Universal bed-rail clip

• US 5,416,839 A
• Filed: 06/02/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Med-Pat, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US08/070,241
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 379/455, 379/449, 379/446, 379/426, 379/454, 248/214, 248/320
• US Class Current: 379/449
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A universal bed-rail clip for clipping one of a one-piece telephone and a supporting bracket for such a one-piece telephone onto a horizontal rail of bed-rail assembly, the universal bed-rail clip comprising top and bottom sides being joined together by a joining side and defining, opposite the joining side, an opening for receiving the horizontal rail, the universal bed-rail clip being substantially U-shaped in cross-section, at least one of the top and bottom sides being flexible between open and closed positions, wherein the open position permits passage of the horizontal rail through the opening into an interior of the universal bed-rail clip and fixation means for attaching the universal bed-rail clip to the one of a one-piece telephone and supporting bracket.

Claims

1. A telephone clip assembly for clipping onto an upper horizontal rail of a bed-rail assembly of a hospital bed, the bed-rail assembly including said upper horizontal rail and a lower horizontal rail, comprising:

a one-piece telephone comprising a telephone body having a front surface presenting a speaker means, a back surface opposite said front surface, and a top surface joining said front and back surfaces to each other, said telephone body having a generally elongated shape;

abutment means for abutting against the lower horizontal rail of the bed-rail assembly, said abutment means comprising a bottom portion of the telephone body; and

universal mounting means for mounting the one-piece telephone to various types of bed-rail assemblies, said universal mounting means comprising a universal bed-rail clip affixed to said top surface of the one-piece telephone for clipping said one-piece telephone onto the upper horizontal rail of the bed-rail assembly, said universal bed-rail clip comprising top and bottom sides being joined together by a joining side and defining, opposite said joining side, an opening for receiving said upper horizontal rail, said universal bed-rail clip being substantially U-shaped in cross-section, wherein a distance between internal surfaces of said top and bottom sides is about 0.75 to about 1.0 inches, said top side extends about 1.0 to about 1.5 inches from said joining side, at least one of said top and bottom sides is flexible between open and closed positions, and said open position permits passage of said upper horizontal rail through said opening into an interior of said universal bed-rail clip.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising anti-rotation means for preventing said universal bed-rail clip from rotating relative to said one-piece telephone.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said anti-rotation means comprises a protrusion extending from a bottom surface of said bottom side, and a recess of complementary shape formed in said top surface of said one-piece telephone.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the universal bed-rail clip further comprises fixation means for attaching the universal bed-rail clip to said one-piece telephone.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said fixation means comprises a radially expanding pin extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the bottom side of the universal bed-rail clip for engagement in a complementary hole in said top surface of said one-piece telephone.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one-piece telephone and the universal bed-rail clip form a single, unitary piece.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein external edges of said top and bottom sides are spaced apart a distance of about 0.5 inches in said closed position.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein external edges of said top and bottom sides are spaced apart a distance of about 0.875 inches in said open position.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said top side comprises a rearwardly and downwardly extending arc-shaped portion terminating in an external edge which partially bounds said opening.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stop ridge disposed along an internal bottom surface of said bottom side.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said telephone comprises an angular extension.