Patient movement detection system for a bed including a load cell mounting assembly
First Claim
1. In a bed having a base unit, two pairs of lift arms pivotally attached to said base unit, a torque bar extending between each pair of lift arms, a frame secured to the torque bars and a traveling nut mechanism connected to each of the torque bars and configured to move the bed between upper and lower elevational positions, the improvement comprising a plurality of load cells attached to said frame, each said load cell including an indentation sized to receive said respective torque bar, said plurality of load cells being electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from said plurality of load cells and to determine patient information, said plurality of load cells being configured so that the bed is supported only by said plurality of load cells when the bed is in the lower position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load cell mounting assembly for a bed. The bed includes a base unit. Two pairs of lift arms are pivotally attached to the base unit. Extending between each pair of lift arms is a torque bar. A frame is secured to the torque bars by a plurality of torque bar mounting brackets. Coupled to each torque bar are a number of load cells. The load cells are electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from the load cells and to determine patient information from the load cell signals. When the bed is in its lowest position, the load cells engage the floor and the bed is supported only by the load cells.
134 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. In a bed having a base unit, two pairs of lift arms pivotally attached to said base unit, a torque bar extending between each pair of lift arms, a frame secured to the torque bars and a traveling nut mechanism connected to each of the torque bars and configured to move the bed between upper and lower elevational positions, the improvement comprising a plurality of load cells attached to said frame, each said load cell including an indentation sized to receive said respective torque bar, said plurality of load cells being electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from said plurality of load cells and to determine patient information, said plurality of load cells being configured so that the bed is supported only by said plurality of load cells when the bed is in the lower position.
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7. In a bed having a base unit, two pairs of lift arms pivotally attached to said base unit, a torque bar extending between each pair of lift arms, torque bar brackets securing each of the torque bars to a frame, and a traveling nut mechanism connected to each of the torque bars and configured to move the bed between upper and lower elevational positions, the improvement comprising a plurality of load cells attached to said frame, said plurality of load cells being electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from said plurality of load cells and to determine patient information, said plurality of load cells being configured so that the bed is supported only by said plurality of load cells when the bed is in the lower position;
wherein each load cell is aligned with and attached to a respective torque bar bracket. - View Dependent Claims (9)
- 10. In a bed having a base unit, two pairs of lift arms pivotally attached to said base unit, a torque bar extending between each pair of lift arms, a frame secured to the torque bars and a traveling nut mechanism connected to each of the torque bars and configured to move the bed between upper and lower elevational positions, the improvement comprising a plurality of load cells retrofittingly attached to said frame, each said load cell includes an indentation sized to receive said respective torque bar, said plurality of load cells being electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from said plurality of load cells and to determine patient information, said plurality of load cells being configured so that the bed is supported only by said plurality of load cells when the bed is in the lower position.
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15. In a bed having a base unit, two pairs of lift arms pivotally attached to said base unit, a torque bar extending between each pair of lift arms, torque bar brackets securing each of the torque bars to a frame, and a traveling nut mechanism connected to each of the torque bars and configured to move the bed between upper and lower elevational positions, the improvement comprising a plurality of load cells retrofittingly attached to said frame, said plurality of load cells being electrically connected to a control unit that is configured to receive signals from said plurality of load cells and to determine patient information, said plurality of load cells being configured so that the bed is supported only by said plurality of load cells when the bed is in the lower position;
wherein each load cell is aligned with and attached to a respective torque bar bracket.
Specification