Guard rail

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention concerns a guard rail for mounting on devices, as e.g. beds, in order to prevent persons from being injured, e.g. by rolling out of the bed.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Bed-ridden, weak and physically disadvantaged persons will often have great benefit from using a barrier at the edges of their beds such that they do not fall out therefrom. In particular dizzy persons under strong medication as well as elderly and children may harm themselves if they accidentally fall out of a bed. Moreover, there are certain illnesses as e.g. Huntington's Disease that imply that the patient cannot lie still, so that lateral support is required to ensure that such persons do not harm themselves. By providing the bed with a guard rail, the persons will not be able to fall out of the bed in spite of a fitful sleep. Moreover, a guard rail may prevent duvets, sheets, blankets and the like from falling on the floor. In such cases, these cannot be picked up by the persons themselves as they are weak and bound to the bed. By installing a guard rail it is avoided that the bed-ridden persons become cold due to lack of duvets, whereby particularly the elderly in a nursing home and sick persons in the hospitals may get pneumonia or catch a cold.

[0003] In order to avoid the guard rail becoming a hazard for the bed-ridden person, the production of guard rails is controlled by diverse regulations, such as DS/EN 1970:2002 Adjustable beds for disabled persons "Requirements and test methods" and DS/EN 1970/A1:2005 Adjustable beds for disabled persons "Requirements and test methods". These regulations describe how the guard rail is to be designed in order to be both safe and efficient in the most optimal way. This means i.a. that there are specific requirements to how large holes and gaps there may exist between the bed and the guard rail. If these holes and gaps are too large, in the worst foreseeable case it may happen that a person may get his neck squeezed between the guard rail and the bed and thereby harm himself. Moreover, the guard rail is to resist a defined number of kilograms of weight pressed horizontally against the guard rail. The guard rail is further to be capable of being elevated to a certain height above the level of the bed in order to be effective. In order to test the given spacings, a test cone is used which may be put through holes and gaps formed between the guard rail and the bed. If rods, plates or similar of which the guard rail consists yield such that the holes or gaps are made greater than indicated by the regulations, the guard rail will not be allowed. In order to provide the best possible protection of bed-ridden persons, it is important that the guard rail is optimally designed.

[0004] FR 2403764 discloses a side barrier for a bed. Two tubular end elements, interacting with telescopic frame elements of the side barrier, are each mounted in a sliding manner on a fixing bar. This bar can pivot on a support. The support carries a clamp at each of its ends, where the clamps interact with the frame of a bed. One of these clamps is mounted in a sliding manner on the support in order to enable the distance between these two clamps to be varied.

[0005] WO 03/096958 discloses an auxiliary device for turning horizontally lying persons and for mounting e.g. on a bed, the device including one or more largely vertically displacing devices that may be manipulated in vertical direction by means of a control panel, each device including a largely horizontally arranged roller which is rotatably secured at each end in a rotatable bushing, and the each rotable bushing is fastened on a first member, the first member being concentrically and displacingly arranged in a second member, and means are provided by which impulses from the control panel can displace the first member relatively to the second member uniformly at both ends of the roller, which thereby may be moved vertically.

[0006] Another feature which is important to a good guard rail is that it may be removed quickly so that the bedridden person can be moved from one bed to another, or so that the person may be cared for. In hospitals and nursing homes, traditionally is used a guard rail of a type with two parallel rods which by a slight pressure may be pushed down and collapsed such that the guard rail appears as an integrated lower part of the bed. However, the design of this guard rail means that it is not very comfortable for a given person to be supported against. In addition, the interspaces between the rods of the guard rail will mean that bedding and the like may fall out and/or be jammed in the guard rail. This will be of great nuisance to the bedridden person who will have difficulty in getting his duvet free and get a proper position.

Object of the Invention

[0007] The object of the invention is to provide a guard rail which protects the bedridden person most possible and which may readily be removed and mounted, such that it is easy to access the bedridden person while simultaneously preventing bedding and the like from falling out of the bed or getting jammed in the guard rail.

[0008] A further object of the invention will be to achieve a guard rail which is simple and which may be combined with other aids without additional effort, so that the amount of work and the physical work load in connection with caring is reduced most possible for the nursing staff.

Description of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention as claimed, this is achieved in that the guard rail includes:

• a plate element which in the situation of use has an upper, approximately horizontal edge, where the plate element has a front side and a back side, the front side facing away from the bed in the situation of use;
• one or more largely vertically arranged telescoping cylinders, the telescoping cylinders disposed in the situation of use along opposing ends of the plate element, the telescoping cylinders further including fastening means for securing the telescoping cylinders to the bed;
• a rod which is mounted on the plate element and which at each end is adapted to engage with coupling elements fastened on the telescoping cylinders.

