EP3682766B1 - Lifting device as well as mattress, slatted bed base and bed system with lifting device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lifting device, in particular a lying surface height adjustment device, for adjusting the height of at least one lying surface zone of a lying surface of a bed system, according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a mattress which is equipped with such a lifting device. The invention also relates to a slatted frame which is equipped with such a lifting device. Finally, the invention also relates to a bed system which is equipped with such a lifting device.

In the present context, a “bed system” is understood to mean an arrangement which comprises at least one mattress and a matching spring base. When the bed system is in use, the underside of the mattress rests on the spring base and on its upper side forms a bed for at least one person. In the present context, a “spring base” is understood to mean any arrangement for resilient support of the mattress. Usual spring bases are designed as a grate, for example. Such a grate can preferably be designed as a slatted frame in which a support surface for placing the mattress is formed by a plurality of individual slats which each extend transversely to a longitudinal direction of the mattress and which are arranged parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the mattress. Other grids can be equipped with individual springs instead of slats and can also be referred to as a spring core base. In particular, the spring base can therefore also be designed as a box spring. There are also mattresses in different configurations, for example with a spring core or with a foam core. The lying surface is on the top of the mattress. In particular, the lying surface can be formed by an upper side of a mattress cover that contains the respective core wrapped in the mattress. It is clear that in normal use a mattress cover is also used which covers the mattress and in particular its mattress cover on the upper side, so that the mattress cover covers the lying surface and the user of the bed lies on the mattress cover. As a result, he is also lying on the lying surface, but is no longer in direct contact with it.

For a restful sleep, from an orthopedic point of view, a side position is recommended for the respective person, in which the person lies on the lying surface on one side of the person. Furthermore, from an orthopedic point of view, a sleeping position is recommended in which the straightest possible course for the spine of the respective person is established. From a physiognomic point of view, each person has a varying contour on their side, so that in the side position an uneven load on the body of the respective person occurs. Areas that protrude further, such as the hips and shoulders, are more stressed. At the same time, this results in a curved course for the person's spine, which in the long term can lead to discomfort.

In order to avoid these misalignments, it is known to design the mattress in sections with varying hardness in its longitudinal direction. For example, a shoulder zone and a pelvic zone can be designed to be softer than, for example, a chest or stomach zone or as a thigh or lower leg zone. This allows the stress on the body of the respective person to be homogenized. At the same time, the aim is to align the spine as straight as possible.

The lying surface of the bed system or the mattress has a longitudinal direction which extends from a foot end of the lying surface to a head end of the lying surface. Furthermore, the lying surface is divided into several lying surface zones in the longitudinal direction, with the respective lying surface zone extending in the longitudinal direction the lying surface only extends over part of the total lying surface length of the lying surface and in a transverse direction of the lying surface running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lying surface normally over the entire lying surface width of the lying surface.

Since the physiognomies of different people can differ greatly from one another, a large number of differently adapted mattresses would have to be provided in order to be able to offer an optimal mattress with a specially adapted hardness distribution for each person. Since this is too expensive, only a limited number of different variants are usually offered, so that for many people there is no optimal solution, but only a compromise.

Furthermore, the weight of the respective person plays a decisive role in the alignment of the spine in the lateral position. Here, too, a certain compensation can be made by selecting a suitable degree of hardness. For this purpose, mattresses are often offered in different degrees of hardness. Furthermore, it is basically possible to offer different slats with a slatted frame that have different spring stiffnesses in order to be able to adapt the hardness to the contour and the weight of the respective person. Another problem is that, on the one hand, bed systems or mattresses or spring bases are often purchased for a long period of typically more than 10 years, often more than 20 years, while on the other hand, a person's weight can change over time. This can lead to the hardness distribution, once set appropriately, no longer being suitable at a later point in time.

A generic lifting device is from the DE 33 39 763 A1 known, in which the bellows used are designed as bellows. One of those The bellows has a bellows body which is folded several times between its end plates and which can be expanded and compressed like an accordion. The known lifting device is integrated into a slatted frame in such a way that all slats of the slatted frame are each formed by a cross member of a lifting unit.

From the DE 42 05 179 A1 a mattress with an integrated slatted frame is known in which an inflatable air cushion is arranged underneath the slats on both sides, so that the bias of the base spring can be changed at the same time for all slats, which is accompanied by a uniform height adjustment.

From the EP 0 575 630 A1 a slatted frame is known in which a lifting element is assigned to all slats in order to individually adjust the pretension or height of the respective slat. The respective lifting element is designed as a bellows which has a bellows body which is folded several times between its end plates and which can be expanded and compressed like an accordion.

From the WO 2007/131370 A1 a slatted frame with a lifting device is known, the lifting device being formed by two inflatable air cushions which extend on both sides of the slatted frame and each support all slats. In this way, the pretensioning of the spring support or the height can be adjusted simultaneously for all slats.

The present invention deals with the problem of showing an improved or at least a different way for adapting the lying surface to the physiognomy of a person, which is characterized in particular by simple individual adaptability.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the general idea of not adapting the bed surface to the physiognomy of the respective person by directly adapting the hardness of the bed surface, but by adapting the height of the bed surface, which indirectly leads to an adaptation of the hardness. For this purpose, a lifting device is provided, in particular a lying surface height adjustment device, for adjusting the height of at least one lying surface zone of a lying surface of a bed system. With the help of this lifting device, the height of the lying surface in the respective lying surface zone can be varied in order to take into account the physiognomy of the respective person along the length of the side via the height distribution in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface. A pressure distribution can also be homogenized via the adapted height distribution. Furthermore, a largely straight alignment of the spine can be achieved via the height distribution. It is not necessary to vary the hardness of the mattress and / or the spring base along its longitudinal direction. In particular, a mattress can be used which has a constant hardness along its longitudinal direction. It is also possible to use a spring base which has a constant spring stiffness along its longitudinal direction.

According to the invention and according to a first aspect, the lifting device has at least one lifting unit which is assigned to exactly one lying surface zone and which has at least one lifting element pair with two hydraulic or pneumatic lifting elements that are connected to one another via at least one cross member. Furthermore, the lifting device comprises a control device which has at least one pump device for conveying a fluid and a valve device, several fluid lines for fluidic coupling the lifting elements with the control device and an actuating device for manual actuation of the lifting device, which is coupled to the control device in a suitable manner for this purpose, for example wirelessly or wired. The actuating device is preferably a hand-held device with corresponding buttons or touch surfaces which can be manually actuated by the respective user of the bed system or the mattress or the lifting device. An actuation for lifting the respective lying surface zone takes place in that the lifting elements of the lifting unit assigned to this lying surface zone are inflated so that the lifting elements of the respective lifting element pair lift the associated cross member. Inevitably, this also raises the respective lying surface area accordingly. An actuation for lowering the respective lying surface zone takes place in that the lifting elements of the lifting unit assigned to this lying surface zone are relaxed so that the lifting elements of the respective lifting element pair lower the associated cross member. At the same time, this then lowers the respective lying surface area.

The more or less inflated lifting elements can be released actively or passively. During active relaxation, the respective fluid is pumped out of the respective lifting element, for example into the environment or into a tank, with the aid of the respective pumping device. In the case of passive relaxation, at least the force of gravity causes the respective lifting element to be compressed so that the respective fluid, for example, is supplied to the environment or a tank. As a rule, this gravity effect is supported by a weight force, for example of the mattress or a person lying on the mattress. This weight force is ultimately transmitted to the respective lifting elements via the respective cross member, whereby these are pressed together in order to drive out the respective fluid.

According to the first aspect, it can now be provided that such a lifting unit is provided for at least two different lying surface zones and that the actuating device and the control device are designed such that the at least two lifting units can be controlled independently of one another to raise and lower the respectively assigned lying surface zones . In other words, in the case of the lifting device presented here, at least two separate lying surface zones can be varied in height independently of one another in order to carry out the desired adaptation to the physiognomy of the respective user. This independent adaptability of the various lying surface zones results in increased comfort. The straight alignment of the spine is simplified for the lateral position.

