EQUIPMENT SUPPORT RAIL FOR HOSPITAL BED

• US 20100095454A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Reinke, Christian H., Hamberg, Stephen R., Newkirk, David C., Turner, Jonathan D., Graham, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/503.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/723 Impact absorbing means, e.g. bumpers or airbags
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0503 Holders, support devices for receptacles, e.g. for drainage or urine bags hanging-up devices for infusion A61M5/1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories

Abstract

A patient support includes a lower frame, an upper frame supported above the lower frame, an equipment carrier coupled to the upper frame, and an actuator operable to adjust the orientation of the equipment carrier to compensate for the upper frame changing its orientation between the Trendelenberg and reverse Trendelenberg positions.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame, a rail coupled to the frame, the rail having an upper track surface facing downwardly and a lower track surface facing upwardly, and an equipment carrier coupled to the rail, the equipment carrier having at least one upper roller located below the upper track surface and riding on the upper track surface, and at least one lower roller located above the lower track surface and riding on the lower track surface.

17. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the upper and lower track surfaces are convex, the upper and lower rollers have concave circumferences, and the receipt of the upper and lower convex track surfaces in the concave circumferences of the upper and lower rollers retains the equipment carrier on the rail.

18. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the angular orientation of the rail is adjustable with respect to the frame.

21. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein equipment carrier includes a socket configured to receive and removably retain an equipment support, the angular orientation of the socket being adjustable with respect to the equipment carrier to maintain the angular orientation of the equipment support with respect to vertical.

22. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the equipment carrier includes a socket mount and an actuator movably coupled to the equipment carrier and engaging the socket mount, the actuator being configured to change the angular orientation of the socket mount with respect to the equipment carrier.

19-20. -20. (canceled)

23. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a rail coupled to the frame; and

an equipment carrier including a socket mount configured to receive an equipment support, the equipment carrier being configured to movably engage the rail to move the equipment support from a first position to a second position with respect to the rail.

24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the rail is pivotably coupled to the frame.

25. The patient support apparatus of claim 23 further comprising an actuator coupled to the frame and the rail, wherein the actuator is configured to maintain the angular orientation of the rail with respect to vertical as the angular orientation of the frame changes from a first angular orientation with respect to vertical to a second angular orientation.

26. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the rail includes a track with an upper track surface and a lower track surface, the upper track surface facing the lower track surface.

27. The patient support apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least one of the upper track surface and the lower track surface is convexly shaped.

28. The patient support apparatus of claim 26, wherein the equipment carrier is movably retained between the upper track surface and the lower track surface.

29. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the equipment carrier includes at least one wheel configured to engage the rail.

30. The patient support apparatus of claim 29, wherein the wheel includes a concave portion configured to engage a convex portion of the rail.

31. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the socket mount is pivotable with respect to the equipment carrier to maintain the angular orientation of the socket mount with respect to vertical as the angular orientation of the equipment carrier changes from a first angular orientation with respect to vertical to a second angular orientation.

32. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the equipment carrier includes an actuator movably coupled thereto and engaging the socket mount, the actuator being configured to change the angular orientation of the socket mount with respect to the equipment carrier.

33. The patient support apparatus of claim 32, wherein the actuator includes a threaded shaft configured to engage a threaded portion of the socket mount, the threaded portion of the socket mount moving along the threaded shaft as the threaded shaft is rotated.

34. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the socket mount includes an opening therein configured to receive and removably retain an end of the equipment support.

35. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the equipment support is an infusion management device.

36. The patient support apparatus of claim 23, wherein the frame includes a lower frame, an upper frame, and a support movably supporting the upper frame above the lower frame, the upper frame having a pair of end mounts coupled thereto, the rail being coupled to the pair of end mounts.

37. The patient support apparatus of claim 36, wherein the pair of end mounts are configured to couple with roller bumpers when the rail is not coupled to the end mounts.