Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-05
2001-03-27
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S572800, C340S870030, C340S664000, C340S665000, C340S666000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208250
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a patient position detection apparatus for a bed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bed exit and patient position detection apparatus which has multiple modes of operation for providing information to a caregiver regarding a location of a patient on a support deck of the bed and for providing an indication when the patient has exited the bed.
When a patient is required to stay in a hospital bed at a hospital or other patient care facility, it is desirable for a caregiver to be able to monitor the presence, absence, and location of the patient on the bed support surface and to monitor the patient's activity level. Caregivers within a hospital or other patient care facilities are continuously responsible for more and more activities. One of these activities is monitoring patients who need to be restricted to the bed or patients that are at a risk of falling or aggravating injuries if they exit the bed. Patients having certain patient profiles, such as confusion, weakness, or disorientation, are more likely to be injured or reinjured if they exit the bed. Patients with certain types of medical conditions therefore require monitoring of both their presence on the bed and their or location on the support surface. In this instance, the present invention provides an alarm when the patient moves out of the predetermined position on the bed, prior to exiting the bed.
Some patients are allowed by doctor's orders to move about freely on the bed in order to access the bed controls, a phone, or other items or to reposition themselves for comfort. In this situation, an alarm is only required if the patient totally exits the bed.
The present invention provides dual sensor mechanisms for detecting the location of the patient on the bed and for detecting bed exit. Therefore, the caregiver may select from various modes of operation depending upon the patient condition and profile. The apparatus of the present invention detects the presence or absence of the patient on the bed and also detects the position of the patient on the support surface. Therefore, the present invention allows proper patient monitoring to be applied at the discretion of the caregiver for the correct patient situation.
The apparatus of the present invention utilizes two different sensor technologies integrated into the support sections of the hospital bed frame and deck. A controller monitor inputs from both types of sensors and, depending upon the mode selected by the caregiver, results in an alarm or no alarm based on detected sensor conditions.
In an illustrated embodiment of the invention, a first set of sensors includes load cells mounted on a base frame of the bed to support a weigh frame. As weight is applied to the bed, such as when a patient enters the bed, the controller detects voltage changes from the load cells. A second set of sensors is located below the patient. These second sensors are illustratively pressure sensitive sensors, such as resistive sensors which are located on the support deck or within the mattress. As pressure is applied to these sensors, such as when a patient lies on the mattress, a resultant voltage corresponds to the amount of pressure applied to a particular sensor. As the patient moves about the bed, sensor resistances change accordingly, thereby providing the controller with data to analyze regarding patient positions.
Each sensor provides an input to the common controller and all of the inputs are evaluated by the controller. When certain weight distribution changes are detected, an audible or visual alarm is activated. The criteria for activating the alarm is dependent upon the particular mode of operation for the overall system. Multiple modes of operation are selected by a switch, knob, button, etc. located on the bed, and preferably on a siderail of the bed. It is understood that a control panel on a pendant or remote control input device electrically coupled to the controller may be used to select the modes.
In an out-of-bed mode, an alarm is activated only when a patient completely exits the bed. In an exiting mode, an alarm is activated when a patient is located at a pre-exit position near the sides or ends of the support surface of the bed. Finally, in a position mode, an alarm is activated when a patient moves away from a head support surface on the deck located beneath the patient's head and back, such as when the patient has rolled against a siderail of the bed or has sat up in bed. Therefore, position mode provides an alarm earlier than exiting mode.
In the exiting mode and position mode, an alarm will also be activated if the patient exits the bed. In other words, in exiting mode and position mode, the out-of-bed detector is also used.
The alarm tones of the apparatus may be selected from a number of various tone options. Different sounds or visual indicators may be provided for each of the modes, if desired. In one illustrated embodiment, the patient positioning system is configured to deactivate the alarm if the patient gets back into bed or returns to the correct position on the bed. The apparatus also includes a button, switch, etc. located on the bed which will send a signal to reset or clear the “nurse call” alarm which is activated at a remote nurse station when a patient alarm is generated by the apparatus. This button allows the nurse to clear the remote bed exit/patient position alarm while at the bed after responding to the alarm. Currently, nurses have to clear the bed exit/patient position alarm by returning to the nurse call station or by deactivating the alarm somewhere else in the hospital, other than at the bed. Another illustrated embodiment of the invention is configured to turn on the room lights when an alarm is activated.
According to an illustrated embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for detecting a position of a body on a support surface of a bed. The apparatus includes at least one first sensor coupled to the bed and at least one second sensor located adjacent the support surface. The at least one first sensor has an output signal which is variable in response to changes in a weight applied to the support surface. The at least one second sensor has an output signal which is variable in response to changes in the position of the body on the support surface. The apparatus also includes a controller having inputs configured to receive the output signals from the first and second sensors. The controller is configured to monitor the output signals, to provide an indication of changes in the position of the body relative to the support surface, and to provide an indication if the body exits the support surface.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second sensors are different types of sensors. The at least one first sensor is illustratively a load cell or other suitable sensor. The at least one second sensor is illustratively a resistive pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, or other suitable sensor.
The bed illustratively includes a base frame and a weigh frame. The weigh frame is configured to support the support surface of the bed. The at least one first sensor includes a plurality of load cells configured to couple the weigh frame to the base frame. Each of the plurality of load cells is electrically coupled to the controller.
The support surface of the bed illustratively includes a deck and a mattress located on the deck. In one embodiment, the at least one second sensor is coupled to the mattress. The at least one second sensor is either coupled to a top or bottom surface of the mattress or located within an interior region of the mattress.
In another illustrated embodiment, the at least one second sensor is coupled to the deck. The deck illustratively includes a head deck section, a seat deck section, a thigh deck section, and a leg deck section. The second sensors illustratively include at least one head sensor coupled to the head deck section, at least one seat sensor coupled to th
Dixon Stephen A.
Findlay James K.
Jacques William L.
Jones James W.
Menkedick Douglas J.
Bose McKinney & Evans LLP
Hill-Rom Inc.
Lee Benjamin C.
Nguyen Tai T.
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