JP7647374B2 - Bed load detector and bed occupancy status measuring device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bed load detector that detects the load on the legs of a bed and a bed occupancy status measuring device that are used in medical facilities, nursing homes, accommodation facilities, general homes, etc.

As shown in FIG. 11, a bed occupancy status measuring device for a bed 130 that measures the occupancy status (e.g., getting in bed, getting out of bed, sitting up) of a user (e.g., a sick person, an elderly person, a person receiving care, an infant) U using the bed 130 includes four bed load detectors 101 that detect the load applied to the casters 132 provided at the lower end of each leg 131 of the bed 130, and is configured to measure the occupancy status of the user U based on the load value detected by these load detectors 101. For example, the load detectors 101 disclosed in Patent Document 1 are known.

This load detector 101 is used by being placed on the floor surface 135 on which the bed 130 is placed, and is equipped with a load detector body having a load receiving surface 102a on which the casters 132 of the bed 130 are placed, and is configured so that the load acting on the casters 132 when the casters 132 are placed on the load receiving surface 102a is detected by the load detector body.

Furthermore, a slope section 111 that guides the caster 132 from the floor surface 135 onto the load receiving surface 102a is provided on the front side of the load receiving surface 102a of this load detector 101, and a stopper wall section 106 that stops the movement of the caster 132 that has passed over the slope section 11 from the floor surface 135 and reached the load receiving surface 102a is provided on the rear side of the load receiving surface 102a.

JP 2007-167492 A

According to the load detector 101 described above, in order to prevent the toes of the user U from hitting the load detector 101 when the user U gets on or off the bed 130, and also to prevent the toes of the worker (caregiver, doctor, nurse, etc.) from hitting the load detector 101 when providing care (including assistance), examining, treating, etc. to the user U on the bed 130, it is desirable for the size (size) of the load detector 101 to be as small as possible.

The present invention aims to provide a bed load detector that can be made smaller in size, and a bed occupancy status measuring device that is equipped with the same.

The present invention provides the following means:

1) A load detector body having a load receiving surface and placed on a floor surface to detect a load applied to a caster for moving a bed placed on the load receiving surface;
A slope portion that is disposed in front of the load receiving surface and guides the caster from the floor surface onto the load receiving surface;
A stopper wall portion is disposed on the rear side of the load receiving surface and stops the travel of the caster that has reached the load receiving surface from the floor surface,
A load detector for a bed, wherein at least one of the slope portion and the stopper wall portion is configured to be separable from the load detector main body when the caster is placed on the load receiving surface.

2) A load detector for a bed as described in paragraph 1 above, in which both the slope portion and the stopper wall portion are configured to be detachable from the load detector body when the caster is placed on the load receiving surface.

3) A pair of left and right caster fall prevention walls are disposed on both left and right sides of the load bearing surface at a distance from each other and are integrally provided at both left and right ends of the stopper wall, thereby forming an outer frame body that is generally U-shaped in plan view and opens forward and is composed of the stopper wall and both the caster fall prevention walls,
The outer frame has an inner space in which the load detector body is housed so as to be removably mounted,
An upwardly protruding engagement protrusion is provided at the front end of each of the caster fall prevention wall portions of the outer frame body,
A downwardly opening engagement recess is provided at a rear end of the slope portion,
A load detector for a bed as described in paragraph 2, wherein the slope portion is configured to be detachably assembled to the front end portions of both caster fall prevention wall portions by the engagement recess portion engaging detachably with the engagement protrusion portion in the front-rear direction.

4) A slide groove portion is provided on each of the inner surfaces of the caster fall prevention wall portions of the outer frame body, the slide groove portion extending rearward from the front end of each of the inner surfaces of the caster fall prevention wall portions facing each other,
A load detector for a bed as described in paragraph 3, wherein the two slide groove portions are configured so that the left and right side end portions of the load detector main body can slide within the two slide groove portions from their front ends in a rearward direction and in the opposite direction.

5) The cross-sectional shape of each of the slide groove portions is substantially U-shaped and opens inward,
A load detector for a bed as described in paragraph 4 above, wherein both slide groove portions are configured so that both side ends of the load detector main body housed in the inner space of the outer frame body are held within both slide groove portions so that the load detector main body does not fall from the inner space.

6) A bed occupancy status measuring device equipped with a bed load detector described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 5 above.

The present invention has the following advantages:

In the preceding paragraph 1, at least one of the slope portion and the stopper wall portion of the load detector is configured to be separable from the load detector body when the casters of the bed are placed on the load receiving surface, so that the size of the load detector can be reduced by separating at least one of the slope portion and the stopper wall portion from the load detector body after placing the casters on the load receiving surface.

