Cover support assembly

[57] ABSTRACT

An apparatus for suspending and supporting a cover

Claims, 4 Drawing Figures

<img file="US3798685A_D0001.tif" />

PATENTED MAR261974

SHEET 1 OF 2

3:798^685

<img file="US3798685A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US3798685A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US3798685A_D0004.tif" />

SHEET 2 OF 2

PATENTED MAR 2 6 1974

3,798,685

<img file="US3798685A_D0005.tif" />

3,798,685

COVER SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a support for a cover and, 5 more particularly, to a cover support assembly, and to a cover support assembly system, adapted in preferred embodiments for use with a conventional medical stretcher.

As a preliminary matter, it is to be noted and to be remembered that the word “cover,” as used heretofore and hereinafter, is intended to be broadly used and to mean anything which is, or can be, used to cover the occupier of a “reclining apparatus,” such as a stretcher or litter, a cot, or a bed. A “cover” may constitute or include, by way of illustration, linens (such as bed sheets), blankets, and even, for example, a “cover” in the shape of an inhalation therapy-type canopy.

Cover supports, and cover support assemblies, are not per se novel. The state-of-the-art has progressed slowly, with some notable advancements being made during wars and other armed conflicts with regard to adaptations for specialized uses. Known cover supports, and cover support assemblies, in specific embodiments for a particular adaptation have, generally speaking, served the very specialized purpose intended. However, it is fair and accurate to say that there is no cover support, or cover support assembly, which is multi-purpose. The prior art, and our analysis and experience, clearly establish that the cover support, or cover support assembly, which is urgently needed and which is not presently available, should be multipurpose, as previsouly stated, and in addition should be articulated, compact, collapsible (i.e., foldable) and expandable (i.e., unfoldable), lightweight, portable, and, of course, inexpensive to manufacture, simple, and reliable.

We have invented such a cover support, or such a cover support assembly, and in addition a cover support assembly system. Thereby, we have achieved a goal long sought in the art; we have fulfilled a current urgent need; and, most importantly, we have, as a result, significantly advanced the state-of-the-art.

As a matter of convenience, and in the interest of brevity, our invention, and the fundamental features thereof, will be shown and described with regard to preferred embodiments, as adapted for use with a medical stretcher. The need for such adaptions of our invention in the medical art is particularly urgent. It is emphasized, however, that such adaptations are solely by way of illustration, and are not in any manner by reason of any limitation. As a related matter, it is to be remembered that the conventional medical stretcher comprises a “bed” portion, usually made of canvas and referred to as “the canvas,” and a supporting frame which includes two identical poles, also sometimes referred to as “bars” or “shafts,” in parallel spaced relationship to each other. As is well known, medical stretchers, or “stretchers” as they are more often referred to, are usually used to carry or to transport a sick, injured, or otherwise disabled person.

In addition to what has already been said hereinabove with regard to the cover support art, it is important to known, and to state herein, that it is usual, and most often necessary, to cover the sick, injured, or otherwise disabled person who is being carried or transported on a medical stretcher. The covering of the patient may be to protect, to provide warmth, or at least to provide privacy to the patient. Unfortunately, many patients, such as those having sever burns, amputations, and wounds, frequently cannot tolerate the weight, the tension, or the friction caused by the cover, even as light as a bed sheet, when the cover is in physical contact with the afflicted portions of the patient’s body,

Therefore, there has been, and there still is, a con10 tinuing, genuine and critical need for a cover support for a medical stretcher, wherein the cover used may be suspended and supported over the patient’s body, i.e., the cover does not physically touch the afflicted portions of the patients’s body. In addition, there is a press15 ing need for a support for a canopy-type cover which must be used with a medical stretcher to provide necessary inhalation therapy, such as oxygen and humidification, to a patient on the medical stretcher.

₂₀ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a cover support assembly, and to a cover support assembly system, for use with a reclining apparatus, such as a medical stretcher.

Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to ²⁵ provide an assembly and an assembly system which will support and suspend different types of covers, such as linen bed sheet or a canopy, over the occupier of different types of reclining apparatus, such as a stretcher or a litter, a cot, a bed, or the like, and therefore is multi³⁰ purpose.

Other equally important objects are that the cover support assembly and the cover support assembly be articulated, compact, collapsible (i.e., foldable) and expandable (i.e., unfoldable), lightweight, portable, ³³ and, of course, be inexpensive to manu-facture, simple, and reliable.

These objects, and related objects, of this invention will become readily apparent after a consideration of the description of our invention and reference to the 40 j · drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a conventional medical stretcher with a patient reclining thereon, and with ⁴⁵ a preferred embodiment of our invention in use with the stretcher and with said embodiment suspending and supporting a cover over the patient;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the preferred embodiment of our invention shown in FIG. 1; 50

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of our invention in use with a conventional medical stretcher and in use with an inhalation therapy canopy-type cover; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a conventional medical stretcher, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, with a patient reclining thereon, and with our second preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, in use with the stretcher and suspending and supporting a cover over 60 . the patient.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ₆₅ With reference to FIG. 1, therein is shown, in a side elevation view, a conventional medical stretcher 10 with a patient 20 reclining thereon. Also shown is a preferred embodiment 30 of our invention which is in use

3,798,685 of first vertical leg 41 to said first end 32 of said horizontal cross member 31, may include: a first circular disk 36 fixedly attached to the horizontal cross member 31 at the first end 32 thereof, with the first circular disk 5 36 having a geometric center with an opening 36A thereat and therethrough, and with first disk 36 also having a suitably positioned arcuate slot 36B therethrough, and with first disk 36 further having a front surface 36C and a rear surface 36D; a third circular 10 disk 44 fixedly attached to the first vertical leg 41 at the first end 42 thereof, and with disk 44 being of the same size as disk 36, and with disk 44 having a geometric center with an opening 44A thereat and therethrough of the same size as center opening 36A of disk 36, and 15 with disk 44 also having a front surface 44B and a rear surface 44C, with a pin 44D fixedly attached on and protruding from rear surface 44C, and with pin 44D projecting rearwardly (i.e., away from the reader) from rear surface 44C, and with rear surface 44C abut20 ting with and in registration with front surface 36C of first disk 36, and with pin 44D fitting into and movable within arcuate slot 36B of first disk 36; a first machine screw 45 having a head 45A, a body portion 45B, and end 45C, with body portion 45B and end 45C passing ²⁵ into and through center opening 44A of third disk 44 and the center opening 36A of first disk 36; a first nut 45D removably fitted on the end 45C and the body portion 45B of first machine screw 45; and, a first washer 45E interposed between the first nut 45D and the rear ³θ surface 36D of first disk 36, and with the washer 45E on body portion 45B of first machine screw 45.

As a matter of preference, pin 44D is made of stainless steel and has a “Phillips” pan head 45A, first nut 45D is hexagonal and of stainless steel, and first washer ³⁵ 45E is of the bowed spring, corrosion resistent type.

Also, it is to be noted, that first circular disk 36 is also fixedly attached to the rear surface 35 of horizontal cross member 31, as a matter of preference, although it (i.e., first circular disk 36) could be fixedly attached ⁴⁰ to the front surface 34 of horizontal cross member 31.

