Frame structure for use with patient support

[0001] This disclosure claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/345,918 which was filed Jan. 3, 2002 and is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] This disclosure relates to structures for supporting equipment and accessories associated with care of patients.

[0003] Medical facilities contain a variety of medical equipment and accessories to care for patients. Such equipment and accessories include, for example, intravenous (IV) infusion pumps, IV bags, medical gas equipment, and monitors, to name just a few. Structures are often used to support such equipment and accessories.

[0004] A frame structure for use with a patient support to support equipment and accessories above a patient on the patient support is disclosed. The frame structure comprises a head end frame portion to extend upwardly from a head end of the patient support over the patient and toward a foot end of the patient support to terminate with a distal portion. The frame structure further comprises a side frame portion to extend upwardly selectively from either of the longitudinally extending sides of the patient support to couple to the distal portion of the head end frame portion.

[0005] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a coupler comprises first and second clamps to be attached to an object such as a cylindrical member. The first and second clamps open in opposite directions to receive and extend about the object. Illustratively, the coupler is attachable to the frame structure to interconnect portions of the frame structure or to attach equipment and accessories to the frame structure.

[0006] Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description exemplifying the best mode as presently perceived.

[0007] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patient care apparatus comprising a patient support and a frame structure extending upwardly from the patient support to support equipment and accessories, the frame structure comprising a tank mount to support a tank (e.g., oxygen tank) adjacent the head end of the patient support;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing a side frame portion of the frame structure selectively attachable to either side of the patient support and either side of a head end frame portion of the frame structure;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the frame structure;

[0011] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0012] FIG. 5 is a top plan view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

[0013] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

[0014] FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 5;

[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the frame structure of FIGS. 1-7 comprising a different tank mount;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the frame structure with the tank mount of FIG. 8;

[0017] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9;

[0018] FIG. 11 is a top plan view taken along lines 11-11 of FIG. 9;

[0019] FIG. 12 is a front elevation view taken along lines 12-12 of FIG. 11;

[0020] FIG. 13 is a rear elevation view taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 11;

[0021] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a coupler comprising a hook to attach equipment and accessories to the frame structure;

[0022] FIG. 15 is a side elevation view taken along lines 15-15 of FIG. 14;

[0023] FIG. 16 is a top plan view taken along lines 16-16 of FIG. 15;

[0024] FIG. 17 is an end elevation view taken along lines 17-17 of FIG. 15;

[0025] FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along lines 18-18 of FIG. 15;

[0026] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a cylindrical member extending between a pair of oppositely facing clamps of the coupler before attachment of the cylindrical member to the coupler;

[0027] FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the clamps attached to the cylindrical member upon relative movement of the coupler and the cylindrical member about an axis of rotation; and

[0028] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another coupler for attaching the side frame portion of the frame structure to the head end frame portion of the frame structure.

[0029] A patient care apparatus 10 comprises a frame structure 12 for use with a patient support 14, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-2. The frame structure 12 is configured to extend upwardly from the patient support 14 to support equipment and accessories above a patient on the patient support 14. Such equipment and accessories may include, for example, one or more of a monitor 15, an infusion pump 17, an IV bag 19 associated with the infusion pump 17, and/or the like.

[0030] The patient support 14 is, for example, a hospital bed. The patient support 14 comprises a head end 16, a foot end 18, longitudinally extending sides 20, head end corner portions 22, and foot end corner portions 24, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The patient support 14 further comprises a frame 26. The frame 26 comprises a base 28 with casters 30 for movement of the patient support 14 along a floor, an intermediate frame 31, an articulating patient support deck 32 mounted on the intermediate frame 31, and a lift mechanism 34 attached to the intermediate frame 31 for moving the intermediate frame 31 and the articulating patient support deck 32 relative to the base 28. A mattress 36 is positioned on the articulating patient support deck 32. Examples of patient supports useful as the patient support 14 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,336,235; 6,216,293; 6,212,714; 6,279,183; 6,047,424; 6,119,291; 5,940,910; 5,682,631; 5,692,256; 5,715,548; 5,724,685; 5,732,423; 5,745,937; 5,771,511; 5,781,949; and 5,630,238, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0031] The frame structure 12 comprises a head end frame portion 38 and a side frame portion 40 attachable to the head end frame portion 38, as shown in FIGS. 1-7. The head end frame portion 38 and the side frame portion 40 are configured to support equipment and accessories. The head end frame portion 38 extends upwardly from the head end 16 over the patient support 14 and toward the foot end 18. The head end frame portion 38 terminates at a distal portion 42. The side frame portion 40 extends upwardly selectively from either side 20 and attaches to the distal portion 42 of the head end frame portion 38. The side frame portion 40 is spaced apart from one of the sides 20 to leave open generally that side 20 of the patient support 14 to facilitate access to the patient thereon. The side frame portion 40 is selectively attachable to either side 20 of the patient support 14, as suggested in FIG. 2.

