GB2215996A

GB2215996A - Back-supporting device

Info

Publication number: GB2215996A
Application number: GB8903078A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Leppakorpi; Hans Larsson
Original assignee: Molnlycke Vafveri AB
Current assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health AB
Priority date: 1988-02-19
Filing date: 1989-02-10
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-02-10
Also published as: SE8800577L; FI890714A; SE460253B; DE3904295A1; SE8800577D0; NO890685L; DK59889A; DK164438C; GB2215996B; FI85641B; DK164438B; DK59889D0; NL8900371A; FI890714A0; DE8901646U1; NO890685D0; FI85641C; GB8903078D0

Description

1 1 BACK-SUPPORTING DEVICE_

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention relates to a device f or raising, supporting in a selectable raised position and lowering the back of a person lying on his back on a bed again according to the preamble of the appended claim 1.

Such devices are primarily used in the care of sick and old persons, in order to raise the back of a person confined to the bed for eating, watching television, reading and the like. From the economical point of view it is more advantageous to use these mobile devices for fulfilling this purpose than providing each bed with an equipment achieving this.

Devices of this kind, but without power means, are described in among others US patent 2 666 216 and US patent 603 756.

However, in US patent 3 931 653 and US patent 4 458 370 are devices having power means described. But these devices have important drawbacks. In both devices the power means is arranged inside the real bed frame, to put it more exactly the first frame of the back-supporting device, which leads to that 2 the device becomes unnecessarily high and accordingly requires much space and is difficult to apply to a bed without considerably influencing the form and offer of comfort of the bed mattress laid thereon later on.

A further drawback of the device according to US patent 4 458 370 resides in the fact that the power means during the lowering of the second backrest- forming frame do not allow any pivoting upwardly again by hand of this frame, if a finger,' clothing or the like should get stuck or be jammed between components of the device, such as the two frames. It would be desirable to ensure that the second frame in every position would permit pivoting upwardly by hand with only the weight of the second frame and the person resting thereon as resistance when carrying out such a pivoting upwardly, so that at every moment during the lowering only these forces may participate in unintended jamming of any object. Thus, the present invention desires to provide a back-supporting device of the kind stated above, but which should have the power means located beside the two f rames and thus beside the bed which it is applied on and avoids other j amming f orces than those emanating f rom the weight of a person leaning against the backrest and of the backrest.

A device with the power means located outside the two f rames may be attached to any bed standing in the middle of the room, but a great number of the beds in question (to a great extent beds located in care halls are concerned) are placed with one of their long sides against a wall. If the power means f or example were arranged to the lef t of the f rames the back supporting device could only be attached to beds having their right long sides touching a wall, whereas a back-supporting device provided with a power means located opposite thereto would be required for beds arranged with the opposite long side along a wall, if the bed is not moved away from the wall so as 3 to of f er f ree space f or the power means, however, the latter procedure is tiresome and very uncomfortable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind 5 mentioned above, but which does not present the above drawbacks, by having the power means located outside the two frames, avoids other jamming forces than the ones deriving from the weight of the person and of the second frame and permits an application of the device on beds with an arbritrary long side against a wall, but without requiring a removal of the power means f rom the device and remounting it thereto at a new place thereon.

According to the invention this object is obtained by providing a device of the kind mentioned above with the features in the charaterizing part of the appended claim 1.

By arranging the f irst elongated member of the power means displacable in the second elongated member other jamming forces than those emanating f rom the weight of the person leaning against the back-supporting portion of the second f rame are avoided. Furthermore, the arrangement of the link and the selectable rigid connection enabled by means of this between the power means and the second frame, after loosening the securing means of the first frame, give rise to such a relative pivoting between the first and the second frame that the device after an reestablishment of the rigid connection in a new position may be arranged on a bed with the power means at the long side opposite to the previous one. The device has in the new position exactly the same function as before, i.e. it avoids unnecessary jamming risks, this being possible thanks to the way of enabling this avoiding. The resting of the second f rame upon a support member upon which is acted by a power means and thus avoiding jamming risks, which is already known 4 in other devices, would not allow any maintaining of its function after a possible pivoting around of the device. However, the invention is among others based upon the understanding that this reduction of the jamming forces could be achieved by modifying the very power means, and from this follows the possibility to pivot the two frames 180 0 with respect to each other and turn the back-supporting device around and nevertheless maintain the function of the power means not associated with jamming forces.

