GB2499241A

GB2499241A - Patient transport chair and track arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2499241A
Application number: GB1202350.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shahid Saleem; James Thomas Mason
Original assignee: Ferno UK Ltd
Current assignee: Ferno UK Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-10
Filing date: 2012-02-10
Publication date: 2013-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-10
Also published as: GB201202350D0; GB2499241B

Abstract

A patient transport chair comprises a track 12 arranged to be detachably mounted on the chair. The chair includes a seat, a back and rotational conveying means. The track 12 has an elongate extent arranged to convey the chair along an inclined surface, such as a staircase. The track 12 is attached to the chair by laying the track on the ground. An axle (16, figure 1) of the chair is pressed down towards the opening (54, figure 6) to encapsulate the axle. The track 12 is moved in an anticlockwise direction to cause outwardly biased pins 58 at either end of a tube 60 of the track to initially be depressed inwardly before springing back to occupy the opening (64, figure 1) to attach the track to the chair.

Description

1

Patient Transport Chair and Track Arrangement

The present invention relates to a patient transport chair and track arrangement, a track for detachable mounting on a patient transport chair, a patient transport chair 5 arranged to have a track detachably mounted thereon and a method of using a patient transport chair and track arrangement

It is known to provide chairs for the transportation of patients over a limited distance. Such chairs may be used to transport patients to and from an ambulance or 10 to evacuate people from a building. They are able to be folded from a flat storage position to a chair configuration position.

Some of these chairs include two spaced wheels at the rear and two spaced ground supports at the front. When a patient is seated and secured on this chair a 15 handle extending up from the rear is used to tilt the chair about the rear wheels thereby raising the ground supports to allow the chair to be manoeuvred. Such chairs are relatively light.

Other chairs include the spaced ground supports and the spaced rear wheels 20 referred to above. However they also include two spaced tracks extending upwardly along the back of the chair towards each side of the chair. The tracks allow the chair to be tilted back above the rear wheels with the chair then being able to descend a staircase by the track engaging the edge of each step.

25 The tracks include a resistance to rotate whereby the chair is able to descend the staircase in a controlled manner without an operative having to exert too strong a force to restrain the chair from descending too rapidly.

The track chairs are frequently required to negotiate tight bends at the bottom of 30 staircases. This can be difficult because of the significant spacing between the tracks. However that spacing is necessary because this provides a well balanced chair that is unlikely to tip sideways or descent.

Chairs with tracks are heavy. They also occupy a considerable space in a 35 folded storage position.

2

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention a patient transport chair and 5 track arrangement comprises the chair including a seat and a back and rotational conveying means, the track including an elongate extent arranged to convey the chair along an inclined surface support wherein the track is detachably mounted on the chair.

10 The rotational conveying means may include a pair of spaced wheels mounted on an axis and in which the track has a width less than the distance between the two wheels.

The track and chair may be detachably mounted at two spaced locations. One 15 location may be an upper location and the other may be a lower location. The track and chair may be arranged to engage with each other by relative movement of the track and the chair.

When the track and chair are engaged at one location relative pivotal movement 20 of the track and chair may be arranged to move the track into a position where the track and chair can be engaged at the further spaced location. The track and chair may be arranged to engage with each other by relative movement of the track and chair at the further spaced location. The engagement of the track and chair at at least one location may be effected by a projection of one of the chair or track extending into 25 an elongate opening of the other of the chair or track with the projection only occupying a part of the elongate opening. The extent of the elongation may be in the direction between the spaced locations.

The detachable mounting of the track and chair may be effected by at least one 30 catch on the track including moveable parts.

The detachable mounting may be effected by at least one catch in which relative movement of the chair and track is arranged to initially urge a biased member of the catch against that bias before that biased member is able to move back with the bias 35 to assist in the mounting of the track and chair.

3

A handle arrangement may be operable to release at least one catch. The track may include two spaced loops. The handle arrangement may be accessible through the spaced track loops.

5 When the track is detachably mounted on the chair the track may be moveable relative to the chair between a stored position and an operational position. The movement of the track between the stored position and the operative position may include pivotal movement about at least one detachable mount of the chair and track.

10 The chair may be moveable between a storage position and an operative position.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a track is provided for detachable mounting on a patient transport chair in which the track includes 15 detachable mounting means arranged to effect the detachable mounting of the track on the chair. The track may include at least one releasable catch. The releasable catch may include retractable opposed spigots arranged, where not retracted, to enter opposed openings in a chair. A handle arrangement may be operable to simultaneously retract the spigots.

20

At least one releasable catch may include an opening normally closed by a biased member which member may be moved against the biased to expose the opening before being moved with the bias to close the opening and thereby trap part of a chair.