[0010] The guard rail includes a plate element that may be adjusted relative to the bed by means of telescoping displaceable elements. These may be constituted by actuators. The plate element is fastened by means of a rod to the telescoping cylinders.

[0011] The fastening consists of coupled elements so that the plate element may be retained securely and thereby adjusted by the telescoping cylinders. The coupling may either be locked such that the elements cannot move mutually, e.g. by a bolt or screw, or by loosely interacting as e.g. a journal and a cavity. The cavity may e.g. be formed by using a hollow rod for mounting on the plate element at a recess at each end of the rods such that a hollow is formed, or the rod may be fitted with elements containing a cavity for interaction with the journal. Mounting may e.g. be effected by using a screw thread.

[0012] The rod may be attached to one or more telescoping cylinders. If the fastening is only made to one telescoping cylinder, it will mean that the fastening has to be locked such that the upper edge of the plate element in the situation of use can be held suspended at a given and approximately horizontal position. By two or more telescoping cylinders, one or more telescoping cylinders may be disposed along each end of the plate element.

[0013] Adjusting with telescoping displaceable elements means that the guard rail does not have a fixed given height when raised and collapsed, but it may be continuously adjusted, depending on the person's wish or size. For example, it may be envisaged that very restless persons may need a guard rail which was adjusted higher than by more quiet persons. The advantage of a telescoping cylinder is that the different members are disposed within each other. A short cylinder may therefore easily be extended to a longer cylinder in a space-saving way by extending the members in relation to each other.

[0014] The telescoping cylinder may be driven either by pneumatics, hydraulics, an electric step motor or in similar ways. In this way it becomes possible for the staff for the person himself to avoid lifting or pulling for manually moving the guard rail. The work load thus becomes substantially less, which will be a great advantage in situations where the case is work by e.g. nursing staff who have to do this movement many times a day. Moreover, it will be easier to coordinate both sides of the guard rail at the same time. It is also simple to remove the guard rail as this is just lowered such that the upper edge comes at a level with or below level of the bed.

[0015] Extending the telescoping cylinder may easily be effected by means of a control panel. If one or more manipulation means is applied to the control panel, it will mean that it is possible to control the operations of elevating and lowering the guard rails individually. Besides, in case that more operations were to be added, these may be controlled separately.

[0016] If a battery is added to the control panel, the control panel may be manipulated independently of an accessible power source. This has the advantage that the movement of the guard rail can be operated even under emergencies where power failure may occur. It is of utmost importance that the guard rail can be lowered in case of fire or the like where e.g. patients are to be moved rapidly. Also, during transport, e.g. of hospital beds, the guard rail may advantageously have its own energy source which follows the bed and thereby the patient.

[0017] As the control panel usually will be heavy due to its design, it may be advantageous to separate the manipulation means from the control panel. Hereby may be achieved that it will be possible to control the guard rail even when located far away from the guard rail.

[0018] The communication between the manipulation means and the control panel will be necessary in order to transmit input from the manipulation means to the control panel for activating the latter. Otherwise it will not be possible to control raising and lowering of the guard rail.

[0019] The communication may e.g. occur by means of radio signals where a radio receiver is incorporated in the control panel while the manipulation means will contain a radio transmitter. The drawback of radio signals is, however, that there is a risk of interference from other similar apparatuses that also use radio signals.

[0020] This may, however, be solved by infrared means where a light impulse emitted from the manipulation means is received by a receiver unit in the control panel itself. Alternatively, an ultrasound emitter may be incorporated in the manipulation means which is detected by an ultrasound receiver in the control panel itself. These signal methods are possible to apply in case of a long distance between the manipulation means and the control panel. It may be of significance where it is desired to operate several guard rails at the same time, e.g. in a ward with a plurality of beds, by a conjoined manipulation means at a door or similar.

[0021] The plate element can be made of a polycarbonate such as Lexan®, but the plate element may also be made of other types of material. The important feature is that the type of material is strong enough to fulfil the requirements to the possible load occurring in horizontal direction without the guard rail becoming too thick.
As a further alternative, the plate element may be folded whereby the plate element may change its width in vertical direction or horizontal direction. This may e.g. be achieved in that the plate element may consist of several joined individual elements, or an element which qua its design and/or choice of material is able to be folded. This may e.g. be composition of two or more types of materials.

