Pediatric crib

Abstract

A pediatric crib which comprises a pair of transparent security top elements which, in the closed position and in combination with a pair of upright side and end safety elements in the raised position, provide for the enclosure of a patient in the crib, and which security top elements are hingedly movable upwardly and outwardly about a central longitudinal frame selectively to an open position in conjunction with the lowering of the corresponding safety element to a lower open position to provide access to the crib area.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pediatric cribs are normally employed in hospitals, nurseries, institutions and other areas, and such cribs are designed to provide restraint of an infant patient with safety. Such cribs should also be designed to provide rapid and safe accessibility to the patient by doctors, nurses and others. Such pediatric cribs are generally provided with rigid end members and slidably adjustable, sides, which are typically adjusted between a fully raised confined position which retains the child in the enclosed crib area, and a lower or intermediate position for tending and administering to the needs and cares of the child in the crib.

Pediatric cribs also employ various means of restraining the child, including restraining straps to secure the child to the mattress or generally within the crib area as defined by the end members and side members. In addition, flexible nets of mesh-like cloth sheets have been used and placed over the top of the crib to form a restraining area.

In pediatric cribs, various mechanical devices have been used on the top of the crib to confine the patient with safety, but yet provide flexibility if required. For example, one type of pediatric crib employs a regular crib with high ends and with a cage-like top which may be lifted or rolled to permit access to the child (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,479,907 and 3,780,387). Other pediatric cribs provide a cage-like top where access to the child is provided by lowering the sides (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,211,762 and design U.S. Pat. 98,697). Another pediatric crib employs rigid high end elements with a cage-like top, and provides for the vertical displacement of the top and side elements for access to the child (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,653). This type of crib in particular has many disadvantages, one of which is that it severely limits overall accessibility to the patient at each end of the crib, while the sides are difficult to operate because of the effort needed to lift such side members, particularly by women nurses.

A further pediatric crib provides a one-piece cage-like top element which fits over the crib as a restraining top, and is moved laterally to permit access to the child (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,061). This type of crib has the disadvantage in that the lateral movement does not permit full accessibility to the child, and further, fails to expose substantially all of the crib patient's surface. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved pediatric crib which provides safety and restraint, simplicity of operation and rapid accessibility to the crib patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention relates to an improved crib, such as a pediatric crib. In particular, my invention concerns a pediatric crib which provides for almost total accessibility to the crib surface area. More particularly, my invention concerns a pediatric crib which provides for rapid and easy accessibility to a patient by upward and outward movements of a two-component, transparent security top and the downward movement of both the safety sides and ends of the pediatric crib. Even more particularly, my pediatric crib provides for safety and restraint of a pediatric crib user and release means which are simply operated by which either end of the crib, the crib sides and end elements may be lowered for easy access to the patient.

In one embodiment, my pediatric crib includes a two-component security top easily removable from the crib and easily placed onto the crib without use of tools, permitting the pediatric crib to be used for general use. The top security elements are spring-balanced for ease in lifting and keeping each of the safety tops out of the way while administering to the patient in the crib. My transparent, two-component security top eliminates the need for a restraining strap and affords patient freedom without fear of falling out of the crib. My two-component safety top is hingedly positioned, spring-balanced and adapted for easy upward and outward movement to an open, accessible position from a closed, confining position. My transparent security top may be placed in single or double open positions in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the side and end members.

