in the front perspective view of  FIG. 2  and the rear side being shown in the rear perspective view of  FIG. 4 . As shown, the support mount  14  is preferably formed as a laterally elongated sheet of flexible fabric material such as canvas or other durable material and defining a central mounting panel  40  and opposing left and right flexible side flaps  42 ,  44  extending laterally from left and right side margins of mounting panel  40  and arranged to pivot or bend along their connecting borders  42 ′  44 ′ to the mounting panel  40 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the front (or inner) face of the central mounting panel  40  bears the second component  46  of the aforementioned two part hook and loop fastener apparatus, e.g. VELCRO™-type hook material, which cooperates with the aforementioned first component  38  on litter carrier  12 . The litter carrier  12  may be attached to the support mount  14  by simply pressing the back panel  16  of litter carrier  12  against the mounting panel  40  of the support mount  14  for interengagement of the corresponding first and second hook and loop fastener components  38 ,  46 . 
     The litter carrier  12  may then be readily removed from its mounted engagement on the support mount  14  by simply pulling on the litter carrier  12  to separate the interengaging hook and loop members  38 ,  46 . It is to be understood that while a quick-release mounting connection arrangement is illustrated herein as utilizing a heavy duty hook and loop type fastener apparatus, many other suitable types of releasable securement arrangements may be utilized as alternatives if so desired. 
     The mounting panel  40  may, if desired, include a space or pocket between its front side wall and rear side wall if desired for holding a rigid stiffener panel member (not shown), such as a plastic sheet, which may be provided to assure positive interengagement of the first and second fastener components  38 ,  46 . The stiffener member may be removably contained within the pocket and prevented from inadvertent removal by top and/or bottom pocket closure flap members  48 ,  48 ′. 
     Also, the inner surfaces of the side flaps  42 ,  44  may support storage pocket members  50 ,  52  for convenient storage of desired small articles. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the opposite, outer surfaces of the side flaps  42 ,  44  may support similar storage pockets  54  if desired for additional storage of supplies, etc. 
     As will be understood in viewing  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the side flaps  42 ,  44  are configured, when the carrier litter  12  is secured to the central mounting panel  40  by interengaging hook and loop components  38 ,  46  or other releasable securement arrangement alternatively provided, to extend around the sides and front of the litter carrier  12  and be secured together, as by first and second sets of interengaging quick-release buckle components  56 ,  56 ′,  58 ,  58 ′. In this manner the carrier mounting member  14  serves as a supporting jacket arranged to snugly confine the litter carrier  12  in mounted condition on the support mount  14  and positively retain the litter carrier  12  against inadvertent separation from the support mount  14 . The side flaps  42 ,  44  may include overlapping regions bearing mating sections of hook-and-loop fastener material  59 ,  59 ′ ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ), which assist in closure of side flaps  42 ,  44  and holding them in place while the first and second set of buckle components  56 ,  56 ′,  58 ,  58 ′ are joined. A handle  61  may be provided at a distal end of one of the side flaps  44  to facilitate separating the sections of hook-and-loop fastener material  59 ,  59 ′ and opening the side flaps  42 ,  44  for accessing litter carrier  12 . 
     The support mount  14  may include a support strap  60  arranged to extend downwardly from mounting panel  40 , beneath the litter carrier  12  and upwardly for connection, as by T-connector member  62 , to the side flaps  42 ,  44  coupled together via T-connector  62  by one of the sets of buckle components  58 ,  58 ′ at the front of the apparatus  10 , thereby forming a three-way harness around the litter carrier. In this manner, the weight of litter carrier  12  and its contents, including the litter L is positively transferred to the support mount  14 , which in turn is securely mounted on a supporting structure as is hereinafter explained. This arrangement also assures positive confining, mounting engagement of the litter carrier  12  with the support mount  14  against unintentional separation due to virtually any lateral and vertical forces and impact that may be applied against the apparatus  10  when mounted on a vehicle or other supporting structure. 
