Patent Publication Number: US-9427089-B2

Title: Bed rail

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/800,575, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to bed rails, and in particular, to bed rails used with beds to help retain individuals in bed. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to bed rails for mounting on a mattress to retain young children in bed. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to the present disclosure, a bed rail comprises a side rail and a side-rail support base coupled to a lower portion of the side rail. The side-rail support base is arranged to be inserted into a space provided between a mattress and a box spring underlying the mattress to support the side rail in an upright orientation extending along an outwardly facing perimeter side edge of the mattress. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the side rail includes a stationary unit coupled to the side-rail support base and a movable barrier unit mounted for up-and-down movement on the stationary unit to engage a top surface of the mattress at the option of a caregiver. When the movable barrier unit is moved by a caregiver to engage the top surface of the mattress, the bed rail is clamped to the mattress and the movable barrier unit provides an upright perimeter fence on top of the mattress. The stationary unit includes two upright stationary posts arranged to lie in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another to define a vertical reference plane. The movable barrier unit includes a movable panel-support mounted for up-and-down movement on each of the upright stationary posts under the control of a caregiver. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the movable barrier unit further comprises an inclined inner panel having an upper portion coupled to the movable panel supports and a lower portion that is arranged to extend downwardly toward the underlying base to mate with a mattress lying on the base. The inclined inner panel is arranged to lie in angular relation to the vertical reference plane established by the upright stationary posts to slope downwardly toward an inner region on the top surface of the mattress. The lower portion of the inclined inner panel is arranged to overlie a top surface of the mattress to extend along an offset mattress-contact line that is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the perimeter side edge of the mattress. In illustrative embodiments, the mattress is a spring mattress and the distance between the perimeter side edge and the offset mattress-contact line is greater than the horizontally extending width of an outermost vertically oriented mattress spring located in the mattress. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the inclined inner panel is arranged to be moved relative to the side-rail support base to trap the mattress therebetween so that the bed rail is clamped to the mattress during downward movement of the movable panel supports on the upright stationary posts. Each movable panel support is triangle-shaped in an illustrative embodiment. 
     In illustrative embodiments, a motion-control mechanism is provided in the side rail to provide operator-controlled means for moving movable first and second panel supports and the inclined inner panel as a unit up and down on the upright stationary posts that are coupled to the side-rail support base and to a mattress that extends into a space provided between the base and a lower portion of the inclined inner panel. The motion-control mechanism functions to cause the movable barrier unit comprising the first and second panel supports and the inclined inner panel mounted on the first and second panel supports to move downwardly toward the underlying base to apply clamping force to the mattress lying therebetween. 
     Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bed rail in accordance with the present disclosure showing that the bed rail includes a base and a side rail extending upwardly from a far end of the base and including an inclined inner panel extending downwardly at an angle toward a middle portion of the base to define a laterally extending mattress-receiving space below a lower edge of the inclined inner panel and the base; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bed rail of  FIG. 1  taken from another point of view (and before the bed rail is clamped to a mattress supported on a box spring included in a bed) showing that the side rail comprises (1) a stationary unit including a T-shaped first hub (on the right) coupled to a first-end anchor leg included in the base, a second T-shaped hub (on the left) coupled to a second-end anchor leg included in the base, a horizontally extending and telescoping stretcher bar extending from the first hub to the second hub, an upright first stationary post coupled to the first hub and an upright second stationary post coupled to the second hub and (2) a movable barrier unit including a triangle-shaped upright movable first panel support mounted for up-and-down movement on the upright first stationary post, a triangle-shaped upright movable second panel support mounted for up-and-down movement on the upright stationary second post, and an inclined inner panel, and showing that the inclined inner panel is coupled at one end (on the right) to the movable first panel support and at an opposite end (on the left) to the movable second panel support to form a movable barrier unit that is able to move in a downward direction on the upright first and second stationary posts of the stationary unit to apply a clamping force to a mattress lying on the base as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
