Patient restraint

1. A patient retention device comprising:

a rotatable shaft having an inboard portion and an outboard cantilevered portion;

a torque-producing device comprising a spring that is operatively connected to said shaft at said inboard portion to rotate said shaft about an axis of rotation; and

a flexible restraint member coupled to said shaft at said outboard cantilevered portion, wherein said flexible restraint member is selectively windable and unwindable from said outboard cantilevered portion of said shaft.

2. The patient retention device of claim 1 , further in combination with a patient support.

3. The patient retention device of claim 2 , wherein said patient support comprises one of a stretcher, a bed, a chair, and a cot.

4. The patient retention device of claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises a lock mechanism arranged at said shaft to selectively prevent rotation of said shaft.

5. The patient retention device of claim 1 , further comprising a cover disposed over said torque-producing device and said inboard portion of said shaft, wherein said outboard cantilevered portion of said shaft is located external to said cover.

6. A method of mounting a flexible restraint member on a patient retention device, said method comprising:

providing a retractor assembly having a rotatable shaft with an inboard portion and an outboard cantilevered portion;

providing a torque-producing device comprising a spring that is operatively connected to the inboard portion of the shaft to rotate the shaft about an axis of rotation; and

removably mounting a flexible restraint member to the shaft at the outboard cantilevered portion, wherein the flexible restraint member is windable and unwindable from the outboard cantilevered portion of the shaft.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

providing a frame;

cantilevering the shaft from the frame;

rotatably coupling the shaft to the frame;

winding the flexible restraint member about the shaft; and

pulling the flexible restraint member to thereby unwind the flexible restraint member from the shaft.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing a housing; and

positioning the housing over the frame to enclose the torque-producing device.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing a replacement flexible restraint member;

removing the flexible restraint member from the shaft; and

placing the replacement flexible restraint member onto the shaft.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing a housing; and

positioning the housing over the retractor assembly and the torque-producing device with at least a portion of the outboard cantilevered portion of the shaft extending outside the housing.

11. A patient retention device comprising:

a frame;

a shaft, said shaft being rotatably mounted to said frame at only one portion of said shaft so as to have a cantilevered portion extending from said frame;

a flexible restraint member;

a winding member at said cantilevered portion of said shaft, said winding member adapted to receive said flexible restraint member, and wherein said winding member is non-rotatable relative to said shaft; and

a torque-producing device comprising a spring that is operatively connected to said shaft.

12. The patient retention device of claim 11 , wherein said device further comprises a lock mechanism arranged at said shaft to selectively prevent rotation of said shaft.

13. The patient retention device of claim 11 , wherein said winding member is adapted to releasably receive said flexible restraint member.

14. The patient retention device of claim 11 , further comprising a cover disposed over said torque-producing device and a portion of said shaft.

15. The patient retention device of claim 11 , further in combination with a patient support.

16. A patient retention device comprising:

a winding member having a first end portion and a second end portion;

a rotatable shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, said second end portion adapted to receive said first end portion of said winding member;

a torque-producing device operatively connected to said first end portion of said shaft to rotate said shaft about an axis of rotation; and

a flexible restraint member attached to said winding member, wherein said winding member is coupled to said shaft and supported in a cantilever manner so that said winding member projects from said second end portion of said shaft.

17. The patient retention device of claim 16 , wherein said second end of said shaft releasably receives said first end of said winding member.

18. The patient retention device of claim 16 , wherein said device further comprises a lock mechanism arranged at said shaft to selectively prevent rotation of said shaft.

19. The patient retention device of claim 16 , wherein said winding member is adapted to releasably receive said flexible restraint member.

20. The patient retention device of claim 16 , further comprising a cover disposed over said torque-producing device and a portion of said shaft.