JP2009536063A - Sensor unit, patient bed, and method for improving patient bed - Google Patents

Abstract

  It is to provide a technology capable of installing a bed equipped with a sensing unit on demand. According to the present invention, a bed including a sensing unit of a new monitoring system can be modified as required. This allows mechanical sensing of patient presence, patient motion, respiratory rate, and heart rate.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor unit and a patient bed. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for improving a patient's bed.

  Monitoring a patient during sleep is a standard approach in various situations (mainly hospital environments). Depending on the examination, various parameters are monitored. Often required parameters are weight during sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, and respiratory abnormalities, as well as special movement patterns. In order to measure these values, essential technical effort and various techniques are required.

  European patent application EP 05109419.1 (Phillips ID 298116) describes a new technique for clinical monitoring, including a sensor unit and monitoring system integrated in a hospital bed. This new system enables mechanical sensing of patient presence, patient movement, respiration and heart rate. However, this type of patient monitoring is in practice only for certain patients of all patients. Given the financial aspects and workflow, it would be very attractive if the bed could be equipped with a sensor unit only when needed.

  The objective of this invention is providing the technique which can install the bed provided with a sensing unit according to a request | requirement.

  The object of the present invention is achieved by a sensor unit having a plurality of mechanical fasteners for measuring at least one component force acting in a first direction. The fastener is present in a position where the sensor unit is clearly defined with respect to the bed, is suitable for reliably performing mechanical coupling with the bed, and is detachable in the first direction.

  This object is in accordance with the present invention to improve a patient bed having a system for manipulating the position of a patient in a first direction and a plurality of mechanical fasteners detachable in the first direction. Achieved by the method. The method includes operating the operating system such that a patient moves from a first position to a second position, such that each sensor unit is in a well-defined position relative to the bed. Replacing a plurality of first sensor units attached to the bed using the fasteners with a second sensor unit; and an operating system so that the patient moves from a second position to a first position. Operating.

  The present invention is described for the design of the bed and sensor unit. Furthermore, the present invention describes a method for handling a sensor unit comprising a bed.

  A bed according to the present invention is defined as a lying or sitting or other device such as, for example, a normal bed, a hospital bed, a couch, a normal chair, a dentist chair, a wheelchair, a (surgical) table. However, the present invention can be suitably used in a hospital. Therefore, this bed is preferably a hospital bed.

  The work sensor unit according to the invention is preferably a sensor unit as described in European patent application EP 05109419.1 (Phillips ID 298116), which is hereby incorporated by this disclosure.

  The core idea of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables installation of a bed equipped with a sensing unit, as required. Thus, not all hospital beds need to have these integrated sensor units, but need only be equipped with sensor units when appropriate. This significantly reduces the cost of hospital beds. This installation can be easily performed by medical personnel and does not require a technical specialist. This is achieved by the present invention by using a removable mechanical fastener that attaches the dummy or work sensor unit of the sensor unit to the bed so that it is in a well-defined position relative to the bed. . The main advantage of the present invention is that one type of sensor unit can be easily replaced by another type of sensor unit. This is accomplished using the bed's existing operating system. In other words, an already available bed operation system can be used for installation. Furthermore, the present invention can also be used when simply replacing the work sensor unit, such as in the case of repair or maintenance. The mechanical fastener is detachable in the same direction as the direction in which the operating system operates and the direction in which the force measured by the sensor unit acts, so that simple installation is possible. And at the same time, a safe mechanical connection between the sensor unit and the bed is ensured.

  These and other aspects of the invention will be further elaborated on the basis of the following examples, which are defined in the dependent claims.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit dummy and the work sensor unit have a plurality of spline shafts and the bed has a plurality of containers for the spline shafts, or Conversely, the bed has a plurality of spline shafts, and the dummy of the sensor unit and the work sensor unit have a plurality of containers for the spline shafts. Thus, a very simple and effective mounting system is provided. The use of spline / shaft members eliminates the risk of confusion during replacement of the sensor unit. In order to achieve simple handling during replacement or installation of the sensor unit, the spline shaft and the container are fitted in the operating direction of the operating system. This installation can be easily performed even by medical personnel or office workers. If applicable, other attachment members can also be used.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of fasteners have a quick opening device. The use of a quick opening device results in a simpler replacement procedure and allows a reliable and early installation during a short period of bed operation.

