Vacuum mattress, preferably for rescue vehicles
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a vacuum mattress, primarily for rescue vehicles, said mattress comprising a skin filled with a plurality of parts made of plastic, for example, polystyrene, with a valve being provided for evacuating the mattress, whereby the mattress comprises a plurality of elements which can be evacuated separately and/or jointly, and by the fact that a central element is abutted by two lateral elements, the latter serving as rails and extending above the surface of the central element. A vacuum mattress of this type is disclosed in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 010,996, filed Feb. 9, 1979. 
     The vacuum mattress cited hereinabove, by virtue of its design, can easily be used in conjunction with various types of injuries involving human beings. However, systematic studies of vehicles and vacuum mattresses with immobilized patients have revealed that under certain conditions under which the vehicle is decelerated, for example collision, braking, or the like, the vacuum mattress, whose longitudinal central plane is primarily aligned with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, no longer offers a secure support for the patient. 
     Hence, an object of the invention is to provide arrangements on the vacuum mattress such that the patient is held in a protected position even when the vehicle is subjected to a deceleration, while retaining its ease of handling. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this object is achieved by virtue of the fact that the elements comprise a support for body parts of the patient, for example shoulders, at at least one end of the vacuum mattress. It is advantageous in this connection for the support to be formed by the lateral elements, which run in a direction aligned with the longitudinal central plane. The arrangement of each lateral element, relative to the central longitudinal plane, comprises portions having a diagaonally directed section and a normal directed section. The lateral elements form an opening for the head area of the patient. Moreover, the central element is provided with local recesses for flush fitting of lateral elements. 
     The particular advantages of the invention include the fact that the mattress, aligned with the length of the vehicle, by supporting the injured person, provides a comfortable and safe support even when the vehicle decelerates. This support for the patient&#39;s shoulders (highly effective from the biomechanical standpoint) is provided in a simple fashion by the lateral elements. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a three-quarters perspective view of the vacuum mattress according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of a modified vacuum mattress; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross section along 1 line III--III in FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments will now be discussed in detail with reference to the drawings wherein like elements common to both embodiments bear the same reference numerals and modified elements bear an &#34;a&#34; suffix. 
     Vacuum mattress 1 is formed by a plurality of elements 2, 3, and 4. Each element, e.g. element 3, comprises a skin 5, filled with particles 6 of plastic, for example polystyrene. Element 3 is provided with a valve 7 for evacuation. 
     In the embodiments shown, the middle element 3 is abutted by two lateral elements 2 and 4. Lateral elements 2 and 4 have sections 8 and 9 which project above the surface A of mattress 1, so that these segments serve as lateral supports for an injured person. 
     A support 10 is provided at one end of the vacuum mattress 1 for the patient&#39;s shoulders. Support 10 is formed by lateral elements 2 and 4, which have a length 11 which runs parallel to the longitudinal central plane A--A of mattress 1. In addition, elements 2 and 4, in the FIG. 2 embodiment, have a section 12 and a section 13 which are diagonal to and at right angles to, respectively, the longitudinal central plane A--A. However, the area formed by sections 12 and 13 can also be made in the form of ring segments 12a, 13a (FIG. 1). 
     An opening 14 for the head area of the patient is provided between sections 13, 13a which form the support. The central element 3 is recessed at one end by the provision of cut-out areas 15 and 16 which, as shown in FIG. 2, dimensionally correspond to end sections 12 of the lateral elements 2 and 4, so that these end sections 12 can be located flush against the end face of central mattress element 3 and present a continuous end surface for mattress 1 in conjunction with the resultant, protecting central end portion of the central mattress element 3. 
     Central valve 7, mounted on element 3, can be used to evacuate the mattress. Openings 17 and 18 (FIG. 3) are then provided between elements 2, 3, and 4. If desired, valves 19 and 20 can also be provided on elements 2 and 4, so that elements 2, 3, and 4 can be evacuated separately. A suitable valve construction as well as the manner of evacuation are described in the above-cited co-pending application, which application is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent necessary to complete an understanding hereof. 
     It is also contemplated that the lateral supports 2, 4 can be formed as part of central element 3 and/or additional elevated areas can also be provided on central element 3 to serve as a support for the patient. 
     While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.