According to an advantageous embodiment, at least two such lifting units can be provided, which differ from one another by a different number of lifting element pairs. In this way, lying surface zones that extend over longitudinal sections of the lying surface of different sizes in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface can be raised or lowered independently of one another, that is, their height can be adjusted.

For example, at least one such lifting unit can be designed in such a way that it has only a single lifting element pair, wherein the associated lying surface zone can then in particular be a head zone or a lordosis zone or a knee zone. Additionally or alternatively, at least one such lifting unit can be designed in such a way that it has several lifting element pairs, wherein the associated lying surface zone can then in particular be a pelvic zone or a shoulder zone.

The individual lying surface zones, each of which is assigned a lifting unit, can directly adjoin one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface or be spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, so that a lying surface zone is arranged in the lying surface longitudinal direction, the height of which is not adjustable. As a result, adjustable and non-adjustable lying surface zones can follow one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface within the lying surface.

The adjustable lying surface zones, which are dimensioned differently in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, and the non-adjustable lying surface zones that may be present enable a particularly sensitive adaptation to the physiognomy in order to achieve the most homogeneous pressure distribution possible in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface as well as an improved straight alignment of the spine.

Advantageously, the respective cross member can extend essentially over the entire width of the lying surface and have a left end section assigned to a left side of the lying surface and a right end section spaced apart therefrom and assigned to a right side of the lying surface. The phrase “essentially” expresses that the respective cross member extends over at least 80%, preferably over at least 90%, of the entire width of the lying surface.

Expediently, it can now be provided that in the respective lifting element pair, one lifting element forms a left lifting element arranged on the left end section, while the other lifting element forms a right lifting element arranged on the right end section. The lifting elements of the respective lifting element pair are thus spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the lying surface and only interact with the cross member in the end sections. The cross member is preferably designed in the shape of a slat and has a certain spring effect. Furthermore, the lifting elements also expediently have a certain spring elasticity, in particular in the case of a pneumatic configuration.

According to an advantageous development, it can be provided that in the respective lifting unit, which has several lifting element pairs, all left lifting elements are fluidically connected to one another in a communicating manner and are fluidically coupled to the control device via a common fluid line. Additionally or alternatively, in the respective lifting unit, which has a plurality of lifting element pairs, all right lifting elements can be fluidically connected to one another in a communicating manner and can be fluidically coupled to the control device via a common fluid line. This simplifies, on the one hand, the simultaneous control of all lifting elements of the respective lifting unit on the same side of the lying surface, while, on the other hand, the wiring effort is reduced.

In another embodiment, it can be provided that all lifting elements of the lifting device, which are assigned to a left side of the lying surface, each form a left lifting element, while all lifting elements of the lifting device, which are assigned to a right side of the lying surface, each form a right lifting element. The control device can now be equipped with two separate pumping devices, namely with a left pumping device for pumping up all left lifting elements and with a right pumping device for pumping up all right lifting elements. The left and right lifting elements can be filled separately by the two pumping devices, which considerably reduces the time for filling the lifting elements or the time for lifting the respective lying surface zone.

Another embodiment suggests that the valve device is designed in such a way that it optionally blocks the fluid lines fluidly connected to the lifting elements or fluidically connects them to the respective pump device or fluidically connects them to an environment. When the fluid line is blocked, the Filling condition of the respective lifting element secured. When the fluid line is connected to the pumping device, the respective lifting element can be filled. When the lifting element is connected to the environment, the respective lifting element can be emptied. The control device or a controller of the control device can now be designed so that in a rest state in which the lifting elements are neither inflated nor relaxed, the respective pump device is switched off or left off and the valve device is activated to block the fluid lines leading to the lifting elements. Furthermore, the control device or a controller of the control device can be designed such that it switches on the respective pump device to inflate the lifting elements and controls the valve device for connecting the respective pump device to the respective lifting elements. If, as here, a connection with the environment is provided, air is preferably used as the fluid. To inflate the lifting elements, the air is sucked in from the environment. Finally, the control device or a control of the control device for the above-mentioned passive relaxation can expediently be designed in such a way that it switches the respective pump device off or leaves it off to relax the respective lifting elements and controls the valve device for connecting the respective lifting elements to the environment. The air can then escape from the respective lifting elements into the environment. Alternatively, the control device or a control of the control device for the above-mentioned active relaxation can expediently be designed in such a way that it switches the respective pump device on or leaves it on to relax the respective lifting elements and controls the valve device for connecting the respective lifting elements to the environment. The air is then pumped out of the respective lifting elements into the environment.

It is clear that the valve device for the individual raising or lowering of separate lying surface zones block the associated fluid lines that lead to the corresponding lifting elements, independently of other fluid lines that lead to other lifting elements in another lying surface zone, or connect them to the pumping device or with the environment can.

Another embodiment provides that the control device also has at least one battery unit for supplying power to the at least one pump device. This is of particular importance since the lifting device in this embodiment does not require a connection to a power supply system, so that no electromagnetic fields associated with such power connections occur in the area of the lifting device. Such a battery unit can have conventional batteries, which are not rechargeable, or rechargeable accumulators.

The control device can also have a protective cover in which the respective pump device and the valve device are accommodated. If a battery unit is also provided, it can also be provided that the battery unit can also be accommodated within the protective cover. The same applies to the aforementioned control.

A mattress according to the invention, which is provided for a bed system which has a lying surface, can be designed as a single mattress or a double mattress and comprises a foam core which has an upper side of the core facing the lying surface and a core underside facing away from the lying surface. Furthermore, the mattress comprises a lifting device according to the invention. In addition, a mattress cover is provided which envelops the foam core and the lifting device and which has the lying surface. The lifting device is thus integrated into the mattress.

In an advantageous embodiment, the foam core can have a recess on its core underside for the respective lifting unit, into which the respective lifting unit is inserted so that it does not protrude beyond the core underside. As a result, the lifting device does not form an interfering contour on the mattress, so that the mattress according to the invention with the mattress cover cannot be visually differentiated from a conventional mattress.

An embodiment is advantageous in which at least one channel is formed in the foam core, in which at least one of the fluid lines is arranged. This simplifies the integration of the lifting device into the mattress.

In addition, a receiving opening into which the control device is inserted can be formed in the foam core, e.g. in the area of the foot zone. The entire lifting device can thus be accommodated within the foam core in a form-integrated manner. As a result, the mattress according to the invention can be handled like a conventional mattress.

A slatted frame according to the invention which is suitable for a bed system comprises several slats running parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface and adjacent slats in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface. Furthermore, the slatted frame according to the invention is equipped with a lifting device according to the invention, each cross member of the lifting device in the slatted frame forming a slat of the slatted frame. In this way, the lifting device is integrated into the slatted frame, so that the slatted frame according to the invention can be used like a conventional slatted frame.

A bed system according to the invention has a lying surface, a mattress, a spring base and a lifting device according to the invention.

In an advantageous development, the lifting device can be designed separately with respect to the mattress and with respect to the spring base and can be arranged between the mattress and the spring base. In this case, the lifting device forms a separate intermediate layer which is arranged between the mattress and the spring base.

In an advantageous further development, a mattress cover can be provided which covers the mattress and the lifting device and combines them to form a unit that is placed on the spring base. The lying surface is conveniently located on this mattress cover.

In an alternative embodiment, the lifting device can be integrated into the mattress or into the spring base. In this case, the bed system can be equipped with a mattress of the type described above or with a slatted frame of the type described above.

