Abstract: A sideguard pad for use in conjunction with a hospital bed having sideguards comprising a slipcover having one compartment adapted to fit over the sideguard, and a pad disposed in another compartment of the slipcover which positions the pad inboard of the sideguard. The pad is a slab of polyurethane foam which substantially covers the vertical plane of the sideguard, and includes an upper lip which substantially covers the upper edge of the sideguard. The slipcover is fabricated of urethane coated nylon or urethane coated polyester and includes zippers for removably inserting the pad within the slip cover, and Velcro.RTM. closures for securing the sideguard pad to the sideguard. Apertures are provided in the sideguard pad for accessing hospital bed controls located on the sideguard.

Abstract: A power column is a hollow post having six vertical walls and is mounted between horizontal arm pivoted to the floor and ceiling, respectively. The pivotal axis for the arms passes through the head end of a hospital bed, enabling the power column to swing from one side of the bed to the other. The electrical outlets are on two walls separated by a front wall so that one or the other of the walls is easily accessible whether the power column is on either side of the bed. Lateral horizontal rails are pivotably mounted on either side of the column. The height of the rails is adjustable. The rails contain one or more gas outlets which are laterally adjustable on the rail and can carry other accessories that are laterally adjustable.

Abstract: A hospital bed has a frame mounted on a base. Articulating head, seat and leg patient support panels are mounted on the frame. Side guards are mounted on the panels. Patient support panels have longitudinal edges that are collapsible to narrow the bed for transporting a patient. The side guards are inwardly movable to contribute to the narrowing of the bed while still protecting the patient from falling out of the bed.

Abstract: A heavy patient support is mounted on a base by load cell beams forming the transducer for a scale to weigh a patient. Each load cell has a cup, a ball and an inverted cup providing the sole support for the patient support. Thus, only vertical components of force are weighed, and lateral movement of the patient support with respect to the bed is minimized.

Abstract: A foot section for a birthing bed has a central panel and two lateral plates that function, in an inclined attitude, as footrests and in a vertical attitude as posts for receiving calf supports. The calf supports are stored in holsters on the underside of the footrests. The mattress is in three sections, with the outboard sections being hinged to a central section so as to be swung upwardly upon the central section thereby exposing the footrests without having to remove the whole foot section. The central panel can be removed with the mattress and is adapted to be stood on its end for temporary storage, thereby conserving floor space.

Abstract: A birthing bed has a base, an intermediate frame mounted on the base with a power-actuated linkage to raise and lower the intermediate frame with respect to the base. A main frame is pivotably mounted on the intermediate frame so that it can be shifted from a horizontal position to an inclined Trendelenburg position. The intermediate frame is adapted to be lowered to bring the patient support surface to a very low level. In that level, the bed can be shifted to a Trendelenburg position with limit switches causing the intermediate frame to rise in order to accommodate the shift of the main frame to the inclined Trendelenburg position.

Abstract: A side guard for a hospital birthing bed has an elongated control panel and a shallow inverted U-shaped handrail extending from the front to the rear of the panel. The handrail is spaced from the panel and provides multiple positions for the mother to grip the panel during the time of her labor. A parallelogram linkage is provided for shifting the side guard from an operative position above the patient support to an inoperative position tucked below the patient support. A dashpot is provided to dampen the speed of the movement from the operative position to the inoperative position.

Abstract: A hospital bed has a base and a patient support mounted on the base, the patient support including a head panel that pivots between a horizontal position and an upwardly-inclined position to raise the patient to a sitting attitude. The head panel is connected to a ball nut mounted on a screw driven by a motor to raise and lower the head panel. The ball nut has a ratcheting latch that enables the head panel to be lifted manually and prevents the head panel from being driven positively downwardly in such a way as to injure some thing or person in its path.

Abstract: A care cart and a hospital bed having mating bases to permit the care cart to nest with the hospital bed. The combination of cart and bed can be rolled from place to place to transport the patient and the cart can be removed from the bed while maintaining the life support systems connected to the patient while the patient is transferred to another patient support.

