Folding bed

Abstract

By achieving a smaller overall size when folded, it can be carried freely like a bag and used in various locations, thus enhancing portability and versatility. [Solution] In constructing a foldable bed 1 on which a user H can lie on the upper surface 3u of the sheet portion 3, the bed is made up of a frame unit portion 2 made by combining multiple frame materials FRP... and a sheet portion 3 having at least one sheet material provided at the upper end of the frame unit portion 2, the bed has frame materials fsp, fsq... that can be arranged horizontally on both the left and right sides, and is made foldable by bending multiple positions in the longitudinal direction De of the frame unit portion 2, and is provided with two or more handle portions 4... that can be held by hand by attaching them to the frame materials fsp, fsq... on both the left and right sides, thereby combining the functions of a bed and a stretcher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding bed comprising a frame unit formed by combining a plurality of frame members and a seat portion provided at the upper end of the frame unit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a folding bed that includes a frame unit formed by combining a plurality of frame members and a seat portion provided at the upper end of the frame unit, allowing a user to lie down, there are known a folding bed body and an assembled stretcher described in Patent Document 1 and a stretcher bed for an ambulance described in Patent Document 2.

[0003] The folding bed body and the assembled stretcher described in the same Document 1 are intended to provide an assembled stretcher that can be assembled and can be in a compact form when not in use, and is easily assembled. Specifically, it consists of a surrounding frame portion and a bed sheet stretched over the frame portion, and in a folding bed body having a structure in which both ends are folded in the middle part in the longitudinal direction, a bending stopper for preventing bending at the folding position of the frame portion when the bed portion is extended is provided, a lower base portion with casters attached to both front and rear ends of the lower surface, and a bed portion installed on the lower base portion. The lower base portion and the bed portion are separable and are configured as an assembled stretcher in which the bed portion is a folding bed body.

[0004] Also, the stretcher bed for an ambulance described in the same Document 2 is composed of a bed (stretcher) portion of an ambulance stretcher, a leg portion provided with a plurality of casters for supporting the bottom of the bed portion, and safety frames provided on both sides to prevent the injured from falling off the stretcher.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-69013 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-285493 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the conventional folding beds described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above had the following problems.

[0007] In other words, because they are designed for specific purposes, such as for use in ambulances or hospitals, their functions are limited or additional functions are added. Furthermore, the bed portion is usually constructed to be taller than the user's height, which tends to make the overall structure larger. Moreover, since they are basically moved using casters, they do not have sufficient folding capabilities. As a result, they have drawbacks in terms of portability and versatility, such as not being able to be carried around freely like a bag.

[0008] On the other hand, if a bed could be used as both a bed and a stretcher, convenience would be greatly enhanced. However, when using the bed function, stability is required, and when using the stretcher function, lightness is required. Conventional beds have not been designed to satisfy both functions simultaneously, such as by removing the bed portion to use it as a stretcher. Therefore, there has been a demand for the practical application of a new bed that can satisfy both functions at the same time.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a foldable bed that solves the problems present in the background technology described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a folding bed 1 on which a user H can lie down on the upper surface 3u of the sheet portion 3, comprising a frame unit portion 2 made by combining a plurality of frame materials FRP... and a sheet portion 3 having at least one sheet material provided at the upper end of the frame unit portion 2, characterized in that it has frame materials fsp, fsq... that can be arranged horizontally on both the left and right sides, is made foldable by bending multiple positions in the longitudinal direction De of the frame unit portion 2, and is provided with two or more handle portions 4... that can be held by hand by attaching them to the frame materials fsp, fsq... on both the left and right sides, thereby combining the functions of a bed and a stretcher.

[0011] In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame unit 2 can be provided with at least three bent sections Kf, Km, and Kr in the longitudinal direction De. The frame unit 2 can also be provided with head frame materials frp and frq that tilt when in use and on which the user H's head Hh can be placed. On the other hand, the sheet 3 can be provided with a plurality of cylindrical holding sections 11 on both the left and right sides of its lower surface through which the frame materials fsp, fsq, etc. are inserted, as well as cylindrical pocket sections 12, etc. into which the leading ends of each frame material frp, frq, fvp, fvq are inserted. Furthermore, the sheet 3 is composed of two layers, an upper layer 3f and a lower layer 3s, with a mesh sheet 13 used in the upper layer 3f and one or more reinforcing sheets 14, etc. used in the lower layer 3s, and one or more openings 15, etc. are formed between these reinforcing sheets 14, etc., so that only the mesh sheet 13 is exposed in areas where there are no reinforcing sheets 14, etc. On the other hand, the handle section 4 can be suspended and attached from the frame materials fsp, fsq, etc. on both the left and right sides. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The folding bed 1 according to the present invention, having such a configuration, provides the following remarkable effects.

