US-12622832-B2 - Support and coupling interfaces for medical beds

US12622832B2US 12622832 B2US12622832 B2US 12622832B2US-12622832-B2

Abstract

A support and coupling interface system for medical beds can include a base plate that includes a set of at least four perimeter apertures, a set of dampening apertures each disposed nearer a center of the base plate than each of the set of perimeter apertures, and a set of coupling elements configured to couple the base plate to a foot board of the medical bed via respective dampening apertures of the set of dampening apertures. The system can also include a coupling plate that is configured to couple a display interface to a face of the coupling plate. The face of the coupling plate can be disposed between a top edge and a bottom edge of the coupling plate. The system can also include a support post extending vertically along a vertical axis and connecting the base plate to the coupling plate.

Inventors

Donald G. Webb, II

Assignees

Dawn Patrol Accessories LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231215

Claims (19)

1 . A support and coupling interface system for medical beds, the system comprising: a base plate having a thickness between a front face and a back face of at least 0.9 mm, the back face configured to be coupled to a foot board of a medical bed, the base plate having a top edge and a bottom edge each extending a length of less than 127 cm, the top and bottom edges connected by a left side edge and a right side edge, the base plate comprising: a set of at least four perimeter apertures, each of the set of perimeter apertures being disposed between 0.635 cm and 7.6 cm away from at least one of the top or bottom edges of the base plate and disposed between 0.635 cm and 10.2 cm away from at least one of the left or right side edges of the base plate; a set of dampening apertures each disposed nearer a center of the base plate than each of the set of perimeter apertures; and a set of coupling elements configured to couple the base plate to the foot board of the medical bed via respective dampening apertures of the set of dampening apertures and via respective perimeter apertures of the set of at least four perimeter apertures, each of the coupling elements configured, in a coupled state with the base plate, to extend no more than 0.16 cm from the front face; a coupling plate configured to couple a display interface to a face of the coupling plate, the face of the coupling plate disposed between a top edge and a bottom edge of the coupling plate; and a support post configured to position the coupling plate and the display interface directly above the foot board of the medical bed by extending vertically along a vertical axis and connecting the base plate to the coupling plate, the vertical axis disposed laterally within 17.8 cm from a midpoint of the top edge of the base plate, the support post extending from the top edge of the base plate to the bottom edge of the coupling plate by between 45.7 cm and 114.3 cm, each of the set of dampening apertures disposed within 0.63 cm and 10.2 cm of an edge of the support post, the support post comprising an access aperture sized to allow wiring access into an interior of the support post, a center of the access aperture disposed within 5.1 cm of the bottom edge of the coupling plate, wherein the base plate, the support post, and the coupling plate are a unitary metal element.
2 . A support and coupling interface system for medical beds, the system comprising: a base plate having a front face and a back face, the back face configured to be coupled to a foot board of a medical bed, the base plate having a top edge and a bottom edge, the top and bottom edges connected by a left side edge and a right side edge, the base plate comprising: a set of at least four perimeter apertures, each of the set of perimeter apertures being disposed a vertical distance away from at least one of the top or bottom edges of the base plate and disposed a horizontal distance away from at least one of the left or right side edges of the base plate; a set of dampening apertures each disposed nearer a lateral center of the base plate than each of the set of at least four perimeter apertures; and a set of coupling elements configured to couple the base plate to the foot board of the medical bed via respective dampening apertures of the set of dampening apertures; a coupling plate configured to couple a display interface to a face of the coupling plate, the face of the coupling plate disposed between a top edge and a bottom edge of the coupling plate; and a support post configured to position the coupling plate and the display interface directly above the foot board of the medical bed by extending vertically along a vertical axis, thereby positioning the coupling plate above the base plate and reducing vibrational effects on the display interface from movement of the medical bed, and connecting the base plate to the coupling plate.
3 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein a thickness between a front face and a back face is at least 0.3 mm.
4 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the top edge and the bottom edge each extend a length of less than 127 cm.
5 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein each of the set of perimeter apertures are disposed between 0.635 cm and 7.6 cm away from at least one of the top or bottom edges of the base plate.
6 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein each of the set of perimeter apertures is disposed between 0.635 cm and 10.2 cm away from at least one of the left or right side edges of the base plate.
7 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein each of the coupling elements is configured, in a coupled state with the base plate, to extend no more than 0.16 cm from the front face.
8 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the vertical axis is disposed laterally within 17.8 cm from a midpoint of the top edge of the base plate.
9 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the support post extends from the top edge of the base plate to the bottom edge of the coupling plate by between 45.7 cm and 114.3 cm.
10 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the support post comprises an access aperture sized to allow wiring access into an interior of the support post.
