Patent Publication Number: US-7707669-B1

Title: Mattress lift

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   A device and method for lifting a bed mattress and tucking in sheets or bed covers beneath or under the bed mattress. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Changing bed linens and blankets require a degree of strength, dexterity and mobility. This is particularly true for housekeepers who change bed linens on many beds every day, such as in hotels, hospitals and long term care facilities. The task of repeatedly lifting portions of mattresses is physically demanding on the housekeeper and is exacerbated if an institution chooses to use larger or heavier mattresses and bedclothes. Thus, the physical challenges of changing bed linens can be a difficult problem in the homes of many people, and housekeeping staff back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and finger joint injuries due to the changing of bed linens are a significant workplace issue. 
   It is therefore desirable to have methods and apparatus to render the task of changing bedclothes less physically demanding. Numerous efforts have been undertaken to reduce these demands. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,569 discloses an apparatus for lifting bed mattresses and tucking in bed covers comprising a wedge for lifting bed mattresses. 
   U.S. 2007/0271706 shows a mattress lift device a wedge-shaped sloped section, a level support section and a handle, for elevating a section of a mattress over a support surface upon which the mattress is lying. A distal end of the sloped section to be directly inserted between the mattress and the support surface, while the proximal end of the sloped section has a height adequate to elevate the mattress high enough to aid in the changing of bedclothes. 
   U.S. U.S. 2008/0222814 relates to a device for vertically lifting an end of a horizontally disposed mattress comprising an elongated member disposed beneath the mattress and movable by a handle is disposed on and secured to one end of the elongated member between a resting position wherein the elongated member is disposed coplanar with a bottom surface of the mattress and a lifting position wherein the elongated member is disposed generally perpendicular to the bottom mattress surface for lifting the end of the mattress in the vertical direction. The handle is releasably secured to the end of the end of the elongated member for ease of securing the handle to an opposed end of the elongated member. 
   Additional examples of the prior art are found in; U.S. Pat. No. 2,381,509; U.S. Pat. No. 2,387,357; U.S. Pat. No. 2,390,660; U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,176; U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,533; U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,346; U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,989; U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,203 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,385. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a mattress lift to elevate a bed mattress and to tuck in sheets or bed covers between the bed mattress and a box spring or other support surface. 
   The mattress lift comprises a lift device and a lift support device. 
   The lift device comprises a base or body having a lift handle and a lift ramp formed or coupled at opposite end portions thereof. 
   The base or body includes an elongated recess formed in the upper surface thereof and an elongated slot formed through the base or body and disposed beneath the elongated recess in symmetrical registry or alignment therewith. 
   The lift handle comprises a reduced member to allow the user to grasp the lift handle. 
   The lift support device comprises an upper member disposed within the elongated recess movable or slidable between a proximal end and a distal end thereof interconnected to a lower lift support member disposed beneath the base or body by an interconnecting member at least partially disposed within the elongated slot movable or slidable between a proximal end and a distal end thereof. 
   In use, bed sheets or bed covers are placed or positioned on top of the bed mattress. Once the bed sheets or bed covers are positioned on the bed mattress, the user grasps the lift handle and inserts the lift ramp between the bed mattress and box spring or other support surface tucking the bed sheets or bed covers therebetween. 
   The mattress lift is then lifted or rotated upwardly while the lift support device is located or positioned generally at the proximal end of the base or body. When the mattress lift is in the elevated position, the lift support device is moved or slid downwardly from the proximal end of the base or body to the distal end with the upper member sliding along the recess and the interconnecting member sliding within the elongated slot as the lower lift support member moves along the bottom of the lift support. 
   Once the lift support reaches the distal end of the device, the user releases the mattress lift allowing the lower support member to rest on the box spring or support surface to support surface allowing the user to completely tuck in the bed sheets or bed covers. 
   Once completed, the lift support device is slid upwardly and the lift ramp of the mattress lift is removed or withdrawn from between the bed mattress and the box spring or support surface. 
   The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the mattress lift of the present invention inserted between a mattress and box spring. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded side view of the mattress lift of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the mattress lift of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the mattress lift of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the mattress lift of the present invention with the mattress in an elevated position and the lift support device in the first position. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the mattress lift of the present invention with the mattress in an elevated position and the lift support device in the second position. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of the mattress lift of the present invention. 
   

   Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the present invention relates to a mattress lift generally indicated as  10  to elevate a bed mattress  12  and to tuck in sheets or bed covers  14  beneath or under the bed mattress  12  between the bed mattress  12  and a box spring or other support surface  16 . 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 , the mattress lift  10  comprises a lift device generally indicated as  18  and a lift support device generally indicated as  20 . 
   The lift device  18  comprises a center or middle base or body  22  having a lift handle  24  formed or coupled to a proximal end portion thereof configured to be grasped by a user and a lift ramp  26  formed or coupled to a distal end portion thereof configured to slide between the bed mattress  12  and the box spring  16  to allow the user to lift the bed mattress  12  and to tuck the sheets or bed covers  14  therebetween. 
   The center or middle base or body  22  includes an elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  formed in the upper surface  30  thereof and an elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong slot  32  formed through the center or middle base or body  22  and disposed beneath the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  in symmetrical registry or alignment therewith. The length or longitudinal dimension of the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong slot  32  is less than the length or longitudinal dimension of the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28 . 
   The lift handle  24  comprises a reduced member to allow the user to grasp the lift handle  24  with the user&#39;s hand. 
   The lift ramp  26  comprises a ramp surface  34  inclined at angle A of substantially 6 degrees. 
   In addition, the distal tip  36  of the lift ramp  26  is convex to more smoothly insert the lift ramp  26  of the mattress lift  10  between the bed mattress  12  and the box spring or other support surface  16 . The distal corners  38  of the lift ramp  26  are also convex to enhance insertion. 
   The overall length of the lift device  18  is at least 15 inches where the length of the center or middle base or body  22  is substantially 6.5 inches, the length of the lift handle  24  is substantially 4 inches and the length of the lift ramp  26  is substantially 5 inches. The width of the center or middle base of body  22  and the lift ramp  26  are substantially equal and substantially 3 inches. The lift handle  24  and the center or middle base of body  22  are substantially ¾ inches thick; while, the thickness of the lift ramp  26  decreases from substantially ¾ inches at a proximal end to substantially ¼ inches at a distal end thereof. 
   The lift support device  20  comprises an upper substantially circular or disk shaped member  40  disposed within the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  engaging the inner surface  42  thereof movable or slidable between a proximal end  44  and a distal end  46  thereof interconnected to a lower substantially cylindrical lift support member  48  disposed beneath the center or middle base of body  22  by an interconnecting member  50  at least partially disposed with the elongated longitudinally disposed oblong slot  32  movable or slidable between a proximal end  52  and a distal end  54  thereof. As shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 , the interconnecting member  50  extends from the bottom or lower surface  56  of the upper substantially circular or disk shaped member  40  through the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong slot  32  into a centrally disposed recess  58  to rest or engage the bottom thereof. 
     FIG. 7  shows an alternate embodiment of mattress lift  10  wherein the lift support device  20  comprises an upper substantially circular or disk shaped member  62  disposed within the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  engaging the inner surface  42  thereof movable or slidable between the proximal end  44  and distal end  46  thereof interconnected to a lower substantially cylindrical lift support member  48  disposed beneath the center or middle base of body  22  by an interconnecting member  50  at least partially disposed with the elongated longitudinally disposed oblong slot  32  movable or slidable between the proximal end  52  and the distal end  54  thereof. The interconnecting member  66  extends from the upper surface  68  of the lower substantially cylindrical lift support member  64  through the elongated longitudinally disposed oblong slot  32  into a centrally disposed recess  70  formed in the bottom of the substantially circular or disk shaped member  62 . 
   In use, bed sheets or bed covers  14  are placed or positioned on top of the bed mattress  12 . Once the bed sheets or bed covers  14  are positioned on the bed mattress  12 , the user grasps the lift handle  24  and inserts the lift ramp  26  between the bed mattress  12  and box spring or other support surface  16  tucking the bed sheets or bed covers  14  therebetween as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   The mattress lift  10  is then lifted or rotated upwardly as shown in  FIG. 5  while the lift support device  20  is located or positioned generally at the proximal end of the center or middle base or body  22 . When the mattress lift  10  is in the elevated position, the lift support device  20  is moved or slid downwardly from the proximal end of the center or middle base or body  22  to the distal end  46  with the upper circular or disk shaped member  40  sliding along the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  and the interconnecting member  50  sliding within the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong slot  32  as the lower substantially cylindrical lift support member  48  moves along the bottom of the lift support  20 . 
   Once the lift support  20  reaches the distal end of the lift device  18  as the circular or disk shaped member  40  engages the distal end  46  of the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong recess  28  and the interconnecting member  50  engages the distal end  54  of the elongated longitudinally disposed substantially oblong slot  32 , the user releases the lift handle  24  of the mattress lift  10  allowing the lower substantially cylindrical lift support member  48  of the lift support  20  to rest on the box spring or support surface  16  to support the edge of the bed mattress  12  above the edge of the box spring or support surface  16  allowing the user to completely tuck in the bed sheets or bed covers  14 . 
   Once complete, the lift support  20  is slid upwardly and the mattress lift  10  is removed or withdrawn from between the bed mattress  12  and the box spring or support surface  16 . 
   In order to place and secure the sheets or bed covers  14  on a bed, the sheets or bed covers  14  are first tucked into one side of the bed mattress  12  and the box spring or other support surface  16  as described above, repeated on the opposite side of the bed, and finally repeated at the foot of the bed. 
   It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
   It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
   Now that the invention has been described,