WO2008039044A1

WO2008039044A1 - Medical treatment bed and monitoring system of patient using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2008039044A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/004804
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae Ho Jang
Original assignee: Lefined Construction Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-09-29
Filing date: 2007-10-01
Publication date: 2008-04-03

Abstract

The monitoring system comprises a plurality of medical treatment beds and a monitor unit. Each of the plurality of medical treatment beds includes a frame, a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole and a cover that opens and closes the excrement hole, a cover separating means which separates the cover from the excrement hole, a bedpan which is installed under the excrement hole from which the cover is separated by the cover separating means and is closely attached to or detached from the lower portion of the excrement hole by an elevating means, and an excretion collecting means which collects excretion from the bedpan. The monitor unit monitors the status of a patient using the medical treatment bed by determining whether a bedpan of each medical treatment bed is used or not.

Description

MEDICAL TREATMENT BED AND MONITORING SYSTEM OF PATIENT USING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a medical treatment bed and a monitoring system of a patient using the medical treatment bed, and more particularly, to a medical treatment bed, which allows medical staff to be immediately notified of abnormal signs of seriously conditioned patients or the aged with dementia by collectively monitoring statuses of multiple patients from the outside of a sickroom using the medical treatment bed equipped with various functional facilities, such as a bedpan, in a medical institution or a nursing home, and a patent monitoring system using the medical treatment bed. Background Art

[2] Generally, medical treatment beds are used for patients who need long-term treatment or have activity restrictions in an intensive care unit of a hospital or a nursing home for the aged.

[3] Such medical treatment beds have a variety of functional facilities and convenient gadgets equipped therewith in order to perform regular check-ups of patients who are so physically feeble as to be confined in beds.

[4] European Patent No. 05580077 discloses a bed which allows a patient to excrete excrement or urine in a state in which the angle of the bed is switched by patient's manipulation. Korean Patent No. 0584347 discloses a bed which employs a variety of equipment to facilitate daily life comfort of patients requiring intensive care unit or to assist daily check-ups of the patients in checking weight, pulse, blood pressure, and so on.

[5] However, the disclosed conventional beds equipped with various convenient gadgets still fail to be equipped with a system which can immediately detect an event of emergency, if any, like aggravation or death in the middle of patient's sleeping, which is problematic.

[6] Accordingly, since the patients occupying such conventional beds, who need intensive treatment due to serious illness or dementia, medical personnel such as doctors or nurses, or caregivers have to stay with the patients all the time to regularly monitor their physical conditions, thus requiring quite a large number of medical staff members.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [7] To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medical treatment bed including a bedpan, by which patients who are not able to move freely or have restrictions in activities can excrete or urinate in a sanitary manner by simple manipulation. Technical Solution

[8] It is another object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system using a medical treatment bed, which can immediately detect an abnormal sign or symptom of a patient by monitoring a use time of the bedpan or a number of times the patient uses the bedpan.

[9] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system using a medical treatment bed, by which multiple patients can be easily monitored with a minimum number of medical staff members.

[10] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical treatment bed comprising: a frame; a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole and a cover that opens and closes the excrement hole; a cover separating means which separates the cover from the excrement hole; a bedpan which is installed under the excrement hole from which the cover is separated by the cover separating means and is closely attached to or detached from the lower portion of the excrement hole by an elevating means; and an excretion collecting means which collects excretion from the bedpan.

[11] Preferably, the cover connected to the excrement hole is supported by the bedpan.

[12] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical treatment bed comprising: a frame which has a plurality of legs; a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole formed thereon; a bedpan which is installed on a bottom surface of the frame, is connected with and separated from the excrement hole by an elevating means, and provides connection and separation forces to a cover which opens and closes the excrement hole; an excretion collecting means which is connected to the bedpan and collects excretion from the bedpan; and a cover separating means which separates the cover from the bedpan.

[13] Preferably, the elevating means includes the elevating means includes a base frame having a pair of upper guide rails on which the bedpan is installed, and a pair of lower guide rails which are disposed under the upper guide rails in parallel with the upper guide rails and have guide grooves at opposite sides, first and second pantograph members which are supported by the upper and lower guide rails respectively, and a first actuator which is installed on the base frame to hingedly fold the lower portions of the first and second pantograph members.

