Patent Grant
9687401
The present specification generally relates to person support apparatuses and, more particularly, to person support apparatuses having exercise therapy features.
Recent medical advances have allowed more patients to survive serious injuries or disease processes than ever before. Unfortunately, the period of bed rest required for recovery often leads to severe deterioration of muscle strength and a corresponding inability of the patient to support full body weight upon standing. It is challenging for rehabilitation specialists to help these patients regain the ability to stand and begin ambulation, and the challenge is especially great for obese patients. A common technique in conventional practice is to summon as many colleagues as practical to lift and maneuver the weakened patient to a standing position while he or she attempts to bear full weight through the lower extremities. This technique is not only dangerous, because of the risk of a fall, but it is also psychologically degrading for the patient as the activity reinforces the patient's dependence on others.
Hospital beds have evolved over the years from conventional beds that lie flat to beds that convert into a chair position, allowing patients to begin standing from a sitting position at the foot of the bed. The sitting position does not improve a patient's leg strength and does little for preparing a patient for upright standing. Patients are still required to be lifted by hospital staff as the patient's leg muscles do not have adequate strength to support their weight.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative person support apparatuses, such as hospital beds and/or patient care beds which enable a person to perform rehabilitation exercises.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a person support apparatus is provided comprising a support surface, a footboard, and a sensor. The support surface is configured to support a person and has a foot end and a head end. The footboard is located near the foot end of the person support surface and extends above the support surface. The footboard comprises a pressure surface positioned to receive pressing force from a person's foot. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of the force provided against the pressure surface of the footboard.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a person support apparatus is provided that includes a frame, a support surface supported by the frame and having a head end and a foot end, at least one side rail provided along at least one side of the support surface, and a foot pedal. The foot pedal is supported by at least one of the at least one side rail and the frame, and located closer to the foot end than the head end. The foot pedal is freely slidable with respect to the support surface from a retracted position to an extended position. The foot pedal is also coupled to a passive resistance mechanism that resists a motion of the foot pedal.
According to some embodiments, a person support apparatus is provided that includes a frame, a support surface having a head end and a foot end supported by the frame, at least one side rail provide along at least one side of the support surface, and a physical therapy bar supported by at least one of the side rail and the frame. The physical therapy bar is movable against a force provided by a passive resistance mechanism.
According to some embodiments, a person support apparatus is provided that includes a support surface having a head end and a foot end, a lift system configured to tilt the support surface, a footboard located near the foot end of the support surface and extending above the support surface, and a pad. The pad includes a low friction material facing the support surface, wherein the low friction material enables the pad to slide along the support surface relative to the footboard.
Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description describe various embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the claimed subject matter. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the various embodiments, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate the various embodiments described herein, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the claimed subject matter.
Referring now to the illustrative examples in the drawings, wherein like numerals represent the same or similar elements throughout:
While the present disclosure can take many different forms, for the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. No limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Various alterations, further modifications of the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure, as described herein, are contemplated.
In the following detailed description, a person support apparatus that can be used in one or more embodiments will first be described. Then, various embodiments including a moveable footboard that can be used to perform a leg press exercise will be described in detail. Next, embodiments including a lateral bar for leg lifts and curls will be described in detail. Various embodiments including foot pedals will then be described, followed by embodiments including bicycle pedals. Then, embodiments including a low friction surface or rollers will be described. Next, an electronic control system that can be configured to provide controls for one or more embodiments will be described. Finally, a conclusion section will highlight various aspects of the embodiments.
Person Support Apparatus
A person support apparatus 10 according to various embodiments is depicted in
The lift members 14 are coupled to various linear actuators 13 (such as jack motors and the like) and related mechanical and electrical components which facilitate raising, lowering and tilting the support surface 18 with respect to the lower frame 12 and articulating various portions and/or segments of both the upper frame 16 and the deck 22. Tilting of the support surface 18 relative to the lower frame 12 may also be referred to herein as orienting the support surface 18 in a Trendelenburg orientation or a reverse Trendelenburg orientation. In a Trendelenburg orientation, the head end H of the support surface 18 is lower than the foot end F of the support surface 18 while in a reverse Trendelenburg orientation, the foot end F of the support surface 18 is lower that the head end H of the support surface 18.
