PATIENT HANDLING DEVICE INCLUDING LOCAL STATUS INDICATION, ONE-TOUCH FOWLER ANGLE ADJUSTMENT, AND POWER-ON ALARM CONFIGURATION

• US 20070163045A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Shankar, Vivek, Hayes, Michael, Becker, David, Hopper, Christopher, Mayoras, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/616
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/012 raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0507 Side-rails
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0509 sliding or pivoting downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0516 with height adjustability
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/905 with light emitting means

Abstract

A patient handling device includes a controller, with a plurality of sensors, control panels, and lamps electrically connected to the controller. The patient handling device records the normal/desired state of the various components when power is applied. When one of the components goes outside the normal/desired state, the controller issues an alarm. This alarm includes illuminating a plurality of amber alert lamps which can normally be viewed by a user at any position around the outside of the patient handling device. The patient handling device also includes a position control. This control restricts movement of an upper (fowler) portion of the patient handling device in a certain range of angular positions, while permitting movement of the upper portion outside the certain range.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a patient handling device having a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors associated with at least one of a plurality of features of the patient handling device, and a controller in communication with the sensors, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a control signal at the controller to initiate monitoring of the patient handling device;

acquiring a plurality of sensor signals at the controller from the sensors in response to receiving the control signal;

generating initial sensor data from the plurality of sensor signals based on the initial state of the plurality of sensors to establish a desired state of the patient handling device;

periodically acquiring the plurality of sensor signals at the controller from the sensors after generating the initial sensor data;

generating current sensor data from the plurality of sensor signals based on the current state of the plurality of sensors;

comparing the current sensor data to the initial sensor data; and

alarming in response to a substantial variation between the current sensor data and the initial sensor data which represents a change from the desired state to an undesired state of the patient handling device.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of alarming is further defined as activating an alert lamp.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of alarming is further defined as sounding an audible signal.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of alarming is further defined as transmitting alarm data to a remote computer.

5. A patient handling device having a plurality of features for patient care, said patient handling device comprising:

a frame for supporting a patient;

a plurality of sensors supported by said frame for generating a plurality of sensor signals, each of the sensor signals corresponding to one of the plurality of features of the patient handling device;

a user-selectable control for producing a control signal to initiate monitoring of the patient handling device; and

a controller in communication with said sensors and said user-selectable control for receiving the control signal, acquiring the sensor signals from said sensors in response to receiving the control signal, generating initial sensor data from the sensor signals based on the initial state of said sensors, periodically acquiring the sensor signals from said sensors, generating current sensor data from the sensor signals based on the current state of said sensors, comparing the current sensor data to the initial sensor data, and alarming in response to a substantial variation between the current sensor data and the initial sensor data.

6. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a plurality of wheels supporting said frame and a brake for immobilizing at least one of said wheels.

7. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 6 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as a brake sensor for sensing the activation of said brake.

8. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a lifting mechanism for adjusting a height of said frame with respect to a surface.

9. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 8 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as a height sensor for sensing the height of the frame with respect to the surface.

10. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said frame includes an upper portion which is angularly adjustable with respect to a surface and further comprising an upper portion actuator operatively connected to said upper portion for actuating said upper portion to angularly adjust said upper portion.

11. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as an angular position sensor for sensing an angular position of said upper portion with respect to the surface.

12. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 11 further comprising at least one siderail moveable between an up position and a down position.

13. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as a siderail sensor for sensing the position of said at least one siderail.

14. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said at least one siderail is further defined as a plurality of siderails with one of said siderail sensors being associated with each of said siderails.

15. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as a load cell for sensing a weight of the patient.

16. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said user-selectable control is further defined as a power button for producing the control signal and controlling the flow of power to the patient handling device.

17. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 5 wherein one of said sensors is further defined as an arm/disarm signal from a bed exit system.

18. A patient handling device having a plurality of features for patient care, said patient handling device comprising:

a frame for supporting a patient;

a plurality of sensors supported by said frame, each of said sensors generating a sensor signal corresponding to one of the plurality of features of the patient handling device;

a controller in communication with said plurality of sensors for periodically acquiring the sensor signals from said plurality of sensors to generate current sensor data and comparing the current sensor data to predetermined data; and

an alert lamp in communication with said controller for producing light in response to a substantial variation between the current sensor data and the predetermined data, wherein the light produced by said alert lamp is viewable outward from said frame along at least 180 degrees of a circle defined around said frame.

19. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the light produced by said alert lamp is viewable outward from said frame along 270 degrees of a circle defined around said frame.

20. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said frame defines two sides and a footboard disposed transverse to the sides.

21. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 20 wherein said alert lamp is further defined as three alert lamps wherein one alert lamp is coupled to each of said sides and another alert lamp is coupled to said footboard such that the light produced by at least one of said three alert lamps is viewable outward from said frame along 270 degrees of a circle defined around said frame.

22. A patient handling device comprising:

a frame for supporting a patient above a surface, said frame including an upper portion which is angularly adjustable with respect to the surface;

an actuator operatively connected to said upper portion for adjusting said upper portion between a plurality of angular positions relative to the surface;

an actuator control for generating an actuator control signal;

an angular position sensor coupled to said frame for sensing the angular position of said upper portion with respect to the surface;

a position lock control for generating a position lock signal;

a controller in communication with said actuator control and said actuator for controlling said actuator to selectively adjust said upper portion between the plurality of angular positions; and

said controller also in communication with said position lock control and said angular position sensor for preventing operation of said actuator and thereby preventing adjustment of said upper portion to at least one restricted angular position in response to the position lock signal.

23. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said controller allows control of said upper portion with said actuator control to adjust said upper portion to at least one permitted angular position while preventing adjustment of said upper portion to the at least one restricted angular position in response to the position lock signal.

24. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said at least one restricted angular position is further defined as a predetermined range of restricted angular positions in which the upper portion forms an angle less than about 30 degrees with respect to the surface.

25. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said at least one restricted angular position is further defined as a predetermined range of restricted angular positions and wherein the predetermined range of angular positions is configurable by a user.

26. A patient handling device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said position lock control is further defined as a single pushbutton.

28. A method as set forth in claim 26 further comprising the step of operating the actuator to position the upper portion to a permitted angular position in response to receiving the position lock signal.

27. A method of operating a patient handling device having a frame for supporting a patient above a surface wherein the frame includes an upper portion which is angularly adjustable with respect to the surface and an actuator for adjusting the upper portion, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an actuator control signal to adjust the upper portion between a plurality of angular positions relative to the surface;

sensing an angular position of the upper portion with respect to the surface;

receiving a position lock signal; and

preventing operation of the actuator and thereby preventing adjustment of the upper portion to at least one restricted angular position in response to receiving the position lock signal.