GB2447500A

GB2447500A - Hospital bed having pivoting side rail

Info

Publication number: GB2447500A
Application number: GB0705053A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chi-Tzung Huang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-16
Filing date: 2007-03-16
Publication date: 2008-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-16
Also published as: GB2447500B; GB0705053D0

Abstract

A hospital bed 1 comprises a plurality of pivoting side guard rails 2; each side rail 2 is connected to the bed by means of a bending arm 3 pivotally connected at one end to the side rail 2 and at the other end to the hospital bed 1; a biased pivoted latch pawl 11 has a notch 112 which in the locked position engages a fixing protrusion 31 on the bending arm 3 and maintains the side barrier 2 in a raised position preventing the occupant of the bed from falling out. Each rail 2 further comprises a control handle 21 which when pulled releases latch 11 by means of a releasing projection 231 which lifts the latch via contact with projection 111. With the latch 11 released the safety rail 2 can be lowered, to a position lower than the bed 1 which allows un obstructed access to the bed 1.

Description

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IMPROVEMENT ON A SIDE RAIL STRUCTURE OF A HOSPITAL

BED

BACKGROUND OF THE Th.JVENT1ON

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an improvement on a hospital bed side rail, more particularly one, which is convenient to use, and can be moved to below the hospital bed to allow a patient to leave/move onto the hospital bed with ease.

2. Brief Dtscription of the Prior Art

Most hospital beds are equipped with side rails, which are operable between a raised configuration for confining a patient inside the hospital bed, and a lowered configuration for allowing a patient to leave/move onto the hospital bed.

Referring to Fig. 9, a currently existing hospital bed structure 4 includes side rails 41 on two sides thereof, and securing devices 42 for the side rails 41. The side rails 41 are foldable and each include several supporting members 411, and an aimrest rod part 412; the supporting members 411 are pivoted at lower ends thereof to the edges of the hospital bed 4; the armrest rod part 412 is pivoted to upper ends of the supporting members 411. The securing devices 42 can be operated to a securing configuration to hold the side rails 41 in position after the side

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rails 41 are moved to a raised in-use position. And, the securing devices 42 can be operated so as to allow the side rails to move to a folding position, in which position the side rails will be closely in touch with an upper side of the hospital bed.

Such side rails have a disadvantage: because the side rails rest in a folding position on an upper side of the hospital bed, they will be subjected to a patient's body weight when the patient is leaving/moving onto the hospital bed. Consequently, the side rails are prone to get damaged.

Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an improvement on a hospital bed side rail structure to overcome the above-mentioned problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A hospital bed side rail structure according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes several side rails, bending arms, and securing pieces; the side rails are on two sides of a hospital bed; the bending arms are each pivoted at one end to a respective one of the side rails and pivoted at the other end to the hospital bed, and each have a fitting protrusion thereon; the securing pieces are pivoted to the hospital bed, and each have a poked portion at one end, and a receiving gap for receiving a corresponding fitting protrusion: the securing pieces are each biased towards a securing position by means of an elastic element connected to the hospital bed; each of the side rails includes a control handle part, a connecting part connected to the control handle part, and a co-moving part, which is connected to the connecting part, and has a poking rod portion adjacent to a corresponding securing piece poked portion. The side rails can be moved to below the hospital bed to allow a patient to leave/move onto the hospital bed with ease and preventing the patient's body weight from causing damage to the side rails

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a front view of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a side view of the present invention, Fig. 5 is a view of the present invention, taken in operation (1), Fig. 6 is a view of the present invention, taken in operation (2), Fig. 7 is a view of the present invention, taken in operation (3), Fig. 8 is a view of the present invention, taken in operation (4). and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the currently existing structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figs. I and 2, a preferred embodiment of a hospital bed side rail structure inc'udes several side rails 2, and several bending arms 3.

The side rails 2 are each fitted to one of two sides of a hospital bed.

The bending arms 3 are each pivoted at a first end thereof to a corresponding said side rail 2 and pivoted at second ends thereof to the hospital bed 1.

The hospital bed has several securing pieces 11 pivoted thereto; each of the securing pieces II has a poked portion 111, and a receiving gap 112 on a lower side thereof. Furthermore, elastic elements 12 are connected to the hospital bed 1 and the securing pieces 11 for biasing the securing pieces 11 towards a securing position.

