Apparatus and method for closing hospital bed gaps

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress, the siderail including a rail member and a gap filler supported by rail member, the rail member including an upper edge and a lower edge, the gap filler being coupled to the rail member at a location on the rail member adjacent to the lower edge of the rail member.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress, the siderail including a rail member and a gap filler supported by rail member, the rail member including an upper edge and a lower edge, the gap filler being positioned adjacent the lower edge of the rail member, the rail member including at least an upper corner and a lower corner, and the gap filler being supported by the lower corner of the rail member.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress, the siderail including a rail member and a gap filler supported by rail member, the rail member including an upper edge and a lower edge, the gap filler being positioned adjacent the lower edge of the rail member, and at least a portion of the gap filler being positioned below the patient rest surface.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the patient rest surface and including a rail member including upper and lower edges, spaced-apart first and second ends, an interior surface facing the mattress, and an exterior surface facing away from the interior surface, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail further including a protrusion directly coupled to the rail member at a position on the interior surface at the first end of the rail member and spaced apart from the upper edge of the rail member, the protrusion extending into the gap.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the patient rest surface and including a rail member including upper and lower edges, spaced-apart first and second ends, an interior surface facing the mattress, and an exterior surface facing away from the interior surface, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail further including a protrusion positioned on the interior surface at the first end of the rail member, the protrusion extending into the gap, the peak including a first half and a second half that mirrors the first half.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame and providing a patient rest surface;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the patient rest surface and including a rail member including upper and lower edges, spaced-apart first and second ends, an interior surface facing the mattress, and an exterior surface facing away from the interior surface, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail further including a protrusion positioned on the interior surface at the first end of the rail member, the protrusion extending into the gap, and the protrusion compressing the mattress.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame including first and second ends;
• a mattress supported by the frame, the mattress including a patient rest surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces extending between the patient rest surface and the bottom surface;
• an endboard positioned on one of the first and second ends;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress and including a blocking portion configured to block egress of a patient from the patient support, the siderail and one of the side surfaces of the mattress adjacent to the siderail cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail further including a protrusion coupled to the blocking portion and positioned to extend into the gap, the protrusion being positioned on an end of the blocking portion nearest the endboard.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress and moveable between a raised position and a lowered position, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween when the siderail is in the raised position, the siderail including a rail face that faces inwardly when the siderail is in the raised and lowered positions and a rigid protrusion configured to protrude into the gap when the siderail is in the raised position.

A patient support configured to support a patient, the patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail configured to block egress of a patient from the patient support, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail including a rail member and a projection positioned on a corner of the rail member to extend into the gap, the rail member being configured to move between raised and lowered positions, a face of the rail facing toward the frame when in the raised and lowered positions, the projection having a length substantially less than a length of the rail member.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress and moveable between a raised position and a lowered position, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween when the siderail is in the raised position, the siderail including a rail face that faces inwardly when the siderail is in the raised and lowered positions and a rigid portion configured to protrude into the gap when the siderail is in the raised position, the portion having substantially uniform thickness.

A patient support configured to support a patient, the patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail configured to block egress of a patient from the patient support, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail including a rail member and a projection positioned on a corner of the rail member to extend into the gap, at least a portion of the projection is being positioned below a patient rest surface of the mattress.

A patient support configured to support a patient, the patient support comprising;

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail configured to block egress of a patient from the patient support, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap therebetween, the siderail including a rail member and a projection positioned on a corner of the rail member to extend into the gap, the projection including a first half and a second half that mirrors the first half.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap directly lateral of the mattress, the siderail including a rail member having an interior surface facing the mattress, the siderail further including a projection configured to extend into the gap, the projection including an axis perpendicular to the interior surface of the rail member.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress, the siderail and the mattress cooperating to define a gap directly lateral of the mattress, the siderail including a rail member having an interior surface facing the mattress, the siderail further including a projection configured to extend into the gap, the projection including an axis perpendicular to the interior surface of the rail member, a first portion of the projection being positioned on a first side of the axis, and a second portion of the projection being positioned on a second side of the axis.

A patient support comprising:

• a frame;
• a mattress supported by the frame;
• and
• a siderail positioned adjacent the mattress and moveable between a raised position extending above the mattress and a lowered positioned, the siderail cooperating with the mattress to define a gap therebetween when the siderail is in the raised position, the siderail including a plurality of corners and a rigid protrusion coupled on at least one corner of the corners, the protrusion being positioned to extend into the gap when the siderail is in the raised position.

A siderail for use with a patient support comprising:

• a rail member configured to block egress of a patient from the patient support, the rail member including an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface, the rail member including a lower corner;
• a linkage configured to permit raising and lowering of the rail member;
• and
• an extension coupled to the rail member and extending laterally inwardly away from the inwardly facing surface of the rail member when the rail member is in a lowered position, the extension being rigid and having an arched profile with a peak spaced apart from the rail member, the extension being directly coupled to the lower corner of the rail member.