BED, ESPECIALLY A CARE OR HOSPITAL BED

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bed, in particular a nursing or hospital bed, comprising a bed frame, two base groups spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the bed frame, each having two roller units spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the bed frame and each having at least one swivel caster, and comprising a lifting device for raising and lowering the bed frame relative to the base groups. This lifting device comprises two lifting arms, each lifting arm connecting a base group to the bed frame and being hingedly connected to the base group and the bed frame. The invention is defined in independent claim 1 and further described in the appended set of claims.

[0002] Beds, particularly those designed as nursing beds or hospital beds, have a lifting device with which the height of the bed frame can be adjusted relative to the base group(s). The bed frame typically also has side panels and paneling at the head and foot ends. A mattress rests on top of the bed frame. The bed frame itself can, depending on its design, be adjusted into different lying and sitting positions. Such a bed frame then has bed frame segments that are appropriately mounted and can usually be adjusted relative to one another via a motor drive in order to set up the desired lying or sitting position. The bed frame is part of a bed frame group which, in addition to the bed frame, has the other components mentioned above or even additional components. The height adjustment of the bed frame orThe position of the bed frame group relative to the floor group(s) serves different purposes. A raised position serves the purpose of bringing a person lying in the bed to a height so that nursing staff can care for the person without having to bend down. If a person in the bed wants to get out of the bed, the bed frame is lowered accordingly so that a person getting into or out of the bed, if sitting sideways on the mattress, can stand up with both feet on the floor. To prevent a person lying in the bed from falling out, side rails are often used. However, these are sometimes found uncomfortable by a person lying in the bed as they are enclosed from the sides.To address this issue, beds have been developed that can be lowered so far that the underside of the bed frame rests on the floor, or almost on the floor. The height, or rather the distance, of the lying surface formed by the top of the mattress from the floor surface is then determined solely by the height of the bed frame and the height of the mattress on top. However, this overall height is so low that, with the bed positioned in this way, a person falling out of bed cannot injure themselves. This eliminates the need for side rails to protect a person in the bed.

[0003] Such a bed must not only be height-adjustable, but also movable. Therefore, the two base assemblies that support the bed at the floor level each have two caster units. The caster units are connected to each other by a cross brace. To ensure good maneuverability of the bed, even in confined spaces, swivel casters are used. The swivel casters are equipped with a brake to lock the bed in position. To improve maneuverability, these swivel casters can be locked in their straight-ahead position.

[0004] For beds where the lying surface should be as close to the floor as possible when the bed frame is in the lowered position, swivel castors with the smallest possible diameter are used to enable the bed frame to be lowered accordingly, particularly in designs where the castor units are located below the bed frame. According to another concept, the castors are not located below the bed frame for this reason, but are arranged on the outside of the head and foot sections, so that in the lowered position the bed frame group is arranged between the base groups. GB 2 584 928 A discloses a bed in which the base groups, each with their castor units, each having two swivel castors, are located below the bed frame. The bed frame can be lowered almost to the floor.Due to the swivel casters, moving and maneuvering the bed requires two people: one to guide and steer the bed from the front, and a second to push it. Both people thus control the rolling motion.

[0005] When using a lifting device with lifting arms, as is known for example from GB 2 584 928 A, the lifting arms which are arranged between the bed frame and each floor unit can be adjusted in terms of their inclination in order to adjust the height of the bed frame. With such lifting devices, depending on the design of the linkage of the lifting arms on the bed frame, when the height of the bed frame group is adjusted in relation to the floor groups, the distance between the floor groups changes. The result is that when the height of the bed frame is adjusted, the bed can move due to the associated change in the distance between the floor groups. This is not desirable. When the swivel castors are braked by actuating the braking device, the bed is fixed in place on the floor due to its weight.When changing the height of the bed base, if the base units have to change their distance from each other during a height adjustment, the bed will still move beyond the braking effect, causing it to jerk. The design of such a bed therefore also has the disadvantage that the brake lock of the swivel casters must be released to adjust the height. In this case, however, movement of the bed is unavoidable.

