Adjustable Bed Having Movable Lumbar Support

• US 20090178201A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lujan, Leonard D., Rohr, William R.
• Application Number:
  US12/014,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/027 Back supports, e.g. for sitting in bed
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/07 for the head or torso, e.g. special back-rests pillows in general A47G9/10

Abstract

An adjustable bed includes an articulated deck comprising head, seat, leg and foot deck boards hingedly joined together and supported from a frame movable relative to a stationary base. An lumbar support assembly, including a linear actuator operatively coupled to one of the deck boards, includes a plate which may be raised or lowered through an opening the articulated deck.

Claims

1. An adjustable bed comprising:

a stationary base having a pair of opposed side rails, each of said side rails including a channel;

a frame movable relative to said stationary base, said frame including a pair of side assemblies;

rollers rotatably mounted to said side assemblies of said frame and being rotatable in said channels of said side rails of said base;

an articulated deck including a seat deck board secured to said movable frame, a head deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board, a leg deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board and a foot deck board hingedly secured to said leg deck board, the head and seat deck boards having cutout portions which combined define an opening in said articulated deck;

first and second pivotal torque tubes, each of said torque tubes extending between side assemblies of said frame and being pivotally secured to brackets secured to side assemblies of said frame;

a pair of leg links of a fixed length, each of said leg links being pivotally secured to said frame at one end and being pivotally secured to brackets secured to said leg deck board at the other end;

at least one actuator for pivoting said torque tubes, said first torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging said head deck board to raise the head board and said second torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging said leg deck board to raise the leg deck board; and

a lumbar support assembly coupled to said seat deck board for raising and lowering a lumbar plate through said opening in said articulated deck.

2. The adjustable bed of claim 1 wherein said lumbar support assembly comprises a linear actuator;

a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being secured to said linear actuator;

a lumbar torque tube extending between said lift arms; and

said lumbar plate extending between said lift arms.

3. The adjustable bed of claim 2 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.

4. An adjustable bed comprising:

a stationary base having a pair of opposed side rails;

a frame movable relative to said stationary base, said frame including a pair of side assemblies;

rollers rotatably mounted to said side assemblies of said frame and being rotatable on said side rails of said base;

an articulated deck comprising a seat deck board secured to said frame, said seat deck board having a generally rectangular cutout portion;

a head deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board, said head deck board having a generally rectangular cutout portion;

a leg deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board;

a foot deck board hingedly secured to said leg deck board; and

a linear actuator assembly for moving said head, leg and foot deck boards between a horizontal position and an inclined position and moving said frame relative to said stationary base; and

a lumbar support assembly coupled to said seat deck board for moving a lumbar support plate through an opening defined by said generally rectangular cutout portions of said seat and head deck boards.

5. The adjustable bed of claim 4 wherein said lumbar support assembly comprises a linear actuator;

a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being secured to said linear actuator;

a lumbar torque tube extending between said lift arms; and

said lumbar plate extending between said lift arms, said lumbar plate being sized to fit through said opening in said articulated deck.

6. The adjustable bed of claim 5 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.

7. An adjustable bed comprising:

a stationary base having a pair of opposed side rails, each of said side rails including a channel;

a frame movable relative to said stationary base, said frame including a pair of side assemblies;

rollers rotatably mounted to said side assemblies of said frame and being rotatable in said channels of said side rails of said base;

an articulated deck comprising multiple deck boards, one of said deck boards being secured to said frame;

a lumbar support assembly coupled to said seat deck board for raising and lowering a lumbar plate through an opening in said articulated deck, wherein said lumbar support assembly further comprises a linear actuator, a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being secured to said linear actuator and a lumbar torque tube extending between said lift arms.

8. The adjustable bed of claim 7 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.

9. The adjustable bed of claim 7 further comprising first and second pivotal torque tubes, each of said torque tubes extending between side assemblies of said frame and being pivotally secured to brackets secured to side assemblies of said frame;

a pair of leg links, each of said leg links being pivotally secured to said frame at one end and being pivotally secured to brackets secured to said leg deck board at the other end;

at least one actuator for pivoting said torque tubes, said first torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging a head deck board to raise the head deck board and said second torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging a leg deck board to raise the leg deck board.

10. An adjustable bed comprising:

a stationary base having a pair of opposed side rails, each of said side rails including a channel;

a frame secured to said stationary base, said frame including a pair of side assemblies;

an articulated deck including a seat deck board secured to said frame, a head deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board, a leg deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board and a foot deck board hingedly secured to said leg deck board, the head and seat deck boards having generally rectangular cutout portions which when combined define a generally rectangular opening in said articulated deck;

first and second pivotal torque tubes, each of said torque tubes extending between side assemblies of said frame;

a pair of leg links, each of said leg links being pivotally secured to said frame at one end and being pivotally secured to brackets secured to said leg deck board at the other end;

at least one actuator for pivoting said torque tubes, said first torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging said head deck board to raise the head board and said second torque tube being operatively coupled to a pair of operating arms having rollers at the ends therefor for engaging said leg deck board to raise the leg deck board; and

a lumbar support assembly coupled to said seat deck board for raising and lowering a lumbar plate through said opening in said articulated deck.

11. The adjustable bed of claim 10 wherein said lumbar support assembly comprises a linear actuator;

a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being secured to said linear actuator;

a lumbar torque tube extending between said lift arms; and

said lumbar plate extending between said lift arms.

12. The adjustable bed of claim 11 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.

13. A motorized lumbar support assembly for use in combination with an adjustable bed having an articulated deck, said lumbar support assembly comprising:

a linear actuator supported by said articulated deck;

a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being coupled to said linear actuator;

a torque tube extending between the lift arms;

a lumbar plate extending between the lift arms wherein said lumbar plate may be moved by actuation of said linear actuator between a raised position in which said lumbar plate is above the articulated deck and a lowered position in which said lumbar plate is below the articulated deck.

14. The motorized lumbar support assembly of claim 13 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.

15. An adjustable bed comprising:

an articulated deck comprising a seat deck board secured to a frame, said seat deck board having a generally rectangular cutout portion;

a head deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board, said head deck board having a generally rectangular cutout portion;

a leg deck board hingedly secured to said seat deck board;

a foot deck board hingedly secured to said leg deck board; and

a linear actuator assembly for moving said head, leg and foot deck boards between a horizontal position and an inclined position; and

a lumbar support assembly coupled to said seat deck board for moving a lumbar support plate through an opening defined by said generally rectangular cutout portions of said seat and head deck boards.

16. The adjustable bed of claim 15 wherein said lumbar support assembly comprises a linear actuator;

a pair of lift arms, one of said lift arms being secured to said linear actuator;

a lumbar torque tube extending between said lift arms; and

said lumbar plate extending between said lift arms, said lumbar plate being sized to fit through said opening in said articulated deck.

17. The adjustable bed of claim 15 further comprising a vibrator secured to said lumbar plate.