Balance bed

Abstract

The invention relates to a recliner device for supporting a lying person, the recliner device having a foot and arranged thereon (i) a first movably mounted thigh support for supporting the first thigh of the person, (ii) a movably mounted second thigh support for supporting the second thigh of the person, the second thigh support being independent of the first thigh support and being combinable with the first thigh support to form a complete support, and (iii) a movably mounted back and head support that is independent of the first and second thigh supports.

Claims

1. A recliner device for supporting a lying person, the recliner device having a foot and arranged thereon: a first movably mounted thigh support for supporting a first thigh of the person; a movably mounted second thigh support for supporting a second thigh of the person, the second thigh support being independent of the first thigh support and being combinable with the first thigh support to form a complete support; and a movably mounted back and head support that is mounted independent of the first and second thigh supports for supporting at least the chest or the lower back of the person, wherein each thigh support is allocated to a thigh support pivot bearing device that can be pivoted around a horizontal axis at the respective thigh supports, for each thigh support, the thigh support pivot bearing device is allocated to a lever arm, and the lever arms of the thigh supports are directly coupled to a single pivotable connecting arm, the single pivotable connecting arm being coupled to the foot by a base plate, the back and head support is allocated to a back and head support pivot bearing device, different than the pivot bearing device for each thigh support, that can be pivoted around a horizontal axis at the back and head support, the back and head support pivot bearing device is allocated to the foot by a lever arm different than the lever arms of the thigh supports, and the pivot bearing devices are allocated to the thigh supports and the back and head support, respectively, in such a manner so as to be configured to enable the weight of the lying person to be received mainly at the person's thighs and back, and that the pivot bearing devices are configured to be freely pivoted by the lying person balancing in a lying state.

2. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein both lever arms of the thigh supports are flexure elastic and can be bent by the lying person in a vertical direction.

3. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm of the back and head support is flexure elastic and can be bent by the lying person in a vertical direction.

4. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein both lever arms of the thigh supports are torsion elastic and can be twisted by the lying person.

5. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm of the back and head support is torsion elastic and can be twisted by the lying person.

6. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein both lever arms of the thigh supports and the lever arm of the back and head support are flexure elastic and torsion elastic.

7. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein for each thigh support the pivot bearing device is allocated to the foot by means of the respective lever arm and a pivot bearing that can be pivoted around a vertical axis.

8. The recliner device according to claim 7, wherein the lever arms of the thigh supports are together allocated to the foot by means of the respective pivot bearing that can be pivoted around the respective vertical axis, wherein the pivot bearings of the lever arms of the thigh supports are allocated to the foot by an additional pivot bearing that can be pivoted around an additional vertical axis.

9. The recliner device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the pivot bearing or pivot bearing devices is respectively a decelerating pivot bearing or a decelerating pivot bearing device.

10. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein each thigh support is allocated to a lower leg support, respectively, either in a fixed manner or by means of an additional pivot bearing device that can be pivoted around the horizontal axis.

11. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein the lever arms of the thigh supports or the lever arm of the back and head support are allocated to the foot by means of one or a plurality of additional pivot bearing devices that can pivot around a longitudinal axis of a base plate of the foot, wherein the lever arms or the lever arm are allocated to the foot by means of the one or the plurality of additional pivot bearing devices at the base plate that can be pivoted around the longitudinal axis.

12. The recliner device according to claim 11, wherein the one or the plurality of additional pivot bearing devices can be pivoted around the longitudinal axis by at least 2 degrees to 20 degrees.

13. The recliner device according to claim 12, wherein the one or the plurality of additional pivot bearing devices have a restoring force around the longitudinal axis or can be pivoted in a decelerating manner.

14. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pivot bearing devices is a pivot bearing device that can be pivoted with a spring rigidity.

15. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pivot bearing devices has a restoring force.

16. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of at least one of the lever arms relative to a horizontal plane is capable of being between 5 degrees and 90 degrees.

17. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of at least one of the lever arms is adjustable relative to a horizontal plane.

18. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein a pivoting angle of at least one of the pivot bearing devices to at least one of the corresponding lever arms can be limited.

19. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein a distance of the thigh supports to the back and head support is adjustable at the foot.

20. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein the movably mounted back and head support comprises individual elements of a two-or multi-part arrangement, wherein the individual elements are selected from a one-piece back and head support, or a two-piece back and head support, or a three-piece head-support, upper-support, and lower back-support, wherein each of the individual elements of the two- or multi-part arrangement is connected rigidly, flexibly or movably to one another, and wherein the pivot bearing device of the back and head support is allocated to the back support or a lower back support that is allocated to the back support.

21. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein a pivoting angle of the pivot bearing device around the horizontal axis of the back and head support is limited and the pivot bearing device of the back and head support has a restoring force.

22. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein the foot or at least one of the lever arms is mounted in a damping or an elastic manner.

23. The recliner device according to claim 1, wherein at least one movable part of the recliner device is lockable or adjustable by machinery.

24. The recliner device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one movable part of the recliner device can be programmed to be locked or adjusted by machinery.

25. The recliner device according to claim 24, wherein the recliner device can be adjusted from a lying position into a sitting or standing position and vice versa.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 a three-dimensional view of a recliner device (1) of the invention with reference numerals as seen from an upper rear angle;

(2) FIG. 2 a side view of a recliner device (1) of the invention of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 a side view of the recliner device (1) shown in FIG. 2 with an extended distance between the slide (24) or the pivot bearing of the back unit (22) allocated to the slide and the pivot bearing of the leg unit (31);

(4) FIG. 4 a side view of the recliner device (1) as shown in FIG. 2 in entry and exit position with a tilted pivot bearing (23) opposite the base plate;

(5) FIG. 5 a side view of the recliner device (1) as shown in FIG. 2 without the lower back support;

(6) FIG. 6a shows a top view of the recliner device (1) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a two-part back and head support;

(7) FIG. 6b shows an alternative three-part back and head support with a lower back support;

(8) FIG. 7 a top view of a recliner device (1) of the invention with a rectangular, planar-shaped lower leg-, thigh-, back and head supports with lower back support (a); alternatively a three-part back and head support with lower back support is shown (b);

(9) FIG. 8a-f side views and top views of inventive embodiments of the two- and three-part back and head supports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a recliner device (1) of the invention from an upper rear angle for supporting a lying person that is not described. The recliner device (1) has a stable foot (2) designed as frame with four legs with damping elements (28) at each leg end. Base plate (25) is positioned on the foot (2), to which the mount of the leg unit, in the present case the connecting piece (26) with pivot bearing (20), and the movable slide (24) of the back and head support (5) with the pivot bearing for the back unit (22) is pivotably combined. The back and head support (5) can be moved towards to and away from the leg unit with slide (24) and can then be fixed. In a preferred embodiment, only the leg unit or also the leg unit can be constructed movably, for example, by means of a slide on the base plate (25).

(11) In the present preferred embodiment the leg unit consists of the connecting piece (26) with the pivot bearing (20) that can be pivoted around the vertical axis. The pivotable connecting arm (26) is allocated to the lever arms (10, 11) preferably by means of first and second pivot bearings (12, 13), wherein the lever arms are also allocated to the first and second thigh supports (3, 4) by means of first and second pivot bearing devices (8, 9). The first and second thigh supports (3, 4) are preferably each connected to optional and preferred first and second lower leg supports (17, 16) via pivot bearings (18, 19). Particularly in the lying state at least the pivot bearing devices (8, 9, 14) can be pivoted freely by a balancing person. However, also the lever arms (10, 11) of the thigh supports (3, 4) and/or the lever arm (15) of the back and head support can be flexure elastic, torsion elastic or both and further extend the lying person's degrees of movement freedom.

