Multi-point soft restraint apparatus and method

Abstract

An inventive restraint connection system and method of use thereof are provided. The inventive restraint connection system consists of a number of point connector elements that releasably attach to wrist and ankle cuff elements of an existing mechanical restraint system already applied to a subject, that also releasably attach to a stationary or mobile structure, such as a bed or wheelchair. Four point connector elements are typically utilized (two for the wrists and two for the ankles) with an optional fifth leg connector element that releasably centrally attaches to an interlink between ankle cuffs. The point connector elements may be utilized in conjunction with any mechanical restraint system where at least the wrist and ankle cuff modules are supplied with releasable connectors that correspond to the releasable connectors utilized in the point restraint connector elements. During use of the inventive restraint connection system, the restrained subject is placed onto the structure, and the cuff modules (and optionally the ankle interconnect) are releasably connected to the point connector elements by simply snapping in the cuff module connectors into the corresponding connectors on the point connector elements. In an emergency the releasable connectors may be quickly disengaged enabling the subject to be easily removed from the stationary restraint position while advantageously maintaining the application of the existing restraint system to the subject.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.