[0022] Moreover, the plate element may consist of a fabric in the form of e.g. strong canvas or net with varying hole sizes. The fabric is here to be of a quality such that the requirements to the load in horizontal direction are still fulfilled. Besides, the hole size in the net has to be of such magnitude that the bedridden person avoids getting his fingers and toes caught in the holes.

[0023] In order to keep the fabric in a suspended position such that it may resist a load in horizontal direction caused by the weight of a person, the plate element in embodiment consists of a suspension frame running along the edge of the fabric, thereby delimiting the plate element itself. Another advantageous embodiment is where the fabric is not mounted in a frame, but will be clamped to the rod along the upper and largely horizontal edge of the plate element. The edge of the plate element opposite the upper, largely horizontal edge may be consist of a device for rolling up the fabric such that the width of the plate element in the situation of use may be varied according to wish. The device for rolling up the fabric may be fastened to the bed, e.g. by means of fittings, may be fastened to the telescoping cylinders or be fitted with other auxiliary devices in close relation with the guard rail. In this connection, by the width of the plate element is here meant the distance between the upper, largely horizontal edge and the device for rolling up/retaining the fabric.

[0024] Alternatively, the edge of the plate element opposite the upper, largely horizontal edge may consist of a member for holding the fabric such that the width of the plate element in the situation of use may be varied according to wish. The member for holding the fabric may be fastened to the bed, e.g. by means of fittings, may be fastened to the telescoping cylinders or be fitted with other auxiliary devices in close relation with the guard rail. In this connection, by the width of the plate element is here meant the distance between the upper, largely horizontal edge and the device/member for rolling up/retaining the fabric. By varying the width between the upper, largely horizontal edge of the plate element and the member for holding the fabric, the fabric may be folded and pulled out in the same way as a pleated curtain, i.e. the fabric lies in small folds upon each other, and the less the width of the plate element, the closer the folds are to each other.

[0025] By varying the width of the plate element, it becomes easier for the nursing staff to handle the bedridden person. Furthermore, the fabric plate element will be comfortable for the bedridden person to lean against and tumble against.

[0026] Since a plate element is used, it means that there are no gaps/holes in the guard rail. Bedding and blankets may therefore not so easily get out into the interspaces and be jammed. The bedridden persons may therefore be in better control of their blankets and are not so easily getting cold. Moreover, it is possible to add a thin layer of soft foam rubber to the plate, providing a softer support when the person leans against the guard rail. There may be advantages connected with persons lying up against a support when they are to lie in lateral position since they are not so much prone to tip over backwards. This may be a great advantage, particularly for elderly people which may have difficulty in balancing lying on the side.

[0027] According to a further embodiment, the rod is disposed along the upper edge of the plate element.

[0028] If the rod is disposed along the upper part of the plate element, the plate element will achieve the greatest degree of rotatability. Therefore, it is easy to adapt the plate element with an inclined position such that it may slide along the bed on its way up and down. Of course, this provides a great advantage compared with a vertical plate element, as it then would have to be farther out on the outer side of the bed in order to be able to slide up and down. The tilting action will of course also be present irrespectively of where the rod is positioned.

[0029] Moreover, if the rod is disposed along the upper edge of the plate element, it will be avoided that the plate is not tilted inwards at the top when tipping the plate element such that it may run along the side of the bed. If the plate element is to be angled much, the upper part will tip in over the bed if the rod is not disposed along the upper edge. This may be a great nuisance to the bedridden person.

[0030] According to a further embodiment, a stop element is disposed along the front side of the plate element.

[0031] If the mounting of the plate element on the telescoping cylinders is of a kind which is loosely interacting, the plate element may tilt if it is coupled to a bed and does not have a support at the front side. The effect of the guard rail will hereby disappear and in reality, the person will just slide out along the plate element. This may be obviated by disposing a stop element at the front side of the plate element, i.e. away from the bed.

[0032] The stop element may be of various shape and material, be fastened outside the plate element or just on the plate element. The stop element may be a heavy round plate which e.g. can be attached to the plate element by magnetism, by bonding or by screws joints. Alternatively, the stop element may have a special design such that the plate element is decorated artistically. This may, for example, be an elephant for the children's ward.

[0033] According to a further embodiment, a push element is disposed along the back side of the plate element.

[0034] As described above, the possibility of tilting the plate element means that the plate element also will have the ability to be angled such that it may be tilted inwardly instead. If the plate element should get slightly too far up, it is hereby possible that that it may tilt inwards at the bottom instead of outwards, and thus being unable run automatically down along the bed and the bedside. The plate element will hereby strike down into the mattress and the bedside, whereby the guard rail will be stopped and in the worst case be destroyed. This may be avoided by inserting a push element at the back side of the plate element in against the bed such that the plate element is retained at a given position without possibility of tilting too far inwardly. The push element may be envisaged to be of the same shape and material as the stop element.

