Safety assistive belt for patient transfer
View Patent ↗Described herein is a retractable safety assistive belt assembly for use in transferring disabled or senior patients. The belt assembly includes a retractor assembly, a buckle mechanism, a latch member, a quick-release button, a strap or band member, and an optional belt clip attached to an external part of a housing. The strap or band member optionally includes measurement markers. In a related embodiment, an optional belt assembly case is provided for storage and portability of the belt assembly.
1. An assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another comprising:
a strap or band member;
a set of measurement indicators displayed on a surface of the strap or band member to match the girth of a person that is to be circumscribed when the strap or band member is extended;
a latch member coupled to a distal end of the strap or band member;
a retractor assembly coupled to a proximal end of the strap or band member;
a buckle mechanism operatively coupled to the retractor assembly, a buckle member of the buckle mechanism adapted to secure the latch member to the buckle mechanism, the latch member insertable into the buckle mechanism and securable by a spring-loaded bolt member extended through an eyelet of the latch member;
a front-facing button member that when pressed depresses an at least one spring extending the spring-loaded bolt member and allows the release of the latch member from the buckle mechanism, the buckle member adapted to release the latch member from the buckle mechanism;
a retractor cylinder member operably coupled to at least one coiled retractor spring; and
a claw adapted for engaging a protrusion or a depression on the retractor cylinder member in the retractor assembly, the claw adapted to arrest strap or band member movement.
2. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 1 wherein the claw includes a locking mechanism.
3. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 1 wherein a clip is affixed to the buckle mechanism.
4. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 1 wherein a supplementary housing assembly, which may be used apart from the housing assembly defining the buckle mechanism, is adapted to contain a separate strap or band member adapted to circumscribe a waist.
5. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 4 wherein the supplementary housing assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a belt or garment member by at least one clip member disposed on a back side of the supplementary housing assembly.
6. An assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another comprising:
a housing assembly defining a buckle mechanism;
a retractable strap or band member adapted to be at least partially disposed inside the housing assembly at a proximal end of the strap or band member, the proximal end of the strap or band member disposed through a distal slot portion of the housing assembly;
the proximal end of the strap or band member operatively coupled to a retractor assembly disposed within the housing assembly;
matching measurement indicators displayed on at least one or more of an inner surface and an outer surface of the strap or band member adapted to adjust the strap or band member for the girth of the person when the strap or band member is at least partly extended;
a latch member coupled to a distal end of the strap or band member;
a buckle member of the buckle mechanism disposed within the housing assembly adapted to secure the latch member to the buckle mechanism, the buckle member adapted to release the latch member from the buckle mechanism when a depressible spring and button member disposed on the housing assembly is depressed, the latch member, when in a resting state, secured by a spring-loaded bolt member through an eyelet of the latch member, the latch member adapted to be inserted in a proximal slot portion of the housing assembly;
the retractor assembly further having a retractor and locking mechanism having a retract bracket, a retract gear, a retract shaft, a locking plate, at least one coiled spring member, and a spacer member, the locking mechanism adapted to allow the strap or band member to lock at any one of a plurality of circumferences; and
a locking switch member adapted to maintain and release the selected circumference of the strap or band member.
7. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein the retractor member is substantially a cylinder.
8. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein the measurement indicators include both metric and English units.
9. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein the strap or band member is substantially made from nylon and at least the buckle mechanism, the latch member, and buckle member incorporate 6061 Aluminum.
10. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein a clip is affixed to a back surface of the housing assembly defining the buckle mechanism.
11. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein the retractor and locking mechanism has at least one or more of a retractable mechanism, at least one locking arm, a lock member, a strap cover, at least one first screw, at least one second screw, and at least one locking arms base.
12. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein at least one belt loop member is affixed to the back surface of the housing assembly defining the buckle mechanism.
13. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein a cover member is pivotally coupled to the housing assembly adapted, when in a closed state, to prevent depressing the button member.
14. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein at least one or more of a removable clip or loop member is disposed on the strap or band member adapted to provide coupling points for at least one or more of a leg support strap or band member and a shoulder harness strap or band member.
15. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 14 wherein the at least one or more of a removable clip or loop member is disposed on the strap or band member adapted to provide coupling points for at least one or more of the leg support strap or band member and the shoulder harness strap or band member each disposed together or apart within a separate housing assembly, the separate housing assembly having at least one clip member disposed on a back side of the separate housing assembly adapted to be removably coupled to a belt or garment member.
16. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 6 wherein a supplementary housing assembly, which may be used apart from the housing assembly defining the buckle mechanism, is adapted to contain a separate strap or band member adapted to circumscribe a waist.
17. The assembly for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 16 wherein the supplementary housing assembly is adapted to be removably coupled to a belt or garment member by at least one clip member disposed on a back side of the supplementary housing assembly.
18. A method for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another, the method comprising:
pulling from a housing assembly defining a buckle mechanism a retractable strap or band member adapted to be at least partially disposed inside the housing assembly at a proximal end of the strap or band member, the proximal end of the strap or band member disposed through a distal slot portion of the housing assembly;
drawing the strap or band member around the person to a length of at least one or more of substantially the person's waist and matching measurement indicators displayed on at least one or more of an inner surface and an outer surface of the strap or band member, the strap or band member adapted to be adjusted to the girth of the person when the strap or band member is at least partly extended;
coupling a latch member coupled to a distal end of the strap or band member to a buckle member of the buckle mechanism disposed within the housing assembly to secure the latch member to the buckle mechanism, the buckle member adapted to release the latch member from the buckle mechanism when a depressible spring and button member disposed on the housing assembly is depressed, releasing the latch member from a spring-loaded bolt member, the latch member adapted to be inserted in a proximal slot portion of the housing assembly facing the latch member;
engaging the retractor assembly further having a retractor and locking mechanism having a retract bracket, a retract gear, a retract shaft, a locking plate, at least one coiled spring member, and a spacer member, the locking mechanism locking the strap or band member at one of a plurality of potential circumferences; and
engaging the locking mechanism to maintain the selected circumference of the strap or band member.
19. The method for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 18 wherein the housing assembly is first secured by a clip to one or more of a belt or garment member.
20. The method for supporting the safe transfer of a person from one location to another of claim 18 wherein a cover member is rendered into an open state, allowing the button member to be depressed, and is rendered into a closed state after engaging the locking switch.