Solid state hospital bed power control unit

Claim 2

A power control unit preferably for operating a motorized bed in response to signals imparted to said control unit from a bed control handset comprising: a. control circuitry including at least one portion; b. said at least one portion of said control circuitry comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to the emitter of said photo transistor; and c. said photo transistor further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 3

A power control unit for operating a motorized bed as set forth in claim 1 wherein said load comprises a first winding of a reversible capacitor split phase motor.

Claim 4

A power control unit preferably for operating a motorized bed in response to signals imparted to said control unit from a bed control handset comprising: a. control circuitry including a first portion and a plurality of second portions; b. said first portion of said control circuitry including a pair of input terminals for connection to a power source, and a control power transformer; c. said control power transformer comprising a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; d. said primary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said pair of input terminals and across said power source; e. said secondary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said bed control handset; f. said tertiary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said plurality of second portions to connect in circuit said first portion and said plurality of second portions; g. said plurality of second portions each comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to said emitter of said photo transistor; and h. said photo transistor of each of said plurality of second portions further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 5

A power control unit preferably for operating a motorized bed in response to signals imparted to said control unit from a bed control handset comprising: a. control circuitry including a first portion and a plurality of second portions; b. said first portion of said control circuitry including a pair of input terminals for connection to a power source, and a control power transformer; c. said control power transformer comprising a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; d. said primary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said pair of input terminals and across said power source; e. said secondary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said bed control handset; f. said tertiary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said plurality of second portions to connect in circuit said first portion and said plurality of second portions; g. said plurality of second portions each comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to said emitter of said photo transistor; and h. said photo transistor of each of said plurality of second portions further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 6

A power control unit for operating a motorized bed as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said power source comprises an AC power source and is connected at all times to said pair of input terminals; b. means are connected in circuit with said tertiary winding of said control power transformer to form a full wave center tapped rectifier, said means comprise first and second diodes connected to thE extremities of said tertiary winding and a tap connected at the center of said tertiary winding; and c. said first portion of said control circuitry further includes a capacitor connected across said full wave center tapped rectifier to smooth the output voltage therefrom.

Claim 7

A power control unit for operating a motorized bed as set forth in claim 3 wherein said signal imparted to said sensitive surface of said photo transistor comprises illumination received by said sensitive surface from a light source optically coupled to said photo transistor, said light source being energized in response to actuation of said bed control handset.

Claim 8

In a system for operating a motorized bed in response to control signals generated by actuation of a bed control handset, said system including bed height limit positioning means for limiting the travel of said motorized bed and cut-off means for selectively preventing the generation of certain control signals from said bed control handset, the improvement of a power control unit comprising: a. control circuitry including at least one portion; b. said at least one portion of said control circuitry comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to the emitter of said photo transistor and c. said photo transistor further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 9

In a system for operating a motorized bed in response to control signals generated by actuation of a bed control handset, said system including bed height limit positioning means for limiting the travel of said motorized bed and cut-off means for selectively preventing the generation of certain control signals from said bed control handset, the improvement of a power control unit comprising: a. control circuitry including at least one portion; b. said at least one portion of said control circuitry comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to the emitter of said photo transistor and c. said photo transistor further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 10

In a system for operating a motorized bed as set forth in claim 6 wherein: a. said load comprises a first winding of a reversible capacitor split phase motor; and b. said signal imparted to said sensitive surface of said photo transistor comprises illumination received by said sensitive surface from a light source optically coupled to said photo transistor, said light source being energized in response to actuation of said bed control handset.

Claim 11

In a system for operating a motorized bed in response to control signals generated by actuation of a multi-button bed control handset, said system including bed height limit positioning means for limiting the travel of said motorized bed and cut-off means for selectively preventing the generation of certain control signals from said bed control handset, the improvement of a power control unit comprising: a. control circuitry including a first portion and a plurality of second portions, one of each of said second portions cooperating with one of said buttons of said bed control handset; b. said first portion of said control circuitry including a pair of input terminals for connecting said first portion at all times to an AC power source, and a control power transformer; c. said control power transformer comprising a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; d. said primary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said pair of input terminals and across said AC power source; e. said secondary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said buttons of said bed control handset; f. said tertiary winding of said control power transformer being connected in circuit with means to form a full wave center tapped rectifier, said means comprising first and second diodes connected to the extremities of said tertiary winding and a tap connected at the center of said tertiary wiNding, said rectifier being connected to said second portions to connect in circuit said first portion and said second portions; g. said second portions each comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to said emitter of said photo transistor; and h. said photo transistor of each of said second portions further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 12

In a system for operating a motorized bed in response to control signals generated by actuation of a multi-button bed control handset, said system including bed height limit positioning means for limiting the travel of said motorized bed and cut-off means for selectively preventing the generation of certain control signals from said bed control handset, the improvement of a power control unit comprising: a. control circuitry including a first portion and a plurality of second portions, one of each of said second portions cooperating with one of said buttons of said bed control handset; b. said first portion of said control circuitry including a pair of input terminals for connecting said first portion at all times to an AC power source, and a control power transformer; c. said control power transformer comprising a primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding; d. said primary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said pair of input terminals and across said AC power source; e. said secondary winding of said control power transformer being connected to said buttons of said bed control handset; f. said tertiary winding of said control power transformer being connected in circuit with means to form a full wave center tapped rectifier, said means comprising first and second diodes connected to the extremities of said tertiary winding and a tap connected at the center of said tertiary wiNding, said rectifier being connected to said second portions to connect in circuit said first portion and said second portions; g. said second portions each comprising a photo transistor having a collector and an emitter, a Triac having a gate, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a load connected in circuit with said Triac, said collector of said photo transistor and said gate of said Triac being connected to said first resistor at a junction in said circuit, and said second resistor being connected to said emitter of said photo transistor; and h. said photo transistor of each of said second portions further including a sensitive surface wherein when no signal is imparted to said sensitive surface from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts very little current and is essentially OFF, and wherein when said sensitive surface of said photo transistor receives a signal from said bed control handset said photo transistor conducts and said junction in said circuit changes electrically from a first voltage to a second voltage causing said Triac to conduct power to said load.

Claim 13

In a system for operating a motorized bed as set forth in claim 8 wherein: a. said load of each of said second portions comprises a winding of a reversible capacitor split phase motor; and b. said signal imparted to said sensitive surface of said photo transistor of each of said second portions comprises illumination received by said sensitive surface from a light source optically coupled to said photo transistor of each of said second portions, said light source being energized in response to actuation of one of said buttons of said bed control handset.