Beds – With means for relocating an invalid – Rotatable platform type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2002-02-26
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3628)
Beds
With means for relocating an invalid
Rotatable platform type
C005S084100, C005S087100, C005S083100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06349433
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembly of a bed or like supporting means and an apparatus for movement support for a person when moving into or out of a bed. Such an assembly is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,090.
2. Description of Background Art
For elderly and disabled persons, for instance, it becomes more and more difficult to move into and out of a bed or a like support without using the assistance of another person, for instance a nurse or a member of the family. This has as a drawback that, in the first place, such a helper should always be present when a person is to be moved into or out of bed, which is not always the case and, moreover, is costly if this requires (semi-) professional aid. In addition, the family members are often not physically capable of offering the desired assistance and for the aid-giver, such assistance presents the danger of causing injuries, for instance because of a wrong lifting technique. In the second place, not being able to get out of a bed independently, i.e. without the aid of other people, means a heavy psychological burden to people, because this reduces their sense of self-esteem and will moreover create the feeling of being a burden to others. As a result, people will be moved into or out of bed less often than is desired or desirable, with all its consequences. In the third place, there is the danger that quality of the assistance offered is unsatisfactory, for instance because of incompetence or insufficient power on the part of the aid-giver. This causes the danger of the person in need of help falling or getting injured otherwise.
The known assembly comprises a supporting means and an apparatus for movement support for a person, which apparatus comprises a support bar, mounted by an upstanding support tube. The support bar can be placed in a number of discrete positions, which positions differ in the enclosed angle. A person, sitting or lying down, can grab the support bar and pull himself up into a sitting or standing position. In order to reposition the support bar the user or another person will have to lift the support bar, such that retaining pins extending through the support bar are pulled out of securing slots, after which the support bar can be swivelled to a next position. Then the support bar can be pushed down again, the retaining pin entering a different set of securing slots.
This known assembly has the disadvantage that the user should have sufficient strength to pull himself up into said sitting or standing position, since the full pulling force will have to be exerted by said person. Furthermore, the support bar will give no support to the user during repositioning of the support bar. Therefore, the person will have to stabilize himself before being able to reposition said support bar. This will be hazardous.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,479 a further assembly of a bed or like supporting means and an apparatus for movement support is known, in which during displacement a user is completely carried by the aid. To this end, a large and relatively high support frame is provided from which a rotatable arm is suspended. Provided at the free end of this arm is a support loop in which the user can position himself, after which he can be lifted from the bed entirely and placed in a chair through swivel movement of the arm. Said swivel movement and said lifting is accomplished by means of motor driven elements.
In this apparatus, no effort whatsoever is required from the user during swivelling, while, moreover, the user will not reach a standing position. After all, the supporting apparatus can support him an sitting position only.
This known assembly has the disadvantage that the apparatus is very voluminous and therefore impractical for use in narrow spaces and rather costly. Furthermore, since the aided person does not have to provide for any pulling force or other physical exercise, this known assembly does not provide for exercise for the aided person, nor is this assembly therapeutically valuable. The large apparatus and the complete dependence of the apparatus for the user can be psychologically straining.
The object of the invention is to provide an assembly of a bed or like supporting means and an apparatus for movement support for a person when moving into or out of bed, whereby the above-mentioned drawbacks are avoided. In accordance with the invention, such an assembly is characterized by the features recited in the claims.
With such an assembly, everyone can move into and out of a bed or the like independently, unaided by others and without the risk of injuries. Hence, an assembly according to the invention has substantial physical and psychological advantages to a user.
By using an am that is pivotable relative to a base part, the possibility of a solid grip is provided throughout the movement of the user into or out of a bed, while the arm will always remain in a suitable position relative to the user. The power drive continuously provides the proper power for supporting the movement of the user into the desired position.
During use, the user, when he or she is lying on a bed, pivots the swivelling arm, which may or may not be energized by a motor or otherwise, into the first position so that the first part extends at some distance approximately above the pelvis, transversely across the bed. Then, the swivelling arm is gripped by the hands and the user pulls the upper part of his body slightly towards the swivelling arm. Meanwhile, the motor of the apparatus has started and the swivelling arm swivels in the direction of the second position. Thus, the user can pull himself up further and meanwhile shift in the direction of the edge of the bed, possibly drawn by the swivelling arm. After having moved his legs over the edge of the bed, the user can then pull himself upright by the swivelling arm, which by that time has approximately been brought into the second position. For moving into bed, the user can use the apparatus as well, by following the above steps in reverse order. Moreover, the apparatus can be used for changing a lying position into a sitting position and the other way round. In this manner, the user is supported in his movements by the apparatus.
Also it a user is not able to pull himself up from a lying position into a sitting position, he can use an apparatus according to the invention. After he has gripped a part of the swivelling arm extending above him, the motor can be started, after which the user is drawn into a sitting position by the swivelling arm. From that position, he can then reach the standing position in the above-described manner.
In an advantageous embodiment, an assembly according to the invention is characterized in that the swivelling arm comprises operating means, which, during use of the apparatus, can be operated by the user supported in his or her movement, for controlling the motor for driving the swivelling arm.
The operating means on the Swivelling arm offer the user the possibility of controlling the movements of the swivelling arm during the entire period that he or she moves by means of the apparatus. As a result, the user's safety during use is increased considerably.
Further, it is advantageous if an assembly according to the invention is further characterized in that the swivelling arm comprises at least one bend in the plane of the support surface and the axis of the first part of the swivelling arm between the axis of rotation and the first part so that in the second position, the axis of rotation is located closer to the bed than the first part of the swivelling arm, wherein the first part of the swivelling arm extends approximately along the nearby bed edge at such a distance that a user can stand upright between the bed edge and the first part with his or her hands on the first part.
When such an assembly is used, the user is offered the possibility of holding on to the swivelling arm continuously while still being able to stand upright beside the bed. The bend in the swivelling arm-offers the advanta
Browne Lynne H.
Hewitt James M.
Prevas Ergonomie B.V.
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