Claims
- 1. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section and the second connector joint being substantially identical to the first end section and the first connector joint, and coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the first and second connector joints to form a lap scarf joint when coupled.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the first and second connector joints to form a splayed lap scarf joint when coupled.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second end sections are formed from a composite material.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second end sections are formed from a plastic material.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second end sections are formed by a molding process.
- 7. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section, wherein the first and second end sections have a substantially identical width and each of the first and second connector joints are formed to include a shoulder having a depth substantially equal to half the width, and coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure.
- 8. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section, configuring the first and second connector joints to form a scarf joint when coupled, and coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scarf joint is a lap scarf joint.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the scarf joint is a splayed lap scarf joint.
- 11. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section and wherein the first and second end sections are formed by an extrusion of a metal alloy, and coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal alloy is an aluminum alloy.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the extrusion produces an end-shaped extrudate and further comprising the step of separating each end section from the extrudate.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the end section is separated from the extrudate by a slicing process.
- 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the end section is separated from the extrudate by a cutting process.
- 16. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section, and the first and second end sections being formed by a stamping process, and coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure.
- 17. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section, coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a skeletal structure, and coating the skeletal structure to form a siderail.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second end sections are coated with a molten material.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the molten material is vinyl.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second end sections are coated by a dipping process.
- 21. A method for assembling a modular siderail for attachment to a bed, the method comprisingforming a first end section to include a first connector joint, forming a second end section to include a second connector joint, the second end section being substantially identical to the first end section, coupling the first connector joint and the second connector joint to form a first skeletal structure, forming a second skeletal structure to be substantially identical to the first skeletal structure, forming a first longitudinally divided shell, forming a second longitudinally divided shell to be a mirror image of the first longitudinally divided shell, attaching the first longitudinally divided shell to the first skeletal structure to form a first siderail, and attaching the second longitudinally divided shell to the second skeletal structure to form a second siderail.
- 22. A method of manufacturing the skeletal structure of a bed siderail comprising the steps of:extruding an end-shaped extrudate having a first end and a second end, separating two end sections each having a first end and a second end from the extruded end-shaped extrudate, and forming connectors on the second end of the separated end sections.
- 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of joining the connectors of the two end sections.
- 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:extruding an extender-shaped extrudate having a first end and a second end, separating an extender section having a first end and a second end from the extruded extender-shaped extrudate, and forming connectors on the first end and second end of the separated extender section.
- 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:joining the connector of one of the end sections to the connector of the first end of the extender section, and joining the connector of the other end section to the connector of the second end of the extender section.
- 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:separating a second extender section having a first end and a second end from the extruded extender-shaped extrudate, forming connectors on the first end and second end of the second extender section, joining the connector of one of the end sections to the connector on the first end of the first extender section, joining the connector of the second end of the first extender section to the connector of the first end of the second extender section, and joining the connector of the other end section to the connector of the second end of the second extender section.
- 27. A method for assembling a siderail for attachment to a bed having a patient support surface, a first side and a second side, the method comprising:joining a first end section and a second end section to form a symmetrical skeletal structure, forming a first housing half section to include an outer perimeter edge, a plurality of attachment holes, a speaker grill, and a plurality of control portions, forming a second housing half section having an outer perimeter edge with a substantially identical shape as the outer perimeter edge of the first housing half section, joining the first housing half section and the second housing half section over the skeletal structure to form a siderail having an exterior shell, and joining the siderail to the first side of the bed via the attachment holes so that the speaker grill and the plurality of control portions face the patient support surface of the bed.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first and second end sections and the first and second housing half sections are formed to be interchangeable to enable the siderail to be joined to either the first side or the second side of the bed.
- 29. A method for manufacturing an end section of a siderail for a bed, the end section having an interior end and an exterior end, the method comprising:forming a skeletal structure to include an upper member, a middle member, a lower member each having an interior end and an exterior end, an upper support extending substantially vertically between the upper member and the middle member, and a lower support extending at an angle from the interior end of the middle member to the exterior end of the lower member, each of the upper, middle and lower members being connected at the exterior end of the end section and spaced apart at the interior end of the end section, and forming an end joint adjacent to the interior end of each of the upper member, middle member and lower member of the skeletal structure.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein each end joint is formed to include a cheek and a shoulder, the cheek extending from the interior end of the end section substantially parallel to each of the upper, middle and lower members to the shoulder, the shoulder extending substantially perpendicularly from the cheek of the upper member, middle member, and lower member.
- 31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of forming a connection hole in each cheek.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein each connection hole is formed during an extrusion process.
- 33. The method of claim 31, wherein each connection hole is formed by a drilling process.
- 34. The method of claim 1, further comprising:forming an extender having a first end and a second end, forming first and second connectors on the first and second ends of the extender, respectively, the first connector being configured to mate with the first connector joint of the first end section, and the second connector being configured to mate with the second connector joint of the second end section to form the skeletal structure.
- 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:forming a second extender substantially identical to the extender, and configuring the connectors of the first and second extenders to mate with one another and with the first and second connector joints of the first and second end sections to facilitate formation of varying length skeletal structures.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/264,439, filed Mar. 8, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,580, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0037063 |
Jul 1981 |
EP |
WO9817153 |
Apr 1998 |
WO |