Again with reference to FIG. 2, the said second means for pivotally, and releasably, connecting said first end 52 of said second vertical leg 51 to said second ⁴³ end 33 of said horizontal cross member 31 is similar to said first means hereinbefore described and may include: a second circular disk 37 fixedly attached to the horizontal cross member 31 at the second end 33 thereof, with the second circular disk 37 having a geo⁵⁰ metric center and an opening 37A thereat and therethrough, and with second disk 37 also having a suitably positioned arcuate slot 37B therethrough, and with second disk 37 further having a front surface 37C and a 55 rear surface 37D; a fourth circular disk 46 fixedly at³ tached to the second vertical leg 51 at the first end 52 thereof, with disk 46 being of the same size as disk 37, and with disk 46 having a geometric center with an opening 46A thereat and therethrough of the same size 60 as the center opening 37A of disk 37, and with disk 46 also having a front surface 46B and a rear surface 46C with a pin 46D fixedly attached on and protruding from the front surface 46B of disk 46, and with pin 46D projecting forwardly (i.e., toward the reader) from the ₆₅ front surface 46B of disk 46, and with front surface 46B abutting with and in registration with rear surface 37 D of disk 37, and with pin 46D fitting into and movable within arcuate slot 37B of disk 37; a second machine with the stretcher and which is suspending and supporting a cover 70 (i.e., a linen bed sheet) over the patient 20 in a transverse position over the stretcher 10 and over the patient 20. The conventional medical stretcher 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a bed portion 11 (i.e., the canvas) and a supporting frame which, in turn, includes two identical carrying side poles (also referred to as “bars” or “shafts”), a first carrying side pole 12 and a second carrying side pole 13, which are in parallel spaced relationship to each other and which are, essentially, cylindrical.

Preferred embodiment 30, as shown in FIG. 1, includes, but is not limited to: a horizontal cross member 31, having a first end 32 and a second end 33; a first vertical leg 41, having a first end 42 and a second end 43, with first end 42 of first vertical leg 41 pivotally, and releasably, connected to first end 32 of horizontal crossmember 31; a second vertical leg 51, having a first end 52 and a second end (not shown in FIG. 1), with first end 52 of second vertical leg 51 pivotally , and releasably connected to second end 32 of horizontal cross member 31; a first clasp, or the like, 61 attached to second end 43 of first vertical leg 41, with clasp 61 releasably engaging first vertical leg 41 to first carrying side pole 12 by snugly fitting on first carrying side pole 12 and, thereby, also maintaining first vertical leg 41 in an upright-like position; and a second clasp, or the like (not shown in FIG. 1) identical to clasp 61 attached to second end (not shown in FIG. 1) of second vertical leg 51, with said second clasp releasably engaging second vertical leg 51 to second carrying side pole 13 by snugly fitting on second carrying side pole 13 and, thereby, also maintaining second vertical leg 51 in an uprightlike position. As can be easily seen, when our preferred embodiment 30 is used on a medical stretcher, such as 10, our preferred embodiment 30 forms, substantially, an inverted “U” in a transverse position over the stretcher 10 and over the patient 20, in addition to suspending and supporting the cover used, such as linen bed sheet 70, over the stretcher 10 and the patient 20.

With reference to FIG. 2, therein is shown, in an exploded view and in perspective, our preferred embodiment 30, which was shown in use in FIG. 1. Our preferred embodiment 30, comprises: horizontal cross member 31, with first and 32 and second end 33, and with front surfaces 34 and with rear surface 35; first vertical leg 41, with first end 42 and second end 43; first means for pivotally, and releasably, connecting said first end 42 of first vertical leg 41 to said first end 32 of said horizontal cross member 31; second vertical leg 51 with first end 52 and second end S3; second means for pivotally, and releasably, connecting said first end 52 of said second vertical leg 51 to said second end 33 of said horizontal cross member; third means for releasably engaging said second end 43 of said first vertical leg 41 to the first carrying side pole (12, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher (10, FIG. 1); and, fourth means for releasably engaging said second end 53 of said second vertical leg 51 to the second carrying side pole (13, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher (10, FIG. 1).