In the previous paragraph 2, both the slope portion and the stopper wall portion are configured to be separable from the load detector body when the caster is placed on the load receiving surface. Therefore, by separating both the slope portion and the stopper wall portion from the load detector body after placing the caster on the load receiving surface, it is possible to reliably reduce the size of the load detection portion.

In the preceding paragraph 3, a pair of caster fall prevention walls are integrally provided at the left and right ends of the stopper wall, spaced apart from each other on both the left and right sides of the load-receiving surface, so that the caster fall prevention walls can prevent the casters from falling from the left and right sides of the load-receiving surface when the casters are placed on the load-receiving surface.

Furthermore, the slope section is configured so that it can be separably assembled to the front ends of both caster fall prevention walls by engaging the engagement recesses at the rear end of the slope section with the engagement protrusions at the front ends of both caster fall prevention walls of the outer frame body in the front-rear direction and in a disengageable manner, so that the slope section can be reliably and easily assembled to both caster fall prevention walls and separated from both caster fall prevention walls.

In the preceding paragraph 4, the two slide grooves of the two caster fall prevention walls of the outer frame are configured so that the left and right end portions of the load detector main body can slide within the two slide grooves from their front ends in the rearward direction and in the opposite direction, so that the load detector main body can be easily inserted into the inner space of the outer frame and removed.

In the above paragraph 5, the load detector body housed in the inner space of the outer frame can be prevented from falling out of the inner space, making it easy to place the load detector on the floor.

In the above paragraph 6, a bed occupancy status measuring device can be provided that can achieve the above-mentioned effects described in any one of the above paragraphs 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a bed occupancy status measuring device including a bed load detector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the load detector. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the load detector. FIG. 4 is a rear view of the load detector. FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the load detector. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the load detector. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an outer frame of the load detector. FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the outer frame and the load detector body, showing a state in the middle of housing the load detector body in the inner space of the outer frame. FIG. 7C is a plan view of the outer frame and the load detector in the state shown in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7D is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7C. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams of an assembly procedure for the load detector. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the load detector detects a load applied to a caster of a bed. FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the load detector body, showing a state in which the outer frame and the slope portion of the load detector are separated from the load detector body. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a load applied to a caster of a bed is detected by a conventional load detector for a bed.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 9, a load detector 1 for a bed 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used in a bed occupancy status measuring device 20 for a bed 30 (hereinafter also referred to simply as "measuring device 20") that measures the occupancy status (e.g., getting in bed, getting out of bed, sitting up) of a user U using the bed 30.

The bed 30 is intended for use in medical facilities (e.g., hospitals), nursing homes, accommodation facilities (e.g., hotels), and general households, and is formed into a generally rectangular shape in plan view. Furthermore, the bed 30 is intended for use by being placed on a generally flat floor surface 35 in a hospital room, examination room, treatment room, bedroom, accommodation room, and the like.

On the bed 30, users U, such as sick people, elderly people, people receiving care, infants, and guests, are present in various positions (e.g., supine, prone, lateral, sitting on the edge of the bed) for sleeping, medical examinations (including tests), treatment, etc.

The bed 30 has four legs 31 as multiple legs. The lower end of each leg 31 is provided with a rotatable caster 32 (called a "bed moving caster 32") that runs on the floor surface 35 when the bed 30 is moved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the measuring device 20 includes four load detectors 1 of this embodiment, and these load detectors 1 have the same configuration. Furthermore, the measuring device 20 includes a calculator 21, a controller 23, and the like. Note that the calculator 21, controller 23, and cables are omitted from FIG. 9.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, each load detector 1 includes a load detector body 2, a slope portion 11, a stopper wall portion 6, etc.

The load detector body 2 is used by placing it on the floor surface 35 (see Figure 9), and as shown in Figures 2 to 4, it has a load receiving surface 2a on which the casters 32 of the bed 30 are placed, and detects the load acting on the casters 32 placed on this load receiving surface 2a.

The slope section 11 is disposed near the front side of the load-receiving surface 2a and guides the caster 32 from the floor surface 35 onto the load-receiving surface 2a. The upper surface of the slope section 11 is formed into an upward slope (inclined surface) in the direction in which the caster 32 travels from the floor surface 35 onto the load-receiving surface 2a. The slope section 11 is made of metal (e.g., aluminum alloy).

