Bed apparatus

Abstract

A bed apparatus has a housing with an intake duct, a closeable vent, and an exhaust port. The intake duct is configured to intake air from an area outside of a bed. The closeable vent is configured to selectively supply the air to the bed. The exhaust port is configured to selectively return the air to the area outside of the bed. At least one electric fan is disposed within the housing between the closeable vent and the intake duct. In operation, the bed apparatus can be switched from a sound-enrichment-only function, to a sound-enrichment-and-bed-air-delivery function, simply by closing and opening the vent, respectively. The bed apparatus may further include a clamp for securing a bed cover above the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bed apparatus, comprising:
 a housing with an intake duct configured to intake air from an area outside of a bed, a vent configured to selectively supply the air to the bed, and an exhaust port configured to selectively return the air to the area outside of the bed;   at least one electric fan disposed within the housing between the vent and the intake duct; and   a clamp disposed above the housing and configured to hold an end of a cover on the bed above the vent.   
     
     
         2 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is disposed above the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is provided in the form of a clamp board that conforms substantially to a shape of an upper surface of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The bed apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the end of the cover is selectively disposed between the clamp board and the upper surface of the housing, and is held firmly in place by friction fit between the clamp board and the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The bed apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the end of the cover is selectively disposed between the clamp board and the upper surface of the housing with a fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the the clamp is provided in the form of spring-loaded clips attached to an upper surface of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The bed apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the spring-loaded clips are biased toward the upper surface so that the end of the cover is selectively held securely in place by the spring-loaded clips. 
     
     
         8 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is provided in the form of a C-channel that has a friction fit with a rib formed on an upper surface of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The bed apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the end of the cover is selectively disposed between the C-channel and the rib in order to hold the end of the cover in place on the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the housing and the clamp further includes a flexible toe guard. 
     
     
         11 . The bed apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible toe guard is a polymeric strip of material disposed above the vent. 
     
     
         12 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower air pressure seal attached to the housing below the vent. 
     
     
         13 . The bed apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lower air pressure seal is a polymer blanket disposed along an entire length of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The bed apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the lower air pressure seal is removably disposed in a channel formed in the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is disposed through a footboard of the bed. 
     
     
         16 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured for attachment to an inboard surface of a footboard of the bed. 
     
     
         17 . The bed apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the housing is attached to least one slidable rail that permits a height adjustment of the housing relative to the bed. 
     
     
         18 . The bed apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is selectively adjustable from a sound-enrichment-and-bed-air mode where the vent is in the open position and the air is expelled through the vent to the bed, to a sound-enrichment-only mode where the vent is in the closed position and air is expelled through the exhaust port away from the bed. 
     
     
         19 . A bed apparatus, comprising:
 a housing with an intake duct configured to intake air from an area outside of a bed, and a vent configured to selectively supply the air to the bed; and   at least one electric fan disposed within the housing between the vent and the intake duct; and   a clamp disposed above the housing and configured to hold an end of a cover on the bed above the vent.   
     
     
         20 . A bed apparatus, comprising:
 a housing with an intake duct configured to intake air from an area outside of a bed, a vent configured to selectively supply the air to the bed, and an exhaust port configured to selectively return the air to the area outside of the bed, the exhaust port arranged adjacent an end of the housing and spaced apart from the vent; and   at least one electric fan disposed within the housing between the vent and adjacent to the intake duct, the at least one electric fan providing a noise intensity between about 10 and 50 decibels; and   a clamp disposed above the housing and configured to hold an end of a cover on the bed above the vent;   wherein a positive internal pressure is generated in the housing by the at least one electric fan, which forces a flow of air to exit the housing through the vent where the vent is in the open position, and to exit the housing through the exhaust port where the vent is in the closed position, and   wherein the housing is selectively adjustable from a sound-enrichment-and-bed-air mode where the vent is in the open position and the air is expelled through the vent to the bed, to a sound-enrichment-only mode where the vent is in the closed position and air is expelled through the exhaust port away from the bed.