[0006] Another bed of this type is known from US 2016 / 0074265 A1. In this known bed, one of the two base assemblies is equipped with dual functionality. This base assembly has two roller units spaced apart in the transverse direction of the bed frame. Each roller unit also includes a support body. This can be used as an alternative to the swivel casters as an alternative floor support. When the support bodies are extended, the swivel casters are raised from the floor. This brakes this known bed.

[0007] Raising the casters from the floor by activating the support elements assigned to the caster units slightly raises the bed on one side. This can be perceived as a disadvantage. Two people are required to move this previously known bed, as it is equipped with swivel casters.

[0008] Based on this discussed prior art, the invention is therefore based on the object of further developing a bed of the type mentioned above, particularly designed as a nursing or hospital bed, in such a way that its bed frame or bed frame group can not only be lowered to a position very close to the floor, without the risk of the bed shifting due to the height adjustment, but also that the bed can be safely moved and maneuvered by one person. Furthermore, it should be possible to use the smallest possible swivel casters.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a generic bed as mentioned at the outset, in which both base groups have a dual functionality with regard to the effective floor support by changing its setup position, wherein in a first setup position the base group is supported on the floor via the swivel castors of its roller units and in its second setup position via support bodies as alternative floor support, wherein one base group has straight-line castors as support body and the other base group has feet as support body.

[0010] In this bed, both base assemblies, which together form the structural base of the bed, are equipped with dual functionality. This means that, depending on their setup position, the base assembly is supported on the floor either by its swivel casters or by one or more support elements as alternative floor support. This dual functionality makes it possible to use swivel casters with only a small diameter, especially those that do not have a braking device due to their small diameter. These also do not require a locking device that would block or impair the swiveling of the casters.As a result, swivel casters can be used that not only have a very low installation height, but also ones that, since no braking or locking devices are required, are very simple in design and therefore more wear-resistant and also cost-effective. The low height required for the caster units also allows the bed equipped with them to be designed so that the bed frame or a panel surrounding it can be lowered to the floor. The distance of the lying surface from the floor is then minimized and can be, for example, 15 to 20 cm. This option is useful for setting up a bed for fall prevention. Even in the lowered position, the caster units are then enclosed by the panel of the bed frame, giving the impression that the bed has no floor assembly supporting the bed frame.

[0011] The functionality traditionally associated with swivel casters—braking and swivel locking—is provided in such a dual-functional floor assembly by providing ground support for this floor assembly when the swivel casters are not in use via one or more additional support elements. The support element(s) possess the desired properties. For example, the support element(s) can be straight-running casters (i.e., non-swivel casters) or feet.Such a floor assembly, if equipped with straight-ahead casters as support bodies, is moved into the alternative floor support with the straight-ahead casters compared to the swivel caster support when the swiveling of the casters is not required, for example when moving and maneuvering the bed with a person who then pushes or pulls the bed at the other end of the bed with a support via the swivel casters. If such a floor assembly has one or more feet in its alternative setup position, these are used when the bed is to remain stationary. The provision of such a floor assembly with dual functionality allows it to be designed so that the change from the first setup position to the second setup position can be carried out with a single operating movement, even when there are multiple support bodies.With such a design, the roller units can easily carry multiple swivel casters, for example two swivel casters, without the operating effort that is otherwise required for each individual swivel caster, for example to lock it for straight-ahead travel. Preferably, such a support body is located on each roller unit of a floor group in addition to the one or more swivel casters. If a roller unit comprises, for example, a pair of swivel casters, the swivel casters of which are typically arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal extension of the bed, according to one embodiment the support body is located between them. The support bodies can be activated and deactivated, for example, via an actuating rod connecting the adjustment drive for adjusting the support bodies from their use position to their non-use position and vice versa for the two roller units.This runs transversely to the length of the bed and is part of the floor assembly, so that it can easily be operated by a person with their foot.

