Structures for causing movement of elements of a bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11357682-B2
Application number	US-201916583325-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2018
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to a bed assembly. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bed assembly that is compatible with a traditional consumer bed and can enhance the traditional consumer bed so it provides features of a traditional hospital bed. The bed assembly of the present disclosure may include pneumatic components to move portions of the bed assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bed assembly comprising:
a frame,
a mattress supported by the frame, and
a patient-care system including a support system and an elevation system insertable between the frame and the mattress, the elevation system and support system cooperating to move at least a portion of the mattress from a fully-lowered position, in which the mattress is arranged generally parallel to the frame, to a fully-raised position, in which the at least one movable section of the mattress is arranged at an angle relative to the frame,
wherein the support system includes a top plate, a base plate, and a hinge positioned between a free end of the support system and a fixed end of the support system, and an elevation system coupled to the support system and configured to move the support system to raise the at least one movable section of the mattress in response to an activation of the elevation system,
wherein the support system further includes a cover having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end at a predetermined distance so that a length of the cover corresponds to an elevation angle of the top plate relative to the base plate,
wherein the cover includes a sheet defining the length of the cover and at least one retainer coupled to the support system to fix the cover to the support system at the predetermined distance,
wherein the retainer includes longitudinal strips coupled to the support system and transverse strips coupled to the sheet, and a plurality of indicator marks are provided adjacent to the longitudinal strips, and
wherein the indicator marks include a first set associated with a first angle of the mattress and a second set associated with a second angle of the mattress and the second end of the sheet is configured to align selectively with one of the sets to restrict the elevation angle of the mattress to one of the first and second angles associated with the first and second set and configured to prevent the at least one movable section of the mattress to be raised beyond the selected first or second angle.

2. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elevation system includes at least one pneumatic bladder positioned between the top plate and the base plate and at least one valve coupled to the at least one pneumatic bladder.

3. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elevation system further includes at least one pneumatic actuator coupled to the at least one pneumatic bladder and configured to change the at least one pneumatic bladder from a deflated state to and inflated state to move the movable section of the mattress towards the fully-raised position.

4. The bed assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one pneumatic actuator includes a housing, a canister of fluid, and an activator, the housing defines an internal space and the canister is positioned in the internal space and coupled to the pneumatic bladder with a conduit such that the canister is configured to release the fluid into the pneumatic bladder in response to triggering the activator.

5. The bed assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pneumatic actuator is a manual hand pump.

6. The bed assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pneumatic actuator is an automatic air-pump.

7. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bladder has a sheet that defines an internal space and the elevation system further includes a foam insert positioned within the internal space of the bladder and the foam insert is configured to apply an outward force on the sheet to expand the bladder to the inflated state.

8. The bed assembly of claim 7 , wherein the elevation system includes an inlet valve, an outlet value, and a valve cap configured to cover the outlet valve, and the inlet valve and the outlet valve are both one way valves such that the bladder is configured to remain inflated while the valve cap covers the outlet valve.

9. The bed assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bladder is configured to deflate when the valve cap is removed from the outlet valve and a force is applied to the bladder and the foam insert to compress the foam insert.

10. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elevation system includes a plurality of bladders each having a sheet that defines an internal space and plurality of foam inserts, at least one foam insert is positioned within the internal space of the bladders, and wherein each foam insert is configured to apply an outward force on the bladders to expand each bladder to the inflated state.

11. The bed assembly of claim 10 , wherein the elevation system further includes at least one fastener between adjacent bladders to couple each of the bladders together.

12. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elevation system includes a first pneumatic pump coupled to a first pneumatic bladder in a head section of the mattress and a second pneumatic pump coupled to a second pneumatic bladder in a foot section of the mattress, and the at least one valve is configured to open to manually release air contained within at least one of the pneumatic bladders.

13. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elevation system includes a single pneumatic pump coupled to a first pneumatic bladder in a head section of the mattress and a second pneumatic bladder in a foot section of the mattress, and a first valve is configured to selectively switch between the first and second pneumatic bladders to inflate one of the first and second pneumatic bladders while a second valve is configured to open to manually release air contained within at least one of the pneumatic bladders.

14. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bed assembly further includes a control panel and the elevation system includes a first pneumatic pump coupled to a first pneumatic bladder in a head section of the mattress and a second pneumatic pump coupled to a second pneumatic bladder in a foot section of the mattress, and a first valve is configured to open to manually deflate the first bladder upon activation of a first button on the control panel and a second valve is configured to open to manually deflate the second bladder upon activation of a second button on the control panel.

15. The bed assembly of claim 2 , wherein the elevation system further includes a release system coupled to the pneumatic bladder, and wherein the valve is configured to allow fluid to flow out of the bladder at a first flowrate and the release system is configured to allow fluid to flow out of the bladder at a second flowrate, and the second flowrate is greater than the first flowrate.

16. The bed assembly of claim 15 , wherein the release system includes a plug coupled to the pneumatic bladder and a cord having a first end coupled to the plug and a second end coupled to a pull tab.

17. The bed assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover is configured to retain the top plate at the elevation angle to position the movable section of the mattress in the fully-raised position.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61G7/0525

  Side-bolsters (rests specially adapted for beds A61G7/065; non-medical devices for prevention against falling-out A47C21/08) · CPC title

• A61G2203/10

  characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering · CPC title

• A61G7/018 Primary

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title

• A47C20/048

  by fluid means · CPC title

• A61G7/015 Primary

  divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position · CPC title