DE102016203304A1 - Transport device for a patient - Google Patents

Abstract

A transport device (1) for a patient comprises - a patient couch (2) mounted on a plurality of wheels (3), - a drive unit (5) for adjusting a wheel position of at least one wheel (3) of the plurality of wheels (3), and - A control unit (7) for controlling the drive unit (5) in accordance with control information. According to the invention, the control unit (7) has a memory unit (8) in which a path information characterizing at least one transport path (T) to be traveled by the transport device (1) can be stored, from which the control information can be derived.

Description

The invention relates to a transport device for a patient, comprising a patient bed mounted on a plurality of wheels, a drive unit for adjusting a wheel position of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in accordance with control information.

Mobile transport devices are known from the prior art which are designed to transport patients between different rooms of a hospital, for example between a patient's room and a treatment room. For a diagnosis or a treatment, patients must also typically be reburied or introduced into a tunnel-shaped patient admission, in particular of a magnetic resonance tomograph. It is understood that these procedures should be as quick and pleasant as possible for the patient, but there are numerous problems in the application: for example, relocation from an operating table to a mobile patient bed is problematic even for the reasons of the hygienic conditions to be followed during the operation , In addition, the patient is typically associated with a variety of medical devices that make relocation difficult.

On the other hand, from a medical point of view, it is desirable to indicate ways in which operations can be supported by information obtained promptly using imaging techniques. Magnetic resonance tomography is particularly suitable for this purpose, the good tissue contrast of which is particularly suitable for providing valuable information for the resection or ablation of tumors.

For this purpose, inter alia, it has been proposed to equip transport facilities with patient couches which are equipped for docking to the magnetic resonance tomographs. Since such trained transport facilities typically due to their weight (about 250 kg plus the weight of the patient) are relatively stiff, was in the published patent application DE 10 2013 208 610 A1 a further development proposes to dock when a wheel position of the patient bed overlapping wheels automatically by means of a control unit and an associated and the wheel position changing drive unit. Especially with manually displaceable transport devices, this requires a significant reduction of the force required for the correct alignment.

For this purpose, the distance, direction and / or movement information relevant to the control is continuously recorded by cameras, for example. For fixing a distance to be traveled by the transport device to the docking position, fixed markings are provided which are detected continuously by these optical sensors.

Based on this prior art, it is an object to further simplify the transport of patients.

This object is achieved by a transport device of the type mentioned above with the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

• – eine auf einer Mehrzahl von Rädern gelagerte Patientenliege,
• – eine Antriebseinheit zum Verstellen einer Radstellung zumindest eines Rades der Mehrzahl von Rädern, und
• – eine Steuereinheit zum Steuern der Antriebseinheit nach Maßgabe von Steuerinformationen. Erfindungsgemäß weist die Steuereinheit eine Speichereinheit auf, in der eine zumindest einen von der Transporteinrichtung zurückzulegenden Transportweg charakterisierende Weginformation ablegbar ist, aus der die Steuerinformationen ableitbar ist.

The defined according to claim 1 transport means for a patient

• A patient couch mounted on a plurality of wheels,
• A drive unit for adjusting a wheel position of at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels, and
• A control unit for controlling the drive unit in accordance with control information. According to the invention, the control unit has a memory unit in which a path information characterizing at least one transport path to be traversed by the transport device can be stored, from which the control information can be derived.

In particular, for checking an operation progress or success, the patient must typically be transported from an operating room to an examination room containing a medical imaging device. It has been recognized that it makes sense to deposit the path information characterizing the transport path to be traveled on the part of the transport device. The transport device according to the invention thereby has an on demand retrievable functionality that automatically adapts at least the wheel position to the zurückzulegenden transport path while the transport device is moved on this. In particular, no additional modifications of the premises in the form of optical markings or the like are necessary for this purpose. Furthermore, the sensor provided on the part of the transport device can be simplified, since in principle no continuous detection of environmental information, for example, for the detection of optical markings, is necessary.

