US3886610A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hospital bed
Assignee: Huntington Institute of Applied Medical Research
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Filing: 1973-07-11
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1993-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A hospital bed for patients who require assistance in repositioning themselves on the bed. A mattress for the bed is formed by a number of separate bolsters or cushions each covered with a removable slip-cover sheet. Each bolster extends across the width of the bed, and the several bolsters are aligned side by side to extend along the length of the bed. A drive mechanism is provided on a frame of the bed to move the bolsters as a group along the length of the bed, thereby enabling longitudinal repositioning of the patient. End portions of the bolsters can also be raised to assist it turning the patient. In an alternative form, the modular mattress is carried on a frame adapted for mounting on a standard hospital bed.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Hunter Shelden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/10; A61G7/1025; A61G7/1032; A61G7/104; A61G7/1044; A61G2200/00; A61G2200/30; A61G2200/32; A61G7/001; A61G7/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having a foot end and a head end, the frame being hinged so the head end can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body; mattress means for supporting a patient on the bed frame; drive means on the frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame adjacent the head end when the head end is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward the foot end can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having a foot end and a head end, the frame being hinged so the head end can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body; mattress means for supporting a patient on the bed frame; drive means on the frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame adjacent the head end when the head end is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward the foot end can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having a foot end and a head end, the frame being hinged so the head end can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body; mattress means for supporting a patient on the bed frame; drive means on the frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame adjacent the head end when the head end is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward the foot end can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having a foot end and a head end, the frame being hinged so the head end can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body; mattress means for supporting a patient on the bed frame; drive means on the frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame adjacent the head end when the head end is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward the foot end can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The bed defined in claim 1 in which the drive means includes rollers rotatably mounted at the head and foot ends of the frame, a drive belt extending between the rollers in engagement with the mattress, and means coupled to the drive belt for maintaining the belt under tension as the elevation of the head end is adjusted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
145 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having head and foot ends, the frame being arranged so an upper frame portion adjacent the head end can be sloped upwardly with respect to a lower frame portion adjacent the foot end, whereby an upper portion of a patient''s body can be elevated; mattress means on the frame and including a plurality of separate bolster sections each extending laterally across the frame, the sections being positioned side by side to extend between the ends of the frame; and drive means on the frame and engageable with the bolster sections for moving the sections along the frame toward the head end and along the upper frame portion whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly in the bed can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion without being raised off the bolster sections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
145 words
A bed, comprising: a bed frame having head and foot ends, the frame being arranged so an upper frame portion adjacent the head end can be sloped upwardly with respect to a lower frame portion adjacent the foot end, whereby an upper portion of a patient''s body can be elevated; mattress means on the frame and including a plurality of separate bolster sections each extending laterally across the frame, the sections being positioned side by side to extend between the ends of the frame; and drive means on the frame and engageable with the bolster sections for moving the sections along the frame toward the head end and along the upper frame portion whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly in the bed can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion without being raised off the bolster sections.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
The bed defined in claim 3 in which the drive means includes rollers mounted at the head and foot ends of the frame, a drive belt extending around the rollers longitudinally along the bed, the bolster sections being disposed on the belt, a guide means on the frame intermediate the rollers for guiding the belt along an upper surface of the frame, means coupled to the belt for maintaining the belt under tension when the elevation of the upper frame portion is adjusted, and means coupled to the belt to move the belt longitudinally along the bed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
The bed defined in claim 4 in which the bolster sections each include a body of resilient material and a support tray fitted against an undersurface of the resilient material; the drive belt and trays having a releasable fastening means therebetween so an individual bolster section can be removed from the belt as it reaches an end of the frame to be repositioned on the belt at the other end of the frame.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
The bed defined in claim 5 in which said means for moving the belt includes an electric motor, means connecting the motor to the belt, and an operate switch and a limit switch in series connection with the motor, the limit switch being mounted on the frame for actuation by the bolster sectionS, the limit switch being operative to disable operation of the motor when a bolster section is to be repositioned on the frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The bed defined in claim 6 and further comprising a pair of lifting means secured at opposite sides of the frame and arranged to lift a selected end of the body of resilient material positioned above the lifting means to aid in turning a patient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
The bed defined in claim 7 in which each support tray comprises a base panel with an opening at each end, and a pair of movable panels pivotably mounted on the base panel above the respective openings, an individual tray being positionable so the lifting means can extend upwardly through the openings to raise a selected one of the movable panels to raise the selected end of the body of resilient material, the tray further being positionable in a second position so the lifting means contacts the base panel to raise the entire bolster section with respect to an adjacent bolster section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The bed defined in claim 3 and further comprising lifting means on the frame for elevating at least a portion of a selected bolster section with respect to the frame.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The bed defined in claim 3 and further comprising a bed-pan unit adapted to be substituted for one of the bolster sections, the unit having a top panel with an opening therethrough to receive a container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The bed defined in claim 10 wherein the container is a plastic bag.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The bed defined in claim 11 wherein the plastic bag is formed of polyvinyl-alcohol plastic which is soluble in hot water.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
155 words
An accessory movable-mattress system for addition to and use with a conventional hospital bed, the conventional bed having a bed frame with a head end which can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body, the accessory system comprising: an elongated hinged frame adapted to fit on the bed frame, the hinged frame having a head section which can be raised in conjunction with the bed-frame head end; mattress means for supporting a patient on the hinged frame; and drive means on the hinged frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame head section when the head section is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward a foot end of the bed can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
155 words
An accessory movable-mattress system for addition to and use with a conventional hospital bed, the conventional bed having a bed frame with a head end which can be raised to elevate a patient''s upper body, the accessory system comprising: an elongated hinged frame adapted to fit on the bed frame, the hinged frame having a head section which can be raised in conjunction with the bed-frame head end; mattress means for supporting a patient on the hinged frame; and drive means on the hinged frame and engaged with the mattress means for moving the mattress means longitudinally toward the head end of the bed and along an upwardly sloping portion of the frame head section when the head section is elevated, whereby a patient who has slipped downwardly toward a foot end of the bed can be moved back toward the head end and along the upwardly sloping frame portion by moving the mattress means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The accessory system defined in claim 13 wherein the mattress means comprises a plurality of separate bolster sections each extending laterally across the hinged frame, the bolster sections being positioned side by side to extend longitudinally along the hinged frame.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
The accessory system defined in claim 14 wherein the drive means includes rollers mounted adjacent opposite ends of the hinged frame, a drive belt around the rollers longitudinally along the hinged frame, the bolster sections being disposed on and being movable with the belt, and means for driving the belt longitudinally along the bed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |