GB2162055A

GB2162055A - Beds

Info

Publication number: GB2162055A
Application number: GB8418855A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Erling Jacobsen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-07-24
Filing date: 1984-07-24
Publication date: 1986-01-29
Also published as: GB8418855D0

Abstract

A bed for use in hospitals and like institutions comprises a back support section (12) which is pivotable about a horizontal, transverse axis (14) at the centre of the bed and a leg support section (13) whose inner end (13a) can be generally vertically adjusted relative to the transverse axis (14), by pivoting about its other end, between a normal raised position adjacent the back section (12), and a lowered position as shown lower than the back support section (12) for insertion of a bed pan. Raising and lowering of the leg support section (13) relative to the back support section is controlled by a pivoted (23) link arm mechanism (21,22) having a roller (25) abutting the leg section (13), the inner end of leg section (13) having rollers (27) guided on curved surfaces (24). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bed arrangements This invention relates to bed arrangements for use in hospitals and like institutions.

With bed bases which are divided into two sections, it is generally possible to adjust the sections into various angular positions with respect to each other so that the user, according to desire and need, can assume a normal flat-lying rest position and a more or less sitting position or a position with the upper part of the body inclined more or less backwards and a position with the legs extending more or less obliquely upwards.

A bed of the afore-mentioned type is illustrated and described in Norwegian Patent Specification No. 141,780 and is specially designed for the handling and nursing of bedridden persons and especially patients who need help in connection with motions, washing and the like. There is especially a need to be able to place a bed-pan under, and remove a used bed-pan from, the underside of the bedridden in an easy and simple manner. This is solved, according to the aforementioned specification by designing the back support-forming bed base section as a frame member having an extra back support board which is pivotable about a transverse, horizontal axis at the top of the frame member by the head portion of the user.The free end of the back support board can hereby be raised upwards relative to the opposite pivotable end of the frame member with the user resting against the back support board and with the back portion and seat portion of the user raised upwards above the bed base besides. A problem with said solution is that, at the same time as the free end of the back support board is raised upwards, the user must be raised correspondingly upwards, and there is a need in consequence for extra lifting power. In addition, many of the users have, during the lifting operation, a feeling of insecurity with such an extra lifting operation.

With the present invention the aim is a solution where one can achieve advantages corresponding to the solution according to the afore-mentioned specification but, in addition, avoid several of the disadvantages.

Accordingly, the present invention resides in a bed arrangement for use in hospitals and like institutions which comprises a bed base divided into a back support section pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis at about the centre of said bed base, and a leg support section which cooperates and in its normal use position is in alignment with said back support section in a substantially horizontal position, said leg support section being rigidly pivotable about a horizontal axis at an end disposed opposite and facing towards said back support section and prolapsible from said normal use position to a downwardly inclined position, said end of said leg support section resting against support arm means pivotable about a lower horizontal axis and said support arm means being pivotable by actuating arm means from a substantially vertical support position when said back support section is in its horizontal position to a prolapsed position when said back support section is also prolapsed in a downwardly inclined position.

A bed-pan can thus be readily placed under and, after use, removed from the underside of the bedridden in a manner similar to that permitted by the bed device of the aforelmentioned prior specification. This is achieved, however, in a less complicated way by dropping down the leg support section instead of raising up parts of the back support section. By this, the user can assume the same supported position and the same level in the bed in the normal position of the leg support section as well as in its prolapsed position or more specifically without the user being raised or lowered and thereby without having to exert an especially power-demanding rearrangement force and without creating a feeling of insecurity in the user during the rearrangement of the leg support section to and from the prolapsed position.

A particular advantage of the solution according to the present invention is that the user of the bed, after the bed-pan is placed under the user in the flatlying or more or less rearwardly inclined position of the latter, can be swung easily without particular lifting force to an upright sitting position, by pivoting of the back support section in order, thereby, to bring the user directly into place in a sitting position on the bed-pan. After use of the bedpan, the user can be brought back to the starting position in a correspondingly ready manner for easy removal of the bed-pan.

It is preferred that the said one end of the leg support section is provided with one or a pair of guide castors which cooperate with an associated approximately vertical control having upper and lower end stops for the guide castor or adjacent means.

Firstly, one will be able to control the rearrangement of the leg support section in this way in a precise manner with the least possible friction.

In addition, the transverse axis through the guide castor or the guide castors will be able to form a pivotal axis for said one end of the leg support section so that the leg support section can be utilised, in addition, in a known way for separate adjustment of this at various angles about the said transverse axis. In this way, the leg support section can be adjusted into arbitrary inclined positions from the normal starting position of the leg support section as well as from its prolapsed position. Such a further possibility for adjustment of the bed base sections relative to each other makes it possible to wash and nurse the bed-ridden person in a simpler and easier manner than hitherto possible.

In order that the invention can be more clearly understood, a convenient embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with .reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bed arrangement shown in its normal starting position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the bed arrangement in a prolapsed position, and Fig. 3 is a cut-off view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion if the bed arrangement as illustrated in Fig.