[0012] If the support bodies are feet that hold the bed in place and if such a bed only has such support bodies on one base group, the height of the bed can be adjusted even in beds where the distance between the base groups changes during the height adjustment, without the bed being in danger of moving and, above all, without having to first release and then re-lock the brakes on the swivel castors.

[0013] Due to its dual functionality, such a floor unit is supported on the floor either via its swivel castors or via the support body(s).

[0014] In order to adjust the support bodies from their non-use position to their use position and vice versa, one embodiment provides for the support bodies to be vertically adjustable and guided in a guide in a translational direction. The support bodies have a guide section that engages in the guide and which then carries the actual support body, for example a straight roller or a base, at its end protruding from the guide on the underside. The support body can be moved translationally, for example via a toggle lever drive. The output arm of the toggle lever, which can be pivoted relative to the drive arm, acts on a pivotably mounted transmission shaft and pivots this when the toggle lever drive is actuated. On the output side, the transmission shaft carries a driver that projects radially and engages in a driver recess in the support body or its guide section.The driver is positively received therein in the adjustment direction of the support body. Such a toggle lever drive is preferably designed to act via a dead center. The drive arm of the toggle lever drive is preferably pivotable, forming a two-armed lever. The longer arm section of the drive arm is the one that is actuated by the user, for example, by actuating an actuating rod connecting the drive arms of the two roller units.

[0015] The roller units of the floor groups can be connected to one another with one or more cross struts, as is provided in one embodiment.

[0016] The two base assemblies have different support structures. One base assembly has feet as support structures. The other base assembly has straight-line rollers as support structures. A bed equipped with such base assemblies combines the advantages of the different support structures, namely the ability to lock the bed in place and the ability to travel straight ahead at one end of the bed. With such a bed, the lifting device can be designed in such a way that the lifting arms can be adjusted in angle when the height of the bed frame or bed frame assembly is adjusted, without having to accept the risk of the bed moving. Bed moving is prevented if the base assembly is supported on the floor by the feet, as this position fixes the bed in place. The other base assembly is supported by its straight-line rollers as support structures.Therefore, transverse movement of the bed is not possible with this floor assembly either. In this way, the necessary distance compensation with such a lifting device can also be carried out between the floor assemblies without the bed moving. Designing such a bed with floor assemblies whose distance changes when the height of the bed frame is adjusted relative to the floor assemblies is advantageous because the lifting arms then only have to be moved with their end facing the bed frame in the longitudinal direction of the bed frame with a correspondingly smaller adjustment amount. The lifting device can be designed accordingly more simply. It therefore does not necessarily require several additional control arms to ensure the stability of the bed frame in a position in which the bed frame is lowered and is supported by the lifting arms.

[0017] The lifting device is typically located between the bed frame and the floor assemblies. The floor assemblies are typically not connected to each other via one or more longitudinal struts.

[0018] The same advantages described above with regard to a height adjustment of the lying surface compared to the floor groups also arise when adjusting the lying frame or the lying frame group if its height is only changed on one side compared to a floor group.

[0019] The roller units of each floor unit are preferably concealed by a cover. Each roller unit is preferably housed in a casing-like enclosure. This enclosure is open at the bottom and, under load, ends in a small gap in front of the floor on which the bed is placed. Depending on the roller unit's configuration, a swivel caster or support body protrudes from the underside of this enclosure. This also conceals the support bodies, even when attached to the roller units.

[0020] The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1: A schematic perspective view of a bed according to the invention, supported on the floor by two floor groups, Fig. 2: the bed of Figure 1 with the covers of the roller units of its floor groups removed, Fig. 3a, 3b:a detailed view of the front roller unit of the left floor group of the bed of the Figure 2 in its first installation position ( Figure 3a ) and in its second setup position ( Figure 3b ), Fig. 4a, 4b: a detailed view of the front roller unit of the right floor group of the bed of the Figure 2 in its first installation position ( Figure 4a ) and in its second setup position ( Figure 4b ) and Fig. 5a, 5b: an enlarged view of the roller unit of the Figure 3b in a perspective view from the inside ( Figure 5a ) and from a different perspective from outside ( Figure 5b ).

