Articulating bed frame

• US 6,708,358 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hensley, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/750,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 561/3, 561/6, 561/7, 561/8, 591/5, 593/3, 510/8, 510/9, 601/49, 601/86, 601/98
• US Class Current: 5/915
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/08 with means for adjusting two or more rests simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/933 Massaging bed

Abstract

A bed assembly includes a base, a frame supported by the base, a deck supported by the frame, and a unit received in an opening formed in an upwardly-facing top surface of the deck so that the unit is accessible from the top side of the deck.

Claims

1. A bed assembly comprising:

a) a base,

b) a frame supported by the base,

c) a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

d) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck,

further comprising a mattress pad defining an opening, at least a portion of the opening of the mattress pad being coextensive with at least a portion of the opening of the deck so that the unit is accessible through the mattress pad and the deck.

2. A bed assembly comprising:

a) a base,

b) a frame supported by the base,

c) a rigid deck supported by and contacted by the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

d) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck through the opening; and

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame section being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section.

3. A bed assembly comprising:

a) a base,

b) a frame supported by the base,

c) a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

d) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck,

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame sections being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section,

further comprising a drive operable to move the upper body frame section relative to the seat frame section, and wherein the unit is an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive, and

further comprising a foam pad carried by the deck, the foam pad being formed to include an opening that is coextensive with at least a portion of the opening formed in the top surface of the deck.

4. A bed assembly comprising:

a) a base,

b) a frame supported by the base,

c) a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

d) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck,

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame sections being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section,

further comprising a drive operable to move the upper body frame section relative to the seat frame section, and wherein the unit is an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive, and

further comprising a foam pad carried by the deck, the foam pad being formed to include an opening that is coextensive with at least a portion of the opening formed in the top surface of the deck.

5. A bed comprising

a base,

an articulating deck carried by the base, the articulating deck comprising at least a first panel section, and a second panel section longitudinally spaced apart from the first panel section,

the second panel section being movable relative to the first panel section,

a drive operable to move the second panel section relative to the first panel section, and

an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive,

wherein the first panel section id formed to include an opening and the electronic circuit is positioned to lie below a plane defined by the first panel section and is accessible from above the first panel section.

6. A bed comprising

a base,

an articulating deck carried by the base, the articulating deck comprising

an upper body panel section,

a seat panel section,

a thigh panel section, and

a lower leg panel section,

each of the upper body panel section, the thigh panel section and the lower leg panel section being movable relative to the seat panel section,

a drive operable to move at least one of the upper body panel section, the thigh panel section and the lower leg panel section relative to the seat panel section,

an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive, and

a foam pad engaging the articulating deck,

wherein the lower leg panel section is formed to include an opening, wherein the foam pad is formed to include an opening that is coextensive with at least a portion of the opening of the lower leg panel section, and wherein the electronic circuit is positioned to lie so that it is below a plane defined by the lower leg panel section and is accessible from above the foam pad.

7. A bed comprising

a base,

an articulated deck carried by the base, the articulating deck comprising

an upper body panel section,

a seat panel section,

a thigh panel section, and

a lower leg panel section,

each of the upper body panel section, the thigh panel section and the lower leg panel section being movable relative to the seat panel section,

a first vibration massage unit comprising a vibrator coupled to a transmission board, and

a second vibration massage unit comprising a vibrator coupled to a transmission board, wherein

the upper body panel section is informed to include a first opening in the upper surface thereof,

the lower leg panel section is formed to include a second opening in the upper surface thereof,

the first vibration massage unit is received by the first opening so that the first vibration massage unit is accessible from above the upper body panel section through the first opening, the transmission board of the first vibration massage unit engaging the upper body panel section, and

the second vibration massage unit is received by the second opening so that the second vibration massage unit is accessible from above the lower leg panel section through the second opening, the transmission board of the second vibration massage unit engaging the lower leg panel section.

8. A bed assembly comprising

a) a base,

b) a rigid deck supported above and contacted by the base, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

c) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck, the unit being positioned to lie below the top surface of the deck;

and

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame section being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section.

9. The bed assembly of claim 8, further comprising a drive operable to move the upper body frame section relative to the seat frame section, and wherein the unit is an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive.

10. The bed assembly of claim 9, further comprising a pad carried by the deck, the pad being formed to include an opening that is coextensive with at least a portion of the opening formed in the top surface of the deck.

11. A bed assembly comprising

a) a base,

b) a rigid deck supported above and contacted by the base, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

c) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck, the unit being positioned to lie below the top surface of the deck;

wherein the deck includes an upper body panel section and the opening is formed in the upper body panel section;

wherein the unit is a vibration massage unit comprising a vibrator and a transmission board coupled to the vibrator, the transmission board engaging the upper body panel section;

wherein the deck further includes a lower leg panel section formed to include a second opening, the upper body panel section being movable relative to the lower leg panel section, and further comprising a drive operable to move at least one of the upper body panel section and the lower leg panel section relative to the other of the upper body panel section and the lower leg panel section, and an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive, the electronic circuit being positioned to lie below a plane defined by the lower leg panel section and being accessible from above the lower leg panel section through the second opening.

12. A bed assembly comprising

a) a base,

b) a rigid deck supported above and contacted by the base, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

c) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck, the unit being positioned to lie below the top surface of the deck;

wherein the deck includes an upper body panel section and the opening is formed in the lower leg panel section;

wherein the unit is a vibration massage unit comprising a vibrator and a transmission board coupled to the vibrator, the transmission board engaging the lower leg panel section; and

wherein the deck further includes an upper body panel section formed to include a second opening, and further comprising a second vibration massage unit positioned to lie below a plane defined by the upper body panel section and being accessible from above the upper body panel section through the second opening, the second vibration massage unit comprising a second vibrator and a second transmission board coupled to the second vibrator, the second transmission board engaging the upper body panel section.

13. The bed assembly of claim 12, wherein the lower leg panel section is formed to include a third opening, the upper body panel section being movable relative to the lower leg panel section, and further comprising a drive operable to move at least one of the upper body panel section and the lower leg panel section relative to the other of the upper body panel section and the lower leg panel section, and an electronic circuit coupled to the drive and configured to control the operation of the drive, the electronic circuit being positioned to lie below a plane defined by the lower leg panel section and being accessible from above the lower leg panel section through the third opening.

14. A bed assembly comprising

a base,

a deck supported above the base, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening,

a pad carried by the deck, the pad being formed to include an opening that is coextensive with at least a portion of the opening formed in the top surface of the deck, and

a unit received by the opening so that the unit is readily accessible from the top surface of the deck when a mattress lying directly on the pad is removed.

15. A bed assembly comprising:

a base,

a frame supported by the base,

a deck supported by the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening,

a mattress pad directly supported on the deck, and

a unit received by the opening in the deck so that the unit is readily accessible from the top surface of the deck, when the mattress pad is removed.

16. A bed assembly comprising:

a) a base,

b) a frame supported by the base,

c) a rigid deck supported above the frame, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

d) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck through the opening; and

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame section being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section.

17. A bed assembly comprising

a) a base,

b) a rigid deck supported above and contacted by the base, the deck having a generally upwardly-facing top surface formed to include an opening, and

c) a unit received by the opening so that the unit is accessible from the top surface of the deck, the unit being positioned to lie below the top surface of the deck;

and

wherein the deck includes at least an upper body frame section and a seat frame section, the upper body and seat frame section being longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending with the upper body frame section being movable relative to the seat frame section to provide articulating movement thereof with respect to the seat frame section.