  The bed preferably has a base frame and a patient support coupled to the base frame. Hospital bed patient support is usually coupled to a variable frame base frame (eg, a system that provides height adjustment), so the direction of the component force changes depending on the variable position of the patient support frame. The integration of the sensor unit into the patient support requires more labor with respect to measurement and / or data processing. In this way, the parameter is monitored conservatively, so integration into the base frame is preferred. Thus, according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of fasteners are attached to the base frame and patient support, or are an integral part of the base frame and patient support, and A plurality of sensor unit dummies or a plurality of work sensor units are attached between the base frame and the patient support by fasteners. This position allows measurement of the force of the patient support against the bed base frame. This makes it possible to optimally characterize patient movement and reliably extract heart rate, respiration rate, and weight. In addition, it will also allow monitoring of these data over a period of time.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the operating system is suitable for lowering the patient support to the displaced position. This allows the sensor unit to be partially removed from the bed and allows the sensor unit to be replaced while the patient support is directed from below by the plurality of displacement rods. During installation, the displacement rod functions as a replacement part for the bed base frame. The use of a displacement rod can reliably and safely position the patient support during the replacement procedure.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic operating system is provided for simple operation of the patient support, thus ensuring simple installation.

  For the first time, the present invention makes it possible to install a bed with a sensing unit of a new monitoring system capable of mechanical sensing of patient presence, patient movement, respiration and heart rate on demand.

  These and other aspects of the invention are described in detail by way of example with reference to the following examples and the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a typical mobile hospital bed 2. The bed 2 has a base frame 3 and a movable patient support 4. A patient mattress (not shown) is placed on the upper side 5 of the patient support 4. The base frame 3 has a wheel frame 6 with four wheels 7, and further four bed columns 8 extending upward from the wheel frame 6 to support the patient support 4. have. At the upper end of each bed column 8, the same work sensor unit 9 is provided. In other words, the patient support 4 is coupled to the upper ends of the four bed columns 8 via the sensor unit 9. The bed 2 can be configured by a hydraulic machine (not shown) in terms of the patient height relative to each other and the position of the various regions 11 of the patient support 4.

  The sensor unit 9 is coupled to the base frame 3 with the patient support 4 in a movable manner. This means that the patient support 4 can be moved downward (in the direction of arrow 12) when the patient is positioned on the mattress. When the patient moves, the patient support 4 can be moved laterally in any lateral direction (for example, the direction of the arrow 13 or the direction of the arrow 14). Movement to those sides is caused by “large” movement, such as when a patient's seizure occurs, and by “small” movement, such as the heartbeat of the patient or the patient's breathing.

  Each work sensor unit 9 has two force sensor devices for sensing component forces in various directions 12, 13, 14 as detailed in European patent application EP 05109419.1 (Phillips ID 298116). Each sensor unit 9 has a transmitter that transmits measurement data to a data device using a wired or wireless data communication link. When the sensor unit 9 is installed at a specific position, the force between the mattress on which the patient is placed and the patient support 4 on the base frame 3 of the bed 2 can be measured. The patient's weight and patient movement are characterized, and the patient's heart rate and respiration rate are extracted by the data device. For this purpose, it has a computer that executes a dedicated computer program for extracting the information from the measurement data.

  FIG. 2 shows a single work sensor unit 9. In this embodiment, a strain gauge sensor 25 acting as a first sensor device is attached to the patient support 4. For this purpose, a spline shaft 50 is attached to the upper coupling plate 27 of the sensor unit 9. The upper coupling plate 27 is mounted on the bottom surface 29 of the patient support 4 by three coupling members 30.

