US3579671A

US3579671A - Adjustable bed

Info

Publication number: US3579671A
Application number: US800628A
Authority: US
Inventors: Helmut Kotter
Original assignee: Stiegelmeyer GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Stiegelmeyer GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1968-06-07
Filing date: 1969-02-19
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25
Also published as: CH486242A; DE1766522A1; DE1766522B2; DE1766522C3; AT298666B

Abstract

AN ADJUSTABLE BED INCLUDING A CHASIS, A BED FRAME DISPOSED ON THE CHASIS, TWO OR THREE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER AND PISTON UNITS DISPOSED AT THE ENDS OF THE BED, AN ARTICULATED CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND PISTON UNIT AND THE BED FRAME SO THAT THE BED FRAME MAY BE MOVED TO VARIOUS ELEVATED AND/OR INCLINED POSITIONS.

Description

May 25, 1971 Q R 3,579,671

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed Feb. 19, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 25, 1971 H. KOTTER 3,579,671

ADJUSTABLE BED Filed Feb. 19, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet I United States Patent US. Cl. 5-62 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable bed including a chassis, a bed frame disposed on the chassis, two or three hydraulic cylinder and piston units disposed at the ends of the bed, an articulated connection between the cylinder and piston unit and the bed frame so that the bed frame may be moved to various elevated and/ or inclined positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an adjustable bed having a frame carried on a chassis and displaceable with respect thereto.

In prior known devices for displacing the bed frame with respect to the chassis, manually operable lifting devices were generally employed, although hydraulic and electrohydraulic devices are also known. In manually operable lifting devices, it was necessary to incorporate additional devices such as cranks or levers. In such known devices in which the automatically operable devices are provided with a separate actuating cylinder for each adjusting movement which in turn requires an additional control co-ordinated thereto. In such known beds the production costs are high. In most cases, manipulation of the lifting devices is complicated and time-consuming and often does not conform to the demands of up-to-date medical treatment methods, particularly in the case of treatment of severely ill patients. Further, the majority of the adjustment parts used are unhygienic because of the difficulties of cleaning.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages to reduce production costs by simplifying the mode of construction of the sick-bed, by improving the safety functioning of the bed frame adjusting mechanism and simplifying handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in an adjustable bed comprising a chassis, a bed frame disposed on the chassis, a cylinder and piston unit disposed on the chassis at each end of the bed, means articulatedly connecting the cylinder and piston units to the bed frame so that the bed frame may be moved to various elevated and/or inclined positions.

In one embodiment of the invention, preferably, a pair of cylinder and piston units are provided at one end of the bed spaced from one another.

Preferably, the cylinder and piston units are articulatedly connected to the chassis. One cylinder and piston unit disposed at the head and one at the foot of the bedframe, serve to adjust the height and to obtain a multitude of inclined positions of either end of the bed.

Manipulation is simplified by a central switch control. In the smallest space of time the bed-frame may be made to assume extreme positions for particular treatments. This is very important in case of sudden complications or in case of shock.

Great scope is given to the use of different types of drives. Thus, for instance, an actuating cylinder driven by "ice a hand-pump or foot pump may operate the piston cylinder unit or an electro-hydraulic unit will be equally effective, in which case an electric switch may be used to actuate the device. A reversing means for diverting the pressurized liquid will be provided, which enables individual or co-operating actuation of the cylinder and piston units to be carried out, depending on whether horizontal or inclining of the bed frame is desired. Finally, both units may be provided with pneumatic springs, preferably with an internal control therefor. The internal control of the pneumatic system ensures mechanically effective retention of the piston of the cylinder and piston unit in any given position of the bed-frame and it thus becomes unnecessary to build in rest-supports. Such a pneumatic system exhibits force (equalizing) energy storage capacity, and jerkless adjustment by hand.

To pivot or rock the bed-frame to the desired transversely inclined position, it is a feature of the invention to articulatedly fix at least one cylinder and piston unit in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the substructure. The bed-frame is connected to the cylinder and piston units by a transverse support beam disposed at each side by a supporting strap along the bed-frame.

Accordingly, two cylinder and piston units may be incorporated at the head or foot of the bed, if desired. This has the advantage of balancing power needs during adjustment, and maintaining equilibrium of the bed frame. To prevent lateral swaying of the bed-frame, the transverse support beam thereon has at its central region a broad attachment-hinge.

The cylinder and piston units may be individually or co-operatively controlled and they may be fixed to a transverse support beam on the bed-frame or the undercarriage either coupled together or spaced apart.

To further stabilize the bed-frame, the cylinder and piston units may be additionally provided with guidescissors (Nuremberg scissors) preferably above the transverse support beams of the undercarriage.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, two cylinder and piston units are arranged at the head of the bed and only one cylinder and piston unit is at the foot. The simplification of the undercarriage and absence of a fourth castor results in a considerable saving which more than compensates for the extra cost of an additional jack. The bed, moreover, becomes easier to move and easier to control when being moved. Furthermore, the improved weight distribution makes it possible for the two cylinder and piston units to be of lighter construction and require less power.

To increase the stability of the lifting system of the instant device, the cylinder and piston units are preferably quadrangular or multi-angular in cross-section.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of an adjustable bed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front elevation of the adjustable bed shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the adjustable bed shown in FIG. 1 in which the bed frame is elevated at both the head and foot of the bed.

FIG. 4 shows the side elevation of FIG. 1 wherein the bed frame is inclined and the head of the bed is elevated and the foot of the bed is in its lowered position; and

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the chassis of the adjustable bed shown in FIG. 1 in which additional cylinder and piston unit is provided at the head of the bed.