Patent Publication Number: US-6901616-B1

Title: Blanket support assembly

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to devices for raising the covers above a bed and, more particularly, pertains to a new adjustable blanket support device for raising the cover sheets on a bed, especially from the foot of the bed, to keep the cover sheets above the feet of a person lying on the bed under the sheets. 
     2. Prior Art 
     When bed sheets and covers are tucked in under the mattress at the foot of the bed, a sleeper&#39;s toes are often bent backwards and toes and feet become cramped because many people habitually sleep on their backs. In addition, the tossing and turning of a restless sleeper can cause the sheets to become entangled with his/her feet. Under these conditions, sleeping persons, particularly elderly people, often wake up with sore toes, feet and legs. 
     This problem affects a wide variety of people including, but not limited to, bed-ridden hospital patients, disabled and paralyzed persons, pregnant women, people suffering from ingrown toenails, corns, bunions and calluses, people suffering from poor circulation due to the effects of diabetes, and overweight people. 
     The use of devices for raising the covers above a bed is well known in the prior art. More specifically, devices for raising the covers above a bed heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new adjustable blanket support device that can be positioned along the entire length of a bed mattress and can be hidden from view when not in use. In these respects, the adjustable blanket support device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of raising the cover sheets on a bed, especially from the foot of the bed, to keep the cover sheets above the feet of a person lying on the bed under the sheets. 
     Accordingly, a need remains for a blanket support assembly that is adjustable along an entire length of a bed mattress and can be hidden from view when not in use. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for raising the cover sheets on a bed to keep them above a sleeping person&#39;s feet. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a blanket support assembly including an elongated bar with a central portion extending across a width of a bed mattress. Such a central portion supports a bed accessory thereon and above a top surface of a bed mattress. 
     The elongated bar further includes oppositely spaced end portions, integral with the central portion, and extending downwardly at a substantially orthogonal angle therefrom. The opposed end portions define a plurality of female portions. The elongated bar further includes a plurality of male members telescopically slidable within the plurality of female portions and for adjusting a height of the elongated bar. 
     The assembly further includes a mechanism for selectively pivoting the elongated bar. Such a pivoting mechanism includes a plurality of brackets and a plurality of first fastening members for selectively securing same to a bed rail. Advantageously, the pivoting mechanism allows an operator to pivot the bar along an arcuate path extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bed mattress. The plurality of brackets include a plurality of hook-shaped portions positionable over a bed rail. The pivoting mechanism includes a plurality of second fastening members for selectively passing through the plurality of male members and for securing same to the plurality of brackets, respectively. In one embodiment, the pivoting mechanism may further include a plurality of rollers attached to the plurality of brackets and engageable with a bed rail for assisting an operator to selectively slide the plurality of brackets along a bed rail. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the pivoting mechanism may further include a plurality of pedestals having top end portions attached to the plurality of brackets and extend downwardly therefrom, respectively. The pivoting mechanism further has bottom end portions integral with the top end portions and is positionable on a floor for providing support to the system. A plurality of stop members are removably attachable to the bottom end portions of the plurality of pedestals for assisting to maintain same at stable positions during operating conditions. Advantageously, the present invention may supported in various forms, as needed by a user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the blanket support assembly, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged side elevational view of the pivoting mechanism of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 2  taken along line  4 — 4 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view showing an alternate embodiment of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the pivoting mechanism shown in  FIG. 5  taken along line  5 — 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view showing yet another embodiment of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the pedestal shown in  FIG. 7  taken along line  7 — 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to similar elements throughout and prime and double prime numbers refer to alternate embodiments of such elements. 
     The assembly of this invention is referred to generally in  FIGS. 1–8  by the reference numeral  10  and is intended to provide a blanket support assembly. It should be understood that the assembly  10  may be used to support many different types of material and should not be limited to supporting only bed sheets and blankets. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the assembly  10  includes an elongated bar  11  having a central portion  12  extending across a width of a bed mattress and for supporting a bed accessory thereon and above a top surface of a bed mattress. The elongated bar  11  includes oppositely spaced end portions  13  integral with the central portion  12 . Such end portions  13  extend downwardly at a substantially orthogonal angle from central portion  12  and define a plurality of female portions  14 . The elongated bar  11  further includes a plurality of male members  15  telescopically slidable within the plurality of female portions  14  for adjusting a height of the elongated bar  11 . The bar  11  is preferably formed of chrome or stainless steel to prevent cuts or scrapes from occurring on a sleeping person&#39;s feet, which may result if the bar  11  was formed of a metal not having a smooth finish. Furthermore, bar  11  is preferably formed from tubular steel so that system  10  may be readily and easily transported, as needed by a user. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the assembly  10  further includes a mechanism  20  for selectively pivoting bar  11 . Such a mechanism  20  includes a plurality of brackets  21  and a plurality of first fastening members  30  for selectively securing same to a bed rail. The pivoting mechanism  20  allows an operator to pivot bar  11  along an arcuate path extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bed mattress. This allows an operator to store the bar  11  in front of the mattress when not being used, as perhaps best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . When stored in this position, the operator can cover the bar  11  with a comforter or blanket. The pivoting mechanism  20  further includes a plurality of second fastening members  31  for selectively passing through the plurality of male members  15  and for securing same to the plurality of brackets  21 , respectively, as perhaps best shown in  FIG. 4 . Such brackets  21  include a plurality of hook-shaped portions  23  positionable over a bed rail. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an alternate embodiment of the pivoting mechanism  20 ′ preferably includes a plurality of rollers attached to the plurality of brackets  21  shown in  FIG. 8 . Such rollers are engageable with a bed rail for assisting an operator to selectively slide the plurality of brackets  21  therealong. Advantageously, an operator can position the bar  11  parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mattress to accommodate a user&#39;s height. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , another embodiment of the pivoting mechanism  20 ″ preferably includes a plurality of pedestals  40  having top end portions  41  attached to the plurality of brackets  21  and extending downwardly therefrom, respectively. The plurality of pedestals  40  have bottom end portions  42  integral with the top end portions  41  and positionable on a floor for providing support to the system. Such a pivoting mechanism  20 ″ further includes a plurality of stop members  43  removably attachable to the bottom end portions  42  of the plurality of pedestals  40  for assisting to maintain same at stable positions during operating conditions. The pedestals  40  provide additional strength and support to the bar  11 , enabling elderly, disabled, and overweight people to use the bar  11  as an aid when exiting the bed. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
     In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art.