Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a lifting sling
for invalids and incapacitated persons, particularly
those which use a wheelchair. More particularly, this
invention is directed to a flexible foldable lifting
1~ apparatus which can be placed under a paraplegic or a
quadraplegic while sitting in a wheelchair or chair or
lying on a bed, and utilizing two persons, lifting the
invalid from the wheelchair or chair onto a bed, or
other sitting device, or vice versa.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lifting incapacitated persons such as inva-
lids, paraplegics and quadraplegics from a wheelchair,or from a sitting or lying position is a difficult
exercise, even for two people. The incapacitated person
represents a dead weight. Moreover, because the person
has no muscular motor ability in the legs, or sometimes
arms, the incapacitated person cannot hold his or her
legs or arms in a fixed position, in order to assist the
two persons in lifting the person. At the present time,
there is no simple, handy device available in the
marketplace which can be used to assist in lifting an
incapacitated person from or into a wheelchair.
U.S. patent No. 1,035,642 issued to M. Rosse,
dated August 13, 1912, discloses a rudimentary invalid
carrier. The carrier is constructed so that it acts
somewhat as a strait-jacket. The patient's arms are
held in plac:e within the invalid carrier. A difficulty
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with the Rosse design is that it does not provide sup-
port Eor or control over the chest and back portions of
the invalid. Frequently, invalids, because they lack
pedal mobility, have muscles in the legs which have
atrophied. As a consequence, the bulk of the invalid's
weight is centered in the abdomenal, chest, arm and head
areas. Thus, the invalid tends to be "top heavy". In
the Rosse d~sign, the invalid, because of the top heavy
characteristics, would tend to fall forward or backward.
Moreover, the top gripping str.aps are located at the
side of the carrier, rather than at the rear of the
carrier and are not easily accessible if the patient's
arms are outside the carrier. Also, i-f the patient is
in a wheelchair, the location of the straps would inter-
fer with wheeling the wheelchair. Because of the loca-
tion of the two top straps, unless the two attendants
lifting the invalid in the invalid carrier are careful,
the person can easily topple backwards.
U.S. patent No. 869,325, issued to H.
Orehmann, dated October 29, 1907, illustrates another
type of sling which can be used to lift a person. The
orehmann sling has a waist strap and an underlying seat
strap, the seat strap being liftable by two handles.
The Orehmann sling is unsuitable for lifting a paraple-
gic or a quadraplegic because there is no control a-
gainst the patient toppling out of the sling. The pa-
tient can easily topple forward out of the sling because
there is no restraining means. Also, the Orehmann sling
does not provide any back or chest support.
U.S. patent ~o. 1,849,864, issued to W.F.
Caspar, dated March 15, 1932, discloses a design of
folding seat. The seat has two side rings 17 through
which the arms of two attendants are positioned. Two
horizontal forwardly extending bars 12 are located at
the base of the seat and are gripped by the hands o-f the
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two attendants. This seat is impractical for liEting an
invalid because no control is provided against the in-
valid toppling forward or backward. The two free arms
of the two attendants are particularly useless in pre-
venting the patient from toppling rearwardly. Also,there is no support to prevent the back portion from
sagging or bunching between the patient and the wheel-
chair.
U.S. patent No. 3,859,677, issued to L.
Nordwig, dated January 14, 1975, illustrates another
design of invalid carrying sling. This sling design, as
with the other discussed above, suffers from the funda-
mental failing that there is no support for the chest or
back areas of the patient. while the patient is secured
within the sling by means of a belt 24, this fits only
about the waist area of the invalid. No security
against rearward or forwardly toppling of the invalid is
provided. Nordwig's debice is also not applicable to a
wheelcahir or other sitting device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVBNTION
An apparatus useful for permitting a person to
be lifted from one location to another comprising: (a)
flexible web-like means for positioning at the back and
under the buttocks and thighs of the person; (b) grip-
ping means secured to each side of the portion of the
flexible web-like means that is positioned under the
buttocks and thighs of the person; (c) a pair of grip-
ping means secured to the back of the portion of the
flexible web-like means that is positioned at the back
of the person; and (d) releasable securing means affixed
to the portion of the flexible web-like means that is
positioned at the back of the person for securing the
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torso of the person to the back portion of the flexible web-
like means.
