Patent Publication Number: US-2020297565-A1

Title: Hospital bed lift assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM. 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     (2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. 
     The disclosure and prior art relates to lift devices and more particularly pertains to a new lift device for transferring a user into and out of a bed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cart that is rollable along a support surface for positioning adjacent to a bed for sleeping. A control circuit is coupled to the cart, a lift is coupled to the cart and the lift is electrically coupled to the control circuit. A chair is pivotally coupled to the lift for lifting a user when the user sits in the chair. In this way the user can drop downwardly onto the bed when the user is transferred into the bed. A pair of members is each pivotally coupled to the cart. Each of the members extends forwardly from the cart to inhibit the user from tipping the cart forwardly when the user is lifted in the chair. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a hospital bed lift assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 3  is a top phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 4  is a back phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new lift device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the hospital bed lift assembly  10  generally comprises a bed  12  for sleeping that has an upper surface  14 . The bed  12  may be a hospital bed, a bed in a residential bedroom and any other type of elevated bed. A cart  16  is rollable along a support surface  18  and the cart  16  is positionable adjacent to and extending beneath the bed  12 . The cart  16  has a top surface  20  and a front surface  22 , and the front surface  22  has a pair of arms  24  each extending forwardly therefrom. Each of the arms  24  has a distal end  26  with respect to the front surface  22  and the distal end  26  of each of the arms  24  has a slot  28  extending toward the front surface  22 . The arms  24  are spaced apart from each other on the front surface  22  of the cart  16 . 
     A plurality of cart rollers  30  is each rotatably coupled to the cart  16  for rolling along the supports surface  18 . A control circuit  32  is coupled to the cart  16  and the control circuit  32  includes a control panel  34  that has a plurality of buttons  36  thereon. The plurality of buttons  36  at least includes an up button  38  and a down button  40 . Moreover, the control panel  34  may be remotely positioned from the cart  16  and a conductor  42  may be electrically coupled between the control panel  34  and the control circuit  32 . 
     A lift  44  is movably coupled to the cart  16  and the lift  44  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  32 . The plurality of buttons  36  controls operational parameters of the lift  44 . The lift  44  comprises a sleeve  46  that has a first end  48  and a second end  50 . The first end  48  is coupled to the top surface  20  of the cart  16  having the sleeve  46  being vertically oriented. A pole  52  is slidably positioned in the sleeve  46  and the pole  52  has a top end  54  and an outer surface  56 . The top end  54  is exposed with respect to the sleeve  46  and the outer surface  56  has a plurality of indentations  58  thereon. The indentations  58  are spaced apart from each other and are vertically distributed along the pole  52 . 
     A motor  60  is coupled to the cart  16  and the motor  60  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  32 . The motor  60  is turned on to rotate in a first direction when the up button  38  on the control panel  34  is manipulated. Additionally, the motor  60  is turned on to rotate in a second direction when the down button  40  on the control panel  34  is manipulated. A gear  62  is rotatably coupled to the motor  60  such that the motor  60  rotates the gear  62  when the motor  60  is turned on and the gear  62  engages the indentations  58  in the pole  52 . Thus, the pole  52  is urged upwardly in the sleeve  46  when the motor  60  is actuated to rotate in the first direction. Additionally, the pole  52  is urged downwardly in the sleeve  46  when the motor  60  is actuated to rotate in the second direction. The motor  60  may be an electric motor or the like. A power supply  62  is coupled to the cart  16  and the power supply  62  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  32 . The power supply  62  comprises at least one battery. 
     A chair  64  is pivotally coupled to the lift  44  to lift a user when the user sits in the chair  64 . The chair  64  can be fully lowered to the ground thereby facilitating the user to be positioned in the chair  64  when the user is lying on the ground. The user may be a physically disabled user, an injured user or any other user that is either not ambulatory or has limited movement. The chair  64  is spaced above the upper surface  14  of the bed  12  when the chair  64  is lifted. In this way the user can drop downwardly onto the upper surface  14  of the bed  12  when the user is transferred into the bed  12 . 
     The chair  64  has a seat portion  66  that is pivotally coupled to a backrest portion  68 . The backrest portion  68  has attachments  69  each angling upwardly and rearwardly away therefrom. Each of the attachments  69  is each attached to the top end  54  of the pole  52 . The backrest portion  68  is spaced forwardly from the pole  52  having the backrest portion  68  being vertically oriented. The seat portion  66  is aligned with a lower edge of the backrest portion  68  and the seat portion  66  is positionable in a stored position having the seat portion  66  lying against the backrest portion  68 . The seat portion  66  is positioned between each of the arms  24  on the front surface  22  of the cart  16  when the lift  44  is fully lowered thereby making it easier to position a non-ambulatory user in the chair  64 . 
