Siderail gap filler

A patient-support apparatus comprising

• a frame including an extendable portion movable between a first position wherein a foot end of the frame is spaced apart from a head end of the frame by a first distance and a second position wherein the foot end is spaced apart from the head end by a second distance greater than the first distance,
• a siderail supported on the frame and movable relative to the frame between a raised position and a lowered position, the siderail positioned such that the extendable portion of the frame is movable relative to the siderail to vary a distance between a portion of the extendable portion of the frame and the siderail, and wherein a gap defined between the siderail and the portion of the extendable portion of the frame varies,
• a gap-filler including a barrier panel, and
• coupler means for coupling the barrier panel to the siderail and to the frame to cause the barrier panel to move about a generally horizontal axis and block the gap throughout a range of movement of the extendable portion of the frame and movement of the siderail,
• wherein the coupler means includes a siderail coupler arranged to interconnect the barrier panel and the siderail and a frame coupler arranged to interconnect the barrier panel and the frame.

A patient-support apparatus comprising

• a frame including an extendable portion movable between a first position wherein a foot end of the frame is spaced apart from a head end of the frame by a first distance and a second position wherein the foot end is spaced apart from the head end by a second distance greater than the first distance,
• a siderail supported on the frame and movable relative to the frame between a raised position and a lowered position, the siderail positioned such that the extendable portion of the frame is movable relative to the siderail to vary a distance between a portion of the extendable portion of the frame and the siderail, and wherein a gap defined between the siderail and the portion of the extendable portion of the frame varies,
• a gap-filler including a barrier panel, and
• coupler means for coupling the barrier panel to the siderail and to the frame to cause the barrier panel to block the gap throughout a range of movement of the extendable portion of the frame and movement of the siderail,
• wherein the coupler means includes a siderail coupler arranged to interconnect the barrier panel and the siderail and a frame coupler arranged to interconnect the barrier panel and the frame,
• wherein the frame coupler includes a stem defining a generally vertical axis, a journal coupled to the stem to move therewith, and a shaft defining a first generally horizontal axis configured to lie in rotative bearing engagement with the journal.

A gap-filler for a patient-support apparatus, the gap-filler comprising

• a barrier panel,
• a two-axis coupler secured to the barrier panel and configured to be received in a mount of the patient-support apparatus to allow the barrier panel to pivot about two axes relative to the patient-support apparatus, and
• a siderail coupler arranged to interconnect the barrier panel and a siderail of the patient-support apparatus to allow the barrier panel to move about a generally horizontal axis in response to movement of the siderail between a raised position and a lowered position,
• wherein the two-axis coupler includes a stem defining a generally vertical axis, a journal coupled to the stem to move therewith, and a shaft defining a first generally horizontal axis, the shaft coupled to the barrier panel and mounted within the journal for rotation about the first generally horizontal axis relative to the journal.