25

The present invention incorporates a patient transport chair and track arrangement wherein the track arrangement is as herein referred to.

According to another aspect of the present invention a patient transport chair is 30 arranged to have a track detachably mounted thereon, the chair having detachable mounting means arranged to effect the detachable mounting of the track on the chair.

The detachable mounting means may include at least one opening into which a retractable member of a track is arranged to enter to assist in the detachable 35 mounting. The opening may be elongate. The opening may be elongate in the direction between the further detachable mounting means.

4

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of using a patient transport chair and track arrangement in which the chair includes a seat and a back and rotational conveying means and in which the track includes an elongate 5 extent comprises mounting the track on the chair and conveying the chair along an inclined support surface and detaching the track and conveying the chair along a surface support with the rotational conveying means of the chair.

The method may comprise attaching the track to the chair at one location and 10 pivoting the track about that connection to attach the track and chair at a further spaced location.

At at least one location of the attachment of the chair and track one of the track or chair may be caused to occupy part only of an elongate slot in the other of the track 15 or chair.

The method may comprise partially mounting the track to the chair by lowering the chair onto the track with the track lying on the ground.

20 The method may comprise effecting the detachment of the track from the chair at at least one location by engaging a handle means with a single hand. The method may comprise releasing at least one catch by a single hand squeezing two release members of the handle means towards each other to thereby withdraw opposing spigots of the track from openings in the chair. The method may comprise reaching 25 between two spaced track loops of the track to engage the handle means.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be disabled by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

30

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair 10;

Figure 2 and 3 are a rear and side view respectively of the chair 10 in a folded storage position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a track 12 that can be detachably mounted on 35 the chair;

Figures 5 and 6 are a rear and a side view of the track12;

5

Figure 7 is a side view of the track and chair with the track in a stowed position;

Figure 8 is a side view of the track and chair with the track in a deployed position;

Figure 9 is a view of Figure 8 with the chair at the inclination for descending or 5 ascending a stair, and

Figure 10 is a detailed view of the mechanism that allows the track to move from the stowed to the deployed position.

As shown in Figure 1 the chair 10 includes spaced wheels 14 rotatably mounted 10 on a common axle 16 at the rear of the chair 10. Upwardly and forwardly projecting bars 18 extend from the outer side of each wheel to the forward edge 20 of the chain.

A ground support 22 extends across the front of the chair which supports also a foot rest for a patient. Upwardly and rearwardly extending foot bars 24 are provided 15 at each side of the chair.

The bars 18 from the wheels and the bars 24 from the ground supports 22 are connected by a pivot rod 26 to allow rotation of the bars 18 and 24 about the rod 26.

20 At the forward edge 20 of the chair each bar 18 is pivotally connected to a cross bar 28 and is also connected to rearwardly extending seat support bars 30 about a pivot 32.

The support bars 30 extend through loops 34 on each side of a fabric seat 36 25 and they maintain the fabric in a taut confirmation.

The rear of the support bars 30 are connected to spaced upwardly and rearwardly extending back bars 38 at each side about a cross pivot bar 40. The back bars 38 are connected at their upper region to form handles 42.

30

The lower ends regions of the back bars 38 extend parallel to the upper ends of the foot bars 24 beyond the pivot rod 26.

The fabric back 44 extends, via loops in the fabric, over the space between the 35 handles and the back bars 38 that maintain the fabric in a taut combination.

6

The lower end regions of the back bars 38 extend parallel to the upper ends of the foot bars 24 beyond pivot rod 26. Rings 48 extend over the back and foot bars over their coextensive extent to maintain the chair in the erect position.

5 To collapse the chair each ring 48 is raised to encompass only the back bar such that the ground supports 20 are able to move upwardly about the pivot rod 26. The seat support bars move in a counter clockwise direction, about the pivot 32 and the pivot bar 40, to extend in an upwards direction, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

10 The track 12 may be attached to the chair by, for instance, laying the track on the ground. The track may include a releasable catch or catches 50 that may be at what, in use, will be the lower end of the track. The catch or catches 50 may include a resiliently biased member 52 that normally closes an opening 54. When the axle 16 of the chair is pressed down towards the opening the axle may engage an angled face 15 of the member 52 to bias that member away from the opening thereby allowing the axle to enter the opening. The axle is trapped when the axle passes the member 52 as the member then snaps back under the resilient bias to close the opening.

The catches may have releasable such as by pulling the member 52 back via a 20 handle 54 which may be effected by one hand for example, to expose the opening and to allow the axle 16 to leave the opening.

With the axle 16 pivotally attached to the track 12 the track may then be moved in an anticlockwise direction when viewing Figure 1 to allow a catch or catches of the 25 track or chair to engage with the other of the track or chair.

