Abstract
The bed consists of a frame, mattress platform and removable bed guard assembly. The bed guard assembly includes a main support which at the lower end has a mounting for connection to the bed, a guard permanently fixed to the main support and a locking mechanism for fixing the main support in relation to the bed. The locking mechanism is located inside the guard assembly and includes a sleeve and blocking element which moves between two positions. In one position the blocking element engages in the sleeve, and in the second position the blocking element is released from the sleeve, where in one of these positions it allows the movement of the main support in relation to the sleeve, and in the second of these positions it prevents the movement of the main support in relation to the sleeve, the movement of the blocking element of the locking mechanism is controlled by the actuator.
Claims
1. Bed comprising a frame, a patient support, and a detachable guard assembly of the bed, the guard assembly of the bed comprising: a main support, which is provided at a lower end of the guard assembly by a mounting for attaching to the bed, a guard fixed to the main support, and a locking mechanism for attaching the main support to the bed, wherein the locking mechanism includes a sleeve and a blocking member which is within the guard assembly, the blocking member controllable by an actuator and moveable between two positions, in a first position, the blocking member engages the sleeve and in a second position, the blocking member disengages the sleeve, at least one of these positions defined by the position of the blocking member as a locked position wherein a movement of the main support with respect to the sleeve is prevented, and wherein the actuator is located at an upper end of the main support.
2. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a flexible member for securing the blocking member in the locked position of the locking mechanism.
3. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 1, wherein the main support includes a lever mechanism for operating the locking mechanism.
4. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 1, wherein the actuator operates the locking mechanism.
5. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is slidable along an axis of the main support.
6. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is slidable in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main support.
7. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is rotational.
8. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a recess in which is placed a rotational member for reducing actuating force.
9. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 1, wherein the main support includes at least one protrusion.
10. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 9, wherein the at least one protrusion fits into an opening of the sleeve.
11. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 9, wherein the blocking member moves in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the at least one protrusion from the opening for disengaging the guard assembly out of the sleeve.
12. The detachable guard assembly of the bed according to claim 1, wherein the guard assembly of the bed is in an engaged position in an identical plane as a side rail of the bed.
13. Bed comprising a frame, a patient support, and a detachable guard assembly of the bed, the guard assembly of the bed comprising: a main support, which is provided at a lower end of the guard assembly by a mounting for attaching to the bed, a guard fixed to the main support, and a locking mechanism for attaching the main support to the bed, wherein the locking mechanism includes a sleeve and a blocking member which is within the guard assembly, the blocking member controllable by an actuator and moveable between two positions, in a first position, the blocking member engages the sleeve and in a second position, the blocking member disengages the sleeve, at least one of these positions defined by the position of the blocking member as a locked position wherein a movement of the main support with respect to the sleeve is prevented, and wherein the actuator is located at an upper end of the main support and the blocking member is located at a lower end of the main support, and wherein the guard assembly is completely detachable.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 shows the bed with the guard assembly according to the invention.
(2) FIG. 2 shows the guard assembly.
(3) FIG. 3 shows the guard assembly in the sleeve.
(4) FIG. 4 shows the lever mechanism in the main support.
(5) FIG. 5a shows a detail of the actuator in the locked position.
(6) FIG. 5b shows a detail of the locking mechanism in the locked position.
(7) FIG. 6a shows a detail of the actuator in the unlocked position.
(8) FIG. 6b shows a detail of the locking mechanism in the unlocked position.
(9) FIG. 7 shows a detail of the sleeve.
(10) FIG. 8a shows the alternative solution with the movable element outside the main support in the locked position.
(11) FIG. 8a shows the alternative solution with the movable element outside the main support in the unlocked position.
(12) FIG. 9a shows the alternative solution with two movable elements in the locked position.
(13) FIG. 9b shows the alternative solution with two movable elements in the unlocked position.
(14) FIG. 10 shows the alternative solution of the actuator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(15) FIG. 1 shows the bed 1 including the undercarriage 2, frame 3, patient support 4 and guard assembly 5. The guard assembly 5 includes the guard 6 and main support 7. The bed may contain at least one side rail 8. In FIG. 1 the guard 5 is inserted into the sleeve 11, which is located on the frame 3 of the bed 1. In the position in which the guard prevents the patient getting out of bed it also prevents the movement of the side rail 8 to collapsed position. FIG. 2 shows the guard assembly 5 without the bed. At the bottom end of the main support 7 there are the locking protrusions 9 which engage in the holes 12 of the sleeve 11, as can be seen in FIG. 3.
(16) FIG. 3 shows the guard assembly 5, guard 6 with sleeve 11 in the locked position. At its bottom end the main support 7 is provided with two protrusions 9 which engage in the holes 12 of the sleeve 11. The guard assembly 5 can be removed from the sleeve 11, so it can be removed from the bed 1. The guard assembly 5 includes two safety elements. The first safety element consists of the locking mechanism 13 as can be seen in FIGS. 5b and 6b. After unlocking of the locking mechanism 13 the design of the sleeve 11 allows the main support 7 to slide out. The sliding out of the main support 7 is used as the second safety element. Only after both safety elements have been overcome, it means after activation of the actuator 10 and sliding out of the guard assembly 5 it is possible to rotate the main support 7 around the axis of the main support 7 or the guard assembly 5 to be fully removed from the bed.
