WIRELESS BED POWER

• US 20160013837A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: PITTENGER, William G., HOOD, Michael S., HOWELL, Charles A., KOORS, Edward J., DIXON, Steven Alan, SCHUMAN, Richard Joseph, MORGAN, Matthew D., GUTZWILLER, Laurie Lee, WALTON, Kelly F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,075,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/005 mounted on the wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/22 for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Patient care equipment includes a wireless coupler that transfers power and/or data between an architectural unit and the patient care equipment. The patient care equipment may also include additional wireless couplers that transfer power and/or data between first and second components of the equipment. The second component may be movable relative to the first component. A structure or hot swapping batteries is also disclosed, the swapped battery being charged on an inductive charging mat.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a patient support apparatus including a control system,

an architectural unit,

a power supply coupled to the architectural unit, the power supply operably coupled to mains power,

a communication system operably coupled to an information system, and

an interface in electrical communication with the communication system and the power supply and operable to simultaneously provide power and a communications signal to the patient support apparatus to directly power at least one subsystem of the patient support apparatus while concurrently transferring data between the communication system and the control system of the patient support apparatus without physical contact therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface includes a first portion positioned on the architectural unit and a second portion supported on the patient support apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control system of the patient support apparatus is operable to detect that the second portion is powered.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control system of the patient support apparatus is operable to initialize the operation of the control system utilizing the power transferred through the interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the initialization of the operation of the control system includes initiating communication between the control system and the communication system.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the initialization of the operation of the control system includes aligning the first portion and the second portion of the interface to optimize the efficiency of the interface.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion to an optimized position.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in first axis.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in a second axis.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the first portion in a third axis.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion to an optimized position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in first axis.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a second axis.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a third axis.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion to an optimized position.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in first axis.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a second axis.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion according to a search algorithm that maximizes efficiency of the interface.

20. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion according to a search algorithm that maximizes efficiency of the interface.

21. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes performing a search algorithm to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with an optical emitter positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

24. The system of claim 6, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes performing a search algorithm to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the first portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes varying a position of the second portion to align an optical detector on one of the first portion and the second portion with indicia positioned on the other of the first portion and the second portion.

18. The system of claim 18, wherein aligning the first portion and the second portion includes moving the second portion in a third axis.

27-50. -50. (canceled)