US1954684A - Bedpan - Google Patents

Description

' 7 April 10, 1934. F. L. SHIVELY BEDPAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1933 I Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT "on-l ce I 13 Claims.

This invention relates to bed pans to be used in bed by a. sick person.

An object of this invention is to provide a bed pan having a suitable bac'ir rest mounted therelfi upon which is foldable and movable into a shallow pocket provided therefor under the pan contain er, and easily movable from the pcclret to its back supporting position aiter the occupant sits and bears his normal weight upon the pan. it Thus the pan of this invention may be properly inserted under the occupant while lying in bed, after which he is raised to a sitting position thereupon and then the baclr rest is readily and quickly moved to its back-supporting position and the occupant allowed to recline against same.

The extreme need and usefulness oi such a back-=- rest is obvious to any one so unfortunate as to have had the experience of using an ordinary bed pan.

it very important i'eature oi this invention is simple and efiicient means tor guiding the bacli rest from its pocket to its back-supporting posi-= tlon and properly clear the bedding which normally bulges upwardly around the pan, particutii larly at the back thereo'i, when the occupants weight rests thereupon.

other ieature of this invention is the wide elongated base which projects rearwardly a con siderable distance beyond the point where the 39 leach-rest is mounted, and thus provides a good support against excessive rearward tiltina oi the entire pan structure when the occupant leans bacir. against the back-rest. I

Another feature of this invention is the greatly increased area or the flat bottom which rests upon the bedding over the bottom area oi the container portion, whereby a nreatly increased stability of the entire pan when in use is obtained. Another feature is the simple rnechanismoi the folding back-rest and the guides therefor whereby the back-rest may be released from its haclr supporting position, folded and moved into its pocket by simple motions with one hand. Also 5 this simple mechanism permits the baclr-rest to I be easily moved from its pocket to its unfolded back-supporting position by simple motions with one hand.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the iollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiclearly shown.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the bed pan of tl is invention with the back-rest in raised position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of thebase portion with the container removed, and discloses the backrest in folded position within the shallow pocket it below the container.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail, as seen in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

l lg. t is a section through the base taken on line M oi Fig. 2, and shows the container in side elevation. The back-rest is shown in full lines in back-supporting position and the dotted lines illustrate how the two upper sections of the basin-rest are folded down upon the lower section.

b is a view similar to Fig. i and shows the leach-rest in folded condition in full lines and raised ironr its detaining recess so it may begin to swing toward a horizontal position. Successive positions oi the folded back-rest moving into its poclret are shown in dottedlines.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section talren on line @--6 of Fig; 2, but shows the back-rest entirely removed in order to clearly show the guides therefor and the spring detent for retaining the 7 lower section of the back-rest raised (as shown W in Fig. 5) while the two upper sections are folded thereupon.

Fig. 'i is a view looiring in the direction of arrow 7 cl Fig. i).

Fig. s is a perspective view of a detail, showing the locking hinge-joint between the lower and second sections of the back-rest.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, 10 designates the base, which is here shown as a casting preferably of a light aluminum alloy, having an upper opening 11 which snugly receives the separate pan container 12 which is preferably drawn from fiat metal and in fact may be an ordinary metal bed pan. This illi container 12 is supported by the base in so as to provide a shallow pocket 15 between the bottom 13 of the base and the bottom 1 or the con tainer. The flared sides 16 of the base 10 termi notes at the rear thereof on straight vertical edges 1'! (see Figs. 6 and 7) so as to leave a rear opening 20 leading into the shallow poclret 15. Two narrow guide rails 21 are rigidly fixed to base 10 by suitable means, such as by screws 22 which extend into the abutting edges l? of the base sides 16 and b screws 23 whic t merit of one form of the present invention is y H ex end through the bottom flanges M of the side rails 21 into the bottom 13 of the base. These side rails 21 serve to guide and support the folding the yieldable detents 36 cross bars 28 and 29.

back-rest, which is designated as a whole by 25.

The lower, quite rigid section 26 of the backrest 25 comprises two sides 27 and two spaced The two sides 27 each have two laterally projecting lugs 30 and 31 which ride in the two slots 32 in the guide rails 21 and thereby guide and support the lower section 26 of the back-rest as it moves into and out of the pocket 15 through the rear opening 20 thereof. The bottom lugs 30 can conveniently be the projecting ends of the lower'round cross bar 28. The upper edge 33 of the slots 32 is curved upwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, so that the lugs 31 riding thereupon as the lower section 26 is withdrawn from the pocket 15 will cause a progressive upward tilting of section 26 from a horizontal to a substantially vertical position. Such a progressive upward tiltingis illustrated in Fig. 5 by the dotted line positions 26' and 26". Of course when section 26 is moved from its upright position to its position within pocket 15, the reverse tilting movement takes place. The purpose of such progressive tilting of the back-rest is to provide substantial clearance between the back-rest and the bedding, which normally bulges upwardly around the bed pan to quite a degree when the occupants weight rests thereupon. A very important feature of this invention is the ease with which the back-rest may be moved into or out of its pocket regardless of such upwardly bulging bedding. Hence the bed pan of this invention may be inserted in collapsed condition under a patient while lying down and the backrest easily pulled out to its back-supporting position after the patient sits up to an upright position thereupon.

