HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE BED

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a height-adjustable bed, in particular a hospital and/or nursing bed, comprising a bed frame, two bed end pieces, which accommodate the bed frame between said bed end pieces, and two telescopic lifting columns, which each interact with one of the two bed end pieces and have a supporting segment and a moving segment, wherein the lifting columns are arranged on the associated bed end pieces on the outside of the bed by means of the supporting segments of the lifting columns, and wherein the moving segment of a lifting column has a lifting column base, on which a supporting roller that can rotate about the vertical axis thereof is arranged, wherein the distance between the articulation point of the supporting roller and the associated bed end piece exceeds the rotation radius that can be described by the supporting roller about the vertical axis thereof.

Claims

1. A height-adjustable bed, in particular a hospital bed and/or nursing bed, comprising a bed frame and two bed end pieces, which accommodate the bed frame between them, and two telescopic lifting columns, each of which interacts with one of the two bed end pieces and is provided with a supporting segment and a moving segment, wherein the lifting columns are each arranged on their corresponding bed end piece on the outside of the bed by means of their respective supporting segment, and wherein the moving segment of a lifting column has a lifting column base at which a supporting roller is pivotally attached so as to be rotatable about its vertical axis, wherein the distance between the pivot point of the supporting roller and the associated bed end piece exceeds the rotational radius that the supporting roller describes when rotating about its vertical axis.

2. The bed according to claim 1, wherein the lifting column base is provided with a base rail and two support rails attached at the ends thereof, the support rails each retaining a supporting roller, wherein each support rail points away from the respective bed end piece by an angle.

3. The bed according to claim 1, wherein each supporting roller is provided with a cap element that is disposed in vertical direction above the respective supporting roller.

4. The bed according to claim 3, wherein the cap element has a circular shape and has a radius that is greater than the rotational radius of the respective support roller.

5. The bed according to claim 3, wherein the cap element is rotationally supported.

6. The bed according to claim 1, wherein the supporting segment provides a hollow column whose lower edge in vertical extension is disposed above the lower edge in vertical direction of the respective bed end piece.

7. The bed according to claim 1, wherein the support segment has on the outside two grooves that mutually face each other and extend in vertical direction.

8. The bed according to claim 1, wherein the support segment supports an end cover.

9. A lifting column for a height-adjustable bed, disposed for arrangement at an outside of the bed on a bed end piece of bed, wherein the lifting column is telescopic and comprises a supporting segment and a moving segment, wherein the moving segment comprises a lifting column base at which a supporting roller is pivotally attached such as to rotate about its vertical axis, wherein the distance between the pivot point of the supporting roller and the respective bed end piece exceeds the rotational radius that is described by the supporting roller rotating about its vertical axis.

10. The bed according to claim 4 wherein the cap element is rotationally supported.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0024] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following description based upon the Figures. The figures illustrate:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a bed according to the disclosure in a first position;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the bed according to FIG. 1 in front elevation;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the bed according to FIG. 1 in lateral elevation;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the bed according to FIG. 1 in top plan view;

[0030] FIG. 5a shows schematic perspective view of a bed according to the disclosure in a second position;

[0031] FIG. 6 shows the bed according to FIG. 5 in front elevation;

[0032] FIG. 7 shows the bed according to FIG. 5 in lateral elevation;

[0033] FIG. 8 shows the bed according to FIG. 5 in top plan view;

[0034] FIG. 9a shows a schematic perspective view of a bed according to the disclosure in a third position;

[0035] FIG. 10 shows the bed according to FIG. 9 in front elevation;

[0036] FIG. 11 shows the bed according to FIG. 9 in lateral elevation;

[0037] FIG. 12 shows the bed according to FIG. 9 in top plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Each of the FIGS. 1 to 12 depicts the bed 1 according to the disclosure, wherein the FIGS. 1 to 4 show the bed 1 from various sides in a first position, the FIGS. 5 to 8 show the bed 1 from various sides in a second position, and the FIGS. 9 to 12 show the bed 1 from various sides in a third position.

[0040] An overview of the Figures makes it apparent that the bed 1 according to the disclosure comprises a bed frame 2. Said bed frame 2 is disposed between two bed end pieces 5 and 6, that is, between the head end 5 on the one hand and the foot end 6 on the other hand. When used as intended, the bed frame 2 serves to support a support surface element 7. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the support surface element 7 is provided in form of a slatted base and is comprised of a plurality of sections 10 that are pivotable relative to each other, which is depicted clearly in particular in an overview of FIGS. 9 to 12.

[0041] The bed frame 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown is comprised of two outer frame rails 3 as well as two inner frame rails 7. They are attached, preferable screwed, at the end to the respective bed ends 5 and 6.

[0042] Each bed end piece 5 and 6 respectively provides an end board 9, which may, for example, be made from timber or plastic, or a compound material.

[0043] To provide support for a bed mattress on the support surface element 7 in an intended use application, the support surface element 7 is provided with spring elements 8, wherein each slat of the support surface element 7 is provided with a plurality of spring elements 8 that are disposed at a certain distance from each other. A number of said spring elements 8 are shown in the Figures as an example.

[0044] The bed 1 is made to be height-adjustable. To facilitate this, the bed 1 is provided with lifting columns 11 and 12. These are disposed on each of the bed end pieces, and provision is made so that the lifting columns 11 and 12 are located on the outside of the bed. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the foot end 6 supports the lifting column 11 and the head end 5 the lifting column 12.

