WO2013167888A1

WO2013167888A1 - Bed

Info

Publication number: WO2013167888A1
Application number: PCT/GB2013/051189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Hollyoak; Robert Hugh Jones
Original assignee: Huntleigh Technology Limited
Priority date: 2012-05-09
Filing date: 2013-05-08
Publication date: 2013-11-14
Also published as: GB2516594A; CN204798184U; GB201421058D0; GB2516594B; GB201208106D0

Abstract

A bed (1) has an extendable platform (3) including a calf section (7) having first (9) and second (11) parts, the first part (9) being longitudinally movable between an unextended position, a first extended position and a second extended position relative to the second part (11). Calf section locking means are provided for releasably locking the calf section (7) in any one of the said positions.

Description

BED

The present invention relates to a bed, and in particular to a bed suitable for use in a hospital. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bed that can be used in both older and more modern hospital buildings.

In general, hospital beds are required to be long enough so as to comfortably accommodate patients of all sizes. However, on occasion beds are required to have a limited maximum length such that the beds are short enough to fit into certain hospital buildings, particularly older buildings, where space in the wards, the corridors and particularly the lifts is limited. Standard sized beds are not suitable for use in such buildings as they can be too long to be easily moved around the building and often cannot be accommodated in the wards.

There therefore exists a problem that, whilst beds fulfilling the requirements for comfortable patient accommodation are suitable for use in modern hospital buildings, such beds are not always suitable for use in older buildings.

One solution to address this problem has been to produce two beds, one with a "standard" length and one with a "short" length, both of which can be extended by a fixed amount to a longer length. There are disadvantages to this solution, however. Firstly, the older building which is only able to house the "short" bed is not able to accommodate very tall patients. Additionally, the manufacturer has to produce beds of two different lengths, with obvious cost increases associated therewith.

This two bed solution may also not be suitable for use in hospitals which comprise a combination of older buildings and more modern buildings on a single site, as is often the case with hospitals in the UK. In such a setting, a bed-bound patient may need to be moved from a ward or department situated in a modern building to a ward or department situated in an older building. With such a bed- bound patient it would be difficult to remove the patient from the "standard" length bed in the modern building, move said patient to the older building, and place the patient in a "short" length bed in the older building. The present invention seeks to provide an improved bed assembly.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bed having an extendable platform including a calf section having first and second parts, the first part being longitudinally movable between an unextended position, a first extended position and a second extended position relative to the second part, and calf section locking means for releasably locking the first part in any one of the said positions.

This arrangement allows for a bed with a two position extension which can be used in its unextended (shortest) configuration in an older building or a building with limited space, and can be extended to the first extended (intermediate) configuration and the second extended (longest) configuration to increase patient comfort in more modern buildings or buildings without particular space limitations. Such a bed will suit the requirements of both modern and older hospital buildings and which will be particularly advantageous for use in hospitals which comprise a combination of both types of building.

The first part may include an end frame and the second part may include side members disposed along the long sides of the bed, and the mechanism by which the first part is moveable relative to the second part may comprise the end frame sliding relative to the side members. In one particular arrangement, the end frame may slide telescopically inside the side members.

The calf section locking means advantageously comprises an elongate plate disposed substantially along the longitudinal axis of the bed, the elongate plate having a locking position for each of the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position. Each of these locking positions may have a corresponding groove in the elongate plate, with the calf section locking means including engagement means for engaging the grooves to thereby lock the first part in place. The engagement means may be movable away from the grooves so as to unlock the end section.

With the engagement means in the unlocked position, the engagement means may slide along the elongate arm as the first part is moved relative to the second part. Then, when the next groove in the elongate arm is reached, the engagement means can drop into the groove under the action of gravity, thereby locking the first part in the position corresponding to that particular groove.

In an embodiment, the engagement means includes an elongate arm forming a locking finger.

Advantageously, there may be two such calf section locking means, one disposed at each side of the bed. The two calf section locking means may be linked by a pivotable bar. This arrangement of calf section locking means allows both sides of the first part to be released simultaneously from a locked position in one simple action, such that the position of the first part can be moved quickly and easily by an operative.

