GB2231492A

GB2231492A - A foot brace

Info

Publication number: GB2231492A
Application number: GB8911358A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert George Hamilton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-05-17
Filing date: 1989-05-17
Publication date: 1990-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-17
Also published as: GB8911358D0; GB2231492B

Abstract

A foot brace, which is to be used to prevent a patient slipping down a bed, is adjustable in the length of the bed by means of telescopic connecting bars (E, D) which are situated between a padded foot rest (A) and a bed fixing bracket (C) which connects to an existing bed end. The brace can be removed for bed-making purposes but it can also be permanently hinged-fixed so that it can be swung upwards out of the way from the bed. The brace can be fixed to divan beds, which are headless, by the use of mounting plates or extension bars. The brace does not occupy the full width of the bed. The brace is interchangeable between beds of different types. <IMAGE>

Description

ADJUSTA3LE FOOT :S4CE This invention relates to an adjustable foot brace for use with any type of bed,but particularly as an adjunct to hospital beds.

Such beds are now highly mechanical and can be elevatedalowered and cranked into various positions;the most common one being that inwhich the patients are placed against an adjustable back rest with their feet some distance away from the end of the bed. In this position the patients,especially those who are still somewhat feeble, tend to slip and progressively slide down towards the foot of the bed. This is not a comfortable position and in many cases the effort needed frown t.e hands and arms to try to oppose this movement, or restore the original position,is too much and leaves the patient in an exhausted condition, with some pain, if he or sne s n the postoperative stage of recovery.It is cuite common to see in hospitals some patients, in the above described position,awaiting the attendance of the nosing staff to lift them to a more comfortable elevated position in the bed.

In the majority of these cases the patient still has considerable power in the legs and would be able to prevent this slipping down the bed if there was some type of soft buffer,close to the feet,which could be used either as a stop to prevent slipping or as a base from which an imposed leg thrust could be exerted to restore the body to any desired position.

According to the present invention there is provided an adjustable foot brace for use by the patient who can push his feet against a padded brace,and thus stop slipping,or he can exert further force to adjust his position within the bed with the minimum of effort. It has been further found that the brace,which can be detachably fixed to the bed,can be used under physiotherapists guidance for leg muscle exercises which are of paranount importance in facilitating blood circulation in inmobile patients.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanving drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan of the padded foot brace Figure 2 is a side elevation of the padded foot brace Figure 3 is a front elevation of the padded foot brace Fire L is a persr.ective view of the padded foot brace Figures 5a,5b,5c and 5d illustrate some of the ways of bed mounting the padded brace Figures 6a and 6b illustrate some of the ways the padded brace can be divan mounted Referring to the drawings the padded foot brace of Figures 1,2 and 3 comprises a plate 8 on which there is fixed a resilient cushion A on one side and a pair of tubes,or bars,D on the other.This part constitutes the moveable,or adjustable,component of the foot brace and the other,or fixed, component comprises a clip,or bracket,Cto which is attached a pair of tubes,or bars,E. The dimensions and conformation of the parts D and E are selected so that the7 fit together in a telescopic fashion and thus endow the whole component with the desired degree of adjustment in terms of the distance between the cushion A and the fixing cli?,or bracket,C. The distance between the part A and C,when selected, can be temporarily fixed b:r the use of a locking pin in each tub or bar which locates in a peg-like fashion into a series of holes which have been provided in the outer and inner limbs of the two telescopic tubes or bars.It has been found in e:cperimental use that fast location of these pins takes place when the holes in the inner bar,or tube,are made a little larger than those which have been provided in the outer tube or bar. The component parts thus described are shown assembled and pin-locked in Figure 4 as a perspective view of the invention.

Since the device only occupies about half of the width of the botton of the bed the patient can place the feet alongside the brace on those occasions when it is desired to lie down in the resting position.

Because of the diversity of bed ends it is apparent that for some series of production it will be necessary to provide clips or brackets C so that different depths and thick- nesses can be accomodated. These are illustrated in the various parts of Figure 5 for instance where a hinge G is provided so that the device can be swung-out of the way to facilitate bed-making or further where the adjustable bars can be extended at right angles H to further engage the bed frame.

Outside institutional use the bed will normally be of the divan type and it has been found convenient to use a sounting plite I,as in Figure 6a and 6b,which consists of an I-shaped component that slips under the matress and is held by straps J in addition to the intrinsic weight of the matress and the patient.

When in position the adjustable foot brace can be fixed to the upright portion I of this divan mount. Additional straps K can be run longitudinale around the divan oase to hold the plate,but n practice it nss been found that the highest security is obtained by the use of a Y-shaped strap M which is secured to the headboard mounting bolts which are found in the frame of all divan beds.

The use of this invention, as described,not only allows the patient to maintain his own position of comfort in the bed but it relieves nursing staff of the frequent manhandling of patients who are not quite able to pull themselves upwards in the bed by the use of the hands and arms.

There can be other embodiments of this invention, other than the one which has now been described,and to persons skilled in the art it will be apparent that the system can be designed and streamlined in various ways. For ex2713le,the locking pins can be spring loaded and -nternally fitted within the rods or bars D so that smooth contours are presented to the bedclothes and the like.

Claims

1. An adjustable foot brace comprising z padded foot rest which is detachably connected to a bed fixing bracket by means of a pair of bars on each of the connecting components where the said bars interpenetrate in a telescopic fashion for length adjustment purposes.

2. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the bed fixing bracket can accommodate different types and sizes of bed ends.

3. rn adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the bed fixing bracket can be teripora-ily clipped, or permanently fixed,to any bed wend.

4. An ac"justable foot brace as claimed in Claims 1,2 and 3 wherein the bed fixing bracket may be rotatably fixed to the bed end, if required, by the use of a hinge mechanism.

5. An adjustable foot race as dated in any of the preceding claims, wherein the bed fixing bracket can be affixed to a mounting plate for use in divan type, or other beds,which are not equipped with bed ends.

An An adjustable foot brace as claimed ir Claim 5,wherein the bars of the telescopic section can be extended to engage with a bed frame where necessary.

7. An adjustable foot brace as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6b of the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An adjustable foot brace,spanning only part of the bed width, comprising a padded foot rest which is detachably connected to a bed fixing bracket by means of a pair of bars,one on each of the connecting components,where the said bars interpenetrate in a telescopic fashion for length adjustment purposes.

2. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the bed fixing bracket can accomodate different types and sizes of bed ends.

3. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the bed fixing bracket can be temporarily clipped,or permanently fixed,to any bed end.

4. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claims 1,2 and 3 wherein the bed fixing bracket may be rotatably fixed to the bed end,if required,by the use of a hinge mechanism 5. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in any of the preceeding claims wherein the bed fixing brace can be affixed to a mounting plate for use in divan type,or other beds,which are not equipped with bed ends.

6. An adjustable foot brace as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the bars of the telescopic section can be extended to engage with a bed frame where necessary.