Bed assembly

A bed assembly for permitting a patient lying in said bed assembly to urinate and defecate while lying in said bed assembly, said assembly comprising:

• a mattress having a first end, a second end, an upper surface, a lower surface and a pair of lateral side surfaces, said mattress having an longitudinal axis extending between said first and second ends of said mattress;
• said upper and lower surfaces of said mattress having an annular edge defining an aperture extending through said upper and lower surfaces of said mattress, said aperture being positioned generally an equal distance between said first and second ends of said mattress and an equal distance between said pair of lateral side surfaces of said mattress;
• said annular edges defining said aperture having a channel extending into said mattress, said channel extending from said aperture toward said second end of said mattress;
• said mattress being positionable between a lying position and a sitting position, wherein said lying position is characterized by a user being supported by said mattress in a supine position when resting on said mattress, wherein said sitting position is characterized by a user being supported by said mattress in a seated position when resting on said mattress;
• said mattress comprising a compressible material;
• a plug member for plugging said aperture in said mattress, said plug member having an upper surface, a lower surface and a peripheral edge surface, wherein said plug member is removably positioned in said aperture when a user is not discharging urine or feces;
• said peripheral edge surface of said plug member having an opening for receiving a hand of a user for removing said plug member from said aperture of said mattress, wherein said opening in said plug member is accessible to a hand of a user through said channel in said mattress;
• said plug member comprising a compressible material;
• a cover for covering said mattress, said cover being mounted on and extending about said mattress;
• said cover comprising a generally flexible and impermeable material for protecting said mattress from urine and feces discharged from a user;
• a frame for supporting said mattress, said frame including:
• a head assembly having a pair of spaced leg members, each of said leg members having first and second opposed ends, said head assembly being positioned generally adjacent to said first end of said mattress, said pair of leg members being orientated generally parallel to each other;
• a foot assembly having a pair of spaced leg members, each of said leg members of said foot portion having first and second opposed ends, said foot assembly being positioned generally adjacent to said second end of said mattress, said pair of leg members of said foot assembly being orientated generally parallel to each other;
• a plurality of elongated coupling members for coupling together said pair of leg members of said head assembly of said frame and for coupling together said pair of leg members of said foot assembly of said frame, each of said coupling members extending between and being coupled to said pair of leg members of said head assembly and being coupled to and extending between said pair of leg members of said foot assembly;
• a pair of joining members for joining said head and foot assemblies of said frame together, each of said joining members being mounted to and extending between said pair of leg members of said head and foot assemblies of said frame, each of said joining members being positioned generally nearer said first end of each of said leg members than said second end of each of said leg members
• a support assembly for supporting said mattress, said support assembly of said frame including:
• a pair of elongated side supports, each of said side supports extending between and being coupled to said pair of leg members of said head and foot assemblies of said frame, said pair of elongated side supports being positioned generally adjacent to each of said joining members;
• a plurality of cross supports for connecting each of said side supports together, each of said cross supports being coupled to extending between said pair of side supports;
• each of said cross supports being spaced apart between said head and foot assemblies of said frame;
• a sheet support for supporting said mattress, said sheet support having generally planar upper and lower surfaces, said sheet support being pivotally positioned on said pair of side supports and said plurality of cross supports;
• said sheet support comprising a substantially rigid material;
• said sheet support having an opening extending through said upper and lower surfaces of said sheet support, said opening being in substantial registration with said aperture of said mattress;
• said sheet support having a head portion and a foot portion pivotally coupled together, wherein said head portion of said sheet support is positioned generally adjacent to said head assembly;
• a hinging means for coupling said head and foot portions of said sheet support, said hinging means extending between and being coupled to an edge of said head and foot portions of said sheet support, said hinging means being positioned generally adjacent to said opening in said sheet support and said aperture in said mattress;
• a plurality of casters for moving said frame, each of said casters being mounted on said first end of each of said leg portions of said foot and head assemblies;
• a supporting means being removably positionable between said mattress and said frame for supporting said plug in said aperture of said mattress and preventing said plug from falling out of said aperture, said supporting means having a width generally greater than a diameter of said aperture of said mattress, said supporting means comprising a plate;
• a lifting means for lifting a portion of said mattress between said lying position and said sitting position, said lifting means being mountable to and extending between said pair of side supports and said head portion of said sheet support, said lifting means being positioned generally between said pair of side supports;
• said lifting means comprising a motor adapted to lift said head portion of said sheet support;
• an actuating means for controlling said lifting means, said actuating means being operatively connected to said lifting means;
• a container for receiving the urine and feces discharge of a user, said container having an open top, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall extending between said open top and said bottom wall defining an interior of said container, said container being positionable under said aperture in said mattress and said opening in said support member;
• said container having an annular lip portion extending away from said peripheral wall of said container, said annular lip portion being positioned generally adjacent to said open top of said container, said annular lip being orientated generally perpendicular to said peripheral wall of said container;
• a pair of guide rails for supporting said container, each of said guide rails being mounted to and extending between said pair of side supports, each of said guide rails being positioned on opposite sides of said opening in said sheet support, each of said guide rails having a pair of opposite ends, each of said guide rails having longitudinal axis extending between said pair of opposite ends, each of said guide rails including:
• a mounting portion for mounting each of said guide rails to said side supports;
• a leg portion extending downwardly away from said mounting portion, said leg portion of each of said guide rails being orientated generally perpendicular to said mounting portion;
• a foot portion for selectively receiving said annular lip portion of said container, said foot portion extending away from said leg portion, said foot portion of said guide rail being orientated generally perpendicular to said leg portion of said guide rail;
• said foot portion of each of said guide rails having a bend therein such that a portion of said foot portion is orientated generally parallel to said leg portion, said bend of each of said foot portions defining a channel of each of said guide rails;
• each of said guide rails being generally U-shaped, such that each of said guide rails having a generally U-shaped transverse cross section taken substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of each of said guide rails;
• and
• a plurality of rollers being rotatably mounted in said channel of each of said guide rails for positioning said container under said aperture in said mattress and said opening in said sheet support, each of said rollers being rotatably coupled to and extending between said leg portion and said foot portion of said pair of guide rails.