Horizontal cross member 31, and first vertical leg 41, and second vertical leg 51, are, but need not be, preferably of stainless steel tubing.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the said first means for pivotally, and releasably, connecting said first end 41

3,798,685 screw 47 having a head 47A, a body portion 47B, and end 47C, with body portion 47B and end 47C passing into and through center opening 37D of disk 37 and center opening 46A of disk 46; a second nut 47D removably fitted on the end 47C and body portion 47B f of second machine screw 47; and a second washer 47E interposed between the second nut 47D and the rear surface 46C of disk 46, and with the washer 47E on body portion 47B of second machine screw 46.

As a matter of preference, pin 46D is made of stain- 1 less steel, second machine screw 47 is of stainless steel and has a “Phillips” pan head 47A, second nut 47D is hexagonal and is of stainless steel, and second washer 47E is of the bowed spring, corrosion resistant type.

Also, it is to be further noted, that second circular 1 disk 37 is also fixedly attached to the front surface 34 of horizontal cross member 31, as a matter of preference, although it (i.e., second circular disk 37) could be fixedly attached to the rear surface 35 of horizontal cross member 31. ² and described with regard to the structure of our preferred embodiment 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Therefore, no useful purpose would be served by reiterating those components and their interconnection and their interaction. Accordingly, no such description is given here, arid the reader is respectfully referred back to our description of preferred embodiment 30. However, it is believed appropriate, for illustrative purposes to state that clasp 161 is identical to clasp 61 (FIGS. 1 and 3), ³⁰ that vertical leg 141 is identical to vertical leg 41 (FIGS. 1 and 3), that horizontal cross member 131 is identical to horizontal cross member 31 (FIGS. 1 and 3), that vertical leg 151 is identical to vertical leg 51 (FIGS. 1 and 3), and that clasp 162 is identical to clasp ³⁵ 62 (FIGS. 1 and 3).

Further with reference to FIG. 3, the said means for releasably connecting a plurality of said identical cover support assemblies, such as 30 and 130, in parallel spaced relationship, may include a plurality of spacers, ⁴⁰ such as 310 and 320, each of which is, as a matter of convenience and preference, but need not be, a (or in the form of a) connecting rod, as shown in FIG. 3. The releasable connecting rods 310 and 320 are, of course, of equal length.

⁴⁵ With reference to FIG. 4, therein is shown, a side elevation view of a conventional medical stretcher 10, such as already shown in and described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, with a patient 20 reclining thereon. Also shown is our second preferred embodiment 100 of our invention, previously shown in and described with reference to FIG. 3, which in use with the stretcher and which is suspending and supporting a cover 70 (i.e., the linen bed sheet previously shown in FIG. 1) over the patient 20 in a transverse position over the stretcher 10 ³ and over the patient 20 on the stretcher.

FIG. 4 shows another adaptation of our second preferred embodiment 100. A repetition of a description of embodiment 100 is not believed necessary, and the ₆₀ use of preferred embodiment 100 is as explained above and is an illustrated.

MODE OF OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ,, The mode of operation of each of our preferred embodiments 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and 100 (FIGS. 3 and 4), may be easily and rapidly ascertained by a person of ordinary skill in the art from the hereinabove descriptions

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the said third means for releasably engaging said second end 43 of said first vertical leg 41 to the first carrying side pole (12, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher 10, FIG. 1), may include a first clasp, such as 61, which is so dimensioned and which is so configurated (e.g., crescent shaped) that is snugly fits on and engages the first carrying side pole (12, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher (10, FIG. 1), and additionally said clasp 61 maintains first vertical leg 41 in an upright-light position. Of course, clasp 61 may be disengaged from the first carrying side pole (12, FIG. 1) merely by snapping off the clasp 61 from the carrying side pole. First clasp 61 is, preferably, made of stainless steel.