When the lower section 26 01' the back rest reaches its substantially vertical position, the

two lower lugs 30 thereon will lie vertically abovethe two notches 34 at the rear end of each of the guide slots 15, and at this instant the two upper lugs 31 will lie in the notches 35 (see Fig. 6) up above the laterally yieldable detents 36. This position of section 26 is shown in full lines in Fig. 5. A slight down pressure on the, backrest will then force the upper lugs 31 just past and the lower lugs 30 into the notches 34, thereby firmly fixing the back-rest in back-supporting position as shown in Fig. 4. The laterally yieldable detents 36 may be small rounded plungers suitably mounted within a recess in the sides 16 of the base and projecting into the grooves 15 and urged toward the grooves by a small coil spring 37 (see Fig. 7). In the description of the operation so far given it has been assumed that the two upper sections or the back-rest have been collapsed upon and moved with the lower section 26.

These two uppersections 40 and 41 will now be described. Section 40 comprises two links, preferably without connecting cross bars, which have locking hinge joints 42 with the upper end of the lower section 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The upper ends of section 26 each have a fixed transverse pin 43 which passes loosely through the elongated slot 44 in link 40. Hence when link 40 is slipped down until pin 43 is at the upper end of slot 44 the hinge joint 42 is locked,- but when link 40 is, pulled up to move pin 43 to the lower end of slot 44, the link 40 will obviously then hinge backwardly upon pin 43 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper section 41 has a simple one-way hinge 45 to the upper ends of links 40. It will be noted that hinge 42 hinges in such direction as to cause section 40 to fold backward after it is unlocked, while hinge 45 permits the top section 41 to fold forward only.

Thus all the sections will be properly fixed together to properly support the occupants back simply by grasping the top section 41 by the handhole 46 therein and raising all the sections to a substantially vertical position and then forcing the hand downwardly until hinge 42 is locked.

In order to properly retain the back rest 25 in folded condition within its pocket 15, a small yieldable detent 50 may be provided on the bottom 13 of base 10 to catch behind the bar 28 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This detent 50 may be a small spring-pressed plunger similar to detent 36 as described above, or it may be of simpler form such as a hump in the bottom 13 over which the slightly flexible bar 28 may snap and so hold the back rest in place by friction.

In operation, after the occupant has been seated upon the pan while the back-rest is within its pocket 15, the nurse grasps the back-rest 25 by the handle 46 and pulls it rearwardly past detent 50 and upwardly, causing it to move successively through the positions shown in Fig. 5, and then easily presses down on the back-rest to seat lugs 30 in notches 34, as described above.

Without releasing her grip on handhole 46 she then swings the two upper sections 41 and 40 rearwardly and upwardly through the successive positions shown in Fig. 4 until they reach a substantially vertical position whereupon the hinge joints 42 will look by gravity. The occupant may immediately lean backward upon the backrest.

In order to fold the back-rest and insert it into its pocket 15, the nurse grasps the back-rest by the handhole 46 as before and pulls upwardly. which action not only raises lower section 26 until the lower lugs 30 are above the notches 34 and the upper lugs 31 are pressed upwardly past the yieldable detents 36, but also the links 40 are raised relative to section 26 by pins 43 sliding in the slots 44, thus unlocking the hinge joints 42. The detents 36 support the weight of the lower section 26 and permit it to pivot into proper alignment with the guide slots 15 while the nurse simply folds the upper sections 41 and 40 upon the section 26 without releasing her grip on handhole 46. She then forces the completely folded back-rest 25 into its pocket 15'thro1igh the same progressively tilted positions through which it passed during withdrawal with a flnal slight pressure to snap it past the holding detent 50. Thus the back-rest 25 may be moved from its nested position within its pocket 15 to its operative position, or vice versa, in a very simple manner with one hand and without releasing the hand grip thereon.

