This invention relates generally to beds and, more particularly, to convalescent beds. Most particularly, the invention relates to a brake assembly for articulated beds.
Articulating beds are typically supported for movement relative to a supporting surface by casters, which are usually coupled to legs at opposing ends of the bed. Conventional brake assemblies generally include pads that, upon activating the brake assembly, are displaced to frictionally engage the supporting surface to raise the casters up out of engagement with the supporting surface. Raising the casters in turn raises the legs to which the casters are attached, which raises a corresponding portion of the bed supported by the legs. Upon deactivating the brake assembly, the casters are lowered back into engagement with the supporting surface to permit movement of the bed. The corresponding portion of the bed is abruptly lowered due of the weight of the bed and the occupant. This frequently startles or otherwise causes discomfort or inconvenience to the bed occupant.
What is needed is a brake assembly that does not startle or cause discomfort or inconvenience to the occupant of an articulating bed.
The present invention is directed towards a brake assembly that does not startle or cause discomfort or inconvenience to the occupant of an articulating bed. The brake assembly comprises a contact member that is adapted to be situated between the bed and a supporting surface. A resilient member is situated to act upon the contact member to cause the contact member to engage the supporting surface to resist movement of the bed relative to the supporting surface without significantly raising the bed up off the supporting surface.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
Now with reference to the drawings, there is illustrated in
As illustrated in the drawing, the brake assembly 10 may be supported relative a caster mounting bracket 14, which may be attached to the leg of an articulated bed. The bracket 14 may be adapted to support one or more casters 16, which may be adapted to support the bed for movement relative to the supporting surface. The bracket 14 illustrated is an elongated bracket having opposing ends. At least one caster 16 may be attached to each of the opposing ends.
The brake assembly 10 is operable or otherwise adapted to be activated and deactivated in any suitable manner. The brake assembly 10 illustrated is operable or activated and deactivated via a lever 18, although other suitable means including but not limited to a motor may activate and deactivate the brake assembly 10. The lever 18 shown is an elongate lever having opposing ends that are adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator to apply a force against the lever. Application of force against one end of the lever 18 to move the lever 18 in a first direction may activate the brake assembly 10 and application of force against the other end of the lever 18 to move the lever 18 in a second direction may deactivate the brake assembly 10.
Now with reference to
Now, in the illustrated embodiment, the spring within the first pin 20, which for purposes of this description is the first spring 26, is adapted to be held within the hollow interior of the first pin 20 by the second pin 22, which in supported for movement relative to the first pin 20, and which preferably engages the opening 24 leading to the hollow interior of the pin 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the second pin 22 is held at least partially within the first pin 20 by a roll pin 30, or other suitable retainer. With regard to the illustrated embodiment, the first pin 20 has a hole (not shown) therein and the second pin 22 has a slot 32 in which the roll pin 30 is permitted to move or travel. It is the engagement of the roll pin 30 with the hole and slot 32, or the passage of the roll pin 30 through hole and slot 32, that supports the second pin 22 for movement relative to the first pin 20. The dimension of the slot 32 may limit the movement of the second pin 22 relative to the first pin 20 to a determined or otherwise desired movement.
The second spring 28 may be adapted to engage the first pin 20 and is preferably disposed about the first pin 20. This spring 28 engages a flange 34, or other suitable structure, at the upper end of the first pin 20. In this way, movement of the first pin 20 in a first or downward direction, upon activating the brake 10, will compress the spring 28, which, as will become more apparent in the description that follows, will function as a return spring to urge the first pin 20 to move in a second or upward direction upon deactivating the brake assembly 10.
The pins 20, 22 and springs 26, 28 collectively may form an actuator that may be supported for movement within a housing 36, or other suitable structure, which in turn may be coupled, attached or otherwise supported relative to the bed or caster mounting bracket 14. A passage through a lower end of the housing 36 may permit the second pin 22 to extend from the housing 36. The passage 36, or as in the case of the illustrated embodiment, a bushing 38 supported relative thereto, may be dimensioned or otherwise configured to restrict or limit movement or travel of the first pin 20, and thus restrict or limit movement or travel of the second pin 22 in a first or downward direction relative to the housing 36. Likewise, the bushing 38 may be dimensioned or otherwise configured to restrict or limit movement or travel of the second spring 28. In this way, the second spring 28 is captured between the flange 34 and the bushing 38. The bushing 38 is preferred to permit smooth travel of the second pin 22 through the passage 36 while minimizing wear on the second pin 22.
The contact member or pad 12 may be attached to a lower end of the second pin 22. The pad 12 may be any suitable element that can engage the supporting surface in such a manner as to restrict movement of the bed or prevent the bed from moving relative to the supporting surface. For example, the pad 12 may be comprised of a washer (not shown) or other suitable element having a material, such as rubber or other suitable material, about it. The material may be formed about the washer and is preferably of the character that it frictionally engages the supporting surface upon application of a force. The pad 12 may be attached to the second pin 22 in any suitable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the pad 12 is attached to the pin 22 via fasteners 40, such as threaded fasteners, that pass through holes (not shown) in the pad, and, for example, the washer therein, and engage the second pin 22 or, in the case of threaded fasteners, are threaded into corresponding threaded holes (also not shown) in the lower end of the second pin 22. It should be fully appreciated that the pad 12 may be attached in a manner other than that shown.
Now, with reference to
Upon rotating the lever 18, for example, in a clockwise direction when viewing
The caster mounting bracket 14 shown may be attached to the leg of the articulating bed in any suitable manner. The bracket 14 shown has a hole 48 passing therethrough through which may pass a cross member (not shown) at the lower end of the leg of the articulating bed. The cross member may be pivotally supported by the caster mounting bracket 14 to enable the leg to pivot relative to the bracket 14 as the leg is articulated to raised or lower the bed. It should be noted that the illustrated bracket is provided for illustrative purposes and that other bracket configurations may be provided for supporting the brake assembly 10 relative to the articulating bed. It should further be noted that the brake assembly 10 may be supported relative to the articulating bed, or other beds, including non-articulating beds, in other suitable manners, such as without the aid of the caster mounting bracket 14.
It should be fully apparent now that, when the brake assembly 10 is deactivated, the pad 12 is raised so as to not frictionally engage the supporting surface, as shown in
The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.