Hill-rom Services, Inc.

Hill-rom, Inc.

American Life Support Technology

Stephen D Smith

Steven Nelson Roe

Lincoln J Alvord

Richard W O'Connor

Robert J Ferrand

William R Fish

Marc M Thomas

William Loh

William A Gilmartin

Wesley E Grass

Jonathan Salsado

William Silva

Charles W Neder

Charles Neder

Jonathan Salzedo

Celia Oakley

John E Looper

Dean T Miller

Dean I Miller

A bed comprises a mattress supported on a support surface. The mattress has first and second inflatable cells for supporting a patient.

Patient care system

A bed configured to support a patient having a weight comprises a frame, a patient support, and a plurality of sensors coupled between the frame and the patient support. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured to generate an analog signal in response to a portion of the weight of the patient on the patient support. The bed also comprises a circuit coupled to the plurality of sensors to receive the analog signals therefrom. The circuit includes a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, each analog-to-digital converter being coupled to one of the sensors to generate a separate digital signal for each of the plurality of sensors, and a processor coupled to the plurality of analog-to-digital converters to determine the weight of the patient on the patient support.

A patient care bed with a patient weighing system having a first frame having a series of support units attached at designated locations and a second frame supported by the support units. The support units each having a load cell which senses a part of the weight supported by a second frame.

A bed for supporting a patient having a seat panel and a back panel coupled together by a joint assembly that allows the panels to rotate about an axis coincident with the patient's hip joint.

A bed comprises an inflatable mattress supported on a platform of articulable links by a support system mounted on a weigh frame. The weigh frame is supported on a base frame supported relative to a floor. A pneumatic system includes a platform-mounted blower directing air through passageways in the articulable links. An exhaust passageway parallels the pressure passageway for exhausting opposite the blower. Air flow into and out of air cells in the mattress are controlled by valves coupling the pressurized air chamber and exhaust chamber to cell ports. A connector assembly is used to couple the cells to the platform, to adjacent cells, and to tubes connected to other cells. An alternative pneumatic system includes fans distributed on the platform in association with sets of mattress cells. A footboard assembly is formed as two gates that swing out from the foot of the bed. Each gate has a storable tray that is positionable on either side of the gate. A headboard has a removable central panel for providing emergency patient access. Additionally, each corner of the headboard has a telescoping equipment support post positionable at a variety of heights and having equipment supports that automatically drop into place upon removal from storage in the headboard. A three-point weight sensing system tracks patient weight and generates pre-exit and exit alarms based on sensed movement of the patient on the mattress. A portable control unit wraps around a guard rail to provide both patient and nurse controls, and uses a unitary membrane to cover exposed faces of the controls and resiliently wrap around the guard rail. Selectively engagable guide or fifth wheels are mounted to the base frame to provide direction stability during bed movement. The platform is articulable to allow a patient to enter or exit the bed in a standing position. An adjustable stand up board is selectively positionable at the foot of the bed to take the patient's weight during this process. A vertically telescoping guard rail elevation system provides energy storage to resist lowering and assist raising the guard rail. A brace is provided for seating the platform on the weigh frame when the bed is in a low position and to assist in movement of the bed longitudinally when in the low position. An expanding joint between panels allows the panels to separate with increasing angle between the panels. A hydraulic valve produces linear changes in fluid flow with linear changes in a valve plunger.

A patient support system comprises an inflatable mattress supported on a platform of articulable links by a support system mounted on a weigh frame. The weigh frame is supported on a base frame supported relative to a floor. A pneumatic system includes a platform-mounted blower directing air through passageways in the articulable links. An exhaust passageway parallels the pressure passageway for exhausting opposite the blower. Air flow into and out of air cells in the mattress are controlled by valves coupling the pressurized air chamber and exhaust chamber to cell ports. A connector assembly is used to couple the cells to the platform, to adjacent cells, and to tubes connected to other cells. A footboard assembly is formed as two gates that swing out from the foot of the bed. Each gate has a storable tray that is positionable on either side of the gate. A headboard has a removable central panel for providing emergency patient access. Additionally, each corner of the headboard has a telescoping equipment support post positionable at a variety of heights and having equipment supports that automatically drop into place upon removal from storage in the headboard. A three-point weight sensing system tracks patient weight and generates pre-exit and exit alarms based on sensed movement of the patient on the mattress. A portable control unit wraps around a guard rail to provide both patient and nurse controls, and uses a unitary membrane to cover exposed faces of the controls and resiliently wrap around the guard rail. Selectively engagable guide or fifth wheels are mounted to the base frame to provide direction stability during bed movement. The platform is articulable to allow a patient to enter or exit the bed in a standing position. An adjustable stand up board is selectively positionable at the foot of the bed to take the patient's weight during this process. A vertically telescoping guard rail elevation system provides energy storage to resist lowering and assist raising the guard rail. A brace is provided for seating the platform on the weigh frame when the bed is in a low position and to assist in movement of the bed longitudinally when in the low position.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Stephen D Smith