Patient care system

A bed comprising:

• platform means for supporting a person above a floor and having a foot end and a side extending from the foot end;
• a base for supporting the platform means on a floor;
• a board mounted generally vertically on the base independently of the platform means and adjacent the foot end;
• means for pivoting the board about a generally vertical axis, whereby the board is movable between a first position in which the board is adjacent to the foot end and a second position in which the board is pivoted away from the foot end;
• means for lowering the foot end toward the floor while maintaining the board in the second position relative to the base, and the board thereby being positioned for use as a support by a person supported on the platform means while the foot end is lowered toward the floor.

A bed comprising:

• a base supported on a floor;
• platform means for supporting a person and having a foot end and opposite sides, each side meeting the foot end at a corresponding corner;
• means for supporting the platform means on the base, including means for tilting the platform means toward an upright position relative to the base in which the platform means has a generally vertical orientation with the foot end adjacent to the base;
• a first board mounted to the base independently of the platform means and extending adjacent to and higher than the foot end when the platform means is disposed generally horizontally;
• and
• first means for pivoting the board about a generally vertical axis positioned adjacent to a first one of the corners, whereby the board is movable between a first position in which the board is adjacent to the foot end and a second position in which the board is pivoted away from the foot end, the board being positioned in line with the side of the platform means when the board is in the second position and the platform means is tilted toward the upright position, the board thereby remaining in the second position relative to the base for use as a support by a person on the platform means.

A bed comprising:

• platform means having opposite ends for supporting a patient above a floor;
• a board mounted generally vertically adjacent one end of the platform means and having horizontally spaced, generally vertically extending channels;
• means for pivoting the board about a generally vertical axis, whereby the board is movable between a first position in which the board is adjacent to the one end of the platform means and a second position in which the board is pivoted away from the one end of the platform means;
• a table positionable adjacent to the channels and having a guide element extending into each channel, which guide elements are slidable relative to the channels for moving the table between a storage position in which the guide elements are positioned in lower regions of the channels, and a raised position in which the guide elements are positioned at upper regions of the channels;
• pivot means coupling the table to the guide elements for pivoting the table about a pivot axis between an upright position in which the table is generally vertically disposed and a lowered position in which the table is generally horizontally disposed;
• and
• first stop means for limiting the pivoting of the table relative to the channels in a first direction.

A bed comprising:

• platform means having opposite ends for supporting a patient above a floor;
• a board mounted generally vertically adjacent one end of the platform means;
• means for pivoting the board about a generally vertical axis, whereby the board is movable between a first position in which the board is adjacent to the one end of the platform means and a second position in which the board is pivoted away from the one end of the platform means;
• a stand-up board extending between the sides of the platform means;
• and
• means for mounting the stand-up board on the foot end of the platform means, the mounting means being adjustable for varying the angle of the stand-up board relative to the platform means.

A bed comprising:

• platform means having opposite ends for supporting a patient above a floor;
• a board mounted generally vertically adjacent one end of the platform means;
• means for pivoting the board about a generally vertical axis, whereby the board is movable between a first position in which the board is adjacent to the one end of the platform means and a second position in which the board is pivoted away from the one end of the platform means;
• an inflatable mattress having a predetermined thickness supported on the platform means and having a foot end on the foot end of the platform means;
• a stand-up board extending between the sides of the platform means;
• means for mounting the stand-up board on the foot end of the platform means adjacent to the mattress;
• and
• means for moving the stand-up board from a support position in which the stand-up board extends above the mattress for contact by the feet of a person when the platform means is tilted up with the foot end down, and a storage position in which the stand-up board is positioned below the upper surface of the mattress.