What is claimed is:
1. A vapor-liquid separator comprising:
an introduction path allowing passage of a vapor-liquid two-phase fluid in a swirling state, said introduction path having an outlet via which the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid flows out of said introduction path;
a delivery port provided in opposition to said outlet of said introduction path at a predetermined axial distance from said outlet and allowing passage of vapor phase separated from the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid;
an outer tube surrounding said outlet of said introduction path while providing a predetermined separation between said outer tube and said outlet, said outer tube separating the vapor phase and liquid phase from each other; and
a discharge tube provided on said outer tube and adapted to discharge from said outer tube the liquid phase separated from the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid.
2. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said introduction path in the vicinity of said outlet broadens toward an outlet end of said introduction path.
3. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein said delivery port is formed on a delivery tube, and said outer tube surrounds said delivery port while providing a predetermined separation between said outer tube and said delivery port.
4. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 3, wherein an opening area of said delivery port formed on said delivery tube is smaller than an opening area of said outlet of said introduction path.
5. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 3, wherein said outlet of said introduction path and said delivery port formed on said delivery tube are located axially inside said outer tube by respectively predetermined axial distances as measured from corresponding axial end faces of said outer tube, and said discharge tube is located in the vicinity of the axial end face of said outer tube on a side toward said introduction path.
6. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein said delivery port is formed on said outer tube.
7. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein a narrow plate twisted at a predetermined pitch is disposed within said introduction path in order to generate a swirling flow of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid.
8. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein a portion of said introduction path in the vicinity of said outlet broadens toward an outlet end of said introduction path.
9. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein said delivery port is formed on a delivery tube, and said outer tube surrounds said delivery port while providing a predetermined separation between said outer tube and said delivery port.
10. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 9, wherein an opening area of said delivery port formed on said delivery tube is smaller than an opening area of said outlet of said introduction path.
11. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 9, wherein said outlet of said introduction path and said delivery port formed on said delivery tube are located axially inside said outer tube by respectively predetermined axial distances as measured from corresponding axial end faces of said outer tube, and said discharge tube is located in the vicinity of the axial end face of said outer tube on a side toward said introduction path.
12. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein said delivery port is formed on said outer tube.
13. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein said introduction path is connected to a delivery tube of a swirl vapor-liquid separator, which delivery tube allows passage of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid in a swirling state.
14. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein said introduction path is connected to a delivery tube of a swirl vapor-liquid separator, which delivery tube allows passage of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid in a swirling state.
15. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 1, wherein said introduction path is formed in a delivery tube of a swirl vapor-liquid separator, which delivery tube allows passage of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid in a swirling state.
16. A vapor-liquid separator according to claim 7, wherein said introduction path is formed in a delivery tube of a swirl vapor-liquid separator, which delivery tube allows passage of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid in a swirling state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A patient moving apparatus for use with an ambulance, comprising:
a patient cradle having a flexible seat configured to wrap about a portion of a patient and one or more lifting straps secured to the flexible seat, the patient cradle separate from an ambulance chair of the ambulance;
a loading ramp configured to span a distance between ground level and a level of a floor of a rear of the ambulance, the loading ramp configured to accommodate wheels of the ambulance chair;
a winch with a retractable winch cable, the winch secured within the rear of the ambulance, the winch cable having an attachment mechanism configured to removably attach to an attachment point located on a rearward side of the ambulance chair and, when not attached to the attachment point located on a rearward side of the ambulance chair, to the one or more lifting straps, the winch having sufficient strength to, when the winch cable is attached to the attachment point on the ambulance chair, draw the ambulance chair and the patient disposed therein up the loading ramp and into the rear of the ambulance, and when the winch cable is attached to the one or more lifting straps, lift the patient and patient cradle for transfer to an ambulance stretcher; and
an articulating arm having a pulley to support the winch cable, the articulating arm separate from the winch and secured within the rear of the ambulance at a location between the winch and a rear door of the ambulance, the articulating arm capable of rotation through an arc while maintaining the pulley at a level higher than the ambulance chair, and the articulating arm configured to rotate sufficiently such that the patient and the patient cradle may be lifted from the ambulance chair by the supported winch cable, rotated to be disposed over the ambulance stretcher, and lowered upon the ambulance stretcher by the supported winch cable, upon operation of the winch.
2. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1 wherein the loading ramp comprises:
a first track;
a second track parallel to the first track; and
one or more crossbars that couple the first track and the second track, the one or more crossbars including sliding members that, when slid, adjust separation between the first track and the second track, from a separation that accommodates wheels of the ambulance chair to a separation that accommodates wheels of the ambulance stretcher.
3. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a double-roller mechanism coupled to the winch, the double-roller mechanism having first and second laterally-mounted rollers, the first and second rollers spaced sufficiently from one another for the winch cable to pass between the first and second rollers, but to otherwise restrict substantial lateral movement of the winch cable as the winch cable is fed toward a spool of the winch.
4. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a first cable guide having a pulley to accommodate the winch cable, the first cable guide disposed on a ceiling of the rear of the ambulance.
5. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a second cable guide having a pulley to accommodate the winch cable, the second cable guide disposed on the floor of the rear of the ambulance.
6. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winch is a remote-controlled, electrically powered winch.
7. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the winch is mounted to a front wall of the rear of the ambulance.
8. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating arm is secured to the ceiling of the rear of the ambulance.
9. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating arm further comprises:
a housing configured to house the pulley;
a rotating member coupled at one end to a pivot and at another end to the housing, the rotating member configured to rotate between multiple positions thereby moving the pulley, including a first position suitable for lifting the patient and the patient cradle from the ambulance chair, and a second position suitable for lowering the patient and the patient cradle upon the ambulance stretcher.
10. The patient moving apparatus of claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism is a carabineer.