[0013] (1) The frame unit 2 has frame members fsp, fsq… that can be positioned horizontally on both the left and right sides, and is foldable by bending multiple positions in the longitudinal direction De of the frame unit 2. It is also provided with two or more handles 4… that can be held by hand by attaching them to the frame members fsp, fsq… on both the left and right sides, thereby combining the functions of a bed and a stretcher, and thus the overall size can be reduced when folded. As a result, it can be carried freely like a bag and used in various places, thus increasing portability and versatility.

[0014] (2) When used as a bed, it can be installed stably due to its overall integrated design, and when used as a stretcher, the lightweight folding bed 1 can be used as is by attaching two or more handles 4 to the frame materials fsp, fsq… on both the left and right sides, thus fully satisfying both the bed function and the stretcher function.

[0015] (3) In a preferred embodiment, if at least three bends Kf, Km, and Kr are provided in the longitudinal direction De when the frame unit 2 is constructed, sufficient miniaturization when folded can be ensured, and the number of installation points can be increased, thereby ensuring a stable installation state. In addition, the height of the upper surface 3u of the seat portion 3, which is the upper end of the frame unit 2, can be lowered, thereby further enhancing the functionality as a stretcher.

[0016] (4) In a preferred embodiment, if the frame unit 2 is provided with head frame materials frp, frq that tilt when in use and on which the head Hh of the user H can be placed, the head Hh of the reclining user H can be raised higher relative to the body, thereby further enhancing the safety and comfort of the user H.

[0017] (5) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the sheet portion 3, a plurality of cylindrical holding portions 11... through which the frame members fsp, fsq... are inserted are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower surface, and cylindrical pocket portions 12... into which the tip ends of the frame members frp, frq, fvp, fvq are inserted are provided. Thus, the sheet portion 3 can be directly and securely attached to the frame unit portion 2, so that it can be easily attached without using a separate fixture and without creating any obstructive parts such as protrusions.

[0018] (6) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the sheet portion 3, it is composed of two layers, an upper layer 3f and a lower layer 3s. A mesh sheet 13 is used for the upper layer 3f, and one or two or more reinforcing sheets 14... are used for the lower layer 3s. By forming one or two or more openings 15... between these reinforcing sheets 14... so that only the mesh sheet 13 is exposed at the sites where the reinforcing sheets 14... do not exist, the air permeability (water permeability) of at least a partial sheet portion 3 can be ensured, and thus the drainage property of the upper surface 3u of the sheet portion 3 can be enhanced.

[0019] (7) In a preferred embodiment, when providing the handle portion 4..., if it is suspended and attached from the frame members fsp, fsq... on both the left and right sides, the flexibility of the handle portion 4... can be ensured. Therefore, when folding, the problem of obstruction can be avoided, and when in use, the followability can be ensured, thus enhancing the usability and safety.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] Side view of the folding bed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention during use, [Figure 2] Plan view of the folding bed during use, [Figure 3] Bottom view of the folding bed during use, [Figure 4] Rear view of the folding bed during use, [Figure 5] Configuration diagram of the connecting portion of the frame members of the folding bed (circular A portion in FIG. 1), [Figure 6]Perspective view of the handle part of the folding bed [Figure 7] Bottom view of the pocket part provided in the sheet part of the folding bed [Figure 8] Bottom view of the holding part provided in the sheet part of the folding bed [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of the sheet part of the folding bed as viewed from the front direction [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of the sheet part of the folding bed as viewed from the side direction [Figure 11] Perspective view showing the case storage state when the folding bed is folded [Figure 12] Side view showing the state when the folding bed is folded [Figure 13] Side view showing the intermediate state when the folding bed is folded

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be given and described in detail based on the drawings.

[0022] First, the configuration of the folding bed 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-10 (FIG. 13).

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the folding bed 1 according to the present embodiment is roughly composed of a frame unit part 2 and a sheet part 3.

[0024] The frame unit part 2 is composed of a combination of a plurality of frame materials frp, fsp, ftp..., and includes a horizontal frame component part Mh mainly constituting the bed part and a vertical frame component part Mv mainly constituting the leg part. For each frame material frp, fsp, ftp..., for example, a pipe material using a lightweight metal material such as aluminum can be used.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the horizontal frame component Mh comprises a pair of right components Mhp and left components Mhq, arranged on both the left and right sides. As shown in Figure 1, the right component Mhp consists of a head frame material frp, a first frame material fsp, a second frame material ftp, a third frame material fup, and a foot frame material fvp, arranged in order from the head Hh side to the foot Hf side (front side) of the user H, and is connected by rotating connecting parts 21p, 22p, 23p, and 24p, respectively.