Advantageously the bed may also include a sub-frame having side members disposed along the long sides of the bed, and the calf section may include an end frame which is slidable relative to the sub-frame side members. In this way, the sub-frame can be effectively extended to support the first part when the first part is positioned in any of the unextended position, the first extended position or the second extended position relative to the second part. In one particular arrangement, the end frame may slide telescopically inside the sub- frame side members.

The sub-frame may include locking means, such that the end frame can be releasably locked in positions corresponding to the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position of the first part.

The sub-frame locking mechanism advantageously includes a latch which is attached to the end frame and which has an elongate slot formed therein, and a pin which is attached to the sub-frame and which may reciprocate in the elongate slot of the latch as the end frame is moved relative to the sub-frame. The elongate slot may have locking positions corresponding to each of the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position of the first part. These locking positions may each comprise a transverse detent in the elongate slot, that is a detent which extends generally transverse to the elongate slot, such that the pin can be located in one of the detents to prevent further movement of the end frame. The latch may be attached to the end frame in such a way that it is biased towards a first position with the pin located in one of the detents, and moveable to a second position in which the pin in moved out of the detent so that it can reciprocate in the elongate slot. That is to say, the latch is biased towards a first, locked, position in which the end frame is locked relative to the sub-frame, and moveable to a second, unlocked, position in which the end frame can be moved relative to the sub-frame.

In an embodiment, the latch is biased towards the locked position and rotatable, about the direction in which the elongate slot extends, from the locked position to the unlocked position. This rotating motion rotates the detents away from the pin, such that the pin can travel along the elongate slot as the end frame is moved. Then, when the next detent along the elongate slot is reached, the locking pin becomes located in the detent under the biasing action of the latch, thereby locking the end frame in the position corresponding to that particular detent.

Advantageously, the latch is spring loaded. The latch may include a handle which can be pulled by an operative to rotate the latch to the unlocked position. The pin may include guide means, such as a guide washer, to prevent the pin from disengaging the elongate slot when the latch is rotated.

This arrangement of end frame locking means enables the elongate slot to limit the amount of rotation of the latch, thus ensuring that the locking action is quick and easy to operate, and also ensures that the latch does not become disengaged from the guide washer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bed including a sub-frame, an extendable platform including a calf section having first and second parts, and an end frame associated with the first part of the calf section. The end section and first part are longitudinally movable between an unextended position, a first extended position and a second extended position relative to the sub-frame and second part respectively. The bed also includes calf section locking means for releasably locking the first part in any one of the said positions, and sub-frame locking means for releasably locking the end frame in any of the said positions.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed view from a side perspective, showing a part of the bed of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a detailed view showing the part of Figure 2 in a first extended position;

Figure 4 is a detailed view showing the part of Figure 2 in a second extended position;

Figure 5 is a detailed view from an end perspective, showing a part of the bed of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a part of the bed of Figure 1 , showing the calf section extension mechanism in greater detail;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a part of the bed of Figure 1 from underneath, showing the sub-frame extension mechanism in greater detail, with the extension mechanism in a locked position; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 7 but showing the locking mechanism in an unlocked position.

The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the teachings herein.

Referring first to Figure 1 , a perspective view of a bed 1 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The bed 1 is suitable for use in a hospital. The bed mattress has been removed for clarity, such that the platform 3 and sub-frame 5 can be seen in greater detail. The bed 1 comprises a calf or end section 7 which is split into two separate parts; a calf section extension sheet (first part) 9 and a calf section deck sheet (second part) 1 1 . The extension sheet 9 can be moved in a longitudinal direction relative to the deck sheet 1 1 such that the overall length of the bed can be altered. The bed 1 further comprises a foot panel 13, a bed stripper 15 and a bed end frame 17. These elements are common to known hospital beds and are not described in further detail herein. The sub-frame 5 supports the platform 3, and the mattress and patient when these are in place.

In order to lengthen the bed 1 both the sub-frame 5 onto which the foot panel 13 is attached and the calf section 7 have to be extended.