The stopper wall 6 is disposed near the rear side of the load receiving surface 2a and stops the movement of the caster 32 that has passed over the slope portion 11 from the floor surface 35 and reached the load receiving surface 2a. Therefore, the height of the stopper wall 6 is higher than that of the load receiving surface 2a.

A pair of caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 are integrally formed at both left and right ends of the stopper wall 6, extending forward from the ends and positioned spaced apart on both left and right sides of the load receiving surface 2a, thereby forming an outer frame 5 that is roughly U-shaped in plan view and opens forward, and is made up of the stopper wall 6 and the caster fall prevention walls 7, 7. The outer frame 5 is made of metal (e.g., aluminum alloy).

Each caster fall prevention wall 7 prevents the caster 32 from falling from either the left or right side of the load receiving surface 2a when the caster 32 is placed on the load receiving surface 2a. Therefore, the height of each caster fall prevention wall 7 is higher than the load receiving surface 2a.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the front-rear direction of the load detector 1 is the direction in which the caster 32 travels (moves) when the caster 32 is placed on the load receiving surface 2a from the floor surface 35.

When the caster 32 is placed on the load receiving surface 2a from the floor surface 35, the caster 32 on the floor surface 35 passes over the slope portion 11 from the front side of the load detector 1 toward the load receiving surface 2a. Then, when the caster 32 reaches the load receiving surface 2a (more specifically, the appropriate load detection position on the load receiving surface 2a), the caster 32 hits the stopper wall portion 6 as shown in FIG. 5 and is stopped, and the caster 32 is placed on the load receiving surface 2a.

The load detector body 2 is, for example, of a load cell type. Specifically, the load detector body 2 has a substantially plate-shaped or short rectangular parallelepiped strain body 4 made of metal (e.g., aluminum alloy), a strain detection sensor (not shown), and the like. The load receiving surface 2a is formed on the upper surface of the strain body 4.

The strain detection sensor detects the strain (including its fluctuation) occurring in the strain body 4 and outputs an electrical signal (e.g., voltage) corresponding to the magnitude of the detected strain as the load acting on the caster 32 or a signal used to detect the load. Specifically, the strain detection sensor is composed of a strain gauge or a piezoelectric film sensor attached to the strain body 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the measurement device 20, the electrical signal output from the load detector body 2 of each load detector 1 (more specifically, the strain detection sensor of the load detector body 2) is transmitted to the calculator 21 via the signal cable 24.

The calculator 21 calculates the occupancy status of the user U in the bed 30 based on the transmitted electrical signal, and includes an A/D converter, a computer, an external output terminal, etc. The computer includes a CPU, a memory unit (ROM, etc.), etc., and a predetermined program for calculating the occupancy status of the user U is installed in the computer.

In addition, the reference numeral "22" in the figure denotes a power supply cable to the calculator 21, and an AC adapter 22a is attached to the end of the power supply cable.

In the calculator 21, the electrical signal transmitted from the load detector main body 2 is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit, and then the computer calculates the bed occupancy status of the user U based on this signal in accordance with a program .

The controller 23 controls the operation of the calculator 21. Furthermore, the controller 23 has a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display unit) on which the bed occupancy status of the user U is displayed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the load detector 1 is configured so that both the slope portion 11 and the outer frame 5 (the stopper wall portion 6 and the caster fall prevention wall portions 7, 7) are separable from the load detector main body 2. This configuration is described below.

As described above, the outer frame 5 is roughly U-shaped in plan view, and the load detector body 2 is housed removably in its internal space 10; that is, the internal space 10 of the outer frame 5 serves as a housing chamber for the load detector body 2.

The outer frame body 5 is formed symmetrically, and a slide groove portion 8 extending from the front end to the rear direction is provided on the inner surfaces of both caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame body 5 that face each other. Both slide groove portions 8, 8 are configured so that both left and right side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector main body 2 can slide from their front ends in both slide groove portions 8, 8 in the rear direction and in the opposite direction, and further, both left and right side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector main body 2 are held in both slide groove portions 8, 8 so that the load detector main body 2 housed in the inner space 10 of the outer frame body 5 does not fall out of the inner space 10.

Specifically, the upper and lower ends of the inner surface of each caster fall prevention wall section 7 are provided with upper and lower protrusions 8a and 8b, respectively, which protrude inward. As a result, the above-mentioned slide groove section 8, which is approximately U-shaped in cross section and opens inward, is formed between the upper protrusion 8a and the lower protrusion 8b on the inner surface.

