Abstract:
An apparatus is provided to aid a person entering end exiting a bed. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft and a member mounted normally to an end of the elongated shaft. The member is in the same plane as the shaft and is centered relative to the end. The elongated shaft and the member are shaped so as not to have a closed loop. The elongated shaft has a bracket to mount to a bed with the plane parallel to a side of the bed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to beds. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for assisting a person with entering and exiting a bed.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Beds of the type utilized in medical care facilities frequently have adjustable side rails. The rails can be lowered to enable the occupant to enter and exit the bed. The rails can be raised to prevent the occupant from falling out of the bed. These rails typically comprise a framework of vertical and horizontal members defining open spaces in a lattice.  
           [0005]    Such beds are often subject to stringent governmental safety regulations. They also require the assistance of someone other than the occupant for raising and lowering the rails. For these reasons, beds with adjustable side rails are not ideal for situations such as exist in long term care facilities or assisted living facilities where occupants are more ambulatory and do not need the restraints of bed rails.  
           [0006]    Yet there remains a need for some assistance in entering and exiting a bed. For example, elderly persons can benefit from the assistance of a handhold when moving between a standing position adjacent a bed and a prone position on the bed. Moreover, conventional bed rails often interfere with the field of vision of the person in the bed; a person lying on the bed may have to view a television through the latticework of bed rails. Thus there is a need for a device to assist a person in entering and exiting a bed, while at the same time, minimizing interference with the person&#39;s field of vision from the bed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An apparatus according to the invention meets these needs. In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus to aid a person entering and exiting a bed comprised an elongated shaft, and a member mounted normal to an end of the elongated shaft in the same plane. The member is centered relative to the end, and the apparatus includes some way to mount the elongated shaft to a bed with the plane parallel to a side of the bed. The elongated shaft and the member are disposed to avoid a closed loop. Preferably, the member and the elongated shaft are integral, and the member extends from the end of the elongated shaft via a bight section.  
           [0008]    In one embodiment, the member comprises a transverse portion and the bight section is formed of the transverse portion and an inclined portion extending from the end of the elongated shaft. The bight section is large enough so that no body part of a person can get wedged between the transverse portion and the inclined portion.  
           [0009]    Preferably, the elongated shaft and the member are free of sharp edges. In one embodiment, the mounting means comprises a mounting bracket. In another, the mounting means comprises bolts and nuts.  
           [0010]    In another aspect of the invention, a bed for a person needing health care comprises a head, a side, and an aid for entering and exiting the bed mounted to the side. The aid comprises an elongated shaft extending vertically upward from the side, and a member mounted normal to an upper end of the elongated shaft in the same plane as the plane of the side and centered relative to the end. Preferably, the member and the elongated shaft are integral, and the member extends from the end of the elongated shaft via a bight section. Typically, the bight section will face the head 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPRION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    In the drawings:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional bed provided with an apparatus to aid in entering and exiting the bed according to the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the form of the apparatus.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing a mounting bracket for mounting the apparatus to the bed.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing further details of the mounting bracket. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 shows a conventional bed  10  for use in a long term care or assisted living facility. The bed comprises a frame  12  that supports a mattress  18 , and has a side rail  14 . Normally, there is a side rail  14  on both sides of the frame  12 . As shown in FIG. 1, such beds are typically provided with a head portion  16  that can be selectively elevated and lowered. An apparatus  20  according to the invention is preferably attached to the elevated head portion of the bed rail  14  in a position to be adjacent an occupant&#39;s upper torso when the occupant is lying on the bed. Preferably, an apparatus  20  according to the invention will be located on both sides of the bed  10 , positioned to be adjacent an occupant&#39;s upper torso when the occupant is laying on the bed.  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, the apparatus  20  is fabricated of a rigid material capable of withstanding compressive, torsional, and bending stresses imposed on the apparatus  20  during its use. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus  20  is fabricated of 1-inch diameter stainless steel tubing with a nominal wall thickness of 0.065 inch, such as a grade  304  stainless steel. Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the tubing is formed into a member  22 , functioning as a handle that transitions to an elongated vertical shaft  24  and is centered thereover. It is important the member  22  is mounted to the vertical shaft so as to avoid a closed loop. The handle  22  comprises an inclined section  30  and a transverse section  32 . In the preferred embodiment, the transverse section  32  has a length of 9.625 inches, and the inclined section  30  and the transverse section  32  define an angle a of 57°. It is important that the angle a be large enough so that no body part of an occupant can get caught between the transverse section  32  and the inclined section  30  of the handle  22 . The inclined section  30  and the transverse section  32  define a bight section  34 . The bight section  34  is sized to have a radius that presents a rounded exterior contour so as not to present a sharp edge between the inclined section  30  and the transverse section  32 . In the preferred embodiment, the bight section  34  has a radius of 2.25 inches. It may be that the radius of the bight is large enough so as to effectively eliminate an incline section altogether, wherein the curvature of the bight will proceed to transition to the vertical shaft with no linear incline section.  
