Patent Application
20070089242
The present invention relates to an adjustable transfer device and more particularly to a transfer device separately adjustable in the height, width, and/or depth directions.
In certain instances it has been known that individuals may need assistance getting into and out-of bed. In some instances where an individual has been injured, the need may be temporary. In other cases, where the individual is elderly or suffers from a permanent disability, the problem may be persistent. Often times the individual may be living alone or have access to limited financial assistance when the need arises for some additional help in transferring to and from the bed. Many times the individual may have a limited income or the problem may persist for such a short period time that limited funds are available for such a need.
Expensive and elaborate bed transfer systems, such as hospital beds with bed rails formed integrally therewith, have been available for some time; however, such systems are cost prohibitive for home-care use. Other bed transfer systems have been developed for home care use which utilize a wooden board or other rigid, sheet-like material for insertion between the box spring and mattress of a conventional bed to which a transfer rail is attached thereto. Such systems, while adequate for there intended purpose, may be difficult for the elderly or persons with injuries to install and remove. By providing a rigid layer between the bed and the box spring, such systems inherently interfere with the comfort level achieved by the cooperation of the mattress with the box spring. Such a barrier may not always be desirable. Thus, the need exists for a low cost and easy-to-use bed transfer device that provides a both long and short term solutions for individuals when transferring into or out of bed.
Existing devices include still further drawbacks including the need for adjustability of a transfer device that can be adapted to fit specific size and width beds. Also, bed rails should not, in some applications, be overly restrictive to a patient. There is a need for a releasable or easy-access bed rail. Still further, there is a need for a bed rail having a secure means of attachment to a bed so that a patient cannot inadvertently remove the transfer device from the bed. This securement device must also be accessible by a provider, so the securement means should be releasable and accessible.
In accordance with the present invention, an adjustable transfer device is provided that is adapted to be size adjustable in up to three directions. The transfer device is more specifically described as a bed transfer device comprising a rail member, a lateral support, and a plurality of floor supports or legs. The rail member is aligned with a bed's lengthwise direction. The lateral support rests under the mattress and on top of the mattress support surface (box frame, slats, bed frame, etc.). A collar is located at each end of the rail member. The collars serve as a height adjustment mechanism for the lateral support.
The rail member is in a telescoping relationship with the legs so that it is height adjustable relative to a support surface. The rail member is also width adjustable. The lateral support is joined to the rail member, and the lateral support is also width adjustable in order to match the width of the rail member. In addition, the lateral support is also depth adjustable relative to the collar. A user can determine, therefore, how far under the mattress the lateral support should extend. The lateral support can also be adapted for use with beds or mattresses of varying widths. In summary, the bed transfer device is size adjustable in the height, width, and/or depth directions.
In one preferred embodiment, a retainer is selectively attached to the rail member in order to help secure a patient or user on a bed or mattress. It acts as a releasable or selectively removable gate. The retainer is preferably width adjustable and/or elastic. The retainer can be secured to or secured around the rail member by a number of methods obvious to one skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the retainer includes hook and loop fasteners used to secure the retainer around two positions on the rail member.
In another preferred embodiment, the transfer device includes a securement strap that releasably connects the transfer device to a bed frame or bed rail. The strap effectively acts as an anchor. The securement strap can be tied, snapped, wrapped around, or otherwise secured to the rail member, a collar, and/or a leg. The other end of the strap is connected to a bed frame supporting a mattress. The strap could be of a fixed length or length adjustable.
In use, a user places the bed transfer device adjacent a mattress with the rail member extending along the lengthwise direction of the bed. The collars are adjusted on the rail member so that the collars are located proximate the bottom edge of the mattress. The lateral support is inserted above a mattress support surface and under a mattress. The lateral support can be adjusted or telescoped relative to the collars depending on a user's preferences, the width of the mattress, or the like. The rail member, which is supported on the legs, is also adjusted or telescoped relative to the legs depending on a user's preferences, the height of the mattress, or the like. The width of the transfer device is also adjusted to account for the height of the user, length of the mattress, or some other factor. The optional retainer is detached at one or both ends so that a user can transfer onto or off-of the mattress. The optional securement strap is connected to a bed frame supporting the mattress and to the transfer device.