According to a second aspect, which also represents an advantageous embodiment of the first aspect, the lifting device can be assigned to exactly one lying surface zone and have at least one pair of lifting elements, the respective pair of lifting elements having exactly two hydraulic or pneumatic lifting elements and exactly one cross member that is parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface extends and which connects the two lifting elements together. In other words, the lifting device comprises at least one lifting unit in which the respective lifting element pair is comparatively short in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface and has a modular character. Any number of these simple pairs of lifting elements can be strung together to realize larger lifting units.

The cross member can expediently have a cross member width measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, the respective lifting element having an element length measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface and an element width measured in the transverse direction of the lying surface. The width of the cross member is expediently smaller than the element length and smaller than the element width. In particular, the element length and the element width are each less than three times the width of the cross member. This results in a particularly compact design for the respective lifting element pair.

An advantageous embodiment suggests choosing the same length for the element as the width of the element. In this way, in particular, a symmetrical structure can be implemented which simplifies the manufacture of the lifting elements.

In principle, the lifting elements can have any cross-section in a plan view that runs parallel to an elevation direction running perpendicular to the lying surface. Any polygonal or round cross-sections, for example, are conceivable. It can preferably be a rectangular, in particular square, cross-section. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the lifting elements can have a circular cross-section in said top view. This circular cross-section is characterized by a particularly favorable ratio between space requirement and achievable stroke in the height direction.

According to another embodiment, at least one such lifting unit can have a plurality of lifting element pairs which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface. A distance between adjacent cross members measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface can be smaller than an element length of the respective lifting element measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface.

This measure also leads to a particularly compact design in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface.

Another advantageous embodiment proposes to arrange the two lifting elements in the respective lifting element pair on an end section of the cross member, the cross member having a positioning opening in the respective end section. The respective lifting element can now be equipped with a pin which engages in the respective positioning opening in order to fix the lifting element on the cross member in the respective end section. This enables positive positioning between the lifting element and the cross member. The pin and the positioning opening can expediently be coordinated with one another in such a way that a frictional connection also results at the same time, which prevents the pin from automatically sliding out of the positioning opening. Such a frictional connection can be implemented, for example, if the pin is designed to be elastic and is radially compressed when it is inserted into the positioning opening.

In this second aspect, too, the lifting and lowering of the respective cross member can be realized by pumping up or by actively or passively relaxing the respective lifting elements.

In this embodiment of the lifting device according to the second aspect, too, a mattress according to the invention, a slatted frame according to the invention and a bed system according to the invention can be implemented as explained above for the first aspect.

According to the invention and in accordance with a third aspect, the lifting device comprises at least one lifting unit, which is exactly one lying surface zone is assigned and which has at least one lifting element pair which has two hydraulic or pneumatic lifting elements and a cross member which extends parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface and which connects the two lifting elements to one another.

According to the invention and according to this third aspect, the respective lifting element is equipped with an elastic bellows which, when inflated, expands in a vertical direction perpendicular to the lying surface and which yields in the vertical direction when relaxed. With the help of such a bellows, the respective lifting element can be implemented particularly easily and inexpensively, while at the same time a high level of reliability can be achieved.

According to the invention, the respective bellows has an elastic bellows body which has a body top facing the cross member and supported on the cross member and a body bottom facing away from the cross member, the body top and body bottom being firmly connected to one another along a body circumference. According to the invention, the bellows body is also designed in such a way that the upper side of the body rests flat on the underside of the body within the circumference of the body in a relaxed state of the respective lifting element. In this way, a particularly flat configuration is implemented for the relaxed state, so that overall a comparatively large lift in the height direction can be implemented with the respective lifting element. In the case of the respective bellows, the bellows body encloses a cavity which is inflated to lift the cross member and which is relaxed to lower the cross member. This cavity is limited upwards by the top of the body and downwards by the underside of the body. The top and bottom of the body are tightly connected to one another along the circumference of the body in order to delimit the cavity laterally or radially.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the bellows body can have a flat cross section parallel to the height direction in an inflated state of the respective lifting element. This means that the bellows body in the inflated state has a bellows height measured in the vertical direction, which is smaller than a bellows length measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface and smaller than a bellows width measured in the transverse direction of the lying surface. The “inflated” state described here can in particular be the maximally inflated state of the respective lifting element. However, it is preferably an arbitrary intermediate state between the maximally inflated state and the relaxed state in which the top and bottom of the body are flat on top of one another. In the maximally inflated state, in another embodiment, the bellows body can have an elongated cross section oriented in the height direction or can be configured to be essentially spherical.

A particularly advantageous embodiment suggests that the bellows body has two separate elastic web material sections, namely an upper web material section which forms the upper side of the body and a lower web material section which forms the lower side of the body, the two web material sections being fastened to one another along the body circumference. As a result, the respective bellows body can be manufactured particularly easily and inexpensively. The web material of which the web material sections are made can be an elastic plastic.

The two web material sections can expediently be fastened to one another by lamination. During lamination, the web material sections are materially connected to one another along the circumference of the body. During lamination, depending on the joining process, the material bond can be implemented directly between the joining partners, i.e. without the use of an auxiliary material. as well When laminating, the joining process can be implemented in conjunction with an auxiliary material such as an adhesive. In the present case, lamination is preferred in which the two web material sections are directly connected to one another in a materially bonded manner, for which purpose they are heated in the region of the body circumference and preferably also pressed together.

According to another advantageous embodiment, at least one such lifting unit can have at least two lifting element pairs, which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, with at least two lifting elements that are arranged next to one another on the same side of the lying surface in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, the associated bellows body having a continuous, common upper sheet material section , which forms the associated body tops, and a continuous, common lower sheet material section, which forms the associated body bottoms. In this way, in the case of a lifting unit that has several pairs of lifting elements, the lifting elements of the respective left or right side can be manufactured particularly easily and inexpensively.

Another embodiment suggests that at least one such lifting unit has at least two pairs of lifting elements which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, with at least two lifting elements which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface on the same side, i.e. on the left or right side of the lying surface , the associated bellows bodies are attached to one another in the area of their body circumferences via a connecting section. This stabilizes the arrangement of several lifting elements on the respective side of the lying surface.

According to a further development, adjacent lifting elements, the bellows bodies of which are fastened to one another via such a connecting section, can be through the be fluidically coupled to one another through the respective connecting section. This gives the connecting section a double function, since it ensures, on the one hand, the mechanical connection between the adjacent bellows bodies and, on the other hand, the fluidic connection between the cavities enclosed by the bellows bodies.

It can expediently be provided that the respective connecting section is formed by the upper web material section and the lower web material section, the web material sections also being fastened to one another in the region of the respective connecting section. This measure also simplifies the production of a group of adjacent lifting elements, since only one upper web material section and one lower web material section are required for this.

Another advantageous embodiment suggests that a separate tubular body is inserted into the respective connecting section, through which the fluidic coupling of the adjacent lifting elements takes place. This tubular body can in particular be enclosed by the connecting section. The tubular body is expediently provided with greater rigidity or stability than the web material with which the connecting section is formed. For example, the tubular body consists of a different plastic than the sheet material, which has a higher rigidity than the plastic of the elastic sheet material. The tubular body ensures that the fluidic connection between adjacent lifting elements is maintained even in the relaxed state. In the absence of a tubular body, the upper and lower sheet material sections could lie flat on top of one another in the connecting section and thereby close the fluidic connection of the adjacent lifting elements, which hinders simultaneous inflation of the neighboring lifting elements in a group.

In this third aspect, too, the mattress, the slatted frame and the bed system can be implemented in the manner described above for the first aspect.

