Bed handle system

The bed handle system of the present invention, which includes a pair of handle elements, is used for facilitating movement into and out of a bed. Each handle element can be anchored to a bed mattress and has an upwardly extending handle section dimensioned to extend above the bed mattress. In use the handle portion is positioned adjacent a first side of the mattress, and the pair of handle elements are positioned in spaced relation to each other. The spacing between the handle elements may be adjusted to permit a user to grasp one handle section with each hand and to sit between the elements on the mattress preparatory to moving into or out of the bed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to 
rail and handle systems for beds. 
2. Description of Related Art 
Protective rail systems are known that are affixed to the sides of a bed to 
prevent a baby, child, or someone having diminished motor control from 
falling out of bed. Typically these rail systems, such as those on 
hospital-type beds, must be raised when the person is in the bed and 
lowered when he or she wishes to arise. This raising and lowering 
generally must be performed by a second person standing by the side of the 
bed. 
Bedside guard and rail systems designed to be used with non-hospital-type 
beds are also known in the art, such as those disclosed by Evers (U.S. 
Pat. No. 2,555,228), Beckwell (U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,454), Berlin (U.S. Pat. 
No. 2,904,799), and Howell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,743). A common 
feature to these guards is that they comprise a unitary, centrally placed 
rail having an inverted U-shaped portion extending above the surface of 
the mattress and a stabilizing portions extending under the mattress, 
generally meeting the upwardly extending portion at right angles. 
It has also been known that such rail systems may be covered or padded to 
prevent a portion of the body from slipping through the upwardly extending 
portion and also to present a more forgiving surface to the child or 
patient should he or she lean against the rail. Such covered or padded 
bedside guards are disclosed by Evers (U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,228), Arp (U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,827,545), Howell et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,743), Hunsinger et 
al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,025), Marra, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,897), and 
Holder et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,663). 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide a bed handle system that 
permits the user to enter and leave the bed without assistance without 
altering the position of the system. 
It is a further object to provide such a system having variable spacing 
between the handle elements. 
It is an additional object to provide such a system wherein the handles are 
each dimensioned to be removably covered with a standard pillowcase. 
It is another object to provide such a system that can be installed without 
lifting the mattress of the bed. 
It is yet a further object to provide such a system that can remain in 
place when the bed sheets are being replaced. 
These and additional objects are achieved with the bed handle system of the 
present invention, which is used for facilitating movement into and out of 
a bed. This system comprises a pair of handle elements. Each handle 
element has means for being anchored to a bed mattress and an upwardly 
extending handle section connected to the anchoring means. The handle 
section is dimensioned to extend above the bed mattress. In use the handle 
portion is positioned adjacent a first side of the mattress, and the pair 
of handle elements are positioned in spaced relation to each other. The 
spacing between the handle elements may be adjusted to permit a user to 
grasp one handle section with each hand and to sit between the elements on 
the mattress preparatory to moving into or out of the bed. While the 
system of the present invention serves to keep the user from falling out 
of bed, as with previously disclosed bed rails, this arrangement offers 
the additional feature of permitting a person using a cane, a walker, or a 
wheelchair who has use of the upper body but diminished use of the lower 
body to help him/herself into and out of bed without the aid of a second 
person; this is an important advantage over previously disclosed systems. 
The system additionally provides further security for a person who may 
experience dizziness getting into or out of a bed. The invention also 
permits a physically challenged person to continue using a standard bed 
instead of undergoing the expense and isolation associated with a 
hospital-type bed. 
An alternate method of getting into bed from a wheelchair with the aid of 
the present invention comprises positioning the wheelchair facing the bed 
between the handle elements, swinging the legs onto the bed between the 
handle elements, and using the arms to push the rest of the body onto the 
bed. 
In a preferred embodiment, the anchoring means of the handle element 
comprises two generally parallel bracing legs connected at either end of 
the upwardly extending handle section. Each bracing leg extends in a same 
direction from the handle section at a generally right angle. The 
anchoring is accomplished by placing the bracing legs beneath the 
mattress, typically between the mattress and box springs, so that the 
weight of the mattress prevents the handle element from moving. When the 
bed handle system is to be used with a waterbed or a platform-type bed, 
the bracing legs are instead positioned between the mattress and the 
platform on which the mattress rests. 
Also in a preferred embodiment, the handle section of each handle element 
has a pair of upwardly extending arms having a lower end and an upper end. 
Each arm is connected at the lower end to a corresponding one of the 
bracing legs. The handle section further has a generally horizontal 
portion connected to the upper end of each arm, the handle section thereby 
forming an inverted U-shaped structure. The horizontal portion is 
typically the section that is grasped by the user when maneuvering into or 
out of the bed. 
The handle section, in a preferred embodiment, is dimensioned to be 
coverable by a standard-size pillowcase. This dimensioning permits the 
user to cover the exposed portion of the handle element with a common 
household item that is inexpensive, easily washable, and replaceable. 
