Patent Publication Number: US-2021177154-A1

Title: Electric adjustable bed

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates to an electric adjustable bed, especially to an electric bed with an adjustable bed length. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known that an electric adjustable bed contains a bed frame, pivot able bedboards and electric motors. The electric motors drive and move the bed boards to desired bed body postures. 
     In a traditional electric adjustable bed. the bedboards arc hinged in end-to-end relation. Although the bed may have its bed body posture adjusted, the bed length may be shortened and the mattress may thus be protruding when some of the bedboards pivot to some extent. 
     The defect as mentioned above brings the bed a bad look, and the protruding part of the mattress is not supported by any bed board, resulting in a shorter service life of the mattress. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention aims to overcome one or more defects as found in the prior art. 
     The present invention provides an electric bed with an adjustable bed length. The electric bed with an adjustable bed length contains an upper bed frame, a lower bed frame, and a plurality of bedboards mounted on the upper bed frame, wherein at least one of the plurarity of bedboards is pivotable relative to the lower bed frame. In particular, the upper bed frame contains an upper head bed frame and an upper fool bed frame, which two are separated from each other. Either of the upper head bed frame and the upper foot bed frame is fixed relative to the lower bed frame while the other contains a moving component which moves back and forth, relative to the lower bed frame, between a rest position and an extension position in accordance with the pivoting angle of the at least one pivotable bedboard. When the moving component is located at the rest position, the at least one pivotable bedboard keeps horizontal and the upper head bed frame is away from the upper foot bed frame by Distance  1 . When the moving part is located at the extension position, the at least one pivotable bedboard pivots and there is Distance  2  between the upper head bed frame and the upper foot bed frame. Distance  2  is longer than Distance  1 . The bed length is adjusted in the above-mentioned way to make up for the lost length due to the pivoting movement of the at least one pivotable bedboard. 
     The at least one pivotable bedboard may be a head bedboard, and the electric adjustable bed may further contain:
     a head drive motor for driving the head bedboard to pivot,   a head bedboard pivoting component, whose one end is hinged to the head drive motor and at least another end is hinged to the head bedboard so as to pivot the head bedboard with the driving force from the head drive motor, and   a head bedboard connecting rod, whose one end is hinged in the lower bed frame and the other end is hinged in the head bedboard, wherein the moving component moves back and forth, relative to the lower bed frame, between a rest position and an extension position according to the pivoting angle of the head bedboard connecting rod.   

     With the arrangement mentioned above, when the head drive motor drives the head bedboard pivoting component to pivot the head bedboard, the head bedboard connecting rod has to pivot on its one end that is lunged in the lower bed frame so that the upper head bed frame is pulled by the head bedboard connecting rod and thus move towards the head of the bed. As a result, the upper bead bed frame and the upper foot bed frame are further apart, so as to make up for the last length of the bed due to the pivoting movement of the head bedboard. 
     The lower bed frame may further contain a pair of guide rails in parallel, and the upper head bed frame may further contain rollers which match the guide rails. 
     The lower bed frame may further contain a pair of guide rails in parallel, and the upper head bed frame may further contain sliders which match the rails. 
     The head drive motor may be hinged to the head bedboard pivoting component at one end and hinged in the lower bed frame at the other end. 
     The head drive motor may be hinged to the head bedboard pivoting component at one end and hinged to the upper foot bed frame at the other end. 
     A head fixing bedboard may be fixed on the upper head bed frame and hinged to the head bedboard, and a foot fixing bedboard may be fixed on the upper foot bed frame, with a backing plate disposed below the space between these two fixing bed boards. The arrangement of the backing plate provides a pleasing appearance for the bed and reduces the chance of falling over for a user before a mattress is mounted on the bedboards. 
     A foot fixing bedboard may be fixed on the upper foot bed frame and hinged to a thigh bedboard, and the thigh bedboard may have its one end hinged to the foot fixing bedboard and the other end hinged to a foot bedboard. The upper foot bed frame may further contain:
     a foot drive motor for driving the thigh bedboard to pivot,   a thigh bedboard pivoting component, whose one end is hinged to live foot drive motor and the other end is hinged to the lower bed frame so as to pivot the thigh bedboard with the driving force from the foot drive motor, and   a foot bedboard connecting rod, whose one end is hinged to the lower bed frame and the other end is hinged to the foot bedboard. With such arrangements, not only the head bedboard, but also the thigh and foot bedboards may have their positions adjusted.   

     The outer surfaces of the upper head and foot bed frames may be furnished with soft material to prevent a user from badly crashing into the bed frame. 