[14] Preferably, the cover separating means includes a pair of guide rails that are supported by the frame and are installed in parallel with each other, having the bedpan interpose therebetween, a conveying frame which is slidably installed along the guide rails and has an open end where corresponds to the bedpan, a second actuator which is installed on the frame and moves the conveying frame forward and backward along the guide rails, a slidable connection unit which is installed on the conveying frame by a coupling means and is coupled with a flange installed on the upper edges of the bedpan when being conveyed by the conveying frame, and an elevating member which has the cover installed on its upper surface.

[15] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a monitoring system of a patient comprising: a plurality of medical treatment beds, each of which includes a frame, a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole and a cover that opens and closes the excrement hole, a cover separating means which separates the cover from the excrement hole, a bedpan which is installed under the excrement hole from which the cover is separated by the cover separating means and is closely attached to or detached from the lower portion of the excrement hole by an elevating means, and an excretion collecting means which collects excretion from the bedpan; and a monitor unit which monitors the status of a patient in a medical treatment bed by determining whether the bedpan of each medical treatment bed is used or not.

[16] Preferably, the monitor unit includes a control unit which is connected to the bedpan, a database which stores data input to the control unit, and a calling means to issues signals to the outside based on the data of the database when an abnormal sign or symptom occurs to a patient.

[17] The monitoring system may further comprise a sensor means which is connected to the monitor unit and installed on the bed to sense the movement of the patient.

[18] The monitoring system may further comprise a vibration generating means which is connected to the monitor unit, and installed on the bed to generate the vibration for preventing bed sores from occurring to the patient.

[19] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a monitoring system of a patient comprising: a plurality of medical treatment beds, each of which includes a frame which has a plurality of legs, a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole formed thereon, a bedpan which is installed on a bottom surface of the frame, is connected with and separated from the excrement hole by an elevating means, and provides connection and separation forces to a cover which opens and closes the excrement hole, an excretion collecting means which is connected to the bedpan and collects excretion from the bedpan, and a cover separating means which separates the cover from the bedpan; and a monitor unit which monitors the status of a patient in a medical treatment bed by determining whether the bedpan of each medical treatment bed is used or not. Brief Description of the Drawings

[20] FIG. 1 is a partially split, perspective view of a medical treatment bed according to an embodiment of the present invention; [21] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an elevating means and a cover separating means of the medical treatment bed in FIG. 1 ; [22] FIGS. 3 to 5 are side views for explaining of operation of the medical treatment bed in FIG. 1; [23] FIG. 6 is a side view of other embodiments of the elevating means and the cover separating means; [24] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of other embodiment of the cover separating means in

FIG. 6; [25] FIG. 8 is a side view of other embodiments of the elevating means and the cover separating means; [26] FIG. 9 is a partially split, perspective view of a mat which is employed to a monitoring system using a medical treatment bed according to an embodiment of the present invention; [27] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a vibration generating means employed to the mat in FIG. 9; [28] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a vibration generating means according to another embodiment of the present invention; and [29] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a control unit in FIG. 9.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [30] Hereinafter, a monitoring system of a patient using a medical treatment bed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. [31] According to the present invention, the monitoring system of a patient using a medical treatment bed includes a medical treatment bed, a sensor means which monitors the movement of a patient, a vibration generating means for massaging a patient, an excretion disposal unit which disposes of the excretion and urine of a patient, an operation unit which operates the vibration generating means and the excretion disposal means, and a monitor unit which is connected with each means and the excretion disposal unit to monitor the status of a patent on the bed. [32] The monitor unit includes a controlling unit which is connected with the excretion disposal unit to control it, a database unit which stores data input to the controlling unit, and a calling means that issues a signal when an abnormal status of a patent is determined based on the data of the database unit. [33] The medical treatment bed may be installed in a sickroom in multitude and then collectively managed by the monitoring system according to the present invention.