Abstract: A birthing bed has a base, a frame supported by a parallelogram linkage above the base and articulating body support panels mounted on the frame. A mechanism, mounted in the frame, is provided for raising and lowering of the frame with respect to the base and for operating the articulating body support panels. The body support panels include a head panel that is pivoted adjacent a seat panel. A flexible plastic shield overlies the joint between the seat and head panel to protect the operating mechanism from fluids discharged during the birthing process.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable computer mounting arm for mounting a computer to the wall of a patient treatment room allowing in the retracted position the computer to be stored close to the wall and in the extended position electronic information relating to the patient to be accessed through the computer at a point of patient care zone adjacent the patient but spaced from the wall, including a computer mounting bracket, a wall mounting bracket for mounting with respect to the wall of the patient treatment room, support arms extending between and pivotally connecting the computer mounting bracket and the wall mounting bracket permitting the computer mounting bracket to be articulated between the retracted and extended positions, a pneumatic spring to assist in extending and retracting the mounting arm, and a spring mount for mounting the wall bracket with respect to the wall permitting the wall mounting bracket to flex with respect to the wall on the imposition of a force to the computer mounting arm to preve

Abstract: A hospital bed has a frame mounted on a base. Articulating head, seat and leg patient support panels are mounted on the frame. Side guards are mounted on the panels. Patient support panels have longitudinal edges that are collapsible to narrow the bed for transporting a patient. The side guards are inwardly movable to contribute to the narrowing of the bed while still protecting the patient from falling out of the bed.

Abstract: A hospital bed has, at least at its head end, longitudinally extending inflatable mattress sections on each side of the bed. When those mattress sections are deflated, that portion of the bed can be narrowed to permit a nurse to move into the vacated space along side the bed and to permit hospital equipment such as an IV rack to be moved into the vacated spaced on the other side of the bed. Thus, the nurse can conveniently reach the patient as well as the patient care instruments on the opposite side of the bed.

Abstract: In a hospital room, arms are pivoted on vertical axes that pass through the head and foot ends of a patient's bed. One of the arms carries a computer terminal at its free end. The other arm carries a power column or a portion of a power column at its free end. The arms are swingable around the end of the bed and to either side of the bed, whereupon the person attending the patient can use the instruments on the arms at the point of care for the patient.

Abstract: A clutter-eliminating head wall for a hospital bed has two horizontally-spaced modules with services and service outlets mounted in the modules. The recess between the modules is covered by a removable panel. The modules are covered by sliding tambour doors that slide behind the center panel to provide access to the modules. A third module covered by sliding tambour doors houses medical services and service outlets may be used alone or in combination with the larger module.

Abstract: A birthing bed has a labor grip on each side. Each labor grip has a free end terminating in a triangular hand grip providing at least three gripping positions. The labor grip is pivotable between a vertical operative position and a horizontal storage position.

Abstract: A hospital bed is supported on a Y-shaped base to facilitate the introduction of a C-arm for imaging a patient's chest. Head guards are mounted on each side of the head end of the bed on linkages that permit the head guards to be swung toward the foot end of the bed to improve the positioning of the C-arm over the head end of the bed. The head panel has pivotable longitudinal edges to further improve the positioning of the C-arm over the head end of the bed. Pivotable longitudinal edges of the head and leg panels permit head and foot guards to be moved laterally inwardly to narrow the bed for transporting a patient.

Abstract: A hospital bed is supported on a Y-shaped base to facilitate the introduction of a C-arm for imaging a patient's chest. Head guards are mounted on each side of the head end of the bed on linkages that permit the head guards to be swung toward the foot end of the bed to improve the positioning of the C-arm over the head end of the bed. The head panel has pivotable longitudinal edges to further improve the positioning of the C-arm over the head end of the bed. Pivotable longitudinal edges of the head and leg panels permit head and foot guards to be moved laterally inwardly to narrow the bed for transporting a patient.

Abstract: A weigh bed having a support frame nested within a weigh frame. Vertical load links are connected between the load frame and weigh frame. The load links are attached to the respective frames by spherical bearings so as to eliminate any error in the weight measured arising out of the support frame being inclined at an angle to horizontal.

Abstract: A hospital bed has a support frame and a weigh frame mounted on the support frame by load cells. The output of the load cells is summed to provide a reading of the total weight on the weigh frame. The tare weight is subtracted to provide the patient's weight.