Therapeutic bed

Details Therapeutic bed Therapeutic bed

1997-09-08

2000-08-29

Grosz, Alexander

Beds

Invalid bed or surgical support

Tiltable along a longitudinal axis

5607, A61G 7008, A61G 7018

Patent

active

061088382

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to hospital beds and more particularly to therapeutic beds.
Therapeutic beds are used for chronically ill patients such as paraplegics, patients that are partially or fully paralysed, patients suffering from head injuries or other serious injuries particularly spinal injuries. Such beds are used either to render a patient incapable of voluntary movement or to restrict some movements. Patients who are confined in this way however suffer among other things from constipation, muscular wasting, bone decalcification and bed sores.
It has been found that one way of overcoming these problems is to provide a therapeutic hospital bed in which the patient supporting platform is mounted for controlled oscillation or controlled rotation within a bed frame relative to a bed support on which the bed frame is mounted.
U.S. Pat. 3434165 & 4868937 describe therapeutic beds of this type.
One of the problems with known beds of this type is that due to incorrect use there is a possibility that the bed may be operated in such a way that the oscillation motion is not controlled. This could lead, in extreme circumstances where a patient is not adequately secured in the bed, to patient injury.
The present invention is therefore directed towards providing an improved therapeutic bed which will overcome these problems.
According to the invention there is provided a therapeutic bed comprising a patient support platform pivotally mounted to a main bed frame, a motor drive for oscillating the patient support platform relative to the main bed frame, a drive connection and activating means for engaging and disengaging the drive connection wherein the actuating means comprises a release mechanism which is biassed into a normally engaged position.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the release mechanism comprises at least one disengagement arm having a handle, the arm being biassed into a normally engaged position.
In one embodiment of the invention the release mechanism comprises a pair of disengagement arms.
In a particularly preferred arrangement the disengagement arms are interconnected by a scissors linkage.
In one arrangement the drive connection is connected to the disengagement arms adjacent the free ends thereof.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the disengagement arms are movable between inner and outer limit stops which limit the movement of the arms.
In this case preferably in the normally engaged position the disengagement arms engage the inner stops.
In one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the biassing means comprises a spring biassing means.
In one case the drive connection comprises a drive belt.
In this case preferably tension of the drive belt is adjustable by an adjustment means. The adjustment means may for example comprise a turn-buckle.
In another aspect, the invention provides a therapeutic bed having means for mounting a photographic cassette adjacent an upper side of the patient support platform. This advantageously facilitates the taking of X-Rays of a patient on the patient support platform. Further, it allows imaging equipment to be used when required without moving the patient.
In a preferred embodiment the mounting means has means for de-mountably loading the cassette on the patient support platform from an under-side of the patient support platform. Thus advantageously medical staff have ready access for mounting and removal of a photographic cassette on the patient support platform.
Conveniently an opening is provided in the patient support platform for reception of the photographic cassette, and support means is provided for mounting the photographic cassette within the opening. Ideally, means is provided for supporting the cassette substantially flush with an upper-side face of the patient support platform. Thus advantageously the cassette can be positioned close to the patient without the patient support platform obstructing the X-Ray image made on the cassette.
In a preferred embodiment, the support means is a flap mounte

REFERENCES:
patent: 3434165 (1969-03-01), Keane
patent: 4868937 (1989-09-01), Connolly
patent: 5299334 (1994-04-01), Gonzalez

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