(12) In the present preferred embodiment the back and head unit (5) consists of the movable and fixable slide (24) that allocates this unit to base plate (25), as well as the pivot bearing (22) that movably allocates the lever arm (15) of the back and head support (5). The lever arm (15) is allocated to the back and head support (5), preferably by means of the pivot bearing device (14) that is preferably positioned at the balance point of the back of the lying person. However, the position of the pivot bearing device (14) can also be before or behind the balance point of the back of the lying person so that an intended instability results which the lying person can compensate by an appropriate posture. The back and head support (5) can be formed as one piece rigidly or movably, it can be formed as two parts by a back- (5) and a head piece (6) and a connection, for example in the form of a rigid, flexure elastic and/or torsion elastic lever (29), or it can be formed as three parts, i.e. two parts with an additional lower back support (Sa), wherein the lower back support of the back support (5) can be allocated by means of a rigid, flexure elastic and/or torsion elastic lever (30). It is an advantage if the positions of the head-, back- and lower back supports (6, 5, 5a) can be adjusted in the distance to each other, so that the supports can be adjusted to the anatomy of the lying person. A side support (7) of the back support can also be an advantage, which imparts more safety for the lying person and which can avoid a fall for balance-impaired people. However, a stable use is already ensured with a skid-free surface of the supports (5, 5a, 3, 4). In order to achieve the effect of the invention, one only needs the pivot bearing devices (8, 9, 14) of the thigh-, back and head supports. This means that the connection of the lever arms (10, 11, 15) of these supports (3, 4, 5) with the base plate (25) can also be fixed and the lying person will still be swimming on the back. All further degrees of freedom by additional pivot bearing, for example pivot bearings 12, 13, 20 and additional pivot bearing devices, for example 22, 27, 18, 19, 21 amplify the feeling of zero gravity. For this reason, the skilled person recognizes that the construction of the lever arms 10, 11 and 15 as well as their allocation to the base plate (25) (or possibly even to several base plates) and the foot (or possibly even several feet) can be effected in many and very different ways, as long as the weight of the lying person is basically received at the thigh and the back, and as long as the pivot bearing devices 8, 9, 14 can be freely moved from a lying state from the balance position of the person.

(13) The pivot bearing 23 at the end of the base plate allows for raising the base plate (25) towards the feet so that the lying person is transferred into a sitting or standing position. The sitting or standing position in the opened state facilitates the entry and exit. Preferably the transfer from the lying to the sitting/standing position is mechanically supported and stabilized, for example by actuators.

(14) In a preferred embodiment the base plate (25) is allocated pivotably to the foot (2) by means of at least one pivot bearing device (21) around longitudinal axis C, so that the lying person can rotate along its longitudinal axis together with the leg supports (3, 4) and/or the back and head support (5) to the right and left sides. Preferably, this at least one pivot bearing device (21) is decelerated and/or supplied with a restoring force so that the lying person cannot roll sideways off supports (3, 4, 5). The at least one pivot bearing device (21) is pivotable around longotudinal axis C, preferable by at least 2 to 20, preferably at least 2 to 15, more preferably 5 to 10.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the recliner device of the invention (1) of FIG. 1. However, the connecting piece (26) to the first lever (10) of the first lower leg support (3) is connected to the base plate (25) by means of a pivot bearing (27). The pivot bearing device (18) between thigh and lower leg support (3, 17) is designed das flexure- and torsion elastic bar.

(16) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the recliner device of the invention (1) of FIG. 2 with an extended distance between slide (24) or the pivot bearing of the allocated back unit (22) and the pivot bearing of the leg unit (31). The extended distance adapts the recliner device (1) to the longer back of a lying person or leads to a lower back position that can be compensated by the lying person by tensioning of the back musculature and, thus stabilizing its lying position. Additionally, the diverse pivot bearing deflections are described by double-sided arrows. Preferably, the lever arms are designed to be flexure elastic and/or torsion elastic and thereby extend the degrees of freedom of the lying person and also dampen or amplify the wave movement originating from the lying person.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the recliner device (1) shown in FIG. 2 in entry and exit position with pivot bearing (23) tilted relative to the base plate (25). It is preferred to decelerate the pivot movement of pivot bearing (23) or even to install a restoring force so that the transition from the entry-/exit position to the lying position does not occur jerkily and possibly uncontrolled by the lying person. The restoring force towards the sitting-/standing- and exit position facilitates the transition of the lying person into the sitting-/standing- and exit position, and the restoring force or decelerating force avoids a jerky swing-out during transition into the lying position. Moreover, during transition from the lying position into the entry- and exit position the distance between the leg unit and the back unit can be shortened by means of the slide of the back unit, which improves the entry- and exit position in the seated state. The change in distance of both units toward each other can be executed manually or by means of actuators.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a side view of the recliner device shown in FIG. 2 without lower back support. Most often the lower back support (5a) is not even necessary because the back support (5) typically receives and supports the center of gravity of the upper body of the lying person. In that case the lower back support (Sa) has more of a psychological function so that the lying person feels additionally stabilized because of the contact to the lower back support (5a).

(19) FIG. 6 shows a top view of the recliner device (1) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a two-part back and head support (a) and alternatively, a three-part back and head support with lower back support (b). The pivot bearings are shown hatched and the pivot axis are shown as dashed lines. Preferably the back support is constructed with side support on both sides and preferably the head-, back and/or the lower back support are each supplied with pivot bearing devices so that they allow for a limited deflection each so that the back and/or head of the person lying on the supports can move around the horizontal axis A. Moreover, additional or instead flexure elastic and/or torsion elastic levers, that allocate the individual supports of the back and head support to each other can impart further degrees of freedom to the spine of the person.

(20) FIG. 7 shows a top view of a recliner device of the present invention with rectangular, planar lower leg-, thigh-, back- and head supports (variant a). Alternatively, a three-part back and head support with a lower back support is shown (b). The pivot bearings are hatched and the pivot axis A is shown as dashed line. It is preferred that the respective supports are adapted to the anatomy of the received body parts. However, such defaults can considerably limit the use of the recliner device by bodily very different people or lead to pressure points with some groups of people. For this reason, it can be of advantage to construct one or more supports of the recliner device of the invention basically planar and possibly only well-padded. In a preferred embodiment singular, several or all supports can be designed variably adaptable to the anatomy of the lying person, for example by actuators, by pads that can be filled with air or liquids, etc.

(21) FIGS. 8a-f show side views a-c) and top views (d-f) of embodiments of the present invention with two- and three-part back and head supports. In variant a, the head support is missing and the pivot bearing is located on top of the back support. The head support is of advantage for the present invention but not mandatory because it only improves the lying comfort, in particular for long term and relaxing lying, it is not absolutely necessary for effecting the swimming effect. However, lying down without a head support is little relaxing and makes it necessary that the lying person has to tension the neck and this has an effect on the posture of the back. Variant b is three-part with a lower back support. Most often one can dispense with the lower back support without loss of lying comfort; however, it contributes to the subjectively perceived lying comfort. Variant C is three-part and each of the three supports are designed rectangular. The top views d to f correspond to side views a to c.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(22) 1 Recliner device 2 Foot 3 first thigh support 4 Second thigh support 5 Back and head support 5a Lower back support 6 Head support 7 Side support 8 First pivot bearing device 9 Second pivot bearing device 10 First lever arm 11 Second lever arm 12 First pivot bearing 13 Second pivot bearing 14 Pivot bearing device 15 Lever arm for back/head support 16 Second lower leg support 17 First lower leg support 18 Pivot bearing device for 17 19 Pivot bearing device for 16 20 Pivot bearing for connecting piece 26 21 Pivot bearing for base plate 25 22 Pivot bearing for back unit 23 Pivot bearing for base plate 25 24 Slide for pivot bearing 22 25 Base plate 26 Connecting piece to lever arm 10 27 Pivot bearing for leg unit 28 Damping for foot 29 Lever arm for head support 6 30 Lever arm for support 5a 31 Mount for leg unit

SUMMARY

(23) The invention relates to a recliner device for supporting a lying person having a foot and arranged thereon (i) a first movably mounted thigh support for supporting the first thigh of the person, (ii) a movably mounted second thigh support for supporting the second thigh of the person, the second thigh support being independent of the first thigh support and being combinable with the first thigh support to form a complete support, and (iii) a movably mounted back and head support that is independent of the first and second thigh supports.