Patient movement detection apparatus

• US 20020070867A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Kramer, Kenneth L., Valdes, Carlos E., Conway, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US09/993,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor

Abstract

A patient movement detection device is provided comprising a plurality of load cell disks, beams, or columns placed under a support member of a patient support device. The load cells are connected to a processing unit by a plurality of transmission cables. The processing unit is connected to a peripheral communication device. A method of detection of movement of a patient is provided comprising the steps of generating a signal by a load cell disk or beam when a change in a patient'"'"'s center of gravity occurs on the patient support device, transmitting the signal to a processing unit, and further transmitting the signal to the peripheral communication device.

Claims

1. A patient movement detection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of load cell disks mounted under a plurality of support members of a patient support device;

said load cell disks comprising a plurality of strain gages for measuring a compression load applied to said load cell disks by said support members;

said load changing as a result in a shift in a center of gravity of a patient supported on said patient support device;

a plurality of transmission cables connected to said load cell disks;

a processing unit connected to said transmission cables; and

a peripheral communication device connected to said processing unit.

2. A patient movement detection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of load cell beams mounted partially under a plurality of support members of a patient support device;

said load cell beams comprising a plurality of strain gages for measuring a shear load applied to said load cell beams by said support members;

said load changing as a result in a shift in a center of gravity of a patient supported on said patient support device;

a plurality of transmission cables connected to said load cell disks for transmitting a signal generated by said load cell disks;

a processing unit connected to said transmission cables for processing said signal; and

a peripheral communication device connected to said processing unit for communicating a processed signal.

3. A method of detecting patient movement in a patient support device comprising the steps of:

a.) generating a signal by a plurality of load cell disks placed under a patient support member of a patient support device;

b.) transmitting said signal to a processing unit by a plurality of transmission cables;

c.) processing said signal by said processing unit and transmitting a processed signal to a peripheral communication device; and

d.) communicating said processed signal by said communication device.

4. A method of detecting patient movement in a patient support device comprising the steps of:

a.) generating a signal by a plurality of load cell beams placed under a patient support member of a patient support device;

b.) transmitting said signal to a processing unit by a plurality of transmission cables;

c.) processing said signal by said processing unit and transmitting a processed signal to a peripheral communication device; and

d.) communicating said processed signal by said communication device.