Lift System with Status Indicator and Interpretive Indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016296399-A1
Application number	US-201615186924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2012
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A lift apparatus for lifting a patient includes a sling bar ( 60 ) adapted to have a sling ( 110 ) secured thereto, a controller ( 138 ) and a status indicator ( 160 ) responsive to the controller for indicating the status of at least two parameters associated with the lift apparatus. The lift apparatus also including an interpretive indicator ( 164 ) for indicating which of the parameters the status indicator is referring to.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A lift apparatus for lifting a patient comprising:
a sling bar adapted to have a sling secured thereto, the apparatus including a controller and a status indicator responsive to the controller for indicating the status of at least two parameters associated with the lift apparatus, the apparatus also including an interpretive indicator for indicating which of the parameters the status indicator is referring to.

2 . The lift apparatus of claim 1 wherein the status indicator indicates the status of only one of the at least two parameters at a time.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the status indicator is a shared status indicator shared by the at least two parameters.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the status indicator indicates a satisfactory status and also indicates at least one of an undesirable status and an unsatisfactory status.

5 . The lift apparatus of claim 1 wherein the associated parameters comprise height, speed, sling securement state, sling compatibility, and fault state.

6 . The lift apparatus of claim 1 wherein the associated parameters comprise height, speed, sling securement state, sling compatibility, and fault state.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the status indicator is a shared status indicator shared by the at least two parameters.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the status indicator indicates a satisfactory status and also indicates at least one of an undesirable status and an unsatisfactory status.

9 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a height status is indicated by the status indicator as set forth below:

Height Criterion

or Reading
Indication

h1 < HF ≦ h2
Satisfactory

h2 < HF ≦ h3
Undesirable

HF > h3
Unsatisfactory

where h1, h2 and h3 are threshold heights relative to a reference height such that h3>h2>h1 and h1 is greater than the reference height and where HF is height of the sling bar relative to the reference height.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the height reading h1<HF≦h2 causes a status indication other than satisfactory if the height reading persists for more than a prescribed period of time.

11 . The lift apparatus of claim 10 wherein the other than satisfactory indication is an undesirable or unsatisfactory indication.

12 . The lift apparatus of claim 10 wherein the other than satisfactory indication is an indication as set forth in the table below:

Height Criterion

or Reading
time
indication

h1 ≦ H F ≦ h2
t A ≦ t < t B
undesirable

h1 ≦ H F ≦ h2
t ≧ t B
unsatisfactory

where t is time and tA and tB are time limits such that tB>tA.

13 . The lift apparatus of claim 10 wherein the other than satisfactory indication is an indication as set forth in the table below:

Height Criterion

status

or Reading
time
indication

h2 < H F ≦ h3
t > t A
unsatisfactory

where t is time and to is a time limit.

14 . The lift apparatus of claim 6 wherein the status indicator indicates a sling status depending on sling correctness and sling attachment state as set forth below:

Sling
Sling Attachment Status
Status Indication

Correct
Proper
Satisfactory

Correct
Improper
Unsatisfactory

Incorrect
Proper
Undesirable

Incorrect
Improper
Unsatisfactory

where “correct” signifies that a sling is compatible with the sling bar and/or a patient and “incorrect” signifies that the sling is incompatible with the sling bar and/or a patient and wherein “proper” signifies that the sling is properly attached to the sling bar and “improper” signifies that the sling is not properly attached to the sling bar.

15 . The lift apparatus of claim 14 comprising an RFID reader that communicates with an RFID tag associated with a sling to support a determination of sling correctness or incorrectness.

16 . The lift apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sling bar includes a hook and a force sensor adapted to perceive presence or absence of a force being exerted on the h

Assignees

• Liko Res & Dev Ab

Inventors

• Ng Chun-Piaw

Classifications

• A61G2203/32

  for force · CPC title

• A61G7/1061

  Yokes · CPC title

• A61G7/1015 Primary

  Cables, chains or cords · CPC title

• A61G7/1042

  Rail systems (walking aids with suspension devices A61H3/008) · CPC title

• A61G2205/60

  using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags · CPC title