In embodiments, the upper frame 16 can include an upper frame base 20 which supports the deck 22. The person support apparatus 10 may further include side rails 24, a headboard 25, and a footboard 26. The side rails 24, headboard 25, and footboard 26 are supported by the upper frame 16, as shown in
The upper frame base 20 is coupled to the lift members 14 and supports the support surface 18. The deck 22 includes a head portion 32, a seat portion 34, and an extendable foot section 36 coupled to the upper frame base 20. The extendable foot section 36 is configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position with respect to the upper frame base 20. For example, as depicted in
Returning to
The intermediate side rail 30 includes a side rail body 38 and a movement assembly 40 as shown in
In the embodiment depicted in
In various embodiments, a person positioned on the person support apparatus 10 can push upon the pressure surface 60 and the amount of force imparted to the pressure surface is detected by the sensor 59, and the resulting force, the number of applications of force (i.e., repetitions) and other data detected with the sensor may be communicated to the user interface 52 and processed and/or displayed.
As noted hereinabove, the user interface 52 may be in the form of or include a display 202. The display 202 may be a touchscreen, LCD screen, or other suitable display. The user interface 52 displays information about a person's use of the pressure surface 60 for therapeutic strength training and/or monitoring. For example, the user interface 52 can display the number of applications of force to the pressure surface 60, the length of time that the pressure surface 60 was used by the person, a stroke length, a percent of completion of an exercise or therapy routine, and/or the amount of force that the person applied to the pressure surface 60. Additionally, the user interface 52 may monitor these parameters and provide historical trends indicative of changes over time, for example, by hour, by day, or by week. Moreover, the user interface 52 may display words of encouragement regarding the use of the pressure surface 60 (e.g., “Keep It Up”, “Almost Done”, “Just One More”, “You Can Do It”, “Great Job”, etc.) Optionally, the user interface 52 may contain a speaker 201, as described above. The speaker 201 can be used for providing audible signaling to a person positioned in the support apparatus 10. For example, in one embodiment, the user interface 52 may play audible words of encouragement through the speaker. In other embodiments, the user interface 52 may give audible indicators related to exercise progress to a user.
Turning now to
The footboard 26 is located near the foot end F of the person support apparatus 10 and extends above the support surface 18. In various embodiments, the footboard 26 includes a pressure surface 60 that is positioned to receive a pressing force exerted against the footboard 26, such as a force from a person's foot. The footboard 26 is freely slidable between a retracted position 61 to an extended position 65 with respect to the foot end F and/or the upper frame 16.
In embodiments, the extendable foot section 36 may further include a passive resistance mechanism 42. As used herein, the phrase “passive resistance mechanism” refers to any resistance mechanism that resists the motion of the extendable foot section from a nominal position without actively moving the extendable foot section 36. For example, the passive resistance mechanism may comprise one or more air springs, coil springs, elastically deformable resistance bands, or the like. The passive resistance mechanism 42 is coupled to the footboard 26, and resists a motion of the footboard 26 to the extended position and thus provides a passive mechanical resistance to a person performing a leg-press type exercise on the person support apparatus 10. The passive resistance mechanism 42 generally biases the extendable foot section 36 (and attached footboard 26) towards the retracted position 61 and resists transitioning the extendable foot section 36 from the retracted position 61 to the extended position 65 with a biasing force B. In some embodiments, the passive resistance mechanism 42 biases the footboard 26 to a neutral position. The neutral position may be an intermediate position between the extended position 65 and the retracted position 61. In some embodiments, the neutral position is the retracted position 61.
In embodiments, the passive resistance mechanism 42 may provide a variable biasing force B. For example, in embodiments where one or more coil springs and/or elastically deformable resistance bands are utilized, the coil springs or elastically deformable bands may be removably attached between the seat portion 34 and the extendable foot section 36 of the deck 22. The number of coil springs and/or elastically deformable bands connected between the seat portion 34 and the extendable foot section 36 may be selectively varied to increase or decrease the biasing force B and thereby vary the resistance experienced by a user performing a leg-press type exercise with the person support apparatus 10. Alternatively, when the passive resistance mechanism 42 includes one or more air springs, the air springs may be coupled between the seat portion 34 and the extendable foot section 36 of the deck 22. The resistance of each individual air spring may be separately adjusted or, alternatively, one or more of the air springs may be decoupled from either the seat portion 34 and/or the extendable foot section 36 to vary the biasing force B.
