Bed, e.g. for hospital use

(42) Date of commencement of the patent: 15.11.1987 (45) Date of issue: 25. 5.1988 (30) Priority:

(73) Patent owner:

9th No. 5,185,732, 732269. OETIKER HANS

HORNS (CH).

(56) Documents:

AT-PS 312159 AT-PS 77511 DE-PS 232042 GB-PS (1902)

9807 U.S. Patent No. 3,818,516 U.S. Patent No. 3,739,406, U.S. Patent No. 3,724,004

A hospital bed is described which comprises a bed frame (20) consisting of a middle section (21) as well as a head section (24) and a foot section (27), US Pat. No. 3,130,652. which are rotatable with respect to the central portion (21). The bed frame (20) is supported with respect to a base frame (10) by a first yoke-like intermediate frame (40) which permits rotational movement of the bed frame (20) in both directions about a single transverse axis (125). The first intermediate frame (40) is pivotally connected to a second intermediate frame (30) to permit tilting about a longitudinal axis (44). The second intermediate frame (30), which consists of a ParallelogrBmmgestängesystem (31, 32, 33), allows height adjustment of the bed frame (20) and is formed and arranged so that the bed frame (20) has a nearly vertical position without interference by the cross member (12) of the base frame (10), wherein the foot portion (27) of the bed frame (20) is at the bottom.

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DVR 0070010

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- 2 The invention relates to a hospital bed with a base frame having rigidly interconnected longitudinal beam elements and cross member elements, a bed frame and an intermediate frame.

Hospital beds that can be raised and lowered, tilted about a longitudinal axis, and adjusted to different positions of the bed are known in the art.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,739,406 discloses a hospital bed in which a bed frame can be tilted relative to the base frame, raised and lowered by telescopically extendable parts at both its ends, and having two end portions attached to the middle portion of the bed frame are fastened by a hinge. However, this patent uses two independently actuated telescopically extendable drives to raise and lower the head and foot sections of the bed. As a result, it is relatively complicated in terms of its drive mechanism and limited in the various layers in which it can be adjusted.

U.S. Patent No. 3,724,004 discloses a hospital bed similar to that of the aforementioned patent in that it requires separate drives for the head and foot ends. Furthermore, this patent requires complicated constructions, such as a balancing unit, and causes the drive unit to carry a significant load.

U.S. Patent No. 3,200,416 discloses a hospital bed in which the bed is rotatable about a single transverse axis, which bed may additionally be inclined about a longitudinal axis. However, this patent does not allow height adjustment, it requires a spring to balance the weight of the patient, and requires a relatively complicated crank drive mechanism. Furthermore, this patent requires a separate plate construction for the knee position and is limited to a maximum head down position of 15 °, which is currently considered completely insufficient in the case of unconscious patients.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hospital bed that can be easily adapted to the condition of the patient, is relatively simple in construction and allows the patient to go into the hospital bed and stand up by merely going in or out of it get out of it when the hospital bed is in a nearly vertical position. It is a further object of the invention that all of the layers of the hospital bed are easily accessed by the patient through the operation of suitable snaps. can be adjusted.

It is a further object of the invention that the hospital bed provides a conversion facility for use as a toilet in the event that the patient's injury or illness does not permit the physical movement to a water closet.

Various proposals have been made in the art to achieve the same purpose. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,345,652 discloses a clinical bedside chair in which the hip assisting panel can be moved from a closed position to an open position leaving an opening through the frame while a bedside chair below the hip supporting plate is arranged.

The hospital bed according to the invention is characterized by the combination of a number of cooperating features as claimed in claim 1 and subclaims to provide the advantages of a new hospital bed, with some or many of these features being individually known as such in the art could be. The bed frame, which is divided into a head portion, a middle portion and a foot portion, which are rotatably attached to each other, is supported with respect to the base frame by a first intermediate frame of yoke-like arrangement which in its upper region with the central portion of the bed frame to a single transverse axis is rotatably connected and rotatably connected about a longitudinal axis with a second intermediate frame, which makes it possible raise and lower the first intermediate frame and thus the bed frame. Five independently operable drive units are provided to adjust the head portion of the bed frame with respect to the central portion of the bed frame about a first transverse axis to adjust the foot portion of the bed frame with respect to the central portion of the bed frame about a second transverse axis about the bed frame about a third transverse axis , which is located in the central region of the central portion of the bed frame, to rotate around the first intermediate frame and thus the bed frame

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3 to tilt the longitudinal axis and to raise and lower the first intermediate frame and thus the bed frame with respect to the base frame by means of the second intermediate frame.

The second intermediate frame, which in a preferred embodiment is in the form of a parallelogram linkage system, is arranged and constructed so that the bed frame is around the third

Transverse axis can be rotated in an at least approximately vertical position without obstruction by the cross member of the base frame to allow the patient to go to bed and get out of bed by going to bed or out of bed in the strict sense of the word go.

The invention differs from the prior art described above in that the bed can be raised and lowered by use of a parallelogram linkage system to which an intermediate frame of a yoke-like construction is pivotally connected about a longitudinal axis, the yoke-like intermediate frame surrounding the bed frame a single transverse axis rotatably supports.

The use of lifting arms as such is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,818,516. Apart from other limitations in the adjustment feature of the hospital bed described in this patent, its lift arms are individually actuated and do not form a parallelogram linkage system as disclosed by the invention.

With the use of electric motors in the drive units for the various attitude adjustments, it becomes possible to use currently existing control technology to provide certain security features. The use of electric motors permits a control system that typically relinquishes control of the five drive units to the patient. However, using conventional electrical and / or electronic control techniques, the control system may also permit individual prevention of one or the other control option or mutual blocking system which prevents the hospital bed from being set in certain positions unless a predetermined position is assumed.

In contrast to the above-cited U.S. Patent No. 3,345,652, the invention utilizes the feature of height adjustment of the hospital bed to keep the patient in the maximum raised position to permit replacement of a corresponding mattress piece in the central portion of the bed with a toilet seat the mattress is lowered. If the head part 30 of the hospital bed and its foot part are placed in a seated position, and if the hospital bed is raised again after the toilet seat has been attached, the patient can be set to a comfortable position while the hospital bed is used as a Notto toilet.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, which, for purposes of illustration only, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 is a schematic, perspective view of the hospital bed according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a somewhat schematic side view of the hospital bed according to the invention, Fig. 3 is an end view of the hospital bed of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a side view of the hospital bed Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hospital bed according to the invention, showing the change of the bed to be converted into a Notto toilet, according to the invention in the lowered head position; Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the attachment of a bowl when the hospital bed is used as a dummy toilet; Fig. 7 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing the attachment of a dining table or worktable to the hospital bed according to the invention, and Figs Fig. 8 is a plan view of the control panel for a hospital bed according to this invention.

With reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the several views, and in with: With particular reference to Figures 1 to 3, reference numeral 10 designates generally a base frame consisting of side member elements 11 and cross member elements 12, 12 which are rigidly connected to each other. 50 castors -13- are supported by the base frame -10- in its four corners. The rollers -13- may be of any conventional design and may be equipped with individual locking devices or with a centrally actuable locking device. Alternatively, at least some of the rollers may be replaced by wheels, as known in the art.

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The three-part bed frame, indicated generally by reference numeral 20, consists of a central portion indicated generally by reference numeral 21, a head portion indicated generally by the reference numeral 24 and a foot portion thereof generally designated by reference numeral -27-. The central portion -21- of the bed frame -2- has longitudinal frame elements -22- and transverse frame elements -23-. The head portion -24- of the bed frame -20- has longitudinal frame members -25- interconnected by transverse frame members -26-. The longitudinal frame members -25- are rotatably connected in any conventional manner to the longitudinal frame members -22- of the central portion -21- of the bed frame -20- to form a first transverse axis of rotation -123-. The foot portion -27- of the bed frame -20- consisting of longitudinal frame members -28- connected by transverse frame members -29- is similar to the longitudinal frame members -28- on the longitudinal frame members -22- in a manner similar to the head portion -24- the bed frame -20- rotatably mounted, so that there is a second transverse axis of rotation -124-. Of course, the corresponding sections of the bed frame may additionally be reinforced in any way. The bed frame -20- is supported with respect to the base frame -10- by a first intermediate frame indicated generally by the reference numeral -40- and by a second intermediate frame indicated generally by the reference numeral -30-. The second intermediate frame -30-, which simultaneously serves to raise and lower the bed frame -20-, consists of a parallelogram linkage system having lifting frame elements -31- rotatably connected near its lower end to the longitudinal beams -11- of the base frame -10- are and are rotatably connected near its upper end with the longitudinal frame elements -32- and transverse frame elements -33-. In the lowermost position of the hospital bed, the lifting frame elements -31 · - are rotated counterclockwise, as shown in Fig.l, in a position substantially parallel to the longitudinal support elements -11- of the base frame -10-. The first intermediate frame -40- is a yoke-like construction (Fig. 3) and consists of an approximately U-shaped support member generally indicated by the reference numeral -41- and the upright frame members -42a and 42b- and inwardly, slightly downward extending frame parts -43a and 43b-. At the crossing point of the frame parts -43a and 43b-, the first intermediate frame -40- is rotatably connected in any conventional manner to a reinforcing cross member -33a- of the second intermediate frame -30- about a longitudinal axis -44- (Fig.2). For example, the necessary supporting parts may be accommodated in a support element -45- which is attached to the transverse frame element -33a, in order to allow a rotational movement of the first intermediate frame -40- with respect to the second intermediate frame -30- about the longitudinal axis -44- to enable. A first drive mechanism, indicated generally by reference numeral 50-, having an extendable member 51- and rotatably connected to both longitudinal frame members -22 and 25- permits raising and lowering of the head portion -24- of the bed frame -20- with respect to on the middle section -21- of the bed frame -20-. A second drive mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 60- and having a retractable element -61-, is rotatable with both the central portion -21- of the bed frame -20- and the foot portion -27- of the bed frame -20 - connected to allow a lowering and raising of the foot portion -27- of the bed frame -20- with respect to the central portion -21- of the bed frame -20-. A third drive mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 70-70, has an extendable member 71- which carries at its free end a rack 72 which engages a gear 73 which is rigid at the central portion. 21- of the bed frame -20- so that it rotates the latter about the transverse axis -125- in both directions of rotation when the rack is moved to the left or right. The end of the drive mechanism -70- opposite the rack -72- is rotatably connected to the first intermediate frame -40-. The extendable element -71- and the rack -72- are guided safely, for example in a slot element -74-, which is rigidly connected to the first intermediate frame -40-. This particular arrangement permits, by selecting a suitable length of the rack -72-, the bed frame -20- in the counterclockwise direction - as shown in Fig.l - in its lowered position

