Hospital bed

• US 6,957,461 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Findlay, James K., Osborne, Eugene E., Ganance, Francis C., Suttman, Glenn C., Branson, Gregory W., Kramer, Kenneth L., Wilker, Jack Jr., Welling, Jeffrey R., Visca, Matthew, Jacques, William L. II, Valvano, Dean M., Koenig, John W., Dickman, Bruce E. Jr., Kinker, Robert A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US10/731,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 560/0, 561/0, 561/1, 5 1/1, 561/3, 5616-618
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/045 with entire frame height or inclination adjustments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/40 for distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/726 for automatic deactivation, e.g. deactivation of actuators or motors
• 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 7/001 with means for turning-over the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• 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 7/008 tiltable around longitudinal axis, e.g. for rolling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/012 raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• 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 7/051 : pivoting sideward
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0513 : covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 : mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• 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 7/0528 : Steering or braking devices for castor wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/053 : Aids for getting into, or out of, bed, e.g. steps, chairs, cane-like supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 : with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 : with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0755 : for the legs or feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/08 : Apparatus for transporting beds
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/445 : in a horizontal position

Abstract

A bed for a person is provided. The bed includes a frame, a deck including a seat section and a foot section movable relative to the seat section. The bed further including a mechanism that control movement of the foot section relative to the seat section.

Claims

1. A patient support comprising

a base frame,

an intermediate frame supported by the base frame,

a deck supported by the intermediate frame, the deck including a head section, a seat section contiguous with the head section, the seat section substantially all of being pivotable relative to the intermediate frame to move between first and second positions and a foot section pivotable relative to the seat section to move between first and second positions, and

a mechanism configured to control movement of the foot section relative to the seat section, the mechanism being configured to move between a first position wherein the foot section remains substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position and a second position wherein the foot section deviates from being substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position.

2. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes a pair of first links pivotably coupled to the foot section of the deck and a pair of second links pivotably coupled to the intermediate frame and the first links, the first and second links are configured to move between a first position and second positions, when in the first position, the first and second links are rigidly coupled to provide a rigid link between the foot section and the intermediate frame so that the foot section remains substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position, when in the second position, the first link is free to pivot relative to the second link so that the foot section deviates from being substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position, the mechanism further includes a transversely extending link couple between the pairs of first and second links to coordinate movement thereof.

3. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes a link, the intermediate frame includes a pin, the link includes a first end pivotably coupled to the foot section of the bed and a second link having a notch sized to receive the pin of the intermediate frame, the link is movable from a first position with the pin positioned in the notch and second position with the pin spaced apart from the notch, when the link is in the first position, the foot section remains substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position, when the link is in the second position, the foot section deviates from being substantially horizontal when the seat section moves from the first position to the second position.

4. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the mechanism has a first end and a second end and a distance between the first and second ends remains substantially constant when the mechanism is in the first position.

5. The patient support of claim 4, wherein the mechanism includes a linear actuator having a first length that remains substantially constant when the mechanism is in the second position.

6. The patient support of claim 4, wherein the mechanism includes first and second links pivotably coupled together when the mechanism is in the second position.

7. The patient support of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lift arms configured to raise and lower the intermediate frame relative to the base frame, the foot section remains substantially parallel to the intermediate frame when mechanism is in the first position and the seat section moves to the second position.

8. A patient support comprising

a base frame,

an intermediate frame supported by the base frame,

a deck supported by the intermediate frame, the deck including a seat section pivotable relative to the frame to move between first and second positions and a foot section pivotable relative to the seat section to move between first and second positions, and

a linkage having a first end and a second end coupled to the foot section of the deck, the linkage having a first configuration wherein a distance between the first and second ends remains substantially constant during movement of the seat section between the first and second positions and a second configuration wherein the distance substantially decreases during movement of the seat section between the first and second positions.

9. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the linkage includes a first link pivotably coupled to the foot section of the deck, and a second link pivotably coupled to the first link.

10. The patient support of claim 9, wherein the second link is pivotably coupled to the intermediate frame.

11. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the foot section has an adjustable length.

12. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the linkage has an adjustable length.

13. The patient support of claim 12, wherein the linkage includes telescoping members.

14. The patient support of claim 8, further comprising lift arms configured to raise and lower the intermediate frame relative to the base frame, the foot section remains substantially parallel to the intermediate frame when the linkage is in the first configuration.

15. A patient support comprising

a base frame,

an intermediate frame supported by the base frame,

a deck supported by the frame, the deck including a head section, a seat section adjoining the head section, substantially all of the seat section being pivotable relative to the intermediate frame to move between first and second positions, and a foot section pivotable relative to the seat section, the seat section and foot section cooperating to define an angle when the seat section is in the second position, and

means for selecting the angle defined between the seat and foot section when the seat section is in the second position.

16. The patient support of claim 15, wherein the selecting means includes a linkage having first and second links.

17. The patient support of claim 15, wherein the selecting means includes a linear actuator.

18. The patient support of claim 15, wherein the selecting means extends to the foot section.

19. The patient support of claim 18, wherein the selecting means extends to the frame.

20. The patient support of claim 19, further comprising means for supporting the patient on the deck, means for blocking egress of a patient from the support means, and means for controlling movement of the deck, wherein the control means includes a pendent controller that removably couples to the blocking means and foot operated control means supported by the base frame.