Particularly preferred is the wheel position and / or the wheel revolutions of the at least one Rades detected by at least one sensor. Furthermore, a path detection system is preferably provided, which is designed to at least partially derive the path information from the data acquired by the sensor and store it in the memory unit. Such a trained transport system allows a particularly user-friendly programming of different transport path characterizing path information. In fact, in fact, the transport device can automatically learn the transport path to be covered: For this purpose, it is only necessary to guide the transport device once over the transport path, while a recording function of the path detection system is activated. When the recording function is activated, the path information is at least partially derived from the data acquired by the at least one sensor. The term "at least partially derived" in this context means that, under certain circumstances, further information that is recorded, for example, by optionally present environmental sensors can be taken into account. The path information derived from the wheel position and / or wheel revolutions is stored in the memory unit and can then be called up at any time to generate appropriate control signals for correct steering of the transport device if required.

The at least one sensor of the path detection system is preferably a rotary encoder. Such sensors are particularly robust, so that the relevant route information can be reliably recorded.

It has been found that the support for the operating personnel of the transport device, which is provided by the automatic control of the wheel position along the transport path to be covered, is preferably suitable for longer distances. In particular, the intended transport paths are longer than the distances which typically occur only during docking to a medical imaging device. The transport path to be covered is preferably longer than 2 meters, particularly preferably longer than 5 meters, and may in particular comprise at least the transport between two different rooms, for example between a patient's room, an operating room and / or an examination room of a medical facility.

Particularly preferably, several path information characterizing different transport paths can be stored in the memory unit. In other words, it is provided to store path information that corresponds to different transport paths, digitally.

In a further development of the invention, further sensors for detecting position and / or environment data are provided which are in operative connection with the control unit as part of the path detection system and / or as part of an assistance system supporting the control of the transport device. As a position data such data are considered, which allows conclusions about the present position of the transport device in particular within or in the vicinity of the medical facility or the hospital. Environmental data within the meaning of the present specification are those relating to information about the immediate environment of the transport device. For example, the distance and orientation of the transport device relative to a docking position to the medical imaging device should be classified as environmental data. Other environmental data relates, for example, to obstacles such as objects or persons, which may occur temporarily, in particular along the transport path. Preferably, the sensors provided for detecting the environmental information are designed to detect the environment of the transport device continuously or at least regularly at short intervals. As part of the assistance system, these sensors can be in operative connection with the control unit in such a way that a control intervention takes place automatically in the event of a detected obstacle. For this purpose, for example, the wheel position can be changed automatically and / or carried out an automatic braking.

The further sensors provided for determining the position or environmental data preferably comprise at least one acceleration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an RFID transponder, an infrared camera and / or an optical camera. It is possible to derive conclusions about the position of the transport device from the data acquired by the acceleration sensors, in particular when it is moved along a known transport path stored in the storage unit. RFID transponders or RFID receivers and RFID transmitters are also suitable for providing data for accurate positioning of the transport device. Such systems are known in particular in the field of logistics for locating objects per se and require components that are installed in a stationary manner. This can be, for example, a plurality of RFID transponders, which backscatter modulated by a high-frequency alternating field emitted by an RFID transmitter provided by the transport device.

In a further development of the invention, therefore, a patient transport system is proposed, which comprises the transport device described above. To localize the Transport device is provided based on RFID technology transmitter / receiver arrangement, which is at least partially installed stationary. With regard to the arrangement of the RFID transmitter, RFID receiver and / or RFID transponder, variations of the configuration described above are possible. For example, the RFID transmitter can also be installed in a stationary manner and an RFID receiver and / or RFID transponder integrated in the transport device. In particular, RFID receivers and RFID transmitters can also be arranged at the same location and integrated in the same device.

For continuous recording of environmental data are particularly ultrasonic sensors, for example, serve as distance sensors, or optical cameras suitable.

The patient bed is preferably designed for docking on the medical imaging device and is, for example, height-adjustable for this purpose. In addition, the transport device and / or the imaging device, which is for example a magnetic resonance tomograph, may have a mechanical interface which provides a mechanical locking of the patient couch with respect to the imaging device. The docking process is of crucial importance, since this typically mechanical and electrical connection elements must be associated with each other. This implies that the transport device, whose curb weight is typically about 250 kg, must be precisely aligned with the medical imaging device. A tolerance range is generally about +/- 10 °, in case of deviations, the transport device and / or the imaging device may be damaged.

However, the area between the imaging device and the transport device is difficult to see during the docking operation by the operator. It is therefore preferable to provide a display device, for example a flat screen, on which the front-side region of the transport device detected by the optional further sensor is optionally shown in an abstracted manner. The display device thus shows a kind of "virtual docking station" to simplify the docking process.

