EZ access bed

• US 5,072,463 A
• Filed: 04/11/1991
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Roache
• Original Assignee: William J. Willis
• Inventors: Willis, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRETTEL, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/683,699
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 5/60, 5/62, 5/66, 5/69
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/005 tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position

Abstract

A bed which is articulated in two places capable of placing the occupant in an infinite number of positions including the standing position. The bed has a head portion and an intermediate portion both of which rotate about a shaft. A foot portion of the bed rotates about a second shaft. The bed pivots about a third shaft supported by the frame. Two power drives are provided, one for the head portion and the other for the foot and intermediate portions. A pantograph arrangement connected to the second power drive rotates the foot portion. The occupant is raised to a standing position by having the foot end of the bed touch the floor and raise the foot end of the frame off the floor.

Claims

1. A bed comprising extended platform means extending from a right end to a left end for supporting thereon a mattress and an occupant of said bed, said platform means comprising a head segment at the right end, a foot segment at the left end, and an intermediate segment in between the head and foot segments, first shaft means joining the head and intermediate segments permitting said intermediate segment to be rotated with respect to said head segment, second shaft means joining the foot and intermediate segments permitting said foot segment to be rotated with respect to said intermediate segment, third shaft means mounted on said head segment, frame means supporting said third shaft means for rotating said platform means around said third shaft means, said frame means having head and foot leg means for supporting said bed on a floor and having headboard means adjacent the head end of said platform means attached to said head leg means and having means to limit the rotation of said platform means in the clockwise direction to the horizontal position when said head and foot leg means are supported on a floor, first power means for rotating said intermediate segment about said first shaft means, second power means for rotating said head segment about said third shaft means capable of putting said occupant in a standing position when all of said segments are in a common plane, and pantograph means for rotating said foot segment with respect to said intermediate segment in response to rotation of said intermediate segment by said first power means.

2. The bed as described in claim 1 in which said pantograph means comprises an arm attached to the bottom of said head segment supporting said third shaft means and extending toward the foot of said bed, and a rod pivotally connected at one end to the extended end of said arm and pivotally connected at the other end to a point along the length of said foot segment.

3. The bed as described in claim 2 in which said second power means comprises an electric motor mounted on said headboard means and extensible rod means between said electric motor and a point along the length of said head segment so that as said rod means is extended and retracted said head segment is rotated about said third shaft means.

4. The bed as described in claim 1 in which the foot end of said platform means comes into contact with the floor and raises the foot end of said frame means off the floor in order to place said occupant in a standing position.

5. A bed comprising an extended frame means extending from a right end to a left end supported on a floor at corresponding head and foot ends thereof, extended platform means for supporting thereon a mattress and an occupant of said bed, said platform means having a head segment at the right end and supported by first shaft means permitting the remainder of said platform means to rotate with respect to said head segment, second shaft means supporting said platform means, said frame means supporting said second shaft means for rotation, said frame means having headboard means adjacent the head end of said platform and having means to limit the rotation of said platform in the clockwise direction, first power means for rotating said platform means about said second shaft means for positioning said occupant in infinite steps from horizontal position raising the head end of said platform means until the foot end of said platform means contacts the floor and raises the foot end of said frame means off the floor until said occupant is raised into a substantially standing position.

6. The bed of claim 5 in which said platform means is further articulated by having a third shaft means between the first shaft means and the foot end of said platform means forming an intermediate portion of said platform means between said first and second shaft means and permitting the foot end of said platform means to be rotated around said third shaft means permitting the legs of said occupant to be raised.

7. The bed of claim 6 having second power means mounted on the head end of said platform means for rotating the foot end of said platform means.

8. The bed of claim 7 in which said second power means includes means to drive said intermediate portion of said platform means around said second shaft means and having pantograph means joining the head segment and the foot end of said platform means to cause the foot end to rotate with respect to said intermediate portion.

9. The bed of claim 8 having a control means for exercising control over said first and second power means, said control means having first switch means to control the direction of movement of said first power means and a second switch means to control the direction of movement of said second power means, the manipulation of both of said switch means permitting said bed to articulate in infinite positions between horizontal, vertical and sitting positions of said platform means.