Patient care system

• US 20040139546A1
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1988
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Neder, Jonathan Salsado, Lincoln J. Alvord, Marc M. Thomas, Oʼconnor, Richard W., Robert J. Ferrand, Stephen Smith, Steven N. Roe, Wesley E. Grass, William A. Gilmartin, William Loh, William R. Fish, William Silva
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Neder, Jonathan Salsado, Lincoln J. Alvord, Marc M. Thomas, Oʼconnor, Richard W., Robert J. Ferrand, Stephen Smith, Steven N. Roe, Wesley E. Grass, William A. Gilmartin, William Loh, William R. Fish, William Silva
• Inventors: OʼConnor, Richard W., Roe, Steven N., Alvord, Lincoln J., Loh, William, Ferrand, Robert J., Smith, Stephen D., Grass, Wesley E., Gilmartin, William A., Salsado, Jonathan, Neder, Charles W., Silva, William, Fish, William R., Thomas, Marc M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,941,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/74 for anti-shear when adjusting furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/02 with toilet conveniences, or specially adapted for use with toilets
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0506 Head or foot boards head or foot boards for comfort or ergonomics A47C19/022
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0507 Side-rails
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0509 sliding or pivoting downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0516 with height adjustability
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/052 characterised by safety means, e.g. to avoid injuries to patient or caregiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

A bed comprises a mattress supported on a support surface. The mattress has first and second inflatable cells for supporting a patient.

Claims

1. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including a recess; and

a controller positioned to slide along the barrier, the controller being positioned in the recess.

2. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the barrier includes a convex surface and the controller includes a concave surface positioned adjacent to the convex surface of the barrier.

3. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller is indexed to inhibit improper placement of the controller in the recess.

4. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller is removably coupled to the barrier.

5. The patient support of claim 4, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer coupled to the housing to removably couple the housing to the barrier.

6. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including an interior surface defining an opening; and

a controller positioned to slide along the interior surface.

7. The patient support of claim 6, wherein the controller is removably coupled to the barrier.

8. The patient support of claim 6, wherein the interior surface is convex and the controller includes an upper surface that is concave to complement the interior surface of the barrier.

9. The patient support of claim 6, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the barrier.

10. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame, the mattress having a first side and a second side transversely spaced-apart from the first side;

a first barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the first side of the mattress, the first barrier including a first opening formed therein; and

a controller configured to be removably received in the first opening of the first barrier.

11. The patient support of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to move along the first barrier when received in the first opening.

12. The patient support of claim 10, further comprising a second barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the second side of the mattress, the second barrier including a second opening formed therein to receive the controller.

13. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to move along the second barrier when received in the second opening.

14. The patient support of claim 12, wherein the controller is slidably coupled to the first and second barriers when received in either of the first and second openings.

15. The patient support of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the first barrier.

16. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress; and

a controller including a housing and a flexible portion configured to couple the controller to the barrier.

17. The patient support of claim 16, wherein the flexible portion is positioned substantially around a portion of the barrier.

18. The patient support of claim 16, wherein the controller is removably coupled to the barrier.

19. The patient support of claim 16, wherein the bladder includes an opening and the controller is positioned in the opening.

20. The patient support of claim 16, wherein the housing includes first and second portions and the flexible portion couples the first and second portions together.

21. The patient support of claim 18, wherein the upper surface is convex and the controller includes an upper surface that is concave to complement the upper surface of the barrier.

22. The patient support of claim 18, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the barrier.

23. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame, the mattress having a first side and a second side transversely spaced-apart from the first side;

a first barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the first side of the mattress, the first barrier including a first opening formed therein;

a second barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the second side of the mattress, the second barrier including a second opening formed therein; and

a controller configured to be removably received in the first opening of the first barrier and removably received in the second opening of the second barrier.

24. The patient support of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to move along the first barrier when received in the first opening.

25. The patient support of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to move along the second barrier when received in the second opening.

26. The patient support of claim 25, wherein the controller is slidably coupled to the first and second barriers when received in either of the first and second openings.

27. The patient support of claim 23, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the first and second barriers.

28. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including upper and lower spaced-apart rails, each rail including a top surface and a bottom surface; and

a controller removably coupled between the upper and lower rails, the controller including a portion configured to engage the bottom surface of the upper rail.

29. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including upper and lower spaced-apart rails, each rail including a top surface and a bottom surface; and

a controller positioned between the upper and lower rails, the controller including a housing and a flexible portion configured to contact the upper rail.

30. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including a recess; and

a controller configured to be received in the recess, the controller pivoting into the recess.