[0026] Furthermore, the left component Mhq is constructed similarly to the right component Mhp, except that it is constructed symmetrically, and comprises a head frame material frq, a first frame material fsq, a second frame material ftq, a third frame material fuq, and a foot frame material fvq.

[0027] On the other hand, the vertical frame component Mv is made up of six leg frame members fa... formed to a predetermined length. As a result, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the X-leg portion 31 is formed by rotatably connecting the intermediate positions of the symmetrical leg frame members fa and fb, the X-leg portion 32 is formed by rotatably connecting the intermediate positions of the symmetrical leg frame members fc and fd, and the X-leg portion 33 is formed by rotatably connecting the intermediate positions of the symmetrical leg frame members fe and ff.

[0028] Then, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper ends of leg frame members fa and fb are connected to the rotatable connecting parts 21p and 21q, respectively, and the upper ends of leg frame members fc and fd are similarly connected to the rotatable connecting parts 23p..., respectively, and furthermore, the upper ends of leg frame members fe and ff are similarly connected to the rotatable connecting parts 24p..., respectively. Installation parts 34p, 35p, and 36p are rotatably attached to the lower right end of each leg frame member fa...ff, and installation parts 34q, 35q, and 36q are also rotatably attached to the lower left end.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the head frame materials FRP and FQR are connected to the rotating connecting parts 21p and 21q at their upper intermediate positions and to the mounting parts 35p and 35q at their lower ends, while the foot frame materials FVP and FVQ are connected to the rotating connecting parts 25p... at their intermediate positions.

[0030] Furthermore, the rotating joint 23p and the mounting section 34p are connected by a cross frame material fgp, and together with the head frame material frp, they form the right X-leg section 37p. Note that 26p indicates the connection point of the X-leg section 37p. In addition, the rotating joint 23p and the mounting section 36p are connected by a cross frame material fhp, and the rotating joint 25p and the mounting section 35p are connected by a cross frame material fip, and the cross frame materials fhp and fip form the right X-leg section 38p. Note that 27p indicates the connection point of the X-leg section 38p. The configuration of the right side has been described above, but the configuration of the left side is similar, except that it is symmetrical to the configuration of the right side, and 37q and 38q indicate the left X-leg section.

[0031] On the other hand, four leg frame members fxp, fyp… are prepared, and the upper ends of the two right leg frame members fxp, fyp are connected to the rotating connecting parts 22p, 24p, respectively, and the intermediate parts are inserted through the connecting parts 26p, 27p, thereby attaching the mounting parts 40p, 41p to the lower ends. The configuration on the left side can be constructed in the same way as the configuration on the right side, except that it is symmetrical to the configuration on the right side.

[0032] Figure 5 shows a specific example of the configuration of the pivoting joint 25p in circle A, indicated by the dashed line in Figure 1. Specifically, a pivoting joint 25p integrally molded from plastic or the like can be used, to which the foot frame material fvp can be connected by the shaft sa, the upper end of the cross frame material fip can be connected by the shaft sb, and the upper end of the leg frame material ff of the X leg 33 can be connected by the shaft sc. Other pivoting joints 21p…, 22p…, 23p…, 24p… can be formed similarly according to their purpose.

[0033] With the above configuration, at least three bending points Kf, Km, and Kr (see Figure 13) can be provided in the longitudinal direction De, and at least two X-leg sections 37p and 38p can be formed in the longitudinal direction De when viewed from the side. This ensures sufficient compactness when folded and increases the number of mounting points, thus ensuring a stable mounting state. In addition, it becomes possible to lower the height of the upper surface 3u of the seat section 3, which is the upper end of the frame unit section 2, thereby further enhancing its functionality as a stretcher.

[0034] Furthermore, in constructing the frame unit 2, head frame materials frp and frq that tilt during use and on which the user H's head Hh can be placed are provided. This allows the user H's head Hh to be raised higher relative to the body when lying down, thereby further enhancing the user H's safety and comfort.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, each frame material fsp, fup… on both the left and right sides is provided with two or more handle sections 4… that can be held by hand. When attaching one handle section 4, it can be attached by suspending it from the frame material fsp. That is, as shown in Figure 6, the ends of a flexible support string 4s, such as a cord, can be connected to both ends of a rod-shaped handle section body 4m that can be grasped by hand, and the support string 4s and the frame material fsq can be fixed together with a ring-shaped fixing string 4c.

