GB2519111A

GB2519111A - A collapsible bed rail

Info

Publication number: GB2519111A
Application number: GB1317890.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Henry Edmunds
Original assignee: STRONGBOX ACCOMMODATION FURNITURE Ltd
Current assignee: STRONGBOX ACCOMMODATION FURNITURE Ltd
Priority date: 2013-10-09
Filing date: 2013-10-09
Publication date: 2015-04-15
Also published as: GB201317890D0

Abstract

A collapsible bed rail system 1, particularly advantageous for use with a bunk 4 of a ship or offshore platform, has a bed rail 22 locked in place in a raised position by means of a locking tube 20 sliding over a lower knuckle joint (7, Fig 2). The system may further comprise a second locking tube 21 and second lower knuckle joint (8, Fig 2) at a second end of the bed rail. The two knuckle joints may be arranged such that the rail remains parallel to the bed 4, to which the system is attached, when the rail is moved from the raised position to a lowered position (Fig 3). This provides a relatively inexpensive, simple to operate and secure way of locking a bed rail in a raised position and ensures that the bed rail cannot be removed from the bed, thereby ensuring the bed rail is readily available when it is necessary to employ it.

Description

A Collapsible Bed Rail The present invention relates to a collapsible bed rail, particularly, but not exclusively, suitable as a lee rail for bunks on sea going vessels such as warships, rescue vessels and accommodation blocks for use on oil and gas platforms. However, a collapsible bed rail system in accordance with the present invention may have other applications, for example on hospital beds, hospital trolleys and children's beds or cots.

For many of the applications described above it is desirable to have a side rail, or lee rail, on the side of a bed or bunk to prevent an occupant inadvertently falling out. Such a rail, however, hinders an occupant getting in and out of the bed and changing the bed and often the rail will not always be necessary. This is especially true in the case of lee rails for bunks on sea vessels or the like, where it may be desirable to only employ the rail in rough weather.

At present, on some sea going vessels and offshore accommodation blocks bunks are provided with a lee rail which is detachable, so that the lee rail may only be used only in times of rough weather and detached and stored separately from the bunk at other times. However, a problem with this is that if rough weather is not encountered for a long period of time, the lee rail may be mis-placed or lost. Also it is not immediately available if a person already occupying a bunk should subsequently require it.

There is therefore a need for a collapsible lee rail (bed rail) system where the lee rail is secured permanently in position on a bunk (or bed) but which both permits easy access to the bunk when not required and may also be quickly and easily deployed when subsequently required, even by someone already occupying the bunk who is half asleep.

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible bed rail system comprising a bed rail arranged to be moved between a raised and lowered position; an attachment member arranged to be attached in a fixed position relative to a bed; and a linkage between the attachment member and the rail, the linkage comprising a shaft pivotally connected at respective ends to the rail and associated attachment member, the linkage further comprising a lower knuckle joint at one end of the shaft by which the shaft is pivotally connected to the attachment member and a locking tube arranged to slide on the shaft and over the lower knuckle joint when the lower knuckle joint is in a straight position to lock the lower knuckle joint in the straight position, wherein the lower knuckle joint adopts a straight position when the rail is in a raised position and the locking tube can slide over the lower knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position.

A shaft, as used in the context of the present specification including the claims, is to be interpreted to encompass any tubular or rod like member.

A bed rail system in accordance with the present invention permits a bed rail to be retained permanently in place on a bed, in a lowered position, to provide relatively easy access to the bed, whilst ensuring the bed rail cannot be removed from the bed. It also permits the bed rail to be simply raised and the locking tube slid over the knuckle joint to lock the rail in a raised position. This provides a very simple cost effective solution to the provision of a collapsible bed rail and enables the bed rail, when raised, to be secured in a relatively rigid manner.

Preferably the linkage is a first linkage with the system having a second linkage comprising a shaft pivotally connected at respective ends to a second attachment member and to the rail, wherein the two linkages are arranged such that the rail will remain substantially parallel to a bed to which the bed rail system is attached when the rail is moved between its raised and lowered positions.

Providing two linkages) which may be at either end, or towards either end of the rail, permits the rail to be raised and lowered in a simple manner whilst keeping the rail parallel to the bed, so that it may be lowered until it is at or below the top level of the mattress and therefore does not impede access to the bed. In such a lowered position the rail may be located closely adjacent the side of the mattress, possibly mounted inside the bed frame and so in the lowered (stored) position does not require any addition storage space. This may be particularly advantageous in the cramped confines of a cabin on board a ship or offshore platform.

