Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses an arrangement for mounting a plane on a wall of a vehicle. Said plane establishes a base or platform for a patient or transport stretcher used in an ambulance vehicle. The plane is mounted on a wall of the vehicle by support arms and associated joints so that the plane may be horizontally moved away from the wall to a more central position in the vehicle and back alongside the wall. The plane may be moved away from the wall for a treatment procedure of a patient lying down, for example, or for receiving a patient lying on a stretcher into a vehicle, to be supported by the plane, or for moving a patient out of the vehicle and from being supported by the plane. The plane may be moved back alongside the wall for the transport of a patient lying down, or when there are no patients in the vehicle. When the plane has been moved alongside the wall, the support arms of the plane run substantially parallel to the vehicle wall, and when the plane is moved away from the wall, the support arms are at least partly oriented outward of the wall.

The arrangement disclosed in <CIT> in practice restricts the utilization of a vehicle in said ambulance use to the transportation of patients in a lying down position, only, because the vehicle cannot be easily converted into a vehicle equipped with seats, for example, for transporting patients who are in a sitting position.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new type of arrangement for mounting a plane on a wall.

The solution according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the independent claim.

The invention is based on a second joint arrangement of the support arm comprising a joint provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis, whereby said plane is turnable to a substantially horizontal usage position and to a substantially vertical storage position by means of said joints provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis.

An advantage of the invention is that in order to equip a vehicle in e.g. ambulance use with seats for patients transported in a sitting position, the plane and possibly its support arms need not be removed from the vehicle but the plane may be turned out of the way beside the wall in a substantially vertical storage position whereby it is easy to accomplish enough space in the vehicle to provide it with seats.

Some embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which.

For reasons of clarity, some embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures in a simplified form. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

<FIG> is a schematic view obliquely from above of an arrangement for mounting a plane <NUM> on a wall <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is in its horizontal usage position alongside the wall <NUM>, <FIG> is a schematic end view of the arrangement of <FIG> when the plane <NUM> is in its horizontal usage position alongside the wall <NUM>, and <FIG> is a schematic view obliquely from above of the arrangement of <FIG>when the plane <NUM> is in its horizontal usage position and moved outward from the wall <NUM>. Further, <FIG> is a schematic view obliquely from above of the arrangement of <FIG> when the plane <NUM> is in its vertical storage position alongside the wall <NUM>, and <FIG> is a schematic end view of the arrangement of <FIG> when the plane <NUM> is in its vertical storage position alongside the wall <NUM>.

The plane <NUM> may form e. g a platform or base which may be used to support a patient in a lying down position on a patient stretcher to transport the patient, or to carry out treatment procedures on the patient. In this case, the wall <NUM> may comprise an inner wall of an ambulance vehicle or another means of transportation, such as a helicopter or airplane, in connection with which the plane <NUM> is arranged. The plane <NUM> may also form a platform or base for supporting items or pieces of equipment to be transported. The platform <NUM> may in such a case be provided with e.g. substantially vertically upward extending sides to prevent the items or pieces of equipment from falling off the plane. A vehicle provided with an aforementioned plane <NUM> may form a mobile service point or vehicle, for example. The practical implementations, purposes and targets of use of the plane <NUM> may therefore be most diverse and not explicitly restricted to uses or purposes relating to treating or rescuing people although the mounting arrangement presented in the solution according to the following examples as well as the application of the plane <NUM> therein is assumed to be associated in particular with a mounting arrangement used in an ambulance vehicle for mounting a plane suited to receiving a patient stretcher on a wall structure of the ambulance vehicle.

The plane <NUM> comprises a front end 2a to be directed towards a front of a vehicle, a rear end 2b to be directed towards a rear of a vehicle, a first side edge 2c to be directed towards a wall <NUM> of a vehicle, a second side edge 2d to be directed away from a wall <NUM> of a vehicle, a top surface 2e to be directed upward, and a bottom 2f to be directed downward. For reasons of clarity, the figures do not show means included in the plane <NUM> for locking the patient stretcher to the plane <NUM>.

The arrangement for mounting the plane <NUM> on the wall <NUM> comprises a first support arm <NUM> and a second support arm <NUM>, positioned on the first side edge 2c side of the plane <NUM> and supporting the plane <NUM>. The support arms <NUM>, <NUM> have first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' to be fixed to the wall <NUM>, and second ends <NUM>", <NUM>" to be fixed to the plane <NUM>. In the longitudinal direction of the plane <NUM> between the front end 2a and rear end 2b of the plane <NUM>, the first support arm <NUM> is arranged for positioning on the front end 2a side of the plane <NUM>, and the second support arm <NUM> is arranged for positioning on the rear end 2b side of the plane <NUM>. The first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> are fixed to a wall mount <NUM>, common for the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> and to be fixed to the wall <NUM>, whereby the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> are fixed to the wall <NUM> by means of said one common wall mount <NUM>. However, the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> may also be fixed to the wall <NUM> by separate wall mounts arranged for them.

