WO2006025751A1

WO2006025751A1 - A mobile support for a hoist

Info

Publication number: WO2006025751A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2005/000226
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Frank Spensley
Original assignee: CUNNINGPLANZ Ltd
Current assignee: CUNNINGPLANZ Ltd
Priority date: 2004-09-02
Filing date: 2005-08-30
Publication date: 2006-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-02

Abstract

A mobile support for a hoist including a frame (101) wherein the frame is mounted on a plurality of casters (109, 116); the frame is adapted to support a hoist (313) and sling (111). The invention is directed towards a moving an invalid between seats in a cramped area. The types of hoist used could include a manual hoist, a hydraulic hoist or a motorised hoist that can run either on a battery or on external power.

Description

TITLE: A mobile support for a hoist

Technical Field

This invention relates to a mobile support for a hoist, adapted to transport a mobility- impaired person between different seats.

Background

Moving between a wheelchair and a fixed seat can be difficult for both the mobility- impaired and for those assisting them, particularly in cramped conditions such as the aisle of an aircraft. Assistants can sustain back injuries by not using a proper lifting technique, either through ignorance or because there simply is not enough room to employ the correct technique.

In hospitals and rest homes, or in the permanent homes of the mobility-impaired, special hoists and slings can be mounted to enable carers to move people easily between, for example, a wheelchair and a bed, without the risk of injury. While it is possible for such units to be mobile, known mobile supports are very bulky.

Known mobile units are unworkable in cramped conditions, and a permanent fixture is uneconomic in a context such as commercial aircraft, which may seldom carry the mobility-impaired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile support which is adapted for use in cramped conditions, such as a commercial aeroplane.

Disclosure of Invention

In this disclosure, the term "casters" is used to refer to wheels, rollers, casters or similar means of facilitating low-friction movement, which may be brakeable.

There is provided a mobile support for a hoist including a frame wherein: (i) the frame is mounted on a plurality of casters; (ii) the frame is adapted to support a conventional hoist and sling.

The hoist can be of any known type, including a manual hoist, a hydraulic ram, a motorised, battery-operated hoist and a motorised hoist which runs on external power. Preferably the support includes a bracket which pivots about an axle, wherein the bracket is attached at one end to the hoist and at the other to the sling.

Preferably the frame includes two spaced, substantially vertical supports, connected by a substantially horizontal section, and is adapted for use in an aeroplane, characterised in that the frame has: a width smaller than the width of an aisle in the aeroplane; a length larger than the depth of a seat in the aeroplane; and a height such that a passenger held in the sling will be higher than the seat height of a seat in the aeroplane.

Alternatively there is provided a mobile support for a hoist, including: a plurality of pivotally engaged frame sections, wherein: in one configuration, the frame sections create a frame including at least one substantially vertical element and at least one substantially horizontal element; the substantially vertical element is mounted on a plurality of casters; the substantially horizontal element is adapted to support a conventional hoist and sling; and the substantially horizontal element includes means for engaging an operator, such that the weight of the hoist and sling is shared between the substantially vertical element of the frame and the operator.

Brief Description of Drawings By way of example only, two preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a first side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a rear elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 shows a second side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention in use in an aeroplane; and

Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment of the invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

A preferred embodiment of the support 100 is described with reference to the drawings. Frame 101 is described with reference to a plane AB which bisects frame 101 down its central longitudinal axis.

Frame 101 is constructed out of hollow tubing and is a rigid structure capable of supporting the weight of a conventional sling 111 carrying a passenger (not shown).

Frame 101 includes two first vertical frame elements 102, which are rigidly held a fixed distance apart by a lower first spacing element 103 and an upper first spacing element 301. The first vertical frame elements 102 each contain a first angled section 302, which slope in a plane perpendicular to the plane AB so that upper first spacing element 301 is longer than lower first spacing element 103.

Integrally formed with or rigidly connected to each first vertical frame element 102 is a horizontal frame element 104. The two horizontal frame elements 104 are rigidly held a fixed distance apart by second spacing elements 105.

Integrally formed with or rigidly connected to each horizontal frame element 104 is a second vertical frame element 106. The two second vertical frame elements 106 are rigidly held a fixed distance apart by a lower third spacing element 107 and an upper third spacing element 303. The two second vertical frame elements 106 include a sloping section 108 in the plane AB so that the bottom ends 106a of the two second vertical frame elements 106 are a greater distance from the first vertical frame elements 102 than the top ends 106b of the second vertical frame elements 106. Within each sloping section 108 is a second angled section 304, which slope in a plane perpendicular to the plane AB so that upper third spacing element 303 is longer than lower third spacing element 107. The bottom ends 106a may be curved outwards towards the casters 116, to increase a user's foot-space.

Casters 109 and 116 are attached to the bottom of each of the first vertical frame elements 102 and the second vertical frame elements 106 respectively. Casters 109 and 116 are of a standard type, are capable of rotation through 360°, and are brakeable. First lower spacing element 103 and third lower spacing element 107 are an equal first length. First upper spacing element 301 , second spacing elements 105 and third upper spacing element 303 are all an equal second length, which is longer than the first length. The first vertical frame elements 102 and second vertical frame elements 106 reach the same height, so that the horizontal frame elements 104 are essentially parallel to the ground.