[0036] This configuration ensures the flexibility of the handle section 4…, thus avoiding any obstruction when folded, and ensuring responsiveness during use, thereby improving usability and safety. Although the example described uses the left frame material fsq, the handle section 4… attached to other frame materials ftp, fsq, and ftq can be configured similarly. Additionally, 4r indicates a regulating belt connecting the left handle section 4 (fixing strap 4c) and the corresponding right handle section 4 (fixing strap 4c).

[0037] On the other hand, the sheet portion 3 is configured as shown in Figures 2 and 7-10. The sheet portion 3 comprises a sheet portion 3 having at least one sheet material provided at the upper end of the frame unit portion 2. As a result, as shown in Figure 2, the user H can lie down on the upper surface 3u of the sheet portion 3.

[0038] In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the sheet portion 3 is composed of two layers: an upper layer 3f and a lower layer 3s. The upper layer 3f uses a mesh sheet 13, while the lower layer 3s uses multiple reinforcing sheets 14…. This allows for the creation of one or more openings 15… between the reinforcing sheets 14…, as shown in Figure 7, so that only the mesh sheet 13 is exposed in areas where the reinforcing sheets 14 are absent.

[0039] In the example shown in Figure 2, a mesh sheet 13 is provided to cover the entire upper surface of the frame unit 2. A pair of fixing sheets 51p and 51q are sewn to both sides of the back (bottom) surface of the mesh sheet 13, and a plurality of rectangular reinforcing sheets 14… are sewn between the fixing sheets 51p and 51q at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction De. This creates a plurality of openings 15… at predetermined intervals. By configuring it in this way, at least partial ventilation (water permeability) can be ensured in the sheet portion 3, thereby improving drainage to the upper surface 3u of the sheet portion 3.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, multiple cylindrical holding portions 11… are provided at predetermined positions on both the left and right sides of the lower surface of the sheet portion 3, through which the frame materials FRP, FRQ, FVP, and FVQ are inserted. Additionally, cylindrical pocket portions 12… are provided at four locations on both the left and right sides of the lower surface of the sheet portion 3, at the front and rear ends, into which the respective leading ends of the frame materials FRP, FRQ, FVP, and FVQ are inserted. In this case, it is desirable that the holding portions 11… and pocket portions 12… be formed from the same material as the reinforcing sheet 14.

[0041] With this configuration, the seat portion 3 can be directly and securely attached to the frame unit portion 2, allowing for easy installation without the need for separate mounting hardware and without creating any obstructive parts such as protrusions.

[0042] Next, the method of use and function of the folding bed 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11-13 and each of the figures.

[0043] When not in use, the foldable bed 1 according to this embodiment can be stored in a storage bag 61, as shown in Figure 11, and carried with one hand. The storage bag 61 has a length of approximately 100 cm in the longitudinal direction and a width of approximately 20 cm in the width direction. In Figure 13, 62a and 62b are handles, and 63 is a zipper that can be opened and closed.

[0044] Now, let's consider the case where the folding bed 1 is to be used. In this case, the zipper 63 of the storage bag 61 is opened, and the folding bed 1, which is stored in the bag as shown in Figure 12, is taken out. Note that in order to make the bending state of the frame unit 2 easier to understand, Figures 12 and 13 omit the description of the seat part 3 and only show the frame unit 2.

[0045] Figure 12 shows the folding bed 1 in its unfolded state. From this state, simply hold the head end of the seat section 3 attached to the head frame material FRP, FRQ of the frame unit section 2, and the foot end of the seat section 3 attached to the foot frame material FVP, FVQ, and unfold it.

[0046] As a result, the bent sections Kf, Km, and Kr in the frame unit 2 gradually widen, passing through the intermediate state shown in Figure 13, and reaching the usage state shown in Figure 1. In other words, it can be set to the usage state with a single touch. In the usage state, the first frame material fsp…, the second frame material ftp…, the third frame material fup…, and the foot frame material fvp… are all horizontal, the upper surface 3u of the seat section 3 becomes a flat surface, and a part of the seat section 3h on the head side becomes inclined. This allows it to be used as a bed function as shown in Figures 1 and 2, on which a user H, such as a sick or injured person, can lie down.

[0047] On the other hand, in this state, multiple carriers can lift the foldable bed 1 by holding the four handle sections 4… with their hands (one or both hands), and it can be transported as is and used as a stretcher. In this case, because multiple X-leg sections 37p… are used, the height of the seat section 3 can be set to a low position, so the vertical frame components Mv, etc. can be transported in their original state.

[0048] On the other hand, when not using the folding bed 1, the reverse operation is performed. That is, from the state shown in Figure 1, hold the head end of the seat section 3 attached to the head frame material FRP, FRQ of the frame unit section 2 and the foot end of the seat section 3 attached to the foot frame material FVP, FVQ with your hands, and lift them upwards while bringing them together. This will take you to the state shown in Figure 13, and you can fold it with a single touch as shown in Figure 12. This allows you to store it directly in the storage case 61.

[0049] Therefore, the folding bed 1 according to this embodiment has, as a basic configuration, frame materials fsp, fsq… that can be positioned horizontally on both the left and right sides, and is configured to be foldable by bending multiple positions in the longitudinal direction De of the frame unit 2, and is provided with two or more handle parts 4… that can be held by hand by attaching them to the frame materials fsp, fsq… on both the left and right sides, thereby combining the functions of a bed and a stretcher, and thus achieving overall miniaturization when folded. As a result, it can be freely carried like a bag and used in various places, thereby increasing portability and versatility. Furthermore, when used as a bed, it can be stably set up as a bed due to its overall unity, and when used as a stretcher, the lightweight folding bed 1 can be transported as a stretcher by attaching two or more handle parts 4… to the frame materials fsp, fsq… on both the left and right sides, thus fully satisfying the independent functions of both the bed function and the stretcher function.

[0050] Although preferred embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the details of the configuration, shape, materials, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be arbitrarily changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0051] For example, the diagram shows a case where four handle sections 4… are provided, but the number of handle sections 4… and the positions in which they are provided can be arbitrarily set. Furthermore, it is desirable that the frame unit section 2 have three bends Kf, Km, and Kr in the longitudinal direction De, but the number of bends, such as five or seven, can be arbitrarily set. In addition, the diagram shows a case where the frame unit section 2 is provided with head frame materials frp and frq that form an inclined seat section 3h capable of holding the user H's head Hh, but it is not necessary to provide head frame materials frp and frq, as they can be configured in the same way as the foot frame materials fvp and fvq. Moreover, it is desirable that the seat section 3 has multiple cylindrical holding sections 11… on both the left and right sides of the lower surface through which the frame materials fsp and fsq… are inserted, as well as cylindrical pocket sections 12… into which the tip ends of each frame material frp, frq, fvp, and fvq are inserted, but they may be attached by other known means. On the other hand, the sheet portion 3 is composed of two layers, an upper layer 3f and a lower layer 3s. The upper layer 3f uses a mesh sheet 13, and the lower layer 3s uses a reinforcing sheet 14. It is desirable to provide one or more openings 15 in the reinforcing sheet 14 so that only the mesh sheet 13 is exposed in areas where the reinforcing sheet 14 is not present. However, it may be composed of a single sheet material or of three or more layers, and the composition of the sheet portion 3 is arbitrary. [Industrial applicability]

[0052] The folding bed according to the present invention can be used as a multi-functional folding bed having bed function or stretcher function, for medical or non-medical purposes. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 1: Folding bed, 2: Frame unit, 3: Seat, 3u: Top surface of seat, 3h: Inclined seat, 3f: Upper layer, 3s: Lower layer, 4...: Handle, 11...: Holding part, 12...: Pocket part, 13: Mesh sheet, 14...: Reinforcement sheet, 15...: Opening, H: User, Hh: User's head, fsp: Frame material, fsq: Frame material, frp: Head frame material, frq: Head frame material, De: Longitudinal direction, Kf: Bending part, Km: Bending part, Kr: Bending part

Claims

1. A folding bed comprising a frame unit made up of multiple frame materials and a sheet section having at least one sheet material provided at the upper end of the frame unit, on which a user can lie on the upper surface of the sheet section, characterized in that it has frame materials on both the left and right sides that can be positioned horizontally, is configured to be foldable by bending multiple positions in the longitudinal direction of the frame unit, and has two or more handles that can be held by hand by being attached to the frame materials on both the left and right sides, thereby combining the functions of a bed and a stretcher.

2. The folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame unit portion has at least three bends in the longitudinal direction.

3. The folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame unit portion has a head frame material that tilts when in use and on which the user's head can be placed.

4. The folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet portion has a plurality of cylindrical holding portions on both the left and right sides of its lower surface through which the frame material is inserted, and a cylindrical pocket portion into which the leading end of the frame material is inserted.

5. The folding bed according to claim 1, wherein the sheet portion is composed of two layers consisting of an upper layer and a lower layer, the upper layer using a mesh sheet and the lower layer using one or more reinforcing sheets, and one or more openings are formed between the reinforcing sheets so that only the mesh sheet is exposed in the areas where the reinforcing sheets are absent.

6. The folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle portion is suspended and attached from the frame material on both the left and right sides.

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