AU655374B2

AU655374B2 - Bed head

Info

Publication number: AU655374B2
Application number: AU48737/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Henry Sydney Denham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-07
Filing date: 1993-10-01
Publication date: 1994-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-01
Also published as: AU4873793A

Description

i, 4 P:OOO" 01 28,S9 AU__ LL Regulation 3.2

AUTIRALIA

Patents Act 1990 655374 6RIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "BED HEAD" Invention Title: ED.HEAD..... i ,t 'The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best 'method of performing it known to me:- This invention relates to a bed head and in particular to a bed head incorporating a headboard which is able to be adjusted from an upright position to inclined positions so as to provide adjustable support for a person in the bed.

Various forms of bed heads have been known up until this time, but these have i S 5 often been difficult to operate and in some cases difficult and/or expensive to t t manufacture.

t The present invention sets out to provide a bed head which is straightforward t I and efficient in use and which goes some way towards overcoming or at least minimising problems associated with bed heads known and used up until this time.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a bed head including a frame locatable at a head end of a bed, right angled base members or feet and S(1) i Y

I

(2A) a headboard mounted to said frame, the frame being located such that it extends upwardly from and above an upper surface of said bed and or mattress thereon, at said head end of the bed. The rear surface of said headboard being formed or provided with laterally spaced apart elongate, slotted guides; at least one said guide being adjacent each rear side of said headboard; side members of said frame being formed or provided with engagement means adapted to slidably engage with the slots of respective laterally spaced apart guides; the arrangement being such that the headboard is mounted to said frame by said engagement means engaging within the elongate slots of said guides; the slidable relationship between said frame and said headboard facilitating movement of said headboard to and between a plurality of angled positions between and relative to said frame and said upper surface of said bed and/or mattress.

This invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, herein.

15 Fi.l. is a diagramtic side view of a bed, comprising base and mattress, with frame, base members and headboard, the headboard being in an incl A ed/angled position.

Fig 2. is a further diagramtic view of a headboard in an upright position, slidably engaged with an end frame.

ig is a side elevation view of Fig 1.

20 ig.4 is a drawing of the frame 1 and a right angled base me ;iber or feet 14.

ill

I

.4i~ 4S 4 S L sits t t t (2A) (3A) is a plan view and side elevation view of the elongate slotted guides 26. The bed head of the present invention can be constructed of any appropriate material such as metal, timber, plastic and the like. In the described invention the frame elements and base members/feet are of tubular construction and the headboard of compressed MDF board upholstered with polyurethane flexible foam 31. The elongate slotted guides are a combination of timber and steel strip.

In a preferred form of the invention and as shown in the accompanying drawings, an upwardly extending frame 1 is provided for location of a head end 2 of a bed.

The bed comprising a base 3 and a mattress 5 on which a person can rest or sleep.

The frame 1 preferably has two laterally spaced apart side members 6 which can be connected one to the other by transverse struts 7 7A or the like extending

'I

and between front surfaces of said side members 6. The side members 6 are 4 St, spaced apart laterally, one from the other by a distance substantially the same as t the width of the headboard 30 and are positioned at the head end 2 of the bed, so that upper portions of the side members 6 extend upwardly from the upper surface of the mattress Lower ends 12 of the side members 6 of the frame 1 fit into 14A section of the base members 14.

The height of the frame 1 can be adjusted to ensure that the bottom/lower end of the headboard 30 is slightly above the mattress 5 when in the upright position as illustrated in Fig 2. The height adjustment is made by lifting the frame 1 telescopically, made possible by the lower ends 12 of the side members 6 sliding in S(3A) 1 i i i i i :i r~ i Lr (4A)

S.

rL section 14A of the base members/feet 14. This procedure can be carried out by lifting from the lower end of the headboard 30 or from the transverse strut 7A.

Alternatively a handle (not shown) can be fitted to the rear surface 27 of the headboard 30. The frame can be secured at the required height by various locking means. A preferred form of locking in this invention is by means of two winged threaded bolts 16 (thumbscrew type) secured into nuts located over holes on each of section 14A of the base members/feet 14. The ends of said bolts 16 bearing onto a surface of the side members 6 lock the frame 1 at the required height.

The base members/feet 14 can either be bolted or otherwise secured to or integrally formed with an underside of the bed base 3 frame, or alternatively can be bolted or otherwise secured to the floor at the head end 2 of the bed; these members/feet 14 are spaced apart at a distance to allow the lower ends 12 of the side members 6 to fit into the section 14A of the base members/feet 14.

