Sling bar for patient lift slings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9700474-B2
Application number	US-201514738451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed is a new sling bar for use with an overhead lift system to lift a load suspended in a lift sling there below. The sling bar comprises a cross bar having first and second ends, a pair of lift loop retention ears extending from each of the first and second ends of the cross bar. Each pair of ears includes a first ear in the pair being disposed adjacent a first face of the cross bar and a second ear in the pair disposed adjacent a second opposite face of said cross bar, the pair of retention ears defining a space there between. A lift hook is disposed at each of the first and second ends of the cross bar in the space defined between the pair of retention ears, the pair of ears extending at least up to an inner surface of a bend portion of the lift hook.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sling bar operable to connect to an overhead lift system, comprising:
a cross bar having first and second ends, a lift connector disposed between the first and the second ends, and a hinge;
a lift hook connected to the cross bar and having a hook opening; and
a latch having a base end connected to the hinge to hingedly connect the latch to the cross bar, the latch being biased to rotate away from the lift connector and toward the hook opening to close off the hook opening.

2. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the latch is hingedly connected to the first end of the cross bar.

3. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the hook opening is defined between an end of the lift hook and the base end of the lift hook or the first end of the cross bar.

4. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the latch is biased to rotate toward an end of the lift hook to engage and connect with the end of the lift hook to close off the hook opening.

5. The sling bar of claim 4 , wherein the latch is configured to provide a substantially continuous surface from the end of the lift hook to the first end of the cross bar when the latch engages the end of the lift hook and is a closed position.

6. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the lift hook is integrally connected to the first end of the cross bar.

7. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the hinge is disposed at the first end of the cross bar and configured to hingedly connect the latch to the first end of the cross bar.

8. The sling bar of claim 7 , wherein the first end of the cross bar further comprises:
a recess configured to accept the base end of the latch hingedly connected via the hinge, wherein the hinge is disposed in the recess.

9. The sling bar of claim 1 , further comprising:
a biasing member coupled to the base end of the latch, the biasing member being configured to bias the latch to engage and connect with an end of the lift hook and place the latch in a closed position.

10. The sling bar of claim 9 , wherein the biasing member is positioned substantially horizontal with respect to the cross bar.

11. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein the latch further comprises a point end that is configured to engage and connect with an end of the lift hook.

12. The sling bar of claim 11 , wherein the point end comprises a recess and the end of the lift hook comprises a tip section, the recess of the point end being configured to accept the tip section.

13. The sling bar of claim 12 , wherein the tip section has a width that is less than a width of the lift hook.

14. A sling bar operable to connect to an overhead lift system, comprising:
a cross bar including:
a hinge,
an elongated body,
a lift connector disposed on the elongated body, and
a lift hook connected to the elongated body, the lift hook having a hook opening; and

a latch having a base end and a point end, the base end being connected to the hinge to hingedly connect the latch to the cross bar via the hinge, the latch being biased to rotate away from the lift connector and toward the hook opening to close off the hook opening.

15. The sling bar of claim 14 , wherein the hook opening is defined between an end of the lift hook and a base end of the lift hook or an end of the elongated body.

16. The sling bar of claim 14 , wherein the point end of the latch is biased to engage and connect with an end of the lift hook to close off the hook opening.

17. The sling bar of claim 14 , wherein the lift hook is integrally connected to an end of the elongated body.

18. The sling bar of claim 14 , further comprising:
a biasing member connected to the base end of the latch, the biasing member being configured to bias the latch to rotate toward the hook opening such that the point end of the latch engages and connects with an end of the lift hook, wherein the biasing member is positioned substantially horizontal with respect to the cross bar.

19. A sling bar operable to connect to an overhead lift system, comprising:
a cross bar having first and second ends and a lift connector disposed between the first and the second ends, the first end including a hinge;
a lift hook disposed at the first end of the cross bar, the lift hook including a hook opening defined between the first end of the cross bar and an end of the lift hook; and
a latch including:
a point end having a recessed portion, and
a base end that is hingedly connected to the hinge,

wherein the latch is biased to rotate about the hinge away from the lift connector and toward the hook opening and the end of the lift hook to close off the hook opening, and
wherein the point end is configured to engage the end of the lift hook such that the end of the lift hook sits within the recessed portion of the point end.

20. The sling bar of claim 1 , wherein lift connector is configured to connect the cross bar to the overhead lift system.

Assignees

• Liko Res & Dev Ab

Inventors

• Karlsson Roger
• Arespong Ronnie

Classifications

• A61G2203/78

  for clamping · CPC title

• A61G7/1061 Primary

  Yokes · CPC title

• A61G7/1069

  for quick release · CPC title

• A61G7/1042

  Rail systems (walking aids with suspension devices A61H3/008) · CPC title

• A61G7/1015

  Cables, chains or cords · CPC title