Wireless power distribution in patient support surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022313517-A1
Application number	US-202217708100-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2022
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Oct 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a frame having a supporting surface. A transmitting element is coupled to the frame. A surface assembly is selectively positioned on the supporting surface. The surface assembly includes a surface selectively enclosing an interior. A controller is communicatively coupled to the transmitting element. A sensor assembly is coupled to the surface assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sensor configured to sense information about at least one of the surface assembly and a person positioned on the surface assembly. A receiving assembly is operably coupled to the surface assembly and the sensor assembly. The receiving assembly is configured to selectively interact with the transmitting element via a charging interface to power the sensor assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A patient support apparatus, comprising:
a frame having a supporting surface; a transmitting element coupled to the frame; a surface assembly selectively positioned on the supporting surface, wherein the surface assembly includes a surface selectively enclosing an interior; a controller communicatively coupled to the transmitting element; a sensor assembly coupled to the surface assembly, wherein the sensor assembly includes a sensor configured to sense information about at least one of the surface assembly and a person positioned on the surface assembly; and a receiving assembly operably coupled to the surface assembly and the sensor assembly, wherein the receiving assembly is configured to selectively interact with the transmitting element via a charging interface to power the sensor assembly.

2 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiving assembly includes a storage feature configured as a supercapacitor operably coupled to a receiving element of the receiving assembly to store energy to power the sensor assembly.

3 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is coupled to the surface of the surface assembly and configured to sense patient information, and wherein the patient information includes at least one of heart rate, respiration rate, skin conductivity, blood surface, saturation O 2 , respiration rate, and thoracic sounds.

4 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the controller and a control unit of the receiving assembly is configured to determine a coupling coefficient between the transmitting element and a receiving element of the receiving assembly.

5 . The patient support apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the controller and the control unit is configured to modulate a magnitude of electromagnetic fields generated between the transmitting element and the receiving element based on the coupling coefficient.

6 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense surface information including at least one of airflow, temperature, humidity, blower speed, bladder pressure, patient immersion, and a type of surface assembly.

7 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a microclimate management system operably coupled with the sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to sense at least one of airflow, temperature, and humidity within the microclimate management system.

8 . The patient support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface assembly includes a pneumatic system disposed within the interior and having a pump configured to adjust bladders between a deployed state and a non-deployed state, and wherein the pump includes a receiving element configured to selectively interact with the transmitting element to power the pump, and wherein the sensor is configured to sense pressure within the bladders.

9 . A charging system for a medical facility, comprising:
a support apparatus having a frame and a siderail, wherein the frame has a supporting surface; a surface assembly selectively positioned on the supporting surface; a transmitting element coupled to at least one of the frame and the siderail; a sensor assembly including a biometric sensor configured to obtain biometric data of a person supported on the surface assembly; a receiving assembly operably coupled to the sensor assembly, wherein the receiving assembly is configured to selectively interact with the transmitting element via a charging interface to power the sensor assembly; a first locating feature coupled to the support apparatus; and a second locating feature coupled to the surface assembly and configured to engage the first locating feature, wherein the receiving assembly is aligned with the transmitting element to form the charging interface when the first locating feature is engaged with the second locating feature.

10 . The charging system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to communicate the biometric data to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate the biometric data to at least one of an electronic medical record and an application interface.

11 . The charging system of either of claim 9 , wherein the first locating feature is flush with the supporting surface, and the second locating feature is flush with a surface of the surface assembly.

12 . The charging system of claim 11 , wherein the transmitting element is coupled to the siderail when the receiving assembly is coupled to the top surface of the top ticking, and wherein the transmitting element is coupled to the supporting surface when the receiving assembly is coupled to a bottom surface of the top ticking.

13 . The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor assembly includes an interface pressure sensor configured to sense interface pressure between the person and the surface assembly.

14 . The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor assembly includes an identification sensor, and wherein energy transferred via the charging interface is adjusted in response to a type of surface assembly sensed by the identification sensor.

15 . A charging system for a support apparatus, comprising:
a surface assembly having an outer surface; transmitting elements coupled to the surface assembly proximate to a top surface thereof, wherein the transmitting elements are arranged in an array; a transmission unit operably coupled to the transmitting elements, wherein the transmission unit is configured to selectively energize the transmitting elements; a controller communicatively coupled to the transmission unit, wherein the controller is configured to determine the transmitting elements to be selectively energized by the transmission unit; a sensor assembly configured to engage a person supported on the surface assembly, wherein the sensor assembly includes a sensor for obtaining patient data; and a receiving assembly operably coupled to the sensor assembly, wherein the receiving assembly is configured to selectively interact with at least one of the transmitting elements to power the sensor assembly.

16 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a biometric sensor configured to obtain biometric data and a pressure sensor configured to obtain interface pressure between the person and the surface assembly.

17 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting elements are embedded in the outer surface of the surface assembly.

18 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein the transmission unit selectively energizes the transmitting elements in response to a location of the receiving assembly.

19 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with an application interface to display a graphic representative of the transmitting elements on the surface assembly, and wherein the graphic is configured to distinguish transmitter indicators for the transmitting elements that are active from the transmitter indicators for the transmitting elements that are inactive.

20 . The charging system of claim 15 , wherein the receiving assembly includes a supercapacitor to store energy to power the sensor assembly.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Monson Gavin M
• Sauser Frank
• Seim Douglas A

Classifications

• A61B2560/0242

  adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution · CPC title

• A61B5/6892 Primary

  Mats · CPC title

• A61B5/6802

  Sensor mounted on worn items · CPC title

• A61B5/14542

  for measuring blood gases (A61B5/14551 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/14532

  for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement · CPC title