The present invention relates to a device for converting a bed, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed, from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to the longitudinal sides of the bed.
In the case of bedridden patients who are confined to bed for a prolonged period, particularly in the case of seriously ill intensive-care patients, physiotherapy is often required to maintain muscles, to build up muscles and/or to improve mobility. Depending on the state of health in each case, many of the patients have to remain in bed during physiotherapy (also referred to as mobilization). In order to improve the effectiveness of movement therapy, however, the patient should be in the vertical position if at all possible, as this affects processes in the body which support the recovery process, such as a reduction in the loss of muscle mass, a reduction in bone loss or also a reduced deterioration in cardiovascular endurance, for example.
However, seriously ill patients, in particular also patients whose consciousness is partially or completely limited, are often unable to leave their beds or can only leave them at great risk to their health. Ideally, patients in such cases should be able to be treated in bed, the bed preferably being capable of being converted from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to its longitudinal sides, in particular verticalized. However, in-bed exercise machines known in the art do not allow exercises in the vertical position in particular. However, so that the feet are completely or partially loaded with the pressure of the body's own weight, which can accelerate the healing process, e.g. after a joint replacement or bone fracture, it is necessary for the bedridden patient to be able to be moved partially or completely into a vertical position.
The greater the tilting angle of the longitudinal sides of the bed, and therefore of the bed itself, to the horizontal, the greater the weight force acting on the patient, in particular on their support system made up of bones, joints, tendons, muscles, etc., while in bed. During movement therapy, the aim is therefore normally to change the angle of inclination, depending on the state of health of the patient concerned, to angles >45°, preferably >75°, and ideally up to angles close to 90° which corresponds to an upright gait.
Within the context of this invention, the terms “verticalization mechanism”, “verticalization of a bed” or “conversion of a bed from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to the longitudinal sides of the bed” should therefore be understood to means devices or processes which allow the maximum tilting angle of a bed in relation to its longitudinal side with respect to the horizontal of 45°≤α≤90°, preferably angles >75°.
In this context, DE 20 2012 002 908 U1, U.S. Pat. No. 2,821,722 A, DE 94 20 429 U1 and also U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,289 A are known from the prior art.
DE 20 2012 908 U1 and DE 94 20 429 U1 disclose devices for transporting beds, in particular hospital beds. The devices, which both have a roughly “cartlike” or “lifting truck-like” design, each lift one side of the bed slightly from the floor so that two of the usually four casters on the bed are freely suspended in the air while the other two running casters are still in contact with the floor. The bed can then be easily transported in the slightly tilted position with the help of the respective device. The attainment of greater tilting angles, in particular those >45°, cannot be achieved with a device of this kind and is also not necessary for transporting beds. In addition, due to their entirely different objectives, the devices disclosed in these two publications also offer no possibility of supporting a bed in a tilted position safely and securely, so that a patient could perform physiotherapy in the bed.
Publications U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,821,722 A and 3,310,289 A each describe devices for lifting one side of a bed, for example for elevating the legs or the upper body of a patient in a bed. Both devices raise a transverse side of a bed in each case, wherein the bedposts of the opposite transverse side in each case remain on the floor. The tilting angles thereby achieved are so small that no securing and/or stabilization devices are provided for the patient during the tilting action, in order to prevent them from slipping. Furthermore, the devices disclosed do not allow a sufficiently secure stand during the tilting of the bed so that