Other advantages and preferred features of the invention will appear from the description following below of an advantageous embodiment and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention cited as an example. In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a perspective view of a back-supporting device. according to a preferred emodiment of the invention in a position in which it supports the back of a person, but is not arranged on a bed, f ig 2 is a perspective view of the device according to f ig 1 arranged on a bed, fig 3 is a perspective view of the device according to fig 2, but in another position for removal of the device from the bed, and f ig 4 is a perspective view of the device according to the other figures in a position following the position according to fig 3 when the device is removed from a bed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The back-supporting device shown in Fig 1 has a f irst frame 1, which consists of on one hand two beam members 2 extending substantially in parallel, and on the other a cross beam member 3 interconnecting these, and is made of one single piece by bending an elongated hallow beam. In the following it will also be referred to Fig 2. Securing means in the form of strapping belts 4 are arranged on the parallel beam members 2 of the f irst f rame so as to enable securing of the device by tightening the strapping belts 4 around the long side beams of a bed stand, as illustrated in Fig 2.

The f irst f rame 1 is at the f ree ends of the parallel beam members 2 pivotally connected to a second frame 8 also consisting of parallel beam members 6 and a cross beam member 7 about a first pivot axis substantially in parallel with the bed end 5 and horizontal in the state according to fig 2 with the device arranged on a bed. The second f rame 8 is through pivot pins 9 by the f ree ends of the beam member 6 pivotally connected to the f irst f rame 1 f rom the outside thereof. Thus, the beam members 6 has a slightly greater mutual distance than the beam members 2. A backrest surface forming portion 10, in the form of a stuf f, is put up between the beam members of the second frame. The back-supporting portion 10 will in the practice also support the head of the person leaning on the back-supporting device. The length of the f rames 1 01 8 is so adapted, that the f irst pivot axis 9 in the position according to Fig 2 substantially corresponds to the position of the hip-joint of a person lying on his back on the bed. Naturally a mattress will in the practice be arranged upon the bed stand and the back-supporting device.

6 Furthermore, the device comprises a power means 12 controlled by a control unit 11 and arranged to act between the first and the second frame so as to pivot the second frame with respect to the first one about said first pivot axis. The power means is of the type varying its length and has a rod member 14 rectilinearly displacable with respect to a second end 13 pivotally connected to the first frame 1 on a level with the cross beam 3. The power means is pivotally connected to the first frame 1 about a pivot axis substantially in parallel with the f irst pivot axis. The power means is a screw driven by an electro- motor, arranged in a cylinder 15 and connected with the rod member 14. The electro-motor is connected to a power supplying arrangement not shown, as the electricity supply network. However, the power means may also be a pressurized- f luid cylinder, and in this case a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

The rod member 14 is guidedly displacable inside a tube 16, which at its f irst, f ree end 17 is designed to receive the rod member 14 of the power means and at its second end 18 is pivotally connected through a f ork to the f irst end 19 of a rigid link 20. The rigid link 20 consists of a rod bent at 90 0 IF the second end 21 of which is received in a sleeve 22 secured to the second f rame 8. The center axis of the sleeve 22 coincides with the pivot axis between the f irst and the second frame 1 and 8, respectively.

The wall of the sleeve has two opposed f irst holes directed perpendicularly to the center axis of the sleeve and the link 20 has a second through hole arranged to correspond to the first holes in two positions displaced 180 0 with the respect to each other, when the link 20 is introduced in the sleeve 22. A bolt 23 may be pushed through the first and the second hole so as to establish a rigid connection between the link 20 and the second frame S.

7 The general way of function of the back-supporting device described above is the following. Starting from the position according to f ig 2 the rod member 14 may be displaced into the cylinder 15 by operating the control unit 11, said free end of the rod member having a portion with an enlarged diameter, and this portion bears against a portion with reduced inside diameter of the tube 16 close to the f ree end of the tube.. by means of the tendency of the rod member to leave the tube 16. This results in that the rod member 4 through the tube 16 acts upon the link 20 and thus upon the second f rame 8 so as to pivot it about the first pivot axis (the pivot pins 9). In this way may f or instance the position according to f ig 1 be obtained. Lowering of the backrest-f orming second frame takes place in a corresponding way by displacing the rod member 14 out of the cylinder 15 and thus allowing the second frame 2 to under control pivot downwardly towards the starting position shown in fig 2 in dependence on the force of gravity exerted by the body of the person upon the second frame. In every position the jamming forces set in between the two frames and other components of the device are solely constituted by forces emanating from the weight of the person and of the second frame. This is achieved thanks to the telescopical provision of the rod member 14 in the tube 16, whereby in each position the second frame 8 may by hand be pivoted upwardly with respect to the first frame, if the gravitation of the second and the gravition of a person possibly resting an the device are overcome.