According to a fourth aspect, a mattress for a bed system is proposed in which a lifting device is integrated. In detail, the mattress is suitable for a bed system, the bed system having a lying surface. The mattress has a foam core which has an upper side of the core facing the lying surface and an underside of the core facing away from the lying surface. The mattress is also equipped with a lifting device, in particular with a lying surface height adjustment device, which is used to adjust the height of at least one lying surface zone of the lying surface. The respective lying surface zone extends in a longitudinal direction of the lying surface only over part of the total lying surface length of the lying surface and in a transverse direction of the lying surface running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the lying surface over the entire lying surface width of the lying surface. Furthermore, the mattress is equipped with a mattress cover which covers the foam core and the lifting device and which has the lying surface. The lifting device integrated in the mattress comprises at least one hydraulically or pneumatically operating lifting unit, a control device which has at least one pumping device for conveying a fluid and a valve device, several fluid lines for fluidically coupling the lifting unit to the control device and an actuating device for manually operating the lifting device. In this case, an actuation for lifting the respective lying surface zone takes place in that the respective lifting unit is inflated, while an actuation for lowering the respective lying surface zone takes place in that the respective lifting unit is relaxed. The lifting device can in particular be designed according to one of the above aspects. In principle, however, another lifting device can also be used.

According to the fourth aspect, at least one channel, in which at least one of the fluid lines is arranged, can now be formed in the foam core. This simplifies the fluidic interconnection of the different components of the lifting device within the mattress. Furthermore, if the fluid lines run in a channel formed in the foam core, they do not form an interfering contour on the outside of the foam core, whereby the risk of damage to the fluid lines during handling or during use of the mattress can also be reduced.

In an advantageous embodiment, the respective channel can extend within the foam core at a distance from the upper side of the core, at a distance from the underside of the core and at a distance from a longitudinal side edge of the foam core. The respective longitudinal side edge extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lying surface. The fluid lines running in the channel are thus arranged clearly within the outer contour of the foam core, which reduces the risk of damage to the fluid lines.

The respective channel in the foam core can expediently have a channel cross section completely enclosed by the foam material of the foam core. In other words, the respective channel is completely enclosed in a channel cross-section by the foam core. As a result, the fluid lines running in the channel are completely enclosed and protected in the circumferential direction by the foam core.

The respective channel can expediently extend in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface over the entire length of the foam core and end axially open at its longitudinal ends at a transverse side edge of the foam core. This simplifies the Production of the respective channel within the foam core. The respective transverse side edge extends parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface.

According to an advantageous development, the foam core on one side of the respective channel facing the adjacent longitudinal side edge of the foam core can be divided up to this longitudinal side edge in such a way that two areas of the foam core abut one another in a separating surface, the foam core forming the respective channel in the Circumferential direction of the channel from the parting surface to the parting surface encloses undivided. This measure makes it particularly easy to arrange the fluid lines in the channel. This is because the channel is accessible via the separating surface, since the foam material is flexible and can be bent open along the separating surface on the longitudinal side edge until the channel is visible and accessible. It is clear that for this purpose the separating surface extends up to the respective adjacent longitudinal side edge of the foam core.

Another embodiment suggests that the foam core has a recess on its core underside for the respective lifting unit or for the respective lifting element pair, into which the respective lifting unit or respective lifting element pair is inserted so that it does not protrude beyond the core underside . In other words, the dimensions of the respective recess are matched to the respective lifting unit or the respective lifting element pair so that the lifting unit or the lifting element pair inserted into the recess does not protrude beyond the underside of the core. In this way, the respective lifting unit or the respective lifting element pair is form-integrated into the outer contour of the foam core. The lifting unit or the pair of lifting elements thus does not form an interfering contour on the outside or underside of the foam core.

According to an advantageous development, the respective recess on the respective longitudinal side edge can be closed by a closure piece made of foam material. In particular, this closure piece can terminate flush with the foam core at the respective longitudinal side edge. This creates a uniform outer contour on the longitudinal side edge of the foam core. In particular in connection with the mattress cover, the appearance of a conventional mattress can be achieved.

In another advantageous embodiment, a receiving opening into which the control device is inserted can be formed in the foam core. The control device can thus also be easily accommodated in the foam core. The receiving opening can expediently be positioned, for example, in a foot area of the foam core.

According to a further development, the respective channel can now connect the receiving opening to the respective recess. The fluid lines can thus be laid in a particularly simple manner from the control device to the respective lifting unit within the respective channel.

It can also be provided that the respective channel intersects the respective recess, so that a connecting opening is created through which the respective channel is open to the respective recess. This simplifies the laying of the fluid lines within the foam core.

In another embodiment, it can be provided that the respective lifting unit is assigned to exactly one lying surface zone and has at least one pair of lifting elements which has two hydraulic or pneumatic lifting elements and a cross member which extends parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface and which connects the two lifting elements with one another. This gets the respective lifting unit has a particularly simple structure with a modular character. In particular, in this way the lifting unit can be gradually adapted to the length of the respective lying surface zone measured in the longitudinal direction of the lying surface, namely by the number of pairs of lifting elements used.

In a further development, one lifting element can form a left lifting element in the respective lifting element, which is arranged in the area of a left side of the lying surface, while the other lifting element forms a right lifting element which is assigned to a right side of the lying surface. In this configuration, at least two channels are formed in the mattress, namely a left channel in which the respective fluid line for connecting the respective left lifting element to the control device is arranged, and a right channel in which the respective fluid line for connecting the respective right lifting element is arranged is arranged with the control device. This results in a particularly simple structure for the fluidic interconnection of the individual components of the lifting device within the mattress. At the same time, it is advantageous that all fluid-carrying and / or active components of the lifting device are arranged at the edge with respect to the mattress and do not or only insignificantly impair the central lying surface, which is mainly used by the respective user of the mattress.

According to an advantageous embodiment, an actuation for lifting the respective lying surface zone can take place in that the lifting elements of the lifting unit assigned to this lying surface zone are inflated so that the lifting elements of the lifting element pair lift the associated cross member. In contrast to this, an actuation for lowering the respective lying surface zone expediently takes place in that the lifting elements of the lifting unit assigned to this lying surface zone are relaxed, so that the lifting elements of the respective lifting element pair, lower the associated cross member. As a result, the lifting device has particularly simple kinematics and, in particular, can be implemented comparatively inexpensively. It is clear that relaxation can also be implemented actively or passively in this fourth aspect, as already described above for the first aspect.

Another embodiment suggests that the respective lifting element has an elastic bellows which, when inflated, expands in a vertical direction running perpendicular to the lying surface and which yields in the vertical direction when relaxed. This also leads to an inexpensive realizability of the lifting device.

The mattress presented here can also be used, as already described above for the first aspect, in a bed system with a lying surface and spring base.

Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures on the basis of the drawings.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, with the same reference symbols referring to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines Bettsystems mit einer Hubeinrichtung bei einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht des Bettsystems mit der Hubeinrichtung bei einer zweiten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht des Bettsystems mit der Hubeinrichtung bei einer dritten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht wie in Fig. 3, jedoch bei einer Weiterbildung der dritten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 5

eine Seitenansicht des Bettsystems zur Veranschaulichung der Funktion der Hubeinrichtung,

Fig. 6

eine schaltplanartige Prinzipdarstellung der Hubeinrichtung,

Fig. 7

ein horizontaler Längsschnitt einer Matratze des Bettsystems entsprechend Schnittlinien VII in Fig. 4,

Fig. 8

ein Querschnitt einer Hubeinheit im Bereich eines Hubelements in einem entspannten Zustand entsprechend Schnittlinien VIII in Fig. 10,

Fig. 9

ein Querschnitt der Hubeinheit wie in Fig. 8, jedoch in einem aufgepumpten Zustand,

Fig. 10

eine Draufsicht auf ein Hubelementpaar einer Hubeinheit der Hubeinrichtung,

Fig. 11

ein vertikaler Querschnitt der Matratze im Bereich eines Kanals entsprechend Schnittlinien XI in Fig. 7,

Fig. 12

ein Querschnitt wie in Fig. 11, jedoch in einem deformierten Zustand der Matratze,

Fig. 13

eine Draufsicht auf einen Bereich mehrerer Hubelemente einer Hubeinrichtung,

Fig. 14

ein Längsschnitt durch die Hubelemente entsprechend Schnittlinien XIV in Fig.13,

Fig. 15

ein vergrößertes Detail XV aus Fig. 14, jedoch bei einer anderen Ausführungsform.