[0045] Both lifting columns 11 and 12 are telescopic and comprise a supporting segment 13, a centre segment 14 and a moving segment 15. The moving segment 15 is formed relative to the centre segment 14, and the centre segment 14 is formed relative to the supporting segment 13.

[0046] The FIGS. 1 to 4 depict the bed 1 with extended lifting columns 11 and 12. The lifting columns 11 and 12 are extended to their maximum in this position of bed 1.

[0047] The moving segment 15 of each lifting column 11 and 12 respectively comprises a lifting column base 16. In the exemplary embodiment shown, said lifting column base 16 is provided with a base rail 17, and attached to its ends are the support rails 18 and 19. As is apparent from FIG. 2 in particular, said support rails 18 and 19 extend at an angle in upward direction 23, starting from the base rail 17. As is particularly apparent in the plan view according to FIG. 4, the support rails 18 and 19 are offset relative to the respective bed end piece at an angle ? [sic], in a direction opposite to the respective bed end piece 5 or 6 respectively.

[0048] Each of the support rails 18 and 19 supports the thereto attached supporting rollers 20, wherein the supporting rollers 20 are rotatably attached to the associated support rail 18 and 19 respectively, pivoting around their vertical axis. The distance A between the pivot point 21 of a supporting roller 20 and the respective bed end piece 5 or 6 exceeds the rotational radius r that is described by the supporting roller 20 around its vertical axis 22, which is particularly apparent from the depiction in FIG. 4.

[0049] Due to the offset arrangement of the support rails 18 and 19, a collision-free movement of the bed frame together with the thereon attached bed end pieces 5 and 6 into a lower position is possible, as depicted in FIGS. 5 to 8. As shown in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bed frame 2 together with its bed end pieces 5 and 6 is able to move past the supporting rollers 20 of each lifting column 11 and 12 respectively collision-free, so that the bed frame 2 with its bed end pieces 5 and 6 disposed thereon is able to move downwards until it rests on the floor. The rollers, which are rotatable around their respective vertical axis 22, do not reach underneath the bed frame 2, nor under the bed end pieces 5 and 6 disposed thereon, and thus do not present an obstacle to a downwards movement.

[0050] As is particularly apparent from the depictions according to FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower edge 24 of the supporting segments 13 of the lifting columns 11 and 12 respectively finishes in vertical direction 23 above the lower edge 25 of the end board 9 of the respective bed end piece 5 or 6 respectively.

[0051] This creates a free space 26 between the lower edges 24 and 25 into which the respective lifting column base 16 with its base rail 17 can enter when the bed 1 is lowered.

[0052] The supporting segment 13 of each lifting column 11 and 12 respectively is provided on its side that faces away from the bed end piece with grooves 28 that extend in vertical direction 23 and are located on the edge of every supporting segment 13. The grooves 28 are facing each other with their open side and serve, in the application as intended, the purpose of receiving the edge of a decorative element in form of decorative board that is supported by the supporting segment 13. Said decorative board may be inserted in longitudinal direction of the grooves 28 and serves in particular to improve the aesthetic appearance of the supporting segment 13. Nevertheless, other functional elements may also be inserted into the grooves 28 instead of the decorative board.

[0053] In the final assembled state the supporting segment 13 of each lifting column 11 and 12 respectively is covered at the top with a lid 27. Said lid 27 also serves to close off the grooves 28 so that a functional element retained therein cannot accidently fall out or be removed from it.

[0054] According to a further characteristic of the disclosure, the bed frame 2 of bed 1 is provided with frame rails 3 and 4 that can be extended in longitudinal bed direction. To facilitate this, said frame rails 3 and 4 respectively may be made telescopic, or may in other ways be provided in two sections that are moveable relative to each other in longitudinal bed direction. Due to this design it is possible to extend bed 1 if necessary by pulling it out. In the retracted state of the frame rails, the bed end pieces have a standard distance of preferably 2 m. This allows for the placement of a standard mattress on the support surface element 7. If required the bed 1 can be extended in longitudinal bed direction through pulling the frame rails 3 and 4 apart to an internal dimension between the bed end pieces 5 and 6 of 2.20 m. Thus the frame rails 3 and 4 enable an increase in distance between both end pieces 5 and 6 of 20 cm.

[0055] To ensure that, when extending the bed or returning the bed 1 to its standard dimension, the frame rails 3 and 4, that is, their respective sections to each other, are not inadvertently twisted, a gear arrangement is provided according to a further aspect of the disclosure, by means of which the second sections of the frame rails 3 and 4 are coupled in their movement in longitudinal bed direction. Thus, due to the gear arrangement the extendable frame rails 3 and 4 are synchronised, which ensures that, independent from the force applied to the bed end pieces 5 and 6, always the same travel movement of the frame rails 3 and 4 is ensured. The synchronisation through the gear arrangement thus ensures that the frame rails 3 and 4 are retracted or extended equally. The problem of a possible twisting is therefore completely eliminated.

[0056] The gear arrangement has a further advantage. It may be used to transmit a force into the bed frame 2 for extending or retracting the bed. In this respect it is not necessary for the user to grab and move the bed end pieces 5 and 6 in order to extend or retract it. Particularly preferred in this regard is to provide an electrical drive for the gear arrangement. This permits the user to extend or retract the bed as required by the push of a button. This increases the ease of operation significantly. In particular it is not necessary to have two persons available to extend or shorten the bed to the required length. Due to the gear arrangement only a single person is required to extend or shorten the bed.

[0057] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.