Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
  • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
  • A61G7/10—Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons, e.g. special adaptations of hoists thereto
  • A61G7/16—Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons, e.g. special adaptations of hoists thereto converting a lying surface into a chair
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
  • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
  • A61G7/002—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons having adjustable mattress frame
  • A61G7/012—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons having adjustable mattress frame raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
  • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
  • A61G7/002—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons having adjustable mattress frame
  • A61G7/015—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons having adjustable mattress frame divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position

Definitions

• a BED A METHOD FOR TRANSFORMING A BED INTO A CHAIR AND USE OF A BED
• the invention relates to a bed comprising a mattress unit and displacing means.
• the invention further relates to a method for transforming a bed into a chair and use of a bed.
• Beds comprising some sort of motorised elevation mechanism for adjusting the height of the bed have been known for several years particularly for use within hospitals, retirement homes, care homes but also in private homes e.g. to enable easier access to the bed for less mobile persons and/or to ensure a good working position for a nurse or similar.
• auxiliary equipment like mobile lifts, ceiling mounted lifts etc. - has to be used to ensure that the patient can get in and out of the bed and such equipment is costly and space consuming.
• An object of the invention is therefore to provide for an advantageous technique for transforming a bed into a chair.
• the invention provides for a bed comprising a mattress unit and displacing means arranged for displacing the mattress unit in a displacement direction.
• the bed further comprises guide means for guiding the mattress unit at least during the displacement and wherein the guide means are arranged for guiding the mattress unit in a direction away from the displacement direction.
• the bed comprises foot end elevating means arranged to elevate at least a part of the track means enabling that at least a part of the foot end of the bed can be elevated independently from the rest of the bed.
• the guide means capable of guiding the mattress unit in a direction away from the displacement direction is advantageous, in that the guide means hereby can guide the foot end of the mattress unit e.g. back in under the rest of the mattress unit, enabling that the foot end or lower leg part of the mattress is not the defining factor regarding how close the seat portion can be positioned in relation to the floor.
• the mattress unit can either be permanently arranged in a convenient height enabling that the users feet will touch the ground when the chair is formed or (more likely) the transformation process includes lowering the mattress unit to a height enabling that the specific user can reach the floor when the chair is formed.
• the mattress unit has to be flexible to be able to be guided away from the displacement direction so it is difficult to e.g. enable that the foot end of the bed can be raised as often required in a hospital bed.
• foot end elevating means for elevating parts of the track means, simple, efficient and inexpensive means for raising the foot end is provided.
• displacing means any kind of displacing device capable of displacing the mattress unit in a displacement direction i.e. any kind of actuator - electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic - any kind of motor drive or any kind of manually driven mechanism.
• guide means any kind of guide or guides suitable for guiding the mattress unit in a specific direction during the displacement - I.e. any kind of track, carriage, cart, guideway, roller arrangement or other.
• said displacement direction is substantially parallel with the longitudinal extent of said mattress unit.
• Displacing the mattress unit in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the mattress unit - i.e. the direction extending between the head end and the foot end of the mattress - is advantageous in that it enables a more simple design of the guide means.
• said guide means are arranged for guiding said mattress unit in a direction substantially opposite said displacement direction.
• Guiding the mattress unit in a direction substantially opposite the displacement direction in under the rest of the mattress unit is advantageous in that it enables a very compact design where the seat portion of the mattress unit can be brought very close to the floor - thus enabling that even children and short legged people using the bed can reach the floor when the bed is formed as a chair.
• said mattress unit comprises slats and wherein said slats are provided with guide members of said guide means, said guide members being arranged to engage track means of said guide means and wherein said track means are arranged on a bed frame structure of said bed.
• the position and shape of the mattress unit has to be firmly controlled.
• Providing the mattress unit with slats comprising guide members is advantageous in that the slats can firmly hold and shape the mattress and the guide members can be arranged to engage track means arranged on the bed frame structure of the bed - thus providing simple and efficient control of the shape and position of the mattress.
• said guide members are rolling elements.
• rolling elements - such as bearings - as guide members is advantageous in that rolling elements will reduce friction.
• said bed frame structure comprises a first side section extending along a first side of said bed and a second side section extending along a second side of said bed, wherein said mattress unit is suspended between said first side section and said second side section at least partly through said guide means.
• said track means are arranged in or on said first side section and said second side section.
• said displacing means comprises an electrical linear actuator including an electrical motor and a spindle drive.
• said displacing means is arranged to push at least a part of said mattress unit in said direction away from said displacement direction.
