DEVICE FOR THE STABILIZATION OF A STRETCHER HANGED FROM A HELICOPTER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to air aid device to be used for the emergency rescue of patients and in particular it refers to a device for the stabilization of a stretcher hanged from a helicopter

BACKGROUND ART

There are known stretchers connected by means of tie -rods to the rope of a winch of a helicopter and used for the rescue of injured, and patients in general, in impassable and difficult to be reached zones.

In the stretcher descending towards the ground the winch is used also for the descent to the ground of a slung air rescuer.

At the recovery moment, the winch lifts the stretcher on which the patient is laid down, while the air rescuer is hanged laterally to the stretcher.

A drawback of said known hanged stretchers consists in that they require the presence of an operator, or of a connection tie to the ground, for a rope connected to an end of the stretcher in order to prevent the uncontrolled rotation caused by the air flow.

Another disadvantage consists in that the wrong activation of the rope , its absence or the release thereof may allow the rotation of the stretcher at such a speed to cause even the death of the rescuer and of the injured.

A further drawback consists in that the rope causes obstacle and dangers, for instance entangling in trees or other environmental elements or in the tail rotor.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to propose a device for the stabilization of a stretcher hanged from a helicopter which allows to the air rescuer to control in autonomy the rotation of

the stretcher caused by the air flow of the rotor.

Another object is to propose a device which may be used also with different vehicles as convertiplane or VTOL means in general

A further object is to propose a device which allows to the air -rescuer to orientate the stretcher in a parallel way in respect to the helicopter during putting beside the stretcher to the helicopter door.

The above mentioned objects are achieved according with the content of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are highlighted in the following with particular reference to the attached figures in which:

figure 1 shows a schematic bottom view of the stabilization device object of the present invention associated with a stretcher hanged to the rope of the winch of a helicopter and controlled by an air rescuer;

figures 23 show schematic bottom views of the device of figure 1 associated with a stretcher and in respective operating condition;

- figure 4-5 show partial, enlarged and by different observation point of view of the device in the conditions respectively of figure 2 and 3;

figure 6 shows a front view of a containing pocket of the device in a rest condition.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In figure 1-6 the numeral 1 indicates the device for the stabilization of a stretcher B hanged from a helicopter H by means of a rope S of a winch V. A person which acts like an air rescuer

P is hanged, by means of a sling, to a rope F in side position in respect to the stretcher and activates manually an aerodynamic means 2 of the device 1 fixed to the same side of the

stretcher near the end thereof corresponding to the head or the feet of the patient.

The aerodynamic means 2 of the device 1 comprises a sail means 3 having a side fixed laterally to the stretcher.

The sail means 3 has a plan shape almost triangular with basis consisting in the side fixed to the stretcher and with the opposite vertex to said side having an handling 4 which can be handled by the user.

The sail means 3 has two lateral portions 5 having shape like a circular sector having the respective circular sides fixed to the lateral edges of a central portion 6 of the sail means 3.

The sail means 3 is centrally provided with a pass-through hole 7 for the air and the aerodynamic means 2 comprises an adjusting element of the flow 8 fixed to a face of the sail means 3 and at least partially overlapped on the pass-through hole 7.

The pass-through hole 7 is made near the side of the sail means 3 fixed to the stretcher and has a circular or oval shape.

The sail means 3 and the adjusting element of the flow 8 are made of fabric, for instance sail or parachute, or made of flexible sheet material

The flow adjusting material 8 is made of rectangular or square shape and is fixed to the top face of the sail means 3 with at least a first side 9, opposite to the stretcher, free from fixing, like seams or thermo-weldings.

A second side 10 of the flow adjusting element 8, opposite to the first one 9 is fixed near the stretcher and in a parallel way thereto.

The remaining sides of the flow adjusting element 8, which are interposed between the first 9 and the second side 10 are fixed to the sail means 3.

The device 1 further comprises a pocket means 11 fixed to the stretcher and fit to contain the sail means 3 in a rest condition.

In the rest condition the handling 4 protrudes from the pocket means 11 , for instance cbsed by the Velcro type material, in order to allow an immediate activation of the device.

The operation of the device provides that the air rescuer brings the handle moving it away, as much as possible, from the stretcher.

The air rescuer raising or lowering in respect of the stretcher the sail means of the device, deviates the air flow, generated by the main rotor, in a direction almost perpendicular to the stretcher and in respective opposite directions.

In this way the device activated by the user generates reaction forces with components perpendicular to the stretcher and directed to generate rotation torques of the stretcher whose direction depends on the position, towards the top or the bottom, of the sail means. Said inversion effect of the reaction forces is favoured by the central hole in combination with the flow adjusting element 8.

Thus the user acting on the device 1 may contrast the rotation of the stretcher due to the air flow of the rotor stabilizing and/or adjusting the orientation of the stretcher.

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a device for the stabilization of a stretcher hanged from a helicopter which allows to the air rescuer to control in autonomy the rotation of the stretcher cased by the air flow.

Another advantage is to provide a device which may be used also with different vehicles as convertiplane or VTOL means in general

A further advantage is to provide a device which allows to the air -rescuer to orientate the stretcher in a parallel way in respect to the helicopter during the putting beside of the stretcher to the door of the helicopter.