Abstract:
An articulating bed incorporating a frame employs a support member for a mattress secured to a frame for articulating motion. An upper body portion of the support member is rotatable through a range of motion from an aligned position with the frame to a fully elevated position angularly supporting the upper body portion in a raised position. A massage exciter is affixed to a bottom surface of the support member and is operative to sonically engage the flexible support.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/914,503 filed on Dec. 11, 2013 entitled VIBRATORY SYSTEM FOR MASSAGE AND AUDIO GENERATION IN AN ARTICULATING BED WITH FLEXIBLE MATTRESS SUPPORT and having a common assignee, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application is copending with U.S. application Ser. No. 13946970 filed on Jul. 20, 2012 entitled ARTICULATING BED WITH FLEXIBLE MATTRESS SUPPORT and having a common assignee with the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to the field of adjustable beds and more particularly to a vibratory system for massage and audio generation in a structure for an articulating bed with a flexible mattress support. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Articulating beds have long been used in hospital and healthcare facilities to allow positioning of a patient in a reclining position, sitting position, elevated leg position or combinations of these positions. General usage of articulating beds has been rapidly expanding due to the comfort and convenience available from adjusting the bed to desired positions for reading, general relaxation or sleeping. Massage units have been added to articulating beds for creating vibratory stimulation in or through the mattress to provide a massaging action to the occupant of the bed. 
         [0006]    Typically massage units are installed in cutouts in mattress support elements on the articulating bed to operate on or against the mattress itself. Transmission of the vibratory energy to the mattress may be significantly damped by the material of the mattress. Additionally, the cutout and massage inducer support structure adds complexity to the bed structure. 
         [0007]    It is therefore desirable to provide an articulating bed having a vibratory massage system which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The embodiments disclosed herein provide an articulating bed incorporating a frame having side frame members and a rigid cross frame member extending between the side frame members. A flexible support member is secured to the rigid cross frame member and support arms engage an upper body portion of the flexible support member. The support arms are rotatable through a range of motion from an aligned position with the side frame members to a fully elevated position angularly supporting the upper body portion in a raised position. At least one massage exciter is affixed to a bottom surface of the flexible support member intermediate the support arms. The exciter is operative to sonically engage the flexible support member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of an adjustable bed system having a flexible support with side supports removed for clarity and the flexible support member flat; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of an adjustable bed system having rigid support elements in an articulating structure and the articulating structure flat; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a pictorial view of an exemplary embodiment employing the structure of  FIG. 1A  from under the bed with side supports removed for clarity and the flexible support member flat; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a pictorial view of an exemplary embodiment employing the structure of  FIG. 1B  from under the bed and the articulating structure rigid support members flat; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a partial bottom view of the bed showing attachment of a massage exciter to the flexible support member in the upper body portion; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  is a partial bottom view of the bed showing attachment of two longitudinally aligned massage exciters to the flexible support member in the upper back and lower lumbar portions of the upper body portion; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3C  is a partial bottom view of the bed showing attachment of two laterally aligned massage exciters to the flexible support member in the upper body portion; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3D  is a partial bottom view of the bed showing attachment of both longitudinally and laterally aligned massage exciters to the flexible support member in the upper body portion; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  is a bottom view of the bed showing attachment of a massage exciter to the flexible support member in the upper body portion and attachment of a massage exciter to the flexible support member in the thigh portion; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  is a partial bottom view of the bed showing attachment of a massage exciter to the flexible support member in the upper body portion and attachment of a massage exciter to the flexible support member in the lower leg portion; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4C  is a bottom view of the flexible support member showing attachment of laterally aligned massage exciters in the upper back, lumbar, thigh and lower leg portions; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a block representation of multiple massage exciters connected to a control unit with an signal generator; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is side view of the adjustable bed system with the upper body portion raised and the left side frame member and upper body support arm removed for clarity; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial view of the bed with the head portion raised with left side frame member and upper body support arm removed for clarity; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the bed with the head portion and leg portion raised; and, 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial under view of the bed with the head and leg portions raised 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein provide an articulating bed which eliminates the rigid individual support platforms and uses a continuous flexible support member for the mattress with direct inducement of vibration into the flexible support member for massage or audio generation. Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1A  show an exemplary adjustable bed system  10  which incorporates a flexible support or member  12  to support a mattress. The flexible support in an exemplary embodiment is a ⅛ inch sheet of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) which is fire resistant (FR). Side frame members  14  support a cross member  16  to which the flexible member  12  is secured using plates or discs  18  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ) with bolts extending through the FRP. Rotatable upper body support arms  20  support an upper body portion  13  of the flexible support member  12  toward the upper end of the bed. The flexible support member  12  is lubriciously supported on the support arms  20  to reposition itself during motion of the support arms. In one example embodiment, shuttles  22  which are supported on the support arms  20  are attached to the flexible support member  12 . A leg portion adjustment member  24  is positioned to contact the flexible support member at approximately the knee position  25  of a user between a thigh portion  15  and lower leg portion  19  of the flexible support member  12 . The side frames may include insets which receive the edges of the flexible support member  12  in the flat condition. 
