Hospital bed

• US RE43,532 E1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Menkedick, Douglas J., Osborne, Eugene E., Zerhusen, Robert M., Albersmeyer, David A., Philbeck, Roger S., Bhai, Aziz Ali, Batta, Nicholas C., Richter, Terry L., Chambers, Kenith W., Knue, Matthew R., Dixon, Steve A., Shenk, Joshua W., Goodwin, Brent, Skinner, Andrew F., Figel, Gregory J., Stolpmann, James R., Findlay, James K., Suttman, Glenn C., Hoffman, Brian J., Hornbach, David W., Weil, Paul R., Kramer, Kenneth L., Welling, Jeffrey R., Meyer, Eric R., Lubbers, David P., Murnyack, Roberta M., Scheele, Cami S., Schwartz, Steven J., Riggs, Tom, Vanderpohl, Irvin J. III, Wilker, Jack Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G
• Application Number:
  US12/477,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 560/0, 561/1, 5 1/1, 561/3, 5616-618, 5 8/61, 562/4
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0209 Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
• 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 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• 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 7/001 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 7/0507 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 7/052 : 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 7/05715 : with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 : with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/445 : in a horizontal position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 16/18 : Casters

Abstract

A patient support including a frame and a mattress supported by the frame. The frame includes a deck support and a deck supporting the mattress.

Claims

1. A patient support comprising,

a frame, the frame including a base frame supported by a floor, an intermediate frame positioned over the base frame, the frame including a head end and a foot end spaced apart from the head end, and

a rotatable element positioned adjacent the foot end to engage a surface, wherein the rotatable element is positioned to translate the foot end in a direction in response to engagement with an obstacle.

2. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a patient support deck having a head section, a seat section, and a foot section, the rotatable element is supported by the foot section.

3. The patient support of claim 2, wherein the rotatable element is positioned on an underside of the foot section.

4. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element is a roller.

5. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the base frame is supported on a floor by a plurality of caster wheels, and the rotatable element is positioned below the base frame when a foot end of the intermediate frame is lowered.

6. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the frame has a longitudinal axis extending from the head end to the foot end and a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the rotatable element is positioned to rotate about an axis parallel to the transverse axis.

7. The patient support of claim 1, wherein the surface is the floor.

8. A patient support comprising:

a frame, supported by a floor, the frame including a head end and a foot end spaced apart from the head end;

a deck supported by the frame, the deck including a head section, a seat section, and a foot section, the head section being coupled to the seat section and movable relative to the seat section between a generally horizontal rest position to a generally vertical chair position, the foot section including a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the seat section and rotates relative to the seat section between a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position, and

a rotatable element coupled to the foot section, the rotatable element positioned to engage the floor and translate the second end in a direction in response to the engagement.

9. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the rotatable element is coupled to the second end.

10. The patient support of claim 8, further comprising:

means for providing pressurized air to a mattress supported by the deck,

means for blocking egress of a patient from the mattress,

foot control means for operating features of the patient support apparatus,

power and control means for providing power and control to at least one actuator,

rotational support means configured to permit movement of the frame on a floor,

control means for controlling features of the patient support apparatus, the control means being removably coupled to the blocking means,

mattress control means for controlling operation of the mattress,

power supply means for providing power to components of the patient support, and

network means for communicating between at least two of the power and control means, the control means, the block means, and mattress control means,

wherein the rotatable element is a roller.

11. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the rotatable element is positioned substantially at the lateral center of the frame.

12. The patient support of claim 8, wherein the rotatable element includes an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation being substantially parallel to the second end.

13. A patient support comprising:

a frame including a head end and a foot end spaced apart from the head end;

an adjustable length foot portion positioned toward the foot end, the adjustable length foot portion including a first section and a second section movable relative to the first section between a first position where the adjustable length foot portion has a first length and a second position where the adjustable foot portion has a second length; and

a safety device positioned on the adjustable length foot portion to engage an obstacle and translate the second section in a direction in response to the engagement.

14. The bed of claim 13, wherein the obstacle is a floor.

15. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the safety device is a roller.

16. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the safety device is positioned at the lateral center of the second section.

17. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the frame includes a base frame supported by a floor and an intermediate frame positioned over the base frame for supporting the adjustable length foot portion.

18. The patient support of claim 17, wherein the base frame is supported on the floor by a plurality of caster wheels and the safety device is positioned below the base frame when a foot end of the intermediate frame is lowered.

19. The patient support of claim 13, wherein the safety device halts movement of the adjustable length foot portion between the first length and second length when the safety device contacts the obstacle.