They show, each schematically,

Fig. 1

a side view of a bed system with a lifting device in a first embodiment,

Fig. 2

a side view of the bed system with the lifting device in a second embodiment,

Fig. 3

a side view of the bed system with the lifting device in a third embodiment,

Fig. 4

a side view as in Fig. 3 , but in a further development of the third embodiment,

Fig. 5

a side view of the bed system to illustrate the function of the lifting device,

Fig. 6

a schematic diagram of the lifting device,

Fig. 7

a horizontal longitudinal section of a mattress of the bed system according to section lines VII in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 8

a cross section of a lifting unit in the area of a lifting element in a relaxed state according to section lines VIII in FIG Fig. 10 ,

Fig. 9

a cross section of the lifting unit as in Fig. 8 but in an inflated state,

Fig. 10

a plan view of a lifting element pair of a lifting unit of the lifting device,

Fig. 11

a vertical cross section of the mattress in the area of a channel according to section lines XI in Fig. 7 ,

Fig. 12

a cross section as in Fig. 11 , but in a deformed state of the mattress,

Fig. 13

a top view of an area of several lifting elements of a lifting device,

Fig. 14

a longitudinal section through the lifting elements according to section lines XIV in Fig. 13 ,

Fig. 15

an enlarged detail XV Fig. 14 , but in a different embodiment.

According to the Figures 1 to 5 a bed system 1 comprises a mattress 2, a base 3 and a lifting device 4. The bed system 1 also has a lying surface 5, which is usually formed on a mattress cover 6 which at least covers the mattress 2. The mattress cover 6 is in the Figs. 1 to 4 shown transparently. The lying surface 5 has a longitudinal direction X and a transverse direction Y running perpendicular thereto, which in the side views of the Figures 1 to 5 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The lying surface 5 is usually divided into several lying surface zones 7, which are divided into Figures 1 and 5 are indicated by curly brackets. Each of these lying surface zones 7 extends in the lying surface longitudinal direction X only over part of the total lying surface length 8, which in Fig. 7 is registered. In the transverse direction Y, the respective lying surface zone 7 extends essentially over the entire lying surface width 9, which is shown in FIG Fig. 7 is registered. The individual lying surface zones 7 are assigned to different body areas of a user of the bed system 1 when the user lies on the lying surface 5. The mattress 2 is expediently designed as a single mattress. For example, the lying surface 5 has in the Figures 1 to 5 a foot end 10 on the left and a head end 11 on the right. The individual lying surface zones 7 can form a foot zone 12, a knee zone 13, a pelvic zone 14, a lordosis zone 15, a shoulder zone 16 and a head zone 17, for example.

In the exemplary embodiments shown here, the spring support 3 is always designed as a slatted frame 18, which has several slats 19 running parallel to the transverse direction of the lying surface Y, which are adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface. The slats 19 can be supported by holding elements 20 on longitudinal members 21 of the slatted frame 18. Two such longitudinal members 21 are expediently present, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface and each run on a left side or on a right side of the lying surface 5. It is clear that in principle any type of base 3 can be considered.

The lifting device 4 serves to adjust the height of at least one of the lying surface zones 7 of the lying surface 5 of the bed system 1. In this respect, the lifting device 4 can also be referred to as a lying surface height adjustment device.

At the in Figure 1 The first embodiment shown, the lifting device 4 is designed separately with respect to the mattress 2 and with respect to the spring base 3 and is arranged between the mattress 2 and the spring base 3 with respect to a height direction Z that runs perpendicular to the lying surface 5. In this case the lifting device 4 forms, as it were, an intermediate layer between the mattress 2 and the spring base 3. The mattress cover 6 can, as in FIG Figure 1 wrap the mattress 2 and the lifting device 4 together. In addition, a pressure distribution layer 22 can be provided on which the lifting device 4 rests and which is shown in FIG Figure 1 is also encased by the mattress cover 6. This pressure distribution layer 22 can for example be made of a nonwoven material.

At the in Figure 2 The second embodiment shown, the lifting device 4 is integrated into the spring base 3. The spring base 3 is designed as a slatted frame 18 for this purpose. The lifting device 4 has several cross members 23, which are described in more detail below. In any case, in the case of the slatted frame 18 with an integrated lifting device 4, the cross members 23 of the lifting device 4 are arranged in such a way that they each form a slat 19 of the slatted frame 18 within the slatted frame 18. The slats 19 of the slatted frame 18 can be made of plastic or wood in a conventional manner. The cross members 23 of the lifting device 4 can be designed as slats and can be made of plastic or wood.

Accordingly Figure 3 the lifting device 4 comprises at least one lifting unit 24. Each lifting unit 24 is assigned to exactly one lying surface zone 7. The lifting device 4 preferably has two or more lifting units 24. In the example of the Figures 3 and 6th the lifting device 4 has exactly five lifting units 24. A possible assignment of the lifting units 24 to the individual lying surface zones 7 is shown in FIG Figure 6 symbolically represented by curly brackets. Accordingly, in the example, the knee zone 13, the pelvic zone 14, the lordosis zone 15, the shoulder zone 16 and the head zone 17 are each assigned a lifting unit 24.

Each lifting unit 24 comprises at least one lifting element pair 25. Each lifting element pair 25 has exactly two hydraulically or pneumatically operating lifting elements 26 and one of the above-mentioned cross members 23, which mechanically connects the two lifting elements 26 to one another.

The lifting device 4 also has a control device 27 which has at least one pumping device 28 for conveying a fluid, preferably air. Furthermore, the control device 27 comprises a valve device 29. In addition, the control device 27 comprises a controller 30 which, for example, comprises a microprocessor or the like. The lifting device 4 is also equipped with an actuating device 31 for manually actuating the lifting device 4. The actuating device 31 is preferably a hand-held device that is easy to handle and can be operated manually. The actuating device 31 can have a keypad 32 for lifting, symbolized by an arrow pointing upwards, and for lowering, symbolized by an arrow pointing downwards, for each lying surface zone 7, the height of which is to be adjustable. The actuating device 31 is connected in a suitable manner to the control device 27 or to the controller 30. A corresponding connection 33 can be wired or wireless. In the example of the Figure 6 the control device 27 comprises two separate pump devices 28 and a battery unit 34 for supplying power to the pump devices 28, the control 30 and the valve device 29. In the case of a wired connection 33 to the operating device 31, the actuating device 31 can also be supplied with electrical energy via the battery unit 34.

An actuation for lifting the respective lying surface zone 7 takes place in that the lifting elements 26 of the lifting unit 24 assigned to this lying surface zone 7 are inflated so that the lifting elements 26 of the respective lifting element pair 25 lift the associated cross member 23. An operation To lower the respective lying surface zone 7, the lifting elements 26 of the lifting unit 24 assigned to this lying surface zone 7 are relaxed so that the lifting elements 26 of the respective lifting element pair 25 lower the associated cross member 23. The lifting elements 26 can be released actively by pumping the fluid out of the lifting elements 26. Alternatively, the relaxation can also take place passively, so that the fluid escapes from the lifting elements 26 without pumping due to the weight load on the lifting elements 26.

According to a first aspect, the actuating device 31 and the control device 27 can be designed in such a way that the various lifting units 24 can be controlled independently of one another to raise and lower the respectively assigned lying surface zone 7. In Figure 5 a state is shown purely by way of example and with an exaggerated scale, in which the different lying surface zones 7, each of which is assigned a lifting unit 24, are set to different heights with the aid of the lifting device 4. The height of the foot zone 12 is considered as the starting height, to which no lifting unit 24 is assigned in the example and whose height is accordingly not adjustable. Purely by way of example, therefore, according to Figure 5 the knee zone 13 can be raised by a value H1. The pelvic zone 14 can be lowered by a value H2. The lordosis zone 15 can be raised by a value H3. The shoulder zone 16 can be lowered by a value H4 and the head zone 17 can be raised by a value H5. The individual values H1 to H5 by which the respective lying surface zone 7 is raised or lowered are to be understood here purely as examples and are intended to illustrate that the individual lifting units 24 of the lifting device 4 can be operated independently of one another in order to independently move the respective lying surface zone 7 raise or lower from the other lying surface zones 7 be able. The respective H1 to H5, by which the respective lying surface zone 7 can be raised or lowered, can also be selected quasi continuously.

