Device for repositioning a mattress

Abstract

Device (2) for changing the spatial position of a mattress (4) mounted in a bed frame, wherein the device (2) comprises a height adjustment device (8) provided with an adjustment drive supported on a support frame and an adjustment device (10) for changing the position of the mattress (4) in an at least approximately horizontal plane, wherein the adjustment device (10) has a mounting for the mattress (4) with at least one adjustment element (12) which allows translational movement in the at least approximately horizontal plane, and the adjustment element (12) has pivot bearings (14a, 14b) at spaced-apart positions, of which a first pivot bearing (14a) is connected to the height adjustment device (8) and a second pivot bearing (14b) is connected to a support structure (16), wherein the pivot bearings (14a, 14b) form parallel axes of rotation at a constant distance from each other, characterized in that the pivot bearings (14a,14b) lie in a common horizontal plane and the adjusting device (10) is arranged above the height adjusting device (8).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for changing the spatial position of a mattress stored in a bed frame, wherein the device comprises a height adjustment device provided with an adjustment drive supported on a support frame and an adjustment device for changing the position of the mattress in an at least approximately horizontal plane.In order to design the device so that its mobility is less restricted, it is proposed that the adjustment device has a mounting for the mattress with at least one adjustment element that allows translational movement in the at least approximately horizontal plane, and that the adjustment element has pivot bearings at spaced-apart positions, of which a first pivot bearing is connected to the height adjustment device and a second pivot bearing is connected to a supporting structure, the pivot bearings forming parallel axes of rotation with a constant distance between each other.

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for changing the spatial position of a mattress stored in a bed frame, wherein the device comprises a height adjustment device provided with an adjustment drive supported on a support frame and an adjustment device for changing the position of the mattress in an at least approximately horizontal plane.

[0003] These devices are designed to simplify changing bed linens. Depending on the thickness of the mattress, the mobility of the person putting on the cover, and the accessibility of the mattress corners, changing bed linens can be quite difficult. The sheets must also be pulled down the sides of the mattress and folded underneath. With double beds that have two separate mattresses, the inner corners and long sides can be difficult to reach. Similarly, with beds positioned with one long side against a wall, the corners closest to the wall are hard to access. The corners and long sides of the mattress are significantly easier to reach if the mattress can be lifted from its resting position and moved horizontally.

[0004] A device of this type is known from US patent 3,516,097 A. This patent discloses a device with which a mattress stored in a bed frame can first be lifted in a first movement until it extends beyond the bed frame surrounding the mattress in its initial position. Then, in a second movement, the mattress can be rotated about an axis of rotation in a horizontal plane. To enable this rotation, the mattress is mounted in a pivot bearing that allows it to rotate about a vertical axis. Lifting and then rotating the mattress makes it easier to put a cover on it, as all corners of the mattress are more easily accessible.

[0005] The mattress's rotation would be blocked if it did not maintain sufficient distance from the headboard. During rotation around its vertical axis, one corner of the mattress moves along a circular path toward the headboard, while another corner moves away from it along a circular path. The mattress can only rotate fully around its vertical axis if, during the rotation, it is far enough from the headboard that the arc along which the corners move no longer collides with the headboard. The solution disclosed in US 3,516,097A creates the necessary distance by also moving the mattress away from the headboard during the lifting motion.The lifting movement therefore has a three-dimensional direction of movement with a movement component that is at least also directed in the vertical direction, while the movement in the at least approximately horizontal plane consists solely of a rotation around the vertical axis of the mattress.

[0006] The mattress's rotation is not only blocked by the headboard. If the bed is positioned so close to a wall with one long side parallel to it that a corner of the mattress hits the wall when rotating around its vertical axis, the lifting motion over the foot of the bed frame disclosed in US 3,516,097A is ineffective because this motion does not increase the lateral distance between the mattress and the adjacent wall. The mattress's rotation is also blocked if it cannot be moved to the area beyond the foot of the bed frame due to insufficient clearance.

[0007] Patent DE 102 41 544 A1 discloses the ability to tilt a mattress into an inclined position. This tilting motion increases the distance between the long side of the mattress and the wall, making the long side of the mattress furthest from the wall more accessible when changing the mattress cover. However, the inclined position carries the risk that the mattress could slip down onto the floor from its tilted position. Furthermore, the tilting mechanisms only allow for a tilting motion that raises only one side of the mattress. The ends of the mattress and the long side opposite the raised side are not made more accessible by this solution.

