CA1044217A - Lifting device - Google Patents
Lifting deviceInfo
- Publication number
- CA1044217A CA1044217A CA236,852A CA236852A CA1044217A CA 1044217 A CA1044217 A CA 1044217A CA 236852 A CA236852 A CA 236852A CA 1044217 A CA1044217 A CA 1044217A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- recess
- driving
- protecting
- protecting means
- hollow member
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Abstract
TITLE
LIFTING DEVICE
INVENTOR
BENGT ERLAND ILON
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A lifting device which may be rolled to a position under an object to effect lifting thereof. The device of the invention is particularly useful in the lifting of human patients as it accomplishes lifting without sliding action between the patient and the exterior of the lifting device.
The lifting device includes a hollow member of flexible material with a recess running from end to end entirely through the member. The member also defines an enclosed chamber surrounding the recess and having a generally elongated, flattened, toroidal configuration. Preferably, the chamber is filled with a fluid medium for supporting the member and maintaining its shape.
LIFTING DEVICE
INVENTOR
BENGT ERLAND ILON
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A lifting device which may be rolled to a position under an object to effect lifting thereof. The device of the invention is particularly useful in the lifting of human patients as it accomplishes lifting without sliding action between the patient and the exterior of the lifting device.
The lifting device includes a hollow member of flexible material with a recess running from end to end entirely through the member. The member also defines an enclosed chamber surrounding the recess and having a generally elongated, flattened, toroidal configuration. Preferably, the chamber is filled with a fluid medium for supporting the member and maintaining its shape.
Description
Lr7 The pres~nt inventio~ relates to a dcvice that is intended t~ be Yholly or partly placed beneath an object, such as a product or a human or animal body9 ~hich object is to b~
wholly or partly lifted or raised from a substrate, whereby the device comprises ~ hol I ow member made-o~ a ~lexible ma~erial tha~ is s~retched by means of at least one medium, preferably a pressurized medium to give ~he hollow m~mber a certain shape.
Two different types of such li~ting devices have previously been proposed i.e. devices with a sleeve driven by compressed air and made from an elastioal material and devices shaped as a pillow of an elastical material, which pillow is kept extended by means of compressed air and which is operable by means of an operating means. This operating means has an anchoring portion that is sealingly connected to ~wo ends of the pillow directed towards each other. To perform a lifting action the devices of the firs* mentioned type require access to an assembly for compressed air which, however, is not required ~o operate the pillow shaped device. However, both devices have a primary disadvantage in that they have a travel, that ., .
maximally corresponds to only a fraction of the total length of the device. In the devices operating with compressed air the travel actually corresponds to half ~he total length of the device and in the pillow shaped devices this travel is i somewhat greater. As a result hereo~, the total length of the known devices may not be utilized for ~he lifting action ;, but only a fraction thereof, is used.
The purpose of the present invention is to accomplish a lifting device of the type mentioned in the ingress, which permits the total length of the lifting device to be utilized ~or the lifting or raising operation. This is accomplished by giving the hollow member of the lifting device a sleeve like ,.~. , , :....................................................................... i .. I
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., . - . . , , ~Lf~ ff~..7 1 shape so that the wal.l of the hollow member defines a vagination extending ~holly through the hollow memberSf permitting insertion of at least one driving element, such as an arm or a driving stick, which by being brought to contact ~ith the wall of the hollow member by the vagination or by driving in a direction into the vagination by securely holding ; frictional force towards or a connection to the wall portion of the hollow member by the vagination may be brought to drive :~ the hollow member a distance tha~ at least corresponds to the outer dimension of the hollow member.
` Another purpose of the present invention is to permit the lifting device to be more easily handled~ This is -~ accomplished by including an inner layer of lubricant into the hollow member, preferably a layer o-f silicone, in order ~i, to reduce the inner frictional resistance of the wall of the 7 hollow member during the driving thereof.
A further purpose of the present invention is to prevent the surface of the lifting device to engage the f! object, especially to prevent transfer of bacterias in the ~' 20 treatment of patients and animal bodies This is permitted ;) by designing a bag shaped container in a certain manner, , which bag is provided to be applicated to the hollow member in `~ f a certain way. -Another purpose of the present invention is to design the hollow member so that the same obtains a structurally ~ simple shape and at the same time possesses the required wear ;~ characteristics. ;~
The invention therefore contemplates a device for lifting an object comprising, a hollow member of thin9 flexible material, said member having ends and having a recess extending entirely through the member from one end to the ~ .
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; 1 oth~r, said recess being open at each end of the m~mber~ said member having an inner portion ~rrounding and defining said recess and an ou~er porti~n s~rrounding s~id inner por~ion ~:: and de~ining the exterior surface of said member, said inner : and outer portions defining an enclosed chamber in said member, ,, ` said chamber surrounding said recess and having a generallyelongated, flattened~ toroidal configuration, said inner and . outer portions of said member forming a continuous, uninter-rupted surface, whereby the member may be rolled a distance corresponding at leas~ to the distance between said ends of '-- the member so tha~ the flexible material at the inner portion : will move to the outer portion and vice versa and whereby the ;~ member may be rolled such that it becomes positloned under an objec* thereby li~ting the object, without sliding action ~ :;
. ., .