     Distance  1  is not shorter than 25 meters so that hands may not be stuck by the two upper bed frames during the assembling process. 
     The electric bed of the instant invention with an adjustable length has overcome the defect in the traditional electric bed where the bed length is shortened after the posture of the bed is changed, causing part of the mattress to have no support basis. In contrast, the electric bed of the present invention, with a simple structure, is working reliably with an always pleasing appearance and can be conveniently assembled with a low risk of hand stuck. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Those skilled in the an will appreciate that all the features, modification and/or specified embodiments can be combined in ways, unless obviously contradictory or incompatible. 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed exemplary and non-limiting embodiments and drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electric bed with an adjustable bed length according to one embodiment of the present invention, where all the bedboards are in the flat position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bedboards as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view through the bed as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the electric bed of  FIG. 1  where the head bedboard is pivoted. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bedboards as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  a longitudinal sectional view through the bed shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a longitudinal sectional view through an electric bed according to one embodiment of tire present invention, showing the changing contours of the postures of the bed with the bedboards in different positions. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, such as specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
     The term “horizontal position” refers to a posture of the bedboard when it is in parallel with the ground. 
     The term “pivoting position” refers to a posture of the bedboard when it pivots to some extent relative to the ground. 
     The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments and drawings. In the figures, a certain reference number refers to the same or equivalent part throughout the drawings. 
       FIGS. 1-3  are perspective views of an electric bed  1  with an adjustable bed length according to one embodiment of the present invention, where all the bedboards are in the flat position. 
       FIGS. 4-6  are perspective views of an electric bed  1  with an adjustable bed length according to one embodiment of the present invention, where an head bed board  11  is in a titled position while a thigh bedboard  14  and a foot bed board  15  are in their respective pivoted positions. 
     An electric bed with an adjustable length according to one embodiment of the present invention contains an upper bed frame  2 , a lower bed frame  3 , and a plurality of bedboards mounted on the upper bed frame  2 . 
     The upper bed frame  2  contains an upper head bed frame  21  and an tipper foot bed frame  22 , which two are separated from each other. The upper foot bed frame  22  is fixed/immobile relative to the lower bed frame  3  while the upper head bed frame  21  moves back and forth, relative to the lower bed frame  3 , between a rest position and an extension position through a moving component. 
     The plurality of bedboards include a head bedboard  11 , a head fixing bedboard  12 , a foot fixing bedboard  13 , a thigh bedboard  14  and a foot bedboard  15 , which are disposed from the head to the foot of the bed in said order. 
     The head fixing bedboard  12  is fixed on the upper bead bed frame  2  and hinged to the head bedboard  11  by a first hinge, and the head bedboard  11  can pivot on the first hinge relative to the head fixing bedboard  12 . 
     The foot fixing bedboard  13  is fixed on the upper fool bed frame  22  and hinged to the thigh bedboard  14  by a second hinge, and the thigh bedboard  14  has one end hinged to the foot fixing bedboard  13  and the other end hinged to the foot bedboard  15  by a third hinge. The thigh bedboard  14  may pivot on the second hinge relative to the foot fixing bedboard  13  while the fool bedboard  15  pivots to the thigh bedboard  14  at the third hinge. 
     The electric bed  1  further contains a head drive motor  3 , a head bedboard pivoting component  4  and a head bedboard connecting rod  5 . 
     The head drive motor  3 , such as a push rod motor or linear motor, is used for driving the head bedboard  11  to pivot, wherein one end of the head drive motor is hinged to an intermediate section of the lower bed frame  3  and the other end may extend as needed. Alternatively, the head drive motor  3  may be hinged to an intermediate section of the upper foot bed frame  22  instead of the intermediate section of the lower bed frame. 
     The head bedboard pivoting component  4  has one end hinged to the extendable end of the head drive motor  3  and at least has another end hinged to the head bedboard  11  so as to pivot the head bedboard  11  with the driving force from the head drive motor  3 . In particular, the head bedboard pivoting component  4  may be hinged to the the extendable end of the head drive motor  3  together with a supporting component hinged to the head bedboard  11 . The supporting component may be used as a bracket to improve the reliability of the head bedboard pivoting component  4 . 
     The head bedboard connecting rod  5  has one end hinged to the lower bed frame  3  and the other end hinged to the head bedboard  11 . The head bedboard connecting rod  5  pivots on its one end hinged to the lower bed frame  3  as the head bedboard  11  pivots, and the upper bed frame  21  moves accordingly through the moving component relative to the lower bed frame  3 . 