[34] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, exemplary embodiments of the medical treatment bed according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[35] Referring to drawings, the medical treatment bed 10 includes a frame 12 having a plurality of legs 11, and a mat 16 which is installed on the frame 12 and has an excrement hole 15 formed thereon. An excretion disposal unit for disposing of the excretion and urine of a patient, includes a bedpan 100, an excretion collecting means (not shown), and a cover separating means 50. The bedpan 100, which is installed on a bottom surface of the frame 12, is detachably connected to a lower portion of the excrement hole 15 by an elevating means 30 and is detachably coupled with a cover 200 that opens and covers the excrement hole 15. The excretion collecting means connected with the bedpan 100 collects the excretion from the bedpan 100. The cover separating means 50 separates the detachably connectable cover 200 from the bedpan 100.

[36] The frame 12 of the medical treatment bed 10 includes a lattice-type main frame

12a on which legs 11 are installed, and a sub frame 12b which is supported by the main frame 12a and is formed of a back resting stand, a leg resting stand, and a bedpan installation part. The back resting stand and the leg resting stand of the sub frame 12b are formed to be rotatable with respect to the main frame 12a.

[37] As means for adjusting the angles of the back resting stand and the leg resting stand relative to the main frame 12a, a general angle adjustment device can be used. Although not shown, a motor controller and a motor-dedicated driver circuit are preferably used as means for adjusting the angles of the back resting stand and the leg resting stand relative to the main frame 12a. Such devices can reduce noise and improve the operational accuracy of the motor by preventing the noise or damage on a switch which is included along with a relay in the conventional angle adjustment device.

[38] The mat 16 is located on an upper portion of the frame 12, and has the excrement hole 15 which is formed on a place corresponding to hips of a patient. The excrement hole 15 may have a variety of forms in order not to interfere with the excretion of a patient. For example, the excrement hole 15 may have a circular or polygonal shape, preferably a trapezoidal shape.

[39] The elevating means 30, which allows the bedpan 100 closely attach to or detach from the excrement hole 15 of the mat 16 by elevating the bedpan 100, includes a base frame, a pair of upper guide rails 32, and first and second pantograph members 33 and 34. The base frame includes a pair of upper guide rails 32 on which the bedpan is installed, and a pair of lower guide rails 31 which are disposed under the upper guide rails 31 in parallel with the upper guide rails 32, the lower and upper guide rails having corresponding guide grooves 31a and 32a at their opposite sides, respectively. The first and second pantograph members 33 and 34 are supported by the lower and upper guide rails 31 and 32, respectively.

[40] Here, the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34 are formed by a pair of plate bars which are hingedly connected with each other at their center parts, and rear ends of the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34 are preferably hingedly connected with rear ends of the upper and lower guide rails 31 and 32.

[41] Front ends of the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34, which are guided by the lower guide rails 31, are connected with the lower guide rails 31 by a connection rod 35, which is moved forwards and backwards along the lower guide rails 31 by a first actuator 36, so that the upper guide rails 32 can be elevated with respect to the lower guide rails 31, thereby elevating the bedpan 100 upwards. The first actuator 36 includes a rotation axis 36b which is driven by a motor 36a and a screw 36c which is screw-connected with the rotation axis 36b and moves forwards and backwards according to the rotation of the motor 36a. Driving power transmission from the motor 36a to the rotation axis 36b may be performed by means of gears.

[42] The cover separating means 50 can move the cover 200 forwards and backwards with respect to the excrement hole 15 to allow the cover 200 to be attached to or detached from to the excrement hole 15 according to upward and downward movement of the bedpan 100. Embodiments of the cover separating means 50 are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[43] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover separating means 50 is supported by the frame

12, and includes a pair of guide rails 51, a conveying frame 52, a second actuator 53, and an elevating member 56. The pair of guide rails 51 are installed on each side of the excrement hole 15 in parallel with each other. The conveying frame 52 is slidably installed along the guide rails 51 and has an open end formed corresponding to the bedpan 100. The second actuator 53 is installed on the frame 12 to move the conveying frame 52 forwards and backwards along the guide rails 51. The elevating member 56 is coupled to the conveying frame 52 by a coupling means 54, and includes a slidable connection unit 55 which is detachably connectable with a flange 101 installed on an edge of an upper portion of the bedpan 100, and the cover 200 is disposed on the upper portion of the elevating member 56.

