U.S. patent number 3,694,830 [Application Number 05/047,104] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-03 for hospital bed.
Invention is credited to Johann Koller.
United States Patent |
3,694,830 |
Koller |
October 3, 1972 |
HOSPITAL BED
Abstract
Hospital bed arranged for independent vertical or tilting
adjustment. The bed frame is supported for tilting adjustment on a
subframe which latter is movable for vertical adjustment bodily on
a base frame. The base frame may be supported on a wall, on the
floor or otherwise. A variety of auxiliary devices are supported on
the subframe or on the base frame.
Inventors: |
Koller; Johann (8 Munich, 25,
DT) |
Family
ID: |
5737272 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/047,104 |
Filed: |
June 17, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 18, 1969 [DT] |
|
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P 19 30 789.2 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/610; 5/611 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
7/08 (20130101); A61G 7/1019 (20130101); A61G
7/1057 (20130101); A61G 7/00 (20130101); A61G
7/1044 (20130101); A61G 7/0533 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61G
7/00 (20060101); A61G 7/10 (20060101); A61G
7/08 (20060101); A61G 7/05 (20060101); A61G
7/053 (20060101); A61g 007/00 (); A61g
007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/2,60-63,81,92,317,330,332 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A hospital bed comprising:
elongated bed frame means for supporting a patient;
support frame means located adjacent to one end of said bed frame
means and having vertically extending guide means thereon;
carriage means mounted on said guide means for vertical movement
relative to said support frame means and means for effecting
vertical movement of said carriage means;
arm means extending from said carriage means partway along said bed
frame means, said arm means and said bed frame means having
cooperating coupling means releasably securing said bed frame means
to said carriage means and supporting said bed frame means for
pivotal movement about a horizontal axis transverse to the
longitudinal axis of said bed frame means, said bed frame means
extending in a cantilevered manner outwardly from said carriage
means which provides the sole support for said bed frame means.
2. A hospital bed according to claim 1, wherein said carriage means
comprises a pair of horizontally spaced support arms adapted to
provide a support for said bed frame means.
3. A hospital bed according to claim 2, wherein said carriage means
additionally includes receiving means adapted for vertical movement
relative to said support arms;
wherein each of said support arms includes means for pivotally
supporting said bed frame means at a first location; and
wherein said receiving means includes means for supporting said bed
frame means at a second location spaced from said first location
whereby a relative vertical movement of said receiving means
relative to said support arms will effect a tilting of said bed
frame means about an axis defined by said means on said support
arms.
4. A hospital bed according to claim 3, wherein said support frame
means includes vertically extending track means; and
wherein said receiving means is mounted on said track means for
vertical movement relative to said support arms.
5. A hospital bed according to claim 3, wherein said coupling means
include first means defining a recess on each of said support arms,
said recess means being horizontally and vertically aligned;
and
including first pin means on said bed frame means receivable in
said first recess means for pivotal movement relative thereto.
6. A hospital bed according to claim 5, wherein said coupling means
additionally includes second means defining a recess on said
receiving means; and
including second pin means on said bed frame means receivable in
said second recess means.
7. A hospital bed according to claim 1, including wheel supported
frame means defining a cart; and
including connecting means for connecting said bed frame means to
said cart and for effecting a transporting of said bed frame means
from one location to another when said releasable coupling means
has released said bed frame means from said carriage means.
8. A hospital bed according to claim 7,
wherein said bed frame means includes spaced pin means thereon;
wherein said connecting means includes means defining spaced
recesses on said cart adapted to receive and cooperate with said
spaced pin means on said bed frame means;
including profile means on the free end of said bed frame means;
and
wherein said cart includes receiving means for coupling said
profile means to said cart.
9. A hospital bed according to claim 7, wherein said cart comprises
a generally U-shaped frame having a narrow end and a wide end and a
handle secured to said narrow end of said frame.
