Abstract:
A bed safety guard provides additional guarding protection lengthwise of the bed. The side support or guard rail is secured against the side of the mattress by a plurality of slats extending transversely across substantially the entire width of the box spring. Each of the slats is bent at a terminal end thereof to form a fixed substantially right angle. The terminal ends cooperate with the side of the box spring to reliably secure the guard rail in position, to prevent it from being dislodged or pushed out and away from the bed by an occupant.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to safety accessories; and more particularly to a bed safety guard having an improved construction operative to provide additional guarding protection lengthwise of the bed. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various bed guards are disclosed in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 329,663 to McMurray, for instance, discloses a bed guard with attached slats that extend partially under the mattress. The slat is attached to a guard rail by means of a hinge. For convenience, the guard is removable; but a child could push the rail away, since it is kept in place solely by friction. U.S. Pat. No. 1,066,976 to Atkinson discloses a similar arrangement, but uses hooks attached to the bed springs. This solution, while addressing the previous problem, is impractical since bed springs are not generally exposed. Each of U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,017 to Burst, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,957 to Norton discloses a side guard for a hospital bed. Such side guards are permanent, non-removable fixtures specifically designed for a hospital bed; they protect less than half the bed&#39;s length. U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,608 to Lucas discloses hide away bed gates. These gates are removable. They protect less than half the bed&#39;s length and are therefore inadequate for protecting children and infants. U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,799 to Berlin discloses a tubular bed guard. The guard is removable and can be readily pushed away by a child, since it is kept in place solely by friction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,067 to Bernstein, et al. discloses a bed guard adapted to be placed partially under the mattress, and is subject to being pushed away. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,785 to Petrus discloses a confining device couch converter which converts a seat cushion of a couch into a confining device for a resting baby. The Petrus device is not said to be suitable for use with a bed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,726 to Fichner-Rathus discloses a complex bed guard system having telescoping members and lockable and pivoting apparatus adapted to place the device in various configurations, including “H”, “U” and “S” configurations. The Ficher-Rathus device is confronted with significant construction and operational problems. Such problems can be attributed to (i) required adjustments (which may be overlooked or incorrectly made when transforming the device between the “H” and “S” configurations); (ii) use of hinges and wing nuts (which can injure bed occupants, and mar the bed frame); and (iii) flexible joints (which can occasion transverse movement of the bed rail). Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,731 to Thom, et al. discloses a bed guard that requires more that one device to protect a single side of a bed. 
     There is a need in the art for an inexpensive bed guard that is inexpensive to construct, can be readily installed and removed, and reliably prevents sleeping infants and children from falling off the bed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a bed safety guard having an improved construction operative to provide additional guarding protection lengthwise of the bed. Means are provided for securing the side support, or guard rail, to prevent it from being dislodged or pushed out and away from the bed by the bed&#39;s occupant. In one embodiment of the invention, the support system comprises a plurality of one-piece, unitary slats extending from the bed rail transversely across substantially the entire width of the box spring. The slats are bent at their terminal ends to create fixed, substantially right angles with slat sections approximately three to four inches long, which cooperate with the side of the box spring to secure the support system and prevent transverse movement of the bed rail. 
     Generally stated, the invention provides a bed safety guard for preventing a person from falling out of bed. The bed safety guard comprises a guard rail positioned along one side of a mattress of the bed, and a plurality of slats. Each slat is bent at its terminal end to create a first and second terminal end. These ends are fixed and substantially at right angles with slat sections which are distributed underneath and perpendicular to the mattress, and over the box spring. A means is provided for attaching the guard rail to the slats. In this manner, the first and the second terminal ends cooperate with the mattress to securely hold the guard rail in place along the side of the mattress. 
     Preferably, the guard rail is comprised of a rigid plank covered with a padded covering. Optionally, a second guard rail, positioned on the opposite side of the mattress, operates to prevent an occupant from falling off the opposite side of the bed. 
     Specifically, the present invention provides, in combination, a bed safety guard structure wherein (i) a plurality of one-piece, unitary slats extend from the bed rail transversely across substantially the entire width of the box spring; and (ii) each of the slats is bent at a terminal end thereof to form a fixed, substantially “right” angle, thereby creating slat sections, which cooperate with the side of the mattress to reliably secure the support system and prevent transverse movement of the bed rail. 
     The bed safety guard of this invention is inexpensive to make. It is easily removed and reinstalled without having to be bolted or otherwise permanently fastened to the bed frame. Once installed, the bed safety guard reliably prevents those sleeping from falling off the bed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a bed safety guard constructed in accordance with the present invention, and installed on a bed; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting a portion of a guard rail, guard net, and a terminal end of a cross bed tube; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a bed safety guard constructed in accordance with the present invention, and installed on a bed; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view depicting a terminal end of a slat and a portion of the slat; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view depicting the safety bed guard of FIG. 1 viewed from an end of the bed situated against a wall; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the safety bed guard of FIG. 1, provided with an optional second guard rail; and 
     FIG.  7 . shows a cross-sectional view of a padded guard rail and means of attachment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a bed safety guard having a construction that advantageously provides additional guarding protection lengthwise of the bed. 
