Siderail and Control Unit Therefor

Abstract

An occupant support apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 and an occupant support deck 14 above which an occupant is supportable. A siderail 22 has a raised position in which at least a portion of the siderail is higher in elevation than the support deck. The siderail includes a recess 42 . The apparatus also includes a control unit 44 having user inputs configured to be engaged by a user. The unit is movable relative to the siderail between a first position in which at least a majority of the patient control unit is received in the recess and a second position in which at least a majority of the unit resides outside the recess and extends past a siderail perimeter. In one embodiment the unit has an upper portion 50 , and a base. The upper portion is pivotable about an axis relative to the base and is separable therefrom.

1 . An occupant support apparatus comprising
 a frame including an occupant support deck above which an occupant is supportable,   a siderail having a raised position in which at least a portion of the siderail is higher in elevation than the occupant support deck, the siderail having a recess therein;   a control unit having a base and an upper portion which is pivotable about an axis relative to the base and is also separable from the base, the control unit being movable relative to the siderail between a first position in which at least a majority of the patient control unit is received in the recess and a second position in which part of the control unit is received in the recess such that at least a majority but less than all of the control unit resides outside the recess and extends past a perimeter of the siderail.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the upper portion of the control unit includes user inputs configured to be engaged by a user. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first position is a lowest position, the second position is a highest position and the control unit slides generally vertically within the recess when moving between the lowest and highest positions. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first position is a lowest position, the second position is a highest position and the control unit is positionable at one or more intermediate positions between the lowest and highest positions and wherein the upper portion is pivotable about a vertically extending axis when the patient control unit is no lower than the highest position. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when the control unit is in the second position, the base of the control unit can remain in the recess such that the upper portion of the control unit is pivotable about the axis relative to the base. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  such that when the control unit is at the second position and the upper portion of the control unit is pivoted about the axis, part of the upper portion is situated over and above an upper surface of an end rail portion and/or a top rail portion of the siderail so that the rail portion or portions resist movement of the unit away from the highest position toward the lowest position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1   wherein the base is connected to the upper portion by a laterally and longitudinally compliant pivotable connection.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein user inputs of the control unit are accessible to an occupant of the apparatus when the control unit is in the highest, lowest and intermediate positions. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit and the recess are configured such that the control unit can be removed from the recess, flipped around, and then reinserted into the recess in an orientation in which user inputs on the upper portion are inaccessible to the occupant. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is removable from the recess altogether to be held by an occupant away from the siderail. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises an elongated hand-held pendant and the recess comprises a vertically oriented elongated recess that is substantially open at its top and front and substantially closed at its sides, bottom, and back.