Hospital bed obstacle detection apparatus

• US 8,502,663 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Riley, Carl William, Huster, Keith Adam, Figel, Gregory J., Vanderphol, Irvin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US13/600,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/573.1, 561/0, 560/0
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/045 with entire frame height or inclination adjustments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/72 for collision prevention
• 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 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• 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 7/0513 covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08
• 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: B60B 33/0005 characterised by mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0039 : Single wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0049 : the rolling axle being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0057 : the rolling axle being offset from swivel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0068 : the swivel axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0073 : the swivel axis being symmetrical to wheel or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/021 : combined with braking of castor wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/142 : of the elongated strip type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/16 : adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift

Abstract

A hospital bed obstacle detection device and related method for detecting an obstacle between first and second components of a hospital bed is provided.

Claims

1. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a base frame comprising a longitudinally-extending side member, the longitudinally-extending side member having an upper surface;

an elevating frame disposed in spaced relation to said base frame;

a lifting device configured to move said elevating frame relative to said base frame; and

a sensor extending in substantially parallel relation to the longitudinally-extending side member and mounted to the upper surface of the longitudinally extending side member, the sensor configured to generate an electrical interference detection signal in response to detecting an object in contact with the sensor, wherein the sensor comprises an electrically conductive upper contact, a base disposed in spaced relation to the upper contact, the upper contact being configured to deflect downwardly toward the base in response to a downwardly acting vertical force applied to the upper contact, and an electrically conductive lower contact in spaced relation to the upper contact, wherein the lower contact is supported by the base of the sensor and the sensor is configured to generate the electrical interference detection signal in response to at least a portion of the upper contact engaging the lower contact.

5. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper contact and the base extend along the longitudinal length of the upper surface of the base frame.

6. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper contact is configured to return to its original position in response to removal of the downwardly acting vertical force.

7. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, comprising one or more spacers positioned between the upper contact and the lower contact to define a deflection region through which the upper contact may deflect into contact with the lower contact.

2. The patient support apparatus of claim l, comprising a control unit in communication with the sensor and configured to prevent movement of the lifting device in at least one direction in response to the electrical interference detection signal.

3. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to prevent movement of the lifting device in a downwardly direction toward the base frame in response to the electrical interference detection signal.

4. The patient support apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to permit movement of the lifting device in an upwardly direction in response to the electrical interference detection signal.

8. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a base frame comprising a longitudinally-extending side member, the longitudinally-extending side member having an upper surface;

an elevating frame disposed in spaced relation to said base frame;

a lifting device configured to move said elevating frame relative to said base frame; and

a sensor extending in substantially parallel relation to the longitudinally-extending side member and mounted to the upper surface of the longitudinally extending side member, the sensor configured to generate an electrical interference detection signal in response to detecting an object in contact with the sensor, wherein the sensor comprises an electrically conductive upper contact and a base disposed in spaced relation to the upper contact, and the base of the sensor is secured to the upper surface of the base frame.

9. The patient support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the base is secured to the upper surface of the base frame by a plurality of screws.

10. The patient support apparatus of claim 8, comprising a control unit in communication with the sensor and configured to prevent movement of the lifting device in at least one direction in response to the electrical interference detection signal.

11. The patient support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the upper contact and the base extend along the longitudinal length of the upper surface of the base frame.

12. The patient support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the upper contact is configured to return to its original position in response to removal of the downwardly acting vertical force.

13. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a base frame comprising a pair of longitudinally-extending side members, each of the longitudinally-extending side members having an upper surface;

an elevating frame disposed in spaced relation to said base frame;

a lifting device configured to move said elevating frame relative to said base frame; and

a pair of sensors, each sensor extending in substantially parallel relation to one of the longitudinally-extending side members and mounted to the upper surface of the longitudinally extending side member, each sensor comprising a pair of electrically-conductive contacts configured to generate an interference detection signal in response to an object contacting the sensor, at least one of the sensors comprising an electrically conductive upper contact, a base disposed in spaced relation to the upper contact, the upper contact being configured to deflect downwardly toward the base in response to a downwardly acting vertical force applied to the upper contact, and an electrically conductive lower contact in spaced relation to the upper contact, the lower contact being supported by the base of the sensor and the sensor being configured to generate the electrical interference detection signal in response to at least a portion of the upper contact engaging the lower contact.

14. The patient support apparatus of claim 13, comprising a control unit in communication with each of the sensors and configured to prevent movement of the lifting device in at least one direction in response to one or more of the sensors detecting an object in contact with the sensor.

15. The patient support apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to prevent movement of the lifting device in a downwardly direction toward the base frame in response to one or more of the sensors detecting an object in contact with the sensor.

16. The patient support apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured to permit movement of the lifting device in an upwardly direction in response to the sensor detecting an object in contact with the sensor.

17. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a base frame;

an elevating frame disposed in spaced relation to said base frame;

a lifting device configured to move said elevating frame relative to said base frame; and

a sensor mounted to a lower surface of the elevating frame, the sensor configured to generate an electrical interference detection signal in response to detecting an object in contact with the sensor, the sensors comprising an electrically conductive upper contact, a base disposed in spaced relation to the upper contact, the upper contact being configured to deflect downwardly toward the base in response to a downwardly acting vertical force applied to the upper contact, and an electrically conductive lower contact in spaced relation to the upper contact, the lower contact being supported by the base of the sensor and the sensor being configured to generate the electrical interference detection signal in response to at least a portion of the upper contact engaging the lower contact.

18. The patient support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a resilient electrically conductive upper contact and an electrically conductive lower contact disposed in spaced relation to the upper contact, and the sensor is configured to generate the electrical interference detection signal in response to at least a portion of the upper contact engaging the lower contact.

19. The patient support apparatus of claim 18, wherein the upper contact is configured to deflect toward the lower contact in response to a force acting on the upper contact.

20. The patient support apparatus of claim 19, wherein the upper contact is configured to return to its original position in response to removal of the force.