According to a second aspect, it can be provided that the respective lifting element pair 25 has exactly two lifting elements 26 and exactly one cross member 23, the cross member 23 connecting the two lifting elements 26 to one another. This realizes a modular character for the lifting device 4. The respective lifting element pair 25 then represents a module, wherein the number of modules can easily be varied in order to define lifting units 24 of different sizes.

Figure 6 it can also be seen that the individual lifting units 24, which are assigned to the individual lying surface zones 7, are spaced apart from one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction X. It can also be seen that the cross members 23 of the lifting element pairs 25 each extend parallel to the transverse direction Y of the lying surface.

In the example of the Figure 6 two different variants of the lifting units 24 are provided, which differ from one another by a different number of lifting element pairs 25. The lifting units 24, which are assigned to the knee zone 13, the lordosis zone 15 and the head zone 17, each have only a single lifting element pair 25. In contrast to this, the lifting units 24 assigned to the pelvic zone 14 and the shoulder zone 16 each have a plurality of, in the example shown, exactly three lifting element pairs 25.

Furthermore, it is provided that the respective cross member 23 extends essentially over the entire width of the lying surface 9. In Figure 7 a left side 35 and a right side 36 of the lying surface 5 are also designated. According to Figure 6 the respective cross member 23 has one of the left sides 35 of the lying surface 5 associated left end section 37 as well as a spaced right end section 38 associated with the right side 36 of the lying surface 5 Lifting elements 26 assigned to lying surface 5, hereinafter also referred to as left lifting elements 26, while all lifting elements 26 assigned to or facing the right side 36 of lying surface 5 can also be referred to below as right lifting elements 26. Accordingly, the left lifting elements 26 are each arranged on a left end section 37 of the cross member 23, while the right lifting elements 26 are each arranged on a right end section 38 of the respective cross member 23.

The lifting device 4 also comprises a plurality of fluid lines 39 which bring about a fluidic coupling of the lifting elements 26 to the control device 27. It is expedient here to use flexible hoses.

In the case of the lifting units 24, which each have several lifting element pairs 25, i.e. here the lifting units 24 assigned to the pelvic zone 14 and the shoulder zone 16, all left lifting elements 26 can be fluidically connected to each other and fluidically coupled to the control device 27 via a common fluid line 39. Analogously to this, all right lifting elements 26 of this lifting unit 24 can also be fluidically connected to one another in a communicating manner and can be fluidically coupled to the control device 27 via a common fluid line 39. The lifting elements 26 adjacent within the respective lifting unit 24 in the lying surface longitudinal direction X are coupled to one another via a suitable fluidic connection, which is shown in FIG Figure 6 is shown in simplified form and denoted by 40.

In the case of the lifting device 4 shown here, it is expediently provided that the two separate pump devices 28 are operated as the left pump device 28l and as the right pump device 28r. The left pumping device 28l is used to pump up all the left lifting elements 26, that is to say all the lifting elements 26 which are assigned to the left lying surface side 35. The right pumping device 28 is used to inflate all the right lifting elements 28, that is to say all the lifting elements 26 that are assigned to the right lying surface side 36. As a result, the pump output of the control device 27 is doubled, whereby the time for lifting the respective lying surface zone 7 can be halved. If the lifting elements 26 are actively relaxed, the left lifting elements 26 can be pumped out with the left pump device 28l, while the right lifting elements 26 are simultaneously pumped out with the right pump device 28r.

The valve device 29 is expediently designed such that it can selectively block the fluid lines 39 fluidly connected to the lifting elements 26 or fluidically connect them to the respective pump device 28 or fluidically connect them to an environment 41. A connecting line leading to the surroundings 41 is shown in Figure 6 designated by 42. The pumping devices 28 expediently also suck in the respective fluid, preferably air, from the environment 41. Corresponding suction lines are in Figure 6 designated by 43. It is clear that in principle a single environmental connection on the control device 27 is sufficient to be able to suck in or expel air. Instead of a connection to the surroundings 41, a tank can in principle also be provided, so that in principle a liquid can also be used as the fluid. Furthermore, the connecting line 42 can be omitted if an active relaxation of the lifting elements 26 is to be implemented by reversing the conveying direction of the pump devices 28.

The control device 27 or its controller 30 can now be designed in such a way that in a rest state in which the lifting elements 26 are neither to be inflated nor relaxed, the respective pump device 28 is switched off or left off and the valve device 29 to block the to the Lifting elements 26 leading fluid lines 39 controls. In this case, the volume of air encompassed by the respective lifting element 26 is constant or enclosed. Furthermore, the control device 27 or its controller 30 is expediently designed in such a way that it switches on the respective pump device 28 to inflate the respective lifting elements 26 and controls the valve device 29 for connecting the respective pump device 28 to the respective lifting elements 26. If, for example, the head zone 17 is to be raised, the control device 27 switches on both pump devices 28 and only opens the fluid lines 39 that lead to the lifting elements 26 of the lifting unit 24 that is assigned to the head zone 17. All other fluid lines 39 remain closed.

Furthermore, the control device 27 or its controller 30 can expediently be designed in such a way that it switches the respective pump device 28 off or leaves it off for passive relaxation of the respective lifting elements 26 and controls the valve device 29 for connecting the respective lifting elements 26 to the environment 41. For example, in order to lower the pelvic zone 14, the fluid lines 39 are opened, which lead to the lifting elements 26 of the lifting unit 24, which is assigned to the pelvic zone 14. The pump devices 28 do not have to be switched on for this, since the weight of the person lying on the lying surface 5 is generally sufficient to relax the lifting elements 26. In the event of active relaxation, the pump devices 28 can be operated with the opposite direction of conveyance in order to suck the air out of the relevant lifting elements 26 and blow it out into the environment 41.

The control device 27 can be equipped with a protective cover 44, which can be designed, for example, as a bag or as a housing. The essential components of the control device 27 are accommodated in the protective cover 44, such as, for example, the pump devices 28, the valve device 29 and, if applicable, the controller 30 and the battery unit 34.

Accordingly Figure 10 the respective cross member 23 has a cross member width 45 which is measured in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface. The respective lifting element 26 has an element length 46 measured in the lying surface longitudinal direction X and an element width 47 measured in the lying surface transverse direction Y. Within the lifting element pair 25, the dimensions of the lifting elements 26 and the cross member 23 are coordinated so that the cross member width 45 is smaller than the element length 46 and is smaller than the element width 47. The element length 46 and the element width 47 are expediently smaller than three times the cross member width 45 Lifting elements 26. In the example shown, the element length 46 is the same as the element width 47. Furthermore, the lifting elements 26 in the example in the plan view, which is oriented parallel to the height direction Z and which in the Figures 6 , 7th and 10 stands perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, each with a circular cross-section.

According to Figure 6 For the lifting units 24, which have several lifting element pairs 25, i.e. here for the lifting units 24 assigned to the pelvic zone 14 and the shoulder zone 16, the lifting element pairs 25 are arranged next to one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction X, with a distance 48 between adjacent ones measured in the lying surface longitudinal direction X. Cross member 23 within the respective lifting unit 24 is, on the one hand, expediently constant and, on the other hand, is in each case smaller than that measured in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface Element length 46 of the lifting elements 26 concerned. This also applies in particular to the completely relaxed state of the lifting elements 26 and all the more so for a more or less inflated state of the lifting elements 26.

