High-access patient transport shield
A patient transport shield provides for a flexible support sheet supporting a patient with upstanding ribs holding a transparent cover over the patient to provide a patient volume that may hold negative pressure when the transparent cover is attached to the support sheet by a resealable pressure-sensitive attachment strip allowing rapid assembly and ready access to the patient.
1 . A patient transport shield comprising:
a flexible support sheet sized to receive a recumbent patient thereupon within a support sheet periphery;
a set of flexible ribs positionable in an assembled state on the flexible support sheet to extend upward and over the flexible support sheet and wherein at least one of the set of flexible ribs is positioned longitudinally on the flexible support sheet between the head of the patient and the feet of the patient;
a transparent barrier sheet sized to cover the flexible ribs in the assembled state and to extend downward to the support sheet periphery and together with the flexible support sheet to define an enclosed volume surrounding the entire recumbent patient;
a resealable pressure-sensitive strip sealingly connecting the support sheet periphery to the transparent barrier sheet; and
wherein each rib of the set of flexible ribs is formed of elongate members having an outer periphery configured to flex between a straightened configuration and an arc conforming to a curvature of the transparent barrier sheet while the transparent barrier sheet is supported away from the patient on the outer periphery; and
wherein the set of flexible ribs operatively couple to an inflatable tube surrounding a periphery of the support sheet configured to provide a bumper surrounding and centering the patient on the support sheet.
2 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the resealable pressure-sensitive strip is an adhesive material.
3 . The patient transport shield of claim 2 , wherein the adhesive material is attached at one side to at least one of the flexible support sheet and transparent barrier sheet and covered on another side with a release liner removable to reveal the adhesive material.
4 . The patient transport shield of claim 3 , wherein the resealable pressure-sensitive strip is a double-sided tape having a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side and a releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive on the other side.
5 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the resealable pressure-sensitive strip is a hook and loop fastener material.
6 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 further including a vacuum line attachment for releasable attachment to a vacuum system and wherein the set of flexible ribs support the transparent barrier sheet away from the flexible support sheet under negative pressure.
7 . The patient transport shield of claim 6 further including an air filter positioned in at least one of the flexible support sheet and transparent barrier sheet providing for inflow of filtered air into the volume.
8 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support sheet provides a set of loop handles at its laterally opposed edges and wherein the flexible support sheet is arranged to support a patient from the set of loop handles.
9 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support sheet, the set of flexible ribs, the transparent barrier sheet, and the resealable pressure-sensitive strip are free from metal, and radiolucent to x-rays.
10 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support sheet, the flexible ribs, and the transparent barrier sheet are configured to assemble together into a structure fitting within a cylindrical volume with an 18-inch diameter.
11 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the set of flexible ribs are selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic battens, thermoplastic pipes, inflatable tubular sleeves of flexible thermoplastic sheeting.
12 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support sheet provides a series of tubular chambers and an inflation valve to inflate the tubular chambers to provide a cushioning under a patient resting on the flexible support sheet.
13 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable tube provides a perimeter tubular chamber surrounding the flexible support sheet supporting the patient and wherein the resealable pressure-sensitive strip is attached to an upper surface of the perimeter tubular chamber above the flexible sheet while the perimeter tubular chamber is inflated.
14 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the transparent barrier sheet provides a central arched portion attached to arch-shaped end panels to provide a downwardly concave cover terminating at a horizontally outwardly extendable skirt portion that is configured to abut an upper surface of the flexible support sheet as sealed to the upper surface of the flexible support sheet with the resealable pressure-sensitive strip.
15 . The patient transport shield of claim 14 further including stabilizer legs fixable to respective rib of the set of flexible ribs to extend along an upper surface of the flexible support sheet stabilizing the upward angle of the respective rib with respect to the support sheet.
16 . The patient transport shield of claim 14 , wherein pairs of the flexible ribs attach to each other over the flexible support sheet as they cross each other.
17 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the set of flexible ribs are substantially flat in a relaxed state and wherein the set of flexible ribs are configured to flex to install the set of flexible ribs on the flexible support sheet in a manner that the ribs extend in an arch upward from the flexible support sheet and laterally across the flexible support sheet with ends of the arches attach to edges of the flexible support sheet.
18 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the set of flexible ribs are inflatable tubular sleeves of flexible thermoplastic sheeting configured to provide stiffness while inflated while maintaining flexibility of the patient transport shield.
19 . The patient transport shield of claim 1 , wherein the set of flexible ribs are flexible polymer battens.