BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following is a brief description of the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folding medical bed in an operating position and showing the head section in an elevated position;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the foldable medical bed of FIG. 1 showing the foot and head sections in the horizontal position;
FIG. 3 is an end side view of the foldable medical bed of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the foldable medical bed of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an end side view of the center support frame of the foldable medical bed;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the foldable medical bed of FIG. 2 showing the head and foot sections in an elevated position;
FIG. 7 is an end view of the foldable medical bed of FIG. 2 in a folded position; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the folding medical bed in the folded position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a folding bed or cot that can be folded to a compact form for ease of storage and transporting. More particularly, the invention is directed to a folding bed that is suitable for emergency medical use.
Referring to the drawings, the folding bed 10 of the invention includes a center base 12, a main support frame 14, and an adjustable frame 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the adjustable frame 16 is adjustable with respect to the center base 12 and with respect to the main support frame 14. A flexible webbing material 18 is attached to the center base 12 and the adjustable frame 16 to support a patient. Preferably, the flexible swelling material is a continuous material that is attached to the center base 12 and the adjustable frame 16.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the center base 12 forms a center support structure for the folding bed 10 and has a width defining the width of the bed 10 and a length defining a center portion of the support surface of the bed. The center base 12 includes opposite end panels 20 having a generally rectangular configuration and forming first and second support members. The height of the end panels 20 define the height of the bed and the width defines the length of the center portion of the support surface of the bed. The bottom end of the end panels 20 are formed with a pair of spaced apart legs 22 to stabilize the center portion of the bed. Cut-outs 24 are provided with folded or stamped edges to reduce weight and formed with flanges to increase the strength of the end panels 20. The end panels are connected together by a pair of rails 26 connected to the opposite side edges of the end panels 20. Corner braces 28 are attached to the end surfaces of the end panels 20 and the rails 26 to stabilize the center base 12. Typically, the center base 12 is made of metal, although other materials can also be used.
The end panels 20 of the base 12 are typically made of sheet metal having folded side edges 30 to strengthen the end panels and to provide coupling surfaces for the rails and the corner braces 28. The top end of each end panel includes a rod 32 extending between the side edges 30 for attaching to the web as discussed hereinafter in greater detail. The side edges 30 are folded from the end panel along a fold line and are integrally formed with the end panel. As shown in FIG. 5, the rods 32 are oriented adjacent the top edge and have a length corresponding to the width of the center base. Preferably, the rods 32 are fixed to the side edges.
The outer face of each end panel 20 includes a bracket 34 having a generally L-shape and having a first leg 36 attached to the end panel 20 and a second leg 38 forming an upwardly open recess 40. As shown in FIG. 4, the bracket 34 is oriented in the center portion of the end panel parallel to a top edge and has a length to extend a substantial width of the end panel while having its longitudinal ends spaced inwardly from the side edges.
Main frame 14 includes two symmetrical sections 42 each having a foldable frame 44 formed from tubing having a generally U-shape. The frame 44 is formed by an end section 46 and a pair of parallel arms 48 extending from the end section 46. The ends of the arms 48 are pivotally connected to a respective end panel as shown in FIG. 1 by a pivot pin 56 extending through the arms and the panel. As shown in FIG. 4, the arms 48 are pivotally connected by a pivot pin 50 at a pivot point adjacent the side edges of the end panels and between the ends of the bracket 34 and the side edges. The pivot pin 50 is positioned on end panels 20 aligned with the bracket 34 and the recess 40 of the bracket 34 so that the adjustable frame 44 can pivot between a horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 and a folded position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 where the arms 48 lie substantially parallel to the side edge of the end panels 20. The pivot pin 50 passes through each respective arm 48 at a point spaced from the end of the arm to define an end portion 52. Each end portion 52 has a length so that the axial ends of the arm 48 are closely spaced to each other when in the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1. The end portions are received in the recess 40 of the bracket 34 to limit the upward pivoting movement of the arm 48 beyond a horizontal position with respect to the center base 12. The bracket 34 defines a stop member to limit pivotal movement of the arms 48 and to limit flexing and side to side movement of the arms with respect to the center base 12 when the end portions 52 are received in the recess 40 of the bracket 34.