         FIG. 3A  is another perspective view of the bed rail of  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing a diagrammatic representation of a mattress clamped between the base and the lower portion of the inclined inner panel of the movable barrier along a mattress contact line that is offset inwardly from the perimeter side edge of the mattress located near to the stationary unit with a lower portion of the mattress broken away to reveal portions of the base trapped between the mattress and the underlying box spring; 
         FIG. 3B  is a side elevation view that is similar to  FIG. 3A  showing (in phantom and diagrammatically) an outermost vertically oriented mattress spring positioned to lie in an interior region of a mattress shell included in the mattress and showing that the inclined inner panel of the movable barrier unit is arranged to lie in angular relation to a vertical reference plane established by the upright stationary posts included in the stationary unit to slope downwardly toward an inner region on the top surface of the mattress and to cause a lower edge of the inclined inner panel to extend along an offset mattress-contact line (see also  FIG. 3A ) that is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to a perimeter side edge of the mattress to locate the outermost vertically oriented mattress spring therebetween; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bed rail of  FIGS. 1-3B  showing the inclined inner panel after it has been removed from its mounted position on the movable triangle-shaped upright movable first and second panel supports; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of components included in the bed rail showing the inclined inner panel separated from the movable first and second panel supports and showing components included in a first ratchet of the motion-control mechanism that is associated with the upright first stationary post and that are visible after removal of an outer shell included in the first panel support and showing components included in a second ratchet of the motion-control mechanism that is associated with the upright second stationary post and that are visible after removal of an inner shell included in the second panel support; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the first ratchet shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bed rail of  FIGS. 1-3B  in an illustrative collapsed configuration for shipment in a retail package. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A bed rail  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a side rail  12  and a side-rail support base  14  coupled to a lower portion of side rail  12  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1-3 . Side-rail support base  14  is arranged to be inserted into a space  101  provided in a bed  11  between a mattress  100  and a box spring  102  underlying mattress  100  as suggested in  FIG. 2  to support side rail  12  in an upright orientation extending along an outwardly facing perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  as suggested in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
     An inclined inner panel  16  included in side rail  12  and shown in  FIG. 1  is movable at the option of a caregiver to contact a top surface  100 T of mattress  100  as suggested in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  to clamp bed rail  10  to mattress  100 . A lower portion  16 L of inclined inner panel  16  contacts mattress  100  along a mattress-contact line  100 L that is offset a distance “D” from a nearby perimeter edge  100 E of mattress  100 . 
     Side-rail support base  14  includes a first anchor leg  141 , a second anchor leg  142  arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to first anchor leg  141 , and an extensible stretcher bar  143  arranged to interconnect middle portions of first and second anchor legs  141 ,  142  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 1 . An outer end  141 O of first anchor leg  141  is coupled to a first foundation  30  included in side rail  12 . An outer end  142 O of second anchor leg  142  is coupled to a second foundation  40  included in side rail  12 . 
     Side rail  12  includes a stationary unit  120  that is coupled to side-rail support base  14  and a movable barrier unit  124  that is mounted on stationary unit  120  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  for up-and-down movement relative to a mattress as suggested in  FIG. 3A . Stationary unit  120  is coupled to first and second anchor legs  141 ,  142  of side-rail support base  14  and arranged to lie alongside perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  when bed rail  10  is clamped to mattress  100  as suggested in  FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B . Movable barrier unit  124  includes inclined inner panel  16  and is arranged to move up and down on stationary unit  120  as suggested diagrammatically in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
     Stationary unit  120  includes a first foundation  30 , a second foundation  40 , and a horizontally extending and telescoping (and removable) stretcher bar  50  arranged to interconnect first and second foundations  30 ,  40  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . First foundation  30  includes a first T-shaped hub  31  coupled to one end of stretcher bar  50 , a first elbow  32  arranged to interconnect first T-shaped hub  31  and outer end  141 O of first anchor leg  141 , and a first stationary post  33  coupled to first T-shaped hub  31  and arranged to extend upwardly away from first elbow  32 . Second foundation  40  includes a second T-shaped hub  41 , a second elbow  42  arranged to interconnect second T-shaped hub  41  and outer end  142 O of second anchor leg  142 , and a second stationary post  43  coupled to second T-shaped hub  41  and arranged to extend upwardly away from second elbow  42 . 
     Movable barrier unit  124  includes an inclined inner panel  16 , a movable first panel support  121 , and a movable second panel support  122  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Movable first panel support  121  is mounted for up-and-down movement on a first stationary post  33  included in first foundation  30 . A companion movable second panel support  122  is mounted for up-and-down movement on a second stationary post  43  included in second foundation  40 . A first end  35  of inclined inner panel  16  is coupled to movable first panel support  121  and an opposite second end  45  of inclined inner panel  16  is coupled to movable second panel support  122  so that inclined inner panel  16  and first and second panel supports  121 ,  122  cooperate to form a movable barrier unit  124  that can be (1) moved (as a unit) on the first and second stationary posts  33 ,  43  included in stationary unit  120  of side rail  12  to clamp mattress  100  between movable barrier  124  and base  14  and (2) moved up (as a unit) on the first and second stationary posts  33 ,  43  included in stationary unit  120  of side rail  12  to unclamp mattress  100 . 
     In illustrative embodiments, inclined inner panel  16  includes an upper portion  16 U detachably coupled to movable panel supports  121 ,  122  and a lower portion  16 L that is arranged to extend downwardly toward the underlying base  14  as suggested in  FIG. 1 . Inclined inner panel  16  is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to stationary unit  120  to slope downwardly toward an inner region on a top surface  100 T of mattress  100  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . Inclined inner panel  16  is arranged to lie in angular relation to a vertical reference plane  300  arranged to intersect both first and second stationary posts  33 ,  43  in side rail  12  as suggested in  FIG. 3B  to define an acute angle θ therebetween. The measure of angle θ is about 100° (e.g., 105°) in an illustrative embodiment. 
     Lower portion  16 L of the inclined inner panel  16  of movable barrier unit  124  is arranged to overlie a top surface  100 T of mattress  100  to extend along a mattress-contact line  100 L that is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100 . In illustrative embodiments the distance D between the perimeter side edge  100 E and the mattress-contact line  100 L is greater than the horizontally extending width of an outermost vertically oriented mattress spring  100 S (shown in phantom) provided in an interior region ( 100 I) of a shell  100 SH included in mattress  100  and located near to perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  as suggested in  FIG. 3 . 
     In illustrative embodiments, base  14  and inclined inner panel  16  are arranged to be moved toward (and away) from one another to trap (and untrap) mattress  100  therebetween so that bed rail  10  is clamped to mattress  10  as suggested in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . A motion-control mechanism  80  is provided in side rail  12  to provide operator-controlled means for moving the panel supports  121 ,  122  included in movable barrier unit  124  and inclined inner panel  16  also included in movable barrier unit  124  up and down relative to base  14  and to a mattress  100  extending into a mattress-receiving space  60  provided between base  14  and a lower portion  16 L of inclined inner panel  16 . The motion-control mechanism  80  functions to move the inclined inner panel  16  toward the underlying base  14  to apply clamping force to mattress  100  lying therebetween. 
     Inclined inner panel  16  is mounted to lie at an angle θ with respect to the vertical reference plane  300  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 3B  to help keep a child at rest on mattress  100  centered on mattress  100 . Inclined inner panel  16  is sloped downwardly to lie near an inner region of the top surface  100 T of mattress  100  to lie in offset relation to a perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  to lessen chance of a potential gap between the panel  16  and mattress  100 . Inclined inner panel  16  is placed a distance D inside the perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  while still making it easy for a parent to lean over bed rail  10  and pick up a child on mattress  100 . 
     A movable barrier unit  124  comprising movable first and second support panels  121 ,  122  of side rail  12  and inclined inner panel  16  can be separated from base  14  while base  14  remains trapped between mattress  100  and an underlying companion box spring  102 . Thus, movable barrier unit  124  is removable for ease of bed making and to assist older children in entering or exiting the bed. This movable barrier unit  124  is sized to be stored easily in a space  103  provided under the bed  11  when not in use and while the base  14  remains in place between the mattress  100  and the box spring  102  as suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . 
     The movable barrier unit  124  can be raised and lowered relative to the base  14  by operating a motion-control mechanism  80  including a first ratchet  81  associated with first stationary post  33  and a first hub  31  of side rail  12  and a second ratchet  82  associated with second stationary post  43  and a second hub  41  of side rail  12 . These ratchets  81 ,  82  are shown, in more detail, for example, in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and can be operated easily by a caregiver to apply clamping force to the mattress  100  to reduce and minimize lateral displacement. First ratchet  81  includes a hand-operated ratchet actuator  81 A while second ratchet includes a hand-operated ratchet actuator  82 A. Bed rail  10  is designed so that it can be folded, collapsed, and shipped partially assembled as suggested in  FIG. 7 . 