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5, which exceeds 25 ° with respect to the horizontal position (Figure 4), which in the case where a patient is unconscious is required to rotate and the bed frame -20- in a clockwise direction to a nearly vertical position with lowered feet, as shown in Fig.2 with dashed lines, in which a foot wall -131- touches the ground. Also, a head wall (not shown) similar to the foot wall -131- may be installed as a safety measure when the bed is placed in the position of Figure 4.

A fourth drive mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 80- and having an extendable member 81-8, is connected both to the middle transverse frame member 33a of the second intermediate frame 30 and to the upright frame member 42a of the yoke-like second one Intermediate frame -40- connected so that the tilting of the first intermediate frame -40- and thus the bed frame -20- about the longitudinal axis -44- in both directions of rotation is possible.

Finally, a fifth drive mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 90 and which also has an extendable member 91, is connected both to the left support member 12 of the base frame 10 and 10 as shown in FIG connected to the transverse frame element -33a of the second intermediate frame -30- in order to change the height of the hospital bed when its extendable element -91- is extended and retracted, wherein a rotation of the lifting frame elements -31- from its almost horizontal position (lowest position of the hospital bed) in its almost vertical position (maximum

Height of the hospital bed) or vice versa.

The five drive mechanisms -50, 60, 70, 80 and 90- are preferably commercially available units that use an electric motor to extend and retract the corresponding extendable member by rotating the motor in one or the other direction of rotation. The drive connection between the engine and the extendable element is preferably designed so that a self-locking effect occurs when the engine is switched off. A control unit (not shown) connects a push-button panel (Figure 8), which is normally in the control of the patient, to the corresponding electric motors of the drive unit so as to allow separate and independent adjustment of each drive unit. Optionally, the control unit, which is located out of reach of the patient, eg

on the base frame -10-, locking devices in the form of switches od.ähnl. of any conventional type to prevent the patient from using one or more of the drive units, depending on the condition of the patient. In addition, suitable means for alternately blocking any conventional type may be provided on the hospital bed which prevent the operation of a particular electric motor when the hospital bed is not in a predetermined position. For example, the operation of the motor for the fourth drive unit -80- must be prevented by the mutual lock device when the bed frame is not in a horizontal position. Similarly, the operation of the fifth drive unit -90- can be prevented when the bed frame -20- is not in a non-inclined position, ie, when the fourth drive mechanism -80- is not in the normal

Central position is, in which also the central portion -21- of the bed frame -20- is in a non-inclined position. By the use of conventional control techniques, it may also be possible to first automatically bring the corresponding part of the hospital bed into a predetermined position, before proceeding with the switching on of the electric motor, the switching of which was desired by pressing the corresponding control button. For example, at

Pressing the corresponding control button to turn on the fourth drive unit -80- the first, second and third drive units -50, 60 and 70- are automatically turned on to bring the various sections of the bed frame in their horizontal position before the motor of the fourth drive unit then is turned on. This type of control technology can also be applied to the other drive units in any manner. This one

Control techniques using known electrical (switch and relay) devices and / or electronic components will be omitted, for a detailed description thereof for the sake of simplicity.

