Weighing scales – Structural installation – Furniture or room fixture
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-04
2001-05-01
Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2859)
Weighing scales
Structural installation
Furniture or room fixture
C177S245000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06225575
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to weighing apparatus. More particularly, it relates to mobile weighing apparatus that are especially well suited for weighing incapacitated human beings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although scales are commonly available for weighing human beings who are ambulatory, it is sometimes difficult and/or cumbersome to weigh humans who are not ambulatory or who are otherwise incapacitated. For example, an incapacitated person in a wheelchair must be wheeled to a scale of the type commonly used to weigh people who can readily step up on such a scale. Then the incapacitated person must be moved to an unsupported standing position on the scale in order to get a reasonably accurate weight measurement. The incapacitated person then must be safely returned to the wheelchair. If the person cannot stand, this weighing procedure is not feasible.
Weighing a severely incapacitated person who is generally confined to a bed, gurney, etc. is an even more difficult task because it generally requires that the incapacitated person be greatly assisted in getting out of, and back into, the bed, gurney, etc. Indeed, in some cases, a sling may be needed to lift a severely incapacitated person out of a bed or gurney for such a weighing. Such a person then may need to be vertically supported in a standing position on a scale. To the extent that vertical support is rendered to that severely incapacitated person, the weight reading is “falsified”.
It also is possible to weigh a person who is confined to a wheeled apparatus such as a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, cart and the like by rolling the wheeled apparatus, and the person on it, upon a scale adapted for receiving such a wheeled apparatus. The total combined weight of the person and the wheeled apparatus is thus obtained. At some point in time, it also is necessary to weigh the wheeled apparatus (e.g., a wheelchair) alone in order to subtract the weight of that apparatus from the combined weight of the person (and his or her clothing, bedding, etc.) and the wheeled apparatus. This weighing procedure does not greatly disturb the incapacitated person, but it does require a special type of scale that is not commonly available—and rather expensive.
In short, all of these procedures for weighing incapacitated people are difficult, not well suited to giving accurate weight readings and/or require specialized, expensive, scales. Use of some of these weighing procedures also involves risk of injury to the incapacitated person and/or those attending such a person whenever the incapacitated person is removed from, and returned to, a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides mobile weighing apparatus that enable a wheeled support structure such as a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, cart, etc. to also serve as a scale for weighing an object carried by that wheeled structure. The object weighed by applicant's apparatus may be inanimate or animate in nature. For example, the mobile weighing apparatus of this invention might be a cart upon which commercial goods of virtually any kind may be weighed and transported. The mobile weighing apparatus of this invention are however especially useful in medical care situations because the weight of an incapacitated person in a wheelchair, wheeled bed, gurney, cart and the like can be easily determined without requiring the incapacitated person to get out of the mobile weighing device, step up on a scale and come to an unsupported, standing position.
This invention achieves these weighing objectives by connecting a load cell to each of a plurality of load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements of a mobile weighing apparatus. A plurality of load cell-generated electrical signals are routed to, and processed by, a microprocessor which, after making appropriate computations, displays the weight of an object on the mobile weighing device. To this end, the mobile weighing apparatus of this patent disclosure will generally comprise: (1) a frame that includes a plurality of load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements; (2) a plurality of wheels carried on axles attached to the frame; (3) a plurality of load cells that are respectively connected to each of a certain number of the plurality of load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements (e.g., connection of each respective load cells to at least two, preferably three, and most preferably four, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements of the frame is highly preferred); and (4) a microprocessor that is electrically connected to each load cell in the plurality of load cells and which is capable of processing electrical signals from each load cell in a manner such that it determines the weight of an object (and especially a human being) carried by the mobile weighing apparatus and then displays that weight. Again, the frame of applicant's mobile weighing apparatus may define any number of vehicle types e.g., a wheelchair, a wheeled bed, a gurney, a cart, etc. Indeed, the mobile weighing apparatus of this patent disclosure may even be a motorized vehicle such as an electrically powered wheelchair.
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the mobile weighing apparatus will constitute a wheelchair comprising: (1) a frame having (i) at least two, opposing, right front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements, (ii) at least two, opposing, left front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements, (iii) at least two, opposing, right rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements and (iv) at least two, opposing, left rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements, (2) a right front wheel that is rotatably mounted on the frame; (3) a left front wheel that is rotatably mounted on the frame; (4) a right rear wheel that is rotatably mounted on the frame; (5) a left rear wheel that is rotatably mounted on the frame; (6) a load cell connected to the at least two, opposing, right front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements; (7) a load cell connected to the at least two, opposing, left front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements; (8) a load cell connected to the at least two, opposing, right rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements; (9) a load cell connected to the at least two, opposing, left rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements, and (10) a microprocessor that is electrically connected to each load cell and which is capable of processing electrical signals from each load cell in a manner such that it determines the weight of a person in the wheelchair and then displays that weight.
In another, particularly preferred, embodiment of this invention, the mobile weighing apparatus will constitute a wheelchair comprising: (1) a frame having (i) two, upper, right front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements and two, opposing, lower, right front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements, (ii) two, upper, left front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements and two, opposing, lower, left front, load-bearing, substantially vertical support elements, (iii) an upper, right rear, loadbearing, substantially vertical, support element, an opposing, lower, right rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support element, (iv) an upper, left rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support element and (v) an opposing, lower, left rear, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support element; (2) a right front wheel that is rotatably mounted to the frame; (3) a left front wheel that is rotatably mounted to the frame; (4) a right rear wheel rotatably mounted to the frame; (5) a left rear wheel rotatably mounted to the frame; (6) a load cell connected to each of the two, upper, right front, load-bearing, substantially vertical, support elements and to each of the two, opposing, lower, right front, substantially vertical support elements; (7) a load cell connected to each of the
Dorr, Carson , Sloan & Birney, P.C.
Gibson Randy W.
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