         [0027]    Conventional adjustable bed structures such as shown in  FIG. 1B  having rigid support elements in the articulating structure are equally applicable for incorporation of the embodiments for massage exciters as disclosed herein. The articulating bed incorporates a frame  110  upon which an articulating support system  112  is mounted. The articulating support system  112  incorporates multiple rigid support sections for the body; an upper body section  114 , a seat section  116 , a thigh section  118  and a lower leg section  120 . In a fully unarticulated position, as shown in  FIG. 1B  the upper body section  114 , seat section  116 , thigh section  118  and lower leg section  120  are aligned in a planar relationship. In a fully articulated position the upper body section  114  articulated by an actuator assembly  128  rotates about an articulation axis extending through hinges  122  connecting the upper body section  114  to the seat section  116 . The thigh section  118  articulated by a second actuator assembly  130  rotates about a second articulation axis extending through hinges  124  connecting the thigh section  116  to the seat section  116  while Lower leg section  120  rotates about a third articulation axis extending through hinges  126  connecting the lower leg section  120  to the thigh section  118 . 
         [0028]    As seen in  FIG. 2A , a massage exciter  30  is attached to the flexible support member  12  in an upper body portion  13  as will be described in greater detail subsequently. Similarly as seen in  FIG. 2B , a massage exciter  30  may be attached to the upper body section  114  of the conventional articulating support system. For the embodiments described subsequently, application of massage exciters to the upper body portion, thigh portion and lower leg portion of the flexible support member  12  are equally applicable to an upper body section, thigh section and lower leg section in a rigid articulating system  112 . 
         [0029]    As best see in  FIG. 3A , at least one massage exciter  30  is affixed to the flexible support member  12  between the support arms  20  on the upper body portion  13  of the flexible support member. The massage exciter  30  interfaces with the flexible member  12  which responds to the exciter in a manner similar to a speaker cone. In exemplary embodiments the massage exciter  30  incorporates an exciter element  31  attached with extension arms  32  to the flexible member  12 . Adhesive pads or other alternative fixing mechanism on the extension arms may be employed to secure the extension arms to the flexible member. The exciter element  31  sonically engages the flexible member  12 . The sonic engagement of the exciter element  31  allows the massage exciter to directly inducing vibration in the flexible support member  12  to provide the desired massage. An example massage exciter for the described embodiments is the DAEX25 Sound Exciter by Dayton Audio, 705 Pleasant Valley Dr., Springboro, Ohio 45066. A second example massage exciter for the described embodiments is the AMS01BL base shaker by ADX 17835 Newhope St, Studio A, Fountain Valley, Calif. 92708. 
         [0030]    The massage exciter  30  may be placed in position for targeted massage of the upper back and shoulders or the lower back and lumbar region. Multiple massage exciters may be positioned in an aligned longitudinal pattern as shown in  FIG. 3B  to provide massage of both the upper and lower back, together or individually. Additionally, multiple exciters may be positioned in an aligned lateral pattern as shown in  FIG. 3C  to provide enhanced massage to the upper or lower back, or in single articulating double beds to provide separate massage units for two occupants in the bed. Laterally aligned and longitudinally aligned massage exciters may be mounted to the flexible member  12  as shown in  FIG. 3D . 
         [0031]    Massage exciters  33  may also be positioned on the thigh portion  14  or lower leg portion  10  of the flexible support member for massaging the legs as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . An example pattern of massage exciters mounted to the flexible member  12  for upper back, lumbar, thigh and lower leg for two occupants in a double bed arrangement is shown in  FIG. 4C . 
         [0032]    A control unit  34  as shown in  FIG. 5  connects to the massage exciters to provide an input signal. Separate control of multiple message exciters by the control unit allows separate activation of the various massage locations desired by the occupant. A signal generator  36  provides the input signal for the message exciters and may be selectable for various frequencies and amplitudes to sonically engage the flexible member to create the desired massage. The signal generator  36  may be or may include an audio source generating music in addition to or as the massage excitation. 
         [0033]    As seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the upper body portion  13  of the flexible support member  12  may be raised by rotating the upper body support arms  20  about axles  26  extending to and supported by the side frame members  14 . Actuation levers  21  on the support arms  20  may be attached to an actuator  23  for rotation. The shuttles  22  reciprocate along the support arms  20  to maintain the flexible support member  12  in contact with the support arms at desired points for proper shaping of the mattress. Direct connection of the massage exciters  30  to the flexible support member  12  allows massage in any articulated position of the upper body portion of the bed. The small profile and light weight of the massage exciters  30  avoids any additional structural requirements in the articulation actuators or the structural support elements of the bed. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the leg portion adjustment member  24  may be rotated about axle  28  which raises the flexible support member  12  at the knee position of the user. The flexible support member  12  flexes over the rotated kg portion adjustment member seeking a neutral position with the thigh portion  15  and lower leg portion  19  draped over the leg portion adjustment member  24 . The flexible support member  12  establishes a smooth curvature in both the upper body portion  13  and thigh and lower leg portions  15 ,  19  of the bed based on natural flexing with the center of the member secured at the rigid cross member  16 . As with the articulation of the upper body portion  13 , direct connection of the massage exciters  33  to the flexible support member  12  in the thigh portion  15  and/or lower leg portion  19  allows massage in any articulated position of the thigh and/or lower leg portions of the bed. The small profile and light weight of the massage exciters  33  avoids any additional structural requirements in the articulation actuators or the structural support elements of the bed. 
         [0035]    Having now described various embodiments of the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.