Mattress assembly including adjustable length foot

• US 7,669,263 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Figel, Gregory J., Albersmeyer, David A., Schwartz, Steven J., Goodwin, Brent, Findlay, James K., Skinner, Andrew F., Osborne, Eugene E., Vanderpohl, Irvin J. III, Hornbach, David W., Menkedick, Douglas J., Suttman, Glenn C., Lubbers, David P., Zerhusen, Robert M., Stolpmann, James R., Chambers, Kenith W., Weil, Paul R., Knue, Matthew R., Scheele, Cami S., Richter, Terry L., Meyer, Eric R., Shenk, Joshua W., Kramer, Kenneth L., Batta, Nicholas C., Bhai, Aziz Ali, Riggs, Tom, Philbeck, Roger S., Murnyack, Roberta M., Dixon, Steve A., Hoffman, Brian J., Wilker, Jack Jr., Welling, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US11/393,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 5600-624, 177/144
• US Class Current: 5/624
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/726 for automatic deactivation, e.g. deactivation of actuators or motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/74 for anti-shear when adjusting furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/001 with means for turning-over the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/005 tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/008 tiltable around longitudinal axis, e.g. for rolling
• 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 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• 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 7/052 : characterised by safety means, e.g. to avoid injuries to patient or caregiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 : characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 : Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 : with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 : with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/445 : in a horizontal position

Abstract

A patient support including a frame and a mattress supported by the frame. The frame includes a deck support and a deck supporting the mattress.

Claims

1. A patient-support apparatus comprising

a control system including a serial data bus and a plurality of control modules coupled to the serial data bus, each control module including a microcontroller and a transceiver operable to communicate over the serial data bus by sending a message out on the serial data bus,

wherein each of the modules is operable to monitor communications on the serial data bus to determine whether to process a particular message.

2. The patient-support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a controller area network.

3. The patient-support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control system comprises a logic control module and a scale control module.

4. The patient-support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the scale control module is configured to receive signals from a plurality of load cells and to convert the signals from the load cells into a weight supported on the patient-support apparatus.

5. The patient-support apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control system further comprises a communications module in communication with equipment external to the patient-support apparatus.

6. The patient-support apparatus of claim 5, wherein the communications module communicates with a communication system for a facility in which the patient-support apparatus is located.

7. The patient-support apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communications module is configured to control lighting and entertainment equipment within the facility.

8. The patient-support apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communications module is configured to provide information to the facility communication system.

9. The patient-support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications module reports a usage parameter of the patient-support apparatus.

10. The patient-support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications module responds to requests from the facility communication system.

11. The patient-support apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communications module provides information regarding the weight sensed by the scale control module.

12. The patient-support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications module provides information regarding the weight sensed by the scale control module.

13. The patient-support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to permit the addition of new modules or the subtraction of existing modules without manual reconfiguration of the other modules present.

14. The patient-support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control system periodically verifies the functionality of each module present.

15. The patient-support apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the control system comprises a controller area network, and wherein the patient-support apparatus further comprises

a first frame,

a first load cell coupled to the first frame,

a second load cell coupled to the first frame,

a second frame supported on the first and second load cells,

a scale module configured receive a first data signal from the first load cell indicative of the load on the first load cell and a second data signal indicative of the load on the second load cell, the scale module operable to process the data signals and to form and transmit a scale communication message over the controller area network, and

a user interface module supported on the second frame and in communication with the controller area network, the user interface module configured to receive the communication message from the scale module and to process the scale communication message to display information associated with the scale communication message.

16. The patient-support apparatus of claim 15, wherein the patient-support apparatus further comprises a therapy device supported on the second frame and a therapy device control module configured to control operation of the therapy device, the therapy device control module in communication with the controller area network.

17. The patient-support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the therapy device control module is configured to receive the scale communication message from the scale module and to process the scale communication message to adjust an operating parameter of the therapy device based on the scale communication message.

18. The patient-support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the user interface module is configured to form and transmit an operational communication message associated with at least one user input.

19. The patient-support apparatus of claim 18, wherein the therapy device is operable to process an operational communication message to adjust an operating parameter of the therapy device based on the operational communication message.

20. The patient-support apparatus of claim 19, wherein the therapy device is a mattress comprising a plurality of air bladders, the air bladders being adjustable to vary a pressure in the air bladders.