Bed rail with entrapment-resistant side panel

In a bed rail having a bed rail frame including bed rail legs adapted to fit between a bed box spring and a bed mattress, each of said rail legs having an outer end extending to one side of the bed, said bed rail frame further including an elongated side panel frame having a horizontal axis, said side panel frame extending vertically above said bed mattress and comprised of a lower rod and an upper rod, said lower and upper rods having end extremities interconnected to a first vertical shaft and a second vertical shaft extending from said outer ends of said rail legs, a flexible bed rail covering, said bed rail covering being substantially co-extensive with said side panel frame and including sleeves sized and configured to accommodate and substantially cover said lower rod, said upper rod, and said first and second vertical shafts, the improvement comprising:

• an intermediate rod between said lower and upper rods, extending substantially between said first vertical shaft and said second vertical shaft, said intermediate rod being attached to said bed rail covering by an intermediate sheath extending substantially between said first and second vertical shafts and having closure means at each end thereof to restrain said intermediate rod from longitudinal movement, said intermediate rod being located so as to restrain outward lateral excursions of said bed rail covering in the region between said lower and upper rods.

A bed rail comprising:

• a. a bed rail frame including a head corner assembly and a foot corner assembly, each of said corner assemblies having a bed foot extending horizontally therefrom which is adapted to fit between a bed box frame and a bed mattress, each of said corner assemblies having a shaft extending vertically therefrom, said bed rail frame further including a lower rod and an upper rod, arranged in spaced relation and extending between said shafts;
• b. a flexible bed rail covering, said bed rail covering extending horizontally between said shafts and vertically between said lower rod and said upper rod, said bed rail covering further including sleeves sized and configured to accommodate and substantially cover said lower rod, said upper rod, and said first and second vertical shafts;
• and,
• c. an intermediate rod between said lower and upper rods, said intermediate rod being attached to said bed rail covering by an intermediate sheath having closure means at each end thereof to restrain said intermediate rod from longitudinal movement and located so as to restrain outward lateral excursions of said bed rail covering in the region between said lower and upper rods.

A bed rail comprising:

• a. a bed rail frame including a head corner assembly and a foot corner assembly, each of said corner assemblies having a bed foot extending horizontally therefrom which is adapted to fit between a bed box frame and a bed mattress, each of said corner assemblies having a shaft extending vertically therefrom, said bed rail frame further including a lower rod and an upper rod, arranged in spaced relation and extending between said shafts;
• b. a flexible bed rail covering, said bed rail covering extending horizontally between said shafts and vertically between said lower rod and said upper rod, said bed rail covering further including sleeves sized and configured to accommodate and substantially cover said lower rod, said upper rod, and said first and second vertical shafts;
• and,
• c. restraint means attached to said bed rail covering and located between said lower and upper rods, said restraint means being sufficiently rigid so as to restrain outward lateral excursions of said bed rail covering in the region between said lower and upper rods, said restraint means comprising an intermediate rod extending substantially between said shafts and being attached to said bed rail covering by an intermediate sheath having closure means at each end thereof to restrain said intermediate rod from longitudinal movement.