11 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 10 , wherein a center of the access aperture is disposed within 5.1 cm of bottom edge of the coupling plate.
12 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the base plate, the support post, and the coupling plate are a unitary metal element.
13 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the coupling plate further comprises a plurality of coupling apertures configured to receive corresponding coupling elements therethrough to couple the display interface to the coupling plate.
14 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 13 , wherein a first distance of a first aperture of the plurality of coupling apertures to a center of the coupling plate is different from a second distance of a second aperture of the plurality of coupling apertures, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance are disposed at a ratio of about ½.
15 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the base plate further comprises a plurality of bracing apertures each disposed within 5.1 cm from a nearest edge of the support post, each of the bracing apertures configured to receive corresponding coupling elements therethrough to provide redundancy to a coupling between the base plate and the medical bed.
16 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the support post does not extend forward of the foot board toward a headboard of the medical bed and thereby limits harmful contact by a medical patient or healthcare provider with the coupling plate or the display interface.
17 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 2 , wherein the set perimeter apertures comprise at least two apertures vertically aligned with each other and the set of dampening apertures comprises at least two apertures not vertically aligned with the set of perimeter apertures.
18 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 17 , wherein the set of dampening apertures is disposed each nearer the lateral center of the base plate than each of the set of perimeter apertures.
19 . The support and coupling interface system of claim 17 , wherein the set of dampening apertures is disposed each farther from the vertical center of the base plate than each of the set of perimeter apertures.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/387,892, filed Dec. 16, 2022. Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. BACKGROUND Field This disclosure relates generally to medical bed structures and more particularly to support and coupling interfaces for medical beds. Description of Related Art Medical beds have limits on how they can provide necessary services for patients and the workers. SUMMARY Example embodiments described herein have innovative features, no single one of which is indispensable or solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of the advantageous features will now be summarized. In some embodiments, a support and coupling interface system for medical beds can include a base plate that includes a set of at least four perimeter apertures, a set of dampening apertures each disposed nearer a center of the base plate than each of the set of perimeter apertures, and a set of coupling elements configured to couple the base plate to a foot board of the medical bed via respective dampening apertures of the set of dampening apertures. The system can also include a coupling plate that is configured to couple a display interface to a face of the coupling plate. The face of the coupling plate can be disposed between a top edge and a bottom edge of the coupling plate. The system can also include a support post extending vertically along a vertical axis and connecting the base plate to the coupling plate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the claims. FIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of an example support and coupling interface system coupled to a foot board of a medical bed. FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a front view of an example support and coupling interface system coupled to a foot board of a medical bed. FIG. 3 shows some example arrangements, dimensions, and/or features of a support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 shows some example arrangements, dimensions, and/or features of a support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 shows some example arrangements, dimensions, and/or features of a support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 shows some example arrangements, dimensions, and/or features of a support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 shows some example arrangements, dimensions, and/or features of a support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 shows another example support and coupling interface system, according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 shows another example support post and base plate, according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 shows another example coupling plate, according to an embodiment. These and other features will now be described with reference to the drawings summarized above. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments and not to limit the scope of any claim. Throughout the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses and to modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, the scope of the claims appended hereto is not limited by any of the particular embodiments described below. For example, in any method or process disclosed herein (e.g., for manufacture or assembly of the systems described), the acts or operations of the method or process may be performed in any suitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to any particular disclosed sequence. Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding certain embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent. Additionally, the structures, systems, and/or devices described herein may be embodied as integrated components or as separate components. For purposes of comparing various embodiments, certain aspects and advantages of these embodiments are described. Not necessarily all such aspects or advantages are achieved by any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, various embodiments may be carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as may also be taught or sugges