APPARATUS FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS OF AN EMERGENCY VICTIM

• US 20100174199A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: BAM Labs, Inc. (Sleep Number Corporation)
• Inventors: Young, Steven J., Rifredi, Richard V., Zhovnirovsky, Yuri
• Granted Patent: US 8,287,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats

Abstract

A portable apparatus for monitoring on site near an emergency field at least one vital sign of a patient reclined thereon includes a fluid bladder transformable between a stowable arrangement and a deployed arrangement. The fluid bladder in the deployed arrangement has a comfortable top surface of sufficient size to fully support at least a torso of the patient in a reclined position, and the fluid bladder has a ruggedized puncture resistant bottom layer. A sensor is configured to detect a pressure within the fluid bladder. A controller is configured to determine the at least one vital sign based on the pressure within the fluid bladder. A triage condition indicator is configured to indicate a care urgency level based on the at least one vital sign.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for monitoring on site near an emergency field at least one vital sign of a patient reclined thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a fluid bladder transformable between a stowable arrangement and a deployed arrangement, the fluid bladder in the deployed arrangement having a comfortable top surface of sufficient size to fully support at least a portion of the patient in a reclined position and having a ruggedized puncture resistant bottom layer;

a sensor configured to detect a pressure within the fluid bladder; and

a controller configured to determine the at least one vital sign based on the pressure within the fluid bladder; and

a triage condition indicator configured to indicate a care urgency level based on the at least one vital sign.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the fluid bladder is hydrophobic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the care urgency level is at least partially based on a second vital sign of a second patient for ranking the urgency care level of the patient relative to the second patient.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the fluid bladder is a comfort surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the fluid bladder.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pump and fluid bladder are integrally packaged.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to show at least one of the vital sign and the triage value.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the display and fluid bladder are integrally packaged.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vital sign includes at least one of patient presence, patient heart rate, patient respiration rate, and patient movement.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to produce an alarm instruction.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid bladder is self inflating.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fluid bladder contains a foam.

13. An apparatus for monitoring vital signs of multiple persons, the apparatus comprising:

multiple patient beds, each patient bed comprising;

a fluid bladder; and

a sensor configured to detect a pressure within the fluid bladder;

a controller configured to determine the vital signs based on the pressures within the fluid bladders; and

at least one triage condition indicator configured to indicate a care urgency level for at least one of the multiple patient beds based on the at least one vital sign.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the triage condition indicator indicates a ranking of suggested care urgency for the multiple patient beds.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the patient beds are self-inflating.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a display in communication with at least two of the patient beds and configured to show at least one of the vital signs and the care urgency level.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the vital signs include at least one of patient presence, patient heart rate, patient respiration rate, and patient movement.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the patient beds each have a ruggedized puncture resistant bottom layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to produce an alarm instruction based on at least one of the vital signs indicating at least one of the patient beds supports a patient having a high urgency care level.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each patient bed includes its own distinct triage condition indicator.