Integrated folding bedrail mount and handle for a patient monitor

Abstract

A monitor having an integral handle and bedrail mount element pivotally connected to an upper surface. The integral handle and bedrail mount element being movable between an open position, for carrying and/or mounting, and a closed position in which the handle and bedrail mount element is unobtrusively folded away into a recess in the upper surface of the monitor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a handle for a patient monitor. More specifically, the invention relates to a folding handle for a patient monitor having an integral bedrail mount.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Portable monitors have been developed to move with the patient within a hospital setting. Portable monitors, such as the Passport 2® monitor, manufactured by Datascope Corp. (Montvale, N.J.), are used in emergency departments, operating rooms and other departments of a hospital that may transport a patient from the patient's room to another area such as X-Ray or imaging. The portable monitor is needed in these transport situations whenever a patient is considered less than stable or above normal risk.

[0005] High risk or unstable patients are generally transported on a hospital bed or gurney. A typical hospital bed has a generally rectangular tubular metal frame construction with supports for a mattress and with a wheeled undercarriage. The mattress frame is typically supported on the wheeled undercarriage by an arrangement of collapsible legs so that the bed can be collapsed together for carriage in an ambulance. The bed may be supplied with various additional members, for example side rails. A typical hospital bed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,027, issued on Jul. 25, 1995 to Bourgraf et al., herein incorporated by reference.

[0006] Transporting a patient generally requires a bed switch. Bed switching requires the transfer to the destination bed of any medical monitoring equipment connected to the first bed. During transportation, medical monitors are typically either mounted on a rolling stand or are hooked onto a side rail via a bracket projecting from a rear surface of the monitor. For those monitors with a bracket, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,170, issued to Lewis on Jan. 4, 1994, the monitor must be lifted off the existing bed and connected to the transfer bed. The monitor is also removed from a patient's bed when there is a need to use the monitor for another patient.

[0007] Most hospitals are very hectic and chaotic, especially in emergency situations. The existence of the protruding bracket from the rear surface of the portable monitor creates the danger that the bracket will become entangled with other neighboring equipment or that it may hit something or someone while the monitor is being moved.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,674, assigned to Datascope Investment Corp., discloses a unique foldable monitor bedrail which effectively address the above described concerns. The bedrail mount disclosed comprises a pair of U-shaped brackets pivotally connected on one end to a surface of a patient monitor and pivotally connected on the opposite end to a connecting rod. The U-shaped brackets pivot relative to the monitor and connecting rod between an open position, in which the monitor may be mounted on a bed rail, and a folded position, in which the mount assembly lies compactly against the rear surface of the monitor. One potential problem with the above described folding bedrail mount is its complexity and cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to produce an inexpensive patient monitor bedrail mount capable of folding flat against a surface of a monitor when not in use.

[0010] It is a further object of the invention to incorporate a bedrail mount into a part, such as a handle, that is commonly provided as standard medical monitor equipment.

[0011] The invention is an integrated folding bedrail mount and handle for a patient monitor. The handle, comprising two pivoting support members connected by a cross handle member, is pivotally connected to an upper surface of the monitor. The handle pivots between an open position and a closed position in which at least a portion of the handle folds into a recess in the upper surface of the monitor. The two pivoting support members of the handle each have an integrated hook which together serve as bedrail mount when the handle is in the open position.

[0012] To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a patient monitor having the folding bedrail mount of the present invention in an open/unfolded position.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the patient monitor having the folding bedrail mount in a closed/folded position.

[0016] FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the folding bedrail mount assembly.

[0017] FIG. 4 is rear perspective view of the patient monitor with the bedrail mount mounted to a bedrail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a rear perspective view of a patient monitor 10 having a handle 12, a rear surface 14, an upper surface 16, and a display surface 18. Handle 12 comprises a pair of pivoting support members 20 interconnected by a handle cross member 22. Handle 12 is pivotally connected by a pair of pins 24 to patient monitor 10, as best seen in the exploded view of FIG. 3. One pin 24 passes through a lumen 26 in each pivoting support member 20 and snap into holes or grooves 28. Pins 24 are held in place through a press-fit, or some other common method known in the art for securing a pivot pin.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates patient monitor 10 with handle 12 in an open position. In the open position monitor 10 can be easily mounted on or removed from a railing 30 on a hospital bed or gurney, see FIG. 4, via hook portions 34 of each support member 20. For clarity, only the railing portion of the hospital bed is shown in FIG. 4. For transport one supports monitor 10 by holding cross member 12. Note that hook portions 34 may have the shape of a traditional hook or any other shape appropriate for hanging purposes, such as a C, U, or bracket shape. Note further that although hook portions 34 are illustrated as integrally formed with support members 20 it is anticipated to connect a bracket element to straight or other shaped handle support member via a bolt, adhesive, or other known fastening or bonding means. The bracket element may have the shape of a traditional hook or any other shape appropriate for hanging purposes, such as a C, U, or bracket shape. In which case, recess 32 will have to be adapted to assure an unobtrusive handle in the closed position.

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates patient monitor 10 with handle 12 in a closed position. In the closed position, after having been pivoted about pins 24, handle 12 is folded into a recess 32 in upper surface 16 and rear surface 14 of monitor 10. Recess 32 allows handle 12 to fold away unobtrusively. Recess 32, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, is formed in both upper surface 16 and rear surface 14; however, if handle 12 is sized smaller a recess in the upper surface may only be necessary.

[0021] Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments. Accordingly, although the foldable mount assembly has been described for use with a monitor it should be noted that use of said assembly is anticipated for the hanging or mounting of any type of device, including but not limited to patient monitors.

Claims

1. A monitor having a display surface, an opposing rear surface, an upper surface, and a handle, said handle comprising a pair of support members interconnected by a cross member, said support members having an integral hook portion and being pivotally connected on one end to the upper surface of the monitor.

2. The monitor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper surface of the monitor contains a recess into which the handle may at least partially be folded.

3. The monitor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper surface of the monitor contains a recess into which the handle may at least partially be folded, one end of each support member is pivotally connected to the monitor in the recess.

4. The monitor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support members have the shape of a hook.

5. A monitor having a display surface, an opposing rear surface, an upper surface, and a handle, said handle comprising a pair of support members interconnected by a cross member, said support members having a bracket element connected to it and said support members being pivotally connected on one end to the upper surface of the monitor.

6. The monitor as claimed in claim 5 wherein the upper surface of the monitor contains a recess into which the handle may at least partially be folded.

7. The monitor as claimed in claim 5 wherein the upper surface of the monitor contains a recess into which the handle may at least partially be folded, one end of each support member is pivotally connected to the monitor in the recess.

8. The monitor as claimed in claim 5 wherein the bracket element has the shape of a hook.