The transport device described above is preferably guided manually by the operating personnel along the transport path, whereby the control of the wheel position takes place automatically on the basis of the stored path information. In a further development of the invention, it is provided to design the transport device self-propelled, i. at least one motor driving the wheels is provided. In the case of self-propelled transport devices, speed profiles are preferably assigned to the transport path to be traveled. The automatic movement of the transport device along the transport path takes place according to the activated speed profile in sections with variable speed. Especially in curves and / or when docking with the imaging device, the movement of the transport device takes place at a reduced speed.

An important aspect of the present invention relates to programming the patient transport device described above. By means of at least one sensor detecting the wheel position and / or the wheel revolutions, the transport device can be programmed by guiding the transport device along a transport path when the picking function is activated, wherein the at least one sensor detects the wheel position and / or the wheel revolutions of the at least one wheel. The path detection system automatically derives the path information characterizing the transport path from the acquired data at least partially and stores it in the memory unit. In other words, the transport device can independently learn the transport path or the path information characterizing it. For complete acquisition of the path information, the position data can be used, which are detected by means of the optional further sensors.

For programming the transport device, for example, it is moved between two rooms, for example an operating room and an examination room of the medical facility. The distance covered defines the transport path, which preferably has a length of at least 2 meters, particularly preferably at least 5 meters.

The transport path more preferably begins at a location suitable for docking with the medical imaging device or ends there. It is also possible for the transport path to connect two such locations with one another and to extend, for example, from a docking position of a first imaging device to a docking position of a second imaging device. Just the docking of such imaging devices is complex for the operator, so that in such situations, a considerable simplification of the computer-assisted control of the transport device is effected.

The medical imaging device is preferably designed as a magnetic resonance tomograph. In other embodiments, the imaging device is an X-ray device, in particular a C-arm or a computed tomography device.

For a further description of the invention reference is made to the embodiment shown in the drawing figures. In a schematic schematic diagram:

1 : schematically a transport device according to the invention;

2 in: the movement of the transport device along a transport path connecting two rooms of a medical facility.

Corresponding parts are provided in all figures with the same reference numerals.

1 shows a transport device 1 for a patient. The transport device has a height-adjustable patient bed in a manner known per se 2 on, on a lower part 4 , which on several wheels 3 is stored, is attached.

The wheel position of at least one of the wheels 3 is by means of a drive unit 5 adjustable, in 1 symbolically represented by two gears. It is understood that this representation is to be regarded as schematic, since such components typically of a panel of the transport device 1 are covered.

By means of a sensor 6 , which is designed as a rotary encoder, can be a wheel position of at least one of the drive unit 5 adjustable wheel 3 be recorded. The sensor 6 stands with a control unit 7 in an operative connection, the control signals for the specification of suitable wheel positions to the drive unit 5 sends. Another, unspecified sensor detects the Radumdrehungen the at least one wheel and thus measurement data with one of the transport device 1 distance are correlated.

The control device 7 also has a memory unit 8th on, on which a route information is stored, the at least one of the transport device 1 to be covered transport path T characterized. One possible transport path T is exemplary in FIG 2 outlined. From this route information, a control information can be derived, according to their specification of the control unit 7 Control signals are generated, causing the corresponding wheel positions, so that the transport device 1 is automatically steered while this is guided manually along the transport path T. The on the storage unit 8th stored path information is thus decisive for the control information, a continuous evaluation of sensor-acquired data is not necessary to the transport device 1 along the programmed transport path T lead.

To move the transport device 1 are each front side handle elements 9 intended. At the front end is another sensor 10 arranged as an optical camera and designed as part of an assistance system to detect obstacles in a front-side area. When a detected obstacle, an automatic control intervention can take place. For this purpose, the other sensor 10 with the control unit 7 connected, which is provided for the evaluation of the environmental data with a corresponding electronics.

The transport device 1 also has, in a manner not shown, an RFID technology-based transmitter / receiver arrangement, which is equipped with fixedly installed RFID transponders ( 13 ) communicates. The transport device 1 forms with the stationary installed components of the transmitter / receiver arrangement a trained for position detection patient transport system. The information concerning the position of the transport device 1 within the medical facility is by the transport facility 1 available in the form of position data.