My crib is particularly characterized by almost total accessibility to the patient by the combination of the easily raised security top components and by the lowering of a two-component, U-shaped side and end restraining or safety member, such as through a unique foot pedal release mechanism at each end of the crib. The movement of both security tops to the open position and the lowering of the end and side members permit access to approximately 97% of the patient, so that administrations to the patient may be to the head and feet far more readily than with conventional pediatric cribs.

in another embodiment, my crib includes two-component, U-shaped crib-restraining safety elements, each composed of an upright, full-side element and upright, adjoining partial end elements at each end of the crib, the ends secured to a guide means in a vertical frame element. Unlike typical prior art cribs, there are no rigid upstanding end safety elements across the entire end of my crib. The two restraining elements are adapted for vertical movement, alone or in combination with each other, or with the security top elements which provide, in one embodiment of a pediatric crib, for a fully enclosed safe confining position when both the restraining elements are in the upright position, with the safety top in the closed position, and almost total accessibility to the patient in the crib when both restraining elements are in a downward accessibility position, with the safety top elements in an upward open position, or without the safety top elements.

In addition, my pediatric crib also provides for a simply operated unique release means by which the two restraining safety members may be placed in an upright locked or an intermediate or lowered position. My release means includes a foot pedal release which is completely away from the patient, with no possibility of the patient's being able to lower the restraining safety sides of the crib. My foot release pedal is so disposed as to be convenient and safe for use by doctors and staff members to lower the restraining sides, while holding or otherwise restraining the patient. My foot release pedal means permits the lowering of the upright restraining members from either end of the crib by a transfer mechanism, while raising the upright safety elements is made without actuation of the foot release means.

Other features of my pediatric crib include the lowering of the restraining safety sides to a mattress support surface level for ease in changing linen and administering to the crib patient. Further, I have provided for an automatic safety stop when the restraining side members are lowered, so that the side members automatically stop at a predetermined nursing position; e.g., nine inches above the mattress support member, while the restraining members are spring-balanced which provides for an easier and safer operation, particularly for women nurses to raise and lower the heavy safety sides and end members. In addition, my crib provides for the placing of the patient in the Trendelenberg position; e.g., 4.degree., 8.degree. and 11.degree. positions, by simply lifting the foot section of the spring surface, and further provides for a back position and a contoured position by simply lifting the back section to the desired height and lifting the foot section to the desired level. Thus, my crib has been designed to be simple, functional and safe for both hospital personnel and the patient, and to be used for general or pediatric use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my pediatric crib.

FIG. 2 is an elevation side view of my pediatric crib.

FIG. 3 is an elevation end view of my pediatric crib.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of my pediatric crib showing one restraining safety side member in a lowered position and one security top element in the raised position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of my pediatric crib showing both restraining safety side members in the lowered position and both safety top members in the raised position.

FIG. 6 is an elevation partially cross-sectional end view illustrating with more particularity the release means of my pediatric crib.

FIG. 7 is a top view along lines 7--7 of FIG. 6 of the release means.

FIG. 8 is a cutaway perspective view of the release means of my pediatric crib.

My invention has been illustrated and will be described for the purpose of illustration of the various embodiments in connection with a pediatric crib.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show my pediatric crib 10 with the two security top elements 62 and 60 in a closed restraining position, and with the right 36 and left 34 safety side elements in an upper closed safety position, whereby a patient in the crib is wholly restrained and confined within the crib. My pediatric crib comprises vertical frame end elements 11 at each end thereof, the frame composed of, first, a vertical frame element 12 and a narrower upper frame element 14, and a horizontal element 16 which includes thereon a hinged pin mount 15 disposed at either end of an upper frame element 14. The lower section of frame member 12 includes a horizontal mounting member 16 secured to a horizontal caster mounting leg member 18 which includes at each end thereof a pair of casters 20. A vertical guide upright track 22 is provided on the lower channel vertical portion of the frame 12 at each side and end thereof to provide for a guide means for the raising and lowering of the left safety side 34 and the right safety side 36 elements of the crib.

