Abstract:
A portable bed raiser placed under one end of a mattress for adjustably raising and lowering that end of the mattress. The apparatus provides a lightweight, economical alternative to a complex, expensive hospital-type bed. This apparatus is easily compatible with standard beds and can be set up and removed at the convenience of the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to an adjustable bed raiser, to raise one end of a bed, and more particularly towards a portable adjustable bed raiser for health or leisure purposes, that is economical, lightweight, can be used with a standard bed with or without a boxspring, and can be set up and taken down at the user&#39;s convenience with a minimum of effort. The invention also contemplates the use of two portable bed raisers for independently raising and lowering each end of a mattress. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Hospital, obstetric and other beds which provide for the raising and lowering of the head or foot portions of the bed&#39;s mattress are commonly known in the art. These beds have traditionally been expensive, heavy, and mechanically complex, and the apparatus for raising and lowering the mattress is usually integrally constructed with the bed frame itself. This tends to make the bed generally unsightly, especially for use in the home. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,999,920 to Brown, 3,201,806 to Hutt and 3,191,196 to Holm. 
     The obstetrical bed taught by MacEachern (U.S. Pat. No. 1,280,792) and the operating table taught by Van Dolsen (U.S. Pat. No. 1,361,420) teach beds with pivotably mounted tops wherein the mechanical structure for raising and lowering the tops is an integral part of the frame of the bed. 
     No portable bed raising apparatus is known that can be conveniently placed under one end of a mattress of a standard bed for raising and lowering that end of the mattress which is simple, reliable and relatively inexpensive that can be quickly and efficiently removed from the bed and conveniently stored for later use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention comprises a portable bed raiser for raising and lowering one end of a mattress of a standard bed that includes the mattress and a frame supporting the mattress. The bed raiser has a vertical support member extending above the mattress, a horizontal support member extending from the vertical support member, means for supporting the mattress disposed under one end of the mattress pivotably connected to the outer end of the horizontal support member, means for reciprocally connecting the upper end of the supporting means to the vertical support member to allow relative movement therebetween, and means for moving the supporting means relative to the horizontal support member. 
     The supporting means preferably comprises a frame having an upper cross member and a lower cross member interconnected by an pair of outer cross members, and comprises a first and second plurality of wires respectively longitudinally extending between the upper cross member and the lower cross member and laterally extending between the pair of outer cross members. The wires are terminated by hook means for fastening onto the cross members and the first and second plurality of wires cross one another. 
     The outer cross members each have an internal axial bore. The connecting means comprises a slide rod having an elongated portion slidably disposed within the axial bore in each one of the outer cross members. A flange having first and second portions is also provided. The first portion of the flange is slidably disposed within the longitudinal slot in the vertical support member and the second portion extends outwardly from the vertical support member. A pivot pin pivotably connects the slide rod to the second portion of the flange. 
     The means for moving the connecting means relative to the horizontal support member preferably comprises an elongated internal guide rod, slidably disposed within the vertical support member, having first and second sections. The first section of the guide rod is rigidly connected to the first portion of the flange, and a linear gear is attached to the second section of the guide rod and extends outwardly from the slot in the vertical support member. Means operatively connected to the linear gear is provided for sliding the guide rod within the vertical support member. Such means preferably includes a circular gear meshing with the linear gear and an electrically-operated reversible motor connected to the circular gear. Means for remotely controlling said motor are also provided. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the invention comprises a second portable bed raiser which is substantially identical to the first portable bed raiser wherein the second portable bed raiser is disposed under the end of the mattress remote from the first portable bed raiser so that each end of the mattress may be independently raised and lowered. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Additional objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent as the invention becomes more fully understood from the following detailed description of the invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent identical or corresponding part throughout the several views, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of two portable bed raisers of the present invention, the operation of the second portable bed raiser being shown in ghost lines; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the portable bed raiser of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vertical support member, the guide rod and the moving means taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an outer cross member showing the slide rod and the connection of a wire to the cross member taken along 4--4 of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown two portable bed raisers, generally designated respectively at 10 and 10&#39;. Each portable bed raiser 10 and 10&#39; independently operates in the same manner. Thus, for efficiency, the operation and function of only one portable bed raiser need be described in detail herein. 
