US 4,907,845 A · Bed patient monitoring system

Abstract

A system is shown for detecting the movements of a patient confined to a bed so as to determine if there is the likihood that the patient is trying to leave the bed. A sensor is arranged to be placed under the mattress of a bed next to the frame and is totally sealed from the intrusion of contaminants so that it is not necessary to discard the sensor after a patient is discharged. The sensor utilizes ribbon switches sandwiched in assembly between stiff plexiglas plates. The assembly is sealed in a bag that holds the parts in assembly while permitting relative movement in all directions. The alarm system is arranged so that if the sensor detects undesired patient movement, the regular nurses' call light system is deactivated and an alarm distinguishable therefrom is superimposed on the nurses' call light alarm. In addition, an alarm audible to the patient encourages the patient to return to the desired position on the bed. The system then returns to normal and the alarms cease so that resetting is not necessary. Other alarms are activated at remote locations. A bed rail activated switch is utilized to arm and disarm the system so that if the bed rail is lowered to remove a patient from the bed, the alarms are not activated and when a patient is replaced on the bed and the rail is raised, the system is reactivated.

Claims35

Dependent claims

In a confined bed patient alarm system for use in conjunction with a call alarm system having signal means operable by a patient to provide a first alarm signal to a call alarm device in a first mode circuit, apparatus means for providing a second alarm signal to the call alarm to operate the call alarm in a second mode distinguishable from the first mode, which circuit apparatus means comprises:

Means for detecting a parameter indicative of patient movement;
Control means responsive to said detecting means for supplying a movement signal indicative of such movement;
Means responsive to such movement signal for deactivating the signal means operable by a patient to operate the call alarm device in the first mode;
and
Means responsive to such movement signal for providing a second alarm signal to operate the call alarm device in the second mode distinguishable from the first mode.

2 more elements

In a bed patient alarm system for use with a bed having a bed rail movable between up and down positions, whereby a detection device is positioned on the bed to provide a signal indicating the movement of a patient from the patient's normal position on the bed, means for permitting the patient to move from such normal position when the bed rail is down without activating the alarm system, which means comprises:

Control means connected to a circuit path and operable to provide an alarm when activated by a signal applied to said circuit path;
Switch means mounted on the bed and having a first component positioned on the bed so as not to move with the bed rail and a second component positioned on the bed so as to move with the bed rail, said first component being connected by a circuit path with the detection device on the bed and said second component being connected to said control means circuit path, said first and second components arranged so that when the bed rail is in an up position to form an enclosure to keep a patient in the bed, the first and second switch components are arranged to provide a closed circuit path between the detection device and the control means and when the bed rail is in a down position to permit the patient to more easily move from the bed, the first and second switch components are arranged to open the circuit path between the detection device and the control means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bed patient monitoring system

Life of this patent

Bed patient monitoring system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35