10. A hospital bed comprising:
elongated bed frame means for supporting a patient;
support frame means located adjacent to one end of said bed frame
means and having vertically extending guide means thereon;
carriage means mounted on said guide means for vertical movement
relative to said support frame means and means for effecting
vertical movement of said carriage means;
arm means extending from said carriage means partway along said bed
frame means, said arm means and said bed frame means having first
cooperating coupling means releasably securing said bed frame means
to said carriage means, said bed frame means extending in a
cantilevered manner outwardly from said carriage means;
wheel supported frame means defining a cart, said cart being
separate from said bed frame means and having second cooperating
coupling means for releasably connecting said bed frame means to
said cart for effecting a transporting of said bed frame means from
one location to another when said first coupling means has released
said bed frame means from said carriage means.
Description
The basic purpose of the invention is to produce a hospital bed
which permits a versatile use, adjustment and equipment and easy
manipulation, is easily transportable, can be stacked in very
little space and can be sterilized.
To attain this purpose the invention provides that a removable bed
frame is supported spaced from the floor and adjustable in height.
Same is accomplished by a carrier assembly having a stationary
vertical base frame for a subframe which is adjustable in height
and variable in position and has freely projecting support arms on
which the bed frame can be supported.
According to the invention, by spacing the bed frame from the
floor, the hygiene of hospital rooms is improved and the cleaning
thereof is simplified. Further, when such hospital beds are
equipped and used as accident beds, the required provisions are
made to the base frame, subframe or bed frame, either for the
comfort of the patient or to fixedly secure whatever auxiliary
means are required for the effective care of the patient. It is not
important whether the vertical base frame is mounted on the wall in
the hospital room, is inserted in a recess of the wall or stands
freely. For example, in a large hospital room the vertical frame
can stand in a mirror-image double construction.
According to a further development of the invention, provision is
made for the bed frame to tilt about a transverse axis on cross
pins arranged in recesses in the support arms and its inclination
is adjustable through a third support which can be changed in
position opposite the subframe and can be adjusted in height with
respect to the subframe. The third support consists advantageously
of a receiving means for a longitudinal pin fixed to the bed frame,
which receiving means is movable and lockable in a guide of the
subframe.
Through the support of the bed frame at a minimum of three points,
whereby the end of the bed frame facing the wall can be supported
directly or indirectly, the bed is accessible from five sides so
that various chambers, oxygen tents, etc., can be moved easily over
the hospital bed from the free front end thereof. Thus, it becomes
possible by providing the third support at a point remote from
transport devices, in particular a cart, to effect a taking over of
the bed frame without requiring that the subframe be adjusted or
that a lifting mechanism be provided on the transport device.
Rather it is sufficient to place a cart, which is designed to
correspond to the normal height of the bed, under the horizontally
standing bed frame or under the bed frame which is lifted up at its
free front end by the inclination device, then to lower the bed
frame by operating the inclination adjustment at its free front end
sufficiently that it cooperates with a U-shaped receiving means on
the cart with a suitably shaped front portion and can be lifted in
this supported position by lifting the support on the wall from the
recesses of the subframe and can be lowered into correspondingly
constructed receiving means on the cart.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a turntable
is supported on a support arm of the subframe through an
articulated bracket. The turntable has advantageously a table
plate, a storage plate and a pan which are swingable with respect
to one another. It is also advantageous to construct the table
plate substantially circular and to support it rotatably in the
center.
Thus, the patient can selectively remove something from the pan
provided underneath the storage plate through the easily operatable
articulated bracket. Alternatively, he can swing the storage plate
toward himself or he can use the table plate. Since the table plate
can be rotated about its center point, the table surface can easily
be used in its entirety since articles which are at the moment not
needed can be removed from the direct zone of action of the user by
rotating the table without special effort.
Important further convenience for the patient is achieved according
to the invention in such a manner that the entire electrical
installation, like for example for the bell, light, phone, radio
and television and the like is arranged fixed to the frame.
A small bed-side nightstand is advantageously supported on the
framework of the hospital bed, which nightstand can be constructed
as an emergency seat. The turntable when same is moved back to the
wall and the nightstand form thereby components correlated to one
another to form a unit having the necessary floor clearance for
required cleaning operations. Said unit also advantageously has a
consule in the upper part positioned above the retracted turntable
and fixed to the subframe, which console has connections for a bed
bracket, an irrigator and for orthopedic auxiliary means or the
like.