.~ between the object and lifting device. ~:
.) ~he invention will now further be described b~ way ~ o example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, :~ in which:
' FIGURE 1 is a planar view illustrating the hollow :.1 20 . mamber according ~o the invention with a driving element .`. i.nserted therein;
FIGURE 2 is a planar-view showing a bag shaped . ::
1 co~tainer according to the invention;
" ~IGURE 3 illustrates this container mounted to the :1~ driving element;
~,.................... FIGURE 4 illustrates the container the exten* thereof being drawn into a vaginated portion of the hollow member;
FIGURE 5 illustrates the end of the container folded ~;~ around the hollow member; ::
.~ 30 FIGURE 6 shows the hollow member positioned to engage,: ., . . an object to be lifted;
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Z~7 1 FIGURE 7 shows the hollow member during the liting ,~ of ~he object;
FIGURE 8 illustra~es a sec~ion of ~he hollow member;
FIGURE 9 shows a section of an alternatively shaped ,',`~ hollow memb~r; ;
FIGURE 10 schematically illustrates a person lifted ' by two hollow members;
' ' ; ! ~
,` , FIGURE 11 illustrates a person lifted or raised by five hollow members intended to be mounted to supporting ~' bars in order to define a stretcher; and IGURE 12 illustrates a bag-like container of '~ atternative design. '~
~, A lifting device designed according to the invention '~ to lift patients comprises a sleeve shaped hollow member 19 ' '~ .
,~ which preferably is made from an el~stical rubber ma~erial~
The wall 2 of the hollow member is shaped to define a vagination 3) totally extending throug~ ~he hollow member 1, '''.7~ . which'''means that each portion of the wall 2 of the hollow ;, member obtains endless configuration. This may be observed 20' if one starts from the exterior ~ the hollow member and : ' "" ~ ollows the same one end of the hollow member and via this into the v'agination, along~the lvagina~ion to the second end ~' of the hollow member and via thls to'the exit point on the ' exterior of the hollow member 1. The wall 2 of the hollow '~
t `~ member~is kept extended by means of a'medium, which in the exempllfying embodiment comprises compressed air9 fed through ''~
3~ a vent 4 or a;~cannula ifnserted obliquely inwardly through a ,,.;,! ~ ' thickened portion of the~wall 2 of the hollow member.
',f~ It will be readily apparent from the present ,~
30~ description and from the drawing that hollow member 1 may be ''','~ considered to have an inner portion la and an outer portion ~1~ 4 j ~
~ ~ :
.. , .-., : .-~ ' ,~,,, ,, , , , ,, !-Z~7 lb ~see Fig. 1~. Th~ inner por~ion la surrounds and defines the vagination or recess 3, while the outer portion lb surrounds the inner portion and defines the exterior surface ~f the mcmber. As will also be readily apparent~ the inner and outer portions define an enclosed chamber 2a ~Fig. 1) in member l; the enclosed chamber surrounds recess 3 and has a genera~ly elongated9 flattened, toroidal configuration.
As a result of the endless structure of the wall 2 por~ions of the hollow member 1, it may be driven a distance ~ . ~
at least corresponding to the total length thereof.
The driving action may be performed by means of different driving means; in ~e simplest case by inser~ing an arm into the vagination 3. The hollow member 1 is thereby `` disp~aced with a distance dependent upon how far the arm is inserted; hereby, the displacement distance is not limited . . .
, to a somewhat slight excess to the length of the hollow `~;; member 1, but the distance may, if so required, be substan-. .
~` tially greater. Principally, the hollow member 1 may in . . .
' su~h a manner be displaced a distance corresponding to the ;' 20 length o~ the arm.
. .:i :' However, according to the exemplifying embodiment, : driving of the hollow member is not obtained by means o the arm but with the aid of a driving stick 5, which may displace the hollow member 1 with a distance that somewhat exceeds i the total length thereof~and~hich, in the normal case, is ' quite enough. The driving stick 5 is designed to fit into the vagination 3 and the length thereof is gTeater than that of the hollo~ member 1. To facilitate the driving, one end I of the driving stick 5 is provided with a handle 6 and the second end of the same is suitably connected to the wall 2 of ., ~
.
.. . .
'2~7 the hollow mem~er 1. The connection is not required to permit th~ driving but may be advantageous in some cases.
The connection is preferab~ intended to be released from the wall 2 of the hollow member and/or the driving stick 5 and a practically useful design of the same comprises an end 7 that is securely affixed to the wall 2 of the hollow member.
The end 7 has an elastical end knob 8, to be pressed through an opening 9 in the end of the driving stick 6 so that the same, after pressing through the hole, expands and locks the end 7 against being pulled outwardly during driving of the ~;
hollow member 1. In another practically useful connection , :~ the end of the end 7 is provided with a loop (not shownJ
l~ through which a locking pin ~not shown) may be inserted to . ~, prevent the pulling of the end 7 out from the opening ~.
~; When the hollow member 1 is to be used -for handlîng patients it is essential - and m many cases for bacteriological reasons absolutely necessary - to keep the container wall from engaging the body to be lifted. In order to prevent this body con~act the device according to the present invention includes a bag shaped container 10 o~ an easily flexible material, preferably a plastic material. This container 10 is of longitudinal shape and thelength thereof exceeds that of the hollow member 1 and the same is closed in one end 11 thereof ,, -.-; .