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To prevent mutual obstruction of the right cross member element -12- of the base frame -10- as shown in Fig.l and the foot section -27- of the bed frame -20- when the bed frame -20- is in the almost vertical position, and the foot-wall on the floor is, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, to allow the patient to go into the hospital bed and get out of it by walking (in the true sense of the word), the parallelogram linkage system -31, 32, 33- of the second intermediate frame assembly -30- is pressed closer to the right end (bottom end) of the base frame -10-. In addition, the third transverse axis -125- about which the bed frame -20- rotates, is moved against the right end (the foot end) of the base frame -10-, and the lift frame members -31- are in connection with the fifth drive mechanism -90- arranged so that they rotate from a nearly horizontal position corresponding to the minimum height of the hospital bed in its vertical position towards the foot end of the base frame -10- to raise the hospital bed in its highest position. This causes the third axis of rotation -125- to be sufficiently moved toward the foot end of the base frame -10- so that the bed frame -20- can be rotated clockwise, as shown in Fig.l, until it is nearly vertical without interference from reaches the right cross member element -12-.

The mattress sections -100, 101, 102- are respectively supported by the central portion -21- of the bed frame -20-, the head portion -24- of the bed frame -20- and the foot portion -27- of the bed frame -20-. In order to provide for the possibility of a Nottoilette, eg for a patient who can not walk, the middle section -100 of the mattress or a part thereof can be exchanged for a toilet seat -103- (Figure 5). To facilitate such replacement, the hospital bed is first raised to its highest position with side support columns -16a and 16b- secured in suitable mounting brackets -17a and 17b of the base frame -10-. A hammock-like sheet -104- is then slipped under the patient sitting on the midsection -100 of the mattress and their ends are then hooked into appropriate fasteners on the support columns -16a and 16b. Thereafter, the hospital bed is lowered so that the patient is held in the previous position, sitting on the hammock-like path -104-. The mattress section -100 is then exchanged for the toilet seat -103-, a bowl -18- od.ähnl. is mounted under the toilet seat (Figure 6), and the hospital bed is raised again until the patient is carried by the toilet seat -103-, whereupon the hammock-like path -104- is removed. In place of the hammock-like sheet -104-, the support columns -16a and 16b- may be equipped with plate-like support members (not shown) rigidly secured to them and extending against each other and sufficiently strong yet sufficiently thin to allow them to intervene mattress 100 and the seated patient can be inserted to achieve the same purpose as with the hammock-like path -104-. Furthermore, a wedge-shaped element (not shown) can be used to turn the bed into a toilet. The bed is tilted on one side, so that the patient comes to rest on the lower side. The wedge-shaped element, which has a greater length but a smaller width than the middle section -100 of the mattress and is cut out in the middle, is then pushed with its end sections over the mattress sections -101 and 102-; the bed is tilted in the opposite direction so that the patient comes to rest on the unsplit end portions of the wedge-shaped element, whereupon the mattress center portion -100 can be removed and replaced with the toilet seat -103-. To weigh the patient, a bowl-like element that has the length of the bed can be similarly used by attaching it to the mounting brackets -17a and 17b- and then lowering the bed, with the patient in the bowl-like element remains. In addition to using the cup-like weighing element, a similar method can be used to rotate the patient 180 °, ie from the back to the abdomen. The cup-like member consists of a flat bottom and a flat top which are rotatably connected along the sides so that the cup-like member can be conveniently withdrawn under the patient when it is no longer needed.

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Figure 3 shows a side rail -116- to protect the patient from falling out of the bed when the bed is tilted. Of course, a similar rail can also be present on the opposite side.

Fig. 7 shows the hospital bed according to the invention when converted into a dining or working table 5 for the patient by mounting a mounting frame assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral -120-, eg on the upright frame members -42a and 42b or otherwise suitable.

Fig. 8 shows a control panel with the various controls to enable a single actuation of the drive mechanisms -50, 60, 70, 80 and 90- by the patient.

Furthermore, the headboard may be removably secured to the bed frame to allow for a replacement against a modified head wall having means for retaining, eg in the form of boots, straps or the like, to hold the patient's feet. This makes it possible to hang a patient upside down once he has been rotated 180 ° on the bed starting from the position as he gets into bed. After the feet have been strapped to the replacement head wall, the patient can be placed upside down so that the patient hangs suspended from his feet to facilitate therapeutic exercises.

The invention thus enables a number of features which cooperate to provide, by extremely simple means, a hospital bed which offers great versatility in use for different conditions of patients.