The second linkage may employ a similar, preferably identical, lower knuckle joint and locking tube to the first linkage. Then both ends of the rail may be locked in position increasing the rigidity and strength of the bed rail system. This may be important where the rail may be used to assist an occupant climbing in and out of a bed, for example where the bed is an upper bunk bed.

It may be advantageous in a system employing two locking tubes, as described above, for the locking tubes to be connected together by a common release handle extending there between. Thereby, when the rail is in the raised position and the locking tubes are slid over respective knuckles locking the rail in the raised position, operating the handle releases both locking tubes by sliding them along the shaft so that they permit the respective lower knuckle joints to pivot and the rail to be moved to the lowered position. This enables single handed operation to lower the rail.

Advantageously, when the rail is raised, the release handle is parallel to but below the rail and the release handle is arranged to be raised towards the rail to move the locking tubes, to permit the respective lower knuckle joints to pivot and the rail to be moved to the lowered position. Such an arrangement may permit both the rail and release handle to be grasped with one hand, with the hand squeezing the rail and release handle together to raise the release handle and lower the rail.

It may be particularly advantageous if the release handle is pivotally fixed at its ends to respective locking tubes and the locking tubes are prevented from rotating on their respective shafts.

Where two attachment members are provided, which are fixed relative to the bed, these may be secured to, or form part of, a common bracket with the bracket then being secured to the bed. In this manner the collapsible bed rail system can be manufactured as a complete unit only, requiring that the bracket be secured as a single piece to a bed, with the bracket ensuring the attachment members are correctly spaced from each other. With such arrangement it is preferable that the bracket, rail and the linkages form a parallel linkage arrangement which will maintain the rail parallel to the bracket and thus may retain the rail parallel to the top edge of a mattress on the bed.

It is particularly advantageous if a collapsible bed rail system in accordance with the present invention comprises just two linkages attached at, or towards, respective ends of the rail, reducing the number of components required to provide a relatively rigid rail. However, three or more linkages could equally be employed between the rail and respective attachment members, with one or more of them employing a locking tube.

Advantageously, a linkage is arranged such that the locking tube is biased towards a position where it extends over the lower knuckle joint and locks the rail in the raised position, so that the action of moving the rail from its lowered position to its raised position straightens the lower knuckle joint and thus permits the locking tube to slide over the lower knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position. This arrangement permits the action of grasping the rail and moving it to the raised position to also cause the rail to be locked in place, by virtue of the locking tube being biased to slide over the lower knuckle joint when the lower knuckle joint is straight.

A spring may be employed to bias the locking tube over the lower knuckle joint or the locking tube may be biased by gravity.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible bed rail system in accordance with the present invention, in a raised position and mounted to a bed; Figure 2 shows the collapsible bed rail system of Figure 1 with a release handle in a raised position prior to lowering of the rail; Figure 3 shows the collapsible bed rail system of Figures land 2 in a lowered position; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views of the locking tube employed with the present invention; Figure 7A is a plan view of the locking tube of Figures 4 to 6; Figure 7B is a front elevation of the locking tube of Figures 4 to 6; Figure 7C is a side elevation of the locking tube of Figure 7B; and Figure 8 is a cross-section along the line VIII -VIII of Figure 7B.

Referring to Figure 1 a collapsible bed rail system in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally as 1. This comprises a bracket 2 mounted to the inside of a side frame 3 of a bunk 4, with the mattress omitted for clarity. Two attachment members S and 6 are secured to the bracket 2 and these are in the form of short sections of tube. The length of these tubes may depend on the application for the bed rail system, but the other components of the system need not normally be altered.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the attachment members 5 and 6 are fixed to respective lower ends of lower knuckle joints 7 and 8. They may be permanently fixed to the respective lower ends of lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 by any suitable means such as by being welded. The upper ends of lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 are fixed to respective tubes 9 and 10, again by any suitable means such as by being welded. The diameter of the lower knuckle joints 7 and 8, which may typically be 22mm, is greater than the diameter of the tubes 9 and 10, which may typically be 16mm.

Upper ends of tubes 9 and 10 are secured to respective upper knuckle joints 11 and 12 by means of respective grub screws 13 and 14 in respective collars 15 and 16 passing through respective tubes 9 and 10 into stems of respective upper knuckle joints 11 and 12. Thus the grub screws 13 and 14 secure respective tubes 9, 10 and collars 15, 16 to respective upper knuckle joints 11 and 12.