`~ and open in the other end 12. Furthermore~ the container 10 ;`
is designed to permit pulling the same into the vagination 3 of the hollow member 1 and at the same time to be folded `~ outwardly around the hollow member 1. The container 10 is ~o be mounted to the driving stick S with the closed end 11 thereof, which stick, in order to permit this, has a longi-tudinal, transverse opening 13 at one end thereo~. In case '`'$~
:'~, the lifting device, ~ccordir~g to the i.rlvention, is to b~3 used ~o raise or lift patien~s without ~he wall of the hollow member engaging the body o the patient, primarily, the bag shaped container 10 is applica~ed. This is accomplished :. .
; in such a manne~ that the driving stick 7 is driven through vagination 3 until one end thereof, provided with the opening 13, lies free. The closed end of the container 10 is thereafter inserted through this opening 13 ~Fig. 3).
Subsequently, the driving stick 7 is retrac~ed until the container 10 totally or partly extends through the vagination ~ 3; however, the open end portion 12 thereof lies outside the ;-~ same ~Pig. 4). This end portion lZ is folded outwardly over the hollow member 1, so that the s~ne defines a cover for the end of the hollow member 1 ~Fig. 5). Thus, the lifting device is ready for lifting or raising a patient; the body 14 of the patient is schematically indicated in the drawings.
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The con~ainer 10 illustra~ed in the figures 1-7 is well suited for the purpose in ~iew. However, the design of the container may be varied in order to obtain cer*ain, `~ 20 special advantages. As is shown in figuTe 12, the container ;
10 at its closed end 11 ~at this embodiment the closed end may be open) is provided with an inner passage 26~ which open against the open end 12 of the container 10. The passage is manufactured in a very simple way, namely by providing the container with two weld beads 27, which weld together opposed wall portions of the container 10. The beads 27 are arranged to define such a big passage 26 that the end portion of the ~ -driving stick 5 may be inserted into the passage 26. If the passage 26 open at a closed end of the container 10, i.e. if .... . .
` 30 the weld beads 27 are placed adjacent to the sealed edge of the container 10, the weld beads 27 start a bit away from the ~ - 7 -':'i ~' : 3 ~ 2 ~
sealing edge so that be~we~n the sealing edge and the weld beads 27 apertures 28 are defined, through which ap~rtures air may flo~ when the driving stick S is inserted into and with-drawn from the passage 26. The passage is preferably sligh-tly less in size than that end portion of the driving stick 5, which is ~o be inserted in the passage. This means that .
the container 10 in a simple way may be secured at the end portion of the driving s~ick 5.
This structural embodiment of the container 10 gives the following handling possibilities. The driving stick 5 is brou~ht ~rom one side through the vagination 3 of the hollow member 1, so ~hat ~he end portion *hereof is projecting from the other side. The driving stick S is held in one hand, i.e. also the hollow member is held in this hand. The container 10 is held in the other hand~ and the hollow member 1 with the driving stick 5 is inserted into the container 10 until the end portion of the driving stick enters the passage 26, which means that the container 10 will be ~ secured at the driving stick 5. Thereafter, the driving stick `' !3 20 is withdrawn~ whereby the container 10 follows the stick S
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;~, into the vagination 3. The container length is so chosen ' that portions of the container completely or partially cover the outside of the hollow member when a great-~r part of the driving stick 5 is withdrawn from the hollow member 1. The device is ready for a lifting operation.
- After the lifting operation, the driving stick 5 is -i ' ' `:
completely withdrawn from the vagination 3, and is loosened from the container 10 by withdrawing it from the passage 26. ~-Finally, the container 10 is withdrawn in the opposite , 30 direction from the vagination 3 thereof.
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-~ 7 1 The shape oF the container 10 now defined makes it possible to keep the device with the container as a storage bag for the hollow member 1 and the dri~ing stick 5, which stick, during the storage, may be inserted into the passage 26.
The aforementioned container 10 has been deEined as being closed in one end. In some cases this is not necessary and therefore, the container 10 may be open in both ends.
If desi~ed, such an open container may be sealed after use ~; ~y knotting together its ends. Open containers of this type may be secured at the driving stick 5 eîther by providing the containers wi~h one or more couplings for connect;on to the ; driving stick, or by providing one or more narrow passages 9 pockets or the like.
~ To lift the patient the hollow member 1 is placed - beside the patient on the substrate 15 and the end of the hollow member 1 covered by the container 10 is put against ~ the body 14 of the patient (fig. 6). In connection herewith, ;l it ~ay be especially noted that it is the inside of the ;~ container that engages the body 14. Thereafter, the driving :~ ?0 stick 5 is push~d in~o the vagination 3~ which means that the ;~, hollow member 1 is rolled underneath the body 14 and lifts the same tfig. 7). By the rolling motion caused by the hollow member 1 the lifting section will be performed without theiportion of the hollow member 1 covered by the container '~ sliding against the body 14. In this manner, the hollow member 1 may be totally rolled beneath the patient and thus ~ ' . ;: .
the same may be brought to pe~form lifting action along the .i whole length thereof, which is essential since the same in this way must not be dimensionated with a greater length than ~;
~; 30 the dimension of the portion of the body 14, that is to be '` lifted. By the rolling motion of the hollow member 1 the i 9 . . ~ , -.- :
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, ~. .. , . . . . ., . . .. . . , ~ , ~f~ L~ L7 1 container 10 is caused to cover an increasingly big portion ~; o~ the exterior of the hollo~ member 1 and the portion of the ~,~
container 10 covering the exterior of the hollow member 1 will ~`~ be positioned with the inside thereof outwardly directed.
Even if the driving stick 5 is so far pushed that the end portion ~hereof extends out from ~he vagination 3, the same 5 will be hidden inside the container 10.