[0035] According to a further embodiment, the stop element and/or the push element are/is elongated, the stop element and/or push element having a longitudinal axis in parallel with the upper edge of the plate element, where the stop element and/or the push element include(s) secondary fastening means at both ends for fastening the stop element and/or the push element.

[0036] The stop element and/or the push element may be an elongated element which is fastened at either one or both ends to the telescoping cylinders. Hereby is achieved joining of the various parts of the guard rail into constituting an assembled unit. The general setup of the guard rail is thus simplified. Moreover, the stop element and/or the push element are retained at a given position, hereby forming an effective barrier against extending and/or inserting the plate element.

[0037] Alternatively, it may be envisaged that the stop element and/or the push element constituted an assembled element with an opening at the centre in which the plate element may slide/kept in place.

[0038] The stop element and/or the push element may be fastened to other alternatives than the telescoping cylinders. It may e.g. be parts of auxiliary devices which may be coupled together with the guard rail. The essential feature here is that the secondary fastening means mounts the stop element and/or the push element at a given fixed position such that the stop element and/or the push element does not move during the raising and lowering of the plate element.

[0039] According to a further embodiment, the primary fastening means are pivotable.

[0040] If the fastening means of the plate element is only loosely interacting with the plate element itself, there is provided a connection which has the possibility of mutual angling. The angling may be performed to a greater degree if the fastening means are tiltable in relation to the telescoping cylinders. This is a great advantage in cases where the displacement of the members in relation to each other will be changed differently such that one side may be displaced more than the other in case e.g. the actuator fails at one side. If the two sides of the guard rail are differently displaced, it will mean that the plate element may be twisted skew and be destroyed. Moreover, the primary fastening means may be pressed by the plate element under twisting action, whereby they may be destroyed and, in the worst case, break off. If the fastening means can be tilted, it is possible that they follow the plate element during the twisting action why they are not so easily destroyed.

[0041] According to a further embodiment, the plate element is trapezoidal.

[0042] If an accident should occur during the process of raising and lowering the guard rail, the design of the plate element may be significant as to how the twisting action acts on the guard rail system. This may be advantageous if the guard rail is only elevated at one end or e.g. faster or slower at one side. If the plate element is e.g. trapezoidal such that the sides are inclining while the top and bottom edges are parallel, during the twisting action on the plate element it will not be risked that the lowermost corner will strike the guard rail itself and thereby produce a kind of pincer effect. Hereby it is avoided that the entire guard rail is destroyed or that persons are injured.

[0043] According to a further embodiment, the guard rail is fitted on an auxiliary device, the auxiliary device being mounted on e.g. a bed in order to turn around horizontally lying persons, where the auxiliary device includes one or more largely vertically displaceable devices, and that each displaceable device includes a largely horizontally arranged roller which is rotatably seated at each end in a bearing bushing, where each bearing bushing is secured on the largely vertically displaceable devices, where the top edge of the plate element of the guard rail is disposed in parallel with the roller and between the vertically displaceable devices of the roller.

[0044] The guard rail may advantageously be integrated with already known auxiliary devices. This could e.g. be an auxiliary device of the type knows as VENDLET® or similar devices, where two rollers with a sheet there between provide for the lifting work of turning bedridden patients around to be substantially facilitated.

[0045] The guard rail is inserted at the underside of the roller between the two vertical devices at each their side of the roller. Hereby, the guard rail is hidden by the sheet when looking from inside the bed. At the same time the guard rail is providing protection such that the bedridden person is not in danger of falling out under the roller when this is raised. Compared with the present guard rails which are to be mounted with the VENDLET® each time it is used and protect the inner side between the bedridden person and the sheet, this provides work saving advantages as the guard rail is not to be removed in order to use the VENDLET®.

[0046] According to a further embodiment, the guard rail is displaced by the roller in relation to the bed.

[0047] When the roller is then raised from the lowest position by means of displacing its devices, the guard rail may advantageously follow it up. In that way is avoided that there will arise a gap between the bed and the roller, which is only covered by a sheet, because in case it is forgotten to raise the guard rail at the same time as the VENDLET®.

[0048] Coordination of displacement of the guard rail simultaneously with the roller may be effected in that the two vertical devices at each their side of the roller is coupled together with the telescoping cylinders of the guard rail such that the total displacement occurs in a movement by active displacement of either the telescoping cylinders of the guard rail or the two vertical devices at each their side of the roller.