     A securement lattice  65  is provided for mounting the support mount  14  to a selected supporting structure such as a vehicle. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the exterior rear (or outer) side of the center mounting panel  40  mounts a plurality (three in the embodiment shown) of vertically-extending, laterally spaced apart parallel securement straps  64  extending from the top to the bottom of the central mounting panel  40 . The mounting panel  40  also mounts as shown, a plurality (four illustrated in this embodiment) of laterally-extending, vertically spaced apart parallel securement straps  66 . As will be apparent to those skilled in the art of strap attachment systems, the laterally extending, vertically spaced apart parallel securement straps  66  are secured to the supporting center mounting panel  40  so that vertically aligned columns of spaced-apart open channels are provided between the outer face of the mounting panel  40  and the securement straps  66  for passage therebetween of one or more vertically extending attachment straps  68 ,  68 ′ as shown in the drawings. In the same manner, the vertically extending, laterally spaced apart parallel securement straps  64  are secured in similar fashion to the center mounting panel  40  in order to provide laterally aligned rows of spaced-apart open channels for passage therethrough of one or more lateral attachment straps  70 . The vertical and laterally spaced securement straps  64 ,  66  overlap to form the securement lattice structure  65  and define spaced-apart vertical and lateral channels between the lattice structure  65  and the mounting panel  40 , which channels are adapted to threadably receive one or more attachment straps  68 ,  68 ′,  70  for mounting the support mount  14  to a supporting mount such as a vehicle. 
     Preferably the vertical attachment straps  68 ,  68 ′ and lateral attachment straps  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ are provided with means for adjustment of their length and tensioning such as can be provided by adjustment slide members  72 . 
       FIG. 5  is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the apparatus  10  in a condition of use supported on a support structure S such as a vehicle having a spare tire T mounted on a tire carrier structure C secured to the vehicle. In this arrangement, the support mount  14  is secured by a plurality of straps  70 ,  70 ′,  70 ″ engaging the laterally aligned channels provided by the vertical securement strap  64  and a vertically extending strap  68  engaging a selected row of vertically aligned channels provided by the laterally extending securement straps  66 . Illustrated in dashed lines is a removable protective shroud  80 , which may serve to protect apparatus  10  from weather, tampering, and theft. 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary top plan view of apparatus  10  supported on a supporting structure, which may be a vehicle, having vertically extending bar members B mounted thereon, as is typically provided on military vehicles. In this arrangement a plurality of attachment straps  70  are extended in an interweaving condition through laterally aligned channels provided by vertically extending securement straps  64  and the bar members B as shown. This arrangement provides for a secure attachment of the support mount  14  to the supporting bar members B, and by adjusting the straps  70  via slides  72  to tighten them after the straps  70  have been interwoven, the frictional tension positively securing the apparatus tightly to the supporting mount bars and against vertical sliding movement thereon. The same type of interweaving strap securement arrangement may be utilized on applications where the support bars might be horizontally extending, simply by using the channel arrangement provided by the laterally extending, vertically spaced apart securement straps  66  and strap members  68 . 
     The mounting arrangements shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  are merely illustrative of a variety of mounting arrangements that may be possible with the aforementioned strap securement arrangement previously described. 
       FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the apparatus  10  shown covered by protective shroud  80 .  FIG. 8  is a perspective view of shroud  80  removed from the apparatus and laid open with an opening  82  of the shroud facing upward in a duffel bag configuration. With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , opening  82  allows shroud  80  to be fitted over apparatus  10 , and conversely receives apparatus  10  within an interior of the shroud  80 . Shroud  80  includes an adjustable draw-closure device  86  comprising at least one draw strap  88  or cord, and preferably two draw straps, threaded through a passage extending around the mouth of opening  82 . Pulling on draw strap  88  reduces the size of the opening  82  and draws the shroud more tightly around the support mount  14  and litter carrier  12  when shroud  80  is placed thereon. The draw-closure device  86  includes a buckle  92  cooperating with strap  88  to maintain the size of opening  82 . Buckle  92  may be manually actuated for releasing strap  88 , for increasing the size of opening  82 , to thereby enable removal of the shroud from the support mount  14  and litter carrier  14 . Handles  94  may be provided along the sides of shroud  80  for converting shroud  80  to a carry bag. Handles  94  may be folded back or retracted, when shroud  80  is in use as a protective cover, and retained against an inner surface of shroud  80  via hook-and-loop fastener strips. Draw-closure device  86  also allows the opening  82  to be adjusted to facilitate use of shroud  80  as a carrying bag, for example for carrying personal effects and gear of an injured person from the site of injury. A set of cinch loops  98  are provided around the perimeter of the opening  82  to enable the shroud  80  or bag to be drawn closed or otherwise secured with a cord, zip-tie, or cable-lock. 
     It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.