GB2528285A

GB2528285A - Profiling bed

Info

Publication number: GB2528285A
Application number: GB1412626.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laurie Drake
Original assignee: Accora Ltd
Current assignee: Accora Ltd
Priority date: 2014-07-16
Filing date: 2014-07-16
Publication date: 2016-01-20
Also published as: GB201412626D0

Abstract

An adjustable bed having a base frame (5) and a head and upper body support (10) pivotally connected to the frame, adjustable by a lever (15) pivotally attached to the frame and slidably attached to the support. An actuator (30) acting on the lever moves the bed between a horizontal and inclined position. Preferably the lever (15) is a rigid bar connected to a support bar (25) that is pivotally connected to the base frame. Preferably the actuator (30) acts to rotate the support bar (25). The actuator (30) may be hydraulic, electric or mechanical, and may be pivotally coupled to the frame. The sliding mechanism comprises a track (35) on the upper body and a follower (20) on the lever moving along the track. The follower may be a wheel pivotally mounted to the lever. The lever may be a class three lever. There is a further claim to the lever and actuator acting on the bed.

Description

PROFILING BED

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of adjustable profiling beds particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, for use by invalids or by persons recovering from accidents or surgery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adjustable profiling beds are known where separate sections of the bed are separately adjustable as can be required for both medical purposes and for patient comfort. Thus, it is known for a head and upper body section to be adjustable from a substantially horizontal position where the user is in a prone position to a required angle of inclination to raise the head and upper body. Also known is an ability to adjust the section supporting the upper and lower leg portions to put the legs in a desired disposition.

A number of beds with an adjustable head and upper body section are known that achieve a chair configuration to provide good upright positioning. However, accomplishing this usually involves raising the head and upper body section and the leg section and then tilting the bed frame down towards the foot end. This tilt limits how low the bed can go, and the better the chair configuration, the more compromised the low height of the bed becomes. This results in the patient sitting a long way off the ground, and relies on the carer to take the bed out of tilt in order to lower the height.

Transfer on and off this type of bed when in a chair configuration is difficult or even impossible for patients with restricted mobility.

SUMMARY OF Ti-lB INVENTION

The invention is defined by the claims.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable profiling bed comprises: a base frame; a head and upper body support pivotally connected to the base frame so that the head and upper body support is movable between a substantially horizontal configuration and an inclined configuration; and an actuator coupled to the base frame and adapted to move the head and upper body support between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a lever pivotally connected to the base frame and slidably coupled to the head and upper body support at a coupling position such that the coupling position moves relative to the head and upper body support as it is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration Embodiments employ an actuator coupled to the base frame and adapted to slide with respect to the head and upper body support. This may help to reduce the size (e.g. thickness, length or vertical profile) of the actuator when the head and upper body support is in the substantially horizontal configuration, thereby allowing the bed to be positioned lower to the ground. In other words, embodiments may employ an actuator which helps to reduce the ground clearance and/or height of the bed.

The actuator arrangement according to an embodiment may help to ensure that sufficient leverage can be generated to the move the head and upper body support, while maintaining a slim-line design to ensure the base frame (or bed platform) can be positioned as low as possible to the ground. In an embodiment, an actuator rotates one or more rigid lever members by effecting rotation of a bar (upon which the lever member(s) is/are supported), The actuator may affect rotation of the bar by moving a flange or bracket which projects upwardly from the bar.

The lever may comprise a rigid bar of fixed length mounted on a support bar that is pivotally coupled to the base frame. Further, the actuator may be adapted to effect rotation of the support bar so as to pivotally move the lever.

The actuator further may further comprise one or more hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuators adapted to pivotally move the lever. Also, the one or more hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuators may be pivotally coupled to the base frame, The lever may be slidably coupled to the head and upper body support via a slide mechanism, and the slide mechanism may comprise: a track provided on the head arid upper body support; and a follower provided on the lever to move along the track as the head and upper body support is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration. The follower may comprise one or more wheels pivotally connected to the lever. n

The lever may be a class three lever having an effort applied between the coupling position and the pivotal connection to the base frame (i.e. the fulcrum).

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an actuator for an adjustable profiling bed having a base frame and a head and upper body support pivotally connected to the base frame so that the head and upper body support is movable between a substantially horizontal configuration to an inclined configuration, the actuator being adapted to move the head and upper body support between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a lever adapted to be pivotally connected to the base frame and to be slidably coupled to the head and upper body support at a coupling position such that the coupling position moves relative to the head and upper body support as it is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of the underside view of an embodiment, wherein the head and upper body support is in a substantially horizontal configuration; and Figure 2 is view of the embodiment of Figure 1, wherein the head and upper body support is in an inclined configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides an adjustable profiling bed having an actuator which is adapted to slide with respect to the head and upper body support as it is moved between a substantially horizontal configuration and an inclined configuration. The actuator arrangement has a small vertical thickness (or profile) when the head and upper body support is in the substantially horizontal configuration, thereby allowing the bed (or its base frame) to be positioned close to the ground. In other words, the actuator arrangement can help to reduce the ground clearance and/or height of the bed.