• said bed further comprises back rest means arranged to raise a head end part of said mattress unit to form a back rest of said chair. Since this type of bed most often is used by patients or other less mobile persons it is advantageous to provide the bed with back rest means arranged to raise a head end part of the mattress unit to form a back rest of the chair.
• the invention also provides for a method for transforming a bed into a chair.
• the method comprises the steps of:
• the bed By forming a back rest and removing the foot end of the bed by guiding it in under the rest of the mattress, the bed can very gently be transformed into a chair where the foot end of the bed will not hinder that the seat of the chair can be arranged so close to the ground that the used easily can get in and out of the bed.
• said method further comprises lowering said mattress unit substantially vertically downwards.
• the mattress unit is permanently arranged in a height enabling that the user can touch the ground when the chair is formed, the bed will typically be so low that it is very inconvenient for caretakers and others interacting with the user.
• said method is a method for transforming a bed according any of the previously mentioned beds into a chair.
• the invention provides for a bed according to any of the previously mentioned beds for bringing a person lying in said bed into a sitting position.
• a bed according to the present invention to move a person lying in the bed into a sitting position is advantageous in that a bed according to the present invention is particularly suited for arranging a bed surface so that the seat portion of the bed is conveniently close to the ground hereby enabling that the user can more easily and gently get in and out of the bed.
• fig. 1 illustrates a bed according to the invention formed flat, as seen from the side
• fig. 2 illustrates a bed with the back rest raised, as seen from the side
• fig. 3 illustrates a bed transformed into a chair, as seen from the side
• fig. 4 illustrates a bed transformed into a chair, as seen in perspective
• fig. 5 illustrates track means elevated at the foot end of the bed, as seen from the side.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a bed 1 according to the invention formed flat, as seen from the side.
• the bed 1 is arranged so that the mattress unit 2 is substantially flat and level. I.e. in this configuration the bed 1 can be used as any other bed 1.
• the bed 1 simply comprises a mattress unit 2 arranged on a bed frame structure 8.
• the illustrated bed frame structure 8 would only form a top frame of the bed.
• the bed 1 could further comprise fixed legs, runners or similar or the bed 1 could comprise a lifting mechanism enabling that the height of the bed 1 - i.e. the mattress units distance from the floor - could be adjusted.
• a lifting mechanism could comprise a scissor lift mechanism, linear actuators, motor drives, any combination thereof or other.
• Fig. 2 illustrates a bed 1 with the back rest 16 raised, as seen from the side.
• the bed 1 is provided with back rest means 11 enabling that the head end part 12 of the mattress unit 2 can be raised either to enable that the upper part of a user of the bed 1 can be raised or as part of a process of transforming the bed 1 into a chair.
• the back rest means 11 comprises a back rest actuator 17 arranged to drive the movement of the back rest 16 in response to input from an operator.
• the raising and the lowering of the back rest 16 could be performed manually or be driven by other means, such a motors, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or other.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a bed transformed into a chair, as seen from the side.
• the displacing means 3 has been activated and the mattress unit 2 has therefore been pushed forward toward the foot end 13 of the bed 1.
• the mattress unit 2 comprises a mattress 18 and slats 5 which at either ends are provided with guide members 6 arranged to engage track means 7 which in this case are arranged on a bed frame structure 8 of the bed 1.
• the guide members 6 are rolling elements in the form of standard ball bearings ensuring very little friction when the guide members 6 travels in the track means 7.
• the guide members 6 may comprise plain bearings, roller bearings or any other type of bearings, the guide members 6 may be formed as pins, slides, rods or any combination thereof or any other mechanical device suitable for engaging track means 7.
• the slats 5 are connected to the underside of the mattress 18 but in another embodiment the slats 5 may be incorporated in the mattress 18 or the mattress unit 2 could be formed without slats 5 so that the guide members 6 would be connected directly to the mattress 18 or to the mattress 18 through another type of device.
• the bed frame structure 8 comprises a first side section 9 extending along a first side of the bed 1 and a second side section 10 (see fig. 4) extending along a second side of the bed 1 and the track means 7 are arranged on these side sections 9, 10 so that when the guide members 6 engage the track means 7, the mattress unit 2 is suspended between these side sections 9, 10.
• the track means 7 could be supported on one or more individual structures e.g. engaging then mattress unit 2 at the middle of the mattress 18 or elsewhere.
• the track means 7 are formed as rails connected to the side sections 9, 10 but in another embodiment the track means 7 could be a track milled into the side sections 9, 10 or into a part connected to the side sections 9, 10 or the track means 7 could comprise rods, bars or other means suitable for forming a track.
