Patient care system

• US 6,941,598 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Roe, Steven N., Loh, William, Ferrand, Robert J., O'Connor, Richard W., Smith, Stephen D., Grass, Wesley E., Gilmartin, William A., Salsado, Jonathan, Neder, Charles W., Silva, William, Fish, William R., Thomas, Marc M., Alvord, Lincoln J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trettel, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/730,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 5425-430, 566/3, 565/8, 561/6, 560/0, 542/4, 550/31
• US Class Current: 5/600
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/74 for anti-shear when adjusting furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/02 with toilet conveniences, or specially adapted for use with toilets
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0506 Head or foot boards head or foot boards for comfort or ergonomics A47C19/022
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0507 Side-rails
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0509 sliding or pivoting downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0516 with height adjustability
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/052 characterised by safety means, e.g. to avoid injuries to patient or caregiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

A bed comprises a mattress supported on a support surface. The mattress has first and second inflatable cells for supporting a patient.

Claims

1. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including upper and lower spaced-apart rails, each rail including a top surface and a bottom surface; and

a controller removably coupled between the upper and lower rails, the controller including a portion configured to engage the bottom surface of the upper rail.

2. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the barrier includes a convex surface and the controller includes a concave surface positioned adjacent to the convex surface of the barrier.

3. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller is indexed to inhibit improper placement of the controller in the recess.

4. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the upper rail and the top surface of the lower rail define a recess and the controller is removably coupled to the barrier within the recess.

5. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer coupled to the housing to removably couple the housing to the barrier.

6. The patient support of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to be removably received in a first opening of the barrier.

7. The patient support of claim 6, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the first barrier.

8. The patient support of claim 6, wherein the controller is positioned directly under a portion of the barrier when received in the recess.

9. The patient support of claim 1, further comprising a second barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the second side of the mattress, the second barrier including a second opening formed therein to receive the controller.

10. The patient support of claim 9, wherein portions of the first and second barriers defining the first and second openings are rigid.

11. The patient support of claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes a housing and a flexible portion configured to couple the controller to the barrier.

12. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the flexible portion is positioned substantially around a portion of the barrier.

13. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the bottom surface of the upper rail and the top surface of the lower rail define a recess and the controller is removably coupled to the barrier within the recess.

14. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the upper surface is convex and the controller includes an upper surface that is concave to complement the upper surface of the barrier.

15. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the barrier.

16. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the bladder includes an opening and the controller is positioned in the opening.

17. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the housing includes first and second portions and the flexible portion couples the first and second portions together.

18. The patient support of claim 11, wherein the flexible portion is permanently coupled to the housing.

19. The patient support of claim 1, further comprising:

a second barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from a second side of the mattress, the second barrier including a second opening formed therein, and wherein

the controller is configured to be removably received in a first opening of the barrier and removably received in the second opening of the second barrier.

20. The patient support of claim 19, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the first and second barriers.

21. The patient support of claim 19, wherein portions of the first and second barriers defining the first and second openings are rigid.

22. The patient support of claim 19, wherein the controller is position directly under a portion of the first barrier defining the first opening.

23. The patient support of claim 19, wherein the first and second openings have open ends that face each other.

24. The patient support of claim 1, wherein a portion of the barrier including the recess is rigid.

25. The patient support of claim 1, wherein an open end of the recess faces the mattress.

26. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the barrier has an interior surface and a portion of the barrier including the interior surface is rigid.

27. The patient support of claim 1, wherein an open end of the opening faces the mattress.

28. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a second portion configured to engage the top surface of the upper rail.

29. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a housing and a flexible portion configured to contact the upper rail.

30. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the barrier includes a recess and defines a first longitudinal axis;

and

the controller is positionable in the recess at different positions along the first longitudinal axis.

31. The patient support of claim 30, wherein the barrier includes upper and lower spaced-apart rails.

32. The patient support of claim 31, wherein the controller is positioned directly under the upper rail.

33. The patient support of claim 30, wherein the patient support includes a second barrier positioned to block egress of the patient from the mattress, the second a second barrier defining a recess and longitudinal axis, the controller is positionable in the recess of the second barrier at different positions along the longitudinal axis of the second barrier.

34. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the

controller is positioned directly under the upper rail, the controller including a housing and a flexible portion configured to contact the upper rail.

35. A patient support comprising:

a frame;

a mattress supported by the frame;

a barrier positioned to block egress of a patient from the mattress, the barrier including a recess; and

a controller configured to be received in the recess, the controller pivoting into the recess.

36. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the controller is removably coupled to the barrier.

37. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the interior surface is convex and the controller includes an upper surface that is concave to complement the interior surface of the barrier.

38. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the controller includes a housing and a retainer configured to couple the housing to the barrier.

39. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the controller is pivotally coupled to the barrier.

40. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the controller pivots downwardly into the recess.

41. The patient support of claim 35, wherein the barrier includes upper and lower spaced-apart rails and the controller is coupled to the upper rail.