In summary, a transfer device in accordance with the present invention efficiently addresses at least one of the problems associated with prior art bed transfer devices. The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The transfer device of the present invention operates to assist elderly, infirm, or otherwise handicapped individuals as they get onto or off-of a platform, support surface, bed, or the like. The transfer device is more specifically described as a bed transfer device comprising a rail member, a lateral support, and a plurality of floor supports or legs. The rail member, lateral support, and legs are all coupled together. The legs and rail member are secured to each other. A collar slides along each end of the rail member and the collar is connected to the lateral member. The leg/rail connection is operable to adjust the height of the transfer device relative to the ground. The lateral support member is substantially perpendicular to the legs and is placed between a mattress and an underlying mattress support (box spring, slats, bed frame, etc.). The depth of the lateral member, relative to the rail member, and width of the lateral support can be adjusted. The rail member is located atop the legs. The rail member provides assistance to a patient transferring onto or off-of a platform, mattress, bed, or the like. The rail member can also be adjusted in the width direction. Advantageously, the lateral support member, rail member, and legs can all be adjusted independently. Overall, the transfer device is adjustable in up to three directions.
Turning now to a more detailed description of the present invention, there is illustrated in
Rail member 12, lateral support 16, legs 18, 18′, and collars 14, 14′ are preferably fabricated from metal tubes. The diameter of the tubes preferably fall within a range of about 0.5 inch to 2 inches, although the specific diameters used are not crucial to the operation of the transfer device. Various sizes of tubing, shapes of tubing, and methods for fabricating the tubing will be obvious to one skilled in the art. It is also obvious that alternative methods of coupling the various components exist. Overall, the tubing is preferably easily gripped by a user, is strong enough to support the weight of a patient, and is easily placed between a mattress and a support surface without causing undue discomfort to a user on the mattress.
In greater detail, rail member 12 comprises two separate halves: a left rail member half 20 and a right rail member half 22. The halves are basically mirror images with each half having a first end (effectively the ends of rail member 12) supporting a respective collar and a second end coupled to the second end of the opposing half. Joining the halves together forms the generally inverted, W-shaped rail member 12. The second ends are coupled in an adjustable or telescoping manner so that the width of rail member 12 can be adjusted.
Width adjustment of the rail member is preferably accomplished by the second end of one rail member half having a larger diameter than the second end of the opposing rail member half in order to create a standard male-female connection 24. As illustrated, right half 22 includes the larger diameter, or female, connector 26. The second end of left half 20 is the male connector (not shown; internal to female connector 26). A plurality of aligned apertures are provided through the diameter of the male connector. A pair of apertures formed through the diameter of female connector 26 are sized to accept a pair of fasteners 28. Corresponding male and female apertures are aligned so that fasteners 28 can be inserted through both the male and female connectors. The fasteners, such as pegs, screws, rivets, or the like, secure left half 20 to right half 22. Spring biased mechanisms, such as push buttons, as known in the art, also could provide a means to secure the male and female portions together.
In use, a user adjusts the width of rail member 12 by removing the fasteners, adjusting one of the halves relative to the other, and then reinserting the fasteners through aligned apertures in the male and female connectors. In the case of a spring biased mechanism, a user would merely actuate the spring biasing mechanism and adjust the width of the rail member. Bayonet connections, snap locks, and the like are suitable for the male-female connection.
Together, left half 20 and right half 22 form the inverted, W-shaped rail member 12 wherein each half includes horizontal and vertical segments with rounded corners connecting the segments, as briefly mentioned above. In even greater detail, the segments of each half will be described in order progressing from the first end of each half to the male-female connection 24.
Each half beings with a vertical segment extending upwards from a support surface to form outer rail segments, which are identified as elements 30 and 32. The collars slide along the vertical outer rail segments. The outer rail segments are bent or turned into horizontal upper cross members 34 and 36. A pair of rubberized grips 34′, 36′ can be included on the respective upper cross members 34, 36. The cross members are then turned downwards into inner rail segments 38 and 40 (see
Collars 14, 14′ can be adjustably placed along outer rail segments 30, 32. Each collar includes a wing nut 44, 44′ which threadably screws into the respective collar 14, 14′ for a conventional friction fit engagement against the rail member 12. It will be appreciated that any number of fasteners may be used to secure the rail member in the collars, including screws, compression rings, push buttons, friction fit, clevis pins, cotter pins, or the like. Reducers (illustrated but not labeled), as known in the art, can be used to compensate for the diameter differences between the rail member and collars. Reducers are known in the art, and they help to prevent rattling between the collars and rail member.
In one preferred embodiment, a fabric retainer 50 extends from left inner rail segment 38 to right inner rail segment 40. Retainer 50 is selectively attached to the inner rail segments 38, 40 as a gate to secure a patient on a bed or mattress. One or both ends of retainer 50 are releasably secured to rail member 12. Therefore, retainer 50 acts as releasable or selectively removable gate.
