Collapsible Personal Field Stretcher for Emergency Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Critical incident personnel and individuals participating in high-risk activities often lack immediate and portable means to transport injured colleagues or themselves due to limited availability of foldable stretchers, especially in remote or inaccessible areas, leading to challenges in providing timely medical attention.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible, self-contained personal field stretcher system integrated into clothing or equipment, such as safety vests or utility belts, featuring interconnected flexible straps that deploy into a full-length stretcher with looped handles for carrying or transporting injured personnel without the need for additional equipment or frameworks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional foldable frame-type stretchers are carried by medical personnel, then injured personnel can be transported, but space for life-saving fluids, medications and other equipment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher is divided into multiple collapsible sections that can be folded into a compact configuration, allowing it to be stored within gear while maintaining full functionality when deployed. This segmentation enables the stretcher to occupy minimal space when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The stretcher components are designed to nest within each other and within the wearer's gear when collapsed, similar to nested dolls. The stretcher can be stored within a vest, belt, or pack compartment, maximizing space utilization while maintaining transport capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple stretchers are carried by military units, then more personnel can be evacuated, but the weight and bulk of equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher transitions from a static, bulky structure to a dynamic, collapsible configuration. When not in use, it folds into a compact form that weighs minimal; when needed, it expands to provide full stretcher functionality. This dynamic transformation enables multiple stretchers to be carried without proportionally increasing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The stretcher utilizes flexible straps and thin structural elements instead of rigid, bulky frame construction. This flexible design reduces weight while maintaining the structural integrity needed for patient transport, allowing more stretchers to be carried by the same personnel.
3Productivity
If stretchers are made fully functional and collapsible, then immediate transport is possible, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher is pre-configured and pre-assembled within the wearer's gear in a collapsed state. All components are pre-positioned and pre-connected, so that when deployed, the stretcher is immediately functional without requiring assembly or configuration time. This preliminary preparation enables rapid response while keeping the mechanism relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The stretcher is designed to be self-deploying through simple manual actions by the wearer. The collapsible sections are designed to unfold and extend automatically when pulled or activated, eliminating the need for complex mechanical systems, multiple users, or sophisticated deployment mechanisms. This self-service approach maintains simplicity while enabling immediate functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible, fully functional, personal field stretcher is disclosed. The field stretcher is incorporated into, and deployed from, the equipment or clothing worn by critical incident personnel and is designed to be used to carry such personnel when such personnel becomes injured or incapacitated in the line of duty.