     Bed rail  10  includes a side-rail support base  14  adapted to be positioned under a mattress  100  in a stationary position and a side rail  12  including a stationary foundation unit  120  and a movable barrier unit  124  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Stationary foundation  120  is coupled to side-rail support base  14  to extend upwardly along and above a perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100 . Movable barrier unit  124  is mounted for up-and-down movement on a stationary foundation unit  120  relative to side-rail support base  14  between a lowered clamped position to clamp the mattress  100  between side-rail support base  14  and movable barrier unit  124  and a raised unclamped position separated from the mattress  100  to unclamp the mattress  100 . 
     Movable barrier unit  124  includes an inclined inner panel  16  that includes a lower portion  16 L that is arranged as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  to overlie a top surface  100 T of the mattress  100  to extend along an offset mattress-contact line  100 L that is provided on top surface  100 T of mattress  100  and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  when side-rail support base  14  is positioned under mattress  100  and movable barrier unit  124  occupies the lowered clamped position. Inclined inner panel  16  includes an outwardly facing surface arranged to face toward stationary foundation unit  120  and an inwardly facing surface arranged to face away from stationary foundation unit  120  and toward a person at rest on mattress  100  as suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 3B . The inwardly facing surface of inclined inner panel  16  and top surface  100 T of mattress  100  cooperate to define an obtuse included angle θ therebetween when movable barrier unit  124  occupies the lowered clamped position as suggested in  FIG. 3B . The measure of the obtuse angle θ is about 105°. 
     Movable barrier unit  124  further includes a movable first panel support  121  mounted for up-and-down movement on a first stationary post  33  included in stationary foundation unit  120 . Inclined inner panel  16  is coupled to movable first panel support  121  for movement therewith relative to first stationary post  33  during movement of movable barrier unit  124  between the lowered clamped position and the raised unclamped position. 
     Movable barrier unit  124  further includes a movable second panel support  122  mounted for up-and-down movement on a second stationary post  43  included in foundation stationary unit  120  and arranged to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to first stationary post  33 . A first end portion of inclined inner panel  16  is coupled to the movable first panel support  121  to move therewith. A second end portion of inclined inner panel  16  is coupled to the movable second panel support  122  to move therewith and to establish the obtuse angle θ. 
     Side-rail support base  14  includes a first anchor leg  141  adapted to extend under the mattress  100  and a second anchor leg  142  adapted to extend under the mattress  100  and lie in spaced-apart relation to first anchor leg  141  as shown in  FIG. 3A . Side-rail support base  14  also includes a stretcher bar  143 . 
     Stationary foundation unit  120  includes a stretcher bar  50  arranged to extend along and in laterally spaced-apart relation to inclined inner panel  16 , a first foundation  30 , and a second foundation  40  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3A . First foundation  30  is coupled to first anchor leg  141  and to a first end of stretcher bar  50  and configured to include first stationary post  33 . Second foundation  40  is coupled to second anchor leg  142  and to an opposite second end of stretcher bar  50  and configured to include second stationary post  43 . 
     First foundation  30  includes a first elbow  32  coupled to an outer end of the first anchor leg  141  and a first T-shaped hub  31  including a first hub segment  31 E coupled to first elbow  32 , a second hub segment  31 P coupled to first stationary post  33 , and a third hub segment  31 S coupled to the first end of stretcher bar  50  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Second foundation  40  includes a second elbow  42  coupled to an outer end of second anchor leg  142  and a second T-shaped hub  41  including a first hub segment  41 E coupled to second elbow  42 , a second hub segment  41 P coupled to second stationary post  43 , and a third hub segment  41 S coupled to the opposite second end of stretcher bar  50  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Movable barrier unit  124  further includes first panel-support lock means  81  arranged to interconnect first stationary post  33  and the movable first panel support  121  for selectively locking the movable first panel support  121  in a stationary position on the first stationary post  33  of stationary foundation unit  120  after sliding movement of the movable first panel support  121  on first stationary post  33  to establish the lowered clamped position of movable barrier unit  124  so that a first end of the lower portion  16 L of inclined inner panel  16  adjacent to the movable first panel support  121  is placed on the offset mattress-contact line  100 L as suggested in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . Movable barrier unit  124  also includes second panel-support lock means  82  arranged to interconnect second stationary post  43  and movable second panel support  122  for selectively locking the movable second panel support  122  in a stationary position on second stationary post  43  of stationary foundation unit  120  after sliding movement of the movable second panel support  122  on second stationary post  43  to help establish the lowered clamped position of movable barrier unit  124  so that an opposite second end of lower portion  16 L of inclined inner panel  16  adjacent to the movable second panel support  122  is placed on the offset mattress-contact line  100 L as suggested in  FIG. 3A . 