The safety side elements 34 and 36 are characterized by a plurality of equally spaced vertical side members 37 and an upper rail element 35 surrounding the safety side elements, with the left and right safety side elements 34 and 36 in combination equally dividing the peripheral circumference of the crib area and forming integral, unitary, U-shaped safety elements. At each end of the crib 10 is a pair of coiled spring boxes 30 and 32 as shown more particularly in FIG. 6 having constant force tension coiled spring 31 which balances the heavy weight of the safety elements 34 and 36, so that such elements may be easily raised and lowered. The crib contains a mattress 38 surrounded by a bottom rail element 39 of the left and right safety side elements 34 and 36, as well as rigid mattress support bars 40 and 44 and a hinged mattress support platform 41. The adjustment of the mattress platform to a Trendelenberg position or to a back or contoured position is through the upper and lower adjustment means which comprises a horizontal frame member 42, a notch for the angular adjustment 43, a hinge 45 in the mattress platform 41, a lever 46 for the anchor adjustment of the foot of the mattress, a platform structural support 47, and a lever 48 for height adjustments of the head of the mattress.

The release means includes a pair of foot pedals 24 and 25 for the right and left sides, respectively, at one end and 26 and 27 for the right and left sides at the other end of the crib, with a pair of transfer rods 50 providing for communication between the foot release mechanism at each end of the crib.

My pediatric crib comprises left and right security top elements 60 and 62, with a pair of security top mounting members 64 at each end thereof, with the security top members being spring-balanced at each end of each element; for example, through springs 66. The security top members have a pair of nylon bumper locking members 68 at each end thereof. The security top elements are closed in a box-like rectangular form with transparent; for example, polyethylene, window elements; for example, vertical window elements 70 disposed on polyethylene frame elements 72. However, netting screen mesh or other confining means may be employed on the frame elements to define a security compartment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of my pediatric crib wherein the right security top member 62 is illustrated in its spring-balanced, open position, and wherein the right security side U-shaped member 36 is shown in its lower open position which permits ready access to about half of the crib periphery to the crib patient.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view which shows both the left and right security top members 60 and 62 in a raised or open position through the use of the spring-balanced mounting bars 64 through springs 66, and wherein the left and right u-shaped security sides 34 and 36 are both in their lower unlocked position, thereby permitting almost total accessibility both at the head and foot to the crib surface area and to the patient in the crib.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation view and partial cross-sectional view illustrating in more particularity the raised top left security transparent element 60, the use of the mounting bar 64 and the spring 66 pivoted about the hinge pivot mount 15. The foot pedal release mechanism is illustrated more particularly with a cutaway view of the vertical channel frame element 12 which shows a pair of transfer rod connector elements 51 secured for rotary motion to the pair of transfer rods 50, springs 52, mounting members 53, pivot pins 54, a guide element 55, locking dog elements 56, horizontal portions 57 of actuator rods 59, pivot pins 58, locking tabs 74 on the locking crank element 56, and upper and lower locking recesses 78 and 76 to receive the locking tab 74 which locks the safety elements 34 and 36 in the raised upper position. FIG. 6 as illustrated illustrates downward compression of foot pedal 24 which provides for the downward movement toward the lower open position of the safety side members 36, while safety side element 34 is shown in its upright locked position, with each of the release mechanisms, respectively, illustrated in the locked and unlocked positions.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view along lines 7--7 of FIG. 6 of the release mechanism which illustrates the relationship of the release mechanism to the pair of transfer rods 50.

FIG. 8 is a perspective cutaway view illustrating in particular the transfer mechanism by which actuation of the foot release pedal 56 (in contrast with the foot release pedal 24 as shown in FIG. 6) provides for releasing of the security side member 34 from one end of my pediatric crib, and illustrates the rotation of the transfer rod 50 by such activation.

