Hospital bed having safety mechanism
First Claim
1. In a hospital bed including a stationary frame, a movable frame for supporting a mattress and patient, and a motor for effecting vertical movement of said movable frame with respect to said stationary frame, the improvement comprising an elongate detection device mounted to one of said frames for detecting the presence of a person or object between said frames, said elongate detection device being an air-tight flexible tube which is compressible against said one of said frames, and means responsive to said detection device for preventing said motor from moving said movable frame closer to said stationary frame.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hospital bed is provided with a safety mechanism for preventing the upper frame from moving with respect to the lower frame when an object or person is wedged therebetween. The safety mechanism includes an elongate detection device such as an air-tight, flexible tube or a ribbon switch. It is mounted to one of the frames so that a person wedged between the frames will contact it prior to incurring serious injury. The detection device is connected to a switch which deactuates the bed raising/lowering motor.
75 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. In a hospital bed including a stationary frame, a movable frame for supporting a mattress and patient, and a motor for effecting vertical movement of said movable frame with respect to said stationary frame, the improvement comprising an elongate detection device mounted to one of said frames for detecting the presence of a person or object between said frames, said elongate detection device being an air-tight flexible tube which is compressible against said one of said frames, and means responsive to said detection device for preventing said motor from moving said movable frame closer to said stationary frame.
Specification