Granted Patent B2

US 6,923,606 · App. 10/231,348 · Granted Aug 2, 2005

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A reconfigurable patient support pallet system, for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a pallet selectively detachably mountable on a floor of a compartment of the vehicle, the pallet having a floor surface spaced above the floor of the vehicle, a plurality of spaced apart track rails and a plurality of attachment points disposed on the surface of the pallet; and

at least one rigid litter stanchion set detachably attached to the pallet along a pair of said track rails at a first plurality of the attachment points and at least one seat attached to the pallet along another pair of said track rails at a second plurality of the attachment points, wherein the attachment points for the rigid litter stanchion set and the seat are differentiated by respective geometric shapes.

2. A reconfigurable patient support pallet system, for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a pallet selectively detachably mountable on a floor of a compartment of the vehicle, the pallet having a floor surface spaced above the floor of the vehicle, a plurality of spaced apart track rails and a plurality of attachment points disposed on the surface of the pallet; and

at least one rigid litter stanchion set detachably attached to the pallet along a pair of said track rails at a first plurality of the attachment points and at least one seat attached to the pallet along another part of said track rails at a second plurality of the attachment points, wherein the rigid litter stanchion set comprises:

first and second column members insertably attachable to first and second stanchion base brackets, each of the stanchion base brackets being attachable to the pallet at a plurality of the attachment points;

at least one vertically adjustable stanchion arm attachable to each of the first and second column members; and

two cross-members attachable to the column members at a first end and attachable to a cross-member base bracket at a second end, the cross-member base bracket being attachable to the pallet at a plurality of the attachment points.

3. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein each of the stanchion base brackets includes a fixed stanchion arm formed integrally with each of the stanchion base brackets.

4. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein each of the column members further comprises a column member extension insertably attachable into an upper end opening of each of the column members.

5. The patient support pallet system according to claim 4 , wherein each of the column member extensions includes one said adjustable stanchion arm.

6. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein

the column members are secured to the stanchion base brackets by at least one pin inserted through the stanchion base bracket and the column member;

the at least one adjustable stanchion arm is secured to the column members by at least one pin inserted through the adjustable stanchion arm and the column member; and

the two cross-members are removably attached to each of the column members at the first end, by at least one pin inserted through the cross member and the column member, and removably attachable to the cross-member base bracket at a second end by at least one pin inserted through the cross member and the cross member base bracket.

7. The patient support pallet system according to claim 6 , wherein the pins are secured proximate to respective insertion points by lanyards.

8. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein the column members are permanently affixed or assembled with bolts to the stanchion base brackets.

9. The patient support pallet system, according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one litter stanchion set is configured on a side of the pallet opposite to the at least one seat, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pallet.

10. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein the system includes two said rigid litter stanchion sets attachable to the pallet, configured at opposite sides of the pallet in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pallet, the rigid litter stanchion sets include the at least one stanchion arm extending from the column members toward a centerline of the pallet.

11. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , wherein the system includes two said rigid litter stanchion sets attachable to the pallet, configured in the center of the pallet in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pallet, the rigid litter stanchion sets include the at least one stanchion arm extending from the column members and toward opposite sides of the pallet.

12. The patient support pallet system according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one stanchion arm includes a catch removably attached on a forward side of the stanchion arms to prevent a litter from sliding forward in the event of a sudden stop or crash.

13. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a pallet extension member attachable to any side of the pallet for increasing a surface area of the floor surface of the pallet.

14. The patient support pallet system according to claim 13 , wherein the pallet extension member has a cross-sectional stair shape, comprising:

an upper stair portion, a lower stair portion, and a first face disposed between the upper stair portion and the lower stair portion; and

a second face, disposed opposite the first face, extending downwardly from the upper stair portion, wherein a surface of the upper stair portion extends beyond the second face thereby overlapping the pallet.

15. The patient support pallet system according to claim 14 , wherein the pallet includes a plurality of cargo rings located on a peripheral side wall of the pallet; and

wherein the pallet extension member further includes:

a cargo ring hitch attached to the upper stair portion for attachment to one of the cargo rings on the pallet; and

an additional cargo ring disposed on the first face above the lower stair portion.

16. The patient support pallet system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a ramp member attachable to the pallet extension member to create a sloping surface between a floor of the vehicle and the floor surface of the pallet.

17. The patient support pallet system according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a pallet spacer member attachable to a side of the pallet adjacent another pallet for spanning a gap between the pallet and the adjacent pallet.

18. The patient support pallet system according to claim 17 , wherein the pallet includes a plurality of cargo rings located on a peripheral side wall of the pallet; and

wherein the pallet spacer member includes:

a cargo ring hitch to detachably attach the pallet spacer to one of the cargo rings on the pallet.

19. The patient support pallet system according to claim 16 , wherein the ramp member, comprises:

a support surface;

a bracket having an upper horizontal portion, a lower horizontal portion disposed below the upper horizontal portion, and a vertical portion disposed between the upper and lower horizontal portions, wherein the horizontal portions extend in opposite directions from the vertical portion; and

a hinge portion hingably connected between the vertical portion of the bracket and the support surface, wherein the support surface pivots relative to the pallet and extends between the pallet and the floor of the vehicle to create the sloping surface between the floor and the pallet.

20. The patient support pallet system according to claim 19 , wherein the bracket further includes at least one fastener disposed through the lower horizontal portion and detachably attaches to the pallet extension member.

Assignments (10)