[0008] From the patent application WO 2010 / 122 188 A1 it is known to provide a swivel bearing on both sides of a height adjustment device for pivoting a mattress.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to design the device in such a way that its mobility is less restricted.

[0010] The problem is solved for a generic device by having the rotary bearings lie in a common horizontal plane and the adjustment device arranged above the height adjustment device.

[0011] In the solution according to the invention, separate movements occur in the at least partially vertical direction and in the at least approximately horizontal plane. For the movement in the at least approximately horizontal plane, it is irrelevant whether the mattress is in a perfectly horizontal position or whether its position deviates from the horizontal plane by a few degrees. The essential point is that the mattress is not tilted, but remains flat enough that it does not threaten to slide sideways onto the floor.

[0012] Instead of solely rotating the mattress around its vertical axis, it is proposed that the adjustment mechanism be designed so that the mattress can be moved translationally in a direction transverse to its vertical axis via adjustment elements. This translational movement can move the mattress away from a side wall when directed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bed frame. However, the translational movement can also be directed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the bed frame, so that in this translational movement the mattress is moved away from both the side wall and the headboard. The translational movement can be linear or follow a curved path.

[0013] Depending on the path of movement along which the mattress is to be moved, the adjustment elements of the adjustment device are designed accordingly. For example, the adjustment device may have telescopic extensions that allow for linear adjustment. Alternatively, linear or curved roller tracks may be provided, forming a guide system along which the mattress moves. The rollers on both tracks can be fixed to the mattress and move along the track, which is fixed to the bed frame. Alternatively, the roller track may be fixed to the mattress and move via the rollers fixed to the bed frame. The guide system ensures that the rollers move along the track in a controlled manner. One or more linkages can also be used as adjustment elements, supporting the mattress and allowing it to move along a pivoting path.The movement paths of the control arm(s) can be guided at one or both ends, and the ends of the control arms can be fixed to the mattress and / or the bed frame, resulting in a defined pivoting movement of the mattress across the adjustment range. Combinations of the adjustment elements described above can also be used.

