System and method of an adjustable bed with a vibration motor

• US 10,064,784 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin B. Rawls-Meehan
• Original Assignee: Martin B. Rawls-Meehan
• Inventors: Rawls-Meehan, Martin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laughlin, Nathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/936,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20160120740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0103 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0142 Beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0165 Damping, vibration related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1654 Layer between the skin and massage elements, e.g. fluid or ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5002 Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5035 Several programs selectable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5038 freely programmable by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5046 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 : Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 : Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 : Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 : Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 : Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 : Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 : Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 : wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/202 : Glucose
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61H2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 : using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/04 : with hydraulic or pneumatic drive hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns an adjustable bed facility including a system for executing a computer-based safety-action during a motor-actuated adjustable bed position adjustment, comprising an adjustable bed facility comprising a computer-based controller, an actuator, and a sensor, the computer-based controller providing control of adjustable bed position adjustments, the actuator configured to adjust a height of the adjustable bed facility upon receiving a height-adjustment command from the computer-based controller, and the sensor for determining an actuator action parameter measured value of the actuator, the computer-based controller in communicative connection with the sensor to monitor and compare the motor action parameter measured value to an actuator action parameter normal operation value range, and when the controller determines the monitored motor action parameter measured value is outside the range of the actuator action parameter normal operation value range the controller sends a safety-action command to the actuator.

Claims

1. An adjustable bed facility comprising:

an adjustable bed frame comprising at least one articulating section, the articulating section comprising a support surface defining an opening;

a vibration motor suspended from the support surface adjacent the opening by at least one flexible connector, wherein the flexible connector is a flexible rope;

an actuator associated with the adjustable bed frame and adapted to move the at least one articulating section; and

an adjustable bed controller associated with the adjustable bed frame and adapted to control the vibration motor.

2. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the vibration motor is not in contact with the support surface.

3. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the adjustable bed controller is adapted to control one or more of vibration frequency and vibration intensity of the vibration motor.

4. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is removably attached to the vibration motor.

5. The adjustable bed facility of claim 4, wherein the vibration motor comprises at least one opening through which the flexible connector passes to suspend the vibration motor.

6. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is permanently attached to the vibration motor.

7. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the flexible rope is attached at opposing ends to the articulating section support surface on opposing sides of the opening.

8. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, comprising at least two flexible connectors suspending the vibration motor.

9. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is adapted to dampen vibration of vibration motor.

10. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, further comprising a housing mounted to the support surface and at least partially enclosing the vibration motor and the flexible connector.

11. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the vibration motor is positioned in a section of the adjustable bed facility corresponding to one or more of a hip region, a shoulder region, a back region, and a neck region.

12. An adjustable bed system, comprising:

the adjustable bed facility of claim 1; and

a mattress supported by the adjustable bed frame on a side of the support surface opposite that of the vibration motor.

13. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the adjustable bed frame comprises a plurality of articulating sections.

14. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein:

(i) the adjustable bed controller comprises at least one vibration frequency and at least one mattress type stored in memory in the controller, and

(ii) each stored mattress type is associated with a corresponding stored vibration frequency for the stored mattress type.

15. The adjustable bed facility of claim 14, wherein the adjustable bed controller comprises a plurality of vibration frequencies and a plurality of mattress types stored in memory in the controller.

16. The adjustable bed facility of claim 14, wherein the stored vibration frequency is a resonance frequency of the mattress type.

17. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the adjustable bed controller is further adapted to control the actuator and move the at least one articulating section.

18. A method for controlling an adjustable bed facility, the method comprising:

providing the adjustable bed system of claim 12; and

operating the vibration motor to vibrate the mattress.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising operating the vibration motor at a resonance frequency of the mattress.

20. The adjustable bed facility of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is attached to the support surface.