Beds – Invalid bed or surgical support – Sectional user supporting surface
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-16
2003-07-01
Santos, Robert G. (Department: 3673)
Beds
Invalid bed or surgical support
Sectional user supporting surface
C005S600000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06584629
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, and in particular, to a mechanism for holding the vertical position of the variable bed relative to the fixed bed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various nursing beds for nursing facilities, hospitals, or homes have been developed and provided for patients who require nursing. These nursing beds allow a patient to lie thereon in a horizontal position and are configured so as to be bent into the form of a reclining seat.
If the conventional bed is used to move the patient to a different place, a wheelchair must be prepared and a lifter device must also be prepared so as to help the patient into or out from the wheelchair.
On the other hand, many attempts have been made to research and develop the multifunctional nursing beds having both a bed function and a wheelchair function, and measures have been proposed to minimize not only the patient's burdens but also the caregiver's burdens.
For example, these multifunctional nursing beds comprise a fixed bed and a movable bed that is installed in and removed from a U-shaped notched recess portion of the fixed bed so that the movable bed is changed from a horizontal bed form to a wheel chair form to allow the patient to move, thereby making it unnecessary for the patient to walk from the bed to the wheelchair.
When, however, a seat back portion of the variable bed, which is in the form of the wheelchair, is laid or raised while the variable bed is fitted in the notched recess portion of the fixed bed, the center of gravity of the weight of the patient may shift rearward from the position of rear wheels form to cause the variable bed to assume an unstable position while the form is being changed, thus hindering a smooth form change.
In view of these points, the present invention provides a multifunctional bed that can smoothly perform operations such as changing of the form of a variable bed fitted in a fixed bed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems to be solved by the present invention have been mentioned, and means for solving the problems will be described.
The present invention provides a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, wherein a holding member is provided between the fixed bed and the variable bed, for holding a vertical position of the variable bed relative to the fixed bed.
The holding member comprises a lateral pair of guiding members disposed on an inner surface of a notched recess portion of the fixed bed formed so as to appear substantially U-shaped, and a pair of guided members disposed on both sides of a seat portion of the variable bed.
The guiding members comprise a vertical pair of guide rails and the guided members comprise guide rollers guided along the vertical pair of guide rails.
In the prior art, if the variable bed that assumes the wheelchair form as described previously is moved into the notched recess portion of the fixed bed, since it must be moved backward and rear wheels of the variable bed are typically not navigating wheels, position control such as the direction change of the variable bed is cumbersome. Thus, part of the variable bed may interfere with a corner portion or the like at a front end of the fixed bed to shock the variable bed, thereby making the patient feel uncomfortable.
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these disadvantages allow the variable bed to move smoothly into the fixed bed. The present invention provides a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, wherein guide rollers are disposed at rear positions of a seat portion of the variable bed, for guiding the fixed bed so as to move into the notched recess portion.
The present invention also provides a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, wherein guide rollers for guiding the fixed bed so as to enter or leave a notched recess portion are disposed on a front and a rear positions of both sides of a seat portion of the variable bed.
The present invention also provides a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, wherein guide surfaces for guiding the variable bed so as to advance into a notched recess portion are formed in a left and right inner sides of a front end surface of the fixed bed, the front end surface having the notched recess portion opened therein.
In the prior art, the fixed bed has handrails installed along peripheries thereof so as to stand up therefrom, in order to prevent the patient from falling down from the bed surface when the patient tosses about. Thus, when the patient gets on and off from the multifunctional bed, the movable bed must be separated from the fixed bed or the handrails installed on the fixed bed so as to stand up therefrom must be avoided.
In view of these points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional bed that enables easy nursing and operations when the patient on the bed is looked after.
The present invention provides a multifunctional bed comprising a variable bed that can be changed into a wheelchair form and a fixed bed in which the variable bed can be removably fitted, wherein handrails are provided along peripheries of the fixed bed so as to stand up therefrom and are movable.
The handrails are configured to slide along peripheral portions of the fixed bed.
The handrails are attached to the fixed bed by slidably fitting slide guides fixedly installed on the handrails, in rails provided along the peripheral portions of the fixed bed, and the handrail side or the fixed bed side has a stopper mechanism for regulating sliding of the handrails.
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Kataoka Hisashi
Tsuji Hiroshi
Yamaguchi Hiroshi
Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
Santos Robert G.
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