Retainer 50, further illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, retainer 50 utilizes mating hook and loop fasteners (a/k/a Velco) to secure the retainer around the rail member. A strip or strips of hooks 52 is included on retainer 50. The hooks engage a strip or strips of loops 54, also included on retainer 50. In use, the user would simply pull the loops away from the hooks in order to open retainer 50. Buttons, snaps, ties, and the like could be used in place of the hook and loop mechanism.
Turning now to the generally U-shaped lateral support 16, there is illustrated two support halves: a left support half 60 and a right support half 62. The halves are basically mirror images with each half having a first end (effectively the ends of lateral support 16) coupled to the respective collar and a second end coupled to the second end of the opposing half. Joining the halves together forms the generally U-shaped lateral support 16. The second ends are coupled in an adjustable or telescoping manner so that the width of lateral support 16 can be adjusted.
The lateral support width adjustment is preferably accomplished according to the width adjustment mechanism described above for rail member 12. Namely, the second end of one support half has a larger diameter than the second end of the opposing support half in order to create a standard male-female connection 64. As illustrated, support half 62 includes the larger diameter, or female, connector 66. The second end of support half 60 is the male connector (not shown; internal to female connector 66). A plurality of aligned apertures are provided through the diameter of the male connector. A pair of apertures formed through the diameter of female connector 66 are sized to accept a pair of fasteners 68. Corresponding male and female apertures are aligned so that fasteners 68 can be inserted through both the male and female connectors. The fasteners, such as pegs, screws, rivets, or the like, secure left half 60 to right half 62.
In use, a user adjusts the width of lateral support 16 by removing fasteners 68, adjusting one of the halves relative to the other, and then reinserting the fasteners through aligned apertures in the male and female connectors. It is also envisioned that a spring biasing mechanism(s), such as a push button mechanism, could be used to secure one half of lateral support 16 to the other half while providing the ability to adjust the width of the support. In the case of a spring biased mechanism, a user would merely actuate the spring biasing mechanism and adjust the width of the rail member. Both connections 24, 64 can be accomplished using mechanisms other than specifically described, and bayonet connections, snap locks, and the like are all suitable for the male-female connections.
Each collar 14, ‘14 includes an extension, identified as left extension 70 and right extension 70′. The first ends of support halves 60, 62 can be adjustably moved into and out of extensions 70, 70′ so that the depth of lateral support 16 can be adjusted relative to collars 14, 14′. A plurality of spaced apart apertures 72 in extensions 70, 70′ engage a spring biased button as known in the art (not shown). The button is provided by the left and right support halves 60, 62 proximate the first end of the halves. The extensions are attached to the collars by welding or other securement means.
In use, a user inserts the first end of halves 60 or 62 into the respective extension. The spring biased button is depressed. When the button is aligned with one of extension apertures 72, it automatically, due to a spring force, extends into the aligned aperture and locks the lateral support to the corresponding collar. A user actuates the button to adjust the lateral support towards or away from collars 14, 14′. It will be appreciated that any number of techniques or mechanisms may be used to secure lateral support 16 within collar extensions 70, 70′, including screws, compression rings, push-buttons, friction fit, clevis pins, cotter pins, or the like.
Legs or support supports 18, 18′ allow the rail member to be vertically adjusted relative to the ground. Legs 18, 18′ are inserted into rail member 12 in a telescoping relationship. Again, a mechanism, such as a known push button mechanism, can be used to selectively prevent the telescopic movement of the legs within rail member 12. Preferably, the mechanism is a push button arrangement including at least one of spring-biased button 74, 74′ engaging one aperture in a set of apertures 76, 76′ located in spaced apart relation along the length of left and right outer rail segments 30, 32.
It has been found that sliding the respective collars along the rail member can depress the corresponding leg's push button. The user may, therefore, accidently allow the leg to telescope in relation to the legs whilst they are adjusting the height of the lateral member. In a preferred embodiment, each leg includes more than one button with the buttons positioned farther apart than the height of the respective collar. Therefore, as the collar slides along the rail member, it can only depress one button at a time and the legs are prevented from telescoping in relation to the rail member.
Rubber stops 78, 78′ are located at the base of the respective legs 18, 18′ to resist lateral movement along a floor or support surface.
Turning now to
In greater detail,
A conventional quick release buckle 86 allows a user to quickly disconnect device 10 from bed frame or bed rail 84. The quick release buckle is located adjacent the loop or in a position that is accessible to a user. The length of strap 80 is adjusted via an optional length adjustment buckle 88 joining two sections of strap 80.
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous variations, modifications and additional embodiments are possible, and all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.
