WO1982003325A1

WO1982003325A1 - Bed rocking mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO1982003325A1
Application number: PCT/SE1982/000115
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nya Platprodukter Ab Lycksele
Original assignee: Gabrielsson Lars
Priority date: 1981-04-07
Filing date: 1982-04-07
Publication date: 1982-10-14
Also published as: GB2110926B; SE8102226L; DE3239725T1; GB2110926A; EP0087423A1; SE426649B

Abstract

A bed rocking mechanism intended to serve as support for a bed and to impart to the same a rocking or tilting movement in lateral direction, e.g. for turning of patients in long-term care. The rocking mechanism has a frame (3, 6) comprising casters (12) or legs resting on the floor or the like and two vertical central pillars (5) positioned adjacent to the longitudinally opposite ends of the rocking mechanism. The central pillars constitute bearings (11) for a rocking part proper (1, 2, 14) with beams (2) extending laterally on both sides, the ends of said beams being interconnected by means of rails (1) for the casters or legs of the bed.

Description

BED ROCKING MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a bed rocking mech anism devised to ca rry a bed and to impart to the same a rocking or tilting movement in lateral direction, e.g. for turning of a patient confined to bed i n 1 ong-term care. in order to prevent creation of bedsores on patient confined to bed and who for various reasons are not capa to move or turn themselves, such patient must be turned at fixed times the whole day and night. This regular turning of patients requires, when to be performed in hospital , a lot of personnel , and when to be done in con- nection with nursing at home, the work involves also high stress, since in most cases a single person only is available for the work. The turning work must be made in the night-time also, which is especially burdensome. Therefore, an aim has been to mechanize this turning work if possible, which has resulted in the production of bed rocking devices on which the bed can be placed and which impart to the bed a lateral rocking or t.ilting movement so that the patient is turned over from his one side to the other.

The main object- of the present invention is to pro¬ vide a bed rocking mechanism which can be used in com-, bination with practically all existing types of hospital beds and usual beds with casters or legs. Another object is to provide a bed rocking mech¬ anism which renders possible to pusti a bed onto the rocking mechanism directly from the floor.

Other objects are to provide a bed rocking mechanism which is operated substantially noi sel ess ly, with even, slo and adjustable movement and also adjustable angle of in¬ cl ination, the bed rocking mechanism also being adapted to be returned quickly and easily to horizontal position. These and other objects are attained by the bed rocking mechanism according to the invention having been im¬ parted the characterizing features defined in the sub¬ sequent claims. The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the bed rocking mechanism. Fig¬ ure 1 shows a side view of the bed rocking mechanism according to the invention. Figure 2 shows an end view of the bed rocking mechanism seen from the left in Figure Figure 3 shows a side view of the right-hand end of the bed rocking mechanism of Figure 1 with a push ramp attach thereto. Figure 4 shows, partly in section, a detail of the coupling device for the push ramp. Figure 5 shows, partly in section following line V-V in Figure 5, the mounting on bearings of the rocking part proper of the ^• eachanism in a central p^'illar. Figure 6 shows a corre¬ sponding side-view.

The bed rocking mechanism shown- n the Figures 1 and 2 comprises a frame consisting of 'longitudinally extending, straigth frame beam 6, which on each of its ends carries firstly a cross beam 3 and secondly a ver¬ tical central beam 5. Near to the outer ends of each cross beam 3, there are disposed casters 12 which support the frame on the ground, such as a floor. Disposed in each central beam 5 is a collar bearing 11 (Figures 5, 6), in which an axle journal 13 is mounted, v/hich latter is secured by welding to, and supports, a carrier beam 2 for the rocking part of the mechanism, said beam 2 having the form of an inversed V. Each carrier beam 2 is at its both ends provided with beams 14 which in the neutral position of the rocking mechanism take a horizontal posi tion. Between the beams 14 positioned on the same side of the rocking mechanism, rails^"! are provided, said rail being intended for the casters or legs of the bed to be placed upon. As especially is shown in Figure 4, the rai

OMPI IPO is secured onto the beam 14 by means of mounting plates 15 secured by welding^'onto the rail 1 , said plates havin apertures for fixing bolts 16 provided in the beam 14. As the apertures in the mounting plates 15 have been mad oblong in horisontal di rection, the ^'ra i 1 1 can be d.isplac in lateral direction in relation to the supporting beam 14 whereby the bed rocking mechanism can be adapted to varying breadths of, and distances between, the cas.ters or legs of the bed and in this way becomes universally usable for all types of bedsteads.

