Control arrangement and method for an adjustable bed

In a motor driven adjustable bed having mattress supporting portions for supporting a mattress for an occupant in a variety of positions and including a head portion at a head end of the bed, a foot portion at a foot end of the bed, and a thigh portion between the head and foot portions,

• frame means for supporting the mattress supporting portions, and
• position controlling mechanism operatively interconnecting the mattress supporting portions and the frame means and including a plurality of motors operatively connected with the frame means for moving the frame means and thereby for positioning the mattress supporting portions in desired positions,
• an improvement in said position controlling mechanism which facilitates control over movement of the bed into a variety of positions and comprising:
• command means actuable by an operator of said bed for generating command signals indicative of selected bed positions,
• programmable memory means for receiving and storing control signals indicative of allowed and disallowed movements, and
• processor means operatively communicating with said command means and with said programmable memory means and with said motors and responsive to said command signals and to said control signals for actuating at least one of said motors for moving said frame means toward an allowed, selected bed position.

In a motor driven adjustable bed having mattress supporting portions for supporting a mattress for an occupant in a variety of positions and including a head portion at a head end of the bed, a foot portion at a foot end of the bed, and a thigh portion between the head and foot portions,

• frame means for supporting the mattress supporting portions, and
• position controlling mechanism operatively interconnecting the mattress supporting portions and the frame means and including a plurality of motors operatively connected with the frame means for moving the frame means and thereby for positioning the mattress supporting portions in desired positions,
• an improvement in said position controlling mechanism which facilitates control over movement of the bed into a variety of positions and comprising:
• first command signal means actuable by an occupant of the bed for generating command signals indicative of selected bed positions,
• second command signal means actuable by an attendant for generating command signals indicative of selected bed positions,
• position signal means actuable by elements of the bed for generating position signals indicative of movement of elements of the bed to predetermined positions,
• programmable memory means for storing control signals indicative of allowed and disallowed movements of the bed, and
• processor means operatively communicating with said signal means and with said memory means and with said motors and responsive to said signals for actuating at least one of said motors for moving said frame means toward an allowed, selected bed position, said processor means distinguishing among command signals generated by said first and second command signal means for actuating motors for moving said frame means toward a horizontal, lowered position in response to momentary generation of a corresponding command signal by said second command signal means.

In a motor driven adjustable bed having

• mattress supporting portions for supporting a mattress for an occupant in a variety of positions and including a head portion at a head end of the bed, a foot portion at a foot end of the bed, and a thigh portion between the head and foot portions,
• frame means for supporting the mattress supporting portions, and
• position controlling mechanism operatively interconnecting the mattress supporting portions and the frame means and including a plurality of motors operatively connected with the frame means for moving the frame means and thereby for positioning the mattress supporting portions in desired positions,
• an improvement in said position controlling mechanism which facilitates control over movement of the bed into a variety of positions and comprising:
• first command signal means actuable by an occupant of the bed for generating command signals indicative of selected bed positions,
• second command signal means actuable by an attendant for generating command signals indicative of selected bed positions,
• position signal means actuable by elements of the bed for generating position signals indicative of movement of elements of the bed to predetermined positions,
• programmable memory means for storing control signals indicative of allowed and disallowed movements of the bed, and
• processor means operatively communicating with said signal means and with said memory means and with said motors and responsive to said signals for actuating at least one of said motors for moving said frame means toward an allowed, selected bed position, said processor means distinguishing among command signals generated by said first and second command signal means for actuating motors for moving said frame means toward at least one allowed selected bed position only during continuance of generation of a corresponding command signal by said command signal means.