DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING PREMATURE AND NEWBORNS

Abstract

Device for securing premature and newborn infants during transport, comprising a base (1) with opposing arched flaps (3, 4) for sectionally arching over a padded body support (2) of the base (1), characterized in that the base (1) is stiffened by means of at least one stiffening element (6), the body support (2) is covered in the area of ​​one head side by a flexible loop band (8) for fixing the head of the premature or newborn infant in position, and the base (1) is assigned at least one fixing band (9) with connecting means for force-fit connection to a base plate of a transport incubator.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport, comprising a base with opposing arched flaps for arching over a padded body support of the base in sections.

[0002] Such a transport securing device is already known from DE 10 2012 108 483 A1. It is essentially a positioning aid with which premature or newborn babies are safely padded and restrained in various positioning positions. Such a transport securing device is made from a flat element that has a base for placing the child on a body support, the ends of which each terminate in arched flaps. These arched flaps can be bent towards the center of the body support, forming a flexible arch. The arched flaps include fastening flaps that can be attached to the sides of the base with snap fasteners. This creates a transport nest in which the child is enclosed and protected on all sides.

[0003] However, such a transport nest provides only limited protection during transport. A premature baby must be transported in an incubator, especially if the transport involves a motor vehicle or aircraft. While the incubator itself can certainly be secured in the vehicle, this device does not provide adequate transport security for the baby inside the incubator. In the event of significant deceleration, the baby, along with the device, would be pressed against the walls of the incubator.

[0004] In this context, EP 2 590 611 B1 discloses placing the premature infant on a vacuum mattress in the incubator and securing it with a cover. The vacuum mattress is screwed to a shelf of the incubator, ensuring it remains immobile even during significant deceleration. Such a solution significantly increases the infant's safety, but is not removable. This therefore requires the infant to be transferred to the transport incubator.

[0005] CZ 307 818 B6 also discloses a solution in which a device is equipped with fastening devices that can be attached either to a stretcher or an incubator. This device consists of an airtight enclosure filled with insulating material. As soon as the newborn is in position, the air is sucked out of the enclosure, essentially vacuum-packing the newborn. However, this results in considerable immobility, which the child cannot be expected to endure for extended periods. Furthermore, the child can only be transported if adequate air extraction is guaranteed. Such an air chamber must also be considered a wear part.

[0006] While such a device can at least be transported in a transport incubator, it does not ensure sufficiently defined positioning of the infant with regard to the particularly sensitive head and neck area. However, DE 10 2005 003 433 B3 discloses a device that uses a conventional belt system to prevent uncontrolled slipping in the transport incubator. The newborn's head rests in a headrest and is secured there with a Velcro strap, while the body is more or less secured to a board with a three-point belt. Such a solution must be considered rather rudimentary and uncomfortable; here, too, a transfer to a new bed is undoubtedly necessary.

[0007] This also applies to the subject matter of WO 2019 040476 A1, which, although it also allows for fixation of the head, is more or less a mattress that can be connected to the transport incubator, but which is unwieldy outside the transport incubator and requires the child to be moved.

[0008] However, even with such protection, the aforementioned devices do not provide sufficient protection against longitudinal warping in the event of an impact. DE 10 2013 106 464 A1 offers a solution for this, according to which a stiffening element can be arranged in a carrying device to increase its transport safety. However, it is specifically intended that longitudinal warping remains possible, so that only transverse stiffening can be derived from the aforementioned document.

[0009] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to create a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport, which combines comfortable positioning of the newborn with the possibility of transport by carrying and transport in a transport incubator and in which the newborn can be both safely and comfortably positioned and fixed in the transport incubator without prior transfer.

[0010] This is achieved by a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport according to the features of independent claim 1. Further useful embodiments of such a device can be found in the subsequent dependent claims.

