Bed with anti-rattle mechanism for a bed rail

Abstract

There is described a bed comprising a frame, a rail pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotable between a guardrail position and an open position, a distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position, and a resilient element mounted on the frame or on the rail or on both the frame and the rail to fill the distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position to thereby reduce rattling of the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position. The resilient element is preferably a resilient roller mounted on the frame, the roller engaging the rail when the rail is pivoted into the guardrail position.

1 . A bed comprising a frame, a rail pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotable between a guardrail position and an open position, a distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position, and a resilient element mounted on the frame or on the rail or on both the frame and the rail to fill the distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position to thereby reduce rattling of the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position.  
   
   
       2 . The bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is mounted on the frame.  
   
   
       3 . The bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is compressed between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position.  
   
   
       4 . The bed according to  claim 2 , wherein the resilient element is wedge-shaped.  
   
   
       5 . The bed according to  claim 3 , wherein the resilient element is a resilient roller which can rotate when engaged by the rail as the rail pivots between the guardrail and open positions.  
   
   
       6 . The bed according to  claim 5 , wherein the resilient roller is mounted on the frame by a mounting bracket.  
   
   
       7 . The bed according to  claim 5 , wherein the rail pivots in a plane and the resilient roller rotates in a plane orthogonal to the plane in which the rail pivots.  
   
   
       8 . The bed according to  claim 6 , wherein the resilient roller is made of natural or synthetic rubber.  
   
   
       9 . The bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the bed is a hospital or long-term care bed.  
   
   
       10 . A bed comprising a frame, a rail pivotally mounted on the frame and pivotable between a guardrail position and an open position, a distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position, and a resilient roller mounted on the frame to fill the distance between the frame and the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position to thereby minimize rattling of the rail when the rail is in the guardrail position.  
   
   
       11 . The bed according to  claim 10 , wherein the rail is pivotally mounted on the frame at two points.  
   
   
       12 . The bed according to  claim 11 , wherein the rail comprises two rail support structures mounted on the rail, the rail is pivotally mounted on the frame at each of the rail support structures.  
   
   
       13 . The bed according to  claim 12 , wherein there are two resilient rollers.  
   
   
       14 . The bed according to  claim 13 , wherein each rail support structure comprises a rail arm and the rail is pivotally mounted on the frame at each of the rail arms.  
   
   
       15 . The bed according to  claim 14 , wherein each rail arm is pivotally journaled in an arm holder mounted on the frame.  
   
   
       16 . The bed according to  claim 15 , wherein each rail arm comprises a collar for preventing the rail arm from slipping out of the arm holder.  
   
   
       17 . The bed according to  claim 16 , wherein the resilient rollers and the arm holders are mounted on the frame by mounting brackets.  
   
   
       18 . The bed according to  claim 17 , wherein the resilient roller is made of natural or synthetic rubber.  
   
   
       19 . The bed according to  claim 18 , wherein the bed is a hospital or long-term care bed.