Adjustable bed

Abstract

An adjustable bed provides a selective rocking motion. The bed has a plurality of body support sections mounted in relation to a moveable cradle. The body support sections include at least an adjustable back section and a fixed middle section adjacent to the back section, and optionally an adjustable upper leg section adjacent to the middle section and an adjustable lower leg/foot section pivotally connected with respect to the upper leg section. The body support sections are mounted with respect to the cradle to allow angular adjustment of their relative positions to alter the configuration of the bed. The cradle is movably mounted on or in relation to an intermediate support carriage for fore and aft rocking movement with respect thereto. The intermediate support carriage is movably mounted on or in relation to a fixed base for translational movement with respect thereto in response to angular adjustment of the back section and/or rocking movement of the cradle.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An adjustable bed, comprising:
 a plurality of body support sections, a moveable cradle, a movable intermediate support carriage and a stationary fixed base,   said body support sections including at least an adjustable back section and a non-adjustable middle section adjacent to the back section; said middle section being fixed in relation to the cradle, the said at least one adjustable body support section being movably mounted with respect to the cradle to allow angular adjustment of its relative position to alter the configuration of the bed;   the cradle being mounted for movement relative to the intermediate support carriage for fore and aft rocking movement with respect thereto;   the intermediate support carriage being mounted for movement relative to the stationary fixed base for translational movement with respect thereto in response to angular adjustment of the said back section and/or said rocking movement of the cradle.   
     
     
         36 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: the said cradle comprises a pair of spaced apart elongate parallel side panels. 
     
     
         37 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein: the said elongate parallel side panels are fixedly connected together. 
     
     
         38 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein: said parallel side panels comprise part of a sub-assembly moveably mounted with respect to the said intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         39 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein: said cradle is movably mounted with respect to said intermediate support carriage by guide means. 
     
     
         40 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein: said guide means comprises bearing means associated with one of the said cradle and said intermediate support carriage and a guide associated with the other of the said cradle and intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         41 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein: said guide is arcuate. 
     
     
         42 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein: said bearing means is carried by the said side panels and the guide is carried by said intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         43 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: the said intermediate support carriage comprises a pair of spaced apart elongate parallel side panels. 
     
     
         44 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein: the said elongate parallel side panels of the intermediate support are fixedly connected together. 
     
     
         45 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein: respective side panels of said cradle and intermediate support carriage lie adjacent one another on opposing lateral sides of the bed. 
     
     
         46 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 45 , wherein: said parallel side panels of the said cradle comprise part of a first sub-assembly and said parallel side panels of the said intermediate support comprise part of a second sub-assembly movably mounted with respect to the first sub assembly. 
     
     
         47 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 46 , wherein: said parallel side panels of the said cradle are movably mounted and nest with the side panels of the intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         48 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 47 , wherein: said parallel side panels of the said cradle are movably mounted and nest within the side panels of the intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         49 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein: the said base comprises a generally rectangular frame having a pair of spaced apart elongate parallel side panels. 
     
     
         50 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein: respective side panels of the intermediate support carriage and base lie adjacent one another on opposing lateral sides of the bed. 
     
     
         51 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein: the said parallel side panels of the said intermediate support carriage are movably mounted and nest with the side panels of the base. 
     
     
         52 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 51 , wherein: said parallel side panels of the intermediate support carriage are movably mounted and nest within the side panels of the base. 
     
     
         53 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein: the side panels of the base provide a guard on respective sides of the bed. 
     
     
         54 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: said intermediate support carriage is movably mounted with respect to said base by guide means. 
     
     
         55 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein: said guide means comprises bearing means carried by the said base and a guide provided on or in the said intermediate support carriage. 
     
     
         56 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 55 , wherein: said guide is linear. 
     
     
         57 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 56 , wherein: said linear guide is inclined so that the intermediate support carriage moves rearwards and upwards with respect to the base in one direction and forwards and downward in the other direction. 
     
     
         58 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein: the intermediate support carriage moves rearwards and upwards with respect to the base in response to the adjustable backrest being raised, and forwards and downwards with respect to the base when the backrest is lowered. 
     
     
         59 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein: the or each adjustable body support section comprises a pair of curved guides connected to respective opposite lateral sides thereof, bearing means being connected to respective opposite lateral sides of the cradle, said curved guides being arranged to run on said bearing means to permit said angular adjustment about a pivot axis defined by the centre of curvature of said curved guides. 
     
     
         60 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 59 , further comprising restraining means for maintaining engagement of said curved guides on said bearing means through said angular adjustment. 
     
     
         61 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 60 , wherein: said restraining means comprises, on each lateral side of the cradle, means for resisting sideways lateral movement of the respective curved guide with respect to the cradle. 
     
     
         62 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 61 , wherein: said restraining means comprises, on each lateral side of the cradle, at least one roller fixed in relation to the cradle and arranged to bear on the respective said curved guide to maintain the said curved guide in the plane of the said bearing means associated with the said guide. 
     
     
         63 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 61 , wherein: said curved guides comprise a channel and said bearings means are arranged to run in said channel. 
     
     
         64 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 63 , wherein: said channel is a U-section channel. 
     
     
         65 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 63 , wherein: on each side of said frame, said bearing means comprises a pair of spaced apart rollers arranged to run in said curved channel. 
     
     
         66 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 65 , wherein: said restraining means is positioned between said pair of rollers. 
     
     
         67 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 66 , wherein: said restraining means is positioned substantially mid-way between said pair of rollers. 
     
     
         68 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein: each adjustable body support section comprises a pair of bearing members which lie substantially parallel with the respective lateral side panels of the said cradle. 
     
     
         69 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 35 , further comprising:
 an adjustable upper leg section adjacent to the middle section and an adjustable lower leg/foot section pivotally connected with respect to the upper leg section.   
     
     
         70 . An adjustable bed as claimed in  claim 55 , wherein: said guide means comprises bearing means carried by the said base and a guide slot provided on or in the said intermediate support carriage.