As described hereinabove, the sensor 59 is configured to provide a signal indicative of a magnitude of the pressing force incident on the pressure surface 60 of the footboard 26. For example, the sensor 59 may provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of the pressing force incident on the pressure surface 60 that overcomes the biasing force B of the passive resistance mechanism 42 to slide the footboard 26 from the retracted position 61 to the extended position 65.
In various embodiments, the mattress 23 may have a top surface with a knee support area. For example, the top surface of the mattress 23 can have raised supports extending above the support surface. In some embodiments, the top surface of the mattress 23 may be formed to receive a person's legs in order to ensure that the person is properly positioned on the person support apparatus 10, as shown in
In embodiments, the positioning pads 82 may be integrally formed in the mattress 23, such as when the mattress 23 is constructed of a molded, foam-type material, such as urethane foam or the like. Alternatively, the positioning pads 82 may comprise inflatable bladders that are disposed within the mattress 23. In this embodiment, the inflatable bladders may be coupled to a pneumatic system (not shown) such that the bladders may be selectively inflated and deflated. For example, when the user support apparatus 10 is being used to perform exercises, such as the leg press exercise described herein above, the bladders may be inflated to provide passive guidance to the user. However, when the user support apparatus 10 is not being used for exercises (such as when the user support apparatus 10 is being used conventionally as a bed) the inflatable bladders may be deflated, thereby providing a more conventional support surface.
As described above, in some embodiments, the deck 22 includes a head portion 32, a seat portion 34, and an extendable foot section 36. Each section is pivotally coupled to the upper frame base 20 and/or one another and is configured to move with respect to the upper frame base 20 and/or one another. Accordingly, the support surface 18 may support a person in various articulated positions. For example, the head portion 32 may pivot with respect to the seat portion 34 and the foot section 36, such that the user is sitting up on the deck 22, as shown in
Having described an exemplary person support apparatus in general, various features of the person support apparatus including exercise therapy configurations in accordance with one or more embodiments will now be described.
Movable Footboard for Leg Press
Referring now to
In various embodiments, the person support apparatus 10 includes one or more securing straps 62 for securing the person's feet to the footboard 26 adjacent the pressure surface 60 during exercise and/or strength monitoring. The sensor 59 (
Information detected by the sensor may be provided to the system controller in a variety of ways, depending on the particular embodiment. For example,
In the embodiment illustrated in
Referring to
In some embodiments, the grips 63 may be freely slidable and/or pivotable relative to the upper frame 16 and/or the footboard 26 to facilitate a rowing-type upper body exercise in conjunction with and/or separate from the leg-press exercise performed with the footboard. For example, in the embodiment depicted in
Referring now to
While the extendable foot section 36 has been described herein as being freely slidable with respect to the seat portion 34 (
Once the actuator 35 is disengaged from the extendable foot section 36, the person may apply a pressing force to the footboard 26 to extend the extendable foot section 36 and perform an exercise, such as a leg-press type exercise. When the person has completed the exercise or therapy routine, the passive resistance mechanism 42 may be disengaged and the actuator 35 may be reengaged so as to lock the extendable foot section 36 into position.
In some embodiments, a specialized actuator may be used in place of a passive resistance mechanism 42 and separate actuator 35. For example, in some embodiments, an actuator with a built-in resistance release mechanism may be employed in place of the passive resistance mechanism 42 and the actuator 35. Specifically, an actuator with a release mechanism that provides a set resistance upon release may be coupled to the extendable foot section 36 and footboard 26. For example, the actuator may have a first state in which the actuator may be used to actively drive the extendable foot section 36 between the extended position and the retracted position. Once a desired position is obtained, the release mechanism of the actuator may transition the actuator from the first state where the actuator is an actively driven actuator to a second state where the actuator acts as a passive resistance mechanism and allows the extendable foot section to be freely slidable with respect to the seat section 34 of the deck 22. For example, a suitable actuator with a first state and a second state may include, without limitation, a standard linear actuator having a spring (gas or linear) mounted in parallel with the screw of the actuator and a mechanical clutch to decouple the screw from the motor. Accordingly, when the mechanical clutch decouples the screw from the motor, the spring may provide a set amount of passive resistance.