Through the location of the power means 12 in accordance with the invention outside the two frames 1, 8, the device can be made very low, so that the part of the device lying beneath the bed mattress in the position according to Fig 2 only has a height substantially corresponding to the corresponding dimension of the beam members 2, 3, 6, 7.

8 The location of the second f rame 8 outside the f irst f rame 1 results in a great advantage with respect to the f orces necessary in relation to a location of the second frame 8 inside the first frame 1. In this way the resulting torsional movement and the ef f orts on the f irst f rame 1 in its connection with the second frame 8 become much smaller than in the second case. By means of this the f irst f rame 1 can be made lighter and does not need any reinforcements, as bracings. As a consequence of this the entire device can be made so light that it can be carried by any nursing staff with average strength, without any considerable risk of working injuries existing.

With reference to all figures it will now be explained how the device according to the invention can be moved from one bed standing with its lef t long side against a wall (see Fig 2) to a bed standing with its right long side close to a wall, while maintaining exactly the same function. Starting from the position according to f ig 2 the bolt 23 is pulled out of said f irst and second holes in the sleeve 22 and the link 20, whereupon the said f rame 8 by hand is pivoted through the position according to f ig 1 to the position according to f ig 3 at the same time as one grasps the tube 16 and this together with the power means 12 and the link 20 is pivoted to the position according to f ig 3. The link 20 as well as the second frame 8 with the sleeve 22 have now been pivoted substantially 1800, so that the f irst and the second holes still substantially coincide with each other in the same way As bef ore. In the position according to f ig 3 the strapping belts 4 are released and the pivoting movement of the second f rame with respect to the f irst f rame is continued by raising the pivot center of the two frames to the position according to fig 4 and furtheron until the parallel beam members 6 of the second frame extend substantially in parallel with the parallel beam members 2 of the first frame. In this position the position of the link 20 is slightly adjusted, so that its second hole coincides with first holes of the sleeve 22, whereupon the bolt 23 is pushed 9 into and through these holes for establishing the rigid connection between the link 20 and the second frame 8. The device is now ready to be carried to a bed with the right long side close to a wall and be applied on this bed f or f ulf illing exactly the same function as described above with reference made to fig 1 and 2.

Naturally, the invention is in no way restricted to the preferred embodiment described above, but numbers of possibilities to modify it would be apparent to a man with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, without departing from the basic id6a of the invention.

It would be possible to pivotally connect the second end of the power means to the bed stand instead of to the first frame. The power means may also be turned around, so that a tube f or receiving the rod member were pivotally connected to the f irst frame or an element rigidly connected thereto and the other end of the power means were pivotally connected to the second frame, possibly through a link.

The bolt and the holes in the sleeve and the link f or selec20 tably rigidly interconnecting the two f rames could be replaced by any suitable securing means, for example a tightening screw. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the angle between the two selectable connection positions is exactly 180 0, but it could also be slightly smaller or larger, since in any case the pivotable mounting of the power device and the displacability of the rod member in the tube would adapt the back-supporting device af ter change of side of the power means, so that it would function in the same way as prior to the side change described above.

Naturally, the back-supporting portion 10 could be constituted by ribs or other suitable elements and the strapping belts could be replaced by arbitrary suitable securing means.

Finally, it would of course be possible to replace the tube and rod member in the device described above by a rod member and a 1 tube, respectively, having cooperating portions with enlarged and reduced diameter, respectively. 7 S

