Folding Chair Cot For Use With Emergency Vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a collapsible emergency vehicle chair cot that includes a support system and a movement system. The support system is a retractable system disposed on the bottom of the cot to support the chair cot during transportation. For example, one embodiment of a support system includes a track that extends from the bottom for the chair cot. The track supports the chair cot thereby minimizing the need for an emergency worker to manually support the chair cot during transportation. The movement system is coupled to the support system and utilizes rotational movement to assist in moving the chair cot over a surface. For example, one embodiment of a movement system includes coupling a motor system and a brake system to the support system to provide motorized movement. The support system and movement system are configured to be collapsible to facilitate using the chair cot with an emergency vehicle. The chair cot further includes at least two platforms for supporting a patient in a seated position.

1 . A chair cot configured for use with an emergency vehicle, comprising: 
 at least two platforms for supporting a patient in a seated position during transportation;    a support system coupled to the at least two platforms configured to support the at least two platforms during transportation; and wherein the support system is configured to substantially collapse when positioned within the emergency vehicle;    a removable spinal immobilization surface for supporting a patient in a supine spinally-immobilized position during transportation, and configured to attach to the support system when the support system is substantially collapsed;    a movement system coupled to the support system that is configured to allow the chair cot to move over a surface, wherein the movement system includes a motor; and    a control system coupled to the movement system that allows one or more individuals to control the operation of the movement system.    
     
     
         2 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein the support system includes an active or passive suspension system for minimizing impacts on a patient during transportation by means of vibration absorption through a track or through an active gas/spring system.  
     
     
         3 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is electric functioning on alternating or direct current and further includes a power source.  
     
     
         4 . The chair cot of  claim 3 , wherein the power source is a replaceable rechargeable battery.  
     
     
         5 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein the support system includes two tracks that extend below the cot.  
     
     
         6 . The chair cot of  claim 5 , wherein the two tracks include protruding ribs to allow for gripping stairs and other irregular surfaces.  
     
     
         7 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a passive or active braking system that steers, slows, and stops the rotational movement of the movement system when engaged, and that locks in the event that power is lost.  
     
     
         8 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a forward and reverse mechanism that allows the movement system to move forward and reverse respectively.  
     
     
         9 . The chair cot of  claim 1 , wherein a motorized portion of the movement system can be disengaged thereby allowing for descent or ascent of an inclined or declined surface utilizing non-motorized rotational movement.  
     
     
         10 . A chair cot configured for use with an emergency vehicle and further configured for selective transitioning between powered use on stairs and non-powered rolling on flat surfaces, comprising: 
 an adjustable back support for supporting a patient in a seated position during transportation;    an adjustable seat for supporting a patient in a seated position during transportation;    a support system coupled to the back support and the seat and configured to support the back support and the seat during transportation, wherein the support system is configured to substantially collapse when positioned within the emergency vehicle;    a movement system coupled to the support system that is configured to allow the chair cot to move over a surface, wherein the movement system comprises: 
 a motor;  
 a continuous track;  
 casters; and  
 retractable wheels, wherein the retractable wheels are configured to have: 
 a deployed position whereby the retractable wheels and the casters engage a flat surface and hold the continuous track away from the flat surface such that the continuous track does not engage the flat surface; and  
 a stowed position whereby the continuous track engages a flat, inclined, or stepped surface to move the chair cot; and  
 
   a control system coupled to the movement system that allows one or more individuals to control the operation of the movement system.    
     
     
         11 . The chair cot of  claim 10 , wherein the retractable wheels are further configured to automatically transition between the deployed position and the stowed position as the chair cot encounters and climbs stairs.  
     
     
         12 . The chair cot of  claim 10 , wherein the support system comprises: 
 a back support hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder configured to permit free adjustment of the back support between a fully expanded configuration and a fully collapsed configuration; and    a seat hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder configured to permit free adjustment of the seat between a fully expanded configuration and a fully collapsed configuration.    
     
     
         13 . The chair cot of  claim 10 , wherein the back support comprises a disposable back surface and a means for securing the disposable back surface to the chair cot and the seat comprises a disposable seat surface and a means for securing the disposable seat surface to the chair cot.  
     
     
         14 . The chair cot of  claim 13 , wherein the means for securing the disposable back surface to the chair cot and the means for securing the disposable seat surface to the chair cot comprise indexing pins, indexing receptacles, and magnets.  
     
     
         15 . The chair cot of  claim 13 , wherein the means for securing the disposable back surface to the chair cot and the means for securing the disposable seat surface to the chair cot comprise a hook and loop fastener system.  
     
     
         16 . The chair cot of  claim 13 , wherein the disposable back surface and the disposable seat surface include plastic.  
     
     
         17 . A disposable patient surface for use with medical transport equipment that can be used a single time and then disposed of and billed to a patient as a consumable comprising: 
 a support surface configured to support a body part of the patient during medical transport; and    means for reversibly securing the support surface to the medical transport equipment during transport, wherein the means for reversibly securing the support surface to the medical transport equipment holds the support surface in a proper position relative to the medical transport equipment.    
     
     
         18 . The disposable patient surface of  claim 17 , wherein the support surface comprises a plastic, and the means for reversibly securing the support surface to the medical transport equipment comprises indexing receptacles on the support surface, indexing pins on the medical transport equipment, and magnets on at least one of the support surface and the medical transport equipment.  
     
     
         19 . The disposable patient surface of  claim 18  wherein the polypropylene is customized with a logo representing a provider of medical transport services.  
     
     
         20 . A continuous track for use with a motorized stair climbing device, comprising: 
 a tread layer having a durometer between  60 A and  70 A and comprising teeth sized and spaced so as to engage the repeating steps of a stairway;    a fiber layer providing strength to the continuous track and bonded to the tread layer; and    a drive layer having a durometer between  80 A and  55 D and comprising teeth sized and spaced so as to engage and transfer power from a drive gear to the continuous track.    
     
     
         21 . The continuous track of  claim 20  wherein the teeth of the tread layer comprise a flattened top and a valley, and wherein: 
 the height of the teeth of the tread layer from the flattened top to the valley is between 0.54 inches and 0.66 inches; and    the teeth of the tread layer may have a tooth-to-tooth spacing of between 1.51 inches and 1.84 inches.