U.S. patent application number 13/416719 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-12 for equipment storage soffit assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is Joseph H. Abel, Daniel Eckstein, Dennis J. Gallant, James R. Mitchell, David C. Newkirk, Ronald J. Schwipps. Invention is credited to Joseph H. Abel, Daniel Eckstein, Dennis J. Gallant, James R. Mitchell, David C. Newkirk, Ronald J. Schwipps.
Application Number | 20130232885 13/416719 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49112780 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130232885 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gallant; Dennis J. ; et
al. |
September 12, 2013 |
Equipment Storage Soffit Assembly
Abstract
An equipment storage soffit assembly comprises a base and a
blocker door which is movable relative to the base between a closed
state and a transit state. In the closed state the door cooperates
with the base to form a storage space bounded at its bottom by the
base and at its front by at least a portion of the blocker door. In
the transit state the door is displaced from its closed state to
accommodate transit of equipment between a stored position and a
deployed position. The stored and deployed positions are on sides
of the door that are opposite to each other when the door is in the
closed state.
Inventors: |
Gallant; Dennis J.;
(Harrison, OH) ; Newkirk; David C.; (Lawrenceburg,
IN) ; Abel; Joseph H.; (New Palestine, IN) ;
Eckstein; Daniel; (Balesville, IN) ; Mitchell; James
R.; (Bloomington, IN) ; Schwipps; Ronald J.;
(Milan, IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gallant; Dennis J.
Newkirk; David C.
Abel; Joseph H.
Eckstein; Daniel
Mitchell; James R.
Schwipps; Ronald J. |
Harrison
Lawrenceburg
New Palestine
Balesville
Bloomington
Milan |
OH
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN |
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49112780 |
Appl. No.: |
13/416719 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G 7/1042 20130101;
A61G 7/1051 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/29 |
International
Class: |
E04F 19/00 20060101
E04F019/00 |
Claims
1. An equipment storage soffit assembly comprising a base; a
blocker door which is movable relative to the base between: a) a
closed state in which the door cooperates with the base to form a
storage space bounded at its bottom by the base and at its front by
at least a portion of the blocker door and b) a transit state in
which the door is displaced from its closed state to accommodate
transit of equipment between a stored position and a deployed
position, the stored and deployed positions being on sides of the
door that are opposite to each other when the door is in the closed
state.
2. The soffit assembly of claim 1 including a hinge for connecting
the blocker door to a door support structure.
3. The soffit assembly of claim 2 in which the door support
structure is the base.
4. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door support
structure is vertically spaced from the base and the door is a
segmented door, each segment being laterally offset from its
neighboring segment.
5. The soffit assembly of claim 3 in which the base is an element
of a headwall unit.
6. The soffit assembly of claim 1 including a back element which
bounds the space at its back.
7. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door comprises a
partition and a lever which extends transversely relative to the
partition, the soffit assembly also including a hinge connecting
the door to a door support structure.
8. The soffit assembly of claim 7 in which the partition and the
lever are oriented substantially perpendicularly to each other such
that with the door in the closed state the partition extends
vertically and perpendicularly relative to the base and the lever
extends away from the partition toward a back of the storage
space.
9. The soffit assembly of claim 1 including a friction reducer for
reducing friction between the door and an item of equipment during
equipment transit.
10. The soffit assembly of claim 9 including a first friction
reducer for reducing friction between the door and an item of
equipment during equipment transit out of the storage space and a
second friction reducer for reducing friction between the lever and
the item of equipment during equipment transit into the storage
space.
11. The soffit assembly of claim 9 in which the door extends in a
partition direction and the lever extends in a lever direction, the
first friction reducer is a first roller spaced from the hinge in
the partition direction and the second friction reducer is a second
roller spaced from the hinge in the lever direction.
12. The soffit assembly of claim 11 in which the first roller is
spaced from the hinge in the partition direction by a first roller
offset distance, the second roller is spaced from the hinge in the
lever direction by a second roller offset distance, the first
offset distance being selected such that the first roller
intercepts an item of equipment transiting out of the storage space
and the second offset distance being selected such that the second
roller intercepts the item of equipment transiting into the storage
space.
13. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door is oriented
perpendicularly to the base when the door is in its closed state
and nonperpendicularly to the base when the door is in its transit
state, the storage space having a depth no less than a depthwise
dimension of an item of equipment to be stored in the space plus a
depthwise projected door height when the door is at a maximum
displacement.
14. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the displacement of the
door is effected by an item of equipment transiting between the
stored and deployed positions.
15. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which displacement of the
door effects transit of an item of equipment along at least a part
of its travel.
16. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the item of equipment
is a traverse rail.
17. The soffit assembly of claim 1 comprising an actuating lever
extending from the door, a connecting link having a first end
connected to the actuator and a second end connected to a handle
and in which the displacement of the door is effected by transfer
of motion from the handle to the actuating lever.
18. The soffit assembly of claim 17 including a hinge connecting
the door to the base and in which a linear motion of the handle
pivots the door on the hinge.
19. The soffit assembly of claim 1 comprising an actuating lever
extending from the door, a powered actuator mounted to a mechanical
ground and connected to the actuating lever and a signal generator
for commanding operation of the actuator.
20. The soffit assembly of claim 19 in which the signal generator
is a manually operated switch.
21. The soffit assembly of claim 19 in which the signal generator
comprises a proximity sensor for detecting proximity of the
equipment and the door.
22. The soffit assembly of claim 19 including a hinge connecting
the blocker door to the base and in which operation of the actuator
pivots the door on the hinge.
23. The soffit assembly of claim 1 including a hinge connecting the
blocker door to the base and a spring for urging the displaced door
to the closed state.
24. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door is made of a
nonrigid material.
25. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door translates
transversely relative to the base to move between the closed state
and the transit state.
26. The soffit assembly of claim 1 in which the door translates
along an arc to move between the closed state and the transit
state.
27. The soffit assembly of claim 26 in which the door and base are
first and second bars of a four bar linkage which includes third
and fourth bars each extending between the base and the door.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The subject matter described herein relates to an equipment
storage soffit assembly, components of which may be components of a
headwall unit for a hospital room. One example application for the
storage soffit assembly is for storing a traverse rail.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Hospital rooms may include occupant lift systems for moving
patients a short distance, particularly patients with severe
mobility impairments. Such systems include ceiling tracks and a
traverse rail. When the lift system is not in use it is desirable
to conceal the traverse rail in a storage space to improve the
aesthetics of the room. The present application discloses a soffit
assembly suitable for such equipment storage.
SUMMARY
[0003] An equipment storage soffit assembly comprising
[0004] a base, and a blocker door which is movable relative to the
base between a closed state and a transit state. In the closed
state the door cooperates with the base to form a storage space
bounded at its bottom by the base and at its front by at least a
portion of the blocker door. In the transit state the door is
displaced from its closed state to accommodate transit of equipment
between a stored position and a deployed position. The stored and
deployed positions are on sides of the door that are opposite to
each other when the door is in the closed state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The foregoing and other features of the various embodiments
of the equipment storage soffit assembly described herein will
become more apparent from the following detailed description and
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hospital room showing a
headwall unit, a bed, components of a patient lift system including
a traverse rail, and an equipment storage soffit including a
blocker door for concealing the traverse rail when the rail is not
in use.
[0007] FIGS. 2-4 are side elevation views of the soffit of FIG. 1
showing the blocker door in a closed state, a transit state and an
open state.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a plan view taken in the direction 5-5 of FIG.
2.
[0009] FIGS. 6-11 are perspective and side elevation views of a
second variant of the soffit assembly showing a door component
thereof in a closed state (FIGS. 6-7) a transit state (FIGS. 8-9)
and an open state (FIGS. 10-11).