The lower edge of each of the left and right side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 is provided with a notched recess 3a having a generally L-shaped cross section extending in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figures 7A to 7D, when each of the left and right side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 is slid into each of the slide groove portions 8, 8 from the front side between the caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame body 5 (i.e., the inner space 10 of the outer frame body 5), the left and right lower protrusions 8b, 8b are inserted into the notched recesses 3a, 3a, and thus each of the left and right side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 is received from below by the lower protrusions 8b, 8b.

In this state, the both side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 are slid rearward along both slide groove portions 8, 8 relative to the outer frame body 5 within both slide groove portions 8, 8, so that the load detector body 2 is accommodated in the inner space 10 of the outer frame body 5, and both side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 are held within both slide groove portions 8, 8 in a state in which the both side end portions 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 are received by both lower protrusions 8b, 8b so that the load detector body 2 does not fall from the inner space 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the front ends of both caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame 5 are integrally formed with upwardly protruding engagement protrusions 9, 9. The rear end of the slope section 11 is formed with an engagement recess 12 that opens downward and extends in the left-right direction. The engagement recess 12 engages with both engagement protrusions 9, 9 in the front-rear direction and in a detachable manner, so that the slope section 11 is separably assembled to the front ends of both caster fall prevention walls 7, 7.

The reference symbol "5a" in FIG. 4 denotes an insertion hole for the signal cable 24 provided on the rear surface of the outer frame body 5.

When assembling the load detector 1, first, as shown in FIG. 8, the load detector main body 2 is housed in the inner space 10 of the outer frame 5. Next, the engagement recess 12 of the slope portion 11 is engaged with the engagement protrusions 9, 9 of the caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame 5, thereby assembling the slope portion 11 to the front end of the caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 so that the slope portion 11 does not move in the front-rear direction relative to the outer frame 5. This completes the assembly of the load detector 1.

As a method of engaging the engagement recess 12 with both engagement protrusions 9, 9, as shown in the figure, the engagement recess 12 may be engaged with both engagement protrusions 9, 9 by sliding the engagement recess 12 leftward or rightward relative to the engagement protrusions 9 so that the engagement protrusions 9 are inserted into the engagement recess 12 from the side, or the engagement recess 12 may be engaged with both engagement protrusions 9, 9 by covering the engagement recess 12 with the engagement protrusions 9 from above.

When the load applied to the casters 32 of the bed 30 is detected by the load detector 1, the four load detectors 1 assembled in the above-mentioned procedure are placed on the floor surface 35 at intervals of the four casters 32 of the bed 30, as in the conventional method (see FIG. 9). At this time, the load detector body 2 housed in the inner space 10 of the outer frame body 5 of the load detector 1 is held in the slide grooves 8, 8 at both side ends 3, 3 of the load detector body 2 so that it does not fall from the inner space 10 as described above, so that the load detector 1 can be easily placed on the floor surface 35. Note that when the load detector 1 is placed on the floor surface 35, the load detector body 2 of the load detector 1 is placed on the floor surface 35 in contact with the floor surface 35.

Then, the casters 32 of the bed 30 are caused to travel from the floor surface 35 over the slope portion 11 of the load detector 1 toward the load receiving surface 2a. When the casters 32 reach the load receiving surface 2a, they strike the stopper wall portion 6 of the load detector 1 and stop. As a result, the casters 32 are placed on the load receiving surface 2a as shown in FIG. 5.

In this state, the load applied to the caster 32 may be detected by the load detector main body 2, but in this embodiment, in order to reduce the size (dimensions) of the load detector 1, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, both the slope portion 11 and the outer frame body 5 are separated from the load detector main body 2, and the load applied to the caster 32 in this state is detected by the load detector main body 2.

In other words, while the caster 32 is placed on the load receiving surface 2a of the load detector main body 2 (see FIG. 5), the engagement recess 12 of the slope portion 11 is lifted slightly upward or slid leftward or rightward to release the engagement between the engagement recess 12 and the engagement protrusions 9, 9 of both caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame 5. This separates the slope portion 11 from the front ends of both caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 (load detector main body 2).

Then, the outer frame body 5 is pulled backward. Then, the two side ends 3, 3 of the load detector main body 2 slide forward relative to the outer frame body 5 within the two slide grooves 8, 8 of the two caster fall prevention walls 7, 7 of the outer frame body 5, and the load detector main body 2 is removed from the inner space 10 of the outer frame body 2. This separates the outer frame body 2 from the load detector main body 2.

