Abstract:
An apparatus (450) for motorized transport of the hospital bed (100) and care cart (200) docks to the head end of the bed (100) and has a drive wheel (453), a motor (477) propelling the drive wheel (453), a joy stick type potentiometer (457) for controlling the speed and direction of the drive wheel (453) and handles (454) for grasping the apparatus (450) and maneuvering the apparatus (450) and the hospital bed (100). Gas springs (503) are actuated by the bed (100) when the motorized transport apparatus (450) and the bed (100) are docked together for exerting a downward force on the wheel drive (453) to reduce the tendency of the drive wheel (453) to slip. The apparatus falls within the footprint (126) of the bed (100).
Abstract:
A hospital bed (100) supported on a wheeled base (104), and a ventilator (26) supported on a wheeled cart (18) and docked to the base, the combination capable of being rolled as a single unit. The ventilator cart (18) includes a wheeled base (20), and supports (24), for supporting the ventilator, with raising and lowering the ventilator. The bed base (104) is wheeled and has a generally Y-shaped base frame (110). The outspread arms (112) of the Y-shaped frame (110) receives the ventilator cart (18). The ventilator when docked to the bed base falls within the footprint (126) of the bed (100). A latch (118, 120) secures the ventilator to the bed base. A disabling switch (120) disables the high/low function of the bed preventing the bed from being lowered downwardly onto the ventilator. A power supply (122) mounted to the bed base provides for uninterrupted operation the ventilator.
Abstract:
A patient/nurse call system (10) for a hospital includes patient stations (18) capable of generating hospital calls and a remote master station (32) which prioritizes and stores the calls. Hall units (28) outside patient rooms (14) identify the rooms (14) from which the calls originate and the type of call. Each patient station (18) allows selective retrieval and display of unanswered calls, and the system (10) further permits audio interconnection between any two of the stations (18, 32). Nurse-worn badges (26) transmit pulse-coded infrared signals which are received by receivers (121) at the patient stations (18) and in response, the system (10) generates identity and location signals which are stored at the master station (32). The nurse location and identity information may also be retrieved and displayed at any patient station (18). Receipt of a nurse's (11) infrared signal at a room station (18) automatically cancels a patient call originating from the room (14) and display thereof by the respective hall unit (28), while actuating a display (122) to indicate nurse (11) presence. Bed monitoring units (149) also interconnect to the patient stations (18) to generate signals related to bed status.
Abstract:
A foot section for a birthing bed has a central panel (25) and two lateral plates (30, 30) that function, in an inclined attitude, as footrests and in a vertical attitude as posts for receiving calf supports (29). The calf supports (29) are stored in holsters (42) on the underside of the footrests. The mattress (21) is in three sections, with the outboard sections (31, 31) being hinged to a central section (26) so as to be swung upwardly upon the central section (26) thereby exposing the footrests without having to remove the whole foot section. The central panel (25) can be removed with the mattress and is adapted to be stood on its end for temporary storage, thereby conserving floor space.
Abstract:
An incontinence detection device (10) comprising a pad (12) with a plurality of circuits (C1-C15). The circuit conductors (15a-e, 15f/g and 15h-1) are spaced on the pad (12), with each of the circuits (C1-C15) defining a linear dimension across a respective pair of the circuit conductors (15a-e, 15f/g, 15h-1). The linear dimension has a correlation to a predetermined liquid volume of an incontinent event desired to be detected. A controller (44) applies voltage from a power source to and checks continuity of the spaced circuits and totals the circuits. The controller indicates to a care provider that an incontinent event has occured at a certain minimum liquid volume.
Abstract:
A hospital bed which is convertible to a chair configuration has a serially hinged normally horizontal head panel (28), seat panel (30), thigh panel (32) and foot panel (34). The foot panel (34) has a central section (38) and a wing section (40) longitudinally pivoted on each lateral side of the central section. To convert the horizontal bed to the chair configuration the head panel (28) is pivoted upwardly and the foot panel (34) pivots downwardly between parallel rail members (78) of the bed frame (14). The hinged intersection of the foot panel (34) and the thigh panel (32) pivots upwardly to support the patient's knees. Through sliding contact with rail members (78) of the bed frame each wing section (40) pivots upwardly in response to the downward movement of the central section (38) of the foot panel (34).
Abstract:
A collapsing wing (12) on a lateral side (24) near the head end (20) of a hospital bed (10). As the result of a laterally inwardly applied force, the wing (12) collapses thereby allowing earlier access to the center or furthermost side of the hospital bed (10) or patient for a nurse or care provider. The wing (12) is attached to the bed frame (16) of the hospital bed (10) by a spring loaded parallelogram linkage (28) which permits the wing (12) to move laterally within a generally horizontal plane as a result of the inward force. Once the inward force is removed, the linkage (28) returns the wing (12) to the full width hospital bed configuration. The wing is a U-shaped channel (30) open toward the bed (10). The bed (10) has a narrower U-shaped channel (34) open toward the wing channel (30). The channels are connected by the parallelogram linkage (28). The wing channel (30) nests over the frame channel (34) when a laterally inward force is applied to the wing channel (30).
Abstract:
A hospital bed (100) supported on a wheeled base (104), a ventilator (26) mounted on a ventilator cart (18) with a wheeled base (20) and a care cart (200) are docked together and rollable as a unit. The wheeled bed base has outspread Y-shaped arms for docking the ventilator cart, the latter falling within the footprint (126) of the former. The care cart (200) carries a battery housing (203) and oxygen, and means for connecting electricity and oxygen to the ventilator, as well as structure for attaching the cart wheeled base (201) to the bed wheeled base. A motorized dolley (401) is incorporated into another embodiment to provide motorized transport of the combination. A safety switch (120) prevents the lowering of the bed surface onto the ventilator.
Abstract:
A birthing bed (10) has a base (11), a frame (15) supported by a parallelogram linkage (16) above the base (10) and articulating body support panels (18) mounted on the frame (15). A mechanism (25), mounted in the frame (15), is provided for raising and lowering of the frame (15) with respect to the base (11) and for operating the articulating body support panels (18). The body support panels (18) include a head panel (20) that is pivoted adjacent a seat panel (21). A flexible plastic shield (30) overlies the joint (27) between the seat (21) and head panel (20) to protect the operating mechanism (25) from fluids discharged during the birthing process.
Abstract:
A hospital bed (10) that is convertible to a chair for patient egress from the foot end of the bed. A patient support platform (18) has serially hinged, normally horizontal head (28), seat (30), thigh (32) and foot (34) panels. To convert the horizontal bed to the chair configuration, the patient support platform (18) in the lowermost vertical position is translated longitudinally toward the foot end of the bed (10). The head panel (28) is pivoted upwardly and the foot panel (34) pivots downwardly to a generally vertical attitude. The foot panel (34) includes a collapsing portion (46) which telescopes into a pivoting portion (44) to thereby avoid interference with the floor as the foot panel (34) is pivoted to a vertical attitude. When converted to the chair configuration, an area is vacated at the foot end of the bed to provide a space for docking a wheelchair or other ambulatory assisting device. The patient's feet rest directly on the floor in the chair configuration in that the foot panel collapses into itself as it pivots downwardly rather than pivoting along a second axis to underlie the patient's feet.