During the lifting section bacterias from the body ~ and also any purulent matter, contaminations, and the like .~ 10 will be brought into contact with the inside of the container 10. When again *he patient is to be lowered by rolling of the hollow member 1 in the reverse direction) the container ~1~ 10 is again brought to be posi*ioned partly in the vagination as may be seen in fig. 4. The bacterias and any blood, , purulent matter, contaminations and such substances clinging; onto the inside of the container 10 will thereby, by the .'1 . ' lifting movement, be present inside the con*ainer 10. There-;
after this may be hermetically closed by knotting or in another way sealing the open end thereof, whereafter the same may be released from the driving stick S, and subsequently may be pulled out from the vaglnation 3 and disposed of in a totally hermetically closed condition.
,~, The container 10 may also be used when the hollow -: 1 member 1 is operated by the arm. The same result is substantially obtained as in the case when the closed end `~
11 of the container 10 is held by means of the hand.
: ~ .
By providing a number of hollow members in a ;~ suitable manner it is possible to raise and/or give support 33 to a patient during an operation, and it is possible to 1` 30 f~?cilitate dressing of a resting patient. It is also ;; possible to acili~ate making of the bed or application of , ~ .
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1 medication t~ a pelvis. Fur~hermore, it is possibl~ ~o place X-ray plates beneath the patien~ such as for X-ray ~reatment o:~ the back or the stomach (:fig. 10).
The lifting device according to the invention is also ~ell suited for forming a stretcher. In this case~
each end of the driving stick 5 for each hollow memb~r 1 is :
provided with an end opening 16 In such a manner, the driving sticks 5 may be hooked onto the hook shaped pins 17 corresponding to the end openings 16, which pins extend from longitudinal support means 18. In this manner it is, for example, possible to form a stretcher to transfer a , ~., ;; patient, injured in his back, and who must not under any ~ircumstances be twisted during the lifting aotion. However~ ;~
the lifting device according to the invention is not exclusively useful for handling patien*s but the same may ~-advantageously be used to handle animal bodies or objects, ;~ the surfaces of which or packag~ is delicate and must not be i~ ' `i .~ exposed to portions sliding against the same.
~-~ The hollow member 1, according to the invention, ~;~ 20 may be made from a 1exible rubber material, such as a plastic material,plastic fabric or a reinforced plastic material. To acilitate the driving, the hollow member includes a lubricant, e.g. silicone. This lubricant covers ; at least parts of the inner wall 2 of the hollow member 1 as a~ lubricant layer 19, which means that the inner frictional resistance of the hollow member wall 2 is reduced. The "~"',' ~ hollow member may be filled with another pressurized gas or ; ~;
with a liquid having a suitable composition instead of being `
illed with compressed air. Alternatively, loosely positioned ,; ;
elements may be provided in the hollow member 1, such elements ',~
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,~ 7 1 as for exampl~ plastic b~ads to keep the member extended. In certain cases~ it may be advantageous to inser~ elements positioned in a lubricating liquid in the hollow member or to insert elements res~ing in a compressed medium.
In order to design the hollow me~.ber ~Jall 2, to obtain guiding during the rolling motion, the longitudinal por~ion o~ the wall 2 of the hollow memb~r which is to lie against the substrate, and/or eventually the oppositely positioned longitudinal portion, may be given thicker walls than the rest of the portions. These thicker walls may , comprise two wall portions positioned beside each other (fig. 8) or may copprise three wall portions positioned beside ~`1 each other ~fig. 9).
This may be accomplished by joining the hollow ,- member 1 with at least one longitudinal splice 20, whereby ~j the portions 21,22 on both sides of the edges defining the ~;~
,~i, splice 20 are brought to overlap each other. Alternativ01y, ~, the portions may be positioned edge-by-edge by ~ splice 23, whereby plies 24 and 25 of material are brought from the inside to cover the splice 23. Sealing of the splice and application of the plies of material, respectively, may, in case of use of a rubber material~ be accomplished by . .
vulcanization, and, when using plastic material by welding.
Finally, it may be mentioned that the opening 13 in the driving stick 5, for anchoring of the container 10, preferably may be shaped as a slot and positioned between the hole 9 and the end edge of the driving stick 5.
.
Thus, the lifting device according to the present invention may in other words be varied within ~he scope of ~he ':
following claims. The field of use for a device; which employs the embodiments of the invention, is comparatively large.
.,., I .
wholly or partly lifted or raised from a substrate, whereby the device comprises ~ hol I ow member made-o~ a ~lexible ma~erial tha~ is s~retched by means of at least one medium, preferably a pressurized medium to give ~he hollow m~mber a certain shape.
Two different types of such li~ting devices have previously been proposed i.e. devices with a sleeve driven by compressed air and made from an elastioal material and devices shaped as a pillow of an elastical material, which pillow is kept extended by means of compressed air and which is operable by means of an operating means. This operating means has an anchoring portion that is sealingly connected to ~wo ends of the pillow directed towards each other. To perform a lifting action the devices of the firs* mentioned type require access to an assembly for compressed air which, however, is not required ~o operate the pillow shaped device. However, both devices have a primary disadvantage in that they have a travel, that ., .
maximally corresponds to only a fraction of the total length of the device. In the devices operating with compressed air the travel actually corresponds to half ~he total length of the device and in the pillow shaped devices this travel is i somewhat greater. As a result hereo~, the total length of the known devices may not be utilized for ~he lifting action ;, but only a fraction thereof, is used.
