Abstract:
A folding foot protection device for bedded patients. The folding foot protection device has a top member, typicaly rectangular, which will support a pair of folding legs. The folding legs can move between a use position where they are opened up and make an angle of greater than 90° with respect to the top member or a folded position which they lay adjacent to one another adjacent the top member. The folded or closed position makes the device easy to store.

Description:
This application claims priority to and incorporates herein by reference, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/218,664, filed Jun. 19, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Patient protection devices, more specifically, a folding foot protection device or foot guard for a bedded patient, in the nature of a structure for elevating bed covers above a mattress. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bedded patients, especially those with injuries or impairment in the lower legs or feet, are often made uncomfortable due to the weight of the bedded patient&#39;s sheets or blankets (bedding or bedcovers). 
     In Applicants&#39; personal experience, even a slight weight, just such as a single sheet resting on one&#39;s feet, may be enough to aggravate pain. 
     General prior art structures are known which are designed to maintain a bedding above the lower legs or feet of the patient, but such prior art structures have numerous shortcomings. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of Applicants&#39; structure to provide for a folding foot protection device or foot guard for use in conjunction with the bedding of a bedded patient, such that the foot protection device is simple to manufacture, simple to use and convenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicants&#39; folding foot protection device for a bedded patient is used in conjunction with bedding in such a manner that a top member, typically rectangular, will support a pair of folding legs at or near the removed end thereof, which folding legs are in an open or use position spaced apart sufficiently to provide for the insertion of the patient&#39;s lower legs, feet or torso therebetween and for the support of the bedding above the patient&#39;s feet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of Applicants&#39; novel folding foot protection device for a bedded patient in a use position. 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the detent or offset curve of the foot section of the legs. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the device in a folded or storage position. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the device as used by a patient on a bed in conjunction with bedding. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate preferred embodiment of Applicants&#39; present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The figures illustrate Applicants&#39; novel folding foot protection device  10  for use with a bedded patient, typically rectangular. As seen from the figures, foot protection device  10  includes a top member  12  engaging and supported by a pair of folding legs  14 / 18 , each leg having a foot  16 / 20  thereon. 
     It is seen that Applicants&#39; foot protection device  10  has legs that are foldable, pivoting with respect to the top member  12  in such a manner that they lay generally within the outer perimeter of the top member and substantially parallel and close therewith when in a folded condition. This ability to fold the legs into the plane of the top member allows for easy storage when the device is not in use. 
     Turning now to the details of the figures, it is seen that top member  12  is generally rectangular and has side members  12   a  and  12   b  and stop members  12   c  and  12   d  defining a perimeter thereto. 
     Further, top member  12  may be seen to include leg mounting members  12   e  and  12   f , just inboard of stop members  12   c  and  12   d , for pivoting legs  14  and  18  thereto in a manner as set forth in more detail below. 
     The top member  12  may also include one or more cross braces  12   g  (one illustrated, centrally located between stop members  12   c  and  12   d ) and may have one or more longitudinal braces  12   i  and  12   h  (two illustrated). The use of minimal cross bracing and longitudinal bracing achieves a substantially open top member, but one that is sufficiently strong to support the bedding. 
     Legs  14  and  18  are seen to be comprised of first elongated portions  14   a / 18   a  and second elongated portions  14   b / 18   b . These elongated portions are rotatably engaged to leg mounting members  12   e  and  12   f  at curved near ends  14   c / 14   d ,  18   c / 18   d . At these curved near ends, the elongated portions substantially wrap around members  12   e / 12   f , so they may rotate. Further, the curved near ends have a shoulder portion  14   g / 14   h ,  18   g / 18   h  that are designed to engage stop members  12   e / 12   f , so as to locate the legs at an angle of slightly greater than 90° with respect to the plane of top member  12 , typically in the range of about 100-125°, thereby providing stability in use. 
     Feet  18 ,  20  are seen to include cross members  16   a / 16   b / 16   c ,  20   a / 20   b / 20   c . Note that at least some of the cross members may be integral and connect the two elongated portions, here cross members  16   a  and  20   a . This results from a single wire structurally defining  14   a / 14   b / 14   c / 14   d / 14   e / 14   f / 16   a , likewise  18   a / 18   b / 18   c / 18   d / 18   e / 18   f / 20   a . Moreover, feet  18 ,  20  are typically canted inward so they form an acute angle with respect to the first and second elongated portions and are adapted to lay flat against the top surface of the mattress M (see  FIG. 3 ) and are generally parallel to the plane of top member  12  when foot protection device  10  is in the use or open position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
     Typical measurements are as follows: 32 inch spread at the outermost part of the legs (use position), and the top member is typically about 24 inches long and 14 inches wide. It is typically held about 1½ inches above the foot portions by the legs when in use. Typically about dimensions as this would cover custom made for obese patients, as well as dimension changes responding to popular demand. 
     Use of the foot protection device  10  may be appreciated with reference to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the manner in which foot protection device  10  stands upright on the surface of the mattress or sheet-bearing mattress M with bedcovers BC draped over the top member. This provides a tent-like structure allowing sufficient space for movement laterally, vertically, and horizontally of a patient&#39;s feet, but without (or minimally) contacting the weight of the bedding, permitting airflow, circulation, and ventilation. 
     It may further be appreciated with reference to all of the drawings that Applicants&#39; structure is substantially open. That is to say, the top member is minimally a perimeter member as are both legs, and additional members are kept to a minimum. Materials, such as 5 gauge wire, may be used, tack welded and powder coated, and there are no sharp edges. Stainless steel may be used or chrome plating. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate preferred embodiment in which there are no folding legs. That is to say, the legs are incorporated into the two outermost longitudinal members as illustrated. Three cross members are used; one centrally located and the other two where the legs join the two inboard longitudinal members. This embodiment is stackable, one upon the other, for easy storage. Even though it does not use the folding legs, it has been found to be effective. The dimensions are substantially similar to the folding embodiment. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.