[44] The conveying frame 52 has an L-shaped section with an upper portion opened, which is for preventing interference of the elevating member 56 while elevating, but the shape of the conveying frame 52 is not limited to the illustrated L-shape. The elevating member 56 includes a base unit 56a having the cover 200 installed thereon, and a slidable connection unit 55 which is formed by bending opposite sides of the base unit 56a to be detachably connectable with the flange 101 of the bedpan 100. The slidable connection unit 55 may be shaped of a channel having opposing faces opened.

[45] The coupling means 54 supports the elevating member 56 so that the elevating member 56 can move upward to a predetermined position from the conveying frame 52. The coupling means 54 includes guide rods 54a which extend downward from the elevating member 56 and are slidably connected with the conveying frame 52. The guide rods 54a are inserted into through-holes 54b formed on the conveying frame 52, and each guide rod 54a has a stopping sill 54c formed at an end to prevent deviation from the through-hole 54b. The structure of the second actuator 53 is substantially the same as that of the first actuator 36, and a detailed explanation thereabout will be omitted.

[46] FIGS. 6 to 8 show examples of improved bedpan elevating means and cover separating means of a medical treatment bed according an embodiment of the present invention.

[47] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, the cover separating means 70 includes a rotating member 71 and a driving unit 72 on a bedpan 100 or a base frame which supports the bedpan 100. As shown in FIG. 7, the rotating member 71 rotates between a top surface and a lateral surface of the bedpan 100 and has a cover 200 installed thereon. The driving unit 72 drives the rotating member 71. In addition, the driving unit 72 includes an worm wheel 72a coupled on an axis of the rotating member 71, and an worm 72c which is installed on the bedpan frame and forwardly/reversely rotated by a motor 72b and is engaged with the worm wheel 72a. The elevating means to elevate the bedpan 100 is the substantially same as the elevating means according to the previous embodiment.

[48] In a medical treatment bed according to an alternative embodiment, as shown in

FIG. 8, an elevating means 82, which elevates a cover separating means 81 and a bedpan 100 toward an excrement hole, may be constructed so as to rotate independently. That is, the cover separating means 81 may include a first hinge axis 81a, a first supporting bracket 81b, and a third actuator 81c. The first hinge axis 81a is rotatably installed on the frame 12 of the bed. The first supporting bracket 81b is installed on the hinge axis 81a to support the cover 200. The third actuator 81c rotates the first hinge axis 81a. Alternatively, the elevating means 82 elevating the bedpan 100 may include a second hinge axis 82a which is disposed to correspond to the first hinge axis 81b with the excrement hole 15 interposed between the first hinge axis 81b and the second hinge axis 82a, a second supporting bracket 82b which extends from the second hinge axis 82a and supports the bedpan 100 in such a manner that the bedpan 100 can be supported rotatably to the excrement hole 15, and a fourth actuator 82c which rotates the second hinge axis 82a in a predetermined angle range. The third and fourth actuators 81c and 82a have the substantially same structures as the first actuator 36.

[49] The cover separating means 81 and the elevating means 82 are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments and they have any structures as long as they can elevate the bedpan 100 toward the excrement hole 15 and consequently make the cover 200 engaged with or disengaged from the excrement hole 15 formed on the mat 16.

[50] In the previous embodiments, the bedpan 100 may be connected with an excretion discharging device, which, although not illustrated, may include an excretion collecting tank, a water tank, and a pump for cleaning the bedpan 100 by pumping water into the bedpan 100.

[51] In order to manipulate the excretion disposal unit, a touch panel is provided in a display monitor 250. Besides, an operation switch (not shown) may be separately installed on the bed 10.

[52] In a case of using the touch panel in manipulating the excretion disposal unit, the number of times and duration the touch panel is used are monitored by a monitoring system.

[53] The aforementioned excretion disposal unit operates in the following manner, which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[54] When a patient wants to defecate or urinate and operates the touch panel of the display monitor 250, the first actuator 36 of the elevating means 30 is operated to pull the connection rod 35 of the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34. As a result, the lower portions of the pantograph members 33 and 34 become apart from each other and the upper guide rails 32 supporting the bedpan 100 move downwards. Since the flange 101 of the bedpan 100 is coupled with the slidable connection unit 55 of the elevating member 56 on which the cover 200 is installed, the cover 200 is separated from the excrement hole 15 according to the downward movement of the bedpan 100.