Again with reference to FIG. 2, the said fourth means for releasably engaging said second end 53 of said second vertical leg 51 to the second carrying side pole (13, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher (10, FIG. 1), is similar to said third means hereinbefore described and may include a second clasp, such as 62, which is so dimensioned and which is so configurated (e.g., crescent shaped) that it snugly fits on and engages the second carrying side pole (13, FIG. 1) of the medical stretcher (10, FIG. 1), and additionally said clasp 62 maintains second vertical leg 51 in an upright-like position. Clasp 62 may be disengaged from the second carrying side pole (13, FIG. 1) merely by snapping off the clasp 62 from the carrying side pole. Second clasp 62 is, preferably, made of stainless steel.

With reference to FIG. 3, therein is shown, in a prospective view, another preferred embodiment 100 of our invention in use with a conventional medical stretcher 10 (also shown in FIG. 1) and in use with an inhalation therapy canopy-type cover 200. Our preferred embodiment 100 is a cover support assembly system for use with, and for releasable engagement with, a medical stretcher (10, FIGS. 1 and 3) such as previously described herein and which includes a bed portion 11 (FIGS. 1 and 3) and a supporting frame which, in turn, includes two identical carrying side poles, a first pole 12 (FIGS. 1 and 3) and a second pole 13 (FIG. 1 and 3), which are in parallel spaced relationship and which are, essentially, cylindrical in shape. Our preferred embodiment 100 is structured and configurated for use ideally with a canopy-type cover, such as inhalation therapy canopy 200, and it 100 suspends and supports cover 200 over the medical stretcher 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3), and over a patient (not shown) on the stretcher, in a transverse position over the stretcher and over the patient thereon.

Still with reference to FIG. 3, our cover support as&gt; sembly system 100 includes: a plurality of identical cover support assemblies such as 30 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) and 130; and, means for releasably connecting the plurality of identical cover support assemblies, such as 30 and 130, in parallel spaced relationship, whereby an in0 tegrated (or combined or connected) unit of the desired length is formed, substantially in the shape of an inverted and elongated “U,” or an inverted “U” shaped tunnel-like frame, in a transverse position over the medical stretcher 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3) and, of course, 5 over the patient (not shown) on the stretcher; and the cover, such as canopy-type 200, is suspended and is supported over the stretcher (and over the patient).

Again with reference to FIG. 3, each of the identical cover support assemblies, such as 30 (FIGS. 1, 2 and θ 3) and 130, comprises the components already shown

3,798,685

Ί of the preferred embodiments, coupled with an examination of our FIGS. 1-4, herein. A detailed description of said operation is, therefore, not believed necessary. It is sufficient to state that the particular embodiment is snapped onto the poles of the stretcher for use; that the cover is then drapped over and suspended on the horizontal cross member(s); that, by that step, the cover supports the cover over the stretcher and the patient thereon. The procedure is reversed to discontinue the use of the particular embodiment, including unsnapping the clasps from their respective stretcher poles and, if desired, folding the particular embodiment.

It is clearly evident that our invention, and the two preferred embodiments shown and described herein, attains all of the objects desired, as set forth in the summary of the invention. Therefore, we do not believe that it is necessary again to set forth those objects, and other objects related thereto, and to show how each and every object, and others, specifically are achieved by our invention. However, we believe it important to state that, in addition to the basic structural novelty of our invention, and of the two preferred embodiments shown and described herein, our invention also attains new, useful, and unobvious results. For example, our invention is multi-purpose, both as to type of cover usable therewith and as to type of reclining apparatus with which it may be used. This multi-purpose feature is clearly unlike any prior art device or apparatus.

While there have been shown and described the fundamental features of our invention, as applied to two preferred embodiments and as adapted for a particular use and purpose, it is to be understood that various substitutions, omissions, additions, and adaptations can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of our invention. For example: the clasps, such as 61 and 62, may be pivotally, and releasably, mounted to their respective vertical legs, such as 41 and 51; and, the vertical legs, such as 41 and 51, may be hingedly, rather than pivotally, connected to horizontal cross member 31. Additionally, our invention can be used, or can be adapted for use, with any type of reclining apparatus, other than a medical stretcher, such as a bed.