Person support apparatuses having exercise therapy features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687401-B2
Application number	US-201314442912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2013
Priority date	Nov 16, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Person support apparatuses having exercise features are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, a person support apparatus includes a support surface, a footboard, a sensor, and a passive resistance mechanism. The support surface has a foot end and a head end, and the footboard is located near the foot end of the support surface, extending above the support surface. The footboard may include a pressure surface positioned to receive a pressing force. The footboard is freely slidable from an extended position to a retracted position with respect to the foot end of the support surface. The sensor provides a signal indicative of a magnitude of the pressing force incident on the pressure surface of the footboard. The passive resistance mechanism is coupled to the footboard, and resists a motion of the footboard to the extended position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A person support apparatus, comprising: a support surface having a foot end and a head end; a footboard located near the foot end of the support surface and extending above the support surface, the footboard comprising a pressure surface positioned to receive a pressing force wherein the footboard is freely slidable from an extended position to a retracted position with respect to the foot end when the footboard is decoupled from an actuator for actively driving the footboard between the extended position and the retracted position; a sensor to provide a signal indicative of a magnitude of the pressing force incident on the pressure surface of the footboard; and a passive resistance mechanism coupled to the footboard, the passive resistance mechanism resisting a motion of the footboard to the extended position.

2. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a frame, wherein the frame supports at least the support surface, the footboard, and the sensor.

3. The person support apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the footboard is slidable relative to the frame.

4. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support surface further comprises an extendable foot section near the foot end of the support surface and the footboard is coupled to the extendable foot section.

5. The person support apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a frame, wherein the frame supports at least the support surface, the footboard, and the sensor.

6. The person support apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the footboard is slidable relative to the frame.

7. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects a varying magnitude of the pressing force.

8. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is coupled with the footboard.

9. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the footboard is retractable.

10. The person support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passive resistance mechanism comprises an air spring.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Alford Shelley L
• Harmeyer John V
• Hornbach David W
• Sparkman John
• Zerhusen Robert M
• Bish Michael P
• Mehdi Nabil
• Schabbach Andreas

Classifications

• A61G7/018

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title

• A63B21/025

  Spiral springs with turns lying substantially in plane surfaces · CPC title

• A63B23/03525

  Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle (A63B21/0724 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2208/0238

  with stretched legs, like on a bed · CPC title

• A63B22/0605

  performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers · CPC title