To activate the various functions of the transport device 1 is a user interface 11 intended. By means of the user interface 11 In particular, a recording function can be activated to the transport device 1 to program a new transport path T or the path information corresponding thereto. After activating the recording function, the transport device must 1 , as in 2 outlines only once manually guided over the transport path T. It draws at least one sensor 6 as part of a path detection system, the user-side steering interventions on the wheel position on. On the basis of these data, the path information corresponding to the transport path T is derived, which is stored in the memory unit 8th is filed. The route information is then available on demand, so that a corresponding automatic steering function can be activated if necessary. The transport device 1 then takes over the steering function independently via the control of the wheel position. This reduces the force wall, which must be expended for the movement of the transport device by the operator.

It also includes the user interface 11 a display device on which of the further sensor 10 recorded area is shown schematically. This facilitates the correct positioning of the transport device 1 when docking to an imaging device, in particular to a manganese resonance tomograph.

The in 2 Exemplarily illustrated Transportweg T connects two examination rooms, in each of which medical imaging facilities 12 are arranged. The transport path T leads, in particular, from an imaging device designed for angiography 12 to a docking position of a magnetic resonance tomograph. The patient bed 2 the transport device 1 has a mechanical interface to the docking area of the imaging device designed as a magnetic resonance tomograph 12 on, so that the patient can be easily introduced into a non-illustrated patient admission.

The position data are taken into account when activating the automatic steering function. On the basis of the position data can be derived, which control information is necessary to the transport device 1 safely along the remaining part of the transport path T lead. This allows in particular that the steering function can be activated at any point along the transport path T. For evaluating the environmental and / or position data or for deriving the control information from these data and / or from the path information, the control unit has a correspondingly designed electronics or evaluation unit.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited by the embodiments shown in the figures. Other variations and combinations may be deduced therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102013208610 A1 [0004]

Claims (14)

Transport device for a patient, comprising - one on a plurality of wheels ( 3 ) Patient couch ( 2 ), - a drive unit ( 5 ) for adjusting a wheel position of at least one wheel ( 3 ) of the plurality of wheels ( 3 ), and - a control unit ( 7 ) for controlling the drive unit ( 5 ) in accordance with control information, characterized in that the control unit ( 7 ) a storage unit ( 8th ), in which at least one of the transport device ( 1 ) pathway to be traversed (T) can be stored, from which the control information can be derived. Transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of at least one sensor ( 6 ) the wheel position and / or the wheel revolutions of the at least one wheel ( 3 ) is detectable and a path detection system is adapted to the path information from the at least one sensor ( 6 ) at least partially inferred data and in the memory unit ( 8th ). Transport device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transport path (T) to be covered is longer than 2 meters, in particular longer than 5 meters and in particular connects at least two different rooms of a medical facility. Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of different transport paths (T) characterizing path information in the storage unit ( 8th ) can be stored. Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that further sensors ( 10 ) are provided for detecting position and / or environment data which is provided as part of the path detection system and / or as part of an assistance system assisting the control of the transport device with the control unit ( 7 ) are in an operative connection. Transport device according to claim 5, characterized in that the further sensors ( 10 ) comprise at least one acceleration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an RFID transponder and / or a camera. Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the patient bed ( 2 ) for docking to a medical imaging device ( 12 ) is trained. Method for programming a transport device ( 1 ) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the transport device ( 1 ) is guided along a transport path (T), wherein at least one sensor ( 6 ) the wheel position and / or the wheel revolutions of at least one wheel of the transport device ( 1 ) and a path detection system detects a path information characterizing the transport path (T) from that of the at least one sensor ( 6 ) derives at least partially collected data and in a memory unit ( 8th ). Method for programming a transport device according to claim 8, characterized in that the length of the transport path (T) over which the transport device is guided is at least 2 meters, in particular more than 5 meters. Method for programming a transport device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the transport path (T) connects at least two rooms of a medical device with each other. Method for programming a transport device according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the transport path (T) is attached to a device for docking to a medical imaging device ( 12 ) suitable place begins and / or ends. Method for programming a transport device according to claim 11, characterized in that the medical imaging device ( 12 ) is designed as a magnetic resonance tomograph or as an X-ray device, in particular as a C-arm or as a computed tomography device. Method for programming a transport device according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that different transport paths (T) characterizing path information in the memory unit ( 8th ) are stored. Patient transport system with a transport device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a trained for localization of the transport device and based on RFID technology transmitter / receiver arrangement is provided, which is installed at least partially stationary.

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