     First panel-support lock means  81  provides a first lock system coupled to first stationary post  33  and to movable barrier unit  124 . Second panel-support lock means  82  provides a second lock system coupled to second stationary post  43  and to movable barrier unit  124 . The first and second lock systems  81 ,  82  cooperate to provide an operator-controlled means  80  for moving movable barrier unit  124  during up-and-down movement of movable barrier unit  124  on first and second stationary posts  33 ,  43  relative to side-rail support base  14 . Lock system  81  includes a hand-operated actuator  81 A while lock system  82  includes a hand-operated actuator  82 A as shown, for example, in  FIG. 5 . 
     Movable barrier unit  124  is mounted for up-and-down movement relative to side-rail support base  14  on the first and second foundations  30 ,  4 . First stationary post  33  is arranged to extend above the first T-shaped hub  31  and upwardly away from the first elbow  32  to engage and maintain contact with movable barrier unit  124  during up-and-down movement of movable barrier unit  124  on the first stationary post  33  relative to side-rail support base  14 . Second stationary post  43  is arranged to extend above second T-shaped hub  41  and upwardly away from the second elbow  42  to engage and maintain contact with movable barrier unit  124  during up-and-down movement of movable barrier unit  124  on the second stationary post  43  relative to the side-rail support base  14 . 
     Bed rail  10  includes a side rail  12  including an inclined inner panel  16  and a side-rail support base  14  coupled to a lower portion of the side rail  12 . Side-rail support base  14  is arranged to be inserted into a space  101  provided between a mattress  100  and a box spring  102  underlying the mattress  100  to support side rail  12  in an upright orientation extending along an outwardly facing perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100  as suggested in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
     Side rail  12  further includes a stationary unit  120  coupled to the side-rail support base  14 . Stationary unit  120  includes two upright stationary posts  33 ,  43  arranged to lie in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another to define a vertical reference plane  300  as suggested in  FIG. 3B . 
     Side rail  12  also includes a movable panel-support  121  or  122  mounted for up-and-down movement on each of the upright stationary posts  33 ,  43  under the control of a caregiver. Inclined inner panel  16  has an upper portion coupled to the movable panel supports  121 ,  122  included in side rail  12  and a lower portion that is arranged to extend downwardly toward the underlying base  14  to mate with a mattress  100  lying on the base  14 . Inclined inner panel  16  is arranged to lie in angular relation to the vertical reference plane  300  established by the upright stationary posts  33 ,  43  in side rail  12  to slope downwardly toward an inner region on the top surface  100 T of mattress  100 . Inclined inner panel  16  is arranged to be moved on the movable panel supports  121 ,  122  included in side rail  12  relative to side-rail support base  14  to trap the mattress  100  therebetween so that the bed rail  110  is clamped to the mattress  100 . The lower portion  16 L of inclined inner panel  116  is arranged to overlie a top surface  100 T of mattress  100  to extend along an offset mattress-contact line  100 L that is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the perimeter side edge  100 E of mattress  100 . 
     Mattress  100  includes a shell  100 SH formed to include an interior region  100 I and the top surface  100 T and vertically oriented mattress springs  100 S located in the interior region  100 I of the shell  100 SH. The distance D between the perimeter side edge  101 E and the offset mattress-contact line  100 L is greater than a horizontally extending width of an outermost vertically oriented spring located in the interior region  100 I of the shell  100 SH of the mattress  100  as suggested in  FIG. 3B .