In operation, as shown by FIGS. 1-3, the right and left security top elements 62 and 60 are illustrated in the closed position, with the U-shaped right and left security side elements 36 and 34 in an upright locked enclosing position to provide a pediatric crib 10 to restrain the patient with safety. The patient cannot reach or release the low-positioned foot pedals 24 and 26 or 25 and 27 at either end of the crib, and cannot release the bumper lock 68 which maintains the transparent security top elements in the closed position, and prevents the patient from swinging the hingedly spring-balanced security tops outwardly into the open position. The security lock mechanism is designed so that the security top elements 34 and 36 cannot be opened, unless the corresponding safety side element 34 or 36 has been released by the foot pedal release and moved toward or into a lowered open position.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate one or both security top elements in an open position, whereby on lowering of the safety side element 34, the security top 64; e.g., in FIG. 6, is placed in an opened position by movement of the security top element 64 outwardly and upwardly from the hinge pin mount 15, with the aid of the pair of springs 62 at each end to enable such top element to be easily moved into the open position with little effort.

FIG. 4 illustrates a position wherein the security top 62 is open and safety side element 36 is in its lowered position. FIG. 5 illustrates both security top elements 60 and 62 in an open position and both safety side elements 34 and 36 in a lowered position, so that almost total accessibility to the patient is possible, both at the ends and at the sides. The only limit to accessibility is the vertical frame portion 12 at each end, unlike other prior art cribs wherein rigid end members extend typically across the entire length of each end of the bed. The lowered position of the safety sides 34 and 36 provides for the upper rail element 35 to be positioned at the same level or slightly lower than the surface of the mattress platform 41 once the locking tab has been released.

This arrangement permits the mattress 38 to be removed and bed linen changed very easily, while making the platform readily accessible for cleaning. If desired, additional locking recesses like 78 may be provided so that the safety sides may be lowered to a desired locked lower position, such as into a nursing position, with the top rail 35 slightly above the mattress level.

My crib also provides for raising of the upper and lower portions of the body of the crib patient; for example, at the upper body portion, by raising or lowering the mattress support by lever 48, and at the lower body portion, by lifting the mattress support into the desired notch of the angle adjustment element 43 for movement of the platform 41 about the mattress hinge element 45 by lever 46.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate more particularly the operation of the release mechanism for the positioning of the safety side elements 34 and 36 to the raised restraining position or the lower open position.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the operation of the foot pedal 24 by a downward force-depressing element 57 and the actuator rod 59 against the spring force of spring 52. Downward movement of rod 59 moves the crank element 56 and locking tab 74 of the locking frame from an engaging and locking position in lock recess 76, and about pivot pin 58, and permits the safety side 36 to be released and to move downwardly along guide track 22 into a lower position. The weight of each side of the safety sides is almost counterbalanced by the constant force coiled tension spring 31 in box 30, so that the safety side may be easily lowered and raised with minimun effort. Release of the safety side element is made simultaneously at both ends of the crib by the rotational movement of the crank and transfer rod connector 51 which rotates transfer rod 50 to move the actuator rod 59 in a similar fashion at the other end of the crib as shown more particularly in FIG. 8, wherein depression of foot pedal 26 is shown with the direction of rotation of rod 50 illustrated by directional arrows. The position of the actuator rod 59 and locking tab 74 in a locked position in recess 76 is shown in FIG. 6 with the safety side element 34 in the raised locked position. Thus, my release mechanism is located to be away from the patient, but is readily openable at either end to permit adjustment of the safety sides.

My crib has been illustrated with the security top elements formed of transparent sheets of a semirigid or rigid sheet material secured to a frame; however, other security top elements of different form and type may be used with or without a supporting frame, such as the use of molded transparent polymer security tops, or where the transparent sheets 70 are replaced with other security means, such as netting, bars or the like.

My invention has been described in particular as a pediatric crib. however, it is recognized and a part of my invention that my crib may comprise a crib for general use without the use of the top security compartment, and in particular, as a crib with the pair of end and side safety wall elements alone or in combination with the release mechanism described. Such a crib is suitable for general hospital, nursing or home use. In addition, as a part of my invention, my release mechanism may be employed in conventional cribs to provide for the release of side safety walls to a lowered position from a raised position. Therefore, in one preferred illustrative embodiment, my crib includes the top security compartment in combination with the U-shaped safety elements and the release mechanism described. In another embodiment, my crib includes the pair of U-shaped wall and side safety elements alone with conventional release mechanisms to raise and lower the safety elements into the desired position, or with my release mechanism illustrated. In such embodiment, no security top elements are provided or used, and if desired, the upper frame 14 and the elements 15 and 16 may be omitted if desired. In a further embodiment, my crib comprises a conventional crib with adjustable side and wall safety members, with one or both of the side members adjustable to various open and to a raised position with the use of my release mechanism as described.