For operation of the rocking or tilting movement a preferably electrically driven timer unit 10 is mounted b.y means of a fastening device 7 near the left end of the bed rocking mechanism shown in Figure 2, said member with its reciprocating arm affectinq a transmission arm 9 which is V-shaped and fixed to the co-operating carrier beam 2 of the bed rocking mechanism. The timer unit is fed with pulsating current and is controlled by means of a potentiometer in such a manner that the rocking part of the mechanism is imparted a suitable rocking or tilting movement. The timer unit is preferabl adjustable so as .to cause the bed to be stopped in the laterally inclined position in such a manner that the period of rest in each laterally inclined position will be longer than the per-iod of rest in the shown neutral position, since the supine position of the patient is passed twice in comparison with each side position. The periods of rest, in the side position must, therefore, be the double when compared v/ith the period of rest in the supine position, e.g. the shown neutral position of the rocking mechanism. The adjustment shall also permit rapid setting of the timer unit for return of the- bed rocking mechanism into the shown neutral position, e.g. for recurrent nursing measures or for removal of the bed from the rockinq mechanism.

OMPI For pushing up and wheeeling down a caster-equi pped bed on or from, respectively,the bed rocking mechanism, the center pillar^'s 5 are suitably designed with lowest possible height which permits most bed underframes to oass undisturbed over the central pillar. The pushing- up movement is rendered easier also by a Lifting ramp 4, which by means of a dowel^' 17 can be hooked into apartures in the beams 14, whereby the ramp 4 is connected to the rail 1 of the be'd rocking mechanism, as is shown in Figures 2 to 4. A/t the opposite end of the bed rocking mechanism the rocking part proper" has a stop 8 to preven the bed from sliding down at this end. The fixing of. the pushed-up bed to the bed rocking mechanism can be carried out by means of, for example, clamping means provided in the rocking part, preferably textile belt^'s or the like, which by means of tension members can be adapted to vario bed constructions.

It will become.cl ear from the drawing figures and the description, that the bed rocking, echani sm has a simplδ and functional structure which permit^'s pushing on and wheeling down of beds without any disturbance by parts of the mechanism. In this connection it may be mentioned that the free distance of the rocking mechanism from the floor should be determined so as in the shown neutral position αf the mechanism to permit insertion of lifting means of the type patient hoist or the like, the free spa over the floor preferably being of the order of magnitude of 15 to 16.5 cm. ^' The ramp 4 when not in use, is suitabl devised to be stored retracted in, or inserted into, the rocking part of the. mechani sm.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the shown embodiment, but may be varied in many respects within the basic idea thereof.

For operation of the timer unit, a control panel is employed, said panel being intended to be hanged up on on

OMPI . IPO . . end of the bedstead and being equipped with an electric flex which is fixed onto the bed by magnets, said panel and flex being storable in a transport box mounted on the rocking mechanism during transport and storage.

_. OMPI

Claims

1. A bed rocking mechanism devised to carry a bed and to impart to the same a rocking or tilting movement in lateral direction, e.g. for turning patients in long- term care, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a frame (3, 6) comprising support members (12) for bearing against a floor or the like, and two central pillars (5) posi¬ tioned adjacent the longitudinally opposite ends of the mechanism and carrying bearing members (11) for a rocking part (1 , 2, 14) with beams (2) extending on both sides from said bearing members (11 ) and at their ends having support members- (1) for the casters (12) or legs of the bed.^'

2. A bed rocking mechanism according to claim ! , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support members for the casters or legs of the bed comprise rails (1) which have the shape of an U and are adjustable in latera direction on the beams (2, 14).

3.. A bed rocking mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rocking part (1 , 2, 14) is mounted in bearings in the central pillars (5) relatively to the frame (3, 6) in such a manner that the support members (1 ) of the rocking part are located above the frame and access ibl e from one end side of the be rocki ng. mechanism , a releasable lifting ramp (4) being devised attachable at said end side for pushing a bed up¬ wards into the bed rocking mechanism.

4. A bed rocking- mechanism according to any of the claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the height of the central ^• pi liars (5) from the support member (1 ) of the rocking part is dimensioned so that a bed un¬ disturbed can pass- over the central pillar

(5) and that the free distance from the frame (3,

6) from the floor permits insertion of a lifting device, such as a patient hoist or the like.

- U E_£^

OMPI

^ Λ' *⁰

X -Y 0T 5. A bed rocki ng. mechani sm according to any of the claims 1 to 4, c h a a c t e r i z e d in that the rocking mechanism is driven by an electrically operated timer unit (10) which is fed by pulsating current and controlled by means of a potentiometer.

• 6. A bed rocking mechanism according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the control device of the timer unit (10) is set so that the bed rocking mech¬ anism is stopped in the horizontal or neutral position in the one. and the other uttermost inclined position, the period of rest in the inclined positions being the double of that in the neutral position.

7. A bed rocking mechanism according to any of the claims l to 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a control panel devised to be hanged up on the. end of the bedstead or the like, said control panel being connected with the timer unit by means of flexes fixed onto the bed rocking mechanism or the bedstead by means of magnets.

_ OMPI