     Specifically, the lower bed frame  3  contains a pair of parallel guide rails  31 . The pair of guide rails, together with two cross members, form a rectangular frame to create the lower bed frame  3 . The moving component of the upper head bed frame  21  is rollers  32  which match the pair of guide rails  31  of the lower bed frame  3 . The upper head bed frame  21  contains at least four rollers  32  that can roll along the pair of guide rails  31 . The rollers  32  in the upper head bed frame  21  move, relative to the lower bed frame  3 , between the rest position and the extension position in accordance with the pivoting angle of the head bedboard connecting rod  5 . When the rollers are located at the rest position, the head bedboard  11  keeps horizontal and the upper head bed frame  21  is away from the upper foot bed frame  22  by Distance  1  L 1 . When the rollers are located at the extension position, the head bedboard  11  is in a pivoted position and there is Distance  2  L 2  between the upper head bed frame  21  and the upper foot bed frame  22 . Distance  2  L 2  is longer than Distance  1  L 1 . The bed length is adjusted in the above-mentioned way. Distance  1  is not shorter than 20 millimeters, preferably not shorter than 25 millimeters, so as to provide a low risk of hand stuck during the assembling process. Distance  2  is not longer than 188 millimeters. Alternatively, the moving component of the upper head bed frame  21  is sliders matching the pair of guide rails  31  of the lower bed frame  3 . 
     In a preferable embodiment, a backing plate  10  is disposed below the space between the head fixing bedboard  13  and the foot fixing bedboard  14 , the width of the backing plate  10  being slightly narrower than that of the bedboards, and the length of the backing plate  10  being not shorter than Distance  1  L 1 , preferably not shorter than Distance  2  L 2 . 
     The upper foot bed frame  22  may further contain a foot drive motor  6 , a thigh bedboard pivoting component  7  and a foot bedboard connecting rod  8 . 
     The foot drive motor  6 , such as a push rod motor or linear motor, is used for driving the thigh bedboard  14  to pivot, wherein one end of the foot drive motor is hinged to an intermediate section of the lower bed frame  3  near the fool of the bed and the other end may extend as needed. The foot drive motor  6  and the head drive motor  4  extend in the same direction. 
     The thigh bedboard pivoting component  7  has one end hinged to the foot drive motor  6  and the other end hinged to the lower bed frame  3  so as to pivot the thigh bedboard  14  with the driving force from the foot drive motor  6 . Alternatively, one end of the thigh bedboard pivoting component  7  is hinged to foot drive motor  6 , and another end is installed with a roller  70 . When the extendable end of the foot drive motor  6  extends, the end of the thigh bedboard pivoting component  7  with the roller  70  rolls along the bottom surface of the thigh bedboard  14  to jack up the thigh bedboard  14  to pivot. 
     The foot bedboard connecting rod  8  has one end hinged to the lower bed frame  3  and the other end hinged to the foot bedboard  15 . As the thigh bedboard  14  pivots, the foot bedboard  15  hinged to the thigh bedboard  14  moves along with the thigh bedboard  14 . Accordingly, with the movement of the foot bedboard  15 , the foot bedboard connecting rod  8  pivots on its end hinged to the lower bed frame  3  to support the foot bedboard  15  on a required position. 
     Preferably, the outer surfaces of the upper head bed frame  21  and the upper foot bed frame  22  are furnished with soft material. In this way, the head bedboard  11  and the head fixing bedboard  12 , both mounted on the upper head bed frame  21 , are packed and integrated together, and the foot fixing bedboard  13  is packed and integrated with the thigh bedboard  14  and the foot bedboard  15 , all mounted on the upper foot bed frame  22 , providing a pleasing bed appearance. Also, as the upper head bed frame  21  and the upper foot bed frame  22  made of hard material are now furnished with soft material, less pain will be caused if a user hits on the bed frame by accident, improving safety performance. 
       FIG. 7  is a longitudinal sectional view through an electric bed according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the changing contours of the postures of the bed with the bedboards in different positions. When the head bedboard  11  pivots, the angle α between the bedboard plane and the horizontal plane cannot be larger than 60 degrees. When the thigh bedboard  14  pivots, the angle γ between the bedboard plane and the horizontal plane cannot be larger than 45 degrees. When the foot bedboard  15  pivots along with the thigh bedboard  14 , the angle β between the bedboard plane and the horizontal plane cannot be larger than 12.5 degrees. 