Figures 2 to 4 show detail of the bed 1 in an unextended configuration, a first extended configuration and a second extended configuration respectively. In Figure 2, the extension sheet 9 is not extended relative to the deck sheet 1 1 , such that the bed 1 is in the shortest configuration. The sub-frame 5 is also in its unextended position, such that the overall length of the platform 3 and the sub- frame 5 are comparable. In Figure 3, the extension sheet 9 has moved longitudinally relative to the deck sheet 1 1 , such that the extension sheet 9 is in the first extended position. The sub-frame 5 has also been extended longitudinally into a position corresponding to the first extended position of the extension sheet 9. The bed 1 is thus in a first extended configuration. In Figure 4, the extension sheet 9 has moved further longitudinally relative to the deck sheet 1 1 , such that the extension sheet 9 is in the second extended position. The sub-frame 5 has also been extended further longitudinally into a position corresponding to the second extended position of the extension sheet 9. The bed 1 is thus in a second extended configuration.

Referring still to Figures 2 to 4, the deck sheet 1 1 includes side members 19 disposed along each side of the bed 1 , and the extension sheet 9 includes a calf section end frame 21 disposed along the foot end of the bed 1 . The calf section extension sheet 9 slides on top of the calf section deck sheet 1 1 so providing a support for the mattress when the calf section 5 is extended. This arrangement allows the platform 3 to be extended when the calf section 7 and sub-frame 5 are extended, whilst retaining a substantially continuous and flat surface of the bed for supporting a mattress. The calf section deck sheet 1 1 is removable for the purpose of cleaning. The calf section 7 also comprises a gravity latch 23, which will be described in more detail below, and calf section locking plates 25. The sub-frame 5 also comprises sub-frame side members 26 disposed along each side of the bed.

Figure 5 shows an end perspective view of the bed 1 , again with the bed mattress removed for clarity. This view shows elements of the calf section extension mechanism and the sub-frame extension mechanism. The bed end frame 17, calf section side members 19, calf section end frame 21 and calf section extension sheet 9 are as described above in relation to Figures 2 to 4. The sub- frame extension mechanism comprises a spring loaded latch 27 and a handle 29 allowing the latch 27 to be actuated from a locked position to an unlocked position. The latch 27 may be locked in three positions, one position for each of the unextended (shortest) configuration, the first extended configuration and the second extended (longest) configuration of the bed 1 . The calf section extension mechanism comprises gravity latch (not shown in Figure 5) which includes a pivot bar 31 and latch arms 33, one latch arm 33 extending along each side of the bed 1 . The gravity latch may also be locked in three positions, one position for each of the unextended (shortest) configuration, the first extended configuration and the second extended (longest) configuration of the bed 1 .

Referring now to Figure 6, the mechanism by which the extension sheet 9 of the calf section 7 can be extended relative to the deck sheet 1 1 will be described. The calf section extension mechanism includes the end frame 21 which telescopes inside the calf section side members 19 and a three position gravity latch 23 which locks end frame 17 and the side members 19 together.

The gravity latch 23 comprises two latch arms 33 (one extending along each side of the bed 1 ) fitted with locking fingers 35 and linked by a transverse pivot bar 31 . Locking of the latch 23 is achieved by the locking fingers 35 locating in one of three grooves 37 in the calf section locking plates 25 (only two of the grooves 37 are visible in Figure 6). To unlock the end frame 21 either latch arm 33 is raised which lifts the locking fingers 35 from the grooves 37 in the calf section locking plates 25. The gravity latch 23, when the arm is released, automatically locks into the next available position as the end frame 17 and extension sheet 9 are moved away from the side members 19 and deck sheet 1 1 respectively. This design of latch allows both sides of the calf section end frame 21 to be released simultaneously in a simple manner and the extension sheet 9 to be extended quickly. In this regard, previous designs included requiring two pull- plungers to be unlocked, one each side of the bed, the calf section extended, and the pull-plungers relocked, all of which was time consuming.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the sub-frame extension mechanism comprises the bed end frame 17 telescoping inside the sub-frame side members 26. A spring loaded three position latch 27 locks these two parts together. To unlock the bed end frame 17 the handle 29 on the latch 27 is pulled, thus rotating the locking slot 39 of the latch 27 away from the locking pin 41 . Once the locking slot 39 has been rotated away from the locking pin 41 in this way, the bed end frame 17 can be moved. The latch 27, when the handle 29 is released, will automatically drop back onto the locking pin 41 at the next available slot 39. The long slot 43 is used to limit the rotation of the latch 27, to thus ensure that the locking action is speedy and the latch 27 does not become disengaged from the support/guide washer 45.