The purpose of the present invention is to accomplish a lifting device of the type mentioned in the ingress, which permits the total length of the lifting device to be utilized ~or the lifting or raising operation. This is accomplished by giving the hollow member of the lifting device a sleeve like ,.~. , , :....................................................................... i .. I
. i. ..
. .
., . - . . , , ~Lf~ ff~..7 1 shape so that the wal.l of the hollow member defines a vagination extending ~holly through the hollow memberSf permitting insertion of at least one driving element, such as an arm or a driving stick, which by being brought to contact ~ith the wall of the hollow member by the vagination or by driving in a direction into the vagination by securely holding ; frictional force towards or a connection to the wall portion of the hollow member by the vagination may be brought to drive :~ the hollow member a distance tha~ at least corresponds to the outer dimension of the hollow member.
` Another purpose of the present invention is to permit the lifting device to be more easily handled~ This is -~ accomplished by including an inner layer of lubricant into the hollow member, preferably a layer o-f silicone, in order ~i, to reduce the inner frictional resistance of the wall of the 7 hollow member during the driving thereof.
A further purpose of the present invention is to prevent the surface of the lifting device to engage the f! object, especially to prevent transfer of bacterias in the ~' 20 treatment of patients and animal bodies This is permitted ;) by designing a bag shaped container in a certain manner, , which bag is provided to be applicated to the hollow member in `~ f a certain way. -Another purpose of the present invention is to design the hollow member so that the same obtains a structurally ~ simple shape and at the same time possesses the required wear ;~ characteristics. ;~
The invention therefore contemplates a device for lifting an object comprising, a hollow member of thin9 flexible material, said member having ends and having a recess extending entirely through the member from one end to the ~ .
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; 1 oth~r, said recess being open at each end of the m~mber~ said member having an inner portion ~rrounding and defining said recess and an ou~er porti~n s~rrounding s~id inner por~ion ~:: and de~ining the exterior surface of said member, said inner : and outer portions defining an enclosed chamber in said member, ,, ` said chamber surrounding said recess and having a generallyelongated, flattened~ toroidal configuration, said inner and . outer portions of said member forming a continuous, uninter-rupted surface, whereby the member may be rolled a distance corresponding at leas~ to the distance between said ends of '-- the member so tha~ the flexible material at the inner portion : will move to the outer portion and vice versa and whereby the ;~ member may be rolled such that it becomes positloned under an objec* thereby li~ting the object, without sliding action ~ :;
. ., .
.~ between the object and lifting device. ~:
.) ~he invention will now further be described b~ way ~ o example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, :~ in which:
' FIGURE 1 is a planar view illustrating the hollow :.1 20 . mamber according ~o the invention with a driving element .`. i.nserted therein;
FIGURE 2 is a planar-view showing a bag shaped . ::
1 co~tainer according to the invention;
" ~IGURE 3 illustrates this container mounted to the :1~ driving element;
~,.................... FIGURE 4 illustrates the container the exten* thereof being drawn into a vaginated portion of the hollow member;
FIGURE 5 illustrates the end of the container folded ~;~ around the hollow member; ::
.~ 30 FIGURE 6 shows the hollow member positioned to engage,: ., . . an object to be lifted;
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Z~7 1 FIGURE 7 shows the hollow member during the liting ,~ of ~he object;
FIGURE 8 illustra~es a sec~ion of ~he hollow member;
FIGURE 9 shows a section of an alternatively shaped ,',`~ hollow memb~r; ;
FIGURE 10 schematically illustrates a person lifted ' by two hollow members;
' ' ; ! ~
,` , FIGURE 11 illustrates a person lifted or raised by five hollow members intended to be mounted to supporting ~' bars in order to define a stretcher; and IGURE 12 illustrates a bag-like container of '~ atternative design. '~
~, A lifting device designed according to the invention '~ to lift patients comprises a sleeve shaped hollow member 19 ' '~ .
,~ which preferably is made from an el~stical rubber ma~erial~
The wall 2 of the hollow member is shaped to define a vagination 3) totally extending throug~ ~he hollow member 1, '''.7~ . which'''means that each portion of the wall 2 of the hollow ;, member obtains endless configuration. This may be observed 20' if one starts from the exterior ~ the hollow member and : ' "" ~ ollows the same one end of the hollow member and via this into the v'agination, along~the lvagina~ion to the second end ~' of the hollow member and via thls to'the exit point on the ' exterior of the hollow member 1. The wall 2 of the hollow '~
t `~ member~is kept extended by means of a'medium, which in the exempllfying embodiment comprises compressed air9 fed through ''~
3~ a vent 4 or a;~cannula ifnserted obliquely inwardly through a ,,.;,! ~ ' thickened portion of the~wall 2 of the hollow member.
',f~ It will be readily apparent from the present ,~
30~ description and from the drawing that hollow member 1 may be ''','~ considered to have an inner portion la and an outer portion ~1~ 4 j ~
~ ~ :
.. , .-., : .-~ ' ,~,,, ,, , , , ,, !-Z~7 lb ~see Fig. 1~. Th~ inner por~ion la surrounds and defines the vagination or recess 3, while the outer portion lb surrounds the inner portion and defines the exterior surface ~f the mcmber. As will also be readily apparent~ the inner and outer portions define an enclosed chamber 2a ~Fig. 1) in member l; the enclosed chamber surrounds recess 3 and has a genera~ly elongated9 flattened, toroidal configuration.