  The spline shaft 50 extends perpendicularly to the upper coupling plate 27 of the sensor unit 9 in the direction of the patient support 4 (in the direction of arrow 12). The patient support 4 has a coupling plate 51 having a cylinder with a container 52 for the spline shaft. The container 52 extends in the direction of the sensor unit 9 (same direction) perpendicular to the coupling plate 51 of the patient support 4. The container 52 has a plurality of concave spaces 53 (grooves) extending in the axial direction. The spline shaft 50 includes a plurality of ribs 54 extending in the axial direction thereof. The ribs 54 are formed according to a plurality of recessed spaces 53 in the container 52 to engage the spline shaft 50 with the container 52. For this reason, the axis of the shaft is not rotated. As a result, the sensor unit 9 is present at a clearly defined position with respect to the patient support 4. The spline shaft 50 is held in the container 52 by a quick opening device in the form of a fixing screw 55. The fixing screw 55 is suitable for fixing the spline shaft 50 in the container 52 by screwing the end of the spline shaft 50 into the hole 56 of the spline shaft 50 after lifting the end thereof. For this purpose, the fixing screw 55 is fitted in the opening 57 of the container cylinder. The fixing screw 55 ensures a stable structure even while the patient support 4 and / or the bed is moved. For clarity, the cylinder of FIG. 2 is shown with a portion of the cylinder wall omitted.

  The strain gauge sensor 25 is suitable for measuring the component force in the vertical direction 12 to provide the patient's weight. The strain gauge sensor 25 is mounted horizontally on a cylinder-shaped protective box 26. One end of the strain gauge sensor 25 is connected to the free end of the T-shaped coupling plate 27 by a vertical intermediate piece (not shown).

  The other end of the strain gauge sensor 25 is connected to the slide 31 by a coupling member. The slide 31 enables relative movement between the base frame 3 and the patient support 4. The slide 31 is mounted on the rail member 33. The rail member 33 extends horizontally and vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis 34 of the strain gauge sensor 25. One front end 35 of the slide 31 is placed on the piezoelectric sensor 36. The piezoelectric sensor 36 functions as a second sensor device and is firmly attached mainly to the U-shaped lower coupling plate 37. The lower coupling plate 37 has another spline shaft 50 that extends perpendicularly to the lower coupling plate 37 toward the base frame 3. Furthermore, the base frame 3 has a coupling plate 51 with a container 52 for the spline shaft 50. The functions of the fastening members 50, 52,... Are the same as the functions of the fastening members 50, 52,. As a result, the sensor unit 9 is in a position clearly defined with respect to the base frame 3.

  The rail member 33 that guides the slide 31 is provided between the two U-shaped legs 39 and 40 of the lower coupling plate 37, and the piezoelectric sensor 36 is disposed inside the first U-shaped leg 39. Mounted on. The piezoelectric sensor 36 is suitable for measuring the component force in the horizontal direction (eg, direction 13 or direction 14) to provide information regarding patient movement. In other words, any additional horizontal component force will generate a signal at the piezoelectric sensor 36. The slide 31 is coupled to the piezoelectric sensor 36 via a spiral spring 41 that has been previously expanded and contracted. A spiral spring 41 that applies a specific prescribed tension to the piezoelectric sensor 36 is mounted inside the second U-shaped leg 40 on the opposite side and is coupled to the other front end 42 of the slide 31. The initial tension of the spiral spring 41 can be adjusted by the adjusting screw 43 outside the second U-shaped leg 40. Instead of the spiral spring 41, other types of elastic members may be used.

  The functions of the mechanical fasteners 50, 52,... Have been described in relation to the work sensor unit 9. The dummy (not shown) of the sensor unit according to the invention shows the same mounting function. However, although the sensor unit dummy is a mechanical part replacing the work sensor unit 9, the sensors 25 and 26 are not replaced, and thus the cost is low. In other words, the dummy of the sensor unit mainly has upper and lower coupling plates connected to each other and coupled to the spline shaft 50. When patient monitoring is required, each dummy sensor unit can be replaced with a work sensor unit 9, as described below.

  The replacement procedure will be described with reference to FIG. In a first step 101, the fixing screw 55 of the spline shaft 50 between the sensor unit dummy 9 ′ and the patient support 4 is loosened in order to replace the sensor unit dummy 9 ′ with the working sensor unit 9. In the next step 102, the displacement rod 60 is made available. The displacement rod 60 is preferably a part of the base frame 3 of the bed 2 and provided by a joint as required. The bed 2 has a hydraulic operating system 61 (illustrated only diagrammatically in FIG. 1). In step 103, the operating system lowers the patient support 4 to the displaced position (direction 12). While the bed column 8 is located at a low position where the sensor unit dummy 9 ′ does not contact the patient support 4, the patient support 4 is supported from below by the plurality of displacement rods 60 at this position. The sensor unit dummy 9 'can be removed from the bed 2 (step 104) and this replacement can be performed (step 105). In step 106, the base frame 4 on which the work sensor unit 9 is next mounted is lifted again and the fixing screw 55 is tightened. Finally, at step 107, the displacement rod 60 is folded.