Referring further to the accompanying drawings, engagement lugs or members extend inwardly from positions at or adjacent to upper ends of the side members 6 of the frame 1 to slidably engage within slots 25 of slidable housings in guide means 26 provided on rear surface of a headboard 30 as will be described hereinafter.

The present invention therefore provides a headboard 30 of a width such as to provide an appropriate support for a person or persons in the bed. The headboard can be of a width such that two can be fitted to double or Queen size etc. beds. In the invention the front surface of the headboard 30 is padded by use (4A) of polyurethane flexible foam 31 and a textile cover; other appropriate methods can be used. Elongate and transversely or laterally spaced apart guides 26 are attached to or formed with a rear surface 27 of the headboard 30, one guide 26 being positioned adjacent each side of the headboard 30 on the rear surface thereof. The guides 26 are preferably provided with elongate slots 25 therein.

In Fig 2. of the drawings, there is shown an arrangement where the headboard can be stored or held in an upright position "flush" against the frame 1. Extended lower ends 26B of the guides 26A engaged over transverse strut 7A lock the headboard 30 in the upright position.

In use, the ei~gagement members or lugs 20 of the frame 1 are located within the slots 25 of the guides 26, so that the headboard is then slidably mounted relative to the frame 1 such that on movement of the headboard 30 relative to the frame 1, the engagement means or lugs 20 will be caused to slidably move within the slots 25 of the guides 26 to allow for a positioning of the headboard 30 in a varying number of positions and angles relative to the end frame 1 and the upper surface of the mattress 5 as indicated by way of example in Fig 1 and Fig 3 of the adrawings. It will be appreciated that the lower front edge of the headboard must be in a position against the upper surface of the mattress 5, so that the weight of a a a person leaning or resting on this (at a desired angle) will hold it in position.

When it is desired to move the headboard from the upright position as illustrated in Fig 2, to an angled position as shown in Fig 1 and Fig 3, the headboard 30 is lifted sufficiently for tlne extended ends 26B of the guides 26 to clear the r1- (6) transverse strut 7A, to allow for headboard 30 to be slidably adjusted to the desired angle. To return the headboard 30 from an angled position to the upright position it is slidably moved back towards and upward of the head end of the bed so that the extended ends 26B of the guides 26 engage over transverse strut 7A.

It is a simple task for these operations to be carried out by the person in the bed.

However, if the person in the bed is not capable of performing these operations they can be carried out for example, by a nurse with the person still in bed.

After the headboard 30 has been angled to its extremity from the upright locked position, further adjustment may be desired. This can be achieved by loosening the locking bolts 16 (thumbscrew type), lowering the height of the frame 1 and at the same time adjusting the headboard 30 to the required position and tightening the locking nuts 16. These adjustments would need to be carried out by someone other than the person in the bed.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiment described.

11 1 10 thelockng olt 16(thubscew ype) loerig te heghtof he fame1 ad a

Claims

2. A bed head as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower ends of side members of said frame fit telescopically into the right angled base members or feet, thereby providing means for adjusting the height of the bed head, the right angled base members or feet being provided with locking means allowing the frame to be locked at the required height. ~7~L HENRY SYDNEY DENHAM Applicant 31ST AUGUST 1994 Date 'i "c- .I i a I i *The claims defining the invention are as follows:- head for a bed, comprising a support frame lecatable at a head end of a bed, right angled base members or feet and a headboard aj stably mounted to the support frame whereby the headboard moveable from a vertical position to a plurality of angled po ions between and relative to said support frame and upper su ce of a bed, so as to offer support for the back of an occupa of the bed. 2. A bed head as aimed in claim 1 wherein the rear surface of the headb d is formed and provided with at least two laterally spaced apart elongate slotted guides at least one said guide being adjacent each rear J I--le 1 I 04 0 0 0 9* 90 0 t) 0 00 O 0.0 0 0 I 04 o
11- Phut Ai RAI A A iRUt 3. A bed head substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S4 0 a09 0 e 0 4 0V (Name of A plicant) (BLOCK LETTERz) Note: If there is insufficient space above to type the statement of claim, do not use this sheet, but use separate sheets of paper beginning with the words "The claims defining the invention are as follows:" and ending with the date and the name of the applicant in block letters. -I W P~ j r ABSTRACT A bed head with an adjustable headboard is disclosed. The unit consists of a support frame the uprights of which fit into angled legs (14A). A headboard (30) provided on the rear surface (27) with laterally spaced apart elongate slotted guides The slotted guides (26) engaging with lugs (20) on frame 1 allow the headboard to be adjusted from a vertical position to a numb of angled positions so as to give support to the back of a person in a bed to which the bed head is fitted. t t