As a result of the endless structure of the wall 2 por~ions of the hollow member 1, it may be driven a distance ~ . ~
at least corresponding to the total length thereof.
The driving action may be performed by means of different driving means; in ~e simplest case by inser~ing an arm into the vagination 3. The hollow member 1 is thereby `` disp~aced with a distance dependent upon how far the arm is inserted; hereby, the displacement distance is not limited . . .
, to a somewhat slight excess to the length of the hollow `~;; member 1, but the distance may, if so required, be substan-. .
~` tially greater. Principally, the hollow member 1 may in . . .
' su~h a manner be displaced a distance corresponding to the ;' 20 length o~ the arm.
. .:i :' However, according to the exemplifying embodiment, : driving of the hollow member is not obtained by means o the arm but with the aid of a driving stick 5, which may displace the hollow member 1 with a distance that somewhat exceeds i the total length thereof~and~hich, in the normal case, is ' quite enough. The driving stick 5 is designed to fit into the vagination 3 and the length thereof is gTeater than that of the hollo~ member 1. To facilitate the driving, one end I of the driving stick 5 is provided with a handle 6 and the second end of the same is suitably connected to the wall 2 of ., ~
.
.. . .
'2~7 the hollow mem~er 1. The connection is not required to permit th~ driving but may be advantageous in some cases.
The connection is preferab~ intended to be released from the wall 2 of the hollow member and/or the driving stick 5 and a practically useful design of the same comprises an end 7 that is securely affixed to the wall 2 of the hollow member.
The end 7 has an elastical end knob 8, to be pressed through an opening 9 in the end of the driving stick 6 so that the same, after pressing through the hole, expands and locks the end 7 against being pulled outwardly during driving of the ~;
hollow member 1. In another practically useful connection , :~ the end of the end 7 is provided with a loop (not shownJ
l~ through which a locking pin ~not shown) may be inserted to . ~, prevent the pulling of the end 7 out from the opening ~.
~; When the hollow member 1 is to be used -for handlîng patients it is essential - and m many cases for bacteriological reasons absolutely necessary - to keep the container wall from engaging the body to be lifted. In order to prevent this body con~act the device according to the present invention includes a bag shaped container 10 o~ an easily flexible material, preferably a plastic material. This container 10 is of longitudinal shape and thelength thereof exceeds that of the hollow member 1 and the same is closed in one end 11 thereof ,, -.-; .
`~ and open in the other end 12. Furthermore~ the container 10 ;`
is designed to permit pulling the same into the vagination 3 of the hollow member 1 and at the same time to be folded `~ outwardly around the hollow member 1. The container 10 is ~o be mounted to the driving stick S with the closed end 11 thereof, which stick, in order to permit this, has a longi-tudinal, transverse opening 13 at one end thereo~. In case '`'$~
:'~, the lifting device, ~ccordir~g to the i.rlvention, is to b~3 used ~o raise or lift patien~s without ~he wall of the hollow member engaging the body o the patient, primarily, the bag shaped container 10 is applica~ed. This is accomplished :. .
; in such a manne~ that the driving stick 7 is driven through vagination 3 until one end thereof, provided with the opening 13, lies free. The closed end of the container 10 is thereafter inserted through this opening 13 ~Fig. 3).
Subsequently, the driving stick 7 is retrac~ed until the container 10 totally or partly extends through the vagination ~ 3; however, the open end portion 12 thereof lies outside the ;-~ same ~Pig. 4). This end portion lZ is folded outwardly over the hollow member 1, so that the s~ne defines a cover for the end of the hollow member 1 ~Fig. 5). Thus, the lifting device is ready for lifting or raising a patient; the body 14 of the patient is schematically indicated in the drawings.
?
The con~ainer 10 illustra~ed in the figures 1-7 is well suited for the purpose in ~iew. However, the design of the container may be varied in order to obtain cer*ain, `~ 20 special advantages. As is shown in figuTe 12, the container ;
10 at its closed end 11 ~at this embodiment the closed end may be open) is provided with an inner passage 26~ which open against the open end 12 of the container 10. The passage is manufactured in a very simple way, namely by providing the container with two weld beads 27, which weld together opposed wall portions of the container 10. The beads 27 are arranged to define such a big passage 26 that the end portion of the ~ -driving stick 5 may be inserted into the passage 26. If the passage 26 open at a closed end of the container 10, i.e. if .... . .
` 30 the weld beads 27 are placed adjacent to the sealed edge of the container 10, the weld beads 27 start a bit away from the ~ - 7 -':'i ~' : 3 ~ 2 ~
sealing edge so that be~we~n the sealing edge and the weld beads 27 apertures 28 are defined, through which ap~rtures air may flo~ when the driving stick S is inserted into and with-drawn from the passage 26. The passage is preferably sligh-tly less in size than that end portion of the driving stick 5, which is ~o be inserted in the passage. This means that .
the container 10 in a simple way may be secured at the end portion of the driving s~ick 5.
This structural embodiment of the container 10 gives the following handling possibilities. The driving stick 5 is brou~ht ~rom one side through the vagination 3 of the hollow member 1, so ~hat ~he end portion *hereof is projecting from the other side. The driving stick S is held in one hand, i.e. also the hollow member is held in this hand. The container 10 is held in the other hand~ and the hollow member 1 with the driving stick 5 is inserted into the container 10 until the end portion of the driving stick enters the passage 26, which means that the container 10 will be ~ secured at the driving stick 5. Thereafter, the driving stick `' !3 20 is withdrawn~ whereby the container 10 follows the stick S
:,.................................................. .
