Patient handling device including local status indication, one-touch fowler angle adjustment, and power-on alarm configuration

A patient handling device having a plurality of features for patient care, said patient handling device comprising:

• a frame for supporting a patient;
• a plurality of sensors supported by said frame for generating a plurality of sensor signals, each of the sensor signals corresponding to one of the plurality of features of the patient handling device;
• a user-selectable control for producing a control signal to initiate monitoring of the patient handling device;
• and
• a controller in communication with said sensors and said user-selectable control for receiving the control signal, acquiring the sensor signals from said sensors in response to receiving the control signal, generating initial sensor data from the sensor signals based on the initial state of said sensors, periodically acquiring the sensor signals from said sensors, generating current sensor data from the sensor signals based on the current state of said sensors, comparing the current sensor data to the initial sensor data, and alarming in response to a substantial variation between the current sensor data and the initial sensor data.

A patient handling device having a plurality of features for patient care, said patient handling device comprising:

• a frame for supporting a patient;
• a plurality of sensors supported by said frame, each of said sensors generating a sensor signal corresponding to one of the plurality of features of the patient handling device;
• a controller in communication with said plurality of sensors for periodically acquiring the sensor signals from said plurality of sensors to generate current sensor data and comparing the current sensor data to predetermined data;
• and
• an alert lamp in communication with said controller for producing light in response to a substantial variation between the current sensor data and the predetermined data, wherein the light produced by said alert lamp is viewable outward from said frame along at least 180 degrees of a circle defined around said frame.

A patient handling device comprising:

• a frame for supporting a patient above a surface, said frame including an upper portion which is angularly adjustable with respect to the surface;
• an actuator operatively connected to said upper portion for adjusting said upper portion between a plurality of angular positions relative to the surface;
• an actuator control for generating an actuator control signal;
• an angular position sensor coupled to said frame for sensing the angular position of said upper portion with respect to the surface;
• a position lock control for generating a position lock signal;
• a controller in communication with said actuator control and said actuator for controlling said actuator to selectively adjust said upper portion between the plurality of angular positions;
• and
• said controller also in communication with said position lock control and said angular position sensor for preventing operation of said actuator and thereby preventing adjustment of said upper portion to at least one restricted angular position in response to the position lock signal.

A method of operating a patient handling device having a frame for supporting a patient above a surface wherein the frame includes an upper portion which is angularly adjustable with respect to the surface and an actuator for adjusting the upper portion, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an actuator control signal to adjust the upper portion between a plurality of angular positions relative to the surface;
• sensing an angular position of the upper portion with respect to the surface;
• receiving a position lock signal;
• and
• preventing operation of the actuator and thereby preventing adjustment of the upper portion to at least one restricted angular position in response to receiving the position lock signal.