         [0018]    The inclined section  30  transitions to the shaft  24  through a curved section  36 . In the preferred embodiment, the curved section  36  and the shaft  24  define an angle β of 147°, and the shaft  24  has a length of 9.125 inches. The overall length of the preferred embodiment is 20.125 inches. The handle  22  and the shaft  24  are oriented so as to generally define a plane. An end cap  38  is located on the free ends of the tubing to provide a finished appearance and cover any rough or sharp edges. Preferably the end cap  38  is a plastic button  38  frictionally retained in each end of the tubing, and each button will have a spherical radius to further minimize sharp edges.  
         [0019]    Referring more specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, an angle bracket  26 , comprising an orthogonal leg  40  provided with a mounting aperture  28  therethrough and a parallel leg  42 , is attached to the end of the shaft  24 . The orthogonal leg  40  comprises a bottom face  44 . The parallel leg  42  comprises an inside face  46 . The angle bracket  26  comprises a rigid material of suitable strength and durability, such as steel, and is fixedly attached along the parallel leg  42  to the shaft  24 , preferably by welds  48 , so that the orthogonal leg  40  extends orthogonally to the plane defined by the handle  22  and the shaft  24 . Moreover, the orthogonal leg  40  is attached to the shaft  24  so that the shaft  24  extends vertically upward when the orthogonal leg  40  is horizontal.  
         [0020]    Referring again to FIG. 1, the apparatus  20  is attached to the bed  10  by attaching the angle bracket  26  to the rail  14  at the elevated head  16  of the bed  10  so that the bottom face  44  is in communication with the top of the rail  14  and the inside face  46  is in communication with the side of the rail  14 . The apparatus  20  is oriented so that the bight section  34  is located away from the head of the occupant. In other words, the free end of the transverse section  32  faces towards the head of the occupant. A conventional fastener, such as a machine screw or bolted connector (not shown), passes through the mounting aperture  28  and a mating aperture (not shown) in the rail  14  to rigidly secure the bracket  26  to the rail  14 . This also enables the apparatus to be readily removed from the bed  10  when it is not needed. Attachment of the apparatus to the head  16  of the bed  10  enables the apparatus to remain properly oriented with respect to the head  16  when the head  16  is elevated. The apparatus  20  is also preferably attached to the bed  10  so that it is adjacent the occupant&#39;s upper torso. This will locate the apparatus  20  where it is most readily available and functional. It will also locate the apparatus  20  where it can most effectively serve as a restraint against the occupant falling from the bed  10 . In the event of a fall, the apparatus  20  will tend to restrain the occupant&#39;s upper torso, effectively preventing the occupant from exiting the bed “head first.” 
         [0021]    As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus  20  can be used in pairs on both sides of the bed  10  to enable the occupant to enter and exit the bed  10  from either side. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that both devices are identical except that the orientation of the bracket  26  on the shaft  24  will be determined by the side of the bed  10  to which the apparatus  20  is to be mounted.  
         [0022]    The occupant can use the apparatus  20  to exit the bed  10  by the grasping one or more of the transverse section  32 , the bight section  34 , or the inclined section  30  and pulling himself or herself up to a seated position. The occupant can continue grasping the apparatus  20  at an appropriate section to maintain his or her balance while changing from a seated to a standing position. The apparatus  20  can also be used to support the occupant in a standing position next to the bed in situations where the occupant does not wish to leave the bedside. To enter the bed  10 , the occupant grasps the apparatus  20  at an appropriate section while taking a seated position on the bed  10 . The occupant can then use the apparatus  20  to assist in lowering himself or herself to a reclining position.  
         [0023]    While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the manner of attaching the apparatus to the bed has infinite variations. The bracket form illustrated is but one. It is important only that the apparatus be secured to the bed in a manner that will provide stability. For example, the bracket can be clamped, welded, bolted, or wedged into a secure position. It may be that a bracket is altogether unnecessary; for example, the apparatus can be received in a bed socket and secured therein by a setscrew.