Mattress support for adding hospital bed functionality to an in-home bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11229568-B2
Application number	US-201916583315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2018
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A mattress support includes a base plate configured to be positioned on a box spring of a bed. A bladder may be coupled to a top surface of the base plate. A top plate is coupled to a top surface of the bladder. A top surface of the top plate is configured to support a mattress. The bladder is inflatable to adjust a height of the top plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mattress support comprising: a base plate, a bladder coupled to a top surface of the base plate, a top plate coupled to a top surface of the bladder and configured to pivot relative to the base plate about a pivot axis, a top surface of the top plate being configured to support a mattress, wherein the bladder is inflatable to adjust a height of the top plate, and wherein the top plate includes a coupling mechanism that includes an interlocking joint configured to enable the mattress support to be folded about an axis perpendicular to the pivot axis, wherein: the top plate includes a first half coupled to a second half by the coupling mechanism, the bladder includes a first bladder coupled to the first half of the top plate and a second bladder coupled to the second half of the top plate, and the base plate includes a first half coupled to the first bladder and a second half coupled to the second bladder.

2. The mattress support of claim 1 , wherein, when the mattress support is folded, a top surface of the first half of the top plate is positioned confronting a top surface of the second half of the top plate.

3. The mattress support of claim 2 , wherein, when the mattress is folded, the first bladder and the first half of the base plate are positioned adjacent the first half of the top plate and the second bladder and the second half of the base plate are positioned adjacent the second half of the top plate.

4. The mattress of claim 1 , further comprising: a first side panel coupled to the first half of the top plate, the first side panel being configured to couple to a first side rail, and a second side panel coupled to the second half of the top plate, the second side panel being configured to couple to a second side rail.

5. The mattress support of claim 1 , wherein the bladder is inflated to adjust an angle of the top plate relative to a longitudinal axis of the mattress support.

6. The mattress support of claim 1 , further comprising a side panel coupled to the top plate.

7. The mattress support of claim 6 , wherein the side panel is configured to couple to a side rail.

8. The mattress support of claim 6 , wherein the side panel includes
a first side panel coupled to a first side of the top plate, the first side panel being configured to couple to a first side rail, and
a second side panel coupled to a second side of the top plate, the second side panel being configured to couple to a second side rail.

9. The mattress support of claim 1 , further comprising a runner extending along the top surface of the top plate.

10. The mattress support of claim 9 , wherein the runner extends laterally along the top surface of the top plate.

11. The mattress support of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of runners extending laterally along the top surface of the top plate.

12. A mattress support comprising: a base plate, the base plate having a first half and a second half, a first elevation assembly coupled to the first half of the base plate and a second elevation assembly coupled to the second half of the base plate, a top plate having a first half and a second half, the first half of the top plate coupled to the first elevation assembly and the second half of the top plate coupled to the second elevation assembly, a coupling mechanism coupling the first half of the top plate and the second half of the top plate, the coupling mechanism including an interlocking joint having a first notch and a first tab formed on the first half of the top plate, and a second notch and a second tab formed on a second half of the top plate, the first tab engageable with the second notch and the second tab engageable with the first notch such that the first and second halves of the top plate configured to be mated to move together and to enable the mattress support to be folded when the first and second halves of the top plate are separated.

13. The mattress support of claim 12 , wherein the first elevation assembly is a first bladder and the second elevation assembly is a second bladder.

14. The mattress support of claim 13 , wherein the first bladder and the second bladder are inflated to adjust an angle of the top plate relative to a longitudinal axis of the mattress support.

15. The mattress support of claim 12 , wherein, when the mattress support is folded, a top surface of the first half of the top plate is positioned to confronting a top surface of the second half of the top plate.

16. The mattress support of claim 15 , wherein, when the mattress is folded, the first elevation assembly and the first half of the base plate are positioned adjacent the first half of the top plate and the second elevation assembly and the second half of the base plate are positioned adjacent the second half of the top plate.

17. The mattress of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first side panel coupled to the first half of the top plate, and
a second side panel coupled to the second half of the top plate.

18. The mattress support of claim 17 , wherein:
the first side panel is configured to couple to a first side rail, and
the second side panel is configured to couple to a second side rail.

19. The mattress support of claim 12 , further comprising a runner extending along the top surface of the top plate.

20. The mattress support of claim 19 , wherein the runner extends laterally along the top surface of the top plate.

21. The mattress support of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of runners extending laterally along the top surface of the top plate.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Ribble David L
• Meyerson Craig M
• Zapfe Lori
• Teng xuan
• Chahal Jotpreet
• Heil Thomas F
• Emmons Kirsten M
• Bedel David L
• Lilly Kenneth L
• Mann Nicholas

Classifications

• A61G7/0513

  covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed · CPC title

• A47C20/04

  with adjustable inclination (A47C20/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61G7/0516

  with height adjustability · CPC title

• A47C20/048 Primary

  by fluid means · CPC title

• A61G7/0514

  mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections · CPC title