  It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing embodiments and that the present invention can be embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit or basic attributes thereof. Let ’s go.

  Accordingly, this example should be considered in all respects, as illustrative and not limiting. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and range equivalent to the terms of the claims are allowed.

  Further, the term “comprising” does not exclude other members or steps. The word "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality and does not exclude a single item such as a computer system or other unit, and is The functions of several means listed in can be implemented.

It is the schematic of the bed of a hospital provided with four sensor units. It is explanatory drawing of a work sensor unit provided with the spline shaft and the container for the said spline shaft attached to a bed frame (not shown) and a patient supporter (not shown). The schematic diagram of the method of replacing the dummy of the sensor unit with the work sensor unit in seven steps, or the method of replacing the work sensor unit with the dummy of the sensor unit is shown.

Explanation of symbols

2 beds
3 Base frame
4 Patient support
5 Upper side
6 wheel frame
7 wheels
8 bed pillar
9 Sensor unit
11 Movable range
12 down
13 Horizontal direction
14 Horizontal direction
25 Strain gauge sensor
26 Protective box
27 Upper connection plate
29 Bottom
30 coupling members
31 slides
33 Rail member
34 Vertical axis
35 Front end
36 Piezoelectric sensor
37 Lower connection plate
39 U-shaped leg
40 U-shaped leg
41 spiral spring
42 Front end
43 Adjustment screw
50 spline shaft
51 Connection plate
52 containers
53 Groove
54 Ribs
55 Fixing screw
56 holes
57 opening
60 Displacement rod
61 Hydraulic system

Claims (10)

A sensor unit for measuring one component force acting in at least a first direction,
Having a plurality of mechanical fasteners;
The mechanical fastener comprises a positive mechanical connection to the bed so that the sensor unit is in a clearly defined position relative to the bed, and is removable in the first direction;
Sensor unit. A patient bed having a system for manipulating the position of a patient in a first direction and a plurality of mechanical fasteners,
The plurality of mechanical fasteners attach the plurality of sensor units to the bed such that each sensor unit is in a clearly defined position with respect to the bed,
The plurality of mechanical fasteners are detachable in the first direction, and the sensor units can be replaced with other sensor units.
The patient bed wherein the replacement is achievable using the operating system of the bed.   3. The bed according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit is an operating sensor unit or a dummy sensor unit. The operating sensor unit measures a first component force acting in the first direction and a second component force different from the first component force acting in the second direction;
The first component force corresponds to a plurality of first patient parameters, such as patient weight, and the second component force corresponds to a plurality of second patient parameters, such as patient movement. Bed as described in 2.   The sensor unit includes a plurality of spline shafts, and the bed includes a plurality of containers for the spline shafts, or the bed includes a plurality of spline shafts, and the sensor unit includes the spline shafts. The bed according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of containers. The operating system lowers the patient support in a first direction to a replacement position;
The sensor unit can be partially removed from the bed,
The bed according to claim 2, wherein the replacement of the sensor unit can be performed while the patient support is supported from below by a plurality of displacement rods. The plurality of fasteners are attached to the base frame and the patient support or are part of the base frame and the patient support;
The bed according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensor units are attached by the fastener between the base frame and the patient support.   The bed according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of fasteners have a quick-open device.   Bed according to claim 2, characterized by a hydraulic machine operating system. A bed having a system for manipulating a patient's position in a first direction and a plurality of mechanical fasteners detachable in the first direction, the method comprising:
Operating the operating system such that a patient moves from a first position to a second position;
Replacing a plurality of first sensor units attached to the bed by the fasteners with second sensor units so that each sensor unit is in a clearly defined position relative to the bed;
Operating the operating system such that the patient moves from the second position to the first position;
A method comprising:

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