Bed occupant sensing device

• US 5,780,798 A
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensor Care Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: John Alan Hall-Jackson
• Inventors: Hall-Jackson, John Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US08/698,116
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 338/32 H, 307/119, 335/205-207, 340/573, 340/666, 340/667, 340/686, 200/333, 200/85 R, 200/85 A, 200/86 R, 73/65.01, 73/172, 128/774, 128/782, 128/714, 128/721
• US Class Current: 200/85.00R
• 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: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound

Abstract

A sensing unit to be positioned between the matress of a bed and the bed frame for monitoring an occupant of the bed, the sensor consisting of thinly spaced upper and lower steel plates between which is located a point sensor such as a Hall effect transducer or a reed switch. The upper plate flexes in response to the weight of an occupant above. The sensing unit is to be attached to a control unit which generates an audible and visible alarm signal when the occupant leaves the bed. In a different embodiment, sensors are located in the bed frame to monitor the occupant of the bed.

Claims

1. A portable sensing device for placement in a bed to monitor the presence of an occupant in the bed, comprising:

(a) a rigid lower member having lower member ends,

(b) a planar upper member in the form of a rigid plate having opposed sides and opposed ends which are respectively adjacent said lower member ends and which upper member is in spaced and generally parallel relation with the lower member,

(c) a plurality of spacer means spacing the opposed ends of the plate with respect to the respective lower member ends but leaving a substantial portion of the opposed sides unsupported so that the center of the plate and its sides are free to flex relative to the support means under the weight of the occupant of the bed,

(d) a sensor located between the plate and the lower member and centrally between the spacer means without contacting any of the plurality of spacer means so as to be sensitive to flexing of the plate under the weight of the occupant of the bed, and

(e) said sensor comprising a limit switch or transducer actuated by the relative movement between said plate and said rigid lower member.