[0010] FIGS. 12-18 are perspective and side elevation views of a
third variant of the soffit assembly showing a door component
thereof in a closed state with a traverse rail stored in a storage
space bounded by the soffit (FIGS. 12-13) a transit state
corresponding to a traverse rail moving from its stored position to
a deployed position (FIGS. 14-15) a closed state with the traverse
rail deployed outside the storage space (FIGS. 16-17) and a transit
state corresponding to the traverse rail moving from its deployed
position to its stored position (FIG. 18).
[0011] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a fourth variant of the
soffit assembly showing the door component thereof and an actuating
mechanism usable to manually move the door between its closed,
transit and open states.
[0012] FIGS. 20-23 are side elevation views of a fifth variant
similar to that of FIGS. 2-4 but in which displacement of the door
causes translation of the traverse rail along at least part of its
path of longitudinal travel.
[0013] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a sixth variant of the
soffit assembly showing a door component thereof and a powered
actuator commanded by way of a switch to move the door between its
closed, transit and open states.
[0014] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a seventh variant of the
soffit assembly similar to that of FIG. 24 but employing a
proximity sensor for commanding the actuator.
[0015] FIGS. 26-29 are side elevation views showing an eighth
variant of the soffit assembly similar to that of FIGS. 12-18 with
a spring loaded hinge connecting the blocker door to a soffit
base.
[0016] FIGS. 30-33 are side elevation views showing a ninth variant
of the soffit assembly in which the blocker door is a flap made of
a nonrigid material
[0017] FIGS. 34-37 are side elevation views showing a tenth variant
of the soffit assembly in which the blocker door is located behind
a soffit lip (FIGS. 34-35) or in front of a soffit lip (FIGS.
36-37) and translates transversely relative to the soffit base to
move between the closed state and the transit state.
[0018] FIGS. 38-39 are side elevation views showing an eleventh
variant of the soffit assembly in which the door and soffit base
are first and second bars of a four bar linkage which also includes
third and fourth bars extending between the base and the door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a room in a hospital or other health care
facility. The room includes a hospital bed 30 and a headwall unit
32. A typical headwall unit includes features and components such
as electrical outlets, medical gas outlets, cabinets, shelves and
equipment bays, not shown in FIG. 1. Further description of
headwall units can be found in existing literature, including US
Patent Application Publication 2010/0095604. FIG. 1 also shows a
set of directional arrows 34, 36, 38 indicating longitudinal,
lateral and vertical directions.
[0020] FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2-4 also show a lift system used for moving
a patient between, for example, the bed and a stretcher, the bed
and another bed or the bed and a chair. Use of the lift system is
usually reserved for patients with severe mobility impairments. The
lift system includes a pair of longitudinally extending tracks 44
tied to the structure of the facility by appropriate structural
connections 46. The lift system also includes a traverse rail 48
connected to the tracks so that the rail can move along the tracks
in the longitudinal direction. The lift system also includes a lift
motor 50 inside a motor housing 52 suspended from the traverse
rail, a tether or strap 54 extending from the motor and a hook 56
attached to the free end of the strap. A caregiver can move the
traverse rail and motor housing in the longitudinal direction by
pulling on the strap or hook in a direction having a longitudinal
component. The caregiver can move the motor laterally along the
traverse rail by pulling on the strap or hook in a direction having
a lateral component. The caregiver can use a remote control unit,
not shown, to command operation of the motor in order to retract or
extend the strap, thus raising or lowering the hook. In a typical
operation the caregiver positions the motor housing above a patient
occupying the bed, secures the patient to a harness or sling, not
shown, hooks the sling to hook 56, and then uses the control unit
to operate the motor and raise the patient off the bed. The
caregiver then uses strap 54 or hook 56 to pull the motor housing
laterally and/or longitudinally as already describe to position the
patient over a destination location, such as a nearby chair. The
caregiver then operates the motor again to lower the patient into
the chair.
[0021] The room also includes a lift motor cabinet 60 beneath one
of the tracks 44. Cabinet 60 includes a door 62 and a back wall 64.