Each of the side rails 2 includes: a control handle part 21, a connecting part 22 connected to the control handle part 21 at one end, a sleeve part 24, a co-moving part 23 passed into the sleeve part 24 and connected to the other end of the connecting part 22, the co-moving part 23 has a poking rod portion 2311 adjacent to a corresponding said securing piece poked portion 111; and a return elastic element 25 used for biasing the co-moving part 23 to an inactive position.

Each of the bending arms 3 has a fitting protrusion 31 corresponding to a respective one of the receiving gaps 112 of the securing pieces 11.

Referring to Fig. 4, one of the side rails 2 is supported in a raised configuration by means of the corresponding bending arm 3, with the fitting protrusion 31 of the bending arm 3 being received in corresponding receiving gap 112 of the securing piece 11 so as to secure the bending arm 3 in position; the securing piece 11 will be firmly joined to the bending arm 3 owing to elastic force of the elastic element 12, thus preventing the side rail 2 from moving accidentally.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, one of the control handle parts 21 of the side rails 2 is lifted to raise the corresponding co-moving part 23; thus, the poking rod portion 231 of the co-moving rod 23 pushes the corresponding securing piece poked portion 111 upwards, and the receiving gap 112 is apart from the fitting protrusion 31 of the bending arm 3, as shown in Fig. 6. Referring to Fig. 7, after the receiving gap 112 is apart from the fitting protrusion 31, the side rail 2 is moved in a vertical direction downwards to a lowered configuration with the corresponding bending arm 3 pivoting on the side rail 2 as well as the hospital bed 1; referring to Fig. 8, a patient is allowed to leave the hospital bed 2, and allowed to move onto the hospital be 2 with ease

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after the side rail 2 is operated to a lowered configuration.

From the above description, it can be seen that the present invention has the following advantages: firstly, the side rails have control handle parts, and can be moved in a vertical direction to be lower than the hospital bed after the control handle parts are lifted, thus allowing a patient to leave/move onto the hospital bed with ease as well as preventing the patient's body weight from causing damage to the side rails; secondly, the hospital bed has several such side rails on each side thereof therefore after people lower those of the side rails that are nearer to the leg supporting portion of the hospital bed, the patient is allowed to hold those of the side rails that are nearer to the head supporting portion of the hospital bed when he/she is leaving/moving onto the hospital bed.

In other words, the side rails are safe and convenient to use.

Claims

WHAT iS CLAIMED IS: 1. An improvement on a side rail structure of a hospital bed, comprising a plurality of side rails on each one of two sides of a hospital bed, a plurality of bending arms, the bending arms being each pivoted at one end to a respective one of the side rails and pivoted at other end thereof to the hospital bed; and a plurality of securing pieces pivoted to the hospital bed, each of the securing pieces having a poked portion at one end thereof; each of the securing pieces having a receiving gap on a lower side thereof; the securing pieces being each biased by means of an elastic element connected to the hospital bed; each of the side rails including: a control handle part, a connecting part connected to the control handle part, and a co-moving part connected to the connecting part, the co-moving part having a poking rod portion adjacent to a corresponding said securing piece poked portion. 2. The improvement on a side rail structure of a hospital bed as recited in claim 1, wherein the co-moving part is passed into a sleeve, and biased by a return elastic element. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLALMS

1. A side rail structure of a hospital bed, comprising: a plurality of side rails on each one of two sides of a hospital bed; a plurality of bending arms, the bending arms each being pivoted at a first end to a respective one of the side rails, and pivoted at a second end thereof to the hospital bed, each bending arm having a fitting protrusion; and a plurality of securing pieces pivoted to the hospital bed, each of the securing pieces having a tab at one end thereof; each of the securing pieces having a slot on a lower side thereof; the securing pieces each being biased towards a securing position by means of an elastic element connected to the hospital bed; the slot in the lower side of each securing piece being adapted to receive the corresponding fitting protrusion of the bending arm; each of the side rails including: a control handle part; a connecting part connected to the control handle part; and a co-moving part connected to the connecting part, the co-moving part having a lifting arm portion in contact with a corresponding said securing piece tab.

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2. A side rail structure of a hospital bed as recited in claim I, wherein the :.::: co-moving part is located inside a sleeve, and biased by a return elastic element. S... * S

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