[0032] The head end frame portion 38 comprises a side portion 44 extending upwardly from each head end corner portion 22 and a transverse portion 46 extending between the side portions 44, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5. Each side portion 44 comprises an upright portion 48 extending upwardly from the associated head end corner portion 22 and an intermediate portion 50 extending upwardly from the upright portion 48. The transverse portion 46 extends horizontally between upper end portions of the intermediate portions 50. The transverse portion 46 and the upper end portions of the intermediate portions 50 provide the distal portion 42 of the head end frame portion 38. Each intermediate portion 50 curves toward the foot end 18 to prevent the head end frame portion 38 from bumping a room wall adjacent the patient support 14 during tilting of the articulating deck 32 and the intermediate frame 31 to the trendelenberg position in which the head end 16 is lower than the foot end 18.

[0033] Each upright portion 48 comprises an attachment portion 52. The attachment portion 52 provides a lower end portion of the upright portion 48 and is configured to attach to the associated head end corner portion 22 which comprises a collar that receives the attachment portion 52 therein.

[0034] Each upright portion 48 comprises a transition portion 54 that extends upwardly from the associated attachment portion 52 to the associated intermediate portion 50, as shown in FIGS. 1-7. The transition portion 54 is configured to support equipment and accessories, such as a monitor 15 (see FIG. 1), in a position so that such equipment and accessories do not increase the overall length or width of the patient support 14. The transition portion 54 comprises a lower inclined portion 56, a vertical portion 58, and an upper inclined portion 60. The lower inclined portion 56 extends upwardly and transversely inwardly from the associated attachment portion 52. The upper inclined portion 56 provides an upper end portion of the upright portion 48 and extends downwardly and transversely inwardly from a lower end portion of the associated intermediate portion 50 to the vertical portion 58. The vertical portion 58 extends between the lower and upper inclined portions 56, 60.

[0035] The head end frame portion 38 comprises a tank mount 62 configured to support a tank 64 containing, for example, oxygen, as shown in FIGS. 1-7. The tank mount 62 comprises a generally straight first rod 66 attached to and extending between the vertical portions 58 of the transition portions 54. The tank mount 62 further comprises a second rod 68 attached to and extending between and in front of the vertical portions 58 of the transition portions 54. The rods 66, 68 support and contain the tank 64 lying down on its side.

[0036] An alternative tank mount 70 configured to support tank 64 lying down is shown in FIGS. 8-13. The tank mount 70 comprises a headboard 72 and headboard mounting bars 74 to couple the headboard 72 to the vertical portions 58 of the transition portions 54. The tank mount 70 further comprises a number of curved tank supports 76 attached to and extending upwardly and longitudinally outwardly from the headboard 72 to receive and contain the tank 64. Illustratively, there are three curved tank supports 76. It should be appreciated that there could be only two tank supports or only one somewhat elongated tank support to receive and contain the tank 64.

[0037] The side frame portion 40 comprises a vertical portion 78 and a horizontal portion 80, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. The vertical portion 78 and the horizontal portion 80 are illustratively configured as one piece such that the side frame portion 40 is generally L-shaped. A lower end, attachment portion 79 of the vertical portion 78 extends into a collar of a mounting bracket 82 attached to the intermediate frame 31. An example of a mounting bracket useful as the mounting bracket 82 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,293. The vertical portion 78 extends upwardly from the mounting bracket 82 to an upper end portion of the vertical portion 78. The horizontal portion 80 extends horizontally from the upper end portion of the vertical portion 78 to the transverse portion 46 adjacent one of the side portions 44.