Inner frame elements 304 comprise a first vertical inner frame element 305, first inner frame sloping section 306, inner frame horizontal element 307, second inner frame sloping section 308 and second vertical inner frame element 309, all formed integrally or rigidly connected together. Each first vertical inner frame element 305 is parallel to a corresponding first vertical element 102, each inner frame horizontal element 307 is parallel to a corresponding horizontal element 104 and each second vertical inner frame element 309 is parallel to a corresponding second vertical element 106. A plate 310 is rigidly connected between each inner frame element 304 and an adjacent side of the frame 101.

An axle 311 is mounted between the two plates 310 perpendicular to the plane AB. A bracket 312 is pivotally mounted on axle 311 so that a first end 312a of the bracket 312 is further from axle 311 than a second end 312b. A sling 111 is suspended from first end 312a of bracket 312.

Mounted on frame 101 is a conventional hydraulic ram 313, which may be raised by use of a handle 314 and lowered by releasing a valve 315 in the conventional manner. The piston of hydraulic ram 313 is attached to the second end 312b of the bracket 312. When the hydraulic ram 313 is used to lower the second end 312b of the bracket 312, bracket 312 pivots about axle 311 and first end 312a rises, raising sling 111.

Fig. 6 indicates the preferred dimensions of the frame 101. The first and second vertical frame elements 102 and 106 must be sufficiently long that a passenger suspended in the sling 111 is above the height of a seat 2 in a commercial aeroplane. The horizontal frame elements 104 must be longer than the depth of seat 2, and spacing elements 103 and 107 must be significantly shorter than the width of aisle 3 in a commercial aeroplane. In use, the support 100 is positioned over a passenger in a wheelchair (not shown). Sling 111 is positioned under the passenger, and hydraulic ram 313 and bracket 312 are used to raise sling 111 as described above. The support 100 then carries the full weight of the passenger. The wheelchair is then removed.

The support 100 can be moved down the aisle 3 on casters 109 and 116 to the seat 2, and then moved sideways into position over the seat 2 on the rotating casters 109 and 116. The passenger is then lowered in the sling 111 on to the seat 2 using hydraulic ram 313 in the conventional manner and support 100 is removed. The sling may be removed or may be left in place under the passenger.

The reverse process can be used to help a passenger to disembark from the aeroplane and reach a wheelchair in the terminal.

A second preferred embodiment of the support 200 is shown in Fig. 4. The support 200 is comprised of three rectangular frame sections: first frame section 201 , second frame section 202 and third frame section 203. First frame section 201 is pivotally attached to second frame section 202 by means of a first lockable pivot 204. The outer dimensions of second frame section 202 are smaller than the inner dimensions of first frame section 201. Second frame section 202 is pivotally attached to third frame section 203 by means of a second lockable pivot 205. The outer dimensions of third frame section 203 are smaller than the inner dimensions of second frame section 202.

Casters 206 are attached to the third frame section 203 at the opposite end from second lockable pivot 205. Casters 206 are of a standard type, and are capable of rotation through 360°.

A shoulder harness 207 is attached to first frame section 201 at the opposite end from first lockable pivot 204.

For storage, second frame section 202 is rotated about first lockable pivot 204 until it lies inside first frame section 201. First lockable pivot 204 is then locked into position.

Third frame section 203 is rotated about second lockable pivot 205 until it lies inside second frame section 202. Second lockable pivot 205 is then locked into position. This reduces the entire frame to a size which is easily carried by hand or stored in a bag until the support 200 is needed again.

To prepare the support 200 for use, second frame section 202 is rotated about first lockable pivot 204 until it is perpendicular to first frame section 201. First lockable pivot 204 is then locked into place. Third frame section 203 is rotated about second lockable pivot 205 until it is in line with second frame section 202. Second lockable pivot 205 is then locked into place. A hoist (not shown) supporting a sling (not shown) is then attached to first frame section 201.

An operator (not shown) places the shoulder harness 207 over their shoulders so that the weight of the support 200 is shared between the casters 206 and the operator.

In use, the support 200 is positioned over the passenger, and the sling is lifted by means of the hoist until the weight of the passenger is borne by the combination of the support 200 and the operator.

The operator can then move the support 200 on the casters 206 by pushing support 200 while walking, so that the passenger is transported to another location. The hoist is then used to lower the passenger into another seat.

Claims

1. A mobile support for a hoist including a frame wherein: (i) the frame is mounted on a plurality of casters; (ii) the frame is adapted to support a hoist and sling.

2. A mobile support according to claim 1 , wherein the hoist is selected from the group comprising: a manual hoist, a hydraulic ram, a motorised, battery-operated hoist and a motorised hoist which runs on external power.

3. A mobile support according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the support includes a bracket which pivots about an axle, wherein the bracket is attached at one end to the hoist and at the other to the sling.

4. A mobile support according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame includes two spaced, substantially vertical supports, connected by a substantially horizontal section, and is adapted for use in an aeroplane, characterised in that the frame has: a width smaller than the width of an aisle in the aeroplane; a length larger than the depth of a seat in the aeroplane; and a height such that a passenger held in the sling will be higher than the seat height of a seat in the aeroplane.

5. A mobile support for a hoist, including: a plurality of pivotally engaged frame sections, wherein: in one configuration, the frame sections create a frame including at least one substantially vertical element and at least one substantially horizontal element; the substantially vertical element is mounted on a plurality of casters; the substantially horizontal element is adapted to support a conventional hoist and sling; and the substantially horizontal element includes means for engaging an operator, such that the weight of the hoist and sling is shared between the substantially vertical element of the frame and the operator.

6. A mobile support as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for engaging an operator are selected from the list comprising: a harness, a yoke and handles.