In the embodiment shown in
Referring to
In use, the footboard 26 may have a first, fixed position where the footboard 26 is removably coupled to the fixed support bracket 320 with, for example, pins 64 received in a corresponding aperture formed in the fixed support bracket. In this first, fixed position the footboard has a conventional orientation and function with respect to the person support apparatus 10. To facilitate exercising with the person support apparatus 10, the footboard 26 may be removed from the fixed support brackets 320 and repositioned in the sliding support brackets 328, thereby assuming a second, exercise position as depicted in
Lateral Bar for Leg Lifts and Curls
In various embodiments, the person support apparatus 10 may include a physical therapy bar and a passive resistance mechanism as part of a leg lift physical therapy system. The physical therapy bar is moveable against a force provided by the passive resistance mechanism. One such system is depicted in
To utilize the leg lift physical therapy system 114 shown in
Referring now to
In some embodiments, the lateral bar 118 may be configured to enable the person to perform leg curls. For example, the lateral bar 118 can be coupled to the passive resistance mechanism such that the person pushes down on the lateral bar 118 with the backs of the legs in order to overcome the resistance. In such embodiments, the lateral bar 118 may be located at or near the foot end F of the person support apparatus 10 or along the side of the person support apparatus 10.
Foot Pedals
In various embodiments, one or more foot pedals 92 may be provided to enable the person to perform one or more exercises, such as a single or double leg-press type exercise, using the person support apparatus 10. As will be described in detail below, the foot pedals 92 may be integrated in and/or supported by the side rail 24, the footboard 26, or another part of the person support apparatus 10 described above. The foot pedals 92 may be included in a person support apparatus 10 that includes one or more additional physical therapy features, including but not limited to, the lateral bar 118, the extendable foot section 36, and/or the moveable footboard 26 described above.
When the passive resistance mechanism 246 is a gas spring as shown in
Still referring to
Referring again to
Referring now to
In practice, the pedals 92 may be used to perform a leg-press type exercise by first orienting the person support apparatus 10 in a chair-like position as depicted in
While
Another embodiment of a person support apparatus with a footboard 26 having pedals 92 is depicted in
Referring now to
In operation, the person may perform a leg-press type exercise by pressing one or both feet against the pedal 92 of the rocker bar 122, thereby pivoting the rocker bar 122 with respect to the pivot bracket 124 against the resistance provided by the weights 125. The resistance may be varied by removing or adding weights 125 to the base plate 128.
As an alternative to the rocker bar 122 and pivot bracket 124, the cable 127 may be directed through a pulley on the clamp 126 which is then connected with a handle in which the feet are placed.
Referring to
As shown in
Bicycle Pedals
To utilize the bicycle physical therapy system 100, the person support apparatus 10 is moved into a chair-like position by pivoting the head section 32 upward, and pivoting the foot section 36 and attached footboard 26 downward, as depicted in
Once the exercise is completed, the pedals 108, main column 102, and link 104 can be pushed down into the storage recess 103 formed in the footboard 26 and stored by latching the bicycle physical therapy system 100 into place, as shown in
In some embodiments, the bicycle pedals may be coupled to a passive resistance mechanism. For example,
Low Friction Surface and Rollers
In use, the exercise pad 260 may be positioned on the top surface of the mattress 23 of the person support apparatus 10 such that the bottom surface 263 of the exercise pad 260 faces and is in contact with the mattress 23. A user may then be seated on the exercise pad 260 such that the user is in contact with the top surface 261 of the exercise pad 260 and the user's feet are in contact with the footboard 26. The person support apparatus 10 may then be inclined such that the head end H is higher than the foot end F. With the person support apparatus 10 in this orientation, the user may perform a leg-press type exercise against the footboard 26 using his or her own weight as resistance. For example, as the person support apparatus 10 is inclined, the low coefficient of friction between the bottom surface 263 of the exercise pad 260 and the mattress 23 causes the exercise pad 260 and user to slide towards the footboard 26. The relatively high coefficient of friction of the top surface 261 of the exercise pad 260 keeps the user engaged and coupled to the exercise pad 260. The user may resist and slow this sliding motion by pressing against the footboard 26 while lowering themselves towards the footboard 26 by bending at the knee. A user may complete the leg-press type exercise by pushing against the footboard 26 as he or she straightens their legs, thereby sliding the exercise pad 260 towards the head end H of the person support apparatus 10. It should be understood that the amount of resistance experienced by a user while using the exercise pad 260 may be varied by adjusting the angle of inclination of the person support apparatus 10.
