Romovable footboard for a hospital bed

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a patient comprising a frame, a footboard and a control panel. The footboard is removable from the patient support.

1 . A patient support comprising: 
 a frame;    a footboard removably connectable to the frame;    a control panel coupled to the footboard;    a first electrical connector located on the footboard and operably coupled to the control panel; and    a second electrical connector coupled to the frame, the second electrical connector configured to couple to the first electrical connector when the footboard is coupled to the frame and decouple from the first electrical connector when the footboard is removed from the frame.    
   
   
       2 . The patient support of  claim 1 , further comprising a first connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the first electrical connector to the first connector alignment apparatus.  
   
   
       3 . The patient support of  claim 2 , further comprising a first fastener configured to couple the first connector alignment apparatus to the footboard.  
   
   
       4 . The patient support of  claim 1 , further comprising a second connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the second electrical connector to the second connector alignment apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . The patient support of  claim 4 , further comprising a second fastener configured to couple the second connector alignment apparatus to the frame.  
   
   
       6 . The patient support of  claim 1 , wherein the control panel includes at least one lockout switch configured to lockout at least one of a plurality of bed functions.  
   
   
       7 . The patient support of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of bed functions includes a night light, a back light, a head articulation, a knee articulation, a hi/lo mechanism, and an entertainment device.  
   
   
       8 . A patient support comprising: 
 a frame;    a footboard removably connectable to the frame;    a control panel coupled to the footboard;    a mounting assembly configured to couple the footboard to the frame;    a first electrical connector operably coupled to the control panel; and    a second electrical connector operably coupled to a controller, the second electrical connector being configured to be removably connectable to the first electrical connector.    
   
   
       9 . The patient support of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting assembly includes a pair of posts and a pair of apertures configured to receive the pair of posts.  
   
   
       10 . The patient support of  claim 9 , wherein the pair of apertures are located on the footboard.  
   
   
       11 . The patient support of  claim 8 , further including a first fastener configured to couple the first connector alignment apparatus to the footboard.  
   
   
       12 . The patient support of  claim 11 , further including a second fastener configured to couple the second connector alignment apparatus to the frame.  
   
   
       13 . The patient support of  claim 12 , wherein the first fastener is configured to provide a rigid connection between the first connector alignment apparatus and the footboard and the second fastener is configured to provide a loose connection between the second connector alignment apparatus and the frame to permit limited movement of the second connector alignment apparatus relative to the frame.  
   
   
       14 . The patient support of  claim 8 , wherein the second electrical connector is coupled to the frame, the second electrical connector configured to couple to the first electrical connector when the footboard is coupled to the frame and decouple from the first electrical connector when the footboard is removed from the frame.  
   
   
       15 . The patient support of  claim 8 , wherein the footboard is formed by a blow molding process.  
   
   
       16 . A patient support comprising: 
 a frame;    a footboard removably connectable to the frame;    a first electrical connector located on the footboard;    a second electrical connector coupled to the frame, the second electrical connector configured to couple to the first electrical connector when the footboard is coupled to the frame and decouple from the first electrical connector when the footboard is removed from the frame;    a first connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the first electrical connector to the first connector alignment apparatus; and    a second connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the second electrical connector to the second connector alignment apparatus.    
   
   
       17 . The patient support of  claim 17 , further including a first fastener configured to couple the first connector alignment apparatus to the footboard.  
   
   
       18 . The patient support of  claim 18 , further including a second fastener configured to couple the second connector alignment apparatus to the frame.  
   
   
       19 . The patient support of  claim 19 , wherein the first fastener is configured to provide a rigid connection between the first connector alignment apparatus and the footboard and the second fastener is configured to provide a loose connection between the second connector alignment apparatus and the frame to permit limited movement of the second connector alignment apparatus relative to the frame.  
   
   
       20 . The patient support of  claim 16 , wherein one of the first and second connector alignment apparatuses includes at least one post and the other of the first and second connector alignment apparatuses includes at least one aperture configured to receive the at least one post.  
   
   
       21 . A patient support comprising: 
 a frame;    a footboard removably connectable to the frame;    a first electrical connector located on the footboard; and    a second electrical connector coupled to the frame, the second electrical connector configured to couple to the first electrical connector when the footboard is coupled to the frame and decouple from the first electrical connector when the footboard is removed from the frame.    
   
   
       22 . The patient support of  claim 21 , further comprising a power supply operably coupled to the second electrical connector.  
   
   
       23 . The patient support of  claim 20 , further comprising a first connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the first electrical connector to the first connector alignment apparatus.  
   
   
       24 . The patient support of  claim 23 , further comprising a first fastener configured to couple the first connector alignment apparatus to the footboard.  
   
   
       25 . The patient support of  claim 20 , further comprising a second connector alignment apparatus having a connector receiving portion configured to secure the second electrical connector to the second connector alignment apparatus.  
   
   
       26 . The patient support of  claim 25 , further comprising a second fastener configured to couple the second connector alignment apparatus to the frame.  
   
   
       27 . A patient support comprising: 
 a frame;    a footboard removably connectable to the frame;    a power source;    a control panel coupled to the footboard, the control panel including at least one lockout switch configured to lockout at least one of a plurality of bed functions;    a first electrical connector located on the footboard and operably coupled to the control panel; and    a second electrical connector coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the power source, the second electrical connector configured to couple to the first electrical connector when the footboard is coupled to the frame and decouple from the first electrical connector when the footboard is removed from the frame, the power source configured to provide power to the control panel when the footboard is coupled to the frame.