Abstract:
Methods and systems for monitoring of the position of a patient in a hospital bed and taking responsive protective measures to continually reposition the patient in the center of the bed and to prevent the patient from accidentally falling or voluntarily exiting from the bed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    U.S. Provisional Application No. 62081600 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       NAMES OF PARTIES TO JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY AN INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
       [0005]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The inventive subject matter relates to hospital beds. 
         [0007]    It is a well-known problem that many patients accidentally fall from hospital beds or intentionally exit hospital beds in unstable conditions and become injured. The National Patient Safety Foundation recently reported that approximately 500,000 falls occur in hospitals in the United States annually, and more than 150,000 injuries are attributed to such falls. 
         [0008]    There have been various attempts to address this problem over time, namely, strapping the patient to the bed, attaching guards along the perimeter of the bed, and installing alarm systems. Each of these solutions has limitations and drawbacks. 
         [0009]    Strapping the patient to the bed is effective for confinement purposes, but requires time consuming and intensive physical labor from health providers and can be detrimental to the patient&#39;s health and comfort because it restrains the patient&#39;s movements. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,477, Daake, 1955 (“Restraining sheet”). 
         [0010]    Attaching guards along the perimeter of the bed is moderately effective for confinement purposes, but many patients roll or climb over the guards, and the guards often interfere with access to the patient. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,732, Moon, 1954 (“Guard for beds”). 
         [0011]    Alarm systems provide a passive solution, requiring health care providers to respond and take physical action to prevent the patient from falling or exiting from the bed. For example: U.S. Pat. No, 2,784,395, Gorby, 1957 (“Patient fall-out warning device for hospital beds”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,432, Travis, 1994 (“Patient exit detection mechanism for hospital bed”); U.S. Pat. No. 7,437,787, Bhai, 2008 (“Load-cell based hospital bed control”); U.S. Pat. No. 8,717,181, Talent, 2014 (“Bed exit alert silence with automatic re-enable”). 
         [0012]    There is a need for a better solution to this problem. 
         [0013]    All patents and patent applications referenced herein are incorporated in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in a reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition or use of that term herein, the definition or use of the term herein shall apply. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The present invention is directed to methods and systems for preventing a patient from accidentally falling or intentionally exiting from a hospital bed. The inventive subject matter involves monitoring the position of a patient on the bed and responsively repositioning and protecting the patient by tilting or shaping the bed to create an inclined plane gravitational force on the patient toward the center of the bed, or raising one or more guards around the perimeter of the bed. The inventive subject matter further involves steps and mechanisms to perform these functions and optional steps and mechanisms to optimize and customize performance based on the needs of the patient. 
         [0015]    The advantages of the invention include favorable contrasts to the limitations and drawbacks of the existing solutions to the problem discussed above. The invention protects the patient with minimal detrimental impact on the patient&#39;s health or comfort, interference with access to the patient, and physical actions required from health care providers. 
         [0016]    Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawing in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a patient centered in a hospital bed and monitoring aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 2( a ) and 2( b )  show perspective views of movement by a patient in a hospital bed and responsive repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3( a ) and 3( b )  show perspective views of movement by a patient in a hospital bed and responsive repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 4( a ) and 4( b )  show perspective views of movement by a patient in a hospital bed and responsive repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of responsive repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 6( a ) and 6( b )  show perspective views of movement by a patient in a hospital bed and responsive protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of mechanisms controlled by the computer system that can enable repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8( a )  shows a perspective view of mechanisms controlled by the computer system that can enable repositioning and protective aspects of an embodiment of the invention and 
           [0025]      FIG. 8( b )  shows an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 8( a ) . 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart of an algorithm for a computer program that controls monitoring, repositioning, and protective aspects of various embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    There are many possible embodiments of the invention, some of which are described below. 
         [0028]    In further detail,  FIG. 1  shows a patient  10  positioned in the center of a hospital bed patient support structure  11  with sensors  12  that communicate with a computer system  13  to monitor the size and position of the patient  10  on the patient support structure  11 . Enabling examples of these features are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,717,181. The sensors  12  may comprise any type of device that can communicate data about physical bodies, including, for example, weight load sensors, cameras, heat sensors, touch sensors, proximity sensors, or air pressure sensors, force sensitive resistors, capacitive sensors, tape switches, and including but not limited to the devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,717,181. 
         [0029]    In further detail,  FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5  show movement by the patient  10  away from the center of the patient support structure  11  monitored by the sensors  12  and communicated to the computer system  13  and various means for responsively manipulating the patient support structure  11  to create an inclined plane gravitational force on the patient in the direction of the center of the patient support structure  11  relative to the position of the patient  10 . The initiation and magnitude of this force is controlled by the computer system  13 . The computer system can be programed to initiate this force when the position of the patient  10  in the patient support structure  11  is determined to be outside of any chosen deviation (including zero) from the center (or a defined central area) of the patient support structure, such that the patient support structure otherwise remains level. The computer system  13  can be programmed to control the magnitude of this force by choosing any constant angle or calculating the angle of the inclined plane created as a factor of one or more of the following: the deviation of the position of the patient from the center (or a defined central area) of the patient support structure  11 ; and the size of the patient  10 . 
         [0030]    The inclined plane gravitational force on the patient has two effects. First, the force can reposition the patient in the center of the bed, either actively, by causing the patient to roll or slide, or passively, by causing the patient to choose to move to the center of the bed to make the bed level. Second, even if the force does not reposition the patient in the center of the bed, the force makes it more difficult for the patient to accidental fall or voluntarily exit from the bed. Among the advantages of this aspect of invention are that the force exerted on the patient has no or minimal detrimental impact on the patient&#39;s health or comfort; the force does not interfere with access to the patient; and the force does not require any physical action from health care providers. 
         [0031]    In further detail,  FIG. 2( a )  shows movement of the patient  10  to the right side of the patient support structure  11  and  FIG. 2( b )  shows the patient support structure  11  responsively manipulated to create an inclined plane gravitational force by tilting the patient support structure  11  on its longitudinal axis. 
         [0032]    In further detail,  FIG. 3( a )  shows movement to the bottom of the patient support structure  11  and  FIG. 3( b )  shows the patient support structure  11  responsively manipulated to create an inclined plane gravitational force by tilting the patient support structure  11  on its transverse axis. 
         [0033]    In further detail,  FIG. 4( a )  shows movement of the patient  10  to the left side of the patient support structure  11  and  FIG. 4( b )  shows the patient support structure  11  responsively manipulated to create an inclined plane gravitational force by adjusting the patient support structure  11  into a shape where its left side is higher than its center. It is also contemplated that any one or more of the sides or top or bottom of the patient support structure  11  can be responsively manipulated above its center, as exemplified in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0034]    In further detail,  FIG. 6( a )  shows movement of the patient  10  to the left side of the patient support structure  11  and  FIG. 6( b )  shows a guard  14  raised on the left side of the patient support structure  11  controlled by the computer system  13  when the position of the patient  10  on the patient support structure  11  is determined to be outside of a chosen deviation from the center of the patient support structure  11 . 
         [0035]    In further detail,  FIGS. 7 and 8  show examples of mechanisms controlled by the computer system that can enable the patient support structure to be manipulated to create an inclined plane gravitational force on the patient. 
         [0036]    In further detail,  FIG. 7  shows a patient support structure  70  coupled to hydraulically powered rams  71  that can be individually controlled by the computer system  72  to adjust the height of each corner of the patient support structure, enabling the patient support structure to tilt in both the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis. 
         [0037]    In further detail,  FIG. 8( a )  shows a patient support structure  80  coupled to support members with a curved base  81  coupled with an electrically powered rack and pinion system  82  controlled by the computer system  83  to enable the patient support structure to tilt in the longitudinal axis. Electrically powered arms  84  controlled by the computer system  83  enable the patient support structure to tilt on its transverse axis.  FIG. 8( b )  shows an enlarged and exploded view of one of the support members with a curved base  81  coupled with the electrically powered rack and pinion system  82 . 
         [0038]    Further detail relating to making and using hydraulic and electrical mechanisms is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,140, Bigham, 1991 (“Hospital bed device”); U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,159, Shulkin, 1961 (“Hospital bed”); U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,613, Carpentier, 1974 (“Electric hospital bed”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,394, Bartley, 1997 (“Hospital bed with rack and pinion stabilizer”). 
         [0039]    In further detail,  FIG. 9  shows a flow chart of an algorithm for a computer program that controls monitoring, repositioning, and protective aspects of various embodiments of the invention. Block  90  is a step to receive data from the sensors. Block  91  is a step to determine the position of a patient on the patient support structure. Block  92  is an optional step to determine the size of the patient, for example in terms of weight, height, or volume. Block  93  is a step to determine the deviation of the position of the patient relative to the center of the patient support structure or from a defined central area. The defined central area may be preprogrammed or selected by the health care provider. For example, the defined central area could be selected by the health care provider to be the middle third of the patient support structure, or any other definable subsection of the patient support structure. Block  94  is a step to determine whether the deviation is greater than zero or greater than a defined deviation. The defined deviation may be preprogrammed or selected by the health care provider. For example, the defined deviation could be selected by the health care provider to be six inches outside of the center or the defined central area or any other definable deviation. If the answer to Block  94  is no, the program is complete and it repeats itself starting back at Block  90 . If the answer to Block  94  is yes, Block  95  shows the next step to activate one or more manipulating mechanisms. For example, Block  95 ( a ) activates a rack and pinion system; Block  95 ( b ) activates electric arias; Block  95 ( c ) activates hydraulic rams; and Block  95 ( d ) activates a guard to be raised. Block  96  is a step of controlling the inclined plane gravitational force on the patient from the manipulating mechanisms by determining the angle of incline. Block  96 ( a ) represents the option to create a constant angle in the direction of the center of the patient support structure relative to the patient. Block  96 ( b ) represents the option to create a variable angle in the direction of the center of the patient support structure relative to the patient that is a factor of the deviation and/or the size of the patient. This program repeats itself constantly to achieve responsive repositioning and protective measures as the patient moves on the patient support structure. 
         [0040]    Additional features of the inventive subject matter include that the system can be turned on or off. For example, it can be turned on when a health care provider determines that a patient is likely to try to get out of bed and is a fall risk. 
         [0041]    Further additional features of the inventive subject matter include that the system can have an optional setting for manually adjusting the bed. This feature allows a health care provider to tilt the bed and roll the patient onto his or her side with the assistance of the bed. The health care provider can activate this feature, for example, when he or she wants a patient rolled into a new position or when he or she wants to change a patient&#39;s brief or linens. This will allow fewer individuals to perform these duties and decrease the number of injuries due to lifting and repositioning patients. 
         [0042]    Further additional features of the inventive subject matter include that the system can have an optional on- board battery to maintain power in case of power failure or transport. 
         [0043]    Further additional features of the inventive subject matter include that the system can be equipped with a gyroscope system to maintain proper positional-orientation. 
         [0044]    While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of these specific embodiments. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiments, but shall include all embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention.