Stretcher

Description

Background of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to a stretcher (being an appliance for carrying a disabled person) of the type which comprises means for providing a rigid surface large enough to provide support to a supine human body over substantially the entire width and length of the body, and an inflatable body cushioning means which is situated between the rigid surface and the prone human body in use of the stretcher, the rigid surface comprising a body board made up from at least three rigid, body support board portions which extend in a transverse direction across the full width of the body board and in a longitudinal direction along a portion of the length of the board, and means for limiting movement of the board portions relative to one another to movement between a compact, transport disposition of the stretcher and a flat, useful disposition of the stretcher.

[0002] There have been a number of prior proposals for stretchers to be used by emergency and rescue services. Stretchers of the "carrying sheet" type are readily transportable but are limited in their ability to provide rigid support over the full width and length of a supine human body. Those previously proposed portable stretchers which would provide ample support are too large and heavy to be readily transportable over long distances by a single human bearer.

[0003] United States Patent Specification No. 3449776 describes how necessary it is fully to immobilize a patient on a stretcher. It proposes to do this by strapping the patient to an elongate support which comprises three telescoping elements, and so suffers from the disadvantage that any inflatable mattress, protective blanket or other bodily comfort which runs the length of the stretcher must be removed or detached before the support is moved from its use position to its transport position.

[0004] This same disadvantage is shared by the proposals of US-A-3,135,972 which shows another segmented litter, and GB-A-2016932 which shows a proposal to arrange two litter sections in head to tail relationship for back packing of the litter.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a fully and protective supportive stretcher which is, at the same time more readily transportable than the prior proposals.

[0006] A stretcher according to the present invention is characterized in that the means for limiting movement of the board portions comprises a hinge between each portion and the adjacent portions or portions along the length of the board, and stiffening means for resisting downward movement of the or each board portion separating end portions of the board, when the stretcher is in use and supported at its ends above the ground, the

[0007] ffening means comprising a pair of stiffening strings, each of which strings is located along an opposed longitudinal edge of the body board when the stretcher is in said useful disposition, and the stiffening strings comprising a line of rigid string c'lements, each of which elements is connected to one of the board portions for movement of the element relative to the portion between a standing disposition and a relaxed disposition, the said string elements being hingedly connected to one another with the pivotal axis of the hinges lying perpendicular to the plane of the body board when the string elements are in said standing disposition, and in a plane lying parallel to the plane of the body board when the string elements are in said relaxed disposition, whereby the strings provide a stiffening function only when they are in said standing disposition, offering no resistance to movement of the body board portions from the useful disposition to the transport disposition when they are in said relaxed disposition.

[0008] The combination of a rigid yet foldable surface and an inflatable cushion combines lightness, portability and strength, and thereby facilitates transport of the stretcher, while empty, by a single human bearer.

[0009] The parts of the stretcher are preferably so shaped that, when the stretcher is in the transport disposition, the entire stretcher can be arranged as a back-pack, which is preferably such that no dimension exceeds one-third of the length of the stretcher when in use. Preferably the board portions are circumjacent the cushioning means, in the transport disposition, thereby affording some protection to the inflatable cushioning means in transport.

[0010] The support board portions are connected by hinge formations, which can be of fabric, so retaining the body support board as a single component which can be folded into a compact configuration. Thus, a pack having a width which is similar to that of the stretcher, a thickness X approximately one-tenth of the length of the stretcher and a length Y approximately one- quarter of the length of the stretcher can be provided with a body support board having a central portion of length (along the length of the stretcher) X to which is joined by hinges two adjacent board portions of length Y, and then two further portions of length no more than X. In particular, these two further portions can be of length X/2 and connected to two end portions of the body support board having a length no greater than Y. If the two ends of such a board are folded in to the middle of the board then a pack of the same width as the support board and with X and Y as its other two major dimensions, will be formed.

[0011] Conveniently the body support board portions are made from a composite material of fibres set in a resin matrix in order to provide the maximum available stiffness consistent with a light weight.

[0012] Stiffening means may be employed to limit relative movement of the board portions when the stretcher is in use. In one embodiment, not at present preferred, but described in British Patent Application No. 8117596, the priority of which is. claimed herein, these stiffeners are of 25 mm square section aluminium alloy tube and are attached to the body support board so that they are not lost when the stretcher is dismantled. None of the stiffeners is longer than one-third of the length of the stretcher and, where it is convenient to connect together the stiffeners for use of the stretcher, this can be effected by the use of retractable inserts housed within the ends of the stiffener tubes.

[0013] It will usually be advantageous to provide buoyancy tubes along the flank edges of the body support board, so that the stretcher is capable of supporting an injured person on the surface of a body of water. Conveniently the lower surfaces of the buoyancy tubes are resistant to abrasion and are faired at one end at least of the stretcher so that the stretcher is more readily suitable to be handled as a sledge in use i.e. is adapted for sledging. Again, it will often be convenient to nip the buoyancy tubes in at the waist area to restrict the overall width of the stretcher (for example, to not more than one metre so that the stretcher can readily be passed through doorways) and to provide a convenient location point for the connection between the buoyancy tubes and the body support board.

[0014] Advantageously the upper surface of the body support board is provided with an inflatable mattress and has a sufficient number of straps or bindings to enable the necessary restraint to be applied to the injured person on the stretcher. It is useful to divide the mattress into a trunk-cushion and a head cushion, and to provide means for establishing a degree of inflation of the head cushion different from that of the trunk cushion. Usually a survival cover or sheet will be provided to extend over the body support board for covering the injured person and conveniently this is in two halves connected by a zip fastener running centrally along the length of the sheet or cover.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show more clearly how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a stretcher according to the invention, when inflated and in its flat disposition, but with a survival cover removed for reasons of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretcher of Fig. 1 but with the survival cover included;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body board of the stretcher with one stiffener removed in order to show slots in the body board;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the stretcher when it is in its compact, transport disposition;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-section of the stretcher, on the line V-V shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 5 showing the attachment of one stiffener element to an associated portion of the body board; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 4 showing the construction of one of the fabric hinges connecting two adjacent portions of the body board of the stretcher.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0016] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the trunk and legs of the body of an injured person 10 is borne on an inflatable mattress 11 carried between two large buoyancy tubes 12 and 13. The head of the patient 10 rests upon a V-shaped headrest cushion 14, and his body is covered by a laminated survival cover 15 which incorporates leaves of the so- called "Space Blanket" material for resisting loss of heat from the patient 10. Also provided, but not shown, is a transparent visor for covering the head of the patient 10, when necessary. The survival cover 15 has a centrally placed zip fastener 16 running the entire length of the cover, and tags 17 which engage studs on the tubes 12 and 13 with a snap action.

[0017] Fig. 1 shows that the main buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 are connected by a front thwart support tube 18 and rear tube 19. This rear tube carries a main inflatable valve 20 through which supplies of compressed air or, if desired, compressed carbon dioxide gas, may be introduced into the inflatable cavities of the stretcher. A bottle 21 of sufficient compressed gas to inflate the stretcher may be secured to the rear tube.

[0018] The gas passes .directly from the tube 19 into the main buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 and the front thwart support tube 18, but indirectly, through a mattress inflation cock 22, into the mattress 11 and the headrest 14. Between the mattress 11 and headrest 14 there is a non-return valve shown in the drawing purely schematically at 39. The amount of air in the headrest is controllable by a deflation valve 23, and the amount of air in the mattress 11 by a mattress deflation valve 24. With this arrangement, it is possible to deflate the mattress 11 entirely, while all the other inflatable components of the stretcher remain fully inflated, and this may be useful for spinal patients or where some other form of mattress is to be used.

[0019] The front thwart support tube 16 carries a pressure relief valve 25 and a deflation plug 26. Around the periphery of the stretcher there are provided a number of lifting rings and handles 27.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows one possible arrangement of straps and harness bonded to the inflatable mattress 11, the main buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 and the body support board beneath the mattress 11 and described further herinbelow, to provide the necessary restraint for an injured person lying on the stretcher. Conveniently, the various straps and harness incorporated quick release buckles 28. The straps may therefore comprise a head strap 29, a chest strap 30, groin straps 31 and 32 a knee strap 33 and an ankle strap 34, adjustable, diagonal body-securing harness straps 35 and 36, a plurality of leg-securing loops 37 and several traction loops 38.

[0021] As best seen in Fig. 2, the ends of the buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 are faired into a smoothly rounded shape to facilitate "sledging" i.e. dragging, the stretcher over the ground. The ground- contacting surfaces of the stretcher are protected against abraslon it ouch use is contemplated. The illustrated embodiment is adapted to be safely towed over a water surface, as the stretcher floats thereon.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows that the body support board 40 is made up of a relatively short central board portion 41 flanked by two large portions 42 and 43, flanked in turn by two rather short portions 44 and 45 and then two equal sized end portions 46 and 47, the adjacent portions of the board being connected to one another by fabric hinges 48 and together providing a board having a length of nearly 2 m and a width of approximately 40 cms.

[0023] The portion 42 has a pair of slots 49 and 50, the portion 43 has a pair of slots 51 and 52 and the end portion 46 (which underlies the headrest 14) has a pair of slots 53 and 54. In each of the slots is slidably movable an aluminium slide member 55 to 60 respectively. Connected to the slide member 55 by a fabric hinge 61, the slide member 57 by a fabric hinge 62 and the slide member 59 by a fabric hinge 63 is a stiffener string generally referenced 64. The hinges allow the string to pivot through a right angle between a relaxed disposition flat on the board 40 as shown in Fig. 3 and a standing disposition perpendicular to the board 40 as shown in Fig. 6, referred to hereinbelow.

[0024] The string 64 comprises an end element 65 of marine grade plywood connected to the hinge 61 and by a strong brass hinge 66 to a first centre element 67 which overlies the centre board portion 41. This element 67 is connected by a similar brass hinge 68 to a compensating element 78 which overlies the board element 43. A short element 69 is connected by a brass hinge 70 to the compensating element 78 and by another brass hinge 71 to an end element 72 itself connected to the fabric hinge 63.

[0025] A string which is mounted to the slide members 56, 58 and 60 is similar to the string 64 and a mirror image of it. It is omitted from Fig. 3 the better to show the slide members 56, 58 and 60.

[0026] The way in which the strings function will become clearer from the description of Fig. 4 which follows. The length of the compensating element 78 is variable by a small extent, as is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3 by a male member 73 of a first portion 74 of the compensating element which is slidable in a channel 75 in a second portion 76 of the element 78.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows the body board 40 and stiffener string 64 in the compact, transport disposition of the stretcher, and it is believed that inspection of the reference numbers will reveal the manner in which the board and string is folded. It will be appreciated that the brass hinges 66, 68, 70 and 71 each fold at the position of one of the fabric hinges 48 connecting adjacent body board portions, and that the compensating element 78 serves to secure sufficient variation in the distance separating the brass hinges 68 and 70 to allow the body board 40 to move between its folded, compact disposition and its flat disposition.

[0028] Turning now to Fig. 5, it can be seen that the main buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 are nipped in at the waist thereof by H-section reeds 80 and 81 respectively. it is preferable that the end flanges 82 of the reeds are secured to the outer surface of the buoyancy tubes, and then further secured by fabric holding covers 83 as shown in the drawing. An alternative, but less preferred, arrangement would be to secure end flanges of the reeds 80 and 81 to the interior surface of the buoyancy tubes 12 and 13.

[0029] Strips 84 of material secure the buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 to the long edges of the body support board 40 of the stretcher. The board 40 is supported as described above by stiffener strings 64 and 85, and carries the inflatable mattress 11 of the stretcher on its upper surface. The construction of the mattress 11, as shown in Fig. 5, is conventional and need not be described further herein. Above the mattress 11 is shown the survival cover 15. Fig. 5 shows sheets of abrasion- resistant material 86 may be bonded to the lower surfaces of the buoyancy tubes 12 and 13 to resist damage to the gas-tight construction of the tubes 12 and 13 during sledging of the stretcher.

[0030] The detail view of Fig. 6 shows the stiffener element 65 secured to the slide member 55 by the fabric hinge 61 which comprises a wide strip 87 and a narrow strip 88 of fabric which together flank the lower longitudinal edge 89 of the element 65 and extend through a slot 90 defined by a slotted element 91 of the slide member 55. The lower edges of the strips 87 and 88 are secured between a downward-facing surface of the slotted element 91 and an upward-facing surface of a facing element 92 of the slide member 55.

[0031] The slots and slide members in the body board are protected from contact with dirt or water from below the body board by waterproof protective covers 93 of polyvinylchloride bonded to the lower surface of the body board 40 and within which the slide members 55 to 60 can move along their respective slots.