The first end <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> has a first joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> by means of which the first ends <NUM>' ,<NUM>' of the supports arms <NUM>, <NUM> connect to the wall <NUM> at substantially the same horizontal level. The first joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> comprises a joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> running through the first end <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> in a substantially vertical direction. At the first end <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM>, said joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> forms a substantially vertical turning axis in relation to which the first end <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> may turn in relation to the wall <NUM> so that the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> turns in relation to the wall <NUM> in a substantially horizontal plane whereby the plane <NUM> may be moved substantially horizontally away from the wall <NUM> to the position shown in <FIG> and back towards the wall <NUM> alongside the wall <NUM> to the position shown in <FIG>.

At the first end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> there is a second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> by means of which the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> connects to the plane <NUM>. The second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> comprises a joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> running through the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> in a substantially vertical direction. At the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM>, the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> forms a substantially vertical turning axis in relation to which the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> may turn when the plane <NUM> is moved substantially horizontally away from the wall <NUM> to the position shown in <FIG> and back towards the wall <NUM> alongside the wall <NUM> to the position shown in <FIG>.

The joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> included in the second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> is dimensioned and arranged in the second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> so that the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> extends in the vertical direction of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> below the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM>. In such a case, in the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> portion extending below the second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM>, it is possible to arrange a substantially horizontally running joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> for example through the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown in the figures, in order to arrange the joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis as part of the second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> whereby the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> thus forms the turning axis of the joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis, and the joint <NUM> forms a first joint provided with a horizontal turning axis and connected to the first support arm <NUM>, and the joint <NUM> forms a second joint provided with a horizontal turning axis connected to the second support arm <NUM> at substantially the same horizontal level. By means of said joints <NUM>, <NUM>, the plane <NUM> may be turned to the substantially horizontal usage position shown in <FIG>, and to the substantially vertical storage position shown in <FIG>. Alternatively, the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> may be formed by substantially horizontal shaft extensions arranged on the joint shafts <NUM>, <NUM> and not running through the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM>. In the aforementioned embodiments, the joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis is consequently directly arranged to the portion of the vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>), which extends below the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>).

When the plane <NUM> is turnable to the substantially vertical storage position shown in <FIG>, a space in a vehicle in e.g. ambulance use, originally reserved for a patient to be transported in a lying down position, may be equipped with seats for patients to be transported in a sitting position so that the plane <NUM> and possibly also its support arms <NUM>, <NUM> need not be removed from the vehicle but by only turning the plane <NUM> out of the way alongside the wall <NUM> in a substantially vertical storage position it is easy to accomplish enough space in the vehicle to provide it with seats.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> forms a first joint part of said joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis, and a support structure <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in connection with the plane <NUM>, in the embodiment of the figures in connection with the bottom 2f of the plane <NUM>, in particular, forms a second joint part of the joint <NUM>, <NUM>. So, the support structure <NUM> forms the second joint part connected to the joint <NUM> in the first support <NUM> and provided with a horizontal turning axis, whereas the joint shaft <NUM> forms the first joint part connected to said joint <NUM>. Correspondingly the support structure <NUM> forms the second joint part connected to the joint <NUM> in the second support <NUM> and provided with a horizontal turning axis, whereas the joint shaft <NUM> forms the first joint part connected to said joint <NUM>. When said support structures <NUM>, <NUM> turn in relation to the joint shafts <NUM>, <NUM> by means of the horizontal turning axis formed by the joint shafts <NUM>, <NUM>, the plane <NUM> may be turned to the substantially horizontal usage position and back to the substantially vertical storage position.

The support structure <NUM>, <NUM> comprises, in the substantially horizontal usage position of the plane <NUM>, a first portion <NUM>', <NUM>' to be oriented substantially vertically, and in connection with it a second portion <NUM>", <NUM>" to be oriented substantially horizontally and arranged in connection with the bottom 2f of the plane <NUM>. The first portion <NUM>' <NUM>' of the support structure <NUM>, <NUM>, to be oriented substantially vertically, forms the portion of the support structure <NUM>, <NUM> connected to the joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with said horizontal turning axis. Said first portion <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support structure <NUM>, <NUM> is advantageously dimensioned and arranged to extend over the top surface 2e of the plane <NUM> to the extent that the joint shaft <NUM>, <NUM> forming the turning axis of the joint <NUM>, <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis may be arranged to be positioned over the top surface 2e of the plane <NUM>. As a result, the plane <NUM> may be turned up to a <NUM>-degree vertical position, or even more, in relation to the horizontal usage position of the plane <NUM> before the plane <NUM> hits the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is turned to its substantially vertical storage position.

