Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G5/00—Weighing apparatus wherein the balancing is effected by fluid action
  • G01G5/006—Weighing apparatus wherein the balancing is effected by fluid action with pneumatic means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
  • G01G19/44—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for weighing persons
  • G01G19/445—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for weighing persons in a horizontal position

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for weigh- ing, especially of seriously ill patients confined to bed, by means of an inflatable mattress placed in the bed under the patient.
• the object of the present invention is to use an inflatable mattress in a completely diffe ⁇ rent, simpler manner for rapid weighing of the patient.
• the object is achieved in that a compressed-air source is connected to the mattress, that air is supplied to the mattress until a pressure balancing the weight of the pa ⁇ tient has been obtained, that the compressed-air source is disconnected and a previously measured, exact quantity of air is supplied to the mattress, and that the change of pressure caused by the load of the patient on the exact quantity of air supplied to the mattress is measured and converted into weight.
• the invention also relates to a device for carrying the weighing method into effect, said device comprising a compressor driven by an electric motor; a compressed-air container; a multi-way valve connectible to the mattress and adapted, upon actuation in a first position, to con ⁇ nect the compressor to the compressed-air container so as to charge the latter with a fixed quantity of air, in a second position to disconnect the compressed-air container and connect the compressor to the mattress for supply of air to the latter so as to balance the patient's load on the mattress, in a third position to disconnect the com ⁇ pressor and connect the compressed-air container to the mattress so as to convey the fixed quantity of air to the latter, and in a fourth position to disconnect the com ⁇ pressed air container; means adapted to measure the change of pressure imparted by the patient's load on the mattress to the exact quantity of air supplied to the mattress and convert the measurement result into weight and indicate the latter; and a valve device for emptying the mattress of air.
• the mattress 10 may be of conventional type and, actually, forms a part of the hospital bed since it is placed therein before the patient is put to bed. Con ⁇ sequently, each bed has its own mattress. Naturally, the mattress 10 has to be completely air-tight, and it has a connection hose 11 for supplying and emptying of air. In its free end, the hose 11 has a suitable quick coupling.
• the valve 14 is provided with an outlet which, by means of a conduit 25, is connectible to the connection 11 of the mattress 10. Furthermore, the valve 14 has an inlet which, by means of a conduit 26, is connected to a compressor 15
• the compressor 15 may be connected to the compressed-air container 19 or the mattress 10 or, in another position, connect the compressed-air container 19 to the mattress 10 while the compressor 15 is disconnected. In yet another position, all the inlets and outlets are blocked in a con ⁇ ventional manner.
• the compressor 15 and its drive motor are preferably built together, for which reason the motor is not shown in detail in the drawing.
• a switch 17 is ar ⁇ ranged to switch the motor on and off.
• the multi-way valve 14 may, in a simple embodiment, be manually operated, but an electronic control unit 18 is preferred.
• the compressed- air container 19 is of conventional type and provided with a pressure gauge 20, e.g. a manometer.
• a pressure gauge 24 is adapted to control the air pressure in the mattress 10, an indicating device 21 being connected to the pressure gauge and, preferably digitally, showing the measured pressure.
• a transducer 25 is also connected to the pressure gauge 24 and is adapted to convert the mea ⁇ sured pressure into weight indicated by the digitial indi- eating device 22.
• the pressure gauge 24 is connected to the outlet conduit 25 of the valve 14, and both are joined by means of a combined quick coupling and safety device 23 which is connectible to the quick coupling of the mattress connection 11.
• the device described above is used in the following manner for weighing of a bed patient.
• the trolley 12 is wheeled up to the bed with the patient lying on the empty mattress 10 placed in the bed.
• the mattress 10 may still contain air from a previous weighing, but this in no way influences the method for weighing according to the inven ⁇ tion.
• the connection 11 of the mattress 10 is then con ⁇ nected to the coupling 23 in the trolley and the compres ⁇ sor motor is started by means of the switch 17.
• the valve 14 is set in such a position that the compressed air gene ⁇ rated by the compressor 15 is supplied to the compressed- air container 19 via the conduits 26 and 27, until a pre ⁇ determined quantity of air has been supplied, which is in ⁇ dicated by the pressure gauge 20.
• the valve 14 is reversed to supply the mattress 10 with compressed air via the conduits 26, 25 and 11.
• the mattress 10 is inflat ⁇ ed to such an extent that the load of the patient lying thereon is balanced, i.e. the patient is lifted by means of the mattress 10 just so high that he is clear of the underlying structure.
• This balancing position is sensed by the pressure sensor 24 functioning as a transducer and is shown by, for example, a zero in the window of the indi ⁇ cating device 21.
• the valve 14 is reversed so that the compressor 15 is disconnected and the mattress 10 is connected to the compressed-air container 19 via the conduits 11, . 25, 27.
• the exactly measured quantity of air in the container 19 flows into the mattress, where ⁇ upon the valve 14 is closed and the pressure gauge 24 senses the pressure in the mattress 10, which differs from the pressure in the compressed-air container 19.
• the change of pressure can be read on the indicating means 21 but, being of less interest, is instead transmitted to the transducer 25 which converts the obtained value into weight, e.g. in kilograms, shown digitally by the indicat ⁇ ing device 22.
• the air in the mattress 10 is discharged, e.g. by actuation of the coupling or safety valve 23 or another outlet valve of the mattress or its connection 11.
• the emptying of the mattress 10 is carried out such that the patient is slowly lowered towards the underlying structure, and that no noise is produced.
• the weighing may be carried out manually and the valve 14 changed when predetermined va ⁇ lues are indicated by the pressure gauge 20 and the indi ⁇ cating device 21.
• setting and resetting of the valve 14 may be carried out by means of the electronic unit 18 which is then connected not only to the valve 14 but also to the pressure gauge-and the switch. In that case, the person weighing the patient, after having connected the mattress 10 to the trolley, only has to actuate a switch, whereupon all the necessary changes are carried out automatically until the weight is shown by the indicating device 22.
• the invention is especially applicable to the weigh ⁇ ing of patients, but may also be used for weighing objects which because of their weight or cumbersome nature are difficult to place on a weighing machine.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)
• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20373275

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (9)

Citations (7)

• 1988
  • 1988-09-09 SE SE8803176A patent/SE462002B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1989
  • 1989-09-07 WO PCT/SE1989/000476 patent/WO1990002927A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (7)

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