In the apparatus, the upper portion of the body
conforming means may be reinforced1:o provide support to the back
of the person. The support may comprise a pair of rigid side
supports constructed in the flexib:Le means and a flexible cross
support joining the top portions of the two side supports.
In the apparatus gripping means (b) may be secured
across the bottom portion of the flexible means in a unitary
construction. The top gripping means (c) may be secured to the
back of top portion of the flexible means by respective securing
straps arranged in "V-like" configurations. Stiffening means may
be associated with the top and bottom gripping means.
A flexible apparatus useful for permitting attendants
to lift a handicapped person from one location to another
comprising: (a) flexible continuous web-like sling means for
positioning at the back and under the buttocks and thighs of the
handicapped person, the portion of the sling means for position-
ing under the buttocks and thighs of the handicapped person being
adapted to fit snugly under and about the sides of the buttocks
and thighs of the handicapped person, when being lifted; (b)
unitarily constructed flexible gripping means secured to and
extending laterally from each side of the portion of the sling
means that is positioned under and about the buttocks and thighs
of the handicapped person, said gripping means being proximate
to knee end of the sling means that is removed from the buttocks
gripping region; (c) a pair of flexible gripping means secured
to and extending upwardly from the upper bacX region of the
portion of the sling means that is positioned at the back of the
handicapped person removed from the area of the sling means
within which the buttocks and thighs of the handicapped person
are retained; and ~d) releasable flexible securing means affixed
to the upper portion of the sling means that is positioned at the
back of the handicapped person, said securing means being adapted
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to releasably pass under the armpits of the handicapped person
and about the upper frontal area of the torso of the handicapped
person and secure the torso of the handicapped person to the
flexible back portion of the sling means.
DRAWINGS
In the drawings, which illustrate only one embodiment
of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the
scope of the invention in any way:
Figure l illustrates a si~de view of an invalid patient
sitting on the lifting sling;
Figure 2 illustrates a front view of the lifting sling;
Figure 3 illustrates a rear view of the lifting sling;
Figure 4 illustrates a front view of a modified lifting
sling as disclosed in the "Supplementary Disclosure"; and
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Figure 5 illustrates a rear view of a modified
lifting sling as disclosed in the "Supplementary
Disclosure".
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC
EMBODIMENT OF T~[E INVENTION
Referring to Figure 1, which illustrates a
side view of a patient such as an invalid, paraplegic or
quadraplegic~ in a sitting position, the patient 4 is
shown sitting on the invalid seat 2. The seat 2 is
equipped with a pair of bottom grips 6, and a pair of
top grips 8. A chest securing strap 10 is secured under
the arms and across the chest of the patient 4.
~ igure 2 illustrates a detailed front view of
the lifting sling 2. The pair of bottom grips 6 are
secured across the base portion of the lifting sling 2
by means of laterally extending straps which are sewn to
the fabric of the lifting sling 2. The fabric of the
lifting sling 2 is typically an acrylic fibre, which is
strongt and resists breakdown due to repeated washings
and exposure to urine and the like. The two cross
straps 14 are unitary in construction so that the
: tendency of the grips 6 to pull away from the fabric of
the lifting sling 2 are minimized.
The two top grips are secured to the back
upper portion of the lifting sling 2 by means of
"V-shape" securing straps 16. The straps 16, by being
arranged in a "V-like" configuration, permit an upward
force to be drawn on the two top grips 8 without tending
to pull the grips away from the fabric of the lifting
sling 2. Again, the straps 16 are sewn in unitary
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contruction. The lifting strap 16, and cross securing
straps 14 are constructed of a strong wash resistant
fabric such as woven nylon.
If desired, flexible tubes or reinforcement
can be sewn into the interiors of the two bottom grips 6
and the two top grips 8 in order to provide bulk for the
grips and prevent the grips from pinching the hands of
the two operators when they attempt to lift an invalid 4
in the sling 2. The chest securing strap 10 is secured
and can be snuggly secured together about the invalid 4
by means of two plastic rings 12, which provide a bight
on the strap 10 so as to secure the invalid 4 in the
sling 2.