The term vertical, as used herein, means substantially orthogonal to the surface of a substrate, The term lateral, as used herein, means substantially parallel to the surface of a substrate. Also, terms describing positioning or location (such as above, below, top, bottom, etc.) are to be construed in conjunction with the orientation of the structures illustrated in the diagrams.

The diagrams are purely schematic and it should therefore be understood that S the dimensions of features are not drawn to scale. Accordingly, the illustrated thickness of any of the components or features should not be taken as limiting. For example, a first component drawn as being thicker than a second component may, in practice, be thinner than the second component.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is depicted an adjustable profiling bed laccording to an embodiment of the invention.

The bed 1 comprises a base frame 5 and a head and upper body support 10 pivotally connected to the base frame S so that the head and upper body support is movable between a substantially horizontal configuration (depicted in Figure 2) and an inclined configuration (depicted in Figure 1).

An actuator is coupled to the base frame 5 and adapted to move the head and upper body support 10 between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration, Here, the actuator comprises a lever 15 pivotally connected to the base frame 5 and slidably coupled to the head and upper body support 10 at a coupling position 20 such that the coupling position 20 moves relative to the head and upper body support as it is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration. The lever 15 a rigid bar 15 of fixed length fixedly-mounted (e.g. welded) on a horizontal support bar 25 that is pivotally coupled to the base frame S. The actuator further comprises a hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuator 30 which is adapted to pivotally move the lever 15. More specifically, the hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuator 30 is adapted to effect rotation of the support bar 25 relative to the base frame S which rotates/pivots the lever 15 relative to the base frame 5.

The lever IS is slidably coupled to the head and upper body support 10 via a slide mechanism. The slide mechanism of this embodiment comprises: a track 35 provided on the head and upper body support; and follower wheels 40 provided on the lever 15, The follower wheels 40 are pivotally connected to the lever 15 so that they can move (e.g. roll) along the track 35 as the head and upper body support 10 is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration.

From the depicted and described arrangement, it will be understood that the S actuator comprises a class three lever, wherein an input force (commonly referred to as an "effort) is applied between the coupling position (refered to as the load or the resistance) and the pivotal connection to the base frame (referred to as the fulcrum). A class three lever is a lever arrangement where the resistance is on one side of the effort and the fulcrum is located on the other side).

It is also noted that the hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuator is pivotally coupled to the base frame S so as to cater for vertical displacement of its connection to the support bar 25 as the support bar 25 is rotated.

Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the IS drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope. (3

Claims

CLAIMSI. An adjustable profiling bed comprising: a base frame; a head and upper body support pivotally connected to the base frame so that the head and upper body support is movable between a substantially horizontal configuration and an inclined configuration; and an actuator coupled to the base frame and adapted to move the head and upper body support between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a lever pivotally connected to the base frame and slidably coupled to the head and upper body support at a coupling position such that the coupling position moves relative to the head and upper body support as it is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration.
2. The adj ustable profiling bed of claim 1, wherein the lever comprises a rigid bar of fixed length mounted on a support bar that is pivotally coupled to the base frame.
3. The adjustable profiling bed of claim 2, wherein the actuator is adapted to affect rotation of the support bar so as to pivotally move the lever.
4. The adjustable profiling bed of claim t, 2 or 3, wherein the actuator further comprises: one or more hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuators adapted to pivotally move the lever.
5. The adjustable profiling bed of claim 4, wherein the one or more hydraulic, electric or mechanical actuators are pivotally coupled to the base frame.
6. The adjustable profiling bed of any preceding claim, wherein the lever is slidably coupled to the head and upper body support via a slide mechanism, the slide mechanism comprising: a track provided on the head and upper body support; and a follower provided on the lever to move along the track as the head and upper body support is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration.
7. The adjustable profiling bed of claim 6, wherein the follower comprises at least one wheel pivotally connected to the lever.
8. The adjustable profiling bed of any preceding claim, wherein the lever is a class three lever having an effort applied between the coupling position and the pivotal connection to the base frame.
9. An actuator for an adjustable profiling bed having a base frame and a head and upper body support pivotally connected to the base frame so that the head and upper body support is movable between a substantially horizontal configuration to an inclined configuration, the actuator being adapted to move the head and upper body support between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a lever adapted to be pivotally connected to the base frame and to be slidably coupled to the head and upper body support at a coupling position such that the coupling position moves relative to the head and upper body support as it is moved between the substantially horizontal configuration and the inclined configuration.
10. An adjustable profiling bed substantially as herein described above with reference to the accompanying figures.
11. An actuator for an adjustable profiling bed substantially as herein described above with reference to the accompanying figures.