[0021] A bed 1 is designed as a nursing or hospital bed. Bed 1 has a bed frame. This is part of a bed frame group 2. In addition to the bed frame, on top of which a mattress 3 rests, the bed frame group 2 has two headboards 4, 4.1 and side panels 5, 5.1; 6, 6.1. Each long side of bed 1 is assigned two side panels 5, 5.1; 6, 6.1, which can be lowered or extended independently of one another. Due to the cladding provided by the headboards 4, 4.1 and the side panels 5, 5.1; 6, 6.1, the bed frame itself is not visible. In addition to the bed frame group 2, bed 1 has two base groups 7, 8. These are spaced apart from one another along the length of bed 1. Bed 1 is supported on the floor by the floor assemblies 7 and 8, which form the structural substructure of bed 1. The physical floor support is concealed on the visible side by covers 9.The bed frame, and thus the bed frame group 2, is connected to the floor groups 7, 8 via a lifting device 10. Two lifting arms 11, 12, each composed of two individual arms spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the bed 1, serve this purpose. The lifting arms 11, 12 are articulated to both the bed frame and the respective floor group 7 or 8. The individual arms of the lifting arms 11, 12 are supported on the floor group side by a strut 13, 13.1, as shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the floor group 8. Figure 1visible. The lifting arms 11, 12 work together like scissors to adjust the lying frame and thus the lying frame group 2 relative to the floor groups 7, 8 with regard to the height of the lying surface of the bed 1. It is understood that the lifting arms 11, 12 can also be adjusted independently of one another to a different height relative to the respective floor group 7 or 8. Electric motor drives are used to drive the lifting arms 11, 12. These are located below the lying frame and are part of the lying frame group 2. To adjust the height of the lying frame group 2 relative to the floor groups 7, 8, the inclination of the lifting arms 11, 12 is adjusted. In the illustrated embodiment, when the lying frame group 2 is lowered from the Figure 1From the position shown, the connections of the lifting arms 11, 12 on the bed frame side move toward each other into a lowered position. The individual arms of the lifting arms 11, 12 are guided accordingly on the bed frame with their ends on the bed frame for this purpose. With such an adjustment of the inclination of the lifting arms 11, 12, the distance between the floor assemblies 7, 8 also changes. Although this is not absolutely necessary, it is the case in the illustrated embodiment.

[0022] The floor groups 7, 8 have dual functionality. This means that the floor groups 7, 8 can be set up in two different positions with regard to the desired floor support of the bed 1. Each floor group 7, 8 has two roller units 14, 14.1 and 15, 15.1 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, each roller unit 14, 14.1; 15, 15.1 has two swivel casters 16, 16.1. The diameter of the rollers of the swivel casters 16, 16.1 in the illustrated embodiment is only 50 mm. In one position of the floor groups 7, 8, the bed 1 is supported on the floor via the swivel casters 16, 16.1. Each roller unit 14, 14.1; In addition to their swivel casters 16, 16.1, each of the roller units 15, 15.1 has an additional, alternative support body. The support body of the roller units 14, 14.1 of base group 7 is designed as a base 17, and that of the roller units 15, 15.1 of base group 8 is designed as a straight-ahead roller 18.

[0023] The alternative support for the roller units 14, 14.1; 15, 15.1 of the floor assemblies 7, 8 is described below using the roller units 14, 15. Each roller unit 14 has a roller support 19. In the illustrated embodiment, this is designed as a plate to which the swivel rollers 16, 16.1 are connected on the underside. The swivel rollers 16, 16.1 are spaced apart from one another along the length of the bed 1. The base 17, which serves as a support body for the roller unit 14, is located between the swivel rollers 16, 16.1. Figure 3a shows the roller unit 14 with floor support via the swivel castors 16, 16.1. The base 17 does not contact the floor and is in its non-use position. The base 17 is held in a translationally adjustable guide sleeve 20 attached to the roller carrier 19. The base 17 has a tubular guide section 21 (see Figure 3b), with which it engages in the guide sleeve 20 and is mounted therein so as to be adjustable in the translational direction. For base support, the base 17 has a rubber plug 22 designed such that its contact surface is larger in diameter than the diameter of the guide section 21.

