ELECTRIC BED

Abstract

An electric bed includes a frame, a board assembly supported on the frame, a mattress supported on the board assembly, and an air cushion provided between the board assembly and the mattress. The air cushion can be located in various positions. Thus, the air cushion can support various portions of a user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an electric bed and, more particularly, to an air cushion for use in an electric bed.

2. Related Prior Art

Taiwanese Patent I252091 discloses an electric bed including a frame 30, a mattress 10 supported on the frame 30, and two air cushions 60 and 62 supported on the mattress 10. The neck and waist of a user are supported by the air cushions 60 and 62 when the user sits on the electric bed. However, the air cushions 60 and 62 should be deflated to make the user feel comfortable when the user lies on the electric bed because the air cushions 60 and 62 are in direct contact with the user. In addition, the air cushions 60 and 62 cannot support any other portions of the user such as the waist and back because the air cushions 60 and 62 are in fixed positions on the mattress 10.

Taiwanese Patent M458960 discloses an electric bed including a frame 10 for supporting an air cushion 30. The frame 10 includes a stationary portion 12 for supporting a movable portion 14 so that the movable portion 14 is movable relative to the stationary portion 12 between a closed position P1 and an open position P2. A face 121 of the stationary portion 12 is in contact with a face 141 of the movable portion 14. The air cushion 30 is located between the face 121 of the stationary portion 12 and the face 141 of the movable portion 14. The air cushion 30 includes an aperture 32 for receiving a sound-making element 34. The sound-making element 34 can be actuated by air leaving the air cushion 30 through the aperture 32 when the air cushion 30 is squeezed, as well as a user, between the stationary portion 12 and the movable portion 14. Thus, the safety of the user is improved. However, the air cushion 30 cannot support any other portions of the user such as the waist and the back because the air cushion 30 is in a fixed position on the frame 10.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an electric bed for providing comfortable support for a user.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the electric bed includes a frame, a board assembly supported on the frame, a mattress supported on the board assembly, and an air cushion provided between the board assembly and the mattress. The air cushion can be inflated to cause the mattress to bulge to support a user.

Advantageously, the air cushion indirectly supports a user via the mattress so that the user feels comfortable whether lying or sitting on the electric bed. Moreover, the air cushion can be located in various positions. Thus, the air cushion can support various portions of the user such as the hips, waist, back, neck and head via the mattress.

In another aspect, the air cushion includes an entrance and a vent. Air can be pumped into the air cushion via the entrance. The air can be released from the air cushion via the vent.

In another aspect, the air cushion is attached to the board assembly by at least one fastener such as a screw or threaded bolt.

In another aspect, there is at least one hook-and-loop means operable for attach the air cushion to the board assembly.

In another aspect, the air cushion includes at least one tying unit secured to the board assembly. The tying unit includes a strap and a buckle. The strap is engaged with the buckle after the strap is provided around the air cushion. Thus, the air cushion is attached to the board assembly by the tying unit.

In another aspect, the tying unit includes a rope. The rope is tied after the rope is provided around the air cushion. Thus, the air cushion is attached to the board assembly by the tying unit.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of four embodiments referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electric bed according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric bed shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electric bed according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the electric bed shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the electric bed, with an air cushion located in another position than shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an air cushion for use in an electric bed according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an air cushion for use in an electric bed according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric bed 10 includes a frame 14, a board assembly 20, a mattress 12 and an air cushion 30 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In operation, the frame 14 is supported on a floor in a conventional manner. The board assembly 20 is supported on the frame 14. The mattress 12 is supported on the board assembly 20. The air cushion 30 is located between the board assembly 20 and the mattress 12.

The board assembly 20 includes a lower leg-supporting board 22, an upper leg-supporting board 24, a waist-supporting board 26 and a backrest board 28. The boards 22, 24, 26 and 28 are separated from one another and supported on the frame 14.

The air cushion 30 can be inflated to cause a portion of the mattress 12 to bulge. The air cushion 30 includes two flat portions 32 each formed near an end. The air cushion 30 are secured to the waist-supporting board 26 with two fasteners 40 such as screws or threaded bolts inserted in the waist-supporting board 26 via the flat portions 32. The air cushion 30 is provided on a face of the board assembly 20 that faces the mattress 12. Thus, the air cushion 30 causes the portion of the mattress 12 to bulge to support the hips of a user.