;~, into the vagination 3. The container length is so chosen ' that portions of the container completely or partially cover the outside of the hollow member when a great-~r part of the driving stick 5 is withdrawn from the hollow member 1. The device is ready for a lifting operation.
- After the lifting operation, the driving stick 5 is -i ' ' `:
completely withdrawn from the vagination 3, and is loosened from the container 10 by withdrawing it from the passage 26. ~-Finally, the container 10 is withdrawn in the opposite , 30 direction from the vagination 3 thereof.
., 1, j.
.'' ` 1-.
. .; . .
-~ 7 1 The shape oF the container 10 now defined makes it possible to keep the device with the container as a storage bag for the hollow member 1 and the dri~ing stick 5, which stick, during the storage, may be inserted into the passage 26.
The aforementioned container 10 has been deEined as being closed in one end. In some cases this is not necessary and therefore, the container 10 may be open in both ends.
If desi~ed, such an open container may be sealed after use ~; ~y knotting together its ends. Open containers of this type may be secured at the driving stick 5 eîther by providing the containers wi~h one or more couplings for connect;on to the ; driving stick, or by providing one or more narrow passages 9 pockets or the like.
~ To lift the patient the hollow member 1 is placed - beside the patient on the substrate 15 and the end of the hollow member 1 covered by the container 10 is put against ~ the body 14 of the patient (fig. 6). In connection herewith, ;l it ~ay be especially noted that it is the inside of the ;~ container that engages the body 14. Thereafter, the driving :~ ?0 stick 5 is push~d in~o the vagination 3~ which means that the ;~, hollow member 1 is rolled underneath the body 14 and lifts the same tfig. 7). By the rolling motion caused by the hollow member 1 the lifting section will be performed without theiportion of the hollow member 1 covered by the container '~ sliding against the body 14. In this manner, the hollow member 1 may be totally rolled beneath the patient and thus ~ ' . ;: .
the same may be brought to pe~form lifting action along the .i whole length thereof, which is essential since the same in this way must not be dimensionated with a greater length than ~;
~; 30 the dimension of the portion of the body 14, that is to be '` lifted. By the rolling motion of the hollow member 1 the i 9 . . ~ , -.- :
., ~.
, ~. .. , . . . . ., . . .. . . , ~ , ~f~ L~ L7 1 container 10 is caused to cover an increasingly big portion ~; o~ the exterior of the hollo~ member 1 and the portion of the ~,~
container 10 covering the exterior of the hollow member 1 will ~`~ be positioned with the inside thereof outwardly directed.
Even if the driving stick 5 is so far pushed that the end portion ~hereof extends out from ~he vagination 3, the same 5 will be hidden inside the container 10.
During the lifting section bacterias from the body ~ and also any purulent matter, contaminations, and the like .~ 10 will be brought into contact with the inside of the container 10. When again *he patient is to be lowered by rolling of the hollow member 1 in the reverse direction) the container ~1~ 10 is again brought to be posi*ioned partly in the vagination as may be seen in fig. 4. The bacterias and any blood, , purulent matter, contaminations and such substances clinging; onto the inside of the container 10 will thereby, by the .'1 . ' lifting movement, be present inside the con*ainer 10. There-;
after this may be hermetically closed by knotting or in another way sealing the open end thereof, whereafter the same may be released from the driving stick S, and subsequently may be pulled out from the vaglnation 3 and disposed of in a totally hermetically closed condition.
,~, The container 10 may also be used when the hollow -: 1 member 1 is operated by the arm. The same result is substantially obtained as in the case when the closed end `~
11 of the container 10 is held by means of the hand.
: ~ .
By providing a number of hollow members in a ;~ suitable manner it is possible to raise and/or give support 33 to a patient during an operation, and it is possible to 1` 30 f~?cilitate dressing of a resting patient. It is also ;; possible to acili~ate making of the bed or application of , ~ .
i: . ;,. . .
:
!
`: ' , ~.~3t~'~fh~
1 medication t~ a pelvis. Fur~hermore, it is possibl~ ~o place X-ray plates beneath the patien~ such as for X-ray ~reatment o:~ the back or the stomach (:fig. 10).
The lifting device according to the invention is also ~ell suited for forming a stretcher. In this case~
each end of the driving stick 5 for each hollow memb~r 1 is :
provided with an end opening 16 In such a manner, the driving sticks 5 may be hooked onto the hook shaped pins 17 corresponding to the end openings 16, which pins extend from longitudinal support means 18. In this manner it is, for example, possible to form a stretcher to transfer a , ~., ;; patient, injured in his back, and who must not under any ~ircumstances be twisted during the lifting aotion. However~ ;~
the lifting device according to the invention is not exclusively useful for handling patien*s but the same may ~-advantageously be used to handle animal bodies or objects, ;~ the surfaces of which or packag~ is delicate and must not be i~ ' `i .~ exposed to portions sliding against the same.
~-~ The hollow member 1, according to the invention, ~;~ 20 may be made from a 1exible rubber material, such as a plastic material,plastic fabric or a reinforced plastic material. To acilitate the driving, the hollow member includes a lubricant, e.g. silicone. This lubricant covers ; at least parts of the inner wall 2 of the hollow member 1 as a~ lubricant layer 19, which means that the inner frictional resistance of the hollow member wall 2 is reduced. The "~"',' ~ hollow member may be filled with another pressurized gas or ; ~;
with a liquid having a suitable composition instead of being `
illed with compressed air. Alternatively, loosely positioned ,; ;
elements may be provided in the hollow member 1, such elements ',~
., 1' .: .
