Electronic inclinometer
First Claim
1. An apparatus for notifying a user of the physical orientation of a patient'"'"'s upper body comprising:
- an inclinometer for attachment in the region of the patient'"'"'s upper body and;
a display unit in electrical communication with said inclinometer wherein said display unit indicates the orientation of the patient'"'"'s upper body and alerts the caregiver if the orientation falls outside a predetermined range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus used for notifying a user of a patient'"'"'s upper body physical orientation. The apparatus uses an inclinometer that is attached in the region of the patient'"'"'s upper body to measure the physical orientation of the patient'"'"'s upper body, which is then transmitted to a display. In one embodiment, the display can be set to display a plurality of alarm conditions. In other embodiments the patient upper body orientation information is transmitted to a processor and then to the nurses'"'"' station or to a ventilator. The invention also relates to a method for measuring the physical orientation of a patient, using such an apparatus.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for notifying a user of the physical orientation of a patient'"'"'s upper body comprising:
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an inclinometer for attachment in the region of the patient'"'"'s upper body and;
a display unit in electrical communication with said inclinometer wherein said display unit indicates the orientation of the patient'"'"'s upper body and alerts the caregiver if the orientation falls outside a predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for measuring the physical orientation of a patient'"'"'s upper body comprising:
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measuring physical orientation of patient using an inclinometer;
displaying said inclination with a display unit and;
alerting the caregiver if the orientation falls outside a predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of preventing complications in a bedridden patient comprising alerting a caregiver in the event that the patient'"'"'s upper body is in an inappropriate orientation for more than a predetermined period of time.
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19. An apparatus for preventing complications in a bedridden patient comprising a display that alerts the caregiver in the event that the patient'"'"'s upper body is in an inappropriate orientation for more than a predetermined period of time.
Specification