In the embodiments described herein, the exercise pad 260 may be a removable device, or it may be integrated into the person support apparatus 10. For example, the exercise pad 260 may be stored within a recess of one of the side rails 24 and deployed from the side rail 24 to enable the person to perform one or more exercises.
Referring now to
Turning now to
Electronic Control System
The electronic control system 110 may include a plurality of input devices, including one or more graphical user interfaces 50, 52 and the foot pedal controls 56 that are coupled to the lower frame 12. A controller area network system 222 may execute a control program 224 to control the various actuators and components. Such a system can include one or more controller area network (CAN) controller nodes to control the various actuators. If multiple controller nodes are utilized, the nodes can communicate with one another via serial bus connections. The control program 224 may further include additional control software or other logic that indicates desired control logic for the person support apparatus 10, such as to control which actuators to operate in response to which user inputs, what displays on the user interfaces 50, 52 at what times, how to convert data from sensor 59 into person weight, and what alarms to sound via speaker 201 and/or user interfaces 50, 52 in response to inputs (side rails up/down, brakes set/notset, bed low/notlow, person position). The control program 224 may be stored in the electronics system 110, or may be stored remotely and accessed by the electronics system 110 via a network connection.
A microprocessor 200 communicates with the controller area network system 222 via a CAN interface circuit 220. Accordingly, the microprocessor 200 can receive inputs indicating the force provided by the person on the therapy mechanisms described herein, and allow for feedback to be provided to the person during such therapy.
The CAN interface circuit 220 allows the microprocessor 200 to deliver input commands to the controller area network system 222 to perform a variety of functions, such as to move an actuator or set an alarm signal. The CAN interface circuit 220 further enables the controller area network system 222 to deliver actuator status information and other information to the microprocessor 200, which may be displayed on the user interfaces 50 and 52. The CAN interface circuit 220 includes appropriate circuitry or integrated circuitry that allows the microprocessor 200 to communicate with the controller area network system 222. The CAN interface circuit 220 may be, for example, a high speed CAN transceiver.
The microprocessor 200 communicates with and drives the graphical user interfaces 50 and 52 via one or more display interfaces 209. The display interfaces 209 include appropriate driver or interface circuitry for driving displays. Additionally, the microprocessor 200 may drive a speaker amplifier 205 to permit audio through the speaker 201. Accordingly, alarms, music, nature sounds and other sounds can be driven by the microprocessor 200 through the speaker 201 and/or the user interfaces 50 and 52.
In the embodiment illustrated in
In some embodiments, the electronic control system 110 may further include a power supply 135. The power supply 135 may be, for example, a battery or connection to an alternating current power source. The power supply 135 may provide power to various components of the electronic control system 110. Additionally, the power supply 135 may provide power to an inductive power transmitter 139. The inductive power transmitter 139 can provide power to an inductive power receiver 137 incorporated into one or more features described herein. For example, an inductive power transmitter 139 may be supported by the upper frame 16, and an inductive power receiver 137 may be supported by the footboard 26. The transmitter 139 is connected with the power supply 135 and induces power in the receiver 137 to operate the user interface 52 of the footboard 26. Accordingly, a variety of footboards 26 having electronics could be attached to the person support apparatus 10, and interchanged therewith, such as those described herein, without need for physically plugging in the footboards or having them connect directly with the electronic control system 110. Rather, the power to the footboard 26 may be provided wirelessly through the transmitter 139 and receiver 137, and the footboard 26 may operate as a standalone module.