As mentioned, according to the Fig. 6 and 8 to 10 in the respective lifting element pair 25, the two lifting elements 26 are each arranged on an end section 37 or 38 of the cross member 23. In the preferred embodiments shown here, the cross member 23 has at least one positioning opening 49 in the respective end section 37, 38, into which a pin 50, which is formed on the respective lifting element 26, engages in a form-fitting manner. This results in a fixation of the respective lifting element 26 on the associated cross member 23. This attachment is particularly clear in the sectional views of FIG Figures 8 and 9 recognizable.

According to the Figures 8 and 9 and according to a third aspect, the respective lifting element 26 comprises an elastic bellows 51 which expands in the vertical direction Z when inflated and which yields in the vertical direction Z when relaxed. In Figure 8 a completely relaxed state for the respective lifting element 26 or for the bellows 51 is shown. In Figure 9 on the other hand, a, preferably maximally, inflated state is shown for the respective lifting element 26 or for the bellows 51. It can be seen that the lifting element 26 or the bellows 51 encloses a cavity 52 which can be inflated or relaxed via the respective fluid line 39. For this purpose, the respective fluid line 39 is connected to the bellows 51 in a suitable manner. The respective bellows 51 expediently has an elastic bellows body 53, which has an upper body side 54 facing the cross member 23 and supported on the cross member 23 and a body underside 55 facing away from the cross member 23. Upper body 54 and lower body 55 are along a body circumference 56 firmly connected. According to Figure 8 the bellows body 53 is designed so that the body top 54 in the in Figure 8 The shown relaxed state of the lifting element 26 lies flat within the body circumference 56 on the underside 55 of the body. In the extreme case, the cavity 52 can be virtually completely emptied.

According to Figure 9 In the inflated state of the lifting element 26, the bellows body 53 can have a flat cross section parallel to the height direction Z, so that an element height 57 measured parallel to the height direction Z is smaller than the element length 46 and smaller than the element width 47 inflated state of the lifting element 26 apply.

According to the Figures 8 and 9 the bellows body 53 expediently has two separate elastic web material sections, namely an upper web material section 58, which forms the body upper side 54, and a lower web material section 59, which forms the body underside 55. The two web material sections 58, 59 are fastened to one another along the body circumference 56. The web material sections 58, 59 can expediently be fastened to one another by lamination. A corresponding material connection is in the Figures 8 and 9 indicated and labeled 60. The material connection 60 runs around the body circumference 56, similar to a weld seam.

With a lifting unit 24, for example according to Figures 13 and 14 has several pairs of lifting elements 25, so for example with the lifting units 24 that are assigned to the pelvic zone 14 or the shoulder zone 16, it can be provided that with the lifting elements 26, which are arranged on the same lying surface side 35 or 36 in the lying surface longitudinal direction X next to one another, the associated bellows body 53 have a continuous, common upper sheet material section 58, which forms the associated upper body sides 54 of these lifting elements 26 forms, and has a continuous, common lower web material section 59, which forms the associated body undersides 55 of these lifting elements 26. In the example of the Figure 13 Thus, with the aid of a common upper web material section 58 and with the aid of a common lower web material section 59, three bellows bodies 53 lying next to one another can be implemented as a unit, as it were.

If according to the Figures 13 and 14 If several lifting elements 26 are arranged next to one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction X, an embodiment is preferred in which the associated bellows bodies 53 are fastened to one another in the region of their body circumferences 56 in each case via a connecting section 61. This can be implemented in a particularly simple manner by means of the above-mentioned continuous upper and lower web material sections 58, 59. The fluidic coupling 40 already mentioned above can expediently take place through the respective connecting section 61, so that the bellows bodies 53 are fluidically coupled to one another through the respective connecting section 61. Accordingly, only one common fluid line 39 is required for the respective group of lifting elements 26 lying next to one another and fluidically coupled to one another, in order to synchronously inflate or relax all of the lifting elements 26 of this group.

According to Figure 15 For example, a separate tubular body 62 can be inserted into the respective connecting section 61, through which the fluidic coupling 40 of the adjacent lifting elements 26 takes place in the interior of the connecting section 61. This ensures a permanently open fluidic coupling 40 of the adjacent lifting elements 26 or bellows body 53.

The connecting sections 61 can pass through the common upper web material section 58 and through the common lower web material section 59, the web material sections 58, 59 also being fastened to one another in the region of the respective connecting section 61. Correspondingly, the continuous material connection 60 also extends through the connection sections 61. In particular, the two web material sections 58, 59 lie against one another on both sides of the tubular body 62 and envelop the same.

As above with reference to the Figures 3 to 5 has been explained, the lifting device 4 can be integrated into the mattress 2. According to the Figures 1 to 5 and 7th the mattress 2 expediently has a foam core 63 which has a core top side 64 facing the lying surface 5 and a core bottom side 65 facing away from the lying surface 5. As explained, the mattress 2 comprises the lifting device 4 and a mattress cover 6 which envelops the foam core 63 and the lifting device 4. The mattress cover 6 has the lying surface 5.

According to a fourth aspect, it can now be provided that the foam core 63 according to FIG Figure 7 has at least one channel 66 in which at least one of the fluid lines 39 is arranged. Figure 7 shows a horizontal longitudinal section, which is according to the section lines VII in Figure 4 extends through the foam core 63 above the lifting device 4. In Figure 7 A lifting element pair 25 is indicated purely by way of example, which is not visible per se in this sectional view, but is covered by the material of the foam core 63. This lifting element pair 25 is shown here for illustration purposes only, in order to indicate the laying of the fluid lines 39 up to the lifting elements 26. The fluid lines 39 can be seen to run largely within the respective channel 66 respective channel 66 im Interior of the foam core 63. According to Figure 7 It can be provided that the respective channel 66 extends in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface over the entire length of the foam core 63, which essentially corresponds to the length of the lying surface 8. In particular, the respective channel 66 can end axially open at a transverse side edge 68 of the foam core 63. The two transverse side edges 67 extend in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface and are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction Y of the lying surface. The transverse side edges 68 of the foam core 63 extend parallel to the lying surface transverse direction Y and are spaced apart from one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction X. The example shows the Figure 7 exactly two channels 66 are provided, which are each arranged in the area of one of the two longitudinal side edges 67, i.e. on the left side 35 of the lying surface 5 or on the right side 36 of the lying surface 5 and extend completely through the foam core 63 in the longitudinal direction X of the lying surface so that they end open at both transverse side edges 68.

In a channel cross section running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the respective channel 66, the respective channel 66 can expediently be completely enclosed by the foam core 63. This is in the sectional view of the Figure 11 reproduced. The channel 66 preferably extends parallel to the lying surface longitudinal direction X. The channel cross section expediently runs perpendicular to the lying surface longitudinal direction X, which is shown in FIG Figure 11 runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. According to the in Figure 11 The special embodiment shown can be provided that the foam core 63 is divided on a side 69 of the respective channel 66, which faces the adjacent longitudinal side edge 67 of the foam core 63. This division of the foam core 63 extends continuously from the respective channel 66 to the adjacent longitudinal side edge 67. The division takes place in such a way that in the foam core 63 two foam core areas 70 and 71 lie against one another in a separating surface 72. For this purpose, the foam core 63 is divided in the area of this separating surface 72. In addition, the foam core 63 is in the area of the respective channel 66, however, undivided. Accordingly, the foam core 63 encloses the respective channel 66 in the in Figures 11 and 12 by a double arrow indicated circumferential direction 73 of the channel 66 from the separating surface 72 to the separating surface 72, that is undivided over 360 °. This design makes it possible to introduce the respective fluid line 39 laterally, that is to say from the respective longitudinal side edge 67, into the channel 66. Since the foam core 63 consists of an elastic material, namely a foam, the foam core 63 can be according to FIG Figure 12 simply elastically deform in such a way that the core regions 70, 71 lift off the separating surface 72 and release a lateral opening 77 to the channel 66, through which the respective channel 66 is accessible.

