Beds – With means for relocating an invalid – Rotatable platform type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-19
2003-12-30
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3673)
Beds
With means for relocating an invalid
Rotatable platform type
C005S084100, C005S509100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06668396
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, more particularly a turning mechanism for a patient, which is relatively uncomplicated in structure, and convenient to use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary for the position of a patient confined to a bed and unable to turn himself or herself to be periodically changed by nurses or people providing care to a patient to prevent bedsores, pressure sores and other maladies associated with lying in one position for a long period of time. In addition, nurses or people providing care to a patient have to frequently change the position of the patient in bed when washing, dressing and undressing the patient and in providing other care. To prevent a bedridden patient from lying on the bed in a fixed position for an extended period of time, people providing care periodically turn the patient between the back-rest position and side-rest positions, which can be a left side-rest position or a right side-rest one, for allowing the patient to rest on the bed in each of the different positions for a certain period of time.
Therefore, the nurses or people providing care to an invalid patient would spend relatively much labor if they have to turn the patient manually without assistance device. Turning devices have been provided for allowing nurses or people, providing care to a bedridden patient, to turn the patient between the various rest positions with reduced labor and length of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,874 disclosed a “Turn sheet for invalid”, which includes a lift device
12
, chains
70
, and bars
66
, and a turn sheet
10
, which is turned with the lift device
12
working with the chains
70
, and the bars
66
. This mechanism only allows the patient to be turned to single side rest position. The lift device
12
has to be separated from the turn sheet
10
, and then moved to the other side of the bed, and finally connected to the other side of the turn sheet
10
for allowing the patient to be turned to the other side rest position. Therefore, this mechanism is not convenient to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,267 disclosed a “Method for lifting and turning a patient confined to a bed”, which allows a patient to be turned to both side rest positions. However, the mechanism used in this method has relatively complicated structure, and the patient lying on the bed is enclosed by an upper section of the mechanism, which is likely to interfere with medical staff's providing service to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,862 disclosed a “Patient turning device and method for lateral traveling transfer system”, which have straps
54
passed over two sides of a patient for turning the patient between various positions. This device has relatively uncomplicated but pulling force of the straps
54
is concentrated on the middle of the patient, may cause stress concentration and discomfort to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,304 disclosed a “Bed rail mounted drive unit for patient positioner”, which is equipped with straps
20
,
22
. This device has similarly drawback as the last one, and could cause uneven rotation and discomfort to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,371 disclosed a “Bed patient turning, lifting and transporting apparatus with mobile, folding and knockdown frame”, which is even more complicated than the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,267, and has a drawback that the upper section is likely to interfere with medical staff or other people's providing service to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,443 disclosed an “Apparatus for turning a patient in bed”, which has a longitudinal shaft
24
capable of moving a pull sheet portion
12
for turning a patient. This device is likely to interfere with medical staff or other people's providing service to the patient due to the strap elements
18
,
20
.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,636 B1 disclosed a “Patient rotation system”, which is relatively uncomplicated in the structure. However, this device can only be used to turn a patient to a single side rest position, therefore the use of this device is restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, which is relatively uncomplicated in structure, and which can be used to turn the patient to both left and right side rest positions, with little stress concentration to patient's body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, which can be used with little labor.
The turning mechanism of the present invention includes two pivotal frames, and two adjusting members, which are connected to respective frames provided for moving the frames between a horizontal position and a tilted one. A sheet is connected to elongated rods of the frames. The adjusting members have transmission shafts, which are connected to motors, and which have threaded sections screwed through respective moving blocks, to which propping rods are pivoted. The propping rods are pivoted to the frames at the other ends so that when the motors are activated, the moving blocks move along threaded sections, and the respective frames are adjusted with the propping rods.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4654903 (1987-04-01), Chubb et al.
patent: 4819282 (1989-04-01), McArthur et al.
patent: 4856129 (1989-08-01), Butler
Conley Fredrick
Luu Teri Pham
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
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