US 5,394,576 A · Patient support system fastening device and method

Abstract

A fastening device for flexible sheeting members that must be reliably joined at times and easily disengaged at other times is provided along with a method for using same in connection with a patient support system that includes a pressurizable chamber. A male member desirably has two sections formed of relatively softer material. The female member desirably includes a pair of opposed wing members configured so that external pressure exerted against each wing member toward the other wing member has the effect of leveraging the wing members to positively lock the fastening device. A cord closure has a manually operable release mechanism, which is spring biased to engage a cord member anchored at opposite ends to a flexible sheet secured to the fastening device. The operator selects where along the length of the cord member the cord closure is to be engaged to shorten the length of the flexible sheet. In this way, the fastening device can be selectively pulled down below the patient support surface so as not to contact the patient.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A patient support system, comprising:

a tank;
a diffuser board carried by said tank;
a mass of fluidizable material disposed on said diffuser board;
a first flexible sheet configured and disposed to retain said fluidizable material above said diffuser board in the form of a patient support surface;
a filter sheet disposed above said fluidizable material;
a means for fastening together at least one predetermined section of said flexible sheet to at least one predetermined section of said filter sheet to form a pressurizable chamber;
and
a pull-down means for selectively disposing said fastening means by an operator away from said patient support surface.

5 more elements

An improved fastening device for securing together flexible sheets of material defining at least one pressurizable chamber of a patient support system, the fastening device comprising:

a male member having a substantially uniform cross-sectional profile along substantially the length thereof, said male member including a head portion and a stem portion defined below said head portion, said stem portion being configured to be secured to one sheet of material;
and
a female member having a substantially uniform cross-sectional profile along substantially the length thereof, said female member including a receiving pocket configured to receive said male member head portion, said pocket being configured with an entrance into said pocket, said female member including a pair of opposed wing members, each said wing member being configured to extend from said entrance at an angle so as to diverge from said entrance and from said other wing member, whereby external pressure exerted against said wing members leverages said wing members to positively narrow said entrance of said pocket, said female member including a stem portion configured for being secured to another sheet of material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Patient support system fastening device and method

Life of this patent

Patient support system fastening device and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21