Patient lifting assembly

A patient lifting assembly includes a first housing that is coupled to a vertical support surface to be positioned adjacent to a user's head when the user is lying in a bed. A first cable is retracted or extended outwardly from the first housing. A first handle is coupled to the first cable and the first handle can be gripped by a user to urge the user toward the head of the bed. A second housing is coupled to a vertical support surface to be positioned adjacent to a user's feet when the user is lying in the bed. A second cable is retracted or extended outwardly from the second housing. A second handle is coupled to the second cable and the second handle can be gripped by a user to urge the user into an upright, seated position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure and prior art relates to lifting devices and more particularly pertains to a new lifting device for urging a bedridden user into an upright, seated position.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first housing that is coupled to a vertical support surface to be positioned adjacent to a user's head when the user is lying in a bed. A first cable is retracted or extended outwardly from the first housing. A first handle is coupled to the first cable and the first handle can be gripped by a user to urge the user toward the head of the bed. A second housing is coupled to a vertical support surface to be positioned adjacent to a user's feet when the user is lying in the bed. A second cable is retracted or extended outwardly from the second housing. A second handle is coupled to the second cable and the second handle can be gripped by a user to urge the user into an upright, seated position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 8, the patient lifting assembly10generally comprises a first housing12that is coupled to a vertical support surface14. The vertical support surface14may be a wall adjacent to a head of a bed or a headboard of the bed. In this way the first housing12can be positioned adjacent to a user's head when the user is lying in the bed. The bed may be a hospital bed, a bed for use in a home or any other type of bed for sleeping. The first housing12has a front wall16and a back wall18, the back wall18is coupled to the vertical support surface14. The front wall16has an aperture20extending into an interior of the first housing12.

A first spool22is rotatably positioned within the first housing12and the first spool22is rotatable in a first direction or a second direction. A first control circuit24is positioned within the first housing12and the first control circuit24receives an extend input and a retract input. A first motor26is positioned within the first housing12, the first motor26is coupled to the first spool22and the first motor26is electrically coupled to the first control circuit24. The first motor26rotates the first spool22in the first direction when the first control circuit24receives the extend input. Conversely, the first motor26rotates the first spool22in the second direction when the first control circuit24receives the retract input. The first motor26is electrically coupled to a power source, such as a female electrical outlet via a power cord or the like and the first motor26may be an electric motor.

A first cable28is provided and the first cable28is wrapped around the first spool22. The first cable28is retracted into the first housing12when the first spool22rotates in the first direction. Additionally, the first cable28is extended outwardly from the first housing12when the first spool22rotates in the second direction. The first cable28has a distal end30with respect to the first spool22and the first cable28extends through the aperture20in the first housing12such that the distal end30is exposed with respect to the first housing12.

A first handle32is coupled to the first cable28such that the first handle32can be gripped by a user. The first handle32is moved away from the first housing12when the first spool22rotates in the first direction. In this way the first handle32can be positioned adjacent to the user thereby facilitating the user to grab the first handle32. The first handle32is moved toward the first housing12when the first spool22rotates in the second direction to urge the user toward the first housing12. In this way the user can be moved into an upright position.

The first handle32comprises a stem34and a grip36that is oriented transverse with the stem34. The stem34has a distal end38with respect to the grip36and the distal end38of the stem34is coupled to the distal end30of the first cable28. The user can grip the grip of the first handle32with the user's hands when the first cable28is played outwardly from the first housing12. Thus, the user's upper body can be urged into an upright position when the first cable28is retracted into the first housing12. A first receiver38is positioned within the first housing12and the first receiver38is electrically coupled to the first control circuit24. The first receiver38may be radio frequency receiver or the like.

A second housing40is coupled to the vertical support surface14and the second housing40is oriented to face the first housing12; the second housing40may be positioned on a foot board of the bed. In this way the second housing40can be positioned adjacent to a user's feet when the user is lying in the bed. The second housing40has a front wall42and a back wall44. The back wall44of the second housing40is coupled to the vertical support surface14and the front wall42of the second housing40has an aperture46extending into an interior of the second housing40.