[0049] Alternatively, one may envisage that the telescoping cylinders and the two vertical devices by activation for displacement are displaced at uniform speed such that the guard rail and the roller are raised or lowered at the same rate and are thus displaced uniformly in relation to the bed.

[0050] According to a further embodiment, the primary fastening means are fastened to the vertically displaceable devices.

[0051] If the guard rail is thus fastened to the VENDLET device, it will be possible to make them interact jointly. This means that one does not necessarily need to have a control device on either the VENDLET® or the guard rail, as in total this will enable one to draw the other up conjointly. Therefore, it may automatically be achieved that the guard rail is guarding the gap formed when the VENDLET® is raised.

[0052] According to a further embodiment, the telescoping cylinders of the guard rail are constituted by the vertically displaceable devices of the auxiliary device.

[0053] If the telescoping cylinders of the guard rail were combined and unified with the vertically displaceable devices for the VENDLET® into one and the same means, a unification of parts of the guard rail and the VENDLET® will be achieved that will save space as well as materials.

[0054] Manipulation control of both guard rail and VENDLET® in the same apparatus will be economically as well as space-saving. In this way is avoided having two large, heavy control panels set up side by side. One is also let off keeping control of two separate manipulation means where one may easily risk that either one or the other would get lost.

[0055] The invention further describes use of one or more guard rails for mounting on a bed or several beds.

[0056] The guard rail may be used for fastening on a bed in order to prevent bedridden persons from falling out. The bed may advantageously be mounted with guard rails at both sides if the bed is free-standing. Moreover, the guard rail may be used as partitioning between several beds.

Description of the Drawing

[0057] 

Fig. 1 illustrates a guard rail coupled together with an auxiliary device at a lifted position.

Fig. 2 illustrates the position of a guard rail in relation to mattress and bedside.

Fig. 3 illustrates twisting of a guard rail.

Fig. 4 illustrates a guard rail permanently mounted on a bedside.

Fig. 5 illustrates a guard rail coupled together with an auxiliary device using telescoping cylinders.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

[0058] Fig. 1 illustrates a guard rail coupled together with an auxiliary device, such as a VENDLET® where both parts are fitted on a bed frame 15. The guard rail and the VENDLET® are here illustrated in raised position. The VENDLET® consists of a motorised roller 1 which is fitted in a motor fitting 2 and motor 4 at one end, and fitted in a slide fitting 2 at the other end. The motor roller 1 is fitted with a top tube 7 and a bottom tube 6. Moreover, the bottom tube 6 is fitted with a lock fitting 13 coupling the VENDLET® to the bed frame 15. Opposite the lock fitting 13 appears a further fitting 11 which is used as a stop element 10 for the guard rail. The fittings 11 are formed such that they fit around the bottom tube 6 but may be moved up and down such that it may be disposed under the lock fitting 13 for the bottom tube 6 if it is necessary to move the stop element 10 so far down. The stop element 10 is clamped on the fittings 11 which at the same time clamp around the bottom 6 and holds it in position. A push element for supporting on an internal side of the plate element 8 may also be designed. The push element can be designed so that it may stand on the bed frame 15 if the bottom tube 6 is adjusted too high. If the bottom tube 6 is adjusted too high, a possible attached actuator 5 is to be turned 180° relative to the bottom tube 6.

[0059] The telescoping cylinders 16 of the guard rail, which e.g. may be in the form of actuator, are found at the outer side of the bottom and top tubes 6, 7 of the VENDLET®, and is applied a rubber guard 14 at the top for protection by contact with both persons and the object itself. The telescoping cylinders 16 are fastened to the top tube 7 and bottom tube 6 of the VENDLET®. The fastening 19 to the top tube 7 continues and connects to the rod 9 mounted on the plate element 8 via journals 12. The rod 9 contains openings at each end for interacting with the journals 12. The journals 12 and the fastening elements 19 may be one continuous element or two separate elements.

[0060] As illustrated, the stop element 10 is along the front side of the plate element 8, i.e. on the side facing away from the bed. Pivoting movement of the plate element 8 is hereby stopped such that the guard rail becomes effective. The stop element 10 is fastened to the bottom tube 6 of the VENDLET® which is further fastened to the bed frame 15. In this way, the stop element 10 will be fixed in relation to the relative movement of the top and bottom tubes 6, 7, and cannot move relative to the plate element 8. The plate element 8 is designed to slide between the bed frame 15 and the stop element 10 while interacting with the motor roller 1 on the VENDLET®.

[0061] The interaction between the VENDLET® and the plate element 8, which constitutes the essential part of the guard rail, is clearly seen in Fig. 2. In this Figure, the VENDLET® is lowered to the bottom position, and the same is the case with the plate element 8. Here, it appears how the plate element 8 and the VENDLET® are only raised moderately above the shown bed frame 15. This means that the height of the mattress will be added to the shown height, why the upper part of the VENDLET® will more or less be flush with the top of the mattress. Hereby, it will be easy to lift bedridden persons away from the bed and possibly over onto a new bed.

[0062] On Fig. 2 is illustrated how the plate element 8 during the lowering together with the VENDLET® follows along the edge of the mattress 21 and the bed frame 15. The plate element 8 is able to turn a bit such that it gets clear of bed frame 15 and mattress 21.

[0063] Furthermore, in Fig. 2 is seen how the stop element 10 has not moved relative to the top and bottom tubes 6, 7. It appears that the stop element 10 is close to the upper edge 20 of the plate element 8 and the motor roller 1.

[0064] Fig. 3 illustrates a detail of a guard rail inserted under the motor roller 1 in the VENDLET®. Here is illustrated what will happen if the raising or lowering of the guard rail/VENDLET® occurs differently at both sides. It means that the VENDLET® is raised more at one side than at the other side, and that the accompanying guard rail also will be raised more at one side than at the other. Hereby a twisting of the plate element 8 occurs. However, since the plate element 8 is loosely attached to the journals 12, it may be twisted without twisting the whole upper edge 20 of the plate element 8.

[0065] As it is further illustrated in Fig. 3, by twisting the plate element is in danger of striking the bottom tube 6 of the VENDLET®. Hereby the plate element 8 or the VENDLET® system may be destroyed. However, if the plate element 8 is formed like a trapezium, the pincer effect may hereby be avoided as illustrated here by the interaction 23 of the plate element 8 with the bottom tube 6.

[0066] Fig. 4 illustrates a guard rail 25 clamped to a bed frame 15 with lock fitting 13. The guard rail includes a plate element 8 with an upper rod 9 and a stop element 10. The upper rod is fastened to the telescoping cylinders 16a, 16b by means of journals 12. The stop element 10 is fastened by means of fittings 11 to the telescoping cylinders 27. During lowering, the plate element 8 is lowered in that the upper part 27 of the telescoping cylinders is moved down into the lower part 29 of the telescoping cylinders.

[0067] Fig. 5 illustrates a guard rail integrated in a VENDLET® where both parts are fitted on a bed frame 15. The guard rail and the VENDLET® are here illustrated in raised position. The VENDLET® consists of a motorised roller 1 which is fitted in a motor fitting 2 and motor 4 at one end, and fitted in a slide fitting 3 at the other end. The motor roller 1 is fitted with a top tube 16c and a bottom tube 16d. Moreover, the bottom tube 16d is fitted with a lock fitting 13 coupling the VENDLET® to the bed frame 15. Opposite the lock fitting 13 appears a further fitting 11 which is used for the stop element 10 for the guard rail. The stop element 10 is clamped on the fittings 11.

[0068] The raising/lowering function is here built into top and bottom tubes 16d, 16c such that the telescoping cylinders of the guard rail are combined with the bottom and top tubes 16d, 16c of the VENDLET® whereby materials and space are saved.

Claims

1. A guard rail (25) for mounting on a bed, where the guard rail (25) includes:

- a plate element (8) which in the situation of use has an upper, approximately horizontal edge, and where the plate element (8) has a front side and a back side, the front side facing away from the bed in the situation of use;

- one or more approximately vertically arranged telescoping cylinders (27, 29), where the telescoping cylinders (27, 29) are arranged in the situation of use along opposing ends of the plate element (8), and where the telescoping cylinders (27, 29) further include fastening means for securing the telescoping cylinders to the bed (13);

- a rod (9) mounted on the plate element (8), where each end of the rod (9) is adapted for engaging with coupling elements (12) fastened on the telescoping cylinders (27, 29) characterised in that the telescoping cylinders (27,29) are in a plane common with the plate element (8).

2. A guard rail according to claim 1, characterised in that the rod (9) is disposed along the upper edge of the plate element (8).

3. A guard rail according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a stop element (10) is disposed along the front side of the plate element (8) and/or that a push element is disposed along the back side of the plate element (8).

4. A guard rail according to claim 1, characterised in that the plate element (8) is made of a fabric in the form of strong canvas or net with varying hole sizes.