[55] As described above, the cover 200 is separated from the bedpan 100 according to the downward movement of the bedpan 100, and the second actuator 53 operates to move the conveying frame 52 backwards. As a result, the elevating member 56 coupled with the conveying frame 52 by the guide rod 54a of the coupling means 54 moves backwards to then be separated from the flange 101 of the bedpan 100.

[56] Then, the first actuator 36 makes the first pantograph member 33 and the second pantograph member 34 become closer to each other. That is to say, the first actuator 36 makes the ends of the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34 move along the upper and lower guide rails 32 and 31. Accordingly, the bedpan 100 is elevated to come into close contact with the excrement hole 15.

[57] Therefore, the patient can defecate or urinate on the bedpan 100 in a lying or sitting position. The excretion, i.e., feces and urine, which is collected in the bedpan 100, is discharged by an excretion discharging device.

[58] When the patient finishes defecating or urinating, the bedpan 100 is moved downwards by the first actuator 36 and the first and second pantograph members 33 and 34 as described above. While the bedpan 100 is being moved downwards, the second actuator 53 operates to move the conveying frame 52 along the guide rails 52, and consequently, the slidable connection unit 55 of the elevating member 56 supported by the conveying frame 52 is coupled with the flange 101 of the bedpan 100.

[59] In a similar manner, once the bedpan 100 is completely coupled with the elevating member 56, the bedpan 100 is moved upwards to be coupled with the cover 200 to the excrement hole 15. While the cover 200 is coupled with the excrement hole 15, the guide rods 24a of the coupling means 54 are guided to the through-holes 54b and move upwards. Here, the guide rods 24a are not separated from the through-holes 54b of the conveying frame 52 due to the stopping sill 54c formed on each end of the guide rods 54a.

[60] In addition, load cells 300 are used as a sensor means installed on the bed 10 to sense the weight of the patient.

[61] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 12, the load cells 300, which are generally known in the art, are disposed inside the mat 16 at a predetermined interval. Signal values output from the load cell 300 are transferred to a monitor unit 700. Accordingly, in a case where a patient is in a lying position, the load cells 300 having a high load applied thereto or the load cells 300 having a small or no load applied thereto will output different signal values. In a case where the patient in a lying position turns over or moves, the load cells 300 to which loads are applied may be shifted in position. Thus, the movement of the patient can be monitored by a change in the signal values output from the load cells 300.

[62] Although not shown, the sensor means may further include an amplifying unit which amplifies fine analog signals output from the load cells 300, and a converter which converts the amplified analog signals into digital signals.

[63] Data transmitted to the monitor unit 700 is stored in a database unit 750 and the stored data is displayed on a display device (not shown) placed outside of the sickroom to allow medical staff or a caregiver to view the data. If the signal values output from the load cells 300 do not change for a certain period of time, suggesting that no patient movement is detected. Accordingly, the medical staff or caregiver should take an immediate action for treatment.

[64] A vibration generating means 400 is provided for the purpose of preventing bed sores from being generated on a back or other body parts of a patient who is in a serious condition or has activity restrictions. A bed sore may be caused when patient's body parts contacting the mat 16 are pressurized with a predetermined pressure for a prolonged period of time, resulting in compressing veins under the skin and impeding blood circulation, thereby causing festering to the skin. The bed sore may also be caused by friction or excessive moisture applied between the skin of the patient and the mat 16.

[65] In more detail, in order to prevent generation of bed sores due to impediment to blood circulation and/or lack of air supplied to the skin, it is necessary to introduce smooth air supply and prevent moisture generation by moving the patient's body as frequently as possible and distributing the load applied to the body part contacting the bed promote the sufficient air to the skin.

[66] Referring to FIGS. 9, 10, and 12, the vibration generating means 400 for preventing generation of bed sores includes a plurality of housings 410 which are disposed inside the mat 16 at a predetermined interval and vibrate, a motor 420 which is embedded in each of the housings 410 and generates vibration under the control of a control unit 740, and an eccentric cam 430 which is coupled with a driving axis of the motor 420.

[67] The vibration generating means 400 is driven such that the patient or a caregiver inputs data including a vibration time, a vibration intensity, a vibration sequence, and so on, using a touch panel of a display monitor. The vibration generating means 400 promotes the air supply to the skin of the patient and the mat 16 and releases the load on the patient's body parts contacting the mat 16, thereby preventing generation of bed sores.