The two upper side portions of the sling 2 are
reinforced with a pair of rigid tubes or rods 20 which
are sewn into the interior along each side of the upper
portion of the sling 2. These provide back support for
the invalid 4. They also prevent the back portion from
dropping or sagging between the back of the patient and
the back of the wheelchair. Wear patches, or the like,
can be sewn into the sling at the bottom ends of the
supports 20 to prevent them from wearing through the
fabric of the sling after repeated washings. Melding
smoothly with the two stiff side tubes or rods 20 across
the upper portion of the sling 2 is a flexible cross
piece support 18, which fits over the respective upper
ends of the two stiff side supports 20. The flexible
cross piece 18 provides a certain amount of support to
the back of the patient 4, but is not as stiff as the
two side supports 20, and thereby prevents the top cross
piece from biting into the back of the patient 4. The
flexible piece 18 also permits the sling 2 to be folded
along a longitudinal axis. Further, the flexible piece
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18 prevents the two rods 20 from collapsing toward one
another.
Figure 3 illustrates a rear view of the lift-
ing sling 2, showing from a rear view the construction
of the various components of the lifting sling 2p as
discussed above in relation to Figure 2.
As can be seen in Figure 1, the combination of
the firm back support provided by the upper portion of
the lifting sling 2 ~by means of the pair of stiff side
support tubes 20)l the two top grips 8 being strongly
fastened to the upper portion of the back of the lifting
sling 2, the presence of the chest strap 10 which can be
snuggly secured across the chest of the patient 4 in
order to control the patient, and the bottom grips 6,
provides an ideal mechanism for lifting a patient 4 from
a wheelchair, or the like, onto a bed or some other
sitting device, or vice versa. There is no tendency for
the patient 4 to topple forwardly or rearwardly because
of the high position of the two top grips 8, and the
chest strap 10. The fact that the cross support 18 is
generally flexible in construction, enables the lifting
sling to be folded along a vertical axis in order to
permit the lifting sling 2 to be inserted under the
patient 4, either when sitting in a wheelchair, or lying
on a bed. The sling 2 is designed to remain under the
buttocks of the patient when he or she is sitting in a
wheelchair.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
Figure 4 illustrates a front view of a modi-
fied lifting sling 21. In the design illustrated, a
circular hole 22 has been cut in the seating area of
the sling 21. The hole 22 is reinforced by stitching
24 around its circumEerence. The purpose of hole 22 is
to permit the patient to be placed upon a toilet
without having to lift the patient from the sling 21.
In addition, a second set of back grips 26 and 28 have
been sewn on the back area of the sling 21. This
second set of back grips 2~ and 28 provides the per-
son's charged with lifting the patient in the sling 21
with a second set of grips which, in certain situa-
tions, may be more convenient than the first set ofgrips 8. Not all patients are of the same size.
Consequently, for more diminutive patients, the second
set of back grips 26 and 28 may be more convenient to
ensure that the patient is properly balanced in the
sling 21 when lifting the patient.
In addition, a second strap 30 has been sewn
at the back area of the sling 21. Strap 30 can be used
to secure the back of the lifting sling 21 against a
- 25 wheel chair, or the like. The buckle 32 on the second
strap 30 is releasable. Thus, when the patient sits
upon the sling 21, and is placed in a wheel chair, for
example, belt 10 can be secured about the torso of the
patient, while belt 30, and buckle 32, can be used to
secure the back of the sling 21 to the back of the
wheel chair. Thus, by means of straps 10 and 30, the
patient can be securely held in an upright position
against the back of a wheel chair.
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In addition, while it is not necessarily
visible in Figures 4 and 5, the sling 21 has been
designed so that cross support 18 and side supports 20
can be removed, thereby permitting the sling 21 to be
readily washed.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the
art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many
alterations and modifications are possible in the
practice of this invention without departing from the
spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the
invention is to be construed in accordance with the
substance defined by the following claims.
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