The track may include a catch or catches 56. The catches 56 may be arranged to engage with the chair in the region of the rear of the seat. The catches 56 may comprise outwardly biased pins 58 at either end of a tube 60. Upon upwards pivotal 30 movement of the track each pin may abut a rearwardly and outwardly directed plate 62 of the chair to force the pins 58 into the tube against their bias. When the pins 58 meet an opening 64 in the plate the pins spring back to occupy the openings 64 to attach the track to the chair.

35

Due to the stresses that may be on a chair, for example by patients of differing weights being seated on the chair when attaching the track, the opening 64 may be

7

elongate for example in a generally radial direction with respect to the rotational movement of the track when attaching the track to the chair. Thus the pins may occupy one end region of the opening 64 when a light patient occupiers the chair and the other end region when a heavy patient occupies the chair.

5

The track may be released from the openings 64 by squeezing together, with one hand for example, spaced handles 66 that are connected to each pin 58 as that extent though slots in the tube 60 to move the pins into the tube.

10 The tube 60 is connected to the track 12 via a linkage 68. In the position shown in Figure 7 the linkage allows the track to remain up against the back of the chair. In this position the patient can be manoeuvred by tipping back the chair on the wheels and moving the chair by rotation of the wheels.

15 The linkage 68 may comprise first spaced links 70 which may be pivotally connected to the end regions of the tube 60, and may further comprise spaced track links 72 that may be pivotally connected to the links 70 and the track 12.

A handle 74 that may be connected to one of the links 70 may be urged in a 20 rearward and downward direction, by for example one hand only, to cause the linkage to move the track to the position shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. The linkage may hold the track in that position by the pivots between the linkage being over centre. The lever 74 may be moved in the opposite direction to allow the track to return to the position show in Figure 7.

25

In the position shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 the track may extend at 40 to 70°or 50 to 65 or 55 to 60 or 57° to the horizontal when the ground supports 22 rest thereon.

To move a patient down (or up) a stair the back of the chair is tilted rearwardly 30 about the wheels to decrease the angle of the track to the horizontal by 10 to 20 or in the region of 15°.

One operative may then hold handle 76 in the region of the feet of the patient and the other operative may hold the handles. For a tall operative or in any event a 35 telescopically mounted upper handle 78 may be extended by releasing a detent 80,

8

pulling out the handle 78 to the desired extent, and then allow the detent to return to one of a number of openings in the telescopic mounting.

The track then engages with the ends of the stair treads. The track is known in 5 the art and may comprise spaced track loops 82 that each pass around wheels 84 at each end. The wheels 84 are mounted on pivots connected to a plate 86 on each side of the track loops. Pivot wheels 88 may also be connected to plates 86 to maintain the spacing of the track loops between their ends. A friction member 90 may be provided to resist movement of the loops 80 about the end wheels 84.

10

The track is mounted between the wheels 14 of the chair. Consequently the distance between the track loops 82 is relatively small. This may have the advantage that the chair can turn in a tighter circle. This may be advantageous when negotiating a turn in a series of stair threads.

15

It can be seen that the handles 66 that allow the track to be released from the upper region of the chair are accessible between the track loops. Thus the track may be readily released by an operative operating the release of the handless 66 with one hand and allowing the track to pivot to the ground with the other hand.

20

A further advantage of the present invention may be that a building or an ambulance may be equipped with the chair with the track either mounted on the chair or separate from the chair.

25 Further, a more compact storage arrangement may be effected by storing the chair and the track separately from each other.

In addition, when a patient is required to be moved downstairs, for instance, it is only necessary for an operative to carry either the chair or the track at any one time to

30 the floor that the patient is located on. There is less risk of a back injury by such separate carrying compared to having to carry the heavy combined chair and track. As there are normally two operatives attending the patient both parts of the chair may be carried upstairs at the same time by different operatives. When at the required location the track and chair can be attached.

35

9

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

5

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

10

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic 15 series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and 20 drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

10

Claims

Claims:

1. A patient transport chair and track arrangement, the chair including a seat and a back and rotational conveying means, the track including an elongate extent arranged

5 to convey the chair along an inclined surface support wherein the track is detachably mounted on the chair.

2. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 1 in which the rotational conveying means include a pair of spaced wheels mounted on a common axis and in

10 which the track has a width less than the distance between the two wheels.

3. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the track and chair are detachably mounted at two spaced locations.

15

4. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 3 in which one location is an upper location and the other is a lower location.

5. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim in which the track are arranged to be detachably mounted on the chair by relative movement of

20 the track and chair.

6. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 5 in which, when the track and chair are engaged at one location relative pivotal movement of the track and chair is arranged to move the track into a position where the track and chair can be

25 engaged at the further spaced location.

7. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 6 in which the track and chair are arranged to engage with each other by relative movement of the track and chair at the further spaced location.

30

8. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the engagement of the track and chair at at least one location is effected by a projection of one of the chair or track extending into an elongate opening of the other of the chair or track with the projection only occupying a part of the elongate opening.

35

11

9. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 8 in which the extent of elongation is in the direction between the spaced locations.

10. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim in which 5 the detachable mounting of the track and chair is effected by at least one catch on the track including movable parts.

11. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim in which detachable mounting is effected by at least one catch in which relative movement of

10 the chair and track is arranged to initially urge a biased member of the catch against that bias before that biased member is able to move back with the bias to assist in the mounting of the track and chair.

12. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim including a 15 handle arrangement operable to release at least one catch.

13. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim in which the track includes two spaced track loops.

20

14. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 12 and 13 in which the handle arrangement is accessible through the spaced track loops.

15. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in any preceding claim in which, when the track is detachably mounted on the chair the track is movable relative to the

25 chair between a stored position and an operational position.

16. A patient transport chair and track as claimed in claim 15 in which the movement of the track between the stored position and the operative position includes pivotal movement about at least one detachable mount of the chair and track.

30

17. A patient transport chair and track as claimed as claimed in any proceeding claim in which the chair is movable between a storage position and an operative position.

12

18. A track for detachable mounting on a patient transport chair in which the track includes detachable mounting means arranged to effect the detachable mounting of the track on the chair.

5

19. A track as claimed in claim 18 in which the claims detachable mounting means includes at least one releasable catch.

20. A track is claimed in claim 19 in which at least one releasable catch includes retractable opposed spigots arranged, when not retracted, to enter opposed openings

10 in a chair.

21. A track as claimed in claim 20 including a handle arrangement operable to simultaneously retract the spigots.

15

22. A track as claimed in any of claims 19 to 21 in which at least one releasable catch includes an opening normally closed by a biased member which member may be moved against the bias to expose the opening before being retracted to close the opening and to thereby trap part of a chair.

20

23. A track as claimed in any of claims 18 to 22 when incorporated in a patient transport chair and track arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17,

24. A patient transport chair arranged to have a track detachably mounted thereon, the chair having detachable mounting means arranged to effect the detachable

25 mounting of the track on the chair.

25. A chair as claimed in claim 24 in which the detachable mounting means includes at least one opening into which a retractable member of a track is arranged to enter to assist in the detachable mounting.

30

26. A chair as claimed in claim 25 in which the opening is elongate .

27. A chair as claimed in claim 26 including a further detachable mounting means in spaced from the elongate opening and in which the opening is elongate in the

35 direction towards the further detachable mounting means.

13

28. A chair as claimed in any of claims 23 to 27 for detachably mounting a track as claimed in any of claims 18 to 22 or when incorporated in a chair and track arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17.

5

29. A method of using a patient transport chair and track arrangement in which the chair includes a seat and a back and rotational conveying means and in which the track includes an elongate extent comprising mounting the track on the chair and conveying the chair along an inclined surface support and detaching the track and conveying the chair along a surface support with the rotational conveying means of 10 the chair.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 comprising attaching the track to the chair at one location and pivoting the track about that connection to attach the track and chair at a further spaced location.

15

31. A method as claimed in claim 29 or 30 comprising causing opposed spigots of the track to engage with angle surfaces of the chair upon relative movement of the track and chair to initially bias the spigots towards each other before the spigots spring outwardly away from each other to occupy opposed openings in the chair.

20

32. A method as claimed in claim 29, 30 or 31 in which at at least one location a projection of one of the track or chair is caused to occupy part only of an elongate slot in the other of the track or chair.

25

33. A method as claimed in any of claims 29 to 32 comprising at least partially mounting the track to the chair by lowering the chair onto the track with the track lying on the ground.

34. A method as claimed in any of claims 29 to 33 comprising effecting the 30 detachment of the track from the chair at at least one location by engaging a handle means with a single hand.

35. A method as claimed in claim 31 and 34 comprising releasing at least one catch by a single hand squeezing two release members of the handle means towards each

35 other to thereby withdraw opposed spigots of the track from openings in the chair.

14

36. A method as claimed in claim 34 or 35 comprising reaching between two spaced track loops to engage the handle means.

37. A method as claimed in any of claims 29 to 36 when using a patient transport 5 chair and track arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17.

INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY OFFICE

Application No: GB 1202350.3 Examiner: MrPaulMakin

Claims searched: 1-37 Date of search: 7 June 2012

Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17

Documents considered to be relevant: