Occupant protective features for the foot region of a bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8978182-B2
Application number	US-87759710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2010
Priority date	Sep 8, 2010
Publication date	Mar 17, 2015
Grant date	Mar 17, 2015

Abstract

A bed frame includes a weight bearing framework 30 , and a footboard 82 that cooperates with the framework to define an edge 90 of an occupant region 92 of the bed. The footboard 82 includes a footboard frame 100 and a pressurizable cushion 104 . A mattress system 160 includes a main occupant support portion 162 with a support surface 168 and a cushion 170 located footwardly of the occupant support portion. The cushion has a deployed state in which it projects vertically higher than the support surface and a stored state in which it does not project vertically higher than the support surface.

First claim

I claim:

1. A bed frame comprising:
a weight bearing framework having a head end and a foot end;
a footboard cooperating with the framework to define an edge of an occupant region, the footboard having a footboard frame and a pressurizable cushion, wherein the cushion has an extended state in which the cushion extends toward the head end of the framework by an amount d 1 relative to a reference datum and a nonextended state in which the cushion extends toward the head end of the framework by an amount d 2 relative to the datum, wherein d 2 is less than d 1 ; and
means for assisting transition from the extended state to the nonextended state, wherein the cushion is a bladder and the means for assisting transition from the extended state to the nonextended state includes a plurality of springs.

2. The bed frame of claim 1 wherein the pressurizable cushion is a fluid bladder.

3. The bed frame of claim 1 wherein the cushion becomes increasingly firm in response to increasing intrabladder pressure and becomes increasingly soft in response to decreasing intrabladder pressure without a commensurate change in volume attributable to the changes in intrabladder pressure.

4. The bed frame of claim 1 wherein the frame is longitudinally length adjustable.

5. The bed frame of claim 1 wherein, in the extended state, a lower extremity of the bladder is substantially at a mattress elevation.

6. The bed frame of claim 1 wherein the cushion is pressurizable to a working pressure and, when pressurized to the working pressure, presents a foot receptacle shaped and sized to receive an occupant's foot.

7. A bed frame comprising:
a framework having a head end and a foot end;
a footboard coupled to the framework adjacent the foot end, the footboard having a footboard frame and a pressurizable cushion, wherein the cushion has an extended state in which the cushion extends toward the head end of the framework by a first distance relative the footboard frame and a nonextended state in which the cushion extends toward the head end of the framework by a second distance that is less than the first distance; and
a mover to assist transition from the extended state to the nonextended state, wherein the cushion comprises a bladder and the mover comprises a resilient member that exerts a return force on the bladder and an aspirator for relieving pressure in the bladder.

8. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the aspirator comprises a pump that is operable to remove fluid from the cushion.

9. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the aspirator comprises an exhaust valve through which fluid vents from the cushion.

10. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the resilient member comprises a spring.

11. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the resilient member comprises a plurality of springs.

12. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the bladder comprises pleats.

13. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the footboard frame includes a recess in which substantially all of the bladder is situated when in the nonextended state.

14. The bed frame of claim 7 , further comprising a cover surrounding an exterior surface of the bladder.

15. The bed frame of claim 14 , wherein the cover comprises an elastic cover.

16. The bed frame of claim 14 , wherein the cover is coupled to the footboard frame and is detachable from the footboard frame.

17. The bed frame of claim 7 , wherein the bladder has a foot receptacle shaped and sized to receive an occupant's foot when the bladder is in the extended state.

18. The bed frame of claim 7 , further comprising a source of pressurized air to pressurize the bladder.

19. The bed frame of claim 18 , wherein the aspirator and the source of pressurized air are integrated.

Assignees

• Receveur Timothy Joseph
• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Receveur Timothy Joseph

Classifications

• A61G7/05769 Primary

  with inflatable chambers · CPC title

• A61G7/0755

  for the legs or feet · CPC title

• A47C27/081

  of pneumatic type · CPC title

• A61G7/012

  raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame (A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61G7/05738

  with fluid-like particles, e.g. sand, mud, seeds, gel, beads · CPC title