[68] In addition, since the vibration generating means 400 functions as a massaging device, it can be advantageously used to improve the health of patients who have to lie down in bed for a long period of time.

[69] FIG. 11 shows a vibration generating means for preventing generation of bed sores according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[70] Referring to FIG. 11, the vibration generating means includes a plurality of dome- shaped pads 500 which are installed inside the mat 16 and through which air is injected and discharged, an air compressor 520 which generates compressed air to be injected into the pads 500, and an air distributing device 530 which distributes the compressed air generated by the air compressor 520 to each of the pads 500 through an air hose 510.

[71] An air pressure, an air supply sequence, and so on, are set in the control unit 740.

The air distributing device 530 is controlled by the control unit 740 according to the order set in the control unit 740.

[72] Check valves may be interposed between the air distributing device 530 and each dome pad 500 in order to interrupt power supplied to the power compressor 520 or stop supplying the air when the air pressure exceeds the set pressure. [73] When the patient operates the vibration generating means 400 using the touch panel of the display monitor 250, the air compressor 520 compresses the air. The compressed air is supplied to the air distributing device 530 through the air hose 510. The compressed air provided to the air distributing device 530 is supplied to each pad 500 through the hose according to the supply sequence set by the control unit 740. The pads 500 function as massagers using the injected compressed air, and simultaneously the compressed air is discharged to an air outlet.

[74] The air injection into and discharge from the pad 500 may be repeatedly performed according to the set sequence and pressure while performing effectively massaging actions, thereby preventing generation of bed sores.

[75] In addition, although not shown, the vibration generating means illustrated in FIGS.

10 and 11 can be both installed on a mat.

[76] The display monitor 250 for the patient or the caregiver to operate the vibration generating means 400 and the excretion disposal unit 600 is installed on a side of the fame 12 of the bed 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The display monitor 250 may be constructed so as to be capable of operating of the vibration generating means 400 and the excretion disposal unit 600 and adjusting an angle of the mat 16.

[77] The display monitor 250 may include a touch panel to allow a patient or a caregiver to operate the vibration generating means 400 and the excretion disposal unit 600. Also, the display monitor may allow a patient with activity restrictions to simply communicate with medical staff or a caregiver who is remotely located, or to utilize the Internet.

[78] Referring to FIG. 12, the monitor unit 700 includes the control unit 740 which is connected with the load cells 300, the vibration generating means 400, and the excretion disposal unit 600, the database unit 750 which receives from the control unit 740 various kinds of data, including signal values output from the load cells 300, a use time and vibration patterns of the vibration generating means 400, and a number of times the patient uses the excretion disposal unit 600, and stores the data, and a calling means which issues an alarm signal by means of the control unit 740 to notify the medical staff or the caregiver when an abnormal sign or symptom is detected based on the data of the database 750. A speaker connected to a medical staff room or a monitoring room may be used as the calling means 760.

[79] The control unit 700 is formed by a microprocessor which processes various control procedures and collects the data.

[80] Although not shown, the monitor unit 700 may further include a display unit which outputs the data stored in the database unit 750 to monitor the patient's status.

[81] The data received from each bed 10 is stored in the database unit 750. The data is output to the display unit in real time to allow the medical staff or the caregiver to monitor the patient's status from a medical staff room or a monitoring room remotely located from a sickroom.

[82] Thus, the medical staff or the caregiver can instantly check multiple patients status at a remote location, and if any abnormal sign or symptom is detected, the medical staff can immediately take proper treatment action on the patient who is in an abnormal status.

[83] Also, the monitor unit 700 includes the calling means to allow the medical staff or the caregiver in a remote place to timely take a medical action to the patient who does not move for a certain period of time by detecting the movement of a patient for a predetermined time based on data stored in a database.

[84] Based on the data stored in the database, the control unit 740 controls the calling means to issues an alarm signal to the medical staff or the caregiver when there is no movement detected for a predetermined period of time. Industrial Applicability

[85] According to the present invention, a medical treatment bed allows a patient having activity restrictions or unable to move freely, or a caregiver of the patient, to dispose of feces or urine in a hygienic manner. Since patients can handle their own excretions or urine without any assistant, caregivers can be free from a duty of disposing of the excretions or urine, which is quite a burdensome task to the caregivers.

