This invention relates in general to beds and more particularly to attachments or accessories for use with beds. Most particularly, the invention relates to a width adjustment accessory for use with beds in the healthcare industry.
Beds for use in the healthcare industry typically have a base frame that is raised and lowered in relation to a supporting surface and a patient support surface that has portions that tilt or move in relation to the base frame. Such beds are typically referred to as articulating beds. Examples of articulating beds include products marketed as ULTRACAREā¢ and 530 Series beds by Joerns Healthcare Inc. of Stevens Point, Wis. Other beds include the CS7 model bed by Invacare Corporation of Elyria, Ohio, the Zenith by Graham-Field Health Products, Inc. of Atlanta, Ga., and the 100 model bed by Hill-Rom Services, Inc. of Wilmington, Del. Standard articulating beds are generally about 35 inches wide. Twin beds are generally about 39 inches wide. Bariatric beds are generally 48-52 inches wide. If a bariatric bed is needed, the bariatric bed must be removed from inventory and delivered for use and the standard articulating bed has to be stored in inventory or packed and shipped. Maintaining a proper inventory of different size beds can be costly and space consuming and the final cost is high for packing and shipping the beds.
This invention relates to a bed including a frame with a substantially planar frame support surface. The bed also includes a width adjustment accessory with a mounting member and an extension member, the extension member providing a substantially planar extended support surface. The mounting member is configured to be attached relative to the frame so that the extended support surface is substantially planar with the frame support surface.
This invention also relates to an accessory for use with beds, the accessory comprising a width adjustment accessory including a mounting member, and an extension member attached to the mounting member. The extension member provides a substantially planar extended support surface. The accessory also comprises a second width adjustment accessory including a second mounting member, and a second extension member attached to the second mounting member. The second extension member providing a substantially planar second extended support surface. The width adjustment accessory and second width adjustment accessory are configured to be mounted on opposite sides of a frame support surface, so that the extended support surface and the second extended support surface are substantially planar with the frame support surface.
This invention also relates to a bed comprising a frame supporting a substantially planar head frame support surface, a substantially planar body frame support surface, and a substantially planar foot frame support surface. The bed also includes a head extension that includes a head mounting member and a head extension member, the head extension member defining a substantially planar head extended surface. The head extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the head extended support surface is substantially planar with the head frame support surface. The bed also includes a second head extension that includes a second head mounting member and a second head extension member, the second head extension member defining a substantially planar second head extended surface. The second head extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the second head extended support surface is substantially planar with the head frame support surface. The bed also includes a body extension that includes a body mounting member and a body extension member, the body extension member defining a substantially planar body extended surface. The body extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the body extended support surface is substantially planar with the body frame support surface. The bed also includes a second body extension that includes a second body mounting member and a second body extension member, the second body extension member defining a substantially planar second body extended surface. The second body extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the second body extended support surface is substantially planar with the body frame support surface. The bed also includes a foot extension that includes a foot mounting member and a foot extension member, the foot extension member defining a substantially planar foot extended surface. The foot extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the foot extended support surface is substantially planar with the foot frame support surface. The bed also includes a second foot extension that includes a second foot mounting member and a second foot extension member, the second foot extension member defining a substantially planar second foot extended surface. The second foot extension is configured to attach relative to the frame so that the second foot extended support surface is substantially planar with the foot frame support surface. The bed is articulated and the head frame support surface is moveable relative to the body frame support surface. The body width adjustment accessory and the second width adjustment accessory remain substantially planar with the head frame support surface. Further, the body width adjustment accessory and the second body width adjustment accessory remain substantially planar with body frame support surface.
Various aspects 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.
a is a cross sectional view, taken from the end, of the width adjustment accessory of
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
The bed 10 includes a frame patient support surface, indicated generally at 18. The illustrated frame patient support surface 18 is made up of three individual sections that are supported on the frame 12. These are the head section 20, the seat section 22 and the foot section 24. The three sections 20, 22 and 24 are arranged serially along the longitudinal axis 17 of the bed 10. The three sections 20, 22 and 24 extend laterally across the width of the bed 10, in a direction indicated by arrows 25 transverse to the longitudinal axis 17. These three sections are used for illustrative purposes only, and it should be appreciated that the bed 10 can have a different number of sections, or a different configuration of sections from that illustrated. Each of the sections of the frame patient support surface 18 is moveable relative to the frame 12 and relative to the other sections. The illustrated sections are made of tubular members 26 that support a wire structure 28. It should be appreciated that the frame patient support surface 18 can be made in a different manner than this. The frame patient support surface 18 generally supports a mattress (not shown) for use by a patient. The frame patient support surface 18 also includes a mounting structure. In the illustrated bed 10, the mounting structure is a series of holes 30 through the tubular member 26.
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The head section extension 34 also includes two extension members 46 attached to the mounting member 42. It should be appreciated that while the illustrated head section extension 34 includes two extension members 46, some other number of extension members may be used as desired. Further, it should be appreciated that the extension members 46 do not have to be separate from the other components of the head section extension 34. For example, the mounting member 42 could extend further in the lateral direction 25, and extension member 46 can be omitted. Also, the illustrated extension members 46 have a fixed length, but it should be appreciated that the extension members 46 may have an adjustable length in the lateral direction 25.
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In the illustrated embodiment, when the head section extension 34 is attached to the bed 10 the extended support surface 47 is substantially coplanar with the frame patient support surface 18. This is not necessary, and the head section extension 34 can be configured so that the extended support surface 47 is not substantially coplanar with the frame patient support surface 18. The extended support surface 47 may be parallel to the frame patient support surface 18 but offset from it, or the extended support surface 47 may be non-parallel to the frame patient support surface 18, for example.
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The width adjustment accessories 32 may be configured to attach to a variety of existing beds. This includes beds that are made for the attachment of an existing accessory, such as a side rail. In that situation, the mounting member 42 may be configured to take advantage of the existing mounting structure so that the mounting member 42 can be attached to an attachment structure already on the bed. Further, the accessory mounting structure 50 on the support member 48 may be configured to accommodate the existing accessory of the existing bed. For example, an existing bed may have a detachable side rail. A width adjustment accessory may be manufactured which may attach to existing side rail mounts on the bed. The width adjustment accessory may also include an accessory mounting structure that the existing side rail may be attached to. This would allow a user to remove the side rail from the existing bed, attach the width adjustment accessory in order to provide a wide patient support surface, and then attach the side rail to the wider bed.
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The mounting member 242 also includes a pivot flange 257. The pivot flange 257 is configured to allow a pivot pin 258 to help fix the mounting member 242 relative to the tubular member 226, while allowing movement of the head section 220 relative to the seat section 222. It should be appreciated that the mounting member 242 may be fixed relative to the tubular member 226 in other desired manners, such as shown in
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The second alternative third head section extension 334b also includes a hinge connection 352b. The illustrated hinge connection 352b may allow the support member 348b to flip up relative to the mounting member 342b. This allows the support member 348b to be folded over on top of the head section 320 (e.g., counter-clockwise in
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The alternative fourth head section extension 434a also includes a hinge connection 452a. The illustrated hinge connection 452a may allow the support member 448a to flip up relative to the mounting member 442a. This allows the support member 448a to be folded over on top of the head section 420 (e.g., counter-clockwise in
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The extension members 546 of the head section extensions 534 are telescopic, to allow the two support members 548 to be extended to substantially meet each other. The support members 548 are shown in their extended positions in broken line. This allows the support members 548 to substantially close a gap 566. It should be appreciated that this allows the head section extensions 534 to be folded into the storage position on top of the head section 520, while providing a continuous support surface for a mattress (not shown). It should be appreciated that while the extension members in the illustrated embodiment are telescopic the extension members may be length adjustable using other mechanisms.
It should be appreciated that a continuous support surface could be provided without the use of telescopic extensions members, for instance by providing a bridge component. The bridge may be used instead of telescopic extension members 546 to substantially fill the gap 566.
The width adjustment accessories may be any size or shape and thus are not limited to the width adjustment accessories shown and described above. Opposing width adjustment accessories can be sized to adjust the width of a bed to predetermined widths. Width adjustment accessories may be provided in different widths to permit adjustment in the width of beds to different widths. For example, a pair of opposing width adjustment accessories may each increase the width of a standard articulating bed by two inches to adjust the total width from 35 inches to 39 inches to a twin bed or provide greater comfort to the user. As yet another example, a pair of opposing width adjustment accessories may each increase the width of a standard articulating bed by six to eight inches to adjust the total width from 35 inches to 48 or 52 inches to produce a bariatric bed. Conversion of a standard articulating bed to a bariatric bed could provide a lower cost, or more cost effective, bariatric bed.
It should be appreciated that a width adjustment accessory need not have a mounting member that mechanically locks onto the moveable sections but instead may have a mounting member that simply hooks onto the moveable sections and/or is held in relation to the moveable sections by the patient's weight and/or the weight of the width adjustment accessory. It should also be appreciated that the width adjustment accessory need not be mounted to the movable sections but instead may be mounted in relation to the main frame.
It should be appreciated that the width adjustment accessory may be mounted to the bed via use of auxiliary component mounting structure and may be provided with structure for mounting the auxiliary component (e.g., hand rail) so as to effectively translate the mounting points of the auxiliary component to the width adjustment accessory. Hence, the width adjustment accessory may permit use of the same components that would otherwise attach directly to the bed.
It should be appreciated that three width adjustment accessories may be mounted along each side of beds having a patient support surface comprising four sections (e.g., head, seat, knee and foot sections). Hence, a width adjustment accessory can be eliminated at the seat section, which simplifies assembly and retrofit application of the width adjustment accessories.
It should further be appreciated that in some embodiments the width adjustment accessory may be mounted without tools.
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.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/130504, filed May 30, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61130504 | May 2008 | US |