The many possibilities for use of the hospital bed of the invention
are further increased by providing in the bed frame such holes or
rails as may be needed for setting up accessories like bed bracket,
irrigator, screens, straps, extension auxiliary means, orthopedic
auxiliary means and the like. Such a construction is important
particularly for a use as accident bed and makes the treatment of
the patient much easier.
A further construction of the invention provides on the vertical
base frame above the bed frame a console for an oxygen connection
or the like, which console is fixed to the frame.
To assist in transportation, the bed frame is provided according to
the invention with means on its free front end to cooperate with a
U-shaped receiving device on a cart by gripping thereunder or
interlocking with same, which makes it possible to interlock the
bed frame and cart without the need for relatively movable
parts.
Furthermore, it is possible through the arrangement and
construction of the bed frame of the invention to use a simple cart
which consists substantially only of trapezoidally connected frame
members; at least three wheels and a handle on the narrower front
end. At least one of these wheels is constructed as a caster wheel
so that the suitable steerability is obtained through the
handle.
The bed frames are advantageously supported above their cross pins
in open recesses of the cart, said recesses corresponding to the
recesses on the subframe.
All further disclosures with respect to the invention can be
obtained from the following description in connection with the
claims and the drawing in which a preferred illustrative embodiment
of the invention is schematically illustrated.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of the hospital bed of the
invention; and
FIG. 2 is top view of the hospital bed substantially according to
FIG. 1 with a cart pushed under the bed.
The bed frame 1 is supported spaced from the floor and adjustable
in height by a carrier assembly which consists substantially of a
vertical base frame 3 placed onto the wall 2 and a carriage or
subframe 5 adjustable in height in a guide 4 arranged in said
vertical frame. An electric motor 8 with a pinion 9 is indicated in
FIG. 1 as the drive for the subframe which is formed of two freely
projecting support arms 6 and 7 and at least one connection, said
pinion engaging a rack 10. In the drawing, the motor 8 is arranged
on a bracket 11 which is fixedly secured to the subframe and the
rack 10 is fixed to the base frame and is vertically
positioned.
Cross pins 12 and 13 are provided on the longitudinal sides of the
bed on the bed frame 1, which cross pins are supported in open
recesses 14 and 15 on the support arms 6 and 7 or recesses 16 and
17 on the cantilevers 18 and 19 on a cart 20. The bed frame 1 can
be inclined around the transverse axis defined by the cross pins 12
and 13. An additional support of the bed frame is provided on the
wall by a receiving means 22 which can be vertically moved and
locked in a guide 21 and at least one longitudinal pin 23 fixed to
the bed frame. By moving the receiving means 22, which can be done
for example by manual operation (not illustrated in the drawing)
through a cable line or through a pneumatic device which works
against the effect of a spring, almost steplessly selectable "head
high" or "foot high" bed positions can be obtained corresponding to
the spaces of a toothed locking device which is also not
illustrated in the drawing.
The elevational adjustment of the bed frame is completely separate
from the inclination adjusting device. Thus, the bed frame 1 can be
lifted or lowered as desired through the motor and at the same time
maintain a given inclination. It is also possible, independent of
the lifting or lowering process, to change as desired the
inclination of the bed frame. The lowermost bed position, namely
the smallest distance from the lower edge of the bed frame and the
floor, is chosen in such a manner that even weak patients can leave
the bed, if necessary, without any help and that the cart 20 can
drive underneath the bed frame even when in its lowest
position.
A turntable 24 is lifted or lowered together with the subframe,
which turntable is arranged on one of the support arms 6 or 7
through an articulated bracket 25. The articulated bracket permits,
particularly in the case of a multisection construction, an easy
movement of the turntable 24 above or beside the bed. As can be
particularly seen from FIG. 2, the turntable 24 has a table plate
26 which is substantially round and is rotatably supported in the
center 27. Underneath the table plate 26 there is a storage plate
28 and under that a pan 29, each supported eccentrically in its
edge zone pivotable about a vertical axis 30 against one another
and in alignment with the table plate 26. Thus, the turntable
offers the patient almost an unlimited number of possibilities for
its use.