[0011] According to the invention, a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport provides a base having arched tabs at opposite ends, which allow for a frontal limitation towards a transport nest. By arching the otherwise flat and thus easily handled base at the ends, a three-dimensional body is created, within which the newborn can be accommodated. The base itself is preferably flexible and padded, thus enabling a soft and permanently comfortable positioning of the child. Due to the lateral limitation created by the arched tabs, the child is securely accommodated inside the device and cannot fall out.

[0012] In order to ensure that the base cannot become distorted in the event of a significant deceleration during travel in the transport incubator, at least one stiffening element is assigned to the base, which prevents such distortion.

[0013] In addition, a flexible loop strap is attached to one side of the head in the area of ​​the base, which serves to fix the position of the newborn's head and allows the head to be gently grasped, but also cushioned against hard impacts and held in position.

[0014] Finally, the base has at least one fastening strap with which it can be firmly connected to the transport incubator. Only when a firmly connected connection is established between the transport device and the transport incubator can safe transport within the transport incubator be ensured.

[0015] It is important that all these elements are met simultaneously, as this is the only way to ensure the child's safety in the transport incubator.

[0016] In a useful development of such a device, the at least one stiffening element can be detachably and, in particular, permanently attached to the base. This can be achieved, for example, by inserting the at least one stiffening element into at least one insertion pocket of the base. A removable design of the stiffening element makes the otherwise preferably flexible base easy to handle and can be cleaned, for example, in a washing machine. Furthermore, the stiffening can be added without re-embedding if transport in a transport incubator is required.

[0017] Such pockets can be particularly advantageously located on the back of the base, i.e., the side of the base opposite the body support. This allows the stiffening element to be added and removed even during use, i.e., when the child is already in the device.

[0018] Specifically, such a stiffening element can advantageously be an arched stiffening bar, the legs of which can be inserted into pockets running along two side edges of the base. This has the advantage that the stiffener does not run underneath the child, thus preventing the child from suddenly lying on a much harder surface during transport, which would cause pressure points. Rather, the child lying on the body support of the base is more or less framed by such a stiffening bar. Such a stiffening bar can be particularly advantageously made of metal, thus achieving high rigidity and durability.

[0019] The arch of such a stiffening bar can also be shaped so that it runs under the head side of the base around the area of ​​the body support covered by the loop band and thus stabilizes precisely the head side of the base.

[0020] The newborn's head is held in place with a looped strap, ensuring it is held in place but not compressed. To achieve this, the looped strap is secured, preferably sewn, at the base of the body support, with the looped strap overlapping a narrow area in the head area of ​​the body support. This allows the newborn's head to be initially placed on the body support between the connecting seams of the looped strap, and the looped strap can then be pushed over the newborn's forehead from above.

[0021] The loop band can particularly advantageously be made of a textile material, whereby a tubular material, preferably a spacer fabric, can be provided for this purpose, so that there is strong padding for the head.

[0022] At least one fixing strap is also attached to the base, which can be used to secure the device to the base plate of a transport incubator. If exactly one fixing strap is used, it will run underneath the base and preferably be connected to it below the base or at least be detachably connectable. In this case, connecting means, in particular hooks, buckles, clasps or the like, are provided at both ends of the fixing strap for engaging mating connectors on the base plate of the transport incubator. Preferably, however, two fixing straps are passed underneath the base in this way, thus providing better protection against twisting. However, it is also possible to provide more fixing straps and to sew them to the base.

[0023] To better secure the newborn to the body support, the base can also be equipped with wing-like lateral securing straps. These are located on one side of the body support, preferably at the newborn's shoulder height, and are designed to be pulled diagonally across the newborn's upper body to and connected to holding devices on the opposite edge of the base. When such securing straps are arranged on both sides, this creates a cross-shaped fixation of the child to the base, providing additional support for the body. Like all movable parts of the device, the securing straps can preferably be padded and made of textile material.

[0024] The arched flaps, in turn, can be attached to the base using similar or identical fasteners as the fixing flaps. By using different fasteners, which can be distributed along the edges of the base, the device can be adapted to different sizes. In the case of the arched flaps, the fasteners allow the arched flaps to initially form a curve over the body support and to be secured in this position. However, the fasteners can also be removed for washing or to adjust the size.