[0038] One or more couplers 84 are attachable to the frame structure 12 to mount equipment and accessories thereto, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, couplers 84 are employed to attach one of the monitors 15, the infusion pump 17, and the IV bag 19 to the head end frame portion 38. One or more couplers 84 could also be employed to attach equipment and accessories to the side frame portion 40.

[0039] The coupler 84 comprises a first support member 86 and a second support 88 attached to the first support member 86, as shown in FIGS. 14-20. The first support member 86 is configured to attach to an object such as a cylindrical member 90. Illustratively, the side portions 44, the transverse portion 46, and the side frame portion 40 are cylindrical and thus are examples of such a cylindrical member 90 to which the coupler 84 is attachable. The second support member 88 comprises a hook 92 configured to carry equipment and accessories.

[0040] The first support member 86 comprises first and second resilient clamps 94, 96 configured to clamp the cylindrical member 90, as shown in FIGS. 14-20. The clamps 94, 96 provide a channel 97 having a channel axis 98 common to both clamps 94, 96. The clamps 94, 96 are spaced apart axially along the channel axis 98 and face in opposite directions. The first support member 86 further comprises an intermediate portion 100 extending between the first and second clamps 94, 96.

[0041] Each clamp 94, 96 comprises a distal end portion 110 and a proximal end portion 112, as shown in FIGS. 14, 19, and 20. Each proximal end portion 112 is attached to the intermediate portion 100. Each distal end portion 110 is spaced apart from the associated proximal end portion 112 to provide an opening 114 into the channel 97. The first clamp 94 extends from its proximal end portion 112 about the channel axis 98 to its distal end portion 110 in a first direction. The second clamp 96 extends from its proximal end portion 112 about the channel axis 98 to its distal end portion 110 in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Each clamp 94, 96 extends more than 180 and less than 360 about the channel axis 98. The first clamp 94 has a C-shaped cross-section transverse to the channel axis 98 (see FIG. 17). The second clamp 96 has a backward C-shaped cross-section transverse to the channel axis 98 (see FIG. 18).

[0042] The coupler 84 attaches to the cylindrical member 90 upon relative rotation between the coupler 84 and the cylindrical member 90, as shown in FIGS. 19-20. To attach the coupler 84 to the cylindrical member 90, the coupler 84 and the cylindrical member 90 are initially relatively positioned such that the cylindrical member 90 extends between the clamps 94, 96 and a longitudinal axis 116 of the cylindrical member 90 is transverse to the channel axis 98. The coupler 84 and the cylindrical member 90 are then relatively moved about an axis of rotation 118 transverse to the channel axis 98 and the longitudinal axis 116. During such relative movement about axis 118, axially spaced apart portions of the cylindrical member 90 engage the distal end portions 110 of the clamps 94, 96 thereby causing the distal end portions 110 to move somewhat away from their proximal end portions 112 to allow the axially spaced apart portions of the cylindrical member 90 to pass through the openings 114 into the channel 97.

[0043] When the axially spaced apart portions of the cylindrical member 90 enter the channel 97, the distal end portions 110 move back toward the proximal end portions 112 such that the clamps 94, 96 fit over and extend about the axially spaced apart portions of the cylindrical member 90 to clamp the cylindrical member 90 in the channel 97. The channel axis 98 generally coincides with the longitudinal axis 116 of the cylindrical member 90 when the clamps 94, 96 clamp the cylindrical member 90 in the channel 97.

[0044] A coupler 120 is configured to attach the horizontal portion 80 of the side frame portion 40 to the transverse portion 46, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, 5-13, and 21. The coupler 120 comprises the first support member 86 which attaches to the transverse portion 46 of the head end frame portion 38. The coupler 120 further comprises a second support member 122 different from the second support member 88 of the coupler 84. Rather than having a hook 92 like the coupler 84, the second support member 122 is configured as a sleeve providing an opening 124 through which an end portion of the horizontal portion 80 extends to mount the horizontal portion 80 to the second support member 122. There are a variety of ways that the end portion of the horizontal portion 80 can be coupled to the second support member 122. The end portion may simply be inserted into the second support member 122, press fit into the second support member 122, threaded into the second support member 122, bonded to the second support member 122, and/or the like.