[0032] It will be appreciated from study of Fig. 6 that if the mattress 11 is deflated, the stiffener strings 64 and 85 can take up (arrow s) the relaxed disposition, flat above the board 40 and overlying an edge of the deflated mattress 11, and that as the mattress 11 is inflated the strings will be pushed into the standing disposition shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

[0033] In fact, inflation of the stretcher from the compact disposition of Fig. 4 to the flat disposition of Figs. 1 and 5 can be automatic, the inflation of the mattress 11 first urging the body board 40 to open out flat and then urging the stiffener strings to assume their standing disposition in which, it will be appreciated, they are each sandwiched between one of the flank tubes 12 and 13 and the mattress 11. This sandwiching helps to keep the stiffener strings 64 and 85 properly upright, and ensures that the fabric hinges 61 are not required to withstand an unbalanced pressure from the inflated mattress 11 during use of the stretcher, thereby protecting the fabric hinges 61 to 63 against undue tension and wear.

[0034] Fig. 7 shows one of the fabric hinges 48 when fully open. Each hinge has two fabric hinge members 90 bonded to two adjacent portions of the body board 40 and connected to one another by a centre stitch 91. Short lengths of fabric holding tape 92 cover the area of the hinge and, in particular, the exposed surface of the centre stitch 91.

[0035] It will be appreciated that the flank tubes 12 and 13 provide a degree of stiffness in the illustrated embodiment, so that the stiffener strings need not extend towards the foot of the body board 40 far enough to overlie the body board portions 45 and 47.

[0036] It will further be appreciated that the flank tubes 12 and 13, when deflated, can be folded to overlie the body board 40 so that, in the transport disposition of the stretcher, the body board surrounds and protects the other components of the stretcher.

Claims

1. A stretcher of the type which comprises means (40, 64) for providing a rigid surface large enough to provide support to a supine human body over substantially the entire width and length of the body, and an inflatable body cushioning means (11) which is situated between the rigid surface and the prone human body in use of the stretcher, the rigid surface comprising a body board made up from at least three rigid, body support board portions (41,42,43,44,45,46 and 47) which extend in a transverse direction across the full width of the body board and in a longitudinal direction along a portion of the length of the board, and means (48, 64) for limiting movement of the board portions relative to one another to movement between a compact, transport disposition of the stretcher and a flat, useful disposition of the stretcher characterized in that the means for limiting movement of the board portions comprises a hinge (48) between each portion and the adjacent portion or portions along the length of the board, and stiffening means (12, 13 and 64) for resisting downward movement of the or each board portion separating end portions of the board, when the stretcher is in use and supported at its ends above the ground, the stiffening means comprising a pair of stiffening strings (64), each of which strings is located along an opposed longitudinal edge of the body board when the stretcher is in said useful disposition, and the stiffening strings comprising a line of rigid string elements (65, 67, 78, 69, 72), each of which elements is connected to one of the board portions for movement of the element relative to the portion between a standing disposition and a relaxed disposition, the said string elements being hingedly connected to one another with the pivotal axis of the hinges lying perpendicular to the plane of the body board when the string elements are in said standing disposition, and in a plane lying parallel to the plane of the body board when the string elements are in said relaxed disposition, whereby the strings provide a stiffening function only when they are in said standing disposition, offering no resistance to movement of the body board portions from the useful disposition to the transport disposition when they are in said relaxed disposition.

2. A stretcher as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that, in the compact transport disposition, the stretcher takes the form of a pack to be carried on the back of a single human bearer.

3. A stretcher. as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that the board portions are circumjacent the body cushioning means (11) when the stretcher is in said compact transport disposition thereby affording some protection to the cushioning means.

4. A stretcher as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the strings are disposed along the longitudinal edges of the cushioning means, and on an upper face of the body board, and overlie the deflated cushioning means in the relaxed disposition, so that inflation of the cushioning means (11) urges the strings to move from the relaxed disposition to the standing disposition.

5. A stretcher as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the body cushioning means comprises a trunk cushion (11) and a head cushion (14), and in that means (23, 24 and 39) are provided for establishing a chosen degree of inflation of the head cushion different from that of the trunk cushion.

6. A stretcher as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that it includes inflatable flank tubes (12 and 13), one on each side of the body board.

7. A stretcher as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that the flank tubes are nipped in (81) at a waist area, thereby to restrict the overall width of the inflated stretcher.

8. A stretcher as claimed in claim 6 or 7 as dependent upon claim 4 characterised in that each of the strings (64) is held in the standing disposition sandwiched between the cushioning means and one of the flank tubes.

9. A stretcher as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it includes body binding straps (29-36) and a waterproof, heat insulating flexible body cover (15).

