Siderail movable to separate chair egress position

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a base, a frame coupled to the base, and a deck supported by the frame and capable of moving relative to the frame. The patient support apparatus further includes a siderail movable between a stowed position substantially below the deck, a barrier position preventing a patient from exiting the side of the patient support apparatus, and an assist position providing a handhold for a patient exiting the bed.

1 . A patient support apparatus comprising
 a base,   a frame coupled to the base, the frame being movable relative to the base,   a deck supported by the frame and movable relative to the frame between a horizontal position and a chair egress position, the deck including at least a head section, a foot section spaced-apart from the head section, and a seat section positioned between the head section and the foot section, and   a first siderail coupled to the frame, the first siderail including a first barrier,   wherein the first siderail is movable between a barrier position wherein the first barrier is substantially above the deck and outside a deck footprint, a stowed position wherein the first barrier is substantially below the deck, and an assist position wherein the first barrier is substantially above the deck and inside the deck footprint,   wherein the deck footprint is defined by a length dimension of the deck extending from a head end of the deck to a foot end of the deck and a width dimension of the foot section of the deck.   
     
     
         2 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second siderail coupled to the frame, the second siderail including a second barrier, wherein the second siderail is movable between a barrier position wherein the second barrier is substantially above the deck and outside the deck footprint, a stowed position wherein the second barrier is substantially below the deck, and an assist position wherein the first barrier is substantially above the deck and in the deck footprint. 
     
     
         3 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first barrier and the second barrier are a first distance apart when the first siderail and the second siderail are in the barrier position and less than the first distance apart when the first siderail and the second siderail are in the assist position. 
     
     
         4 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first siderail includes a linkage including a mount coupled to the frame, a first bar, and a second bar, the first bar and the second bar pivotably coupled to the first barrier and to the mount between the mount and the first barrier. 
     
     
         5 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first bar has a first end pivotably coupled to the first barrier and a second end pivotably coupled to the mount, wherein the first end of the first bar pivots about a first axis substantially parallel to the length dimension of the deck and the second end of the first bar pivots about a second axis substantially parallel to the length dimension of the deck. 
     
     
         6 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first siderail further includes a slide shaft coupled to the first bar and the second bar and operable to move the first barrier, the first bar, and the second bar along a path substantially perpendicular to the length dimension of the deck. 
     
     
         7 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the linkage extends out of the deck footprint when the first siderail is in the barrier position and the stowed position and the linkage lies in the deck footprint when the first siderail is in the assist position. 
     
     
         8 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first siderail also includes a slide shaft coupled to the first barrier to move the first siderail between the barrier position and the assist position. 
     
     
         9 . A patient support apparatus comprising
 a base,   a frame coupled to the base, the frame being movable relative to the base,   a deck including a head end, a foot end spaced-apart from the head end and substantially parallel to the head end, a first side extending between the head end and the foot end and substantially perpendicular to the head end, and a second side spaced-apart from the first side and extending substantially parallel to the first side between the head end and the foot end, the deck supported by the frame and movable relative to the frame between a horizontal position and a chair egress position,   a mattress supported on the deck, and   a first siderail coupled to the frame including a first barrier,   wherein the first siderail is movable between a barrier position wherein a top surface of the barrier lies above a top surface of the mattress and the mattress has a first width defined between the first side and the second side of the deck along a length of the first barrier, a stowed position wherein the top surface of the first barrier lies below the top surface of the mattress, and an assist position wherein the top surface of the first barrier lies above the top surface of the mattress and the first barrier engages the mattress to cause the mattress to have a second width defined between the first side and the second side of the deck along the length of the first barrier, and the second width is less than the first width.   
     
     
         10 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 9 , further including a second siderail coupled to the frame having a second barrier, wherein the second siderail is movable between a barrier position wherein a top surface of the second barrier lies above a top surface of the mattress and the mattress has a first width defined between the first side and the second side of the deck along a length of the second barrier, a stowed position wherein the top surface of the second barrier is below the top surface of the mattress, and an assist position wherein the top surface of the second barrier is above the top surface of the mattress and the second barrier engages the mattress to cause the mattress to have a second width between the first side and the second side of the deck along the length of the first barrier and the second barrier, and the second width is less than the first width. 
     
     
         11 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first siderail includes a linkage having a first bar and a second bar and the first bar and the second bar are pivotably coupled to the first barrier and to the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first bar has a first end pivotably coupled to the first barrier and a second end pivotably coupled to the frame wherein the first end of the first bar pivots about a first axis substantially parallel to a length dimension of the deck and the second end of the first bar pivots about a second axis substantially parallel to the length dimension of the deck. 
     
     
         13 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first siderail further includes a slide shaft coupled to the first barrier and operable to move the first barrier along a path substantially perpendicular to the first side of the deck. 
     
     
         14 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first siderail further includes a first slide assembly coupled to the first barrier and operable to move the first siderail between the barrier position and the assist position. 
     
     
         15 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first slide assembly includes a slide shaft movable relative to the frame and a shaft lock coupled to the frame to move between a locked position disallowing movement of the slide shaft relative to the frame and an unlocked position allowing movement of the slide shaft relative to the frame. 
     
     
         16 . A patient support apparatus comprising
 a base,   a frame coupled to the base,   a deck supported by the frame and movable relative to the frame between a substantially horizontal bed position and an articulated position, the deck including at least a head section, a foot section spaced-apart from the head section, and a seat section situated between the head section and the foot section,   the deck further including a head end, a foot end spaced-apart from the head end and substantially parallel to the head end, a first side extending between the head end and the foot end and substantially perpendicular to the head end, and a second side spaced-apart from the first side and extending substantially parallel to the first side between the head end and the foot end, and a first notch formed in the deck between the head section and the foot section and arranged to extend from the first side toward the second side of the deck, and   a first siderail coupled to the frame, the first siderail including a first barrier and a first linkage,   wherein the first siderail is movable between a barrier position in which the first barrier is substantially above the deck and the first linkage is positioned to lie out of the first notch, a stowed position in which the first barrier is substantially below the deck, and an assist position in which the first barrier is substantially above the deck and the first linkage extends into the first notch.   
     
     
         17 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a second siderail coupled to the frame, the second siderail including a second barrier and a second linkage, wherein the deck is formed to include a second notch positioned between the head section and the foot section and arranged to extend from the second side toward the first side of the deck, and the second siderail is movable between a barrier position in which the second barrier is substantially above the deck and the second linkage lies out of the second notch, a stowed position in which the second barrier is substantially below the deck and the second linkage lies out of the second notch, and an assist position in which the second barrier is substantially above the deck and the second linkage extends into the second notch. 
     
     
         18 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the deck includes a deck footprint defined by a length dimension of the deck extending from the head end of the deck to a foot end of the deck and a width dimension of the foot section of the deck, and the first barrier of the first siderail is substantially above the deck and outside the deck footprint when the first siderail is in the barrier position, the first barrier is substantially below the deck when in the stowed position, and the first barrier is substantially above the deck and in the deck footprint when in the assist position. 
     
     
         19 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first barrier when in the stowed position is also in the deck footprint. 
     
     
         20 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first siderail includes a first slide shaft coupled to the first barrier and to cause the first siderail to slide laterally between the barrier position and the assist position along a path substantially perpendicular to the first side of the deck.