. . ,j : ' -'.;` t : " ' ,'.' 'it ' ' ~
,~ 7 1 as for exampl~ plastic b~ads to keep the member extended. In certain cases~ it may be advantageous to inser~ elements positioned in a lubricating liquid in the hollow member or to insert elements res~ing in a compressed medium.
In order to design the hollow me~.ber ~Jall 2, to obtain guiding during the rolling motion, the longitudinal por~ion o~ the wall 2 of the hollow memb~r which is to lie against the substrate, and/or eventually the oppositely positioned longitudinal portion, may be given thicker walls than the rest of the portions. These thicker walls may , comprise two wall portions positioned beside each other (fig. 8) or may copprise three wall portions positioned beside ~`1 each other ~fig. 9).
This may be accomplished by joining the hollow ,- member 1 with at least one longitudinal splice 20, whereby ~j the portions 21,22 on both sides of the edges defining the ~;~
,~i, splice 20 are brought to overlap each other. Alternativ01y, ~, the portions may be positioned edge-by-edge by ~ splice 23, whereby plies 24 and 25 of material are brought from the inside to cover the splice 23. Sealing of the splice and application of the plies of material, respectively, may, in case of use of a rubber material~ be accomplished by . .
vulcanization, and, when using plastic material by welding.
Finally, it may be mentioned that the opening 13 in the driving stick 5, for anchoring of the container 10, preferably may be shaped as a slot and positioned between the hole 9 and the end edge of the driving stick 5.
.
Thus, the lifting device according to the present invention may in other words be varied within ~he scope of ~he ':
following claims. The field of use for a device; which employs the embodiments of the invention, is comparatively large.
.,., I .
Claims (8)
1. A device for lifting an object comprising, a hollow member of thin, flexible material, said member having ends and having a recess extending entirely through the member from one end to the other, said recess being open at each end of the member, said member having an inner portion sur-rounding and defining said recess and an outer portion surrounding said inner portion and defining the exterior surface of said member, said inner and outer portions communicating and defining thereby an enclosed chamber said chamber surrounding said recess, the device being generally elongated, flattened, and toroidal in configuration when in a relaxed state, said inner and outer portions of said member communicating and forming a continuous, uninterrupted surface, a protecting means coupled with said member, said protecting means being hollow and having inside and outside surfaces, said protecting means being engageable both with said recess, on the one hand and with the outer portion on the other, to cover and protect the member, said inside and outside surfaces of said protecting means adapted to be inverted when in engagement with the exterior surface of said member, whereby during the inversion of the inside and outside surfaces, the protecting means is extended to the outside of the recess when the inner portion of said member moves to the outer portion and part of said protecting means moves from within said recess to the exterior of said member, whereby part of said inside surface of said protecting means thereby becomes inverted to face outwardly from and to represent an ever increasing area of the exterior of said member.
2. A device as defined in claim 1 including means for engaging said protecting means and for driving said member in inverting said member being rollable in the direction in which the recess extends through the member so said driving means being selectively engageable with said protecting means within the region of said recess, said driving means being configured so as to pass through said recess during the driving action, said driving means further having means engaging said protecting means, said engaging means including means for effecting a selectively releasable connection between said driving means and said protecting means.
3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said releasable connecting means includes a passage in said protecting means, said passage being narrower in width than said protecting means, said protecting means including opposed walls, said passage being defined by a pair of spaced seams joining said opposed walls of said protecting means together, said driving means adapted to engage said protecting means within said passage.
4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said releasable connecting means includes an opening in said driving means for receiving and securing one end of said protecting means, to said opening to effect thereby a selectively releasable attachment of said protecting means to said driving means.
5. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said one end of said passage has a converging, tapered configuration to accept mating insertion with said opening of said driving means.
6. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said driving means is elongated and is of greater length than said recess of said member, whereby said driving means may be driven through said recess such that said one end of said driving means which cooperates with said protecting means may be disposed outside said recess when said driving means extends entirely through said recess.
7. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein said protect-ing means is elongated and is of greater length than said recess of said member.
8. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said protect-ing means comprises a bag-shaped container one end of which is open, the other end of which is selectively, hermetically sealable.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA236,852A CA1044217A (en) | 1975-09-30 | 1975-09-30 | Lifting device |
| CA312,212A CA1078812A (en) | 1975-09-30 | 1978-09-27 | Lifting device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA236,852A CA1044217A (en) | 1975-09-30 | 1975-09-30 | Lifting device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1044217A true CA1044217A (en) | 1978-12-12 |
Family
ID=4104181
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA236,852A Expired CA1044217A (en) | 1975-09-30 | 1975-09-30 | Lifting device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1044217A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2008138136A1 (en) * | 2007-05-09 | 2008-11-20 | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute | Lifting assist device |
-
1975
- 1975-09-30 CA CA236,852A patent/CA1044217A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2008138136A1 (en) * | 2007-05-09 | 2008-11-20 | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute | Lifting assist device |
| US8128065B2 (en) | 2007-05-09 | 2012-03-06 | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute | Lifting assist device |
| US8403299B2 (en) | 2007-05-09 | 2013-03-26 | University Health Network | Lifting assist device |
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