5. A guard rail according to any of claims 1-4, characterised in that the plate element (8) is adapted to be folded.

6. A guard rail according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that the stop element (10) and/or the push element are/is elongated, the stop element (10) and/or push element having a longitudinal axis in parallel with the upper edge of the plate element (8), that the stop element (10) and/or the push element include(s) fastening means (11) at both ends for fastening the stop element (10) and/or the push element.

7. A guard rail according to any of claims 1-6, characterised in that the coupling elements (12) are pivotable.

8. A guard rail according to any of claims 1-7, characterised in that the plate element (8) is trapezoidal.

9. A guard rail according to any of claims 1-8 fitted on an auxiliary device, the auxiliary device mounted on e.g. a bed in order to turn around horizontally lying persons, where the auxiliary device includes one or more largely vertically displaceable devices, and that each displaceable device includes a largely horizontally arranged roller (1) which is rotatably seated at each end in a bearing bushing (2, 3), where each bearing bushing (2, 3) is secured on the largely vertically displaceable devices (6, 7), characterised in that the upper edge of the plate element (8) of the guard rail is disposed in parallel with the roller (1) and between the vertically displaceable devices (6, 7) of the roller.

10. A guard rail according to claim 9, characterised in that the guard rail may be displaced by the roller in relation to the bed.

11. A guard rail according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the coupling elements (12) are secured to the vertically displaceable devices (6, 7).

12. A guard rail according to any of claims 9-11, characterised in that the telescoping cylinders (27, 29) of the guard rail are constituted by the vertically displaceable devices (6, 7) of the auxiliary device.

13. Use of one or more guard rails according to any of claims 1-12 for mounting on a bed.

Ansprüche

1. Sperrbalken (25) zur Montage auf ein Bett, wobei der Sperrbalken (25) folgendes aufweist:

- ein Plattenelement (8), das in Gebrauch eine obere, angenähert waagerechte Kante aufweist, und wobei das Plattenelement (8) eine in Gebrauch dem Bett abgewandte Vorderseite und eine Hinterseite aufweist;

- einen oder mehrere angenähert senkrecht angeordneten, teleskopierenden Zylinder (27, 29), der/die in Gebrauch entlang gegenüberliegenden Enden des Plattenelementes (8) angeordnet ist/sind, und wobei ferner die telekopierenden Zylinder (27, 29) Befestigungsmittel zur Befestigung der teleskopierenden Zylinder auf das Bett (13) umfassen;

- eine auf dem Plattenelement (8) angeordnete Stange (9), wobei die jeweiligen Enden der Stange (9) zum Eingreifen mit auf den teleskopierenden Zylindern (27, 29) befestigten Verbindungsgliedern (12) vorgesehen sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die teleskopierenden Zylinder (27, 29) sich in einer mit dem Plattenelement (8) gemeinsamen Ebene befinden.

2. Sperrbalken nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Stange (9) entlang der Oberkante des Plattenelementes (8) angeordnet ist.

3. Sperrbalken nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein Anschlagelement (10) entlang der Vorderseite des Plattenelements (8) angeordnet ist, und/oder dass ein Schiebeelement entlang der Hinterseite des Plattenelements (8) angeordnet ist.

4. Sperrbalken nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattenelement (8) aus einem Werkstoff in Form von starkem Segeltuch oder Netz mit unterschiedlichen Maschenweiten hergestellt ist.

5. Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattenelement (8) faltbar ist.

6. Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Anschlagelement (10) und/oder das Schiebeelement länglich ist/sind, das Anschlagelement (10) und/oder das Schiebeelement eine mit der Oberkante des Plattenelements (8) parallele Längsachse aufweist, dass das Anschlagelement (10) und/oder das Schiebeelement an beiden Enden Befestigungsmittel (11) zur Befestigung des Anschlagelements (10) und/oder des Schiebeelements umfasst/umfassen.

7. Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Verbindungsglieder (12) drehbar sind.

8. Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Plattenelement (8) trapezförmig ist.

9. Auf einer Hilfsvorrichtung angeordneter Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-8, wobei die Hilfsvorrichtung z.B. auf einem Bett zum Drehen von waagerecht liegenden Personen vorgesehen ist, wobei die Hilfsvorrichtung ein oder mehrere, hauptsächlich senkrecht verschiebbaren Geräte umfasst, und dass die verschiebbaren Geräte jeweils eine hauptsächlich waagerecht angeordnete Walze (1) aufweisen, deren jeweiligen Enden in einer Lagerbuchse (2, 3) rotierbar gelagert sind, wobei jede Lagerbuchse (2, 3) auf den hauptsächlich senkrecht verschiebbaren Geräten (6, 7) befestigt ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Oberkante des Plattenelements (8) des Sperrbalkens parallel mit der Walze (1) und zwischen den senkrecht verschiebbaren Geräten (6, 7) der Walze angeordnet ist.