Revendications

1. Civière du type comprenant des moyens (40, 64) pour constituer une surface rigide assez large pour servir de support à un corps humain étendu sur pratiquement la largeur et la longeur entières du corps, et des moyens gonflables formant coussin pour le corps (11) qui sont situés entre la surface rigide et le corps humain étendu en utilisation de la civière, la surface rigide comprenant un planche de corps faite d'au moins trois parties de planches rigides formant support pour le corps (41,42,43,44,45,46 et 47) qui s'étendent dans une direction transversale sur la largeur totale de la planche de corps et dans une direction longitudinale suivant une partie de la longueur de la planche et des moyens (48, 64) servant à limiter le mouvement des parties de la planche l'une par rapport à l'autre au mouvement entre une disposition de transport compacte de la civière et une disposition plate en utilisation de la civière, caractérisée en ce que les moyens servant à limiter le mouvement des parties de la planche comprennent une charnière (48) entre chaque partie et la ou les parties adjacentes suivant la longueur de la planche, et des moyens de renforcement (12, 13 et 64) pour résister au mouvement vers le bas de la partie de planche ou de chaque partie de planche séparant les parties d'extrémité de la planche, lorsque la civière est utilisée et supportée à ses extrémités au dessus du sol, les moyens de renforcement comprenant une paire de cordes formant renfort (64), dont chacune est située le long d'un bord longitudinal opposé de la planche de corps lorsque la planche est dans ladite position d'utilisation, et les cordes formant renfort comprenant un alignement d'éléments de corde rigide (65, 67, 78, 69, 72) dont chacun est relié à une des parties de planche pour permettre le mouvement de l'élément par rapport à la partie entre une disposition tenue et une disposition relâchée, lesdits éléments de corde étant reliés de manière pivotante l'un à l'autre, l'axe de pivotement des charnières s'étendant perpendiculairement au plan contenant la planche de corps lorsque les éléments de corde sont dans ladite position tenue, et dans un plan s'étendant parallèlement au plan contenant la planche de corps lorsque les éléments de corde sont dans ladite position relâchée, ce en quoi les cordes apportent une fonction de renforcement seulement lorsqu'elles sont dans ladite disposition tenue, n'offrant aucune résistance au mouvement des parties de planche de corps depuis la disposition d'utilisation jusqu'à la disposition de transport lorsqu'elles sont dans ladite position relâchée.

2. Civière suivant la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que, dans la disposition compacte de transport, la civière prend la forme d'un paquet devant être porté sur le dos d'un seul porteur.

3. Civière suivant la revendication 2 caractérisée en ce que les parties de planche enserrent les moyens formant coussin pour le corps (11) lorsque la civière est dans ladite disposition compacte de transport, permettant ainsi une protection des moyens formant coussin.

4. Civière suivant l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que les cordes sont disposées le long des bords longitudinaux des moyens formant coussin, et sur une face supérieure de la planche de corps et recouvrent les moyens formant coussin dégonflés dans la disposition relâchée, de telle sorte que le gonflage des moyens formant coussin (11) repousse les cordes afin de les déplacer de la disposition relâchée à la disposition tenue.

5. Civière suivant l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que Ies moyens formant coussin pour le corps comprennent un coussin pour le tronc (11) et un coussin pour la tête (14), et en ce que des moyens (23, 24 et 39) sont constitués pour établir un degré de gonflage choisi du coussin pour la tête différent de celui du coussin pour le tronc.

6. Civière suivant l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comporte des tubes latéraux gonflables (12 et 13), un sur chaque côté de la planche de corps.

7. Civière suivant la revendication 6 caractérisée en ce que les tubes latéraux sont étranglés (81) au voisinage de leur taille, pour ainsi réduire la largeur totale de la civière gonflée.

8. Civière suivant la revendication 7 ou la revendication 6 rattachée à la revendication 4 caractérisée en ce que chacune des cordes (64) est maintenue dans la disposition tenue prise en sandwich entre les moyens formant coussin et un des tubes latéraux.

9. Civière suivant l'une quelconque des revendication précédentes caractérisée en ce qu'elle comporte des sangles de fixation du corps (29-36) et une couverture pour le corps souple et thermiquement isolante (15).

