Patent ID: 6289539
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A47C,A61G

Abstract:
An improvement in handrail attachments to be used in combination with a bed having sides with a mattress and conventional box springs supported on bedrails positioned along each side of the bed to provide both a guard rail and a hand-rail support for the bed occupant when shifting positions within the bed and getting in and out of the bed comprisingan inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member having first and second vertically depending arms connected by first and second cross-members disposed in a vertical plane along the side of the bed, said vertically depending arms having ends;a base member adapted to be inserted in a horizontal plane between the bed mattress and the box springs for receiving and supporting the ends of the vertically depending arms of the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member;said base member including first and second upstanding end portions of cross-sectional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the ends of the vertically depending arms of the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member, whereby the ends of the vertically depending arms of the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member abut the first and second upstanding end portions of the base member in flush relationship;a pivot pin member fixedly mounted in the end of the first vertically depending arm of the inverted U-shaped tubular member and projecting therefrom to engage in telescopic relationship the first upstanding end portion of the base member, thereby maintaining the said first vertically depending arm and the said first upstanding end portion in vertical alignment while permitting pivotal movement of the inverted U-shaped tubular member;a first slidable rod member positioned within the second vertically depending arm of the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member and adapted to slide into the second upstanding end portion of the base member, thereby securing the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member in an upstanding relationship with respect to the bed mattress;a straight tubular member fastened to the second vertically depending arm of the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member, said straight tubular member containing a second slidable rod member having a series of holes spaced along its length;means for removably locking together said straight tubular member and said second slidable rod in a position selected to provide support for the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member when the handrail member is swung into an open position;whereby a stable handrail attachment is provided by the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member when the first slidable rod member is in a first position within the second upstanding end portion of the base member in telescopic relationship, and the inverted U-shaped tubular handrail member can be pivoted away from the bed to permit easy access to and from the bed when the second slidable rod member is secured in a second position.