     In FIG. 1 there is shown generally at  48  the safety bed guard of the present invention. The safety bed guard comprises guard rail  40  positioned along one side of a mattress  47  on bed  45 . Guard rail  40  is a U-shaped tube having a downward facing opening therein. Guard rail  40  is provided with guard net  41  that is fastened along the inner length of guard rail  40  so as to form a barrier or wall along the substantial portion of the length of bed  45 . A plurality of cross bed tubes  42  extend from guard rail  40  across mattress  47  transversely of the bed  45 . As shown in FIG. 2, each tube  42  is bent at its terminal ends to create first terminal end  43  and second end  44 . Terminal ends  43  and  44  are fixed and substantially at right angles with the central section of tubes  42 . As noted previously, tubes  42  are distributed underneath and perpendicular to mattress  47 . They are positioned under mattress  47  with terminal ends  43  pointing upward and terminal ends  44  pointing downward. An attachment means shown at  49  is provided for attaching guard rail  40  to first terminal end  43  of each tube  42 . Specifically, guard rail  40  has a tapered end  40   a  that securely seats within first terminal end  43 . Preferably, first terminal end  43  is provided with hole  52  for receiving spring loaded button  51  protruding from tapered end  40   a.  This means of attaching two tubes is known in the art and commonly found with the beach umbrellas and its extension pole. The tubes and guard rail are positioned below the mattress so that terminal ends  44  extend downwardly at fixed substantially right angles and are disposed immediately adjacent a box spring or other supporting structure, such as the bed frame. In this manner, second terminal ends  44  cooperate with the box spring or other supporting structure to securely hold guard rail  40  in place along the side of mattress  47 . While, terminal end  43  is shown in the figures as attached to the outside of guard rail  40  (away from the mattress), it can alternately be attached to guard rail  40  on the side facing the mattress. 
     In FIG. 3 there is shown the safety bed guard of the present invention. The safety bed guard comprises guard rail  10  positioned along one side of a mattress  7  on bed  5 . A plurality of one-piece, unitary slats  12  extend from guard rail  10  across mattress  7  transversely of the bed  5 . As shown in FIG. 4, each slat  12  is bent at its terminal ends to create first terminal end  13  and second end  14 . Terminal ends  13  and  14  are fixed and substantially at right angles with the central section of slats  12 . As noted previously, slats  12  are distributed underneath and perpendicular to mattress  7 . They are positioned under mattress  7  with terminal ends  13  pointing upward and terminal ends  14  pointing downward. An attachment means  17  is provided for attaching guard rail  10  to first terminal end  13  of each slat  12 . The slats and guard rail are positioned below the mattress so that terminal ends  14  extend downwardly at fixed substantially right angles and are disposed immediately adjacent a box spring or other supporting structure, such as the bed frame. In this manner, second terminal ends  14  cooperate with the box spring or other supporting structure to securely hold guard rail  10  in place along the side of mattress  7 . While, terminal end  13  is shown in the figures as attached to the outside of guard rail  10  (away from the mattress), it can alternately be attached to guard rail  10  on the side facing the mattress. 
     When bed  5  has a box spring, slats  12  are placed above the box spring and below mattress  7 , otherwise slats  12  are placed between the bed frame and the mattress. In either case, terminal ends  14  of slats  12  are placed adjacent the side of the box spring, bed frame or other supporting structure located furthest from terminal ends  13  and guard rail  10 . This disposition of the terminal ends  14  operates to prevent transverse movement of slats  12 , terminal ends  13  and guard rail  10  in a direction away from the bed frame, thereby holding guard rail  10  securely in place along the side of mattress  7 . 
     In use, bed  5  is placed against a wall, shown as  19  in FIG.  5 . There may arise occasions where such an arrangement is not feasible. Under such circumstances, as shown in FIG. 6, second guard rail  20  is positioned on the opposite side of mattress  7  from guard rail  10 . An attachment means  17  is provided for attaching guard rail  20  to second terminal end  14  of each slat  12 . In this manner, terminal end  13  and second terminal end  14  cooperate with mattress  7  to securely hold guard rail  10  and guard rail  20  in place along opposite sides of mattress  7 . 
     Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7, the guard rail is comprised of rigid plank  22  covered with padding  24 , in turn covered with cover  26 . Cover  26  is preferably comprised of vinyl or similar dirt and water resistant material. In this case, screws  26  traverse padding  24  and cover  26  and are secured into rigid plank  22 . 
     Attachment means  17 , shown in FIG. 7, for attaching guard rail  10  to first terminal end  13  of slat  12  and guard rail  20  to second terminal end  14  of slat  12 , respectively, is preferably comprised of screws  28  placed through holes  29  provided in the terminal end and into guard rail. Alternatively, attachment means  17  and  27  are comprised of various attachment devices known in the art, such as rivets, nails, adhesives, clamps or the like. 
     The bed safety guard is inexpensive to construct. It is not bolted or otherwise permanently fastened to the bed frame. Consequently, it is especially suited to be readily removed and reinstalled. In the installed condition, the bed safety guard reliably prevents those sleeping from falling off the bed. 
     Having thus described the invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to, but that additional changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.