Telescoping Frame Rails for Collapsible Litter Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable litters are heavy, bulky, and difficult to assemble quickly, making them impractical for use in rugged terrains and emergency situations, where they are needed to efficiently transport injured persons.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible litter apparatus with telescoping frame rails, tension rods, and a stretcher bed that can be easily assembled and disassembled, featuring quick-lock mechanisms and lightweight materials to reduce weight and enhance portability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional portable litters are designed to be collapsible for portability, then they can be carried on the person, but they remain heavy and bulky making them difficult to stow and carry

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The frame rails are divided into multiple telescoping rod segments that can slide relative to each other. This segmentation allows the frame to be collapsed into a compact configuration for portability while maintaining full length when deployed for use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The telescoping rod segments are nested within each other when collapsed, with each rod containing the previous one. This nesting arrangement minimizes the volume of the collapsed litter while allowing full extension when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional portable litters are made collapsible, then they can be carried on the person, but they are bulky and difficult to stow

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidvolume

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The frame rails incorporate telescoping joints that allow dynamic adjustment between extended and collapsed states. This dynamic structure enables the litter to transition from a compact stowed configuration to a full-size operational configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional portable litters are designed for rugged terrain, then they can be carried on the person, but they are difficult to assemble in a hurry

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The frame components are pre-configured with aligned telescoping rod segments and attachment points. This preliminary arrangement of components allows for rapid assembly by simply extending the telescoping rods and securing them, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If stretchers are equipped with wheels for single-person operation, then they are useful for smooth surfaces, but they are bulky and heavy making them impractical for rugged terrain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesingle-person operationVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wheeled mechanism is completely removed from the litter design. Instead, the litter relies on its collapsible frame structure and lightweight materials to achieve portability, making it suitable for rugged terrain where wheels would be impractical

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10881559B2Lightweight collapsible casualty litter

Publication Date: 2021.01.05 SFMED CONCEPTS INC

AI summary

Collapsible, lightweight, and easy-to-assemble litters for transporting injured or incapacitated persons are disclosed. For example, a collapsible apparatus for transporting persons includes a frame assembly having a pair of frame rails. Each frame rail includes at least two telescoping rods connected by a hinge that can be configured to allow the frame rails to be folded upon each other. The collapsible apparatus can additionally include one or more collapsible tension rods secured to the pair of frame rails for selectively maintaining a lateral displacement of the pair of frame rails when the frame assembly is in an assembled configuration and a stretcher bed carried by the frame assembly that is configured to receive and support a person between the pair of frame rails when the frame assembly is in the assembled configuration.