Claims

1 . A bed having an extendable platform including a calf section having first and second parts, the first part being longitudinally movable between an unextended position, a first extended position and a second extended position relative to the second part, and calf section locking means for releasably locking the first part in any one of the said positions.

2. A bed according to claim 1 , wherein first part includes an end frame and the second part includes side members disposed along the long sides of the bed, and wherein the end frame is slidable relative to the side members.

3. A bed according to claim 2, wherein the end frame is arranged to slide telescopically inside the side members.

4. A bed according to any preceding claim, wherein the calf section locking means comprises an elongate plate disposed substantially along the longitudinal axis of the bed, the elongate plate having a locked position for each of the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position.

5. A bed according to claim 4, wherein each locked position has a corresponding groove in the elongate plate, and wherein the calf section locking means includes engagement means for engaging the grooves thereby to lock the first part in place.

6. A bed according to claim 5, wherein the engagement means is movable away from the grooves so as to move the engagement means into an unlocked position.

7. A bed according to claim 5 or 6, wherein when the engagement means is in the unlocked position the engagement means is slidable along the elongate plate, and engagable with the next groove which is encountered.

8. A bed according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the engagement means engages with the grooves by means of the engagement means dropping into the groove under the action of gravity.

9. A bed according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the engagement means includes an elongate arm forming a locking finger at one end.

10. A bed according to any one of claims 4 to 9, including two such calf section locking means, one calf section locking means disposed at each side of the bed.

1 1 . A bed according to claim 10, wherein the two calf section locking means are linked by a pivotable bar.

12. A bed according to any preceding claim, wherein the bed includes a sub- frame having side members disposed along the long sides of the bed and wherein the calf section includes an end frame which is slidable relative to the sub-frame side members.

13. A bed according to claim 12, wherein the end frame is slidable telescopically inside the sub-frame side members.

14. A bed according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the sub-frame includes sub- frame locking means for releasably locking the end frame in positions corresponding to the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position of the first part.

15. A bed according to claim 14, wherein the sub-frame locking means includes a latch attached to the end frame and having an elongate slot formed therein, the sub-frame locking means also including a pin which is attached to the sub-frame and which is able to reciprocate in the elongate slot of the latch.

16. A bed according to claim 15 wherein the elongate slot has locking positions corresponding to each of the unextended position, the first extended position and the second extended position of the first part.

17. A bed according to claim 16, wherein the locking positions each comprise a transverse detent in the elongate slot, such that the pin can be located in one of the detents to thereby prevent further movement of the end frame.

18. A bed according to claim 17, wherein the latch is biased towards a first position with the pin located in one of the detents, and moveable to a second position in which the pin in moved out of that detent so that it can reciprocate in the elongate slot.

19. A bed according to claim 18, wherein the latch is biased towards the first position and rotatable, about the direction in which the elongate slot extends, from the first position to the second position.

20. A bed according to claim 19 wherein the latch is spring loaded.

21 . A bed according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the latch includes a handle which can be pulled so as to move the latch to the second position.

22. A bed according to any one of claims 15 to 21 , wherein the pin includes guide means to prevent the pin from disengaging the elongate slot.

23. A bed including:

a sub-frame;

an extendable platform including a calf section having first and second parts; and

an end frame associated with the first part of the calf section;

the end section and first part being longitudinally movable between an unextended position, a first extended position and a second extended position relative to the sub-frame and second part respectively; and

calf section locking means for releasably locking the first part in any one of the said positions, and sub-frame locking means for releasably locking the end frame in any of the said positions.

24. A bed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.