GB2417945A

GB2417945A - Mattress profiling device

Info

Publication number: GB2417945A
Application number: GB0419979A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Dale; Ivor Ponting
Original assignee: Proto Magic Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: Proto Magic Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2004-09-09
Filing date: 2004-09-09
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2024-09-09
Also published as: GB2417945B; GB0419979D0

Abstract

A mattress profiling device has a back rest 2 and leg/thigh 3 raising portions moved by a single actuator 1 via linkwork 13, 11 for the leg part and cam 6 for the back part until the leg part is fully extended and a cam portion 7 clears the back part. Thereafter, the back part only extends further as the actuator continues to extend (fig 5).

Description

241 7945

A MATTRESS PROFILING DEVICE

The use of mattress elevating devices is well known. In some instances two such devices are used to add the provision of a knee elevator. In this case it is common practice to place two mattress elevators on the bed with the hinge parts adjacent to each other.

The present invention relates to a device that utilises only one actuator device that operates the upper body elevating member (2) in the normal way and has added linkages that operate the knee elevating member (3). The added linkages may be arranged such that the knee elevating member (3) is raised to its full extent during the first part of the raising of the upper body elevating member (2), alternatively the linkages may be arranged to lift the knee elevating member (3) over all or any part of the raising action of the upper body elevating member (2) and according to any law relating to the two motions.

In order that the invention may be better understood reference will now be made to figs 1-5. Fig # 1 shows the device in the substantially flat condition.

Fig #2-5 show the invention in increasingly raised positions, fig #5 being the fully raised position. The embodiment of the invention shown is arranged such that the knee elevating member (3) is raised to its full extent during the first part of the elevating of the upper body elevating member (2).

The device is normally attached to a bed base underneath the mattress by means of a strap engaging the attachment brackets ( 14) ( 15) and being tightened under the bed base. The device is built on a base structure (16A) (16B) (16C) where (16A) provides a surface for the knee elevating roller (12), (16B) provides a pivot for the cam (6) and (16C) provides a stabilising action.

The upper body elevating member (2)is pivoted on the base structure of the device (16) at pivoted point (17) and the knee elevating member (3) is pivoted on the base structure of device (16) at pivoted point (18).

Movement of the two elevating members, upper body elevating member (2) and knee elevating member (3)is provided by electrically operating the actuator device (1) which causes it to increase in length. The actuator device (1) is attached to the upper body elevating member (2) at the actuator pivot (4) and to the cam at (5). When the device is in its fully lowered position (fig #1) the cam is substantially horizontal. When the actuator device (1) extends, the cam rotates on its cam pivot (6) to its fully elevated position as shown in Fig #4. As the cam makes this movement the roller (7) reacts with the under surface (8) of the upper body elevating member (2) causing it to be raised.

During this cam movement the knee operating member (13) which is pivoted at (9) and (10) is caused to move towards the actuator pivot (5) and thus causes the knee elevating arm (11) to move in the same direction and forcing the knee elevating member (3) to be raised by the direct action of the knee elevating roller (12) acting on the base structure of the device (16A). When the knee elevating member (3)is in its fully raised position the knee elevating arm (1 1) which is pivoted at (19) has moved far enough to lock in position and not to roll back if pressure is exerted on the knee elevating member (3).

When the actuator device ( l) is extended to its full extent the upper body elevating member (2) attains the higher angle shown in fig #5.

In this embodiment of the invention the movement of the knee elevating member (3) all takes place during the first part of the movement of the upper body elevating member (2) due to the pivotal attachment of the knee operating member (13) to the cam (9). An alternative arrangement (not shown) could utilise a mechanism where the knee elevating member (3) is operated from the movement of the upper body elevating member (2). In this case the movement ofthe knee elevating member (3) wild take place during all the movement of the upper body elevating member (2). Further by the use of cams, levers etc the movement of the knee elevating member (3) may be linear or any required function with respect to the movement of the upper body elevating member (2).

Accordingly the present invention consists of a mattress profiling device being suitable for permanent or temporary attachment to a bed, and comprising an upper body elevating member (2) operated by an actuator device (l), and a knee elevating member (3) that is elevated according to the movement of the first said actuator device (1), said elevation being effected either directly or via a system of levers, cams or other mechanism.

Claims

1) A mattress profiling device being suitable for permanent or temporary attachment to a bed, and comprising an upper body elevating member (2) operated by an actuator device (1), and a knee elevating member (3) that is elevated according to the movement of the first said actuator device ( I) said elevation being effected either directly or via a system of levers, cams or other mechanism.

2) A claim as in claim 1 where the movement of the knee elevating member (3) is effected during the first part of the elevation of the upper body elevating member (2).

3) A claim as in claim 1 where the movement of the knee elevating member (3) is effected during the entire movement of the upper body elevating member (2).

4) A claim as in claim 1 where the movement of the knee elevating member (3) is effected during the movement of the upper body elevating member (2) and according to any law relating the two motions, such movement being effected by the use of suitable levers, cams or connecting means.