Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~IELD OF INV~TION
This invention rel.ltes to a patient transfer apparatus, and
more particularly to an apparatus for transferring a patient r
an invalid from a bed to a chair, and vice versa.
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sACKGRoUND OF INVENTION
Various types of patient transfer apparatus are known,
such as, for example, the one disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,940,800,
issued March 2, 1976, and U.S. pàtent 3,999,228, iJsued Doco~ber
28, 1976. These apparatuses are, however, very co~plex and
expensive.
OBJECT OF INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to
provide a patient transfor apparatu~ which i8 of a si~ple light-
weight construction, safe in operation and may be eas11y manipu-
lated by a single per~on.
SUMMARY OP INVENTION
The t~ansfer apparatus, in accordance with tho invention,
comprises a base including a po,st and adjustable legs extending
longitudinally and later?lly from ~uch po3t and adapted to be
positioned such that the longitudinal leg extend~ longitudinally
underneath a bed, a tube rotatably ~ounted within such po~t and
carrying at the upper end thereof a laterally-extending arm
adapted to move in a horizontal plane around such post, a patient
support and a power hoist mounted on the above-mentioned arm ~nd
connected to such patient ~upport for raising or lowering a
patient from or onto a bed.
The lateral and longitudinal legs are preferably hollow and
a slidable bar is mounted in such le~s for adjusting tho length
of the leg~ A transvers- leg is preferably secured to the far
end of the ]or.gitudinal leg. The ends of the lateral leg~ and
both ends oi` the transver~e leg are preferably bent do~n at
about 90 and adjustable means are provided on the end of such
legs for stabilizinq the base of the patient tran~f-r apparatuo.
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F DF:SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
~ he invention will now be disclosed, by way of example,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in ~hich:
Yiqure l is a perspective view of the patient transfer
apparatus in accordance with the invention; and
`igure 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Keferring to Figure~ 1 and 2, the patient transfer apparatus
comprises a base including a post 10 having longitudinally and
~0 laterally-adjustable legs 12 and 14 welded thereto Legs 12 and
14 are hollow to permit the insertion of a slidable bar lG which
allows longitudinal and lateral adjustment of the length of the
legs. It i5 important to provide longitudinal and lateral
adjustment of the length of legs 12 and 14 to prevent tipping
when a patient is loaded on the transfer apparatus and swung
Jaterally over a bed or a chair. A transver~e leg 18 is welded
to ttle extreme end of longitudinal leg 12. Tho lower end of
post lO rests on a plate 20 which is adapted to contact the ground.
l~he extremities of legs 14 and 18 are bent down at 90 and
adjustable means 22 are provided for stabilizing the base of the
patient transfer apparatus. A strut 24 is also provided for
additional support of the longitudinal arm 12 and the post 10.
A tube 26 is rotatably mounted within post 10 and carries
at the upper end thereof a laterally-extending arm 28, which i~
additionally supported by a strut 30. The arm 28 may be moved
manually in a hori7c~ntal plane along post 10. A power haist 31
i9 mounted on arm 28 and the hoist cable 32 passes over a pulley
34 rotatably mountod on the forward end of arm 28. A patient
support 36 i5 adapeed for attachment to a hook 40 rnounted to the
3~ end of cable 32. The support is preferably made of a flexi,le
cdnva~ provided with end 41inqs 42 adapted to engage the hook 40.
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B
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The hoist motor is preferably operated from a battery
located in battery housinq 44 mounted on post 10. Connecting
wires 46 are passed through tube 26. The operation of the ~otor
.,
is controlled by control box 48 and connecting wire 50. A trip
52 is also mounted on hoist cable 32 and adapted to contact a
safety s~itch tnot shown) located at the end of thc ar~ 28 for
stopping the motor when the p~tient support reaches a maxi~um
height. Cont:rol box 48 may be placed on a shelf 54 ecured to
post 10 when not in use.
The patient transfer apparatu~ in accordance with the
pre~ent invention is adapted to be inserted underneath a bod
with the leq 12 parallel to the lonqitudinal axis of tho bed,
so that it does not take any additional space in the room and
the tube is long enough so that the arm 28 is way above the head
of the patient and the people in the room. When it i- de~ired
to movo a patient from a bed to a chair 60, tho canva~ i~ placed
underneath the patient and the trings 42 attached to the hook 40.
The hoist motor is operated to raise the patient above the hed
and the arm 2~ is swung manualIy to the ~ide. Tho hoist motor i8
then operated in the oppo~ite direction to lower the pntiont over
the chair. During loading of the pationt on a chair, the b-ck
of the chair is lowered and rai~ed back after the patient is in
right poRition on the chair, ~he inverse procedure i~ followod
for transferring a patient from a chair to the bed.
It will be 3een from the above de~cription of a proferrod
embodiment that the apparatus permit~ the transfer of a patient
from a bed to a chair, and vice versa, by a single per-on in an
easy and safe manner, thu~ reducing the cost of labor, Tho
apparatus is also safe, bocause the legJ 12 and 14 of the ba~e
can be extended to avoid any danger of tipping.
It is also important to note that the abovo-di~closed
patient transfer apparatus is of low cost, because of it~ ~imple
structure requiring few major componont~.
117~6'~4
Although the invention has been disclo~ed with roference
to a preferred embodiment, it is to be under~tood that nu~erous
chanqes in the shape, size and construction, may be resorted to,
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined in the following claims.