[0014] The two swivel bearings allow the adjustment element to pivot, ensuring that the mattress and / or support remain at least approximately in a desired parallel longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal or transverse axis of the bed frame during the initial part of the pivoting motion. This is important so that, by moving the adjustment element in an approximately horizontal plane, the mattress can initially be moved away from the headboard or a side panel until it can be rotated without its corners colliding with the side panel or headboard. Once sufficient distance is achieved, the mattress can be freely rotated around one of the two swivel bearings, allowing all corners of the mattress to be covered with a bed sheet from a single point.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment device is connected to a support element that holds the mattress. When the translational movement of the mattress is mentioned above and below, this can, of course, refer only to the mattress itself, provided it possesses sufficient inherent rigidity to be held securely by the adjustment device. However, it is advantageous if not only the mattress itself, but also a support element belonging to the mattress, on which the mattress rests, is movable in the translational direction. This support element could, for example, be a slatted frame or a spring frame that moves along with the mattress. Finally, there are also box spring beds in which the mattress rests on a base containing springs, which in turn are supported by a rigid frame.The slatted frame, the spring frame, or the frame of a box spring bed each serve as the support. Such a firm support is helpful when the mattress moves, because a mattress typically has very little inherent rigidity. The support provides attachment points through which the adjustment mechanism can be connected to the mattress. The adjustment mechanism is then connected to the support on the mattress side.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the pivot bearings are arranged with their axes of rotation eccentrically to the vertical axis at the center point of the support or the mattress. The offset of the two pivot bearings from the vertical axis at the center point of the support or the mattress results in a good range of adjustment, allowing the mattress or the support to be moved laterally. Depending on the direction in which the device is positioned in a bedroom, this also results in better pivoting of the mattress in the room along the length of the bed compared to an arrangement where the axis of rotation of a pivot bearing runs through the center point of the support or the mattress.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the height adjustment device has a support structure via which the height adjustment device is connected to the support element or the mattress. The support structure enables the device to be attached to a support element or a mattress. While the height adjustment device can be designed independently of the type and dimensions of the support element or mattress present in a given bed frame, the support structure must be adapted to the dimensions of the support element or mattress to ensure an optimal connection between the device and the support element or mattress.Slatted bed bases and mattresses today typically have widths of 90 cm or 100 cm and lengths of 200 cm or 220 cm for a single bed. However, there are also slatted bed bases and mattresses for two beds, with widths ranging from 140 cm to 200 cm and lengths of 200 cm or 220 cm. Youth beds or special bed sizes are not included in these examples. Even these examples reveal a wide variety of connection points for the height adjustment mechanism, which connects to the support elements in the bed frame or to the mattress(es). While the basic design of the height adjustment mechanism remains the same for all the aforementioned dimensions, adapting it to individual dimensions is achieved through the use of support structures designed for different sizes.Existing bed frames can also be retrofitted with a device according to the invention, thanks to the dimensionally different supporting structures.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the support structure has support arms that are telescopically extendable in the longitudinal direction. The telescopic support arms can be easily adjusted to different dimensions of a mattress or support device by means of a corresponding extension. The support arms can then be fixed at a suitable extended length, for example with a clamping screw, so that they do not shift during use.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, the height adjustment device, as its adjustment drive, includes a power storage device that allows the mattress to be raised or lowered. This power storage device can, for example, be a mechanical spring that is pre-tensioned to such a high degree that, when the stored tension is released, it raises the mattress along with all other connected components. The tension of the mechanical spring can be variably adjustable so that it can be adapted to different weights of support elements and mattresses. To return a mattress from its raised position to its lowered position, it is sufficient to press the mattress down against the mechanical spring. The mechanical spring, or the height adjustment device as a whole, can be held in the tensioned position by a locking mechanism to release it for the next time the bed is made up.A mechanical spring is maintenance-free, it requires no energy supply, it is safe to handle and it is inexpensive to manufacture.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the height adjustment device has a motorized drive as its adjustment mechanism. The motorized drive can be provided in addition to or as a replacement for a mechanical spring. The motorized drive can be designed as a manually operated mechanical, electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic drive, the movement of which is converted into a height adjustment movement of the height adjustment device via an actuating mechanism. Depending on the embodiment, the motorized drive can act on a rotary spindle of a lifting linkage or a gear interacting with a rack, or the height adjustment can be achieved by extending and retracting a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the motor drive has overload protection. This overload protection can be implemented, for example, via a load sensor in conjunction with an automated shutdown of the motor drive. If the load sensor detects a sudden increase in load or the exceeding of a predefined load threshold, caused, for example, by reaching an end position, the motor drive can shut down automatically. If the load increase is caused by a trapped body part, such as a pinched finger, an immediate shutdown of the drive can prevent serious injury. The load measurement can also prevent the motor drive from being misused to raise or lower people lying on the mattress.The overload protection also prevents attempts to lower the mattress from the raised position back into the normal operating position before the supports and / or the mattress have been swung back into a position where they fit back into the bed frame.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the supporting structure, the support element, and / or the mattress can be fixed in a pivot position on the height adjustment device by means of a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism can, for example, be designed as a mechanical lock that can be unlocked by a magnetic switch or mechanically. The locking mechanism is advantageous to ensure that the supporting structure, the support element, and / or the mattress do not undergo translational movement in the horizontal direction while the height adjustment device is still being moved up or down. Successful locking can be monitored by means of contact switches. If locking has not yet occurred, the height adjustment device cannot be operated. This prevents the risk of injury and damage to the bed frame or the device.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the invention, the height adjustment device has a movable side panel. This movable side panel serves as a safety guard to prevent injuries to persons during the raising and lowering of the height adjustment device. The movable side panel can, for example, be designed as a telescopic skirt that moves together with the height adjustment device.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the invention, the device has a tilt protection feature. The tilt protection feature can be a support that can be folded out and back in as needed, or which folds out or back in a controlled manner via a connecting rod during a translational movement in the horizontal direction, and / or the device is screwed to the floor and / or the bed frame, either simply or multiple times.

[0025] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. All features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those subsequently mentioned in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone, are usable not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually.

[0026] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1: A side view of a device for repositioning a mattress in a bed's use position, Fig. 2: the in Fig. 1 Device shown in a raised position, Fig. 3: the device made of Fig. 1 from a top view, Fig. 4: the displaced mattress after a rotation around the first pivot point, and Fig. 5: the relocated mattress after a rotation around the second pivot point.

[0027] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a side view of a device 2 for repositioning a mattress 4 in a bed's use position. The mattress 4 is lowered. The mattress 4 rests on a slatted frame, which in this embodiment forms the support element 6. The height adjustment device 8 is located in the Fig. 1 in a lowered position. The adjusting device 10, which in the exemplary embodiment has the adjusting element 12 with the two rotary bearings 14 formed therein, is located above the height adjusting device 8.

[0028] The adjusting device 10 is connected to the support element 6 via the support structure 16. The support structure 16 has four longitudinally telescopic support arms 18, by means of which the support structure 16 is connected to the support element 6.

[0029] The Fig. 2 shows the in Fig. The device 2 shown in Figure 1 is in a raised position in which the mattress 4 can be spatially repositioned, since in this position it extends beyond the bed frame (not shown in detail) and does not collide with the components of the bed frame when rotated. In the exemplary embodiment, the height adjustment device 8 consists of a lifting scissor mechanism that moves from a rest position into the position shown in Figure 1. Fig. The lifting scissor mechanism can be raised to the lifting position shown in section 2. It can be moved up and down, for example, by a motorized drive.

[0030] The Fig. Figure 3 shows the device 2 from Fig. 1 from a top view. In the top view, the individual components of the device 2 are clearly visible. The adjusting element 12 comprises two slewing rings as pivot bearings 14, of which the first pivot bearing 14a is connected to the height adjustment device 8 and a second pivot bearing 14b to the support structure 16. In Fig. Figure 3 shows mattress 4 still in its starting position, in which it has not yet been swivelled to the side.

[0031] The Fig. Figure 4 shows the repositioned mattress 4 after rotation of the adjustment element 12 about the first pivot bearing 14a. By rotating the adjustment element 12 about the first pivot bearing 14a in the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow, the mattress 4 has been repositioned laterally relative to the height adjustment device 8 by a distance S perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bed. The mattress 4 now has a lateral offset from the height adjustment device 8. The mattress 4 has also been repositioned longitudinally along the bed by a distance L to the left, resulting in a distance L between the mattress 4 and a headboard. With these distances S and L, the mattress 4 can now be rotated around the pivot bearing 14b without collision.

[0032] The Fig. Figure 5 shows the repositioned mattress 4 after a rotation around the second pivot bearing 14b in the direction of the indicated arrow. In the rotated position shown, corner 22 of the mattress 4 is now more easily accessible. If the mattress 4 is then pivoted in the opposite direction to the indicated arrow, corner 24 can also be easily reached for making the bed. Once the bed has been made, the mattress 4 can be returned to its original position. Fig. The position shown in section 3 can be pivoted to return the height adjustment device 8 to its original position. Fig. 1. To lower the bed into the shown usage position.

[0033] The invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It will be easy for a person skilled in the art to modify the embodiments in a manner deemed suitable to adapt them to a specific application.

Claims

[1] Device (2) for changing the spatial position of a mattress (4) mounted in a bed frame, wherein the device (2) comprises a height adjustment device (8) provided with an adjustment drive supported on a support frame and an adjustment device (10) for changing the position of the mattress (4) in an at least approximately horizontal plane, wherein the adjustment device (10) comprises a mounting of the mattress (4) with at least one adjustment element (12) which permits translational movement in the at least approximately horizontal plane, and the adjustment element (12) has pivot bearings (14a, 14b) at spaced-apart positions, of which a first pivot bearing (14a) is connected to the height adjustment device (8) and a second pivot bearing (14b) is connected to a support structure (16), wherein the pivot bearings (14a, 14b) form parallel axes of rotation with a constant distance between each other, characterized by, that the rotary bearings (14a,14b) lie in a common horizontal plane and the adjusting device (10) is arranged above the height adjusting device (8). [2] Device (2) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the adjusting device (10) is connected to a support means (6) that supports the mattress (4). [3] Device (2) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the pivot bearings (14a, 14b) are arranged with their axes of rotation eccentric to the vertical axis on the center point of the support means (6) or the mattress (4). [4] Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the supporting structure (16) has support arms (18) which are telescopic in the longitudinal direction. [5] Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the height adjustment device (8) has a power storage device as an adjustment drive, with the power of which the mattress (4) can be moved in height. [6] Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the height adjustment device (8) has a motorized drive (20) as the adjustment drive. [7] Device (2) according to claim 6, characterized by , that the motor drive (20) has anti-pinch protection. [8] Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the supporting structure (16) and / or the support means (6) can be fixed in a pivot position on the height adjustment device (8) via a locking device. [9] Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the height adjustment device (8) has a lateral movable cover. [10] Device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the device (2) has a tilt protection feature.

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