The features that characterize the invention, both as to organization and 
method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, 
will be better understood from the following description used in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly 
understood that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and 
description and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the 
invention. These and other objects attained, and advantages offered, by 
the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description 
that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will 
now be presented with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The bed handle system of the present invention, shown installed in FIG. 2 
and referred to generally by the reference numeral 10, facilitates 
movement into and out of a bed 20. The system 10 comprises a pair of 
handle elements 30, shown in detail in FIG. 1, and each handle element 30 
comprises an integral length of tubing 302 that has two generally parallel 
bracing legs 304 and 306 and a handle section 308 connecting the bracing 
legs 304 and 306. The handle section 308 is dimensioned to extend above a 
bed mattress 202 and to be coverable by a standard-size pillowcase 40. 
Each bracing leg 304 and 306 extends in a same direction from the handle 
section 308 at a generally right angle 310. 
The handle section 308 of each handle element 30 has a pair of upwardly 
extending arms 312 and 314, each having a lower end 316,318 and an upper 
end 320,322, respectively. Each arm 312,314 is connected at the lower end 
316,318 to a corresponding one of the bracing legs 304,306. The handle 
section 308 further has a generally horizontal portion 324 connected to 
and bridging the upper ends 320,322 of arms 312,314. Thus the handle 
section 308 thereby forms an inverted U-shaped structure. In a preferred 
embodiment, the tubing 302 comprises electrical metallic tubing (EMT), 10 
feet long, of diameter 1/2 inch. This has been shown to be sufficiently 
strong to withstand 300 pounds compression. Each bracing leg portion 
304,306 is approximately 3 feet long; the arms 312,314 are approximately 
15 inches each, and the horizontal portion 324 is approximately 20 inches 
long. 
At least a part of the bracing legs 304 and 306 is encompassed by a vinyl 
sleeve 326. In a preferred embodiment the sleeve 326 has frictional 
properties for reducing potential slippage between the bracing legs 
304,306, the mattress 202, and the box springs 204. A particular 
embodiment of the sleeve 326 comprises 1/2-inch-diameter low-density 
polyethylene extruded plastic tubular sleeving with a diamond-pattern 
open-mesh construction. 
In order to reduce potential slippage between the handle section 308 and 
the hands of a user and further to provide grip comfort to the user, a 
strip of vinyl 328 is wrapped about the handle element 30 to surround at 
least the horizontal portion. The vinyl strip 328 contributes grippability 
and cushioning properties to handle section 308, and may comprise a wrap 
such as those used on bicycle handlebars or tennis racquets. With the 
addition of the vinyl strip 328, the grip diameter becomes approximately 
7/8 inch. 
A further component of handle element 30 comprises a pair of feet 330 and 
332. One foot 330,332 is affixed to a distal end 334,336 of each bracing 
leg 304,306, respectively, for protecting the mattress. Typically these 
feet 330,332 comprise plastic endcaps dimensioned to slip over the ends 
334,336 of the bracing legs 304,306, and they serve the purpose of 
preventing tears and abrasion in the mattress 202 and box springs 204. 
In use the bracing legs 304 and 306 of each handle element 30 are placed 
beneath the mattress 202. The handle section 308 is positioned adjacent a 
first side 206 of the mattress 202, and the pair of handle elements 30 are 
positioned in spaced relation. The spacing 340 between handle elements 30 
may be adjusted to permit a user 50 to grasp one handle section 308 with 
each hand 502 and to sit between the elements 30 on the mattress 202 
preparatory to moving into or out of the bed 20, as shown in FIG. 2. Given 
the dimensions indicated for the preferred embodiment, spacing 340 can 
range from 27 inches for a twin or full-size bed up to 32 inches for a 
queen- or king-size bed. 
One feature of the invention is that the mattress 202 need not be lifted to 
install the system 10, since the legs 304,306 can be inserted between the 
mattress 202 and box springs 204 with a sliding motion. A second feature 
is that the system 10 need not be removed in order to change the sheets; 
each handle 30 merely needs to be pulled out a few inches from the 
mattress 202 prior to the changing operation. 
In the situation mentioned above wherein the system 10 is utilized with a 
waterbed or platform-type bed, typically the mattress 202 rests upon a 
platform having upwardly extending sides. The installation for this 
embodiment entails lifting the mattress 202 and placing the legs 304,306 
beneath the mattress 202 and atop the platform, the upwardly extending 
arms 312,314 thus being retained between the side of the mattress 202 and 
the upwardly extending sides of the bed. For a waterbed, some of the water 
may be emptied in order to facilitate the lifting step. In these 
embodiments, of course, the handles 30 cannot be pulled out for sheet 
changing. 
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, 
clarity, and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be 
implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such 
words are used for description purposes herein and are intended to be 
broadly construed. Moreover, the embodiments of the apparatus illustrated 
and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the invention 
is not limited to the exact details of construction. 
Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use 
of preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful 
results obtained thereby, the new and useful constructions, and reasonable 
mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are 
set forth in the appended claims.