Split-apart Basket Stretcher for Compact Rescue Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stretcher designs fail to efficiently transport both injured persons and the extensive rescue equipment required in challenging environments, such as rugged terrain or high-rise locations, due to weight and compactness issues, with no effective solution for storing and transporting large quantities of rescue gear.
Innovation Solution
A split-apart basket stretcher with two separable units, featuring U-shaped longitudinal members, a rigid HDPE plank, non-metallic mesh, adjustable straps, and a wheel assembly with an extendable handle, allowing for compact transport of rescue equipment and easy assembly to form a sturdy stretcher for injured persons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the stretcher is designed to be compact and lightweight for transport, then it is easier to transport by plane or helicopter, but it may not provide sufficient sturdiness when carrying the injured person
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher is divided into two separable units (head unit and foot unit) that can be detached for compact transport and reassembled for use. This segmentation allows the stretcher to be lightweight and compact during transport while providing full structural strength when assembled and used to carry the injured person.
Solution Approach 2:
The foot unit is designed to nest within the head unit during transport, creating a compact configuration that minimizes storage space and weight for air transport. The nested design maintains structural integrity while reducing the overall footprint for transportation by plane or helicopter.
2Volume of moving object
If the stretcher is designed to be compact for transport, then it reduces transport space requirements, but it cannot adequately store and transport the extensive rescue equipment needed
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher is designed with dual functionality: it serves as both a patient transport device and a rescue equipment storage system. The head unit contains a basket-shaped structure with compartments that can store rescue equipment when not in use, allowing the same structure to fulfill multiple purposes without requiring separate storage containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The separable design allows the head unit with its equipment storage basket to be transported independently or with the foot unit attached, providing flexibility in configuring the stretcher based on whether equipment storage or patient transport is the primary need.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional stretcher designs are used, then they can carry injured persons, but they cannot efficiently transport both the stretcher and the extensive rescue equipment required in challenging environments
Solution Approach 1:
The stretcher system is designed to perform multiple functions: transporting injured persons, carrying rescue equipment in the head unit basket, and providing a stable platform for rescue operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate equipment carriers and allows a single team to transport both patient and equipment efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The design merges the patient stretcher function with the equipment storage function into a single integrated system. The head unit serves dual purposes as both a structural component of the stretcher and a storage container for rescue equipment, reducing the total number of items that need to be transported.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an improved Stokes-type basket stretcher constructed to permit its upper and lower units to be reassembled to hold rescue equipment for storage or transport to a rescue site. The lower unit frame includes one or more rail members having affixed thereto a series of rib members. The top rail member is generally U-shaped having a coupler support structure extending vertically upward and provided with either the male or female mating coupler member. The upper unit frame is similarly constructed except the other coupler mating member is affixed to align with its corresponding lower unit mating member to form a pocket of predetermined size.