GB2267822A

GB2267822A - Cot or bed with side walls .

Info

Publication number: GB2267822A
Application number: GB9212639A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maureen Louvaine Probert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-06-15
Filing date: 1992-06-15
Publication date: 1993-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-15
Also published as: GB9212639D0; GB2267822B

Abstract

An enclosure e.g. a cot, bed or play-pen comprises a base 11, and side walls 16, 17, 18 extending upwardly from the base. One of the side walls comprises one or more doors 14, 15 which are hinged 23 at their outer vertical edges to the upright members at the corners of the enclosure. One of the doors or walls may have a window 19. <IMAGE>

Description

An Enclosure This invention relates to an enclosure for infants or for disabled persons to use when playing or sleeping.

Infants and some disabled persons are at risk of falling out of traditional beds whilst asleep. Cots and beds have been used which comprise vertical bars spaced around the mattress so as to prevent the occupants from accidentally falling out. Often the bars on one side of the cot or bed are movable downwards a part way so that an infant or person can be lifted into or out of the cot or bed. Even so, I have found that it is difficult to lift adults into and out of these types of bed, and furthermore it is difficult to make the bed and to turn the mattress over.

I have now devised an enclosure for infants or disabled persons to use when playing or sleeping, and which alleviates the problems noted above.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an enclosure for infants or disabled persons to use when playing or sleeping, the enclosure comprising a base and side walls extending upwardly from the base, wherein one of the side walls comprises at least one door which can be opened to provide easy access.

Preferably the enclosure comprises a base. Preferably the door(s) can be opened so that an infant or person resting or standing on the base can be moved sideways in order to remove him or her from the enclosure. This arrangement of the door(s) alleviates the need for the infant or person to be lifted off the base.

Preferably the base is covered with a cushion or mattress.

Preferably the door(s) can be opened so that the cushion or mattress is totally exposed along one of its edges.

Preferably the enclosure comprises two doors. The doors are preferably hinged along their outer vertical edges at opposite ends of the openable side wall.

The side walls may be slatted e.g. with vertical bars, alternatively the side walls may be formed from sheet material so as to prevent a person's limb becoming wedged between the bars. If the walls are solid, then preferably windows or openings are provided in one or more of the side walls. The windows may comprise a transparent sheet of material, and the window or opening may be provided with a closure. Preferably the interior of the enclosure has padded side walls.

The window allows the occupant of the enclosure to be attended to during the night by a person lying in an adjacent bed. This alleviates the need for that person to get out of bed during the night.

Preferably a lock is provided for locking the two doors together along their mating edges, when closed. Preferably a lock is provided for locking each door, when closed, to the base of the enclosure. These locks are preferably inaccessible to the occupant of the enclosure.

Preferably the side walls can be detached from the base so that the enclosure can be packed flat.

Preferably legs are provided to support the base.

Preferably the enclosure comprises opposite end side walls each having a pair of legs which can be detached as one piece units from the base.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is an isometric view of a bed in accordance with this invention. Referring to the drawing there is shown a bed 10 comprising a flat rectangular and horizontal base 11 and upright members 12 extending upwardly from the corners of the base 11. Enlarged legs 21 extend downwardly to support the base 11 at its corners. The legs 21 are joined by cross-bars 20 at opposite ends of the bed, and over-centre catches 22 lock the base 11 to the interconnected legs 21 at opposite ends of the bed 10. Panels 16, 18 extend between the upright members 12 to form opposite end side walls. A third panel 17 is secured between upright members 12 at opposite ends of the bed so as to form a rear side wall.The panel 17 is secured to the upright members 12 by way of over-centre catches (not shown). The front side wall is formed from a pair of doors 14, 15 which are hinged along their outer vertical edges to respective upright members 12.

The hinges 23 are separable so that the doors 14, 15 can be removed from the bed.

A window is formed in one of the doors 15, and a slidably mounted sheet of transparent plastics material 19 is provided for closing the window. A mattress 13 rests on the base 11, and it will be appreciated that one side of the mattress is entirely exposed when the doors 14, 15 are open.

A Lock 25 is provided for locking the doors 14, 15 to each other when closed, and locks 24 are also provided for locking the doors 14, 15 when closed, to the base 11.

The interior of the side walls 16 to 18 of the doors 14, 15 may be padded or cushioned for comfort and to prevent the occupant of the bed from injuring himself.

Because one side of the bed can be entirely opened, it is relatively easy to lift a person into or out of the bed.

Furthermore it is easy to change the bed and to remove the mattress.

The doors 14, 15 may be unequal sizes so that only one door needs to be opened in order to provide a large opening to the bed 10.

Claims

1. An enclosure for infants or disabled persons to use when playing or sleeping, the enclosure comprising a base and side walls extending upwardly from the base, wherein one of the side walls comprises at least one door which can be opened to provide access.

2. An enclosure as claimed in claim 1, comprising two doors.

3. An enclosure as claimed in claim 2 in which the doors are hinged along their outer vertical edges at opposite ends of an openable side wall.

4. An enclosure as claimed in claims 2 or 3, comprising a lock for locking the two doors together along their mating edges, when closed.

5. An enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the door is provided with a lock for locking the door to the base of the enclosure.

6. An enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the base is covered with a cushion or mattess.

7. An enclosure as claimed in claim 6, in which the door(s) can be opened to totally expose the cushion or mattress along one of its edges.

8. An enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the side walls are slatted.

9. An enclosure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the walls are formed from sheet material.

10. An enclosure as claimed in claim 8, comprising a window in a side wall of the enclosure.

11. An enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising legs which support the base.

12. An enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the side walls are detachable from the base.

13. An enclosure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.