In the embodiment of the figures, the second portion <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support structure <NUM>, <NUM>, which is to be oriented substantially horizontally, is a support structure running in the substantially lateral direction between the side edges 2c, 2d of the plane <NUM>. In the bottom 2f of the plane <NUM>, there are arranged recesses <NUM>, <NUM> matching said second portions of the support structures <NUM>", <NUM>" to receive said second portions <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support structures <NUM>, <NUM> without adding to the height of the plane <NUM>. <FIG> further shows locking openings <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in the bottom parts of the joint shafts <NUM>, <NUM>, and locking openings <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in the first portions <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support structure <NUM>, <NUM>, which are aligned and with locking pins adapted through which the plane <NUM> may be locked in place in relation to the joints <NUM>, <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is in its substantially horizontal usage position. The plane <NUM> may in turn be locked in the substantially vertical storage position e.g. by means of a locking arranged between the plane <NUM> and the wall <NUM> or support arm <NUM>, <NUM>, such as by a locking screw to be turned through an opening formed through the plane <NUM> to a counterpart arranged in the wall <NUM> or the support arm <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic view obliquely from above of a second arrangement for mounting a plane <NUM> to a wall <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is in its horizontal usage position alongside the wall <NUM>, and <FIG> is a schematic view obliquely from above of the arrangement of <FIG> when the plane <NUM> is in its horizontal usage position and moved outward from the wall <NUM>. The arrangement shown in <FIG> differs from the arrangement of <FIG> in the following respect.

In the arrangement shown in <FIG>, the vertical joint shaft <NUM> in the second joint arrangement <NUM> of the second support arm <NUM> is dimensioned and arranged in the second joint arrangement <NUM> so that the joint shaft <NUM> is adapted to extend, in the vertical direction of the support arm <NUM>, both below and under the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>. In this case, it is possible to arrange the joint <NUM> of <FIG>, which is provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis, in connection with the portion of the joint shaft <NUM>, extending below the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>. In connection with the portion of the joint shaft <NUM>, which extends over the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, it is possible in turn to arrange a protrusion <NUM>, and in connection with the protrusion <NUM>, a guide rod <NUM> a first end <NUM>" of which is pivoted to the protrusion <NUM> and a second end <NUM>" is pivoted to the support arm <NUM> to the portion of the support arm <NUM> between the first joint arrangement <NUM> and second joint arrangement <NUM>. Alternatively, the first end <NUM>' of the guide rod <NUM> may be pivoted directly to the portion of the joint shaft <NUM>, which extends over the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>.

The guide rod <NUM> forms a forced-control element which guides or forces the joint shaft <NUM> to slide downward in the vertical direction of the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>. The forced control is the result of the vertical height of the guide rod <NUM> reducing when the guide rod <NUM> turns from the substantially vertical position of <FIG> towards the more horizontal position according to <FIG> when the support arm <NUM> turns to an adequate extent away from the wall <NUM> at the time the plane <NUM> is being moved away from the wall <NUM>. In such a case, the second end 2b of the plane <NUM> descends whereby it is easier to load e. g a plane <NUM> located high with a stretcher supporting a patient lying down, compared to a situation where the plane <NUM> is in a substantially horizontal position. Correspondingly, when the plane <NUM> is moved back towards the wall <NUM>, the vertical height of the guide rod <NUM> increases as the support arm <NUM> is turning back towards the wall <NUM>, which forces the joint shaft <NUM> to slide upwards in the vertical direction of the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, resulting in that the plane <NUM> rises back to a substantially horizontal position.

In connection with the joint shaft <NUM>, a gas spring may also be installed, which affects the joint shaft <NUM> in an upward lifting manner and makes the plane <NUM> lighter to lift.