Each main frame section 44 includes folding legs 54 pivotally connected to the arms 48. The legs 54 are pivotally connected to the arms 48. The legs 54 have a ground engaging bottom end 50 with a non-skid tip and a top end 58 connected to a hinge member 60. The hinge 60 has a body with a hole on a bottom side for receiving the top end 58 of the leg 54. A pair of flanges 62 extend upwardly forming a U-shaped groove for receiving the respective arm 48 of the frame 42. Hinge 60 is connected to a respective arm 48 by a hinge pin 64 that extends through the flanges 62 and the arm 48 at an end of the arm opposite pivot pin 50. The hinge 60 is constructed to pivot legs 54 from a folded position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to an upright position as shown in FIG. 1 where the legs 54 are oriented slightly forward with respect to the center base 12 to stabilize the assembly. As shown in FIG. 7, the legs 54 fold substantially parallel to the arms 48 of the frame 44. The arms 48 of the frame sections 44 can be folded downwardly with respect to the center base 12 so that end portions 52 of arms 48 pivot upwardly from the recess 40 of bracket 34.
A cross brace 66 extends between the legs 54 to provide increased strength and stability. In the embodiment shown, the ends of the cross brace 66 are coupled to a bracket 68 which is attached to a respective leg 54.
The adjustable frame 16 is formed as two symmetrical sections pivotally connected to the arms 48 of the sections of the main frame 14. Each section 70 of the adjustable frame 16 includes an end member 72 and two parallel legs 74. The axial ends of legs 74 are pivotally connected to a bracket 76 by a pivot pin 78. As shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 76 is spaced outwardly from the pivot pin 50 connecting the section 42 of the main frame to the center base 12. Each section 70 of the adjustable frame 16 can be moved independently from a horizontal position to an inclined position shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, each section 70 has a dimension slightly greater than the dimensions of each frame 44 of main frame 14 to surround the respective main frame 44 when the adjustable frame section 70 is in the horizontal position. In this manner, the web 18 attached to the section 70 of the covers the main frame to eliminate or cover a gap between the main frame and the adjustable frame.
The position of each section 70 of the adjustable frame 16 is provided by an adjustment arm 80. Preferably, two adjustment arms 80 are pivotally connected to the end section 72. In the embodiment shown, adjustment arm 80 has an aperture 82 at a top end through which the end section 72 is passed to allow the pivotal movement of the adjustment arm 80 with respect to the end section 72. The bottom ends of the adjustment arms 80 are coupled together by a cross brace or rod 81. Adjustment arm 80 includes a recessed portion 84 and an elongated slot 86. As shown in FIG. 6, slot 86 includes a plurality of notches that are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the slot 86. A rod 90 passes through the slot 86 of the adjustment arms 80 which is attached to the hinge 60. As shown in FIG. 6, the notches 88 engage and hook onto the rod 90 to adjust the incline of the section 70 of the adjustable frame with respect to the main frame 14. The recessed portion 84 in the adjustment arm contacts the end section 46 of frame 44 of the main frame 14 to support the section 70 of the adjustable frame 16 in a horizontal position substantially parallel to the arms 48 of the main frame 14. The rod 81 cooperating with the slot 86 and the recessed portion 84 engaging the end section stabilize the section 70 and support the section on the main frame.
The slot 86 of adjustment arms 80 has a curved shape to assist in the sliding movement of the rod 64 during the raising and lowering of the sections 70 and to enable each section 70 to lie substantially horizontal as shown in FIG. 4. The slot 86 has a length to limit the sliding movement of the adjustment arm 80 with respect to rod 81 and to assist in supporting the section 70 of the adjustable frame in a horizontal position. The curved and offset portion 83 of the adjustment arms minimize interference of the arms 80 with the web material 18 when the section is in the horizontal position. As shown in FIG. 2, each adjustment arm 80 includes a manually operated knob 89 to assist the operator in lifting the adjustment arm 80 and adjusting the section 70 to the desired position. Generally, two hands are required to lift each knob simultaneously, thereby ensuring proper adjustment and engagement with the rod 90.
A flexible webbing or fabric material 92 is attached to the center base 12 and the adjustable frame 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible web 92 is attached to the arms 74 and the end section 72 of each adjustable frame 70 so that the flexible web 92 substantially covers the main frame 14 when the adjustable frame is in the horizontal position.
The flexible web 92 is attached to each of the rods 32 of the center base 12 to define a center support section 94. The center support section of the web 92 has a length corresponding to the length of the center base 12. The center support section 92 remains substantially horizontal when the sections 70 of the adjustable frame 16 are elevated as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, center support section 94 has a width and length sufficient to support a substantial portion of the patient's weight when the adjustable section 70 is elevated.
The folding bed 10 of the invention is particularly suitable as a portable medical bed which can be folded to a compact shape and easily transported. The adjustable frame sections provide head and foot sections that can be independently elevated while the center support section 94 remains substantially horizontal. In one embodiment, the pole 96 can be attached to one of the legs of the folding bed as shown in FIG. 1 to support medical equipment. Preferably, the pole 96 is removably coupled to the leg by spring clips 98.
Although a single embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070277317