[0024] Figure 3b shows the roller unit 14 in its alternative second setup position, in which the swivel castors 16, 16.1 are lifted from the floor and the bed 1 is then supported by the base 17. To switch the floor-side support between the swivel castors 16, 16.1 and the base 17, a toggle lever drive 23 is used, which is described below with reference to Figures 5a and 5b is explained.

[0025] The roller units 15, 15.1 of the floor group 8, in Figures 4a, 4b illustrated by the roller unit 15, work in the same way with regard to their dual functionality as the roller unit 14. Figure 4ashows the straight roller 18 in its non-use position, so that the roller unit 15 is supported on the floor by its swivel rollers. In the illustration of the Figure 4b The straight-ahead roller 18 has been activated as a support body and moved into its use position, so that floor support is now provided via the straight-ahead roller 18. The adjustment of the straight-ahead roller 18 is effected by means of a similar toggle lever drive, as described below for the roller unit 14.

[0026] The knee lever drive 23 (see Figure 5a) comprises a drive arm 24 and an output arm 25. The drive arm 24 is mounted as a two-armed lever. The pivotable articulation of the drive arm 24 takes place on a tab 26 folded downwards from the roller carrier by means of a bolt 27. The shorter arm of the drive arm 24 is articulated to the output arm 25. The longer lever arm of the drive arm 24, which represents the arm on which the actuating force acts to effect an adjustment of the device of the roller units 14, 14.1, is connected to an actuating rod 28. This connects the drive arms 24 of the toggle lever drives 23 of the two roller units 14, 14.1 to one another.

[0027] The output arm 25 of the toggle lever drive 23 engages with its output-side end into a transverse bore formed in a pivotably mounted transmission shaft 29. Figure 5ashows the roller unit 14 with the base 17 in its use position. If the actuating rod 28 is raised, this results in a pivoting movement of the transmission shaft 29. By switching on a compression spring 30 surrounding the output arm 25 between the transmission shaft 29 and the output arm-side end of the drive arm 24, the base 17 is adjusted over a dead center so that both end positions of the toggle lever drive 23 are stable positions.

[0028] The transmission shaft 29 carries at its other end a radially projecting driver 31, which engages in a driver recess of the guide section 21 of the base 17, as can be seen from the Figure 5b can be seen. Lifting the actuating rod 28 thus leads to a left-turning movement of the transmission shaft 29 (see Figure 5b), so that the driver 31 engaging in the guide section 21 moves the base 17 in the direction of the roller carrier 19, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 5b indicated, until in the raised non-use position of the base 17 the bed 1 is again supported on the floor via the swivel castors 16, 16.1.

[0029] In Figures 5a, 5b The strut 13.1 connecting the two roller units 14, 14.1 is also visible. The roller units 14, 14.1 are additionally connected by a cross strut 32 (see also Figures 1 and 2 ). The roller units 15, 15.1 of the floor assembly 8 are connected to each other in the same way.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the roller units 15, 15.1 of the base assembly 8 can be individually configured for their dual functionality. The two toggle lever drives in the base assembly 8 are not connected to each other by an actuating rod. If joint actuation is desired when changing the setup position of the roller units 15, 15.1, the toggle lever drives of these roller units 15, 15.1 can be connected to each other by an actuating rod, as described above for the roller units 14, 14.1 of the base assembly 7.

