Tilting Stretcher Guide for Low-Effort Vehicle Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stretcher loading methods onto vehicles, particularly high vehicles, are arduous and risky for rescuers due to the weight and height difference, often causing discomfort and danger for the patient, and existing trolleys are limited to specific terrain and vehicle types.
Innovation Solution
A stretcher loading aid device with a tiltable guide means and translational support elements that facilitate the loading process by reducing manual effort, ensuring safety and adaptability to various vehicles and terrains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual lifting of the stretcher is used, then the loading process is simple and requires no additional equipment, but the effort required by rescuers increases and safety risks arise due to the weight and height difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device consisting of a support assembly and a guide means that acts as a mediator between the stretcher and the vehicle. The guide means provides a controlled path for the stretcher to follow during loading, reducing the force required by rescuers while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide means is designed to be tiltable between a substantially horizontal position and an inclined position, allowing dynamic adaptation to different vehicle heights and loading scenarios. This dynamic capability enables the system to reduce manual effort while maintaining ease of operation across various conditions.
2Productivity
If manual lifting is used to load the stretcher quickly, then the loading speed increases, but the safety and comfort of the patient deteriorate due to potential tipping and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The guide means serves as a safety intermediary that constrains the stretcher's movement path, preventing lateral displacement and tipping during the loading process. This ensures patient safety while enabling rapid loading through the controlled inclined path.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly and guide means are positioned in advance to provide a pre-prepared loading path. The guide means is tiltable to the inclined position before loading begins, creating a safe and controlled environment that cushions against potential safety issues while maintaining loading speed.
3Device complexity
If a fixed support structure is used, then the device is simple and robust, but the adaptability to different vehicle types and terrains is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The guide means is designed with the capability to tilt between horizontal and inclined positions, providing dynamic adaptability to different vehicle floor heights and types without complicating the overall structure. This single degree of freedom maintains structural simplicity while significantly improving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly and guide means combination is designed to be universally applicable to different vehicle types (ambulances, helicopters, etc.) and terrain conditions. The tiltable guide means can adapt its inclination angle to match various loading scenarios, making the device multi-functional without requiring complex mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If a tiltable guide means with translational support elements is used, then the ease of operation and safety improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide means incorporates a tilting mechanism with a single primary axis of rotation, providing dynamic functionality while maintaining relatively simple construction. The translational movement of support elements along the guide means adds minimal complexity while significantly improving ease of operation and safety control.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: a support assembly, a tiltable guide means, and translational support elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity, making the device easier to manufacture and maintain despite the added functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for assistance in loading a stretcher (2) on board a vehicle, the stretcher (2) extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end, the device (1) comprising at least: - a substantially elongate guide means which is inclinable between a substantially horizontal position and an inclined position, - a first support element designed to receive the stretcher (2) towards the first end, the first support element being mounted in translation relative to the guide means in such a way that, in the inclined position, the first support element is able to pass from an upper position to a lower position. Devices for assistance in loading stretchers on board vehicles.