Patient moving devices (Edelgard Rises)
View Patent ↗Safe lifting devices configured for lifting of a fallen patient from a surface and for a transport of the patient are disclosed herein. The devices comprise a class 1 lever including two larger wheels disposed about parallel at a fulcrum of the lever with each of the two larger wheels having shorter load leverage arms and longer effort leverage arms extending radially outward and defining a lever angle of greater than 90°. Each of the larger wheels disposed at the fulcrum includes a smaller rolling wheel attached to each larger wheel by an axle and a medium rolling wheel attached to each larger wheel by a different axle. When an operator pulls down the longer effort leverage arms the patient is safely lifted.
1 . A patient lifting and transport device comprising:
a pair of wheel assemblies located at a fulcrum of a lever frame, each wheel assembly including a plurality of rolling elements at different effective radii relative to the fulcrum;
a pair of shorter load leverage arms extending from the fulcrum toward a patient-contact region; and
a pair of longer effort leverage arms extending from the fulcrum opposite the patient-contact region and terminating in operator handles, wherein the lever frame is configured such that changing an elevation of the longer effort leverage arms shifts contact between the rolling elements so that a first rolling element supports the device during approach and a second rolling element supports the device during lifting and transport, the second rolling element having a greater effective radius than the first rolling element.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements comprises smaller rolling wheels and medium rolling wheels mounted on respective axles coaxial with the wheel assemblies.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the operator handles are coupled to the longer effort leverage arms by hinges that provide a plurality of indexed angular positions.
4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fulcrum crossbar extending between the wheel assemblies and providing a grasp region for a patient during lifting.
5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible cable attached to a distal region of at least one longer effort leverage arm or to one operator handle, the cable terminating in a foot loop configured to receive an operator's foot to apply additional force.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a mechanical advantage defined as an effective effort length divided by an effective load length is about 1.5.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shorter load leverage arms have a length in a range from about 60 cm to about 155 cm.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the effective effort length measured to a distal end of an operator handle is in a range from about 120 cm to about 310 cm.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the lever frame is a class 1 lever having a lever angle greater than 90 degrees at the fulcrum when the device is in a lifting orientation.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to roll on the first rolling element during approach under the patient and to roll on the second rolling element during transport after lifting.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the wheel assemblies comprise bicycle-style wheels and the rolling elements are supported on parallel axles fixed relative to the wheel assemblies.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one hinge associated with the operator handles includes a ratchet mechanism.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shorter load leverage arms includes attachment interfaces for straps to secure the patient to the device.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises one or more of aluminum, magnesium, carbon fiber, rubber, or foam, and has a weight from about 9 kilograms to about 12 kilograms.
15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second rolling element is engaged when the longer effort leverage arms are pulled downward past a threshold angle, and the first rolling element is engaged when the longer effort leverage arms are raised above the threshold angle.
16 . A method of lifting and transporting a patient using a lever-based device, comprising:
positioning the device under the patient while the device rolls on a first rolling element at a first effective radius relative to a fulcrum;
grasping operator handles coupled to longer effort leverage arms of the device;
applying a downward force to the longer effort leverage arms to pivot the device so that a second rolling element at a greater effective radius contacts a support surface;
elevating the patient with shorter load leverage arms as the device pivots onto the second rolling element; and
transporting the patient while the device rolls on the second rolling element.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising selecting an indexed position of a hinge that couples an operator handle to a longer effort leverage arm before applying the downward force.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing a foot of the caregiver into a foot loop at an end of a cable attached to a distal region of the device and stepping downward to augment the downward force.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising halting transport when the patient is aligned with a target surface height and reversing the pivot to lower the patient onto a chair, bed, commode, or wheelchair.
20 . A kit comprising the device of claim 1 together with instructions that describe: rolling the device on the first rolling element to approach the patient, applying force to the longer effort leverage arms to pivot the device onto the second rolling element to lift the patient, and transporting the patient while the device rolls on the second rolling element.