Claims

1. A device f or raising, supporting in a selectable raised position and lowering again the back of a person. lying on his back on a bed, said device being designed to be secured close to the head end of the bed and so that it may be moved between dif f erent beds, said device comprising a f irst f rame (1) with substantially the same width as a bed, means (4) for releasably fixing the first frame (1) to a bedstand, a second frame (8) having a back-supporting portion (10), which is pivotally connected to the first frame (1) about a first pivot axis, which, in the state when the f irst f rame is secured to a bed stand, is located at the end of the first frame (1) turned away f rom the head end of the bed and is substantially in parallel with the end (5) of the bed and horizontal, said second f rame (8) being designed to, when a person lies in a bed provided with the device, have its end of the back-supporting portion (10) located opposite to the first pivot axis in the immediate vicinity of the head end of the bed, and a power means (12) being arranged to act between on one hand a) the first frame (1) or b) the bed stand and on the other the second frame (8) in order to pivot the second frame with respect to the first one for said raising, supporting and lowering of the back portion of the person, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the power means (12) is arranged outside one long side of the bed as viewed straightly from above, when the device is arranged on a bed, that it is of the length-varying type with a rigid first elongated member (14) forming a first end of the power means and being rectilinearly displaceable in its longitudinal direction and with respect to the second end (13) of the power means, that the f irst elongated member (14) is arranged telescopically guidedly displaceable with respect to a rigid second elongated member (16) which in its turn is directly or indirectly pivotally connected, about a second axis substantially in parallel with the f irst. pivot axis, to in alternative a) either the second frame (8) or the first frame (1) and in 12 alternative b) either the second f rame (8) or the bed stand, that there are means f or preventing removal of the f ree end of one (14) of the elongated members out of the other (16), that the power means is arranged to produce the pivoting movement of the second frame by displacing the first elongated member (14) with respect to its second end (13) while the f ree end of the first elongated member strives in the direction for leaving the telescopical engagement with the second elongated member, so that in every position of the second back-supporting frame (8) a pivoting upwardly of this f rame by hand while pushing the f ree end of one of the elongated members into the other is possible, in order to avoid other jamming forces between on one hand the second frame (8) and on the other the first frame (1) or the bed stand than those emanating f rom the weight of the is person leaning on the back-supporting portion (10) of the f rame, that one end of the power means is pivotally connected, about a second axis substantially in parallel with said pivot axis, to a first end (19) of a rigid link (20), the second end (21) of which is rigidly connected to the second f rame (8) at or in the vicinity of the f irst pivot axis, that the power means (12) is arranged to pivot the second f rame (8) by pivoting the second end (21) of the link about the latter pivot axis, and that means (23) are arranged for displacing the rigid connection between the link (20) and the second frame (8) by allowing pivoting of the link at least 900, preferably 180 0 p with respect to the second frame and then reestablishing the rigid connection, whereby it is possible to arrange the device with the power means (12) at a selectable long side of a bed.

2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that on the second frame (8) a sleeve (22) having a centre axis substantially coinciding with the first pivot axis is arranged, that the second end (21) of the link is introduced into the sleeve (22), that the wall of the sleeve has two opposite first holes directed substantially perpendicularly to the centre axis 1 of the sleeve and the link (20) has a second through hole z 13 arranged to, when the link is introduced into the sleeve, correspond to the f irst holes in two positions mutually displaced by 180 0, and that a pin like member (23), such as a bolt, may be pushed through the first and the second holes so as to establish the rigid connection between the link (20) and the second frame (8) selectable out of the two different positions.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second elongated member (16) and thus the first elongated member (14) of the power means is pivotally connected to the first end (19) of the link and thus to the second frame (8).

4. A device accoraing to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second end (21) of the power means is pivotally connected to the first frame (1) at its end located opposite to the pivot connection to the second frame (8).

5.;A device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second elongated member is a tube (16) having a smaller inside diameter at its end (171 receiving the first elongated member being a rod member (14) than f or the rest, that the f ree end of the f irst elongated member is provided with a portion with an enlarged diameter, which is greater than the inside diameter of the second elongated member at said receiver end, and that the enlarged portion is arranged to continously bear against the interior surfaces of the second elongated member at the receiver end of the latter by means of the weight of the second f rame and a person resting in the bed.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first (1) and the second (8) frame each have two parallel beam members (2 and 6, respectively) and a cross beam member (3 and 7, respectively) 14 interconnecting these and extending substantially perpendicularly thereto, each frame being preferably constituted by one single bent beam, that the cross beam members are located at the end of the frame in question located opposite to the mutual connection of the frames, and extend substantially in parallel with the bed ends (5), and that the parallel beam members (6) of the second frame (8) are located at a greater mutual distance than the parallel beam members (2) of the first frame (1) and the pivot connection between the frames is achieved by pivotally connecting the free ends of the parallel beam members of the second frame from the outside with the free ends of the parallel beam members of the first frame, in order to reduce the breaking moments on the first frame.

7. A device according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in 15 that the link (20) is a tube or rod member bent at right angle, the first end (19) of which points in a plane substantially in parallel with the long sides of the bed and its second end (21) points in a plane substantially in parallel with the ends (5) - of the bed, when the device is arranged on a bed.

8. A device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the powermeans (12) is a cylinder connected to a pressurized-fluid source and with the. piston first elongated constituting said rod member (14).

9. A device as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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Sales Branch, St Mary. Orpn, Kent BM ZW. Printed by Multiplex teces ltd, St Cray, KCnt COn. 1187