When the motor is not in use, the caregiver can improve the overall
aesthetics of the room by using the strap or hook to pull the motor
housing to a point on traverse rail 48 underneath track 44, and
then using strap 54 or hook 56 to pull the traverse rail
longitudinally until the motor housing resides inside cabinet 60.
The caregiver can then close cabinet door 62. Although the
illustration shows only one cabinet, a second cabinet could be
provided beneath the other track.
[0022] The room also includes an equipment storage soffit assembly
70 comprising a base 72, a blocker door 74 which is movable
relative to the base between a closed state (FIG. 2) and a transit
state (FIG. 3). The blocker door is also movable to an open state
(FIG. 4). A hinge 76 connects the blocker door to a door support
structure, such as base 72 of the soffit assembly. The base may be
a component of headwall unit 32. In the closed state door 74
cooperates with base 72 to form a storage space 80 bounded at its
bottom by the base 72 and at its front by at least a portion of
blocker door 74. In the illustrated embodiment the storage space is
also bounded at its back by wall 82 of the facility and at its top
by the ceiling of the facility. In the transit state the door is
displaced from its closed state to accommodate transit of
equipment, specifically traverse rail 44, between a stored position
86 inside the storage space and a deployed position 88 outside the
storage space. The transit state of the blocker door includes not
only the position seen in FIG. 3 but other transitional positions
between the open and closed state. The stored and deployed
positions are on sides of the door that are opposite to each other
when the door is in the closed state. When the lift motor housing
is stored in its storage cabinet 60, traverse rail 44 is concealed
in the storage space 80 behind the blocker door thereby further
improving the aesthetics of the room.
[0023] Illustrated blocker door 74 includes a partition 90 and a
lever 92 which extends transversely relative to the partition. The
lever may be one or more local angle elements or may be a more
laterally continuous component such as the lever seen in FIG. 5,
which includes cutouts 94 to accommodate recessed light fixtures
96. In the illustrated embodiment partition 90 and lever 92 are
oriented substantially perpendicularly to each other such that with
the door in the closed state, partition 90 extends vertically and
perpendicularly relative to base 72 and one leg of the lever
extends away from the partition toward the back of the storage
space. The soffit assembly of FIGS. 1-4 includes a damper 100
extending between the lever and the base.
[0024] In operation a caregiver opens door 62 of cabinet 60 and
pulls on strap 54 or hook 56 to pull the motor housing 52
longitudinally out of the cabinet. Because the motor housing is
suspended from the traverse rail, the traverse rail also travels
longitudinally. When the traverse rail contacts the blocker door
the rail begins to swing the door open by rotating the door about
hinge 76. With additional longitudinal travel of the traverse rail
the door continues to open (FIG. 3) and, in due course, becomes
fully open (FIG. 4). The damper 100 prevents the door from slamming
open. When the caregiver wishes to store the motor housing and
traverse rail he or she pulls the motor housing back toward cabinet
60. When the traverse rail contacts lever 92 the traverse rail
begins to swing the door closed. With additional longitudinal
travel of the traverse rail the door continues to close and, in due
course, returns to the closed state of FIG. 2. Damper 100 prevents
the door from slamming closed.
[0025] FIGS. 6-11 show a soffit assembly 70 which includes a back
element 104 which bounds storage space 80 at its back. The soffit
assembly also includes a friction reducer for reducing friction
between the door and an item of equipment during equipment transit.
The friction reducer can take a number of forms, including patches
or strips of low friction coating material applied to the door. The
illustrated embodiment of the soffit assembly includes a first
friction reducer in the form of a first roller 110 for reducing
friction between the door and an item of equipment, e.g. traverse
rail 48, during equipment transit out of the storage space, and a
second friction reducer in the form of a second roller 112 for
reducing friction between the lever and the item of equipment
during equipment transit into the storage space. The first roller
is spaced from hinge 76 in partition direction P by a first roller
offset distance 114 selected such that the first roller intercepts
an item of equipment transiting out of the storage space. The
second roller is spaced from hinge 76 in lever direction L by a
second roller offset distance 116 such that the second roller
intercepts the item of equipment transiting into the storage
space.