In this state, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, there is no slope portion 11 or outer frame body 5 on the outer periphery of the load detector body 2, so that it is possible to prevent the user U's feet from hitting the load detector body 2 when getting on and off the bed 30, and it is also possible to prevent the feet of the worker from hitting the load detector body 2 or the load detector body 2 from interfering with the work when providing care, examination, treatment, etc. to the user U on the bed 30.

In FIG. 9, the slope portion 11 and the outer frame body 5 are separated for all four load detectors 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the slope portion 11 and the outer frame body 5 may be separated only for the load detectors in the necessary locations among the four load detectors 1 (for example, the load detectors that are likely to be hit by the toes of the user U or the worker).

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, both the slope portion 11 and the stopper wall portion 6 of the load detector 1 are separable from the load detector body 2, but in the present invention, only one of the slope portion and the stopper wall portion may be separable from the load detector body.

The present invention can be used in bed load detectors that detect the load on the legs of a bed and bed occupancy status measuring devices that are used in medical facilities, nursing homes, accommodation facilities, and ordinary homes.

1: Load detector 2: Load detector body 2a: Load receiving surface 3: Side end of load detector body 5: Outer frame 6: Stopper wall 7: Caster fall prevention wall 8: Slide groove 9: Engagement protrusion 10: Inner space of outer frame 11: Slope 12: Engagement recess 30: Bed 32: Caster 35: Floor surface

Claims (5)

a load detector body having a load receiving surface and placed on a floor surface to detect a load applied to a caster for moving a bed placed on the load receiving surface;
A slope portion that is disposed in front of the load receiving surface and guides the caster from the floor surface onto the load receiving surface;
A stopper wall portion is disposed on the rear side of the load receiving surface and stops the travel of the caster that has reached the load receiving surface from the floor surface,
Both the slope portion and the stopper wall portion are configured to be separable from the load detector body in a state in which the caster is placed on the load receiving surface,
A pair of left and right caster fall prevention walls are disposed on both left and right sides of the load bearing surface at a distance from each other at both left and right ends of the stopper wall, and an outer frame body that is generally U-shaped in plan view and opens forward and is composed of the stopper wall and both caster fall prevention walls is formed,
The outer frame has an inner space in which the load detector body is housed so as to be removably mounted,
An upwardly protruding engagement protrusion is provided at the front end of each of the caster fall prevention wall portions of the outer frame body,
A downwardly opening engagement recess is provided at a rear end of the slope portion,
The load detector for a bed is configured so that the slope portion can be detachably assembled to the front end portions of both caster fall prevention wall portions by the engagement recess portion engaging with the engagement protrusion portion in the front-to-rear direction in a detachable manner . A slide groove portion extending rearward from the front end of each of the inner surfaces of the caster fall prevention wall portions of the outer frame body facing each other is provided,
The load detector for a bed as described in claim 1 , wherein the slide groove portions are configured so that the left and right end portions of the load detector body can slide within the slide groove portions from their front ends in a rearward direction and in the opposite direction. a load detector body having a load receiving surface and placed on a floor surface to detect a load applied to a caster for moving a bed placed on the load receiving surface;
A slope portion that is disposed in front of the load receiving surface and guides the caster from the floor surface onto the load receiving surface;
A stopper wall portion is disposed on the rear side of the load receiving surface and stops the travel of the caster that has reached the load receiving surface from the floor surface,
Both the slope portion and the stopper wall portion are configured to be separable from the load detector body in a state in which the caster is placed on the load receiving surface,
A pair of left and right caster fall prevention walls are disposed on both left and right sides of the load bearing surface at a distance from each other at both left and right ends of the stopper wall, and an outer frame body that is generally U-shaped in plan view and opens forward and is composed of the stopper wall and both caster fall prevention walls is formed,
The outer frame has an inner space in which the load detector body is housed so as to be removably mounted,
The slope portion is configured to be separably assembled to the front end portions of the caster fall prevention wall portions,
A slide groove portion extending rearward from the front end of each of the inner surfaces of the caster fall prevention wall portions of the outer frame body facing each other is provided,
The two slide groove portions are configured so that the left and right end portions of the load detector body can slide within the two slide groove portions from their front ends in a rearward direction and in the opposite direction . The cross-sectional shape of each of the slide groove portions is substantially U-shaped and opens inward,
A load detector for a bed as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein both slide groove portions are configured so that both side ends of the load detector main body housed in the inner space of the outer frame body are held within the both slide groove portions so that the load detector main body does not fall from the inner space. A bed occupancy status measuring device comprising the bed load detector according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .

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