Ansprüche

1. Krankentrage mit einer eine zur Abstützung eines auf dem Rücken liegenden menschlichen Körpers, im wesentlichen über die gesamte Körperbreite und -länge ausreichende starre Fläche bietenden Einrichtung (40, 64) und mit im Gebrauch der Krankentrage zwischen der starren Fläche und dem ausgestreckten menschlichen Körper liegenden aufweitbaren Körperpolstermitteln (11), wobei die starre Fläche an einem Körperauflagebrett ausgebildet ist, das aus wenigstens drei starren, sich in der Querrichtung über die ganze Breite des Körperauflagebrettes und in der Längsrichtung jeweils über einen Teil der Länge des Körperauflagebrettes erstreckenden Körperauflagebretteilen (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 und 47) besteht, sowie mit die gegenseitige Beweglichkeit der Auflagebretteile auf eine Verstellbewegung zwischen einem kompakten Transportzustand und einem ebenen Gebrauchszustand der Krankentrage begrenzenden Einrichtungen (48, 64), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Einrichtungen zur Begrenzung der Beweglichkeit der Auflagebretteile zwischen jedem Auflagebretteil und dem bzw. den in der Brettlängsrichtung anschließenden Auflagebretteil bzw. Auflagebretteilen angeordnete Scharniergelenke (48) und Versteifungsmittel (12, 13 und 64) aufweisen, durch die im Gebrauch und bei an ihren Enden angehobener Krankentrage eine nach unten zu gerichtete Bewegung des oder der die Endteile des Auflagebrettes voneinander trennenden Auflagebretteiles bzw. der Auflagebretteile gesperrt ist, daß die Versteifungsmittel zwei Versteifungsstreben (64) aufweisen, die in der Gebrauchsstellung der Krankentrage sich entlang gegenüberliegender Längskanten des Körperauflagebrettes erstrecken und die jeweils eine Reihe starrer Strebenelemente (65, 67, 78, 69, 72) enthalten, von denen jedes Strebenelement an einem der Auflagebretteile bezüglich dieses Teiles zwischen einer aufrechtstehenden und einer entspannten Lage beweglich ist, daß die Strebenelemente mit in der aufrechtstehenden Lage der Strebenelemente rechtwinklig zu der Ebene des Körperauflagebrettes und in der entspannten Lage der Strebenelemente parallel zu der Ebene des Körperauflagebrettes verlaufender Gelenkachse aneinander angelenkt sind, derart, daß die Streben ihre Versteifungswirkung lediglich in ihrer aufrechtstehenden Lage ausüben und in der entspannten Lage die Verstellbewegung der Körperauflagebretteile aus dem Gebrauchszustand in den Transportzustand durch die Streben unbehindert ist.

2. Krankentrage nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie in dem Transportzustand die Gestalt eines auf dem Rücken eines menschlichen Trägers tragbaren Packens aufweist.

3. Krankentrage nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Auflagebretteile bei in dem Transportzustand befindlicher Krankentrage die Körperpolstermittel (11) umgebend und diese schützend angeordnet sind.

4. Krankentrage nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Streben entlang der Längskanten der Körperpolstermittel und auf einer Oberseite des Körperauflagebrettes angeordnet sind sowie im entspannten Zustand die entlüfteten'Körperpolstermittel übergreifen, und daß die Streben durch Aufweitung der Körperpolstermittel (11) aus dem C'n..apannten Zustand in den aufrechstehenden Zustand überführbar sind.

5. Krankentrage nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Körperpolstermittel ein Rumpfkissen (11) und ein Kopfkissen (14) aufweisen und daß Einrichtungen (23, 24, 39) vorgesehen sind, um ein bestimmtes Maß der Aufweitung des Kopfkissens herzustellen, das unterschiedlich von jenem des Rumpfkissens ist.

6. Krankentrage nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie zu beiden Seiten des Körperauflagebrettes aufweitbare Flankenschläuche (12, 13) aufweist.

7. Krankentrage nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Flankenschläuche unter Begrenzung der Gesamtbreite der aufgeweiteten Krankentrage in einem eingeschnürten Bereich jeweils eingezogen (bei 81) sind.

8. Krankentrage nach Anspruch 6 oder 7 sowie nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß jede der Streiben (64) eingekeilt zwischen den Körperpostermitteln und einer der Flankenröhren in der aufrechtstehenden Lage gehalten ist.

9. Krankentrage nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie Gurte (29-36) zum Festbinden des Körpers und eine wasserdichte, wärmeisolierende, flexible Abdeckung (15) für den Körper aufweist.

Drawing