[0026] The embodiment of FIGS. 6-11 operates in a manner similar to
the embodiment of FIGS. 2-4. As a caregiver pull motor housing 52
longitudinally out of storage space 80 the traverse rail contacts
the first rollers 110 causing the blocker door to begin to swing
open. The rollers rotate about their own axes to accommodate the
relative motion between the traverse rail and the blocker door.
With additional longitudinal travel of the traverse rail the door
continues to open (FIGS. 8-9) and, in due course, becomes fully
open (FIGS. 10-11). When the caregiver wishes to store the motor
housing and traverse rail the traverse rail contacts the second
rollers 112 causing door 74 to begin to swing closed. Once again
the rollers rotate about their own axes to accommodate the relative
motion between the traverse rail and the blocker door. With
additional longitudinal travel of the traverse rail the door
continues to close and, in due course, returns to the closed state
of FIGS. 6-7.
[0027] FIGS. 12-18 show an embodiment of the soffit assembly in
which the door support structure is vertically spaced from soffit
base 72. Specifically the door support structure is the facility
ceiling or a suitable support component vertically spaced from the
base. The door is a segmented door, with each segment 74A, 74B, 74C
laterally offset from its neighboring segment to define
intersegment spaces 120 laterally aligned with tracks 44, and with
a hinge or hinges 122 dedicated to each door for connecting the
door segments to the ceiling or other door support in such a way
that no hinge extends laterally across an interhinge space 120 or
track 44. As a result the portion 124 of traverse rail 48 that
extends into the track is able to travel longitudinally past the
hinge.
[0028] In the soffit assembly of FIGS. 12-18 the door is oriented
perpendicularly to the base when the door is in its closed state
(FIGS. 12, 13, 16, 17) and nonperpendicularly to the base when the
door is in its transit state (FIGS. 14, 15, 18). As appreciated
best from FIGS. 13 and 18, the storage space has a depth no less
than the depthwise dimension E of the item of equipment to be
stored in storage space 80 plus a depthwise projection DP of door
height H when the traverse rail is transiting into the storage
space and the door is at its maximum displacement. The maximum
displacement occurs just before the traverse rail clears the bottom
edge of the door as seen in FIG. 18. The minimum depth allows the
traverse rail to overtravel into space 80 far enough to allow the
door to swing shut under the influence of gravity.
[0029] FIG. 19 shows a variant of the soffit assembly including an
actuating lever 130 extending from door 74, a connecting link 132
having a first end 134 connected to the actuating lever and a
second end 136 connected to a handle 138. Displacement of the door
can be effected by transfer of motion from the handle to the
actuating lever. Specifically, linear motion of the handle pivots
the door on its hinge. A user uses the handle to swing the door
open in preparation for transiting the traverse rail from its
stored position in storage space 80 to a deployed position outside
the storage space. The user uses the handle to swing the door
closed after the traverse rail has been returned to the storage
space. If desired the user can also close the door during the time
the traverse rail is deployed. The mechanism of FIG. 19 is
illustrative; mechanisms other than the linkage of FIG. 19 can be
used.
[0030] The embodiment of FIGS. 20-23 is similar to that of FIGS.
2-4. In FIGS. 2-4 the item of equipment transiting between its
stored and deployed positions causes displacement of the door. By
contrast, in FIGS. 20-23 displacement of the door causes
translation of the equipment along at least part of its path of
longitudinal travel. In FIG. 20 traverse rail 48 is at its stored
position 86. In FIGS. 21-22 a user, having translated the traverse
rail toward the front end of space 80, uses linkage 142 to pivot
door 74 about hinge 76 so that lever portion 92 of the door scoops
the traverse rail out of space 80. In FIG. 23 the user, having
translated the traverse rail to a position just outside space 80
uses linkage 142 to pivot door 74 about hinge 76 so that partition
portion 90 of the door scoops the traverse rail back into space 80.
Using the door as a scoop in this fashion may be especially useful
when placing the traverse rail back in its stored position 86
because back wall 64 of lift motor cabinet 60 limits the user's
ability to exert a longitudinal force component on tether 54 as the
motor housing gets nearer to the back wall 64.
[0031] FIGS. 24-25 show a variant of the soffit assembly whose
blocker door 74 includes a partition 90 hinged to a base (as in
FIG. 3, for example) 72. An actuating lever 130 extends from the
door. A powered actuator 150 is connected to the actuating lever
and mounted to a mechanical ground such as facility wall 82. A
signal generator commands operation of the actuator. In FIG. 24 the
signal generator is a manually operated switch 152. A user uses the
switch to command the door to open prior to moving the traverse
rail out of storage space 80 or to close after having moved the
traverse rail back into the space. In FIG. 25 the signal generator
is a proximity sensor 154 for detecting proximity of the equipment
and the door. As the user pulls the stored traverse rail toward the
front end of space 80, the proximity sensor senses the proximity of
the door and generates a signal to command operation of actuator
150 thereby pivoting the door on its hinge and opening the door.
Similar proximity sensing is used to close the door after the
traverse rail has been returned to the storage space. If required
the proximity readings from sensor 154 can be used to synchronize
movement of the door with the position of the traverse rail while
the door is in its transit state.
[0032] FIGS. 26-29 show an embodiment similar to that of FIGS.
12-18 except that hinge 76 connects blocker door 74 to soffit base
72 rather than to a door support structure vertically spaced from
the soffit base. A spring 156 has a neutral or undeflected state in
which it holds the door in its closed state, i.e. with door
partition 90 in a vertical orientation. When the door is displaced
from its closed state by contact with the traverse rail as the rail
moves out of or into the storage space (FIGS. 27-28) the spring
exerts a counterforce so that once the traverse rail clears the
door (FIG. 29) the counterforce urges the door back to its closed
state.
[0033] FIGS. 30-33 shows a variant in which blocker door 74 is a
flap 158 made of a nonrigid material. One example, as shown, is a
fabric that hangs vertically in the closed state and is pushed
aside by the traverse rail during transit. Another example is a
material such as a rubber whose modulus of elasticity enables it to
be displaced from a closed state (oriented vertically) to a transit
state (flexed by contact with the traverse rail as the rail moves
out of or into storage space 80) and to spring back to the closed
state after the traverse rail has cleared the door.
[0034] FIGS. 34-37 show variants of soffit assembly 70 in which
blocker door 74 translates transversely relative to the base to
move between the closed state and the transit state. In FIGS. 34-35
soffit base 72 includes a lip 160, and door 74 is a vertically
slidable panel 162 connected by a sliding connector 164 to the side
of the lip facing storage space 80. A powered actuator 150 is
connected to the panel and mounted to a mechanical ground. A signal
generator commands operation of the actuator. Signal generators
such as the manually operated switch 152 of FIG. 24 and the
proximity sensor 154 of FIG. 25 are suitable. FIGS. 36-37 show an
arrangement similar to that of FIG. 34-35 except that vertically
slidable panel 162 is connected by a sliding connector 164 to the
side of lip 160 facing away from storage space 80 rather than
toward storage space 80.
[0035] FIGS. 38-39 shows a variant of soffit assembly 70 in which
door 74 is a panel 162 and in which the door and soffit base 72 are
first and second bars of a four bar linkage. The four bar linkage
also includes third and fourth bars 166, 168 each extending between
the base and the door. In operation the door translates along an
arc 170 to move between the closed state and the transit state. Any
suitable actuation scheme may be used such as a manual system (e.g.
FIGS. 19 and 20-23) or a powered system (e.g. FIGS. 24, 25).
[0036] Although this disclosure refers to specific embodiments, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes
in form and detail may be made without departing from the subject
matter set forth in the accompanying claims.
* * * * *