My crib has been described for the purpose of illustration in a particular embodiment; however, it is recognized that various changes, modifications and additions may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A crib which comprises in combination:

a. a mattress support means;

b. upright safety end and side wall elements to define a peripheral restraining safety crib wall about the support means, at least one of such wall members adjustably movable between one closed upright position and another open lower position to permit access to the crib area;

c. a vertical frame member at each end of the crib;

d. a security top support means; and

e. a first and second security top element hingedly secured to the support means, the security top elements defining in combination in a closed position an enclosure about the top of the crib when the safety end and side walls are in a closed upright position, the security top elements secured to the support means, whereby the security top elements are adapted to be positioned in a closed restraining position which encloses the top portion of the crib in a closed relationship with the end and side wall elements and about the end and wall elements and selectively to an open position when the top security elements are hingedly movable outwardly and upwardly from the central support means to an open raised position to provide access to the crib area.

2. The crib of claim 1 wherein the security top elements are composed of a transparent plastic material.

3. The crib of claim 1 wherein the security top elements comprise in the closed position a box-like enclosure of transparent panels on a frame support.

4. The crib of claim 1 wherein the support means includes a central frame support extending from one to the other end between the vertical end frame members, and longitudinally across the crib, and includes a spring-balancing means, whereby the spring force aids in the movement of each security top element from the closed to the open position.

5. The crib of claim 1 which includes locking means to secure the security top elements in a closed position while the end and side safety walls are in a raised upper position, and whereby the security top elements can be placed in the opened raised position only when the safety end and wall elements are placed in the lower open position.

6. The crib of claim 1 wherein the end and wall safety elements comprise a pair of first and second generally U-shaped elements, each of which comprises a side wall element and one-half of each end element, which first and second elements together enclose the periphery of the crib.

7. The crib of claim 6 wherein the frame elements at each end include a guide means, and the first and second end and wall elements are adapted selectively to move between the closed upper and lower open positions in combination with the first and second security top elements on the same corresponding side.

8. The crib of claim 1 which includes release means for the end and side wall elements, whereby the elements may be moved on actuation of the release means from an upper closed to a lower open position.

9. The crib of claim 1 wherein the mattress support means is hingedly movable at the upper or lower position thereof to adjust the position of the patient in the crib.

10. The crib of claim 1 which includes a pair of first and second end and wall safety elements, each extending along the one wall and one-half of each end of the crib, and characterized by a plurality of vertical side members secured to bottom and top rail members, and release means to adjust the first and second elements selectively or in combination between upper closed position and a lower closed position, wherein the upper rail member of the safety element is adjacent or below the mattress support means in the lower position.

11. The crib of claim 1 which includes a pair of first and second end and wall safety U-shaped elements which, in a closed upper position, surround the crib periphery, which release means includes foot pedals at each lower end of the crib, and which are adapted on actuation of the foot pedals at the one lower end of the crib to release the end and wall elements at each end for movement from the closed to a lower open position.

12. The crib of claim 1 which includes first and second security top elements, each box-like and having frame members with transparent plastic sheet members secured to the frame members to form a box-like enclosure, with the top of the end and wall members in the closed position, each security top element hingedly secured by a pivot mount at each end of the central support means, and with a pair of springs tensioned to provide assistance to the upward movement of the top elements to the open position, and including locking means to secure the security top elements in the closed position so long as the end and wall safety elements are in the raised position.

