Siderail assembly

Abstract

A siderail assembly comprises a siderail body, a siderail linkage, and a locking mechanism. The siderail linkage is configured to movably couple the siderail body to a frame of a person-support apparatus. The siderail linkage is configured to move the siderail body between a first position and a second position with respect to the frame. The siderail linkage includes a guide member. The locking mechanism includes a housing with a slot that defines a guide. The guide member is configured to move along the guide between a first guide position and a second guide position as the siderail body moves between the first position and the second position. The locking mechanism is configured to selectively prevent the guide member from moving along the guide to maintain the siderail body in at least one of the first position and second position

1 . A siderail assembly, comprising:
 a siderail body,   a siderail linkage configured to movably couple the siderail body to a frame of a person-support apparatus, the siderail linkage being configured to move the siderail body between a first position and a second position with respect to the frame, the siderail linkage including a guide member; and   a locking mechanism including a housing with a slot that defines a guide, the guide member being configured to move along the guide between a first guide position and a second guide position as the siderail body moves between the first position and the second position, the locking mechanism being configured to selectively prevent the guide member from moving along the guide to maintain the siderail body in at least one of the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the siderail linkage includes a link assembly, the guide member being coupled to the link assembly and configured to move along the guide as the link assembly moves with respect to the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The siderail assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the link assembly includes a first link and a second link, the first link being movably coupled to the siderail body at a first joint and movably coupled to the second link at a second joint, the guide member being coupled to the link assembly at the second joint. 
     
     
         4 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the siderail linkage includes a first link assembly and a second link assembly, the first link assembly and the second link assembly being movably coupled to the siderail body, the locking mechanism being movably coupled to the siderail body and positioned between the first link assembly and the second link assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the siderail linkage includes a first link assembly and a second link assembly, the first link assembly and the second link assembly being movably coupled to the siderail body, the guide member being coupled to the first link assembly and the second link assembly and extending therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the siderail linkage includes a first link assembly and a second link assembly, the first link assembly includes a first link and a second link and the second link assembly includes a third link and a fourth link, a first portion of the first link being movably coupled to a first portion of the siderail body at a first joint and a second portion of the first link being movably coupled to a first portion of the second link at a second joint, a first portion of the third link being movably coupled to a second portion of the siderail body at a third joint and a second portion of the third link being movably coupled to a first portion of the fourth link at a fourth joint, the guide member being coupled to the first link assembly at the second joint and the second link assembly at the fourth joint. 
     
     
         7 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member moves along the guide between a first guide position and a second guide position as the siderail body moves between a first position and a second position with respect to the frame, wherein the guide member is spaced apart from the frame a first distance when the guide member is in the first guide position and spaced apart from the frame a second distance when the guide member is in the second guide position, wherein the first distance is not equal to the second distance. 
     
     
         8 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member moves in a counter clock-wise direction with respect to the frame as the siderail body moves from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         9 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is recessed into the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a slide with an opening and a protrusion, the guide member being configured to pass through the opening and the protrusion being configured to move along the slot, the slot being recessed into the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The siderail assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the guide member is configured to rotate with respect to the slide. 
     
     
         12 . The siderail assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the slide includes a substantially flat portion configured to engage the housing of the locking mechanism to prevent the slide from rotating with respect to the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The siderail assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is an opening that extends through the housing. 
     
     
         14 . A siderail locking mechanism, comprising:
 a housing with a slot defining a guide having a first end and a second end;   a guide member coupled to a siderail linkage assembly and configured to move along the guide between a first guide position and a second guide position;   a stop member configured to move between a first stop position and a second stop position with respect to the housing, the stop member being configured to selectively prevent movement of the guide member along the guide when the stop member is in the first stop position; and   a stop support configured to move between a first support position and a second support position, the stop support being configured to maintain the stop member in the second stop position when the stop support is in the second support position, the guide member being configured to contact the stop support and move the stop support from the second support position to the first support position as the guide member moves along the guide toward the first guide position.   
     
     
         15 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14  further comprising a handle configured to move between a first handle position and a second handle position, the stop member being configured to be moved by the handle between the first stop position and the second stop position. 
     
     
         16 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14  further comprising a handle configured to move between a first handle position and a second handle position, the handle being coupled to the stop support by an elastic member. 
     
     
         17 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the stop member is positioned within the guide when the stop member is in the first stop position. 
     
     
         18 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the stop member and the stop support are positioned within the inner chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the slot is recessed into the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the slot is an opening that extends through the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the guide member is coupled to a first link assembly and a second link assembly, the housing being positioned between the first link assembly and the second link assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The siderail locking mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the housing is movably coupled to a frame of a person-support apparatus and a siderail body. 
     
     
         23 . The siderail assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a slide with an opening and a protrusion, the guide member being configured to pass through the opening and the protrusion being configured to move along the slot, the slot being recessed into the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The siderail assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the guide member is configured to rotate with respect to the slide. 
     
     
         25 . The siderail assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the slide includes a substantially flat portion configured to engage the housing of the locking mechanism to prevent the slide from rotating with respect to the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         26 . A method of moving a siderail between a first position to a second position, comprising:
 moving a handle from a first handle position to a second handle position to actuate a locking mechanism;   moving a stop member from a first stop position to a second stop position and a stop support from a first support position to a second support position as the handle moves from a first handle position to a second handle position, the stop support being configured to maintain the stop member in the second position when the stop support is in the second position; and   moving a guide member along a guide between a first guide position and a second guide position as the siderail moves between the first position to the second position, the stop member being configured to maintain the guide member in the first guide position when the stop member is in the first stop position.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of pushing the stop support from the second position to the first position with the guide member as the guide member moves toward the first position, the stop support disengaging the stop member as the stop support moves from the second position to the first position, the stop member moving from the second position to the first position to prevent the guide member from moving along the guide. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein an elastic member is coupled to the handle and stop support, the elastic member causing the stop support to rotate about a first axis from a first support position to a second support position as the handle translates from the first handle position to the second handle position, the elastic member causing the handle to translate from the second handle position to the first handle position as the stop support rotates about the first axis from the second support position to the first support position.