[0025] The retaining devices used can be self-locking snap fasteners, which are particularly advantageous. These can be released quickly if necessary, but are much more resistant to accidental release. In principle, they are a conventional snap fastener with a latch and a thickened latch head. However, the latch head does not overcome a locking edge through elasticity, but rather counteracts a spring force. The locking edge forms a clasp that gives way when the latch head penetrates, but is held in the opposite direction, so that the clasp, which is pulled apart by the mechanical tension of the snap fastener, is disengaged from the latch head. The connection can therefore be released by pulling on the snap fastener, but not by pulling on the material.

[0026] Finally, the vault flaps, particularly a head-end vault flap, can be equipped with light shields, which provide additional shielding of the interior of the device. However, these can preferably be folded away as needed to allow access or insight.

[0027] The invention described above is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] It shows Fig. 1 a ready-to-use device for transporting premature and newborn babies in a perspective view from above, Fig. 2 the device according to Fig. 1 in a fully opened state in a plan view of a body support, Fig. 3 the device according to Fig. 1 in a fully opened state in a plan view of a rear side opposite the body support, as well as Fig. 4 a detail of a vault flap at the side of the base in a side view.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport, which is designed in the manner of a transport nest. In such a device, a newborn can be placed and secured so that it can be carried around. A close enclosure with soft materials is intended to simulate the security of the mother's body as closely as possible, so that the child can more or less remain in the transport nest. Transferring the baby should be avoided if possible. For this purpose, the device has a base 1, which is constructed as a multi-layered, padded, textile laminate. This comprises a body support 2 on which the child can be laid. If the child is lying on the body support 2, it is held crosswise from both sides by securing tabs sewn onto the sides of the base 1.Shielding can be achieved with a head-end arch flap 3, which is folded over in the head area of ​​the newborn to form a vault over the head of the newborn. Using self-locking snap fasteners 12, two ends of the head-end arch flap 3 are attached to the side of the base 1 and can thus be easily opened when access to the newborn is required. In a similar way, a foot-end arch flap 4 is connected to self-locking snap fasteners 12 of the base 1, forming a vault over the foot area of ​​the body support 2. A foldable light shield 5 provides additional shielding for the child, which can, however, also be removed from view without opening the entire arch flap 3 by simply folding it away. A similar light shield is also attached to the foot-end arch flap.

[0030] Below the base 1, two fastening straps 9 are provided, which are firmly connected to the base 1 and have hooks 10 at their ends, with which the base 1 can be attached to the base plate of a transport incubator. The base plate has eyelets, with the aid of which the hooks 10 allow a force-fitting fixation of the base in the transport incubator, so that the newborn does not have to be transferred from its transport nest after a carrying journey when it is placed in the transport incubator. Instead, it is placed in the incubator together with the device formed into a transport nest, and the device is hooked onto the base plate with the hooks and thus secured.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows the device in a fully opened state. The base 1 is oriented towards the body of a newborn, is elongated, and has a vaulted flap 3 or 4 on each of its two end faces. The head-side vaulted flap 3 is connected to one side of the head of the base 1 and formed integrally with it. The head-side vaulted flap 3 is a flap extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the base 1, at the ends of which self-locking snap fasteners are provided. These can interact with counterparts arranged on the edges of the base 1 to fasten the head-side vaulted flap 3 on both sides of the base 1, forming a vault over the head area of ​​the base 1. The newborn's head is placed in the head area, which is located between the attachment points of a flexible loop band 8 made of a spacer fabric.After placing the head between the attachment points of the loop band 8, the loop band 8 is pulled over the head to the forehead area so that the loop band 8 fixes and protects the head of the newborn.