The bottom 13 of the b'tse 10 projects rearwardly at 60 beyond the vertical position of the back rest andthus provides a support against too easy backward tilting of the entire bed pan upon the soft bedding when the occupant leans ,sheet steel similar to the container 12 instead of as a casting as shown. In such case the upper edge 11 of the flared sides 16 of the base of the container 12 to form a smooth, neat joint may be welded directly to the contacting surface therebetween and provide an integral structure. The welded'joint may then be covered with chromium plate or porcelain enamel to effectively conceal same.

If desired, the container 12 may have its botbedding. In this form the capacity of container 12 may be increased by depressing the front portion of its bottom it so as to lie in substantial contact with the base bottom 13, thus utilizing this space to advantage. By such a construction the combined vertical height of the container 12 and base 10 may exceed that ofcontainer 12 alone only by the thickness of bottom 13, or approximately a quarter of an inch, and yet .the

capacity of container 12 will be almost as great as an ordinary flatbottom bed pan.

.While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. a

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A bed pan comprising: a container, 9. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, and a movable back-rest mounted upon said pan and movable from a back-supporting position to a position within said pocket through said opening.

2. A bed pan comprising: a container, 9. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, and a folding back-rest mounted upon said pan and movable from a back-supporting position to a folded position within said pocket.

3. A bed pan comprising: a container, a. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, and a folding back-rest mounted upon said pan and movable from a. back-supporting position to a folded position within said pocket, said back-rest being movable in folded condition into said pocket through said opening in a curved path, whereby the back-rest substantially clears the bedding which normally bulges upwardly around the pan when in use.

4. A bed pan comprising: a. container, 9. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, and a folding back-rest mounted upon said pan and movable from a back-supporting position to a folded position within said pocket, and means causing said back-rest to be partially tilted to enter said opening concurrently 'with the folding operation.

5. A bed pan comprising: a container, 9. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, and a movable back-rest mounted upon said pan and movable from a. back-supporting position to a position within said pocket through said opening, and means causing saidback-rest to be progressively tilted toward a horizontal position as it moves into said pocket, whereby it substantially clears the bedding which may bulge upwardly adjacent said opening.

6. A bed pan comprising: a. container, 19. shallow pocket under'sald container having a rear opening, a folding back-rest having a plurality of' hinged sections and movable from a back-sup- ,pocket, a guide slot on each side porting position to a folded position in said pocket, the lower hinged section ,being partially tiltable to enter said opening concurrently with the folding of the remaining sections thereupon.

7. A bed pan comprising: a container, a shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, a folding back-rest having a plurality of hinged sections and movable from a backsupporting position to a folded position in said pocket, the lower hinged section being partially I tiltable to enter said opening concurrently with the folding of the remaining sections thereupon, and a yieldable detent for retaining said lower section in said partially tilted position until the back-rest is substantially completely folded.

8. A bed pan comprising: a container, 9. shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, a folding back-rest having a plurality of hinged sections and movable from a back supporting position to a folded position in said pocket, and guide meansfqr the lower hinged section permitting the folded back-rest to be progressively tilted toward a horizontal position as it moves into said pocket, whereby to facilitate clearance of the bedding adjacent said opening. I

9. A bed pan comprising: a container, at shallow pocket under said container having a rear opening, a folding back-rest having a. plurality of hinged sections and movable from a back-supporting position to a folded position in. said pocket, and guide means for the lower hinged section permitting the folded back-rest to be progressively tilted toward a horizontal position as it moves into said pocket, and a yieldable detent for retaining said lower section in a partially tilted position while the back-rest is being folded.

10. A bed pan comprising: a container, a shallow pocket under said container having a. rear opening, a folding back-resthaving a plurality of hinged sections and movable from a back-supporting position to a. folded position in said of said pocket, and projections on the lower hinged section riding in said slots causing the folded back-rest to be progressively tilted toward a horizontal position as it moves into-said pocket.

11. A bed pan comprising: a container, a shaltially tilted position while the back-rest is being.

folded.

12. A bed pan comprising: a container, at shah low pocket, under said container having a rear opening. a. folding back-rest having a plurality of hinged sections and movable from a. backin said pocket, a curved guide slot on each side of said pocket, and two supporting position spaced projections on each side of the lower hinged section riding ineach slot in such manner as to cause the folded back-rest to progressively-tilt toward a horizontal position as it moves into said pocket.

13. A bed pan comprising: a container, 0. shallow pocket under said -container having a. rear opening, a folding back-rest having a plurality sively tilt toward a horizontal position as it of hinged sections and movable from a backsupporting position in said pocket, a. curved guide slot on each side of said pocket, and two spaced projections on each side of the lower hinged section riding in each slot in such manner as to cause the folded back-rest to progresmoves into said pocket,'said guide slots having recesses at the rear end thereof into which said projections are inserted to retain said lower hinged section in back-supporting position.

FRANKLIN L. SHIVELY.

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