Springs 17 and 18 act between respective collars 15 and 16 and NylonTM inserts 19 (see Figures 6 and 8) to bias respective locking tubes 20 and 21 to the downward position shown in Figure 1. The upper end of upper knuckle joints 11 and 12 are fixed to respective ends of rail 22 and may be fixed in place by welding or equivalent means.

A release handle 23 is attached at its respective ends to locking tubes 20 and 21 by means of fastenings 24 shown in Figures 4 to 7C.

In Figure 1 the bed rail 22 is shown in a raised position to prevent an occupant accidentally rolling out of the bunk 4. The rail 22 may be employed in this position in rough seas or at other times when there is a likelihood of the occupant rolling out of the bunk 4.

As shown in Figure 1, when the rail 22 is in the raised position, locking tubes 20 and 21 are urged by respective springs 9 and 10 over respective lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 to lock the lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 in an upright position, retaining the rail 22 in the raised position where it would normally be at least 150mm above the top edge of the mattress (not shown).

When it is desired to lower the rail 22 from the raised position shown in Figure 1, then the release handle 23 is raised to the position shown in Figure 2. This may be achieved by a person squeezing the rail 22 and release handle 23 together between the fingers and thumb of one hand, raising the release handle to the position shown in Figure 2. If the release handle is grasped towards its mid portion, then raising the handle 23 will raise both locking tubes 20 and 21, for when the first locking tube 20 or 21 reaches the full extent of its travel, continued raising of the release handle 23 will cause the other locking tube 21 or 20 to also be fully raised to the position shown in Figure 2. In this position lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 may freely pivot, permitting the person to lower the bed rail 22 to the position shown in Figure 3, where both bed rail 22 and release handle 23 will be laterally displaced and lowered to the position shown.

In this position the bed rail 22 and release handle 23 would normally be below the top edge of the mattress (not shown), providing unimpeded access to the bunk 4 whilst ensuring the bed rail system 1 is retained secured to the side frame 3 of the bunk 4 for when it is next required.

From the position shown in Figure 3, it will be appreciated that, when it is required to raise the bed rail 22, the occupant merely needs to lift the bed rail 22 vertically causing it to adopt the position shown in Figure 2, where springs 17 and 18 will urge respective locking tubes 20 and 21 over respective lower knuckle joints 7 and 8, to lock the lower knuckle joints 7 and 8 in the straight position illustrated in Figure land thus lock the bed rail 22 in the raised position shown in Figure 1.

Figures 4,5 and 6 show perspective views of one locking tube 20, with a fastening 24 for the release handle 23 and an inner NylonTM bush 19. The other locking tube 21 of Figure 1 is identical. The locking tube 20 is also shown in the plan view and front and side elevations of Figures 7A to 7C and in the cross-section in Figure 8. From these figures it is seen that the NylonTM bush 19 is located within the locking tube 20, in which it is an interference fit. The NylonTM bush 19 avoids metal to metal contact between the locking tube 20 and both the tube 9 and lower knuckle joint 7, over which it slides. This providing a nice feel to the locking action and reduces the possibility of the collapsible bed rail system 1 rattling, as may otherwise be the case when employed on a ship or offshore platform where low frequency vibrations are often experienced.

As can most clearly be seen from Figures 6 and 8, the top edge of the NylonTM insert 19 provides a seat 25 for the spring 17. The NylonTM bush 19 has a little slot 26 in it, which slot 26 extends vertically from below the top edge of the bush 26 to a point above the bottom edge of the bush 26. The slot 26 engages with a pin (not shown) extending from the tube 9 of Figures 1 to 3 and prevents the NylonTM bush 19 (and thus locking tube 20) rotating on tube 9. This in turn ensures fastening 24 protrudes perpendicularly relative to release handle 23 and avoids excessive forces being placed on the fastening 24, which may otherwise occur if the locking tube 20 could twist around the tube 9.

With reference to the cross section of the locking tube 20 and bush 19 of Figure 8, it is seen that the inner diameter of a lower section of the NylonTM bush 19, which may be 22mm, decreases at step 27, with the inner diameter of the upper portion of the bush 19 being for example 16mm. Step 27 prevents the locking tube 20 extending below the position shown in Figure 1, for at that point step 27 of bush 19 engages the lower knuckle joint 7, which is of a greater diameter than the tube 9. Thus the step 27 ensures that the locking tube 20 adopts the locked position shown in Figure 1, where the locking tube 20 is correctly positioned over the lower knuckle joint 7, preventing the locking tube 20 passing completely over the lower knuckle joint, which may occur in the case where an extended attachment memberS is employed.