     In another embodiment, the electric bed of the present invention with an adjustable length contains an upper bed frame, a lower bed frame, and a plurality of bedboards mounted on the upper bed frame. 
     The upper bed frame contains an upper head bed frame and an upper foot bed frame, which two are separated from each other. The upper head bed frame is fixed/immobile relative to the lower bed frame while the upper foot bed frame moves back and forth, relative to the lower bed frame, between a rest position and an extension position through a moving component. 
     The plurality of bedboards include a head bedboard, a head fixing bedboard, a foot fixing bedboard, and a thigh bedboard, which are disposed from the head to the foot of the bed in said order. 
     The head fixing bedboard is fixed on the upper head bed frame and hinged to the head bedboard by a fourth hinge, and the head bedboard is pivot able on the fourth hinge relative to the upper head bed frame. 
     The foot fixing bedboard is fixed on the upper foot bed frame and hinged to the thigh bedboard by a fifth hinge, and the thigh bedboard is pivotable on the fifth hinge relative to the upper foot bed frame. 
     The electric bed further contains a foot drive motor, a thigh bedboard pivoting component and a thigh bedboard connecting rod. 
     The foot drive motor, such as a push rod motor or linear motor, is used for driving the thigh bedboard to pivot, wherein one end of the foot drive motor is hinged to an intermediate section of the lower bed frame and the other end may extend as needed. Alternatively, the foot drive motor may be hinged to an intermediate section of the upper head bed frame instead of the intermediate section of the lower bed frame. 
     The thigh bedboard pivoting component has one end hinged to the extendable end of the foot drive motor and at least has another end hinged to the thigh bedboard so as to pivot the thigh bedboard with the driving force from the toot drive motor. In particular, the thigh bedboard pivoting component may be hinged to the the extendable end of the foot drive motor together with a supporting component hinged to the thigh bedboard. In this way, the supporting component is used as a bracket to improve the reliability of the thigh bedboard pivoting component. 
     The thigh bedboard connecting rod has one end hinged to the lower bed frame and the other end hinged to the thigh bedboard. The thigh bedboard connecting rod pivots on its one end hinged to the lower bed frame as the thigh bedboard pivots, and accordingly move upper foot bed frame through the moving component relative to the lower bed frame. 
     In particular, the lower bed frame contains a pair of parallel guide rails. The pair of guide rails, together with two cross members, form a rectangular frame to create the lower bed frame. The moving component of the upper foot bed frame is rollers which match the pair of guide rails of the lower bed frame. The upper foot bed frame contains at least four rollers that can roll along the pair of guide rails. The rollers in the upper foot bed frame move, relative to the lower bed frame, between the rest position and the extension position in accordance with the pivoting angle of the thigh bedboard connecting rod. When the rollers are located at the rest position, the thigh bedboard keeps horizontal and the upper head bed frame is away from the upper foot bed frame by Distance  1 . When the rollers are located at the extension position, the thigh bedboard is in a pivoted position and there is Distance  2  between the upper head bed frame and the upper foot bed frame. Distance  2  is longer than Distance  1 . The bed length is adjusted in the above-mentioned way. Distance  1  is not shorter than 20 millimeters, preferably not shorter than 25 millimeters, to provide a low risk of hand stuck during the assembling process. Distance  2  is not longer than 188 millimeters. Alternatively, the moving component of the upper foot bed frame is sliders matching the pair of guide rails of the lower bed frame. 
     The upper head bed frame may further contain a head drive motor, and a head bedboard pivoting component. 
     The head drive motor, such as a push rod motor or linear motor, is used for driving the head bedboard to pivot, wherein one end of the head drive motor is hinged to an intermediate section of the lower bed frame new the foot of the bed and the other end may extend as needed. The head drive motor and the foot drive motor extend in the same direction. 
     The head bedboard pivoting component has one end hinged to the head drive motor and the other end hinged to the lower bed frame so as to pivot the head bedboard with the driving force from the head drive motor. Alternatively, one end of the head bedboard pivoting component is hinged to the head drive motor, and another end is installed with a roller. When the extendable end of the head drive motor extends, the end of the head bedboard pivoting component with the roller rolls along the bottom surface of the head bedboard to jack op the head bedboard to pivot. The foregoing embodiments are exemplary, and the present invention is not limited thereto. On the basis of these embodiments, those skilled in the art will know other embodiments having the same performance, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Many embodiments and variations are apparent to those skilled in the art. Especially, the features, modification and/or specified embodiments described above can be combined in many ways, unless obviously contradictory or incompatible. All the embodiments and variations fall within the scope of the present invention.