     The portable bed raiser 10 is placed in practice underneath one end 16 of a mattress 12 and above the bed frame 14 or a box spring 13. A second portable bed raiser 10&#39; may be placed under the other end 18 of mattress 12. 
     In the preferred embodiment, portable bed raiser 10 comprises a pair of vertical support members 20, 20&#39; connected respectively to a pair of horizontal support members 22, 22&#39;. For added strength and stability, this connection may be made by means of pair of U-shaped brackets 24, 24&#39; which are disposed between vertical support members 20, 20&#39; and horizontal support members 22, 22&#39;. 
     The outer end of horizontal support member 22 is pivotably connected by means of a pivot pin 28 to a movable supporting means shown generally at 26. The movable supporting means comprising a pair of outer cross members 30, 30&#39;, an upper cross member 32, and a lower cross member 34. 
     In one embodiment, a plurality of laterally extending wires 38 are disposed between the pair of outer cross members 30, 30&#39; and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires 36 are disposed between the upper and lower cross member 32 and 34 respectively. These wires may be terminated by hook means 40 for fastening onto the cross members. The hooks may alternately connect to an angle iron 42 attached to each cross member. Wires 36 and 38 may cross over one another at their respective intersections for added strength and stability. 
     The supporting means 26 is connected to the vertical support members 20, 20&#39; by means of a pair of slide arms 44, 44&#39;. The slide arms 44, 44&#39; are slidably disposed within an axial bore formed within each outer cross member 30, 30&#39;. Slide rods 44 and 44&#39; are respectively connected to vertical support members 20 and 20&#39; by means of outwardly extending flanges 46, 46&#39; and a pair of pivot pins 48, 48&#39;. Each flange 46, 46&#39; is connected to a guide rod 52, 52&#39; which is slidably disposed within respective vertical support members 20 and 20&#39;. Each flange 46, 46&#39; extends outwardly from a longitudinal slot 54, 54&#39; formed in vertical support members 20, 20&#39;. 
     Linear gears 50, 50&#39; are also attached to the guide rods 52, 52&#39;. Each linear gear 50, 50&#39; is moved within each vertical support member 20, 20&#39; by meshing of its teeth 56, 56&#39; with the teeth 58, 58&#39; of circular gears 60, 60&#39;. Each gear 60, 60&#39; is journalled in a lower flange 62, 62&#39; which is attached respectively to the vertical support members 20, 20&#39;. Each circular gear 60, 60&#39; is operatively attached to a drive shaft 64 which is connected to an electric motor 68 by means of a transmission 66. Motor 68 is preferably a reversible motor which may be operated by a remote control switch 72 which may be electrically connected to motor 68 by means of a cable 70. 
     In operation, the user will depress a switch in remote control 72 which will result in the rotational movement of motor 66. This rotational force is imparted to each circular gear 60, 60&#39; by means of the drive shaft 64 and the transmission 66. The circular gears 60, 60&#39; rotate and slide linear gears 50, 50&#39; (which are connected to the lower end of guide rods 52, 52&#39;) vertically within vertical slots 54, 54&#39; of vertical support members 20, 20&#39;. As each guide rod 52, 52&#39; moves, supporting means 26 is similarly moved in the same direction by means of flanges 46, 46&#39;, connected to guide rods 52, 52&#39;, which are pivotably connected by pivot pins 48, 48&#39; to slide rods 44, 44, the slide rod being slidably disposed within each outer support member 30, 30&#39;. Thereby, vertical movement of the guide rod causes the supporting means 26 to pivotably move about its lower pivot pins 28, 28&#39;, thereby raising one end 16 of mattress 12 supported thereby. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to the preferred embodiment shown herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.