# US 11,896,537 B2 · Apparatus and method for reorienting a person between a supine position and a prone position > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,537 B2 - Document ID: US11896537B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/662,965 - Filed: 2022-05-11 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-29 - Assignees: Melior Motus Inc. - Applicants: Melior Motus Inc. - Inventors: Stephen Douglas Beed; Arad Gharagozli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896537B2 ## CPC - A61G 7/1026: {Sliding sheets or mats} - A61G 7/1036: {facilitating loading and unloading of the patient, e.g. using flaps or additional tilting} - A61G 7/1038: {Manual lifting aids, e.g. frames or racks} - A61G 7/1051: {Flexible harnesses or slings} - A61G 7/1055: {Suspended platforms, frames or sheets for patient in lying position} - A61G 7/1073: {Parts, details or accessories} - A61G 7/1078: {Clamps for flexible harnesses} - A61G 7/1015: {Cables, chains or cords} - A61G 7/1017: {Pivoting arms, e.g. crane type mechanisms} - A61G 7/1046: {Mobile bases, e.g. having wheels} - A61G 2200/30: Specific positions of the patient - A61G 2200/322: lateral - A61G 2200/327: supine - A61G 2200/54: Shoulder - A61G 2200/60: Elbow - A61G 2210/30: for intensive care - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) ## Abstract An apparatus for reorienting a person includes a wrap having a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion being releasably securable to one another along an anterior region of the wrap between lateral sides of the person and along a posterior region of the wrap between the lateral sides of the person via a set of fasteners. Each of the lateral portions are dimensioned to extend around a corresponding one of the lateral sides of the person and having anterior and posterior edges that are dimensioned to extend at most partway across to an opposite one of the lateral sides of the person. The wrap is made from flexible materials and dimensioned to extend at least from below knees of the person to above the elbows of the person and snugly retain the person therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for reorienting a person between a supine position and a prone position, comprising: a wrap having a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, each of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion having a posterior edge and an anterior edge opposite the posterior edge and being dimensioned to extend from an anterior region and around to a posterior region of a person from at least from below the knees of the person to above the elbows of the person, each of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion being substantially flexible in the region extending from the anterior edge and in the region extending from the posterior edge; a first set of fasteners for releasably securing the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion together towards the posterior edges thereof, each of the first set of fasteners being dimensioned to extend at most partway across from the posterior edges of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion towards one of the lateral sides of the person; a second set of fasteners for releasably securing the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion together towards the anterior edges thereof, each of the second set of fasteners being dimensioned to extend at most partway across from the anterior edges of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion towards one of the lateral sides of the person, the wrap extending around and snugly retaining the person therein when the first and second sets of fasteners are secured; and a set of connectors along at least one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion extending from the knees or below the knees to the elbows or above the elbows of the person and being located towards a corresponding one of the lateral sides of the person when the person is retained in the wrap, the set of connectors being couplable to a hoist for lifting the wrap and the person retained in the wrap to reorient the person between the supine position and the prone position on a surface, wherein, in the supine position, the second set of fasteners are openable to expose the anterior region of the person, and wherein, in the prone position, the first set of fasteners are openable to expose the posterior region of the person. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of connectors includes loops. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support structure coupled or couplable to a hoist and to the set of connectors to inhibit relative movement of the knees, hips, and shoulders of the person when secured in the wrap and coupled to the hoist. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the support structure has a set of wrap connectors for coupling to the set of connectors of the wrap retaining a person along a longitudinal axis of the person, the support structure having a set of hoist connectors dimensioned to be couplable to a hoist, the set of hoist connectors enabling coupling of the hoist to the support structure at at least two positions along the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the support structure is inflexible to bowing towards the person-retaining structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the support structure is a rigid member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of connectors is a first set of connectors along one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion, and wherein a second set of connectors is positioned along an opposite one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion extending from the knees or below the knees to the elbows or above the elbows of the person and being located towards another corresponding one of the lateral sides of the person when the person is retained in the wrap, the set of connectors being couplable to a hoist for lifting the wrap and the person retained in the wrap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expansion portion that is positionable between the anterior edges of the first and second lateral portions or between the posterior edges of the first and second lateral portions to enlarge the wrap. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion includes a set of handles positioned towards midway between the posterior edge and the anterior edge along at least one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, the set of handles is a first set of handles positioned along the first lateral portion, and wherein a second set of handles is positioned along the second lateral portion and located towards midway between the posterior edge and the anterior edge of the second lateral portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion includes a flap that is openable to expose a section of the posterior region of the person while the wrap remains secured thereon. ### Claim 12 A method for reorienting a person from a supine position to a prone position, comprising: securing a wrap around a person via a set of releasably securable fasteners, the wrap having substantially flexible anterior and posterior regions positioned on anterior and posterior regions of the person, respectively, when the wrap is secured on the person, the wrap extending around and snugly retaining the person therein when the set of releasably securable fasteners are secured, the wrap having a set of connectors being located towards a corresponding one of the lateral sides of the person when the person is retained in the wrap; coupling a hoist to the set of connectors; at least partially elevating the person from the supine position on a surface with the hoist; laterally shifting the hoist to reposition the person; lowering the person into the prone position on the surface; and opening the set of releasably securable fasteners to expose the posterior region of the person. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the wrap is dimensioned to extend from at least from below the knees of the person to above the elbows of the person. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least partially elevating the person comprises fully elevating the person off of the surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the coupling comprises: coupling the hoist to a support structure that is rigid; and coupling the support structure to the set of connectors. ### Claim 16 A method for reorienting a person from a supine position to a prone position, comprising: securing a wrap on the person via a set of releasably securable fasteners; securing a hoist to a set of connectors positioned on the wrap towards one of the lateral sides of the person when the person is retained in the wrap; at least partially elevating the person with the hoist from the supine position on a surface; laterally shifting the hoist to reposition the person; and lowering the person into the prone position on the surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the wrap is dimensioned to extend from at least from below the knees of the person to above the elbows of the person. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least partially elevating the person comprises fully elevating the person off of the surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein securing the hoist comprises: coupling the hoist to a support structure that is rigid; and coupling the support structure to the set of connectors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising opening the set of releasably securable fasteners to expose a posterior region of the person.