Other components or parts of the person support apparatus 10 may be powered by such power transmitter/receiver arrangements, such as side rails, headboards, user interfaces and the like. Examples of wireless power transmitters and receivers are those having transmit and receive coils respectively, such as those provided by Wurth Electronics and having Texas Instruments inductive transmitter and receiver manager integrated circuits.
In various embodiments, the physical therapy systems (bicycle systems, footboards, pedals, etc.) may be removable. The features may be removed individually (e.g., the pedals may be removed from the footboard to which they are attached), or the footboard including the features may be removed by pulling the footboard from the frame/deck. Accordingly, various physical therapy systems can be interchanged with a single person support apparatus simply by changing the footboard. Thus, a caregiver may have a variety of footboards stored in the caregiver facility, each with a different type of physical therapy system attached thereto, such that a variety of physical therapy exercises can be provided on a given bed, depending on the person and the person's needs.
Many additional embodiments other than those described above are possible and still included in the spirit and scope of the claims defining the embodiments described herein. For example, although various combinations of features of a person support apparatus have been shown and described, it is contemplated that these features may be combined in other ways described in detail or illustrated in the accompanying figures.
In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a person support apparatus comprising a support surface having a foot end and a head end, a footboard located near the foot end of the support surface and extending above the support surface, a sensor, and a passive resistance mechanism. The footboard comprises a pressure surface positioned to receive a pressing force. The footboard is freely slidable from an extended position to a retracted position with respect to the foot end. The passive resistance mechanism is coupled to the footboard and resists a motion of the footboard to the extended position. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of a magnitude of the pressing force incident on the pressure surface of the footboard.
In a second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the first aspect, the support surface further including an extendable foot section near the foot end of the support surface and the footboard is coupled to the extendable foot section.
In a third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the first or second aspects further including a frame, wherein the frame supports at least the support surface, the footboard, and the sensor.
In a fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through third aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism biases the footboard to a neutral position.
In a fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the fourth aspect, wherein the neutral position is intermediate between the extended position and the retracted position.
In a sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the fourth aspect, wherein the neutral position is the retracted position.
In a seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through sixth aspects, further including a user interface displaying information regarding exercise performed with the footboard.
In an eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the seventh aspect, wherein the information regarding exercise comprises at least one of exercise repetitions, exercise time, exercise encouragement, and exercise force.
In a ninth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the seventh or eighth aspects, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of an LCD screen and a touchscreen display.
In a tenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the seventh through ninth aspects, further including a system controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the user interface, wherein the displayed information regarding exercise relates to the force applied to the sensor.
In an eleventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through tenth aspects, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a varying magnitude of the pressing force.
In a twelfth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through eleventh aspects, further including a mattress comprising a top surface having raised supports extending above the support surface.
In a thirteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through twelfth aspects, wherein the footboard comprises at least one securing strap for securing a foot to the footboard adjacent the pressure surface.
In a fourteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through thirteenth aspects, further including a lift system configured to move the support surface between a raised position and a lowered position, and a side rail extending along a side of the support surface and movable between a raised position and a lowered position, wherein the support surface comprises deck sections pivotable relative to one another.
In a fifteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through fourteenth aspects, wherein the sensor comprises a load cell.
In a sixteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through fifteenth aspects, wherein the sensor is coupled with the footboard.
In a seventeenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through sixteenth aspects, wherein the footboard is retractable.
In an eighteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through seventeenth aspects, further including an actuator for actively driving the footboard between the extended position and the retracted position, wherein the actuator is disengageable from the footboard.
In a nineteenth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the eighteenth aspect, wherein the passive resistance mechanism is engaged when the actuator is disengaged from the footboard.
In a twentieth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the eighteenth or nineteenth aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism comprises an air spring.
In a twenty-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the twentieth aspect, wherein the air spring supplies variable resistance when the actuator is disengaged from the footboard.
In a twenty-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through eighteenth aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism comprises an air spring.
In a twenty-third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the third through twenty-second aspects, wherein at least one of the footboard and the sensor are directly supported by the support surface and indirectly supported by the frame.
In a twenty-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the third through twenty-third aspects, wherein the footboard is freely slidable relative to the frame.
