Abstract: A patient self-assist transfer aid provides an open box frame having a base for fitting beneath a mattress of a bed, a riser section extending upwardly from the base for extending around an edge of the mattress and a positioning section for extending out over the mattress from the riser section. The open box frame may be positioned around the mattress end at the foot of the bed to leave the major sides of the bed open for ease of access. A linkage is fitted to the positioning section of the open box frame and may be extended therefrom to position a handle within easy grasp of a person laying in the bed. A spring system urges the linkage outwardly, but is balanced by a motor and pulley system. A handle is pivotally attached to the linkage and for grasping by a patient recumbent in the bed for raising himself with motor assistance or for lowering himself into bed.

Abstract: A patient self-assist transfer aid provides an open box frame having a base for fitting beneath a mattress of a bed, a riser section extending upwardly from the base for extending around an edge of the mattress and a positioning section for extending out over the mattress from the riser section. The open box frame may be positioned around the mattress end at the foot of the bed to leave the major sides of the bed open for ease of access. A linkage is fitted to the positioning section of the open box frame and may be extended therefrom to position a handle within easy grasp of a person laying in the bed. A spring system urges the linkage outwardly, but is balanced by a motor and pulley system. A handle is pivotally attached to the linkage and for grasping by a patient recumbent in the bed for raising himself with motor assistance or for lowering himself into bed.

Abstract: A patient self-assist transfer aid provides an open box frame having a base for fitting beneath a mattress of a bed, a riser section extending upwardly from the base for extending around an edge of the mattress and a positioning section for extending out over the mattress from the riser section. The open box frame may be positioned around the mattress end at the foot of the bed to leave the major sides of the bed open for ease of access. A linkage is fitted to the positioning section of the open box frame and may be extended therefrom to position a handle within easy grasp of a person laying in the bed. A spring system biases the linkage to a retracted position in the open box frame. A handle is pivotally attached to the linkage and for grasping by a patient recumbent in the bed or lowering him or herself into bed.

Abstract: A ball and socket bearing having a spherical ball member positioned within a non-metallic, molded bearing material which is in turn molded within a socket formed in a socket member. The socket provides openings on either side of the equator of the ball member having a radius less than the radius of the equator of the ball member so that a metal-to-metal interference prevents lateral separation of the members even in the event of bearing material failure. Further, the bearing material is relatively thin, at least between the ball member and socket adjacent to the lateral opening, so that the bearing material can support high lateral loads.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly includes a body member having a socket defined by a cylindrical side wall and a bottom wall. A ball stud having a ball end portion is received in the socket, and is adapted to swivel with respect to the body member through a predetermined cone angle. The ball end is retained in the socket by a split retaining ring having a circular cross section which cooperates between the socket and the ball end portion to prevent removal of the ball end portion from the socket. The ring is seated in an arcuate annular seat formed in the cylindrical side wall of the socket, and has an arcuate extent of less than 180 degrees from an intersection of the seat and the socket side wall. A conical bearing wall extends upwardly and inwardly from the arcuate seat to the socket side wall, and is tangent to the arcuate annular seat.