Hospital bed

• US 8,065,764 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kramer, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trettel; Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/859,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 561/3, 561/8, 562/4
• US Class Current: 5/624
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/56 Calf
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/32 for force
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/74 for anti-shear when adjusting furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/50 for radiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/14 Standing-up or sitting-down aids
• 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 7/005 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 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• 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 7/05769 : with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 : with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/16 : converting a lying surface into a chair
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A bed having a frame and a deck is disclosed. The deck has at least a horizontal position and a chair position. The deck has an adjustable-length foot section.

Claims

1. A bed comprising:

a plurality of casters,

a base supported by the casters,

a frame supported by the base,

a lift mechanism configured to raise and lower the frame relative to the base,

a deck supported by the frame, the deck including movable sections configurable for the deck to assume at least a bed position and a chair position, the movable sections including at least a head section and a foot section spaced from the head section, the foot section being movable from an up position to a down position, the foot section having a longitudinal length, the foot section comprising

a pivoting member pivotable relative to the frame, and

a contracting member coupled to the pivoting member, the contracting member including a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal tabs, the longitudinal tabs being movable between an expanded position and a contracted position, wherein the longitudinal length of the foot section is shorter when the longitudinal tabs are in the contracted position and the longitudinal length of the foot section is longer when the longitudinal tabs are in the expanded position.

2. The bed of claim 1, wherein the pivoting member is pivotably coupled to another section of the deck located between the head section and the foot section.

3. The bed of claim 2, wherein the pivoting member is pivotably coupled to a thigh section of the deck.

4. The bed of claim 2, wherein the pivoting member is pivotable between a generally horizontal position and a generally vertically downwardly extending position.

5. The bed of claim 1, wherein the pivoting member has a top surface and the contracting member is positioned to slide across the top surface of the pivoting member.

6. The bed of claim 5, wherein the contracting member slides longitudinally relative to the pivoting member.

7. The bed of claim 1, wherein the foot section is parallel to the frame when the foot section is in the up position.

8. The bed of claim 7, wherein the foot section is at an angle relative to the frame when the foot section is in the down position.

9. A bed comprising:

a frame,

a deck configured to support a mattress in at least a horizontal position and a chair position, the deck comprising at least a head section and a foot section spaced from the head section, the head and foot sections each being movable relative to the frame, the foot section having a longitudinal length, the foot section comprising

a pivoting member pivotable between a horizontal position and a non-horizontal position,

a contracting member coupled to the pivoting member, the contracting member being slidable relative to the pivoting member to expand and contract the longitudinal length of the foot section,

a first actuator configured to pivot the pivoting member relative to the frame, and

a second actuator spaced from the first actuator, the second actuator being movable for expanding and contracting the longitudinal length of the foot section.

10. The bed of claim 9, wherein the pivoting member slidably receives the contracting member.

11. The bed of claim 9, wherein the contracting member is slidable toward the head section to reduce the length of the foot section.

12. The bed of claim 9, wherein the contracting member is slidable away from the head section to extend the length of the foot section.

13. The bed of claim 12, wherein the contracting member is slidable toward the head section when the pivoting member is in the horizontal position.

14. The bed of claim 9, wherein the contracting member is slidable inwardly toward the head section.

15. The bed of claim 9, wherein the pivoting member has a top surface and the contracting member is positioned to slide relative to the top surface of the pivoting member.

16. A bed comprising:

a frame,

a deck configured to support a mattress in at least a horizontal position and a chair position, the deck comprising at least a head section and a foot section spaced from the head section, the head and foot sections each being movable relative to the frame, the foot section having at least a first length and a second length greater than the first length, the foot section comprising

a pivoting member pivotable from a horizontal position to a non-horizontal position relative to the frame,

a contracting member arranged to contract toward and expand away from the pivoting member in a longitudinal direction relative to the pivoting member, the contracting member including at least one tab, and

at least one channel located in the pivoting member, the at least one tab of the contracting member cooperating with the at least one channel of the pivoting member as the contracting member moves relative to the pivoting member to change the length of the foot section.

17. The bed of claim 16, wherein each tab of the contracting member is slidable in a channel of the pivoting member.

18. The bed of claim 16, wherein each channel of the pivoting member receives a tab of the contracting member.

19. The bed of claim 16, wherein the at least one tab is nearer to the head section when the foot section has the first length and the at least one tab is further away from the head section when the foot section has the second length.

20. The bed of claim 16, wherein the contracting member is formed to include a pair of spaced apart longitudinal tabs and the pivoting member includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinal channels that cooperate with the longitudinal tabs.