• the track means 7 are arranged and formed so that when the displacing means 3 pushes the mattress unit 2 towards the foot end 13 of the bed 1 the foot end of the mattress 18 will be forced downwards and backward in a direction opposite of the actual moving direction of the displacing means 3. In this way the foot end part 13 of the mattress unit 2 is forced back in under the rest of the mattress unit 2 so that the middle part of the mattress 18 - i.e.
• the guide means 4 are arranged to guide the mattress unit 2 in a direction substantially opposite the displacing direction of the displacing means 3.
• the guide means 4 could be arranged to guide the mattress unit 2 in another direction away from the displacement direction i.e. in an angle 45° downwards and forwards, in an angle 90° downwards, in an angle 45° incline backwards and downward, the guide means 4 could be arranged to guide the mattress unit 2 in any other angle downwards - either forwards or more likely backwards - either in a substantially straight line or along a more or less complex curve or any combination thereof.
• the guide means 6 could be arranged to roll the mattress unit 2 into at least part of a coil.
• the length of the seat part 14 can be adjusted to the length of the thighs of a specific user by simply adjusting the stroke of the displacing means 2 i.e. e.g. by stopping the extension of the displacing means 3 before the displacing means 3 reaches its limit switch.
• Fig. 4 illustrates a bed 1 transformed into a chair, as seen in perspective.
• the displacing means 3 is a single electrical linear actuator comprising an electrical motor and a spindle drive but in another embodiment of the invention the displacing means 3 could be motors, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or the motor driving the linear actuator could be powered by other means that electricity. Or the displacing means 3 could comprise a winch, a handwheel, a winding gear or similar mechanisms designed for manual operation. In this embodiment the displacing means 3 are arranged to push the mattress unit 2 towards the foot end 13 of the bed 1 but in another embodiment the displacing means 3 could be arranged to draw the mattress unit 3 in the direction of the foot end 13 of the bed 1.
• the back rest 16 is fully raised before the displacing means 3 is activated to push the mattress unit 2 forward but in another embodiment the back rest 16 could be raised while the displacing means 3 is pushing the mattress unit 2 forward or the back rest 16 could be raised after the displacing means 3 has pushed the mattress unit 2 forward.
• the bed 1 would start out with the mattress unit 2 formed flat as disclosed in fig. 1 i.e. with the back rest 16 in bottom position and the displacing means 3 fully contracted.
• the bed-to-chair transformation could start with the back rest 16 in a partly or fully elevated state.
• the person laying in the bed 1 or an external operator would then operate a control panel (not shown) to activate the back rest means 11 and/or the displacing means 3 so that the head end 12 of the mattress unit 2 would be raised and so that the displacing means 2 would start forcing the mattress unit 2 in the direction of the foot end 13 to enable that the guide means 6 would guide the foot end part 13 of the mattress unit 2 in under the seat part 14 and e.g. the back rest 16 of the mattress unit 2 to form a chair. While, before or after this happens the distance from the upper side 15 of the seat part 14 to the ground can e.g. also be adjusted by mechanically or manually adjusting the height of the bed/chair. However, in another embodiment the flat bed 1 could also be transformed into the chair-like device through at least partly manual operation, through semi-manual operation or through a fully automated process.
• Fig. 5 illustrates track means 7 elevated at the foot end 13 of the bed 1, as seen from the side.
• the bed 1 is further provided with foot end elevating means 19 enabling that at least a part of the foot end 13 of the bed 1 can be elevated independently from the rest of the bed 1.
• the foot end elevating means 19 comprises parts of the track means 7 and a foot end actuator 20 arranged so that when the foot end actuator 20 is activated, it will lift an upper part of the track means 7 upwards while holding the (now) elevated foot end 13 of the mattress 18 substantially parallel with the head end part 12 of the mattress 18.
• the foot end elevating means 19 could be arranged to elevate the foot end 13 of the bed 1 upwards in another angle.
• the bed 1 could be provided with some kind of blocking means (not shown) - either mechanical or electronically - preventing that the displacing means 3 can be operated forward - or at all - while the foot end 13 is elevated.
• the bed 1 is provided with only one actuator as displacing means 3, one back rest actuator 17 and one foot end actuator 20 but in another embodiment one or more of these functions could be actuated by means of two, three or more actuators that could be coupled in parallel and/or in series.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nursing (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=51589184

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2014
  • 2014-09-24 ES ES14186090.8T patent/ES2674694T3/es active Active
  • 2014-09-24 DK DK14186090.8T patent/DK3000454T3/da active
  • 2014-09-24 EP EP14186090.8A patent/EP3000454B1/en active Active
  • 2014-09-24 PL PL14186090T patent/PL3000454T3/pl unknown
• 2015
  • 2015-09-23 WO PCT/EP2015/071894 patent/WO2016046275A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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