The collapsible bed rail system 1 hereinbefore described and illustrated will typically be powder coated. It may be desirable to do this after manufacture, locally, in accordance with a customer's requirements. For example, if the bunk is to be used as a first aid or hospital bunk, it may be required to powder coat the collapsible bed rail system 1 with an antibacterial coating. If this is the case, it may be desirable to manufacture and supply the collapsible bed rail system as a complete unit, in which case the securing of the tubes 9 and 10 to respective upper knuckle joints 11 and 12 by respective grub screws 13 and 14, enables the grub screws 13 and 14 to be removed and the springs 17 and 18, locking tubes 20 and 21 (which may typically be stainless steel) and NylonTM inserts 19 to be removed, prior to the remaining components being powder coated before reassembly.

One embodiment of the present invention has been described above by way of example only. It will be appreciated that many variations are possible which fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the collapsible bed rail system could employ a single locking tube, for if a single one of the lower knuckle joints 7 or 8 of Figure 1 is locked in place, this will retain the bed rail 22 in the position shown in Figure 1 but this will provide a less robust bed rail system than would be the case where both ends of the bed rail 22 are locked in position. Similarly, the illustrated embodiment has only two ends of the bed rail 22 secured to the bunk 4, but there could be any number of intermediate pivoted links securing the bed rail 22 to the bunk 4.

Claims

Claims 1. A collapsible bed rail system comprising: a bed rail arranged to be moved between a raised and lowered position; an attachment member arranged to be attached in a fixed position relative to a bed; and a linkage between the attachment member and the rail, the linkage comprising a shaft pivotally connected at respective ends to the rail and associated attachment member, the linkage further comprising a knuckle joint at one end of the shaft by which the shaft is pivotally connected to the attachment member and a locking tube arranged to slide on the shaft and over the knuckle joint when the knuckle joint is in a straight position to lock the knuckle joint in the straight position, wherein the knuckle joint adopts a straight position when the rail is in a raised position and the locking tube can slide over the knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the linkage is a first linkage and wherein the system comprises a second linkage comprising a shaft pivotally connected at respective ends to a second attachment member and to the rail, wherein the two linkages are arranged such that the rail will remain substantially parallel to a bed to which the bed rail system is attached when the rail is moved between its raised and lowered positions.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second linkage further comprises a knuckle joint at one end of the shaft by which the shaft is pivotally connected to the attachment member and a locking tube arranged to slide on the shaft and over the knuckle joint when the knuckle joint is in a straight position to lock the knuckle joint in the straight position, wherein the knuckle joint adopts a straight position when the rail is in the raised position and the locking tube can slide over the knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position.
4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the locking tubes are connected together by a common release handle extending there between wherein, when the rail is in the raised position and the locking tubes are slid over respective knuckles locking the rail in the raised -10 -position, operating the handle releases both locking tubes by sliding them along the shaft so that they permit the respective knuckle joints to pivot and the rail to be moved to the lowered position.
5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein when the rail is in the raised position, the release handle is parallel to but below the rail and the release handle is arranged to be raised towards the rail to move the locking tubes to permit the respective knuckle joints to pivot and the rail to be moved to the lowered position.
6. A system as claimed in any one of claims 4 or S wherein the locking tubes are prevented from rotating on their respective shafts and the release handle is pivotally fixed at its ends to respective locking tubes.
7. A system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the attachment members are fixed to, or form part of, a common bracket to be secured to a bed.
8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bracket, rail and the linkages form a parallel linkage arrangement.
9. A system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to8 comprising just two linkages attached at or towards respective ends of the rail.
10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a linkage is arranged such that the locking tube is biased towards a position where it extends over the knuckle joint and locks the rail in the raised position so that the action of moving the rail from its lowered position to its raised position straightens the knuckle joint permitting the locking tube to slide over the knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position.
11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the linkage further comprises a spring acting on the locking tube to bias it to a position where it extends over the knuckle joint to lock the rail in the raised position.

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12. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the locking tube is biased by gravity towards a position where it extends over the knuckle joint.
13. A system as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12 employing multiple linkages, wherein a locking tube on each linkage is biased to a position where it extends over a knuckle joint of that linkage.
14. A collapsible bed rail system substantially shown in and/or described with reference to the accompanying figures.