According to Figure 7 For example, a receiving opening 74 into which the control device 27 is inserted can also be formed in the foam core 63. In particular, the control device 27 is inserted with its protective cover 44 into the receiving opening 74. The receiving opening 74 can be accessible, for example, on the transverse side edge 68 which is assigned to the foot zone 12, in order to be able to insert the control device 27 and to be able to remove it for maintenance purposes or for changing the battery unit 34.

According to the Figures 3 and 4 For example, the foam core 63 can have a recess 75 on the core underside 65 for the respective lifting unit 24 or for each lifting element pair 25. The associated lifting unit 24 or the associated lifting element pair 25 is inserted into the respective recess 75. The recess 75 and the lifting element pair 25 are expediently coordinated with one another in such a way that the respective lifting element pair 25 does not protrude beyond the core underside 65.

According to Figure 4 It can also be provided that the respective recess 75 is closed on the respective longitudinal side edge 67 by a closure body 76. The closure body 76 expediently consists of the same Foam material like the foam core 63. The respective closure body 76 is expediently arranged in such a way that it ends flush with the longitudinal side edge 67 at the side. The channels 66 and the receiving openings 75 can be appropriately matched to one another with regard to their positioning and dimensioning within the foam core 63 such that the respective channel 66 intersects the recesses 75 in such a way that connecting openings arise between the respective channel 66 and the respective recess 75. Furthermore, the channels 66 can be arranged in the foam core 63 in such a way that the receiving opening 74 is connected to the recesses 75 through the channels 66.

Claims (14)

1. Lifting device (4), in particular a lying surface height adjustment device, for height adjustment of at least one lying surface area (7) of a lying surface (5) of a bed system (1), wherein the respective lying surface area (7) extends in a longitudinal direction (X) of the lying surface (5) over only a part of the total lying surface length (8) of the lying surface (5), and in a transverse direction (Y) of the lying surface, running transverse to the longitudinal direction (X) of the lying surface (5), over the total lying surface width (9) of the lying surface (5),

   - with at least one lifting unit (24), which is assigned to exactly one lying surface area (5) and which has at least one lifting element pair (25) that has two hydraulic or pneumatic lifting elements (26) and a crossmember (23) that extends parallel to the lying surface transverse direction (Y) and that connects the two lifting elements (26) to one another,

   - with a control device (27), that has at least one pumping device (28) for conveying a fluid and a valve device (29)

   - with a plurality of fluid lines (39) for fluidically coupling the lifting elements (26) with the control device (27),

   - with an actuation device (31) for manually actuating the lifting device (4),

   - wherein an actuation for raising the respective lying surface area (7) occurs in that the lifting elements (26) of the lifting unit (24) assigned to this lying surface area (7) are pumped up, so that the lifting elements (26) of the respective lifting element pair (25) raise the associated crossmember (23),

   - wherein an actuation for lowering the respective lying surface area (7) occurs in that the lifting elements (26) of the lifting unit (24) assigned to this lying surface area (7) are depressurised, so that the lifting elements (26) of the respective lifting element pair (25) lower the associated crossmember (23),

   - wherein the respective lifting element (26) has an elastic bellows (51) which, during pumping up, expands in a vertical direction (Z) running perpendicular to the lying surface (5) and which yields in the vertical direction (Z) when depressurised,

   characterised in that

   - the respective bellows (51) has an elastic bellows body (53) which has an upper body part (54) facing the crossmember (23) and supported on the crossmember (23) and a lower body part (55) facing away from the crossmember (23), which are securely connected together along a body circumference (56),

   - the bellows body (53) is designed such that, in a depressurised state of the respective lifting element (26), the body upper part (54) lies flat on the body lower part (55) inside the body circumference (56).
2. Lifting device (4) according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   in a pumped-up state of the respective lifting element (26), the bellows body (53) has a flat cross-section parallel to the vertical direction (Z).
3. Lifting device (4) according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that

   - the bellows body (53) has two separate elastic sheet material sections, namely an upper sheet material section (58), which forms the body upper part (54), and a lower sheet material section (59), which forms the body lower part (55),

   - the two sheet material sections (58, 59) are fastened to one another along the body circumference (56).
4. Lifting device (4) according to claim 3,
   characterised in that

   - at least one such lifting unit (24) has at least two lifting element pairs (25) that are arranged next to one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction (X),

   - at least with two lifting elements (26), which are arranged next to one another on the same side (35, 36) of the lying surface (5) in the lying surface longitudinal direction (X), the associated bellows bodies (53) have a continuous common upper sheet material section (58), which forms the associated body upper parts (54), and a continuous common lower sheet material section (59), which forms the associated body lower parts (55).
5. Lifting device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that

   - at least one such lifting unit (24) has at least two lifting element pairs (25) that are arranged next to one another in the lying surface longitudinal direction (X),

   - at least with two lifting elements (26), which are arranged next to one another on the same side (36, 37) of the lying surface (5) in the lying surface longitudinal direction (X), the associated bellows bodies (53) are fastened to one another in the region of their body circumferences (56) via a connecting section (61).
6. Lifting device (4) according to claim 5,
   characterised in that
   adjacent lifting elements (26), the bellows bodies (53) of which are fastened to one another via such a connecting section (61), are fluidly coupled to one another through the respective connecting section (61).
7. Lifting device (4) according to claim 4 and according to claim 5 or 6,
   characterised in that
   the respective connecting section (61) is formed by the common upper sheet material section (58) and the common lower sheet material section (58), which are also fastened to one another in the region of respective connecting sections (61).
8. Lifting device (4) according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
   characterised in that
   a separate tubular body (62) is inserted into the respective connecting section (61), through which the fluidic coupling of the adjacent lifting elements (26) takes place.
9. Lifting device (4) according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that

   - such a lifting unit (24) is provided for at least two different lying surface areas (7),

   - the actuation device (31) and the control device (27) are designed so that at least two lifting units (24) can be controlled independently from one another to raise and lower the respectively assigned lying surface area (7).
10. Mattress (2) for a bed system (1) that has a lying surface (5),

    - with a foam core (63), which has a core upper side (64) facing the lying surface (5) and a core lower side (65) facing away from the lying surface (5),

    - with a lifting device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 9,

    - with a mattress cover (11), which covers the foam core (63) and the lifting device (4) and which has the lying surface (5).
11. Mattress (2) according to claim 10,
    characterised in that

    - the foam core (63) has a recess (75) on its core lower side (65) for the respective lifting unit (24) or the respective lifting element pair (25), in which the respective lifting unit (24) or the respective lifting element pair (25) is inserted such that it does not protrude beyond the core lower side (65), and/or

    - at least one channel (66) is formed in the foam core (63), in which at least one of the fluid lines (39) is arranged, and/or

    - a receiving opening (74) is formed in the foam core (63), into which the control device (27) is inserted.
12. Slatted frame (18) for a bed system (1),

    - with a plurality of slats (19) running parallel to the lying surface transverse direction (Y) and adjacent in the lying surface longitudinal direction (X),

    - with a lifting device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 9,

    - wherein each crossmember (23) of the lifting device (4) in the slatted frame (18) respectively forms a slat (19) of the slatted frame (18).
13. Bed system (1) with a lying surface (5),

    - with a mattress (2),

    - with spring base (3),

    - with a lifting device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
14. Bed system (1) according to claim 13,
    characterised in that

    - the lifting device (4) is designed separately from the mattress (2) and separately from the spring base (3) and is arranged between the mattress (2) and the spring base (3), and/or

    - the lifting device (4) is incorporated in the mattress (2) or in the spring base (3), and/or

    - a mattress cover (11) is provided, which covers the mattress (2) and the lifting device (4).

Images