     A pair of arm rests  70  is provided and each of the arm rests  70  is pivotally coupled to the backrest portion  68  of the chair  64 . Each of the arm rests  70  is spaced upwardly from the seat portion  66 . Additionally, each of the arm rests  70  is positionable in a stored position having each of the arm rests  70  lying against the backrest portion  68 . Each of the arm rests  70  can be pivoted laterally with respect to the chair  64 . The chair  64  includes a seat belt  71  for securing the user in the chair  64  during lifting and lowering 
     A shelf  72  is provided and the shelf  72  is slidably coupled to the chair  64 . The shelf  72  is positionable in an extended position extending laterally away from the chair  64 . Thus, the user can be positioned on the shelf  72  to assist with sliding the user from the chair  64  onto the upper surface  14  of the bed  12 . Moreover, the shelf  72  can be slid either to the right or to the left of the chair  64 . 
     The shelf  72  includes a plurality of stops  73  that each engage the chair  64  to inhibit the shelf  72  from being extended so far as to be removed from the chair  64 . The shelf  72  is slidably coupled to a bottom surface of the seat portion  66  of the chair  64 . The shelf  72  is positioned beneath the seat portion  66  when the shelf  72  is positioned in a stored position. The shelf  72  may include a hinged section that is downwardly pivotable on the shelf  72 . Thus, the hinged section of the shelf  72  can be downwardly pivoted to drop the user onto the bed  12  when the user is positioned on the shelf  72 . The hinged section on the shelf  72  may have a depth of approximately 9.0 inches. 
     A pair of pivots  74  is provided and each of the pivots  74  is pivotally coupled to the cart  16 . Each of the pivots  74  has a pair of first panels  76  that are spaced apart from each other to define a coupling space  78  between the first panels  76 . Each of the pivots  74  has a second panel  80  extending away from each of the first panels  76 . The second panel  80  of each of the pivots  74  is positioned in the slot  28  in a respective one of the arms  24  on the cart  16  having the second panel  80  of each of the pivots  74  being horizontally oriented. A pair of first pins  82  each extends laterally through a respective one of the arms  24  and engages the second panel  80  in the slot  28  in the respective arm  24 . Thus, each of the pivots  74  is pivotable about the respective first pin. 
     A pair of members  86  is provided and each of the members  86  is pivotally coupled to the cart  16 . Each of the members  86  extends forwardly from the cart  16  to inhibit the user from tipping the cart  16  forwardly when the user is lifted in the chair  64 . Each of the members  86  has a primary end  88  and a secondary end  90 . The secondary end  90  of each of the members  86  has a flattened section  92  extending into the coupling space  78  in a respective one of the pivots  74 . Moreover, each of the members  86  is upwardly pivotable on the cart  16  when the pivots  74  are pivoted about the first pins  82 . Additionally, each of the members  86  is laterally pivotable in the respective pivot  74 . Additionally, the members  86  are spaced apart from each other a distance that is greater than a width of the chair  64 . In this way the chair  86  can be fully lowered to the ground having the chair  86  being positioned between the members  86 . 
     A pair of second pins  94  each extends through the first panels  76  of a respective one of the pivots  74  and engages the flattened section  92  of a respective one of the members  86 . Thus, the respective member  86  is pivotally coupled to the respective pivot  74 . A plurality of member rollers  96  is each rotatably coupled to and extends downwardly from a respective one of the members  86 . Each of the member rollers  96  is aligned with the primary end  88  of the respective member and each of the member rollers  96  rolls along the support surface  18 . 
     In use, the lift  44  is fully lowered to facilitate the user to be positioned on the seat portion  66  of the chair  64 . The lift  44  is raised until the seat portion  66  of the chair  64  is raised above the support surface  18 . The cart  16  and members  86  are rolled along the support surface  18  to position the user alongside the bed  12 . One of the members  86  that is adjacent to the bed  12  is pivoted laterally to extend under the bed  12  for laterally stabilizing the cart  16 . The lift  44  is manipulated to lift the user above the upper surface  14  of the bed  12 . The arm rests  70  are positioned in the stored position and the user is slid laterally off of the seat portion  66  and onto the bed  12 . Additionally, the shelf  72  that is aligned with the bed  12  can be extended for assisting sliding the user over the bed  12 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.