<FIG> further show an embodiment of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> where the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> comprises in the portion between the first joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> and the second joint arrangement <NUM>, <NUM> an obliquely running portion so that the first end <NUM>', <NUM>' and second end <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, <NUM> are at mutually different heights. This embodiment may be utilized, for example, in solutions where there are accessories, equipment or electrical or air etc. connections fixed to the vehicle wall so that the first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' and second ends <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> must be arranged at mutually different heights. This embodiment may therefore also be made use of in the embodiment according to <FIG>. The first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' of the supports arms <NUM>, <NUM> may be arranged higher than the second ends <NUM>", <NUM>" of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> e.g. in a situation where accessories, equipment or electrical or air etc. connections fixed to the vehicle wall <NUM> prevent mounting the first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> lower on the wall <NUM>, but it is undesirable to raise the plane <NUM> higher at least to the same extent. The second ends <NUM>", <NUM>" of the supports arms <NUM>, <NUM> may be arranged higher than the first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> e.g. in a situation where accessories, equipment or electrical or air etc. connections fixed to the vehicle wall <NUM> prevent mounting the first ends <NUM>', <NUM>' of the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> higher on the wall <NUM>, but it is desirable to arrange the plane <NUM> in its substantially horizontal usage position to a higher level from the floor level of the vehicle due to smoothly performing a treatment procedure, for example.

<FIG> is a schematic end view of a detail of a third arrangement for mounting a plane <NUM> on a wall <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is in the horizontal usage position, the plane <NUM> being shown by dotted lines in <FIG> shows the first support arm <NUM> and, at its second end <NUM>", a second joint arrangement <NUM> which comprises a joint shaft <NUM> running through the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM> in a substantially vertical direction. <FIG> further shows, arranged by means of a connecting part <NUM> in connection with the portion of the vertical joint shaft <NUM>, which extends below the second end <NUM>" of the support arm <NUM>, a joint <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis, the connecting part <NUM> being fixed to the joint shaft <NUM> at a mounting point <NUM>. In this embodiment, the joint <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis is therefore indirectly arranged to the portion of the vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>), which extends below the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>). The connecting part <NUM> may be part of the support structure of the plane <NUM>. Naturally, a similar or same type of connecting part may be used in connection with the vertical joint shaft <NUM> running through the second end <NUM>" of the second support arm <NUM>.

The connecting part <NUM> may be a substantially straight part whereby the joint <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis is placed in the vertical direction of the vertical joint shaft <NUM> to substantially the same location or height as the mounting point <NUM>, or as shown in <FIG>, a connecting part <NUM> comprising at least one change in direction, whereby the joint <NUM> provided with a horizontal turning axis is placed in the vertical direction of the vertical joint shaft <NUM> to a different height or location in relation to the mounting point <NUM>. By means of the connecting part <NUM>, it is possible to affect e.g. the location of the plane <NUM> in the vertical direction of the mounting arrangement to achieve a suitable height of the plane <NUM> for treating a patient when the plane <NUM> is in the horizontal usage position, or a suitable height and/or distance in relation to other appliances or equipment mounted on the wall <NUM> when the plane <NUM> is in the substantially vertical storage position.

In the solutions presented in the figures, the support arms <NUM>, <NUM> are formed of one piece. The support arms <NUM>, <NUM> may also be formed of two or more parts joined in a fixed or pivoted manner to each other.

Claim 1:
An arrangement for mounting a plane (<NUM>) on a wall (<NUM>), the arrangement comprising said plane (<NUM>) and, supporting said plane (<NUM>), a first support arm (<NUM>) and a second support arm (<NUM>), each of said support arms (<NUM>, <NUM>) is connectable to the wall (<NUM>) by their first end (<NUM>', <NUM>') by means of a first joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) at the first end (<NUM>', <NUM>') of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>), the first joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) being provided with a substantially vertical turning axis so that the support arms (<NUM>, <NUM>) are turnable in a substantially horizontal level in relation to the wall (<NUM>), and the support arms (<NUM>, <NUM>) being mounted in connection with the plane (<NUM>) by their second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") by means of a second joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) connected to the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>), the second joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a joint (<NUM>, <NUM>) provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis, whereby said plane (<NUM>) is turnable to a substantially horizontal usage position and a substantially vertical storage position by means of said joints (<NUM>, <NUM>) provided with a substantially horizontal turning axis, and wherein the second joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises a substantially vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>) arranged in connection with the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>), and whereby the joint (<NUM>, <NUM>) provided with the substantially horizontal turning axis is arranged in said substantially vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the substantially vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the second joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises in the vertical direction of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>) a portion extending below the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>), and the joint (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the second joint arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>), which is provided with the substantially horizontal turning axis is arranged directly, or indirectly by a connecting part (<NUM>), to the portion of the vertical joint shaft (<NUM>, <NUM>), which extends below the second end (<NUM>", <NUM>") of the support arm (<NUM>, <NUM>).