A second spool48is rotatably positioned within the second housing40and the second spool48is rotatable in a primary direction or a secondary direction. A second control circuit50is positioned within the second housing40and the second control circuit50receives an extend input and a retract input. A second motor52is positioned within the second housing40, the second motor52is coupled to the second spool48and the second motor52is electrically coupled to the second control circuit50. The second motor52rotates the second spool48in the primary direction when the second control circuit50receives the extend input. Additionally, the second motor52rotates the second spool48in the secondary direction when the second control circuit50receives the retract input. The second motor52is electrically coupled to a power source53, such as a female electrical outlet via a power cord or the like, and the second motor52may be an electric motor.

A second cable54is provided and the second cable54is wrapped around the second spool48. The second cable54is retracted into the second housing40when the second spool48rotates in the secondary direction. Conversely, the second cable54is extended outwardly from the second housing40when the second spool48rotates in the primary direction. The second cable54has a distal end56with respect to the second spool48and the second cable54extends through the aperture20in the second housing40such that the distal end56of the second cable54is exposed with respect to the second housing40.

A second handle58is coupled to the second cable54and the second handle58can be gripped by the user. The second handle58is moved away from the second housing40when the second spool48rotates in the primary direction. In this way the second handle58can be positioned adjacent to the user thereby facilitating the user to grab the second handle58. The second handle58is moved toward the second housing40when the second spool48rotates in the secondary direction for urging the user toward the second housing40. In this way the user can be moved into an upright position.

The second handle58comprises a stem60and a grip62that is oriented transverse with the stem60. The stem60of the second handle58has a distal end64with respect to the grip62of the second handle58. Additionally, the distal end64of the stem60of the second handle58is coupled to the distal end56of the second cable54. The user can grasp the grip62on the second handle58when the second cable54is played outwardly from the second housing40. In this way the user can be urged into an upright position when the second cable54is retracted into the second housing40. A second receiver64is positioned within the second housing40and the second transceiver is electrically coupled to the second control circuit50. The second receiver64may comprise a radio frequency receiver or the like.

A remote control66is provided and the remote control66is in electrical communication with the first spool22and the second spool48. The remote control66actuates the first spool22to selectively rotate in the first and second directions. Additionally, the remote control66actuates the second spool48to rotate in the primary and secondary directions. The remote control66comprises a transmitter68that is positioned within the remote control66. The transmitter68is in wireless electrical communication with each of the first38and second64receivers, and the transmitter68may comprise a radio frequency transmitter or the like.

A head up button70is movably coupled to the remote control66and the head up button70is electrically coupled to the transmitter68. The first control circuit24receives the retract input when the head up button70is depressed. A head down button72is movably coupled to the remote control66and the head down button72is electrically coupled to the transmitter68. Additionally, the first control circuit24receives the extend input when the head down button72is depressed.

A foot up button74is movably coupled to the remote control66and the foot up button74is electrically coupled to the transmitter68. The second control circuit50receives the retract input when the foot up button74is depressed. A foot down button76is movably coupled to the remote control66and the foot down button76is electrically coupled to the transmitter68. The second control circuit50receives the extend input when the foot down button76is depressed. A remote power supply78is positioned within the remote control66, the remote power supply78is electrically coupled to the transmitter68and the remote power supply78comprises at least one battery.

In use, the foot down button76is depressed to extend the second cable54outwardly from the second housing40until the second handle58is close enough to the user for the user to grasp the second handle58. The foot down button76is released and the foot up button74is depressed. Thus, the second cable54is retracted into the second housing40thereby urging the user into an upright, seated position without requiring assistance from a caregiver. The head down button72is depressed to extend the first cable28outwardly from the first housing12until the user can grasp the first handle32. The head down button72is released and the head up button70is depressed. Thus, the first cable28is retracted into the first housing12thereby urging the user toward the headboard of the bed. In this way the user can be urged toward the headboard of the bed if the user has slid toward the foot of the bed without requiring assistance from a caregiver.