# US 5,699,568 A · Stretcher for immobilizing a patient or casualty

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- Number: US 5,699,568 A
- Document ID: US5699568A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/839,733
- Filed: 1997-04-15
- Granted: 1997-12-23
- Earliest claimed: 1996-05-13
- Inventors: Paul R. Couldridge
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699568A

## CPC

- A61G 1/01: Sheets specially adapted for use as or with stretchers (restraining devices used in nursing A61F5/37)
- 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

A stretcher for immobilizing a patient or casualty has a wrap-around flexible sheet member with a longitudinally extending medial portion positionable under a patient or casualty and side panel portions extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the medial portion. One side panel portion is foldable across the top of a patient or casualty and the other side panel portion is foldable across the top of the patient or casualty and the top of the one side panel portion. Each side panel portion has at least one slit which is substantially vertically aligned with a corresponding slit in the other side panel portion, when the side panel portions are folded across the top of a patient or casualty, to provide access to the patient or casualty through the aligned slits. Longitudinally spaced adjustable fastening devices are provided to secure the other side panel portion in place across the top of the patient and the one other side panel portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stretcher assembly for immobilizing a patient or casualty comprising:
a wrap-around flexible sheet member having a longitudinally extending medial portion positionable under a patient or casualty and side panel portions extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the medial portion,
one side panel portion being foldable across the top of a patient or casualty and the other side panel portion being foldable across the top of the patient or casualty and the top of said one side panel portion,
each side panel portion having at least one slit which is substantially vertically aligned with a corresponding slit in the other side panel portion, when the side panel portions are folded across the top of a patient or casualty, to provide access to the patient or casualty through the aligned slits, and
longitudinally spaced adjustable fastening devices to secure said other side panel portion in place across the top of the patient and said one other side panel portions,
the sheet member having a forward pair of laterally spaced apertures and a rear pair of laterally spaced apertures, and
a conventional collapsible stretcher having a pair of carrying poles and a length of canvas extending therebetween, each carrying pole having a front foot and a rear foot extending downwardly through apertures in the canvas or similar material,
the front feet of the carrying poles also passing downwardly through said forward pair of laterally spaced apertures in the sheet member, and the rear feet of the carrying poles also passing downwardly through said rear pair of laterally spaced apertures in the sheet member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A stretcher assembly according to claim 1 wherein each side panel portion has a laterally outer edge with a longitudinally extending tunnel containing a strengthening rod.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A stretcher assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sheet member comprises an outer part of waterproof material and an inner part of thermally insulating material, both the outer part and the inner part having said medial and side panel portions.