2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a bed arrangement is shown in combination with a bed of the kind which is usually used in hospitals and like institutions but it will also be possible to use the base of the bed with accessories, if necessary with a certain adaptation, in conventional beds also. Generally, there will only be referred herein to a bed consisting of a bed foundation member 10 with associated bed base 11.

The bed base 11 is composed in a known manner of two cooperating bed base sections 12 and 13, that is to say a back support section 12 and a leg support section 13.

The back support section 12 is of a construction known perse and is pivotable about a transverse, horizontal pivotal axis 14 about at the centre of the longitudinal dimension of the bed. The back support section 12 can be supported in various inclined positions relative to the bed foundation member 10 by means of a support bow 15 which engages an arrest notch 16 on a support member 17 in the bed foundation member 10. If desired, the support bow and the cooperating arrest notch can be so arranged that the back support section can be supported in successive positions from a horizontal position to a more or less vertical upstanding position (not shown).

The back support section can, if desired, be raised and lowered by means of an electric motor (not shown) which can be controlled, in a manner known per se, via an air breaker.

The leg support section 13 is also of partially known construction, that is to say its lower end can be raised upwards and supported by means of a bow 18 in arrest notch 19 in a support member 20 on the bed foundation member 10.

A novel feature in the leg support section 13 is that its one end 13a, which faces towards the back support section 12, is vertically adjustable relative to the stationary pivotal axis 14 of the back support section 12, that is to say end 13a of the leg support section 13 is adapted to be dropped downwards from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. This dropping down and a corresponding letting up of the leg support section 13 can be effected in a controlled manner by means of a link arm mechanism. The link arm mechanism comprises a dual branched link arm 21,22,23 having a first, short branch 21 with a rectilinear contour and a second, long branch 22 having an Lshaped contour and with an intermediate pivotal axis 23 which extends horizontally across the bed.

The link arm mechanism 21-23 is secured, via the pivotal axis 23, to the lower end of a pair of parallel arms 24 which project substantially downwards from the bearing bracket 14a for the pivotal axis 14 on each side of the bed base. The short branch 21 is provided at the free end with a castor 25 which forms a support abutment against the underside of the leg support section, while the long branch 22 is provided at its outer portion 22a of the L-shapewith a handle 26. In the prolapsed position (Fig. 2) of the leg support section, the short branch 21 extends substantially parallel to the underside of the leg support section, while in the let up (normal) position (Fig. 1) of the leg support section, it is pivoted somewhat beyond a dead centre position relative to the pivotal axis 23.In the starting position as shown in Fig. 1, the outer portion 22a of the long branch 22 extends substantially parallel to and at the level of the bed base in its horizontal position, while said outer portion in the prolapsed position (Fig. 2) of the leg support section projects verticaily upwards relative to the base of the bed. At one end 13a of the leg support section 13, there are rotatably mounted control castors 27 which are adapted to roll along control surfaces on the said mutually parallel arms 24. As shown in more detail in Fig. 3, the arms 24 extend with a curved contour, that is to say with an arc contour concentrically about a horizontal (imaginary) axis at the opposite end of the leg support section 13.The curved portion of the arms 24 is terminated lowermost with an abruptly bentaround stop-forming portion 24a which forms the lower limit for the falling down movement of the leg support section 13. A check means (not shown) at the bracket 1 4a for the pivotal axis 14 of the back support section can form corresponding stops or limiting movement of the led support section in an upward direction.

There is employed a mattress of foamed material 28 which conforms to a significant degree to the base and produces a depression 29 in the bed base between the back support section 12 and the leg support section 13 in the position shown in Fig. 2.

There is employed a manually adjustable link arm mechanism 21-23 for rearranging the leg support section 13 but, alternatively, it is possible to employ an adjustment means which is electrical, pneumatic or power-driven in another way for adjustment of the leg support section 13 into various positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Claims

1. A bed arrangement for use in hospitals and like institutions which comprises a bed base divided into a back support section pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis at about the centre of said bed base, and a leg support section which cooperates and in its normal use position is in alignment with said back support section in a substantially horizontal position, said leg support section being rigidly pivotable about a horizontal axis at an end disposed opposite and facing towards said back support section and prolapsible from said normal use position to a downwardly inclined position, said end of said leg support section resting against support arm means pivotable about a lower horizontal axis and said support arm means being pivotable by actuating arm means from a substantially vertical support position when said back support section is in its horizontal position to a pro lapsed position when said back support section is also prolapsed in a downwardly inclined pOsition.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the one end of the leg support section has guide castor means cooperating with an associated approximately vertical control means having lower end stops.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the vertical control means has upper end stops for the guide castor means.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the support arm means and the actuating arm means constitute a dual-branched link arm means of a link arm mechanism, said support arm means being short relative to said actuating arm means and having at its free end a guide castor means which supports the one end of the leg support section between its normal starting and prolapsed positions, said support arm means in said starting position being pivotable about a dead center position and in its prolapsed position extending substantially parallel to the leg support section and said actuating arm means having a substantially L-shaped form and diverging at a small angle relative to said support arm means from their common pivotal axis.

5. Bed arrangements for use in hospitals and like institutions, said arrangements being substantially as described herein with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.