10. Sperrbalken nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sperrbalken mittels der Walze relativ zum Bett verschiebbar ist.

11. Sperrbalken nach Anspruch 9 oder 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Verbindungsglieder (12) auf den senkrecht verschiebbaren Geräten (6, 7) befestigt sind.

12. Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 9-11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die teleskopierenden Zylinder (27, 29) des Sperrbalkens aus senkrecht verschiebbaren Geräten (6, 7) der Hilfsvorrichtung gebildet werden.

13. Verwendung von einem oder mehreren Sperrbalken nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-12 zur Montage auf ein Bett.

Revendications

1. Barrière (25) pour le montage sur un lit, où la barrière (25) comprend :

- un élément de plaque (8) qui dans la situation d'utilisation présente un bord supérieur, approximativement horizontal, et où l'élément de plaque (8) possède un côté avant et un côté arrière, le côté avant opposé au lit dans la situation d'utilisation;

- un ou plusieurs cylindres télescopiques disposés approximativement verticalement (27, 29), où les cylindres télescopiques (27, 29) sont disposés dans la situation d'utilisation le long des extrémités opposées de l'élément de plaque (8), et où les cylindres télescopiques (27, 29) en outre comprennent des moyens de fixation pour fixer les cylindres télescopiques au lit (13);

- une tige (9) montée sur l'élément de plaque (8), où chaque extrémité de la tige (9) est conçue pour engrener avec des éléments de couplage (12) fixés sur les cylindres télescopiques (27, 29)

caractérisée en ce que les vérins télescopiques (27,29) sont dans un plan commun avec l'élément de plaque (8).

2. Barrière selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que la tige (9) est disposée le long du bord supérieur de l'élément de plaque (8).

3. Barrière selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisée en ce qu'un élément de butée (10) est disposé le long de la face avant de l'élément de plaque (8) et/ou qu'un élément pousseur est disposé le long du côté arrière de l'élément de plaque (8).

4. Barrière selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que l'élément de plaque (8) est constitué d'un tissu en forme de filet ou de toile fort avec des trous de taille variable.

5. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-4, caractérisée en ce que l'élément de plaque (8) est conçu pour être plié.

6. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-5, caractérisée en ce que l'élément de butée (10) et/ou l'élément pousseur est/sont allongé(s), l'élément de butée (10) et/ou élément pousseur ayant un axe longitudinal en parallèle avec le bord supérieur de l'élément de plaque (8), que l'élément de butée (10) et/ou l'élément pousseur comprend /comprennent des moyens de fixation (11) aux deux extrémités de fixation de l'élément de butée (10) et/ou l'élément pousseur.

7. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-6, caractérisée en ce que les éléments de couplage (12) peuvent pivoter.

8. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-7, caractérisée en ce que l'élément de plaque (8) est trapézoïdale.

9. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-8 montée sur un dispositif auxiliaire, le dispositif auxiliaire monté sur par exemple un lit afin de tourner des personnes horizontalement, où le dispositif auxiliaire comprend un ou plusieurs dispositifs mobiles principalement verticalement, et que chaque dispositif mobile comprend un rouleau disposé horizontalement (1) qui est lié de façon rotative à chaque extrémité dans une douille de palier (2, 3), où chaque douille de palier (2, 3) est fixée sur les dispositifs mobiles principalement verticalement (6, 7), caractérisée en ce que le bord supérieur de l'élément de plaque (8) de la barrière de lit est disposé en parallèle avec le rouleau (1) et entre les dispositifs déplaçables verticalement (6, 7) du rouleau.

10. Barrière selon la revendication 9, caractérisée en ce que la barrière de lit peut être déplacée par le rouleau par rapport au lit.

11. Barrière selon la revendication 9 ou 10, caractérisée en ce que les éléments de couplage (12) sont fixés aux dispositifs déplaçables verticalement (6, 7).

12. Barrière selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9-11, caractérisée en ce que les vérins télescopiques (27, 29) de la barrière de lit sont constitués par les dispositifs déplaçables verticalement (6, 7) du dispositif auxiliaire.

13. L'utilisation d'une ou de plusieurs barrières selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1-12 pour montage sur un lit.

Drawing