Incontinence detection apparatus
First Claim
1. A patient support apparatus comprisinga frame including a patient support deck having a plurality of deck sections, a first deck section of the plurality of deck sections being movable relative to at least a second deck section,a mattress supported by the patient support deck, the mattress having a portion that moves with the first deck section,an incontinence detection pad for placement atop the mattress, the incontinence detection pad having a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag,a reader coupled to the frame and operable to read data from the RFID tag,a first antenna coupled to an upper surface of the first deck section to move therewith, anda second antenna coupled to an upper surface of the second deck section, wherein the first and second antenna are communicatively coupled with the reader, wherein the RFID tag is excited by energy emitted from at least one of the first and second antenna through the mattress and data from the RFID tag of the incontinence pad is reflected back to at least one of the first and second antennae through the mattress,wherein the incontinence detection pad further comprises a top sheet made of a fluid permeable material, a backsheet comprising a first layer of fluid impermeable material, a conductive ink pattern provided on the first layer and configured to form a first electrode trace and a second electrode trace, and an absorbent core situated between the top sheet and the backsheet, wherein the RFID tag is attached to the first layer and has electrical contacts that couple to the respective first and second electrode traces, wherein wetness bridging between the first and second electrode traces is detectable by the RFID tag in response to the RFID tag being excited by external energy from the first antenna or the second antenna or both.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An incontinence detection system monitors an area for moisture events and wirelessly transmits moisture-related information to one or more notification devices. The system has a pad that includes a substrate and one or more sensors supported by the substrate. The sensor(s) emit wireless signals indicative of the moisture-related information. A sensor event communication system forwards the sensor signals to another device, such as a notification device. Portions of the system are included in a patient support apparatus, such as a bed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A patient support apparatus comprising
a frame including a patient support deck having a plurality of deck sections, a first deck section of the plurality of deck sections being movable relative to at least a second deck section, a mattress supported by the patient support deck, the mattress having a portion that moves with the first deck section, an incontinence detection pad for placement atop the mattress, the incontinence detection pad having a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a reader coupled to the frame and operable to read data from the RFID tag, a first antenna coupled to an upper surface of the first deck section to move therewith, and a second antenna coupled to an upper surface of the second deck section, wherein the first and second antenna are communicatively coupled with the reader, wherein the RFID tag is excited by energy emitted from at least one of the first and second antenna through the mattress and data from the RFID tag of the incontinence pad is reflected back to at least one of the first and second antennae through the mattress, wherein the incontinence detection pad further comprises a top sheet made of a fluid permeable material, a backsheet comprising a first layer of fluid impermeable material, a conductive ink pattern provided on the first layer and configured to form a first electrode trace and a second electrode trace, and an absorbent core situated between the top sheet and the backsheet, wherein the RFID tag is attached to the first layer and has electrical contacts that couple to the respective first and second electrode traces, wherein wetness bridging between the first and second electrode traces is detectable by the RFID tag in response to the RFID tag being excited by external energy from the first antenna or the second antenna or both.
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17. A patient support apparatus comprising
a frame including a patient support deck having a plurality of deck sections, a first deck section of the plurality of deck sections being movable relative to at least a second deck section, a mattress supported by the patient support deck, the mattress having a portion that moves with the first deck section, an incontinence detection pad for placement atop the mattress, the incontinence detection pad having a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a reader coupled to the frame and operable to read data from the RFID tag, a first antenna coupled to an upper surface of the first deck section to move therewith, and a second antenna coupled to an upper surface of the second deck section, wherein the first and second antenna are communicatively coupled with the reader, wherein the RFID tag is excited by energy emitted from at least one of the first and second antenna through the mattress and data from the RFID tag of the incontinence pad is reflected back to at least one of the first and second antennae through the mattress, wherein the incontinence detection pad further comprises a substrate having a length and width defining a monitoring area, a plurality of electrically conductive traces coupled to inputs of the RFID tag, each trace of the plurality of electrically conductive traces being arranged at measureable distances from each of the other traces of the plurality of traces on the substrate, and a controller configured to determine a fluid volume in the substrate based on the wireless signal transmitted by the RFID tag and the distances between the electrically conductive traces.
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20. A patient support apparatus comprising
a frame including a patient support deck having a plurality of deck sections, a first deck section of the plurality of deck sections being movable relative to at least a second deck section, a mattress supported by the patient support deck, the mattress having a portion that moves with the first deck section, an incontinence detection pad for placement atop the mattress, the incontinence detection pad having a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a reader coupled to the frame and operable to read data from the RFID tag, a first antenna coupled to the first deck section to move therewith, and a second antenna coupled to the second deck section, wherein the first and second antenna are communicatively coupled with the reader, wherein the RFID tag is excited by energy emitted from at least one of the first and second antenna through the mattress and data from the RFID tag of the incontinence pad is reflected back to at least one of the first and second antennae through the mattress, wherein the incontinence detection pad further comprises a top sheet, a backsheet comprising a first layer, a conductive ink pattern provided on the first layer and configured to form a first electrode trace and a second electrode trace, and an absorbent core situated between the top sheet and the backsheet, wherein the RFID tag is attached to the first layer and has electrical contacts that couple to the respective first and second electrode traces, wherein wetness bridging between the first and second electrode traces is detectable by the RFID tag in response to the RFID tag being excited by external energy from the first antenna or the second antenna or both.
Specification