One direction button mechanism
View Patent ↗A bed rail structured to minimize the gap between the mattress and the bed rail and including a leg portion and a rail portion. The rail portion extends upwardly on a first side of the mattress to extend beyond the sleeping surface of the mattress and prevent a person from rolling out of bed. The leg portion is sandwiched between the mattress and the box spring and extends toward a second side of the mattress. In one embodiment, the leg portion includes a distal end that is engaged to the second side of at least one of the mattress and box spring such that the distal end and rail portion hug the mattress. In another embodiment, the bed rail includes a relatively rigid cover depending from an upper portion of the rail portion to the sleeping surface so as to cover a gap that may exist between the first side of the mattress and the rail portion. In still another embodiment, the rail portion is set at an acute angle relative to the leg portion so as to tend to close off any gap between the first side of the mattress and the rail portion. In another embodiment, the wall of the rail portion may include tubing and the rail portion may be drawn against the bed with a strap extending about the periphery of the bed.
1. In combination, a bed rail and a button mechanism that controls sliding between two sliding members in the bed rail, comprising:
a) a first outer member having a first opening, with the first opening having two opposing first and second edges;
b) a second inner member having a second opening, with the second member slideably engaged with the first member, with the second opening having two opposing first and second edges;
c) a depressable button engaged to the second inner member, with the button extendable through the first and second openings, with the button having an inclined surface such that when the first edge of the first opening confronts said inclined surface said first edge of the first opening runs over said inclined surface and simultaneously depresses the button into the second inner member such that the first outer member and second inner member can slide automatically relative to each other in a first direction, with the button having an upright vertically extending first surface such that when the second edge of the first opening confronts said upright vertically extending first surface said second edge of the first opening is stopped by said vertically extending first upright surface of said button such that the first outer member and second inner member cannot slide automatically relative to each other in a second direction;
d) wherein the depressable button further includes an upright vertically extending second surface;
e) wherein said first outer member and second inner member cannot slide automatically relative to each other in the second direction when 1) the second edge of the first opening engages the vertically extending first upright surface of said button and 2) the first edge of the second opening engages the vertically extending second upright surface of said button;
f) wherein said first outer member and second inner member can slide automatically relative to each other when the first edge of the first opening engages the inclined surface of the depressable button;
g) wherein said first outer member includes a plurality of first openings such that the button can slide automatically from one first opening to a second first opening;
h) wherein the bed rail comprises a rail portion engaged to a leg portion, wherein the leg portion comprises the first outer member and second inner member; and
i) wherein said depressable button is oriented in said second inner member such that:
I. said first outer member and second inner member can slide automatically to decrease a length of said leg portion;
II. said first outer member and second inner member cannot slide automatically to increase a length of said leg portion; and
III. said depressable button must be depressed to permit first outer member and second inner member to slide relative to each other to increase a length of said leg portion.
2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said depressable button includes a head and a spring, with the head including the inclined surface, the upright vertically extending first surface, the upright vertically extending second surface, with the spring comprising a base arm and an upper arm, and with the head and spring being one-piece.