[0031] The invention has been explained using an exemplary embodiment. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, numerous further possibilities for implementing it will become apparent to a person skilled in the art without the need for further explanation within the scope of these statements. List of reference symbols 1 Bed 31 Driver 2 Reclining frame group 32 cross brace 3 mattress 4, 4.1 headboard 5, 5.1 side panel 6, 6.1 side panel 7 Floor group 8 Floor group 9 cover 10 Lifting device 11 lifting arm 12 lifting arm 13, 13.1 strut 14, 14.1 roller unit 15, 15.1 roller unit 16, 16.1 swivel castor 17 Stand 18 Straight-line roll 19 roller carrier 20 Guide sleeve 21 Guide section 22 rubber stoppers 23 Knee lever drive 24 drive arm 25 Output arm 26 tab 27 bolt 28 operating rod 29 transmission shaft 30 compression spring

Claims

1. Bed, in particular nursing bed or hospital bed, comprising a reclining frame, two floor groups (7, 8), arranged spaced apart and extending in the longitudinal direction of the reclining frame, in each case at least one pivot roller (16, 16.1) comprising roller units (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1), as well as comprising a lifting device (10) for raising and lowering the reclining frame in relation to the floor groups (7, 8), said lifting device (10) comprising two lifting arms (11, 12), wherein each lifting arm (11, 12) connects a floor group (7, 8) to the reclining frame and is connected in jointed fashion to the floor group (7, 8) and the reclining frame, characterised in that both floor groups (7, 8) are provided with a dual functionality with regard to the effective floor support by switching over its device position setting, wherein, in a first device position setting, this floor group (7, 8) is supported on the floor side by the pivot rollers (16, 16.1) of its roller units (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1), and in its second device position setting is supported by support bodies as alternative floor support, wherein the one floor group (8) as a support body is provided by means of straight-ahead rollers (18), and the other floor group (7) is provided with standing feet (17) as support bodies.

2. Bed according to claim 1, characterised in that, for the alternative floor support, each roller unit (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1) is provided, in addition to the at least one pivot roller (16, 16.1), with a support body (17, 18).

3. Bed according to claim 2, characterised in that, for the purpose of their adjustment movement, the support bodies (17, 18) are held such as to be capable of translational movement in a guide element (20) carried by each roller unit (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1), and, for the adjustment movement of the support bodies (17, 18) out of their nonuse position into their position of use and vice-versa, in each case a knee-lever drive (23) is provided in order to overcome a dead-point.

4. Bed according to claim 3, characterised in that the power takeoff from the knee-lever drive (23) takes effect on a transfer shaft (29) which is mounted on bearings such as to pivot about its longitudinal axis, which carries a driver element (31) projecting in a radial direction on its power takeoff side, which in turn engages in a driver element cut-out opening of the support body (17, 18) and in the direction of movement of the drive element (31) is accommodated in this in positive fit.

5. Bed according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the drive arms (24) of the knee-lever drive (23) of the two roller units (14, 14.1) of a floor group (7) are connected to one another by an actuation rod (28) for the simultaneous actuation of the knee-lever drives (23) of the two roller units (14, 14.1).

6. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that each roller unit (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1) comprises a pivot roller pair, and that the adjustable support body (17, 18) is arranged between the two pivot rollers (16, 16.1) of this pivot roller pair.

7. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the pivot rollers (16, 16.1) have a roller diameter of less than 75 mm, in particular a diameter of 50 mm or less.

8. Bed according to claim 7, characterised in that each roller unit (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1) is screened by a cover (9).

9. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the two roller units (14, 14.1; 15, 15.1) of a floor unit (7, 8) are connected to one another in each case by at least one transverse bracing element (32).

10. Bed according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the lifting arms (11, 12) of the lifting device (10) are the arms of a lifting device operating in scissors fashion.

11. Bed according to claim 10, characterised in that, for the purpose of adjusting the height of the reclining frame, the lifting arms (11, 12) are adjustably connected to the reclining frame on the reclining frame side, in its longitudinal extension, by a jointed connection, in such a way that, during a height adjustment of the reclining frame, the distance interval changes between the ends of the lifting arms (11, 12) on the reclining frame side.

12. Bed according to claim 11, characterised in that, during an inclination adjustment of the lifting arms (11, 12), the distance interval of the floor groups (7, 8) from one another also changes.