13. The crib of claim 1 which includes:

a release means at each end of the crib which comprises:

i. a foot-actuated pedal adjacent the lower end of the vertical end frame element at each end of the crib,

ii. a spring-tensioned actuator rod adapted to be moved vertically by depressing the foot pedal,

iii. a cranking element with a protruding locking tab element adapted for pivotable movement on actuation of the actuator rod between a locked and unlocked position,

iv. a locking recess adapted to receive the locking tab to place the locking tab and the end and side wall safety elements in a locking upper closed position, and

v. a transfer rod means whereby movement of the actuator rod between the locking and unlocking positions rotates the rod and places the release means at the opposite end of the crib in the same locked or unlocked position, whereby the end and wall safety elements may be adjusted from either end of the crib.

14. A pediatric crib which comprises in combination:

a. a mattress support means;

b. first and second safety elements, each of which comprises a wall element along the length of the crib and two end elements along one-half of the width of the end of the crib, the first and second safety elements in combination in an upper closed position defining a peripheral restraining safety wall about the crib periphery, and selectively adapted to be placed in a lower open position to permit access to the crib area;

c. upright first and second vertical end frame elements, one at each end of the crib;

d. a central support frame means extending between the first and second frame elements;

e. first and second transparent security top elements hingedly connected to the support means;

f. spring means between the support means and each of the security top elements to aid in raising the top elements, the security top elements adapted to be placed in a closed position wherein the elements form a restraining enclosure with the raised upper first and second safety elements, and in an open position in combination with the corresponding lowered open safety element on the same side by upward and outward hinged movement of the security top element about the support means;

g. locking means to permit the security top elements to be retained in a closed position until the corresponding safety element is moved to a lower open position; and

h. release means for the first and second safety elements to permit the safety elements to move selectively between a locked closed upper position and an unlocked lower open position, the release means adapted to be actuated at one end of the crib for each safety element to the locked and unlocked positions.

15. A crib which comprises in combination:

a. a mattress support means to define a crib area;

b. a pair of first and second upright safety wall elements, each element comprising a side wall extending the length of the crib and first and second adjoining end walls extending about one-half the width of the crib, the safety wall elements in combination in a closed upright position defining a peripheral restraining wall about the crib periphery, and at least one safety wall element adapted to be moved to a lower position to permit access to the crib area;

c. a vertical frame member at each end of the crib and positioned intermediate of the ends of each of the safety wall elements;

d. means to guide the safety wall elements between the upper and lower positions; and

e. release means to permit at least one of the safety wall elements to move between locked closed upper position and an open lower position to permit access to the crib area.

16. The crib of claim 15 which includes:

a. first and second security top elements adapted in a closed position to fit over the crib periphery and to enclose the top of the crib, and at least one adapted to be placed in open position, whereby access to the crib area is provided; and

b. means to provide for movement of the first or second, or both, security top elements from a closed to an open position.

17. A crib which comprises in combination:

a. mattress support means to define a crib area;

b. upright end and side wall elements which define an upright closed peripheral restraining wall in a closed position about the periphery of the crib area, at least one of which end or side wall members is adapted to be moved between a locked closed position and an open lower position to permit access to the crib area; and

c. release means to provide for movement of the movable member between the upper closed and lower open positions which comprises:

i. a foot-actuated pedal adjacent the lower end of the vertical end frame element at each end of the crib,

ii. a spring-tensioned actuator rod adapted to be moved vertically by depressing the foot pedal,

iii. a cranking element with a protruding locking tab element adapted for pivotable movement on actuation of the actuator rod between a locked and unlocked position,

iv. a locking recess adapted to receive the locking tab to place the locking tab and the end and side wall safety elements in a locking upper closed position, and

v. a transfer rod means whereby movement of the actuator rod between the locking and unlocking positions rotates the rod and places the release means at the opposite end of the crib in the same locked or unlocked position, whereby the end and wall safety elements may be adjusted from either end of the crib.