Storage and carrier apparatus for patient transport litter

A backpack carrier for storing a foldable stretcher and detachably mounting to a transportation tool, wherein said backpack carrier comprises:

• a lightweight but durable fabric made backpack body, which is adapted for being carried by a user, which comprises a back panel, an upper holder provided at an upper edge of said back panel, and a separate lower holder provided at a lower edge of said back panel and vertically spaced apart from the upper holder to define a receiving cavity with said back panel, said upper holder, and said lower holder for receiving said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity;
• first and second quick-releasing fasteners provided at said upper and lower holders respectively opposite the back panel and fastenable together for retaining said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity, wherein said first and second quick-releasing fasteners are adapted for being quickly unfastened by said user to take said foldable stretcher out of said backpack body;
• and
• a transportation carrier, comprising:
• a carriage sleeve detachably mounting to said backpack body for securely locking said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity;
• and
• a transportation mount provided at said carriage sleeve for detachably mounting said backpack body to said transportation tool, wherein said backpack carrier is adapted to be used between a transportation-carriage mode and a user-carriage mode, wherein at said transportation-carriage mode, said backpack body is carried by said transportation tool for being transported, and at said user-carriage mode, said backpack body is quickly detached from said transportation carrier for said user to carry.

A storage and deployment system for a patient transport litter, comprising:

• a fabric-made backpack body including a back panel, an upper bag section provided at an upper end of said back panel, and a separate lower bag section provided at a lower end of said back panel, said upper and lower bag sections spaced apart to define a receiving cavity with said back panel, said upper bag section, and said lower bag section for receiving said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity;
• first and second quick-releasing buckle components attached to said upper and lower bag sections, respectively, and fastenable together for retaining said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity, wherein said first and second quick-releasing buckle components are adapted for being quickly unfastened by said user to take said foldable stretcher out of said backpack body;
• and
• a transportation carrier, comprising:
• a carrier support mount detachably mounting to said backpack body for securely locking said foldable stretcher in said receiving cavity;
• and
• a transportation mount provided at said carrier support mount for detachably mounting said backpack body to said vehicle, wherein said backpack carrier is adapted to be used between a storage mode and a deployment mode, wherein at said storage mode, said backpack body is securely retained by said transportation carrier for storage or transport, and at said deployment mode, said backpack body is detached from said transportation carrier for said user to carry.

An apparatus for casualty evacuation, comprising:

• a litter carrier for carrying a patient transport litter to a site of use, the litter carrier including (i) a back panel with an exterior face bearing a first component of hook-and-loop fastener material, the back panel having opposite top and bottom ends, (ii) a bag portion attached to the back panel, the bag portion supporting and confining the patient transport litter and manually openable to release the patient transport litter from the litter carrier for use, (iii) a pair of shoulder straps each having first and second ends secured to the back panel proximate the respective top and bottom ends thereof to form first and second shoulder loops spaced apart and extending over the back panel, the first and second shoulder loops sized and arranged to fit around a wearer's left and right shoulders, respectively, for carrying the litter carrier and patient transport litter on a wearer's back;
• and
• a support mount for releasably mounting the litter carrier to a vehicle or other supporting structure, the support mount including:
• a mounting panel including an outer face adapted to be secured to a vehicle or other supporting structure, and an inner face bearing a second component of hook-and-loop fastener material that interengages with the first component of hook-and-loop fastener material on the back panel of the litter carrier to releasably fasten the litter carrier to the support mount when the respective back panel and mounting panel are placed in adjacent facing relationship, and
• a pair of flexible side flaps attached to and extending laterally from the mounting panel transversely of the first and second shoulder loops when the respective back panel and mounting panel are placed in adjacent facing relationship, the side flaps sized to wrap around the litter carrier when the litter carrier is positioned adjacent an inner face of the mounting panel of the support mount, each side flap having a buckle component for releasably joining together the respective side flaps snugly around the litter carrier to thereby maintain positive contact between the first and second hook-and-loop fastener material and to secure the litter carrier to the support mount and the supporting structure,
• wherein the first and second components of hook-and-loop fastener material comprise the sole means of attaching the litter carrier to the support mount when the side flaps are not joined together around the litter carrier, such that the litter carrier is detachable from the support mount by releasing the buckle components and pulling the litter carrier from the support mount to disengage the first and second components of hook-and-loop fastener material, and thereafter wearable as a backpack for carrying the patient transport litter.