Furthermore, a nightstand 31 is pivotably supported on the
subframe, which nightstand forms in swung-out position beside the
bed an emergency seat and forms, in the position illustrated in the
drawing, a single unit with the turntable 24 when same is swung
back against the wall.
The entire electrical installation for bell, light, phone, radio
and television and the like is mounted into the nightstand 31 or
otherwise fixed to the subframe so that the patient can supply
himself from his bed in the most convenient manner with the
comforts he desires. The electrical installation is indicated by
reference numeral 32 in FIG. 1 of the drawing.
The vertical base frame 3 supports a console 33 positioned above
the bed frame 1, which console is equipped with connections for
oxygen or the like. The oxygen connection is indicated by reference
numeral 34 in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The console 33 is for reasons
of clarity not illustrated in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the console 33
is provided with plug connections 36 for a bed bracket 35 or an
irrigator or other orthopedic auxiliary means. The same connection
possibilities are also provided fixed to the subframe. However, for
reasons of a better understanding these connections fixed to the
subframe are not illustrated in the drawing. Furthermore, these
connections can also be provided directly on the bed frame 1 or in
the form of an attachable supply part 37 as this is indicated in
FIG. 2 of the drawing. For this purpose, holes 38 and rails 39 are
arranged in the bed frame 1, in which holes and rails accessories,
like screens, straps for strapping in, extension auxiliary means,
orthopedic auxiliary means as well as the bed bracket and the
irrigator and the like can be set up. Such a construction is
particularly advantageous for the accident clinics.
In order to be able to easily transport the bed frame, a profile 40
is provided on the free front end of the bed and a U-shaped
receiving means 41 is provided on the cart, the respective shapes
thereof being selected in such a manner that, when the cart moves
under the bed frame 1, the U-shaped receiving means 41 of the cart
20 grips under or embraces the profile 40 so that no means which
are moved mechanically relatively against one another are required
for securing the bed frame on the cart.
The cart 20 is composed of frame elements 42 and 43 which form a
trapezoid and are connected at least at the narrow end at which are
also provided the U-shaped receiving means 41 and a bar-like handle
44. The frame elements 42 and 43 and the receiving means 41 are
supported by wheels 45, 46 and 47, at least the last-mentioned
wheel of which is preferably a caster wheel or is otherwise
steerable. The carts can also be stacked one on top of the other
and thus save space due to the cantilevers 18 and 19 which project
outwardly and upwardly from the frame elements 42 and 43 and which
have recesses 16 and 17 which correspond to the recesses 14 and 15
of the subframe 5. In place of the cantilevers 18 and 19 with the
open recesses 16 and 17, the frame elements 42 and 43 can be turned
to extend upwardly from the zone of the wheels 45 and 46 to the
same height as the receiving means 41 and can thus form a rigid
support for the bed frame over its entire length.
A perforated plate is inserted into the bed frame 1 in a manner
which is not illustrated and a foamed-rubber mattress which is also
not illustrated can then be supported on said plate. Thus, the bed
can be sterilized in a very simple manner.
The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Thus,
particularly the bed frame can be constructed differently or can be
suspended differently, the subframe 5 with supports corresponding
to the support arms 6 and 7 can be included under the plane of the
bed frame and can project as desired. Also the elevational
adjustment of the subframe in the vertical frame 3 is possible
through a cable line or also hydraulically pneumatically. The
inclination adjustment of the bed frame can also be done through
hydraulic or pneumatic or electric means.
The turntable 24 can for example also have a construction which
differs from the round shape and the arrangement of the storing
plate 28 or the pan 29 can be adjusted to meet special
requirements. Thus, the pan 29 or a part thereof could have a
lockable compartment for medications. In place of the articulated
bracket 25, a Nurnberger bracket or a suitable suspension which is
adjustable in length and position would be possible.
A wash basin with installation for water supply and water drain can
for example also be installed into the nightstand 31. However, it
is important in providing all of these possible variations, that
the organic-functional unit of hospital bed and auxiliary means
required in this connection and serviceable for reasons of better
well-being of the patient and which are provided according to the
invention is maintained.
Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has
been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be
recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed
apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *