Obstruction detection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016166453-A1
Application number	US-201514956567-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting a pinch event or obstruction to a movable component of a patient support. In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus may include a control system capable of controlling one or more actuator systems coupled to one or more movable components of the patient support apparatus. The control system may operate according to one or more modes of operation in controlling the actuator system to move a component from a first position to a second position. In one embodiment, the control system may receive sensor feedback indicative of one or more operating characteristics of an actuator system, and analyze the sensor feedback differently in one mode than in another. In one embodiment, the controller may receive sensor feedback indicative of both a speed of a component coupled to the movable component and a current of power supplied to an electric motor of the actuator system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control system for controlling an actuator of a patient support, the actuator capable of displacing a component of the patient support, the actuator displacing the component of the patient support in response to being driven by an electric motor, said control system comprising:
a motor driver operably coupled to the electric motor, said motor driver configured to supply power to the electric motor to drive the actuator such that the component is displaced from a first position to a second position; a motor sensor configured to provide a motor sensor output indicative of a sensed characteristic of power supplied to the electric motor; and a controller operably coupled to said motor driver to control supply of power to the electric motor, said controller operably coupled to said motor sensor to obtain said motor sensor output, said controller configured to operate according to at least two modes to control the electric motor to displace the component of the patient support from the first position to the second position, said at least two modes including a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein, in said first mode of operation, said controller is configured to detect a pinch event based on a first function of said motor sensor output, and wherein, in said second mode of operation, said controller is configured to detect the pinch event based on a second function of said motor sensor output.

2 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the component is at least one of a foot section of the patient support, a middle section of the patient support, a side rail of the patient support and a frame of the patient support.

3 . The control system of claim 1 wherein, in said first function of said motor sensor output, the pinch event is detected in response to the motor sensor output being equal to or deviating from a first threshold, and wherein, in said second function of said motor sensor output, the pinch even is detected in response to the motor sensor output being equal to or deviating from a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is less than the second threshold such that the first mode of operation is more sensitive than the second mode of operation.

4 . The control system of claim 1 wherein said first function and said second function include a determination of whether said motor sensor output is indicative of a motor torque being greater than a threshold, wherein the pinch event is detected based on said motor sensor output being indicative of the motor torque being greater than said threshold, wherein said threshold in said first function is different from said threshold in said second function.

5 . A control system for controlling an actuator of a patient support, the actuator displacing a component of the patient support in response to being driven by an electric motor, said control system comprising:
a motor driver operably coupled to the electric motor, said motor driver configured to supply power to the electric motor to drive the actuator such that the component of the patient support is displaced from a first position to a second position over a first range of motion and a second range of motion; a speed sensor configured to provide a speed output indicative of a speed of at least one of the electric motor and the actuator; a motor sensor configured to provide a motor sensor output indicative of a sensed characteristic of power supplied to the electric motor; and a controller operably coupled to said motor driver to control supply of power to the electric motor, said controller operably coupled to said motor sensor and said speed sensor, said controller configured to detect a pinch event as a function of said motor sensor output indicative of said characteristic of power and said speed output indicative of the speed of at least one of the electric motor and the actuator.

6 . The control system of claim 5 wherein said controller is configured to detect the pinch event based on a first power characteristic comparison between said motor sensor output and a first motor sensor reference.

7 . The control system of claim 6 wherein said controller is configured to detect the pinch event based on a second power characteristic comparison between said motor sensor output and a second motor sensor reference, wherein said first power characteristic comparison is conducted within the first range of motion of the component, and wherein said second power characteristic comparison is conducted within the second range of motion of the component.

8 . The control system of claim 7 wherein said controller is further configured to detect the pinch event based on a first speed comparison between said speed sensor output and a first speed reference.

9 . The control system of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to detect the pinch event based on a second speed comparison between said speed output and a second speed reference, wherein said first speed comparison is conducted within the first range of motion of the component, and wherein said second speed comparison is conducted within the second range of motion of the component.

10 . The control system of claim 5 wherein said controller is configured to detect the pinch event as a function of said motor sensor output being indicative of an increase in motor torque and said speed sensor output being indicative of a decrease in the speed.

11 . The control system of claim 1 wherein said sensed characteristic of power is current supplied to the motor.

12 . The control system of claim 5 wherein said sensed characteristic of power is current supplied to the motor.

13 . A method for controlling an actuator of a patient support to displace a component of the patient support, the actuator displacing the component in response to being driven by an electric motor, said method comprising:
supplying power to the electric motor to drive the actuator such that the component of the patient support is displaced from a first position to a second position over a first range of motion and a second range of motion; sensing a speed of at least one of the electric motor and the actuator; sensing a characteristic of power supplied to the electric motor; and detecting a pinch event as a function of the sensed characteristic of power and the sensed speed.

14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the pinch event within the first range of motion based on a first power characteristic comparison between the sensed characteristic and a first motor sensor reference.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting the pinch event within the second range of motion based on a second power characteristic comparison between the sensed characteristic and a second motor sensor reference.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
conducting the first power characteristic comparison and the first speed comparison within the first range of motion; and
ignoring the sensed speed and the sensed characteristic of power while the component is within the first range of motion.

17 . The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the pinch event based on the sensed characteristic being indicative of an increase in motor torque and based on the sensed speed being indicative of a decrease in the speed.

18 . The method according to any one of claim 13 wherein the sensed characteristic of power is current supplied to the motor.

19 . The method according to any one of claim 13 wherein the pinch event oc

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Furman Aaron D
• Brosnan Daniel V

Classifications

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• A61G7/018 Primary

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title

• A61G2203/36

  for motion · CPC title

• A61G2203/30

  characterised by sensor means · CPC title

• A61G2203/32

  for force · CPC title