Fall-prevention device for the backrest of hospital bed

The present invention is a fall-prevention device for the backrest of a hospital bed, wherein fall-prevention devices are configured on both sides of the backrest rack which inclination angle can be adjusted. The fall-prevention device includes fall-prevention racks that are coupled to the both sides of the backrest rack of the hospital bed. The fall-prevention rack is located within the siderail and supported by a support member. The other end of the support member is activated by a linking rod that is pivotably connected to the siderail on one end and to the main bed frame on the other end. When the backrest rack is in flat position, the level distance between the linking rod and the backrest rack is the longest, thus the support member of the linking rod is unable to support the fall-prevention rack upward. When the backrest rack is in tilt position, by the change of the inclination angle of the backrest rack, one end of the inking rod is in fixed position and the other end is driven by the backrest rack to change the level distance between the linking rod and the backrest rack, so the support member is able to support the fall-prevention rack that would be turned on the backrest rack pivot part until the fall-prevention rack is in vertical position to securely support two sides of the patient and prevent the patient from falling without extra adjustment. Then the objectives of convenience in use and ensuring patients safety are attained.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fall-prevention device for the backrest of a hospital bed, and more particularly to a fall-prevention rack configured on both sides of the backrest rack of a hospital bed that can be raised automatically when the backrest rack is tilt up and the inclination angle of the backrest rack is changed, with such a mechanism in a hospital bed the objective of protecting patients would be attained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As per the conventional hospital bed, to make easy for heavily ill patients to be moved on hospital bed, a plenty of designs such as mechanisms for tilting up and down the backrest rack or turning patients over have been equipped, yet the device on both sides of hospital bed to protect patients from falling has been retained conventional guardrail, i.e. a guardrail mechanism installed on both sides of hospital bed frame that can be pulled up or dropped down at any time, however such guardrail mechanism has shortcomings in use, which are:

1. Fixed height of guardrails: when the guardrails are pulled up on both sides of a flat hospital bed, they are fixed above the hospital bed naturally forming a barricade between patient and nurse; besides, although they can prevent patients from falling down to the side of the hospital bed, the protection to patients is limited up to a certain height, when backrest of the hospital bed is tilt up, it is possible that the patient's head or even the upper half of the patient's body would be raised higher than the height of the guardrails, and when the heavily ill patient is suddenly unconscious or becoming too weak to sustain him(her)self, it is very possible that the side leaned patient can not be put back right to position because of the neglect of nursing person causing the risk of making the patient leaned over the guardrail and falling down from hospital bed, which is presumed to be avoidable for the hurt from happening.

2. Extremely inconvenient in use: the use of the guardrails is to pull up or drop down by manual, when a patient is too weak to pull up the guardrails, it is necessary to get help from nursing person or others around and then the desirable protection of the guardrails for a backrest raised hospital bed can be got, therefore it is inconvenient in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

<Technical Problems to be Resolved>

Being aware of the shortcomings mentioned above, to have automatic fall-prevention function on both sides of the backrest rack of a hospital bed for attaining the objective in safety for optimal protection to patients, the inventors developed a fall-prevention device for the backrest of a hospital bed that be fulfill the requirement mentioned above.

<Technical Measures and Efficacies>

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a fall-prevention device for the backrest of a hospital bed, of which fall-prevention racks are configured on both sides of the backrest rack, with linking rods installed underneath the fall-prevention racks, that can adjust themselves the level distance from the backrest rack as per different inclination angle of the backrest rack, and support members on the linking rods, the fall-prevention racks would be pushed up to make the fall-prevention rack have different tilt angle relative to the backrest rack as the inclination angle of the backrest rack is changed to securely protect two sides of the patient, effectively prevent the patient from falling when the backrest rack is rising, and then the use of hospital bed in safety and convenience in use are promoted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, a hospital bed structure of the present invention includes a main bed frame10consisting of four sections which are a back frame section11, a seat frame section12, a thigh frame section13and a leg frame section14, and the back frame section11equips with fall-prevention devices20on both sides, the whole structure is mounted on a base frame30.

The above-mentioned back frame section11, seat frame section12, thigh frame section13and leg frame section14are pivotably connected with each other as a structure of articulating deck. The features of the present invention are:

The back frame section11comprises a backrest rack110that is structured by a frame of big diameter tube with fine net inside the frame. Both sides of the backrest rack110are equipped with several sets of lugs of pivot parts111to pivotably connect with lateral equipments. A backrest actuator112is installed under the backrest rack110, and the other end of the backrest actuator112is pivotably connected to the base frame30to elevate the backrest rack110, which can also be done by manual operation, yet not to be herewith described further because it is commonly known and not a feature of this invention.

Both sides of the backrest rack110have U-shaped frame of siderails113, each of the siderails113has a lug of pivot part114located near the height of patient's head for connecting with the components of the fall-prevention device20.

A fall-prevention rack21of the fall-prevention device20is equipped within the U-shaped frame of the siderail113, the fall-prevention rack21is a bulgy frame formed by surrounding a big diameter tube. The bulge side of the fall-prevention rack21has several lugs of pivot parts210pivotably connected with the pivot parts111of the backrest rack110, so the fall-prevention rack21can use the pivot parts111as the rotation axis to be lifted or set flat on both sides of the backrest rack110.

The fall-prevention rack21configures a driven part211of twin plates on the side opposite to the pivot parts210, the free end of the driven part211is pivotably connected to a support member22that shapes as a plate. One end of the support member22is pivotably connected with the driven part211and the other end is pivotably connected with a joint23. One end of the joint23is a groove-shaped connecting part230relative to the support member22, and the other end is a cylinder of axial-turning part231which inserts into a reverse U-shaped guiding member24, a guiding shaft25penetrates through the indentation of the guiding member24and connects in sliding with a linking rod26, with which the linking rod26can activate the support member22, and with the joint23, there are at least two aspects of motional freedom between the support member22and the guiding member24for supporting or descending the fall-prevention rack21efficiently.

The U-shaped indentation of the guiding member24crosses over the linking rod26that is a long rod, and the linking rod26has a slot of guiding part260relative to the guiding member24for the guiding shaft25penetrating through therein, so the linking rod26can activate the support member22and the fall-prevention rack21through guiding member24. A plate of connecting piece27connects the linking rod26with the pivot part114of the siderail113, and the other end of the linking rod26is pivotably connected to a L-shaped plate of base connecting part28relative to the seat frame section12of the main bed frame10.

When the main bed frame10is in its horizontal position, the level distance between the linking rod26and the backrest rack110is the longest, which means the support member22on the linking rod26is unable to lift the fall-prevention rack21. When the backrest rack110is elevated by the backrest actuator112to change the angle of inclination, the end of the linking rod26connecting to the base connecting part28remains in position, but the other end is limited by the length of the connecting piece27to make the linking rod26approach toward the backrest rack110. Therefore the level distance between the backrest rack110and the linking rod26is shortened, and with the cooperation of the guiding member24sliding along the linking rod26, the joint23and the support member22, so the support member22can lift the fall-prevention rack21upwardly. Thus, the fall-prevention rack21can use the pivot parts210and111as the rotation axis to be lifted or set flat on both sides of the backrest rack110, as shown inFIGS. 5,6and7, the backrest rack110and the fall-prevention racks21on both sides of the backrest rack110form a structure of concave to support both sides of patient and provide a firm fall-prevention structure. When the backrest rack110is set flat, the linking rod26returns to the status of having the longest level distance with the backrest rack110, therefore the backrest rack110and the fall-prevention rack21are on the same level.

The support structure of the fall-prevention rack21of the fall-prevention device20can be simplified, as shown inFIG. 8, an integral support structure of support bracket29is installed between the linking rod26and the pivot part114of the siderail113. One end of the support bracket29is pivotably connected with the pivot part114of the siderail113, the middle portion is pivotably connected with the linking rod26and the free end is equipped with a rotatable roller of support piece290which supports the under side of the fall-prevention rack21. Therefore when the inclination angle of the backrest rack110is changed, the level distance between the linking rod26and the backrest rack110is changed too, which activates the support bracket29to move the fall-prevention rack21upward or downward with the support piece290, the function of above-mentioned structure can be attained.

The support structure of the fall-prevention rack21of the fall-prevention device20can be simplified, as shown inFIG. 9, a connecting rod of support bracket29is installed between the linking rod26and the pivot part114of the siderail113. One end of the support bracket29is pivotably connected with the pivot part114of the siderail113, and the free end is pivotably connected with the linking rod26. The support structure is integrally formed with the linking rod26, that is to say, a rod support rack261is extended from the middle section of the linking rod26to the under side of the fall-prevention rack21. The other end of the support rack261is equipped with a roller of support piece262which supports the under side of the fall-prevention rack21. When the position of the linking rod26is changed, which activates the support piece262to change the inclination angle of the fall-prevention rack21, the function of above-mentioned structure can also be attained.

With implementation of the structure described above, the functions as following would be derived:

1. Convenience in using: when the inclination angle of the backrest rack110is changed, the tilt angle of the fall-prevention rack21can be changed automatically to support both sides of the patient, it is not necessary to have extra assistance, and the function of convenience is using will be attained.

2. Optimal safety: the fall-prevention rack21of the fall-prevention device20can be raised or lowered automatically with the change of inclination angle of the backrest rack110, therefore protecting patient from falling sideways, the objective of protecting patient's safety will be attained.