(17) FIG. 4 shows the lever mechanism 14. The lever mechanism 14 is able to rotate around the axle 17 consisting of the line between the two protrusions 9 (not shown in this picture) located inside the main support 7. As it is visible in FIG. 5a the actuator 10 located inside the main support 7 is chamfered at its lower end. This chamfered end is in contact with the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14. The movement of the actuator 10 deflects the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14. The actuator 10 includes a recess 23 in which is placed the rotational element 24 for reducing the frictional forces and reducing the magnitude of the force necessary for movement of the actuator 10. The movement of the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14 causes the movement of the second end 16 of the lever mechanism 14, which includes the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13, as can be seen in FIG. 5b. The locking mechanism 13 engages through the slot 22 of the main support 7 to the recess 21 of the sleeve 11. The second end 16 of the lever mechanism 14 has a cog 20 which one end of the flexible member 18 is inserted in. The second end of the flexible member 18 is supported by the body of the main support 7. The flexible member 18 urges the lever mechanism 14 to return to the original locked position.
(18) The locking mechanism 13 is shown in FIG. 5b and FIG. 6b. It consists of a blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 located at the second end 16 of the lever mechanism 14 and a sleeve 11 fixed to the frame 3 of the bed 1. The blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 can be moved between two positions. The sleeve 11 can be part of the frame 3 of the bed 1 (not in the figures), for example it may be an opening for an IV pole, etc.
(19) FIGS. 5a and 5b show the first locked position, the movement of the main support 7 in relation to the sleeve 11 is blocked. In FIG. 5a the actuator 10 is higher than in the unlocked position (FIG. 6a), and the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14 is in contact with the lower end of the actuator 10. FIG. 5b shows the locking mechanism 13 in the first locked position. Due to the force of the flexible member 18, the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 passes through the slot 22 of the main support 7 and engages in the recess 21 of the sleeve 11. The movement of the guard 6 is prevented by the locking mechanism 13. The second end 16 of the lever mechanism 14 includes a cog 20 for the placement of the flexible member 18.
(20) The second unlocked position is shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b. In FIG. 6a the actuator 10 is pressed and so the actuator 10 is in a lower position than in the locked one. The movement of the actuator 10 downwards causes sliding of the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14 from the first side of the chamfered edge of the actuator 10 in the direction of the second side of the chamfered edge. The first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14 is then in contact with the second higher positioned end of the chamfered part of the actuator 10. In FIG. 6b the locking mechanism 13 is shown in the second unlocked position. The blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 is extended against the force of the flexible member 18 into the main support 7 via the second end 16 of the lever mechanism 14. The movement of the main support 7 in relation to the sleeve 11 is possible in this position. The sleeve 11 may include several recesses 21 according to the number of locking positions. The actuator 10 should preferably be located at the upper end of the main support 7. But in an alternative version it may be located anywhere along its height or in the guard 6. The actuator 10 may be extendible, a button or a slider, or rotational (see alternative versions below).
(21) FIG. 7 shows the sleeve 11 for connecting the guard assembly 5 to the frame 3 of the bed 1. The sleeve 11 includes holes 12 which the protrusions 9 of the main support 7 are engaged in and which are also the second safety element. The sleeve 11 includes on the inner side recesses 21 (for example in FIG. 6b) in which the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 is engaged and thus constitute the first safety element.
(22) FIGS. 8a and 8b show other possible alternative embodiment where the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 is located in the sleeve 11 along with the flexible member 18. The blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 may be in two positions. In the first locked position shown in FIG. 8a the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 engages the slot 22 of the main support 7 and prevents the movement of the main support 7 in relation to the sleeve 11. So in this position the blocking member 19 is released from the sleeve and the guard assembly 5 is locked. In the second position shown in FIG. 8b the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 is forced by the lever mechanism 14 against the flexible member 18. The lever mechanism 14 is located in the main support 7 and forces the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 from the slot 22 into the recess 21 in the sleeve 11. In the second position the guard assembly 5 is unlocked and the movement of the main support 7 in relation to the sleeve 11 is allowed. So in this position the blocking member 19 engages in the sleeve 11. In this embodiment the lever mechanism 14 can be replaced by a chamfered sliding element which forces out the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13.
(23) FIG. 9a and FIG. 9b show other alternative embodiment of the locking mechanism 13. In the locked position the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 engages in the recess 21 in the sleeve 11. The force of the flexible member 18 keeps the guard assembly 5 locked, and the movement of the guard assembly 5 is prevented. So in this position the blocking member 19 engages in the sleeve. This position is shown in FIG. 9a. FIG. 9b shows the unlocked position. In FIG. 9b the blocking member 19 is released from the sleeve. The tension member 26 running through the flexible member 18 draws the blocking member 19 of the locking mechanism 13 into the main support 7 against the force of the flexible member 18, which rest against the stops 25. This unblocks the first safety element, and the guard assembly 5 can move vertically.
(24) The execution of the rotational actuator 10 is shown in FIG. 10. The movement of the rotational actuator 10 is converted to a sliding movement of the tension element 26, the first end 27 of the tension element 26 is fixed to the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14, and the second end 28 of the tension element 26 is fixed to the housing of the rotational actuator 10 in such a way that by rotation of the actuator 10 the tension element 26 is wound onto the actuator 10 and it thus causes the movement of the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14. The rotational actuator 10 may be fixed directly to the first end 15 of the lever mechanism 14, so it may involve a solution without use of a tension element 26. The use of a slider instead of a rotational actuator 10 may be an alternative to this solution. The alternative with a slider may also work without the use of a tension element.
(25) Both alternative versions of the actuators may be located anywhere on the guard. Other combinations of the individual solutions shown are also possible for the technical execution.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
(26) 1 bed 2 undercarriage 3 frame 4 patient support 5 guard assembly 6 guard 7 main support 8 side rail 9 protrusion 10 actuator 11 sleeve 12 opening 13 locking mechanism 14 lever mechanism 15 first end of the lever mechanism 16 second end of the lever mechanism 17 axis of rotation 18 flexible member 19 blocking member 20 tooth 21 recess 22 slot 23 recess 24 rotational member 25 stop 26 tension element 27 first end of tension element 28 second end of tension element