[0032] The securing tabs 11 are then placed across the child's body from both sides and fastened to the opposite edges of the base 1 using self-locking snap fasteners 12. This secures the newborn to the body support 2, and the arch tabs can be bent over and secured in turn. The foot-end arch tab 4 is attached in the same way as the head-end arch tab 3. Depending on the size of the newborn, the shaped arches can be selected in different sizes, and their ends are connected using different retaining elements of the base 1.

[0033] Fig. 3 shows the rear side of the base 1 opposite the body support 2, to which the fixing straps 9 are attached on the one hand and to which the base 1 is stiffened on the other. For the latter, the base 1 has two insertion pockets 7 which run along the edge area of ​​the base 1. If a stiffening element 6 is inserted into the insertion pockets 7, it ensures that the base 1 as a whole does not experience any deformation if, as a result of strong centrifugal forces occurring during transport in the transport incubator, particularly in the event of an impact, parts of the base 1 which are not held directly on the base plate of the same are accelerated. In the case of an unstiffened base 1, this could result in the base 1, with the child lying inside, bending so sharply that injuries cannot be ruled out.Due to the use of the stiffening element 6, which forms a metallic stiffening bracket that is rigid in the longitudinal and transverse directions, a base 1 stretched against the base plate of the transport incubator remains flat on it and warping is prevented.

[0034] Fig. Figure 4 finally shows a detail of the head-end arch flap 3, which is arched into a vault above the base 1. In this position, the ends of the head-end arch flap 3 are held in place by a self-locking snap fastener 12. Depending on the desired size of the body support 2 and the newborn being transported, different snap fasteners 12 can be selected.

[0035] What is described above is a device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport, which combines comfortable positioning of the newborn with the possibility of transport by carrying and transport in a transport incubator, and in which the newborn can be both safely and comfortably positioned and secured in the transport incubator without prior transfer. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 base 2 body support 3 head-end arch flaps 4 foot-side arched flaps 5 Light shield 6 stiffening element 7 pockets 8 loop strap 9 Fixing tape 10 hooks 11 Fixing tab 12 self-locking push button

Claims

[1] Device for securing premature and newborn babies during transport, comprising a base (1) with opposing arched flaps (3, 4) for arching a padded body support (2) of the base (1) in sections, characterized by in that the base (1) is stiffened by means of at least one stiffening element (6), the body support (2) is overlapped in the region of one side of the head by a flexible loop band (8) for fixing the position of the head of the premature or newborn baby, and at least one fixing band (9) with connecting means for the force-fitting connection to a base plate of a transport incubator is assigned to the base (1). [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by that the at least one stiffening element (6) is detachably assigned to the base (1), in particular is captively received in at least one insertion pocket (7). [3] Device according to claim 2, characterized bythat the pocket (7) is arranged on the side of the base (1) facing away from the body support (2). [4] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the stiffening element (6) is an arc-shaped stiffening bracket, the legs of which are inserted into pockets (7) running along two side edges of the base (1). [5] Device according to claim 4, characterized by that the arch of the stiffening bracket runs under the head side of the base (1) around the area of ​​the body support (2) overlapped by the loop band (8). [6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the loop band (8) is connected, preferably sewn, to the base (1) at both ends at spaced locations on the body support (2). [7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the loop band (8) and / or the arch flaps (3, 4) are made of a tubular textile material, preferably a spacer fabric. [8] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one fixing strap (9) has at its free ends a hook (10) for engagement in an eyelet of the base plate of the transport incubator. [9] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the base (1) is assigned two fixing bands (9) running under the base (1) or four fixing bands (9) extending from the base (1). [10] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the base (1) is assigned lateral fixing tabs (11) which can be fixed with a free end to a holding means arranged on the opposite side of the body support (2). [11] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the arched tabs (3, 4) can be fixed by means of holding means arranged laterally on the base (1). [12] Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by that the arch flaps (3, 4) are formed integrally with the base (1) and the arching can be fixed by means of holding means. [13] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the holding means are snap fasteners, preferably self-locking snap fasteners (12). [14] Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one of the arched flaps (3, 4) has a light shield (5) formed thereon, which can preferably be folded between a shielding position and a release position.

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