[86] In addition, in a monitoring system using a medical treatment bed according to the present invention, in an event of emergency in which abnormal signs or symptoms, such as aggravation of the patient's condition or feeble movement of the patient, are detected, immediate medical treatment actions can be taken by checking a use time of a bedpan or a number of times the patient uses the bedpan, using sensors.

[87] Further, according to the present invention, a large number of medical staff members are not required for regular check-ups of numerous patient's physical conditions. That is, a minimum number of managing staff members can control many patients, thereby reducing the cost, while improving a medical treatment quality.

[88] The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments.

Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

[1] A medical treatment bed comprising: a frame; a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole and a cover that opens and closes the excrement hole; a cover separating means which separates the cover from the excrement hole; a bedpan which is installed under the excrement hole from which the cover is separated by the cover separating means and is closely attached to or detached from the lower portion of the excrement hole by an elevating means; and an excretion collecting means which collects excretion from the bedpan.

[2] The medical treatment bed of claim 1, wherein the cover connected to the excrement hole is supported by the bedpan.

[3] A medical treatment bed comprising: a frame which has a plurality of legs; a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole formed thereon; a bedpan which is installed on a bottom surface of the frame, is connected with and separated from the excrement hole by an elevating means, and provides connection and separation forces to a cover which opens and closes the excrement hole; an excretion collecting means which is connected to the bedpan and collects excretion from the bedpan; and a cover separating means which separates the cover from the bedpan.

[4] The medical treatment bed of claim 3, wherein the elevating means includes a base frame having a pair of upper guide rails on which the bedpan is installed, and a pair of lower guide rails which are disposed under the upper guide rails in parallel with the upper guide rails and have guide grooves at opposite sides, first and second pantograph members which are supported by the upper and lower guide rails respectively, and a first actuator which is installed on the base frame to hingedly fold the lower portions of the first and second pantograph members.

[5] The medical treatment bed of claim 3, wherein the cover separating means includes a pair of guide rails that are supported by the frame and are installed in parallel with each other, having the bedpan interpose therebetween, a conveying frame which is slidably installed along the guide rails and has an open end where corresponds to the bedpan, a second actuator which is installed on the frame and moves the conveying frame forward and backward along the guide rails, a slidable connection unit which is installed on the conveying frame by a coupling means and is coupled with a flange installed on the upper edges of the bedpan when being conveyed by the conveying frame, and an elevating member which has the cover installed on its upper surface.

[6] A monitoring system of a patient comprising: a plurality of medical treatment beds, each of which includes a frame, a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole and a cover that opens and closes the excrement hole, a cover separating means which separates the cover from the excrement hole, a bedpan which is installed under the excrement hole from which the cover is separated by the cover separating means and is closely attached to or detached from the lower portion of the excrement hole by an elevating means, and an excretion collecting means which collects excretion from the bedpan; and a monitor unit which monitors the status of a patient using a medical treatment bed by determining whether a bedpan of each medical treatment bed is used or not.

[7] The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the monitor unit includes a control unit which is connected to the bedpan, a database which stores data input to the control unit, and a calling means to issue signals to the outside based on the data of the database when an abnormal sign or symptom occurs to a patient.

[8] The monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising: a sensor means which is connected to the monitor unit and installed on the bed to sense the movement of the patient.

[9] The monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising: a vibration generating means which is connected to the monitor unit, and installed on the bed to generate the vibration for preventing bed sores from occurring to the patient.

[10] A monitoring system of a patient comprising: a plurality of medical treatment beds, each of which includes a frame which has a plurality of legs, a mat which is disposed on the frame and has an excrement hole formed thereon, a bedpan which is installed on a bottom surface of the frame, is connected with and separated from the excrement hole by an elevating means, and provides connection and separation forces to a cover which opens and closes the excrement hole, an excretion collecting means which is connected to the bedpan and collects excretion from the bedpan, and a cover separating means which separates the cover from the bedpan; and a monitor unit which monitors the status of a patient using a medical treatment bed by determining whether a bedpan of each medical treatment bed is used or not.