Patient transfer system
AssigneeErgodyne Corporation
InventorThomas W. Votel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patient transfer system is provided which enables a single operator to transfer a patient from a first horizontal surface to a second horizontal surface. The transfer is accomplished with minimal risk of injury to the operator and patient. The patient transfer system includes a transfer caddy, transfer bridge and transfer rod. The transfer caddy is mobile and contains means for storing the transfer bridge and transfer rod. The transfer bridge and transfer rod are foldable for storage and transport.
Claims59
A system for enabling a person to singly and ergonomically transfer a patient disposed on a sheet, the system comprising a caddy, the caddy comprising:
- means for enabling the person to transport the caddy from a first location to a second location, the transport means being operably disposed proximate the caddy;
- a power train;
- a hook and web assembly including one or more webs attachable to the power train and one or more transfer hooks attachable to the one or more webs and releasably attachable to the sheet;
- a power and switching system in electrical communication with the power train;
- and
- means for adjusting a vertical position of the hook and web assembly including an actuator assembly operably adjoined to the hook and web assembly.
A movable caddy for enabling a single person to ergonomically turn a patient disposed on a sheet in cooperation with sheet gripping means or to transfer the patient from a first horizontal surface to a second horizontal surface in cooperation with the sheet gripping means, the caddy comprising:
- a base assembly including means enabling a single person to transport the caddy from a first site to a second site;
- a vertically adjustable head assembly including a power train, the power train including a motor, a plurality of magnetic clutches, a plurality of slip plates, and a plurality of spools, each magnetic clutch being in mechanical communication with the motor, each slip plate being in magnetic communication with one of the magnetic clutches, each spool being in mechanical communication with one of the slip plates, the magnetic clutches and slip plates cooperating to exert a gradually accelerable transfer force;
- and
- a hook and web assembly including a plurality of webs and means for gripping the sheet, a first end of each web being windably attachable to one of the spools, said sheet gripping means being attachable to a second end of each of the webs, the sheet gripping means gripping a portion of the sheet and thereby transmitting the transfer force to the gripped sheet.
A patient transfer caddy for singly and ergonomically transferring a patient disposed on a sheet comprising:
- a base assembly including one or more castors for movement of the caddy;
- a power train;
- a clamping and strap assembly including one or more straps attachable to the power train and one or more clamping devices attachable to the one or more straps and releasably attachable to the sheet;
- a power and switching system in electrical communication with the power train;
- and
- an actuator assembly operably adjoined to the base assembly and the clamping and strap assembly for adjusting the vertical position of the clamping and strap assembly.
The patient transfer caddy of 38, wherein the transfer rod further includes means for accommodating the one or more clamping devices when at least a portion of the sheet is wrapped about the transfer rod.
A method of moving a patient disposed on a sheet comprising the steps of:
- positioning proximate to a patient support a patient transfer caddy comprising:
- a base assembly including one or more castors for movement of the caddy;
- a power train;
- a clamping and strap assembly including one or more straps attachable to the power train and one or more clamping devices attachable to the one or more straps and releasably attachable to the sheet;
- a power and switching system in electrical communication with the power train;
- and
- an actuator assembly operably adjoined to the base assembly and the clamping and strap assembly for adjusting the vertical position of the clamping and strap assembly;
- reversibly securing a portion of the sheet in said one or more clamping devices;
- and
- actuating said power train thereby retracting the one or more straps and moving the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.