Alternatively, the air cushion 30 can be secured to the lower leg-supporting board 22, the upper leg-supporting board 24 or the backrest board 28 with the fasteners 40. Thus, the air cushion 30 causes another portion of the mattress 12 to bulge to support another portion of the user.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 5, there is an electric bed 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment present invention except for two things. Firstly, the board assembly 20 includes a headrest board 21 in addition to the boards 22, 24, 26 and 28. The headrest board 21 and the backrest board 28 are connected to a lifting unit 16 that is in turn connected to the frame 14. Secondly, two hook-and-loop means are used instead of the flat portions 32 and the fasteners 40. Each of the hook-and-loop means includes a hook means 34 and a loop means 36.

Referring to FIG. 4, the hook means 34 is secured to the backrest board 28. The loop means 36 is secured to the air cushion 30. The air cushion 30 is attached to the backrest board 28 as the loop means 36 is engaged with the hook means 34. Thus, the air cushion 30 causes the portion of the mattress 12 to bulge to support the waist or back of the user.

Referring to FIG. 5, alternatively, an additional hook means 34 is secured to the headrest board 21. The air cushion 30 is attached to the headrest board 21 as the loop means 36 is engaged with the additional hook means 34. Thus, the air cushion 30 causes the portion of the mattress 12 to bulge to support the hips of the user.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is an air cushion 30 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is like the first embodiment except for two things. Firstly, the air cushion 30 further includes an entrance 38 and a vent 31. Air can be pumped into the air cushion 30 via the entrance 38. The air can be released from the air cushion 30 via the vent 31. Secondly, the air cushion 30 includes two tying units 42 instead of the flat portions 32 and the fasteners 40. The tying units 42 are secured to a portion of the board assembly 20 such as the backrest board 28. Each of the tying units 42 includes a strap 44 and a buckle 46. The strap 44 is engaged with the buckle 46 after the strap 44 is provided around the air cushion 30. Thus, the air cushion 30 is tied to the backrest board 28 by the tying units 42. The air cushion 30 can support the back of the user. The strap 44 can be disengaged from the buckle 46 to detach the air cushion 30 from the backrest board 28.

The strap 44 can alternatively be attached to the lower leg-supporting board 22, the upper leg-supporting board 24 or the waist-supporting board 26. Thus, the air cushion 30 is tied to the lower leg-supporting board 22, the upper leg-supporting board 24 or the waist-supporting board 26 by the tying units 42. The air cushion 30 can support another portion of the user.

Referring to FIG. 7, there are tying units 42 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is like the third embodiment except that each of the tying units 42 includes a rope 48 that extends through a ring (not numbered) secured to a portion of the board assembly 20 such as the backrest board 28. The rope 48 can be tied after it is provided around the air cushion 30 to attach the air cushion 30 to the board assembly 20.

In each of the tying units 42, the rope 48 can be replaced with two ropes each includes an end secured to the air cushion 30 and a free end. Thus, in each of the typing units 42, the ring can be omitted. The ropes of each of the typing units 42 can be tied after they are provided around the air cushion 30 to attach the air cushion 30 to the board assembly 20.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An electric bed comprising:

a frame;

a board assembly supported on the frame;

a mattress supported on the board assembly; and

an air cushion provided between the board assembly and the mattress, wherein the air cushion causes the mattress to bulge to support a portion of a user as the air cushion is inflated.

2. The electric bed according to claim 1, wherein the air cushion is operable to cause a portion of the mattress to bulge to support the user's hips, waist, back, neck or head.

3. The electric bed according to claim 1, wherein the air cushion comprises an entrance.

4. The electric bed according to claim 3, wherein the air cushion further comprises a vent.

5. The electric bed according to claim 1, wherein the air cushion is attached to the board assembly via a fastener.

6. The electric bed according to claim 5, wherein the fastener is a screw.

7. The electric bed according to claim 1, further comprising at least one hook-and-loop means for attaching the air cushion to the board assembly.

8. The electric bed according to claim 1, further comprising at least one tying unit secured to the board assembly and operable to tie the air cushion to the board assembly.

9. The electric bed according to claim 8, wherein the tying unit comprises a strap and a buckle, and the strap is engaged with the buckle after the strap is provided around the air cushion.

10. The electric bed according to claim 8, wherein the tying unit comprises at least one rope secured to the board assembly, and the rope is tied after it is provided around the air cushion.