Illuminable indicator for a bed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9486084-B2
Application number	US-201214350809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2012
Priority date	Oct 9, 2011
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

An illuminable indicator for a bed includes a body configured to be attached to the bed. The body can include a resilient portion and a light-transmitting portion. The body can be shaped to protrude from an outer perimeter of the bed. A light source can be positioned to emit light to the light-transmitting portion to illuminate the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminable indicator for a bed, the illuminable indicator comprising:
a body configured to be attached to the bed, the body comprising at least a resilient and light-transmitting portion shaped to protrude from an outer perimeter of the bed when attached to the bed; and
a light source positioned to emit light to the resilient and light-transmitting portion, the light source configured to illuminate the body.

2. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the resilient and light-transmitting portion comprises a wall of the body.

3. The illuminable indicator of claim 2 , wherein said resilient and light transmitting portion has sufficient resiliency to bend said wall inwardly upon impact with an object to form a bumper.

4. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein said resilient and light transmitting portion forms a bumper.

5. A bed in combination with an illuminable indicator according to claim 1 , said bed comprising a bed frame for supporting a mattress, and said body mounted to a corner of said bed frame and dimensioned to protrude beyond the bed frame and thereby protrude beyond a side and an end of said bed frame wherein light from said indicator projects from said side and said end of said bed frame.

6. A bed according to claim 5 ,
said body extending beneath the bed frame.

7. A bed of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of said illuminable indicators, each of said illuminable indicators be mounted to a respective corner of the bed frame.

8. A bed of claim 6 , wherein the body is configured to be attached within a cavity of the bed frame beneath the bed frame.

9. A bed according to claim 5 , wherein
said light source has a plurality of light elements external to said body and positioned to emit light on to said light-transmitting portion, said plurality of light elements configured to illuminate said body, said plurality of light elements arranged in a substantially circular arrangement.

10. A bed of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of light elements is configured to emit light downwardly on to the light-transmitting portion.

11. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially cylindrical in shape.

12. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmitting portion comprises at least one substantially flat face and the light source is positioned to direct light towards the flat face.

13. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein substantially the entire body is light-transmitting and resilient.

14. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the body is shaped as a bed bumper.

15. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is positioned above the body and light emitted by the light source is directed downwardly onto the light-transmitting portion.

16. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

17. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a first light element and a second light element interspersed with one another.

18. The illuminable indicator of claim 17 , wherein the first and second light elements are different.

19. The illuminable indicator of claim 17 , wherein there are a plurality of first light elements and a plurality of second light elements.

20. The illuminable indicator of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of first and second light elements are separately selectively illuminable.

21. The illuminable indicator of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of first and second light elements are configured to operate according to cooperative duty cycles.

22. The illuminable indicator of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of first light elements emit a first color of light when illuminated and the plurality of second light elements emit a second color of light when illuminated, the first and second colors of light being different from one another.

23. The illuminable indicator of claim 17 , wherein the light source further comprises a third light element interspersed with the first and second light elements.

24. The illuminable indicator of claim 23 , wherein the third light element is different from the first and second light elements.

25. The illuminable indicator of claim 23 , wherein there are a plurality of third light elements.

26. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a multicolor light source.

27. The illuminable indicator of claim 26 , wherein the light source comprises a multicolor light-emitting diode.

28. The illuminable indicator of claim 27 , wherein the light source comprises a tricolor light-emitting diode.

29. The illuminable indicator of claim 28 , where the tricolor light-emitting diode is operable to emit a spectrum of colors.

30. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to selectively emit three different colors of light indicative of three different conditions being a normal condition, a warning condition, and an alarm condition.

31. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to flash.

32. The illuminable indicator of claim 31 , wherein the light source is configured to flash according to an information-carrying pattern.

33. The illuminable indicator of claim 31 , wherein a plurality of illuminable indicators have light sources configured to flash in synchronization.

34. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to be dimmed or brightened.

35. The illuminable indicator of claim 34 , wherein the light source is configured to be dimmed or brightened according to an input at a control panel of the bed.

36. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to operate according to a duty cycle.

37. The illuminable indicator of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to emit light according to a reminder alert.

38. A bed comprising:
a bed frame;
a wheeled leg assembly attached to the bed fame and configured to allow the bed to be moved to different locations of a floor; and
a plurality of illuminable indicators configured to illuminate to convey information, each of the illuminable indicators coupled to at least one of the bed frame and the wheeled leg assembly, the plurality of illuminable indicators arranged on the bed to directly cast light to substantially all vantage points around the bed, each illuminable indicator comprising a resilient body having sufficient resiliency to deform and absorb energy to form a bumper.

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Connell Jason
• Roussy Richard

Classifications

• A61G2203/723

  Impact absorbing means, e.g. bumpers or airbags · CPC title

• A61G7/0506

  Head or foot boards (head or foot boards for comfort or ergonomics A47C19/022) · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V33/0012

  Furniture (hospital beds F21V33/0072) · CPC title

• A61G7/05 Primary

  Parts, details or accessories of beds (devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 {; mattresses A47C27/00}) · CPC title