In a twenty-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the third through twenty-fourth aspects, further including one or more grips extending from the frame over the support surface.
In a twenty-sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the twenty-fifth aspect, wherein the one or more grips is freely slidable relative to the frame, the footboard, or the frame and the footboard.
In a twenty-seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the first through twenty-sixth aspects, further including one or more grips positioned over the support surface.
In a twenty-eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the twenty-fifth through twenty-seventh aspects, wherein the one or more grips comprise a grip resistance mechanism resisting a motion of the one or more grips.
In a twenty-ninth aspect, the disclosure provides a person support apparatus that includes a frame, a support surface supported by the frame and having a head end and a foot end, at least one side rail provided along at least one side of the support surface, and a foot pedal. The foot pedal is supported by at least one of the at least one side rail and the frame, and located closer to the foot end than the head end. The foot pedal is freely slidable with respect to the support surface from a retracted position to an extended position. The foot pedal is also coupled to a passive resistance mechanism that resists a motion of the foot pedal.
In a thirtieth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the twenty-ninth aspect, wherein the foot pedal extends from the at least one side rail.
In a thirty-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the twenty-ninth or thirtieth aspects, wherein the foot pedal includes a pivot axis and is foldable about the pivot axis.
In a thirty-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the twenty-ninth through thirty-first aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism provides variable resistance.
In a thirty-third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the twenty-ninth through thirty-second aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism comprises a spring.
In a thirty-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the twenty-ninth through thirty-third aspects, further including a footboard provided near the foot end of the support surface and extending above the support surface.
In a thirty-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the thirty-fourth aspect, wherein the foot pedal is supported by the footboard and indirectly by the frame.
In a thirty-sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the thirty-fourth or thirty-fifth aspects, wherein the foot pedal extends from the footboard toward the head end of the support surface.
In a thirty-seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through thirty-sixth aspects, wherein the footboard includes a vertical surface extending above the support surface.
In a thirty-eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the thirty-seventh aspect, wherein the foot pedal forms a portion of the vertical surface.
In a thirty-ninth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through thirty-eighth aspects, wherein the footboard is fixed relative to the frame.
In a fortieth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through thirty-ninth aspects, wherein the foot pedal is integrally formed with the footboard.
In a forty-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the fortieth aspect, wherein the footboard includes a first section and a second section, the sections being pivoted relative to one another such that a portion of the height of the footboard is reduced. The foot pedal is mounted to the first section.
In a forty-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through forty-first aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism is mounted on the footboard and includes a spring mechanism.
In a forty-third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the forty-second aspect, wherein the spring mechanism comprises a gas spring.
In a forty-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through forty-third aspects, wherein the footboard is removably attached to the apparatus.
In a forty-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the thirty-fourth through forty-first aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism includes a weight. The passive resistance mechanism is mounted to the footboard.
In a forty-sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the forty-fifth aspect, wherein the weight is connected to the foot pedal and the weight resides on the outside of the footboard.
In a forty-seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the forty-fifth or forty-sixth aspect, wherein the foot pedal is connected to the weight via a pulley.
In a forty-eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the forty-fifth or forty-sixth aspect, wherein the foot pedal is connected to the weight via a cable.
In a forty-ninth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the twenty-ninth through forty-first aspects, wherein the passive resistance mechanism includes a scissors link system.
In a fiftieth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the forty-ninth aspect, wherein the scissors link system includes a biasing mechanism that biases the foot pedal toward the head end of the support surface.
In a fifty-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the twenty-ninth through forty-first aspects, wherein the foot pedal includes a crank arm configured to be rotated.
In a fifty-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the fifty-first aspect, wherein the crank arm is attached to a base that attaches to a footboard.
In a fifty-third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the fifty-first or fifty-second aspects, wherein the crank arm is attached to a flywheel mounted to the foot section.
In a fifty-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any one of the twenty-ninth through fifty-third aspects, wherein the foot pedal and/or the passive resistance mechanism are removably attached to the apparatus.
In a fifty-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any one of the twenty-ninth through fifty-fourth aspects, wherein the foot pedal is supported by and located above the foot section of the support surface.
In a fifty-sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to the fifty-fifth aspect, wherein the passive resistance mechanism comprises a flywheel supported by and located above the foot section of the support surface.
In a fifty-seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to the fifty-sixth aspect, wherein the flywheel is at least partially contained within a housing supported by and located above the foot section of the support surface.
In a fifty-eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to the fifty-seventh aspect, wherein the foot pedal comprises a pair of foot pedals, one on each side of the housing.
In a fifty-ninth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any one of the twenty-ninth through fifty-eighth aspects, further including a user interface.
In a sixtieth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to the fifty-ninth aspect, further including a sensor sensing movement of the foot pedal, wherein the user interface displays a parameter based upon a signal from the sensor.
In a sixty-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any of the twenty-ninth through sixtieth aspects, wherein the foot pedal comprises a pair of foot pedals, and wherein the mechanical resistance is rotatable by the foot pedals.
In a sixty-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any of the twenty-ninth through sixty-first aspects, further including a cam configured to cause the passive resistance mechanism to provide variable resistance during movement.
In a sixty-third aspect, the disclosure provides a person support apparatus that includes a frame, a support surface having a head end and a foot end supported by the frame, at least one side rail provide along at least one side of the support surface, and a physical therapy bar supported by at least one of the side rail and the frame, wherein the physical therapy bar is movable against a force provided by a passive resistance mechanism.
In a sixty-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the sixty-third aspect, wherein the physical therapy bar is movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
In a sixty-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the sixty-third or sixty-fourth aspects, further including a cam configured to cause the passive resistance mechanism to provide a variable resistance during movement.
In a sixty-sixth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of any of the sixty-third through sixty-fifth aspects, wherein the physical therapy bar is connected to the frame.
In a sixty-seventh aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to the sixty-sixth aspect, wherein the physical therapy bar is pivotable relative to the frame and extends downward from the frame when in the extended position.
In a sixty-eighth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any of the sixty-third through sixty-seventh aspects, wherein the physical therapy bar includes a pad.
In a sixty-ninth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any of the sixty-fourth through sixty-eighth aspects, wherein the physical therapy bar is pivotable upwardly and beneath the support surface to the retracted position.
In a seventieth aspect, the disclosure provides a person support apparatus that includes a support surface having a head end and a foot end, a lift system configured to tilt the support surface, a footboard located near the foot end of the support surface and extending above the support surface, and a pad. The pad includes a low friction material facing the support surface, wherein the low friction material enables the pad to slide along the support surface relative to the footboard.
In a seventy-first aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the seventieth aspect, wherein the lift system operates to tilt the support surface into a Trendelenburg position or a reverse Trendelenburg position.
In a seventy-second aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the seventieth or seventy-first aspects, wherein the pad is affixed to a seat.
In a seventy-third aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus of the seventy-second aspect, wherein the pad is affixed to the seat by being affixed to a base to which a flexible plastic support affixed to the seat is mounted.
In a seventy-fourth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any one of the seventieth through seventy-third aspects, wherein the low friction material is a vinyl reinforced with polyester.
In a seventy-fifth aspect, the disclosure provides the person support apparatus according to any one of the seventieth through seventy-fourth aspects, wherein the pad deploys from a side rail provided along at least one side of the support surface.
Any theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding stated herein is meant to further enhance understanding of principles of the present disclosure and is not intended to make the present disclosure in any way dependent upon such theory, mechanism of operation, illustrative embodiment, proof, or finding. It should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably or preferred in the description above indicates that the feature so described can be more desirable, it nonetheless cannot be necessary and embodiments lacking the same can be contemplated as within the scope of the disclosure, that scope being defined by the claims that follow.
In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one,” “at least a portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. When the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item can include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Thus it is intended that the specification cover the modifications and variations of the various embodiments described herein provided such modification and variations come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/727,467, filed Nov. 16, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/778,957, filed Mar. 13, 2013, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2013/070326 | 11/15/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014/078667 | 5/22/2014 | WO | A |
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| VitalGo Systems http://www.vitalgosys.com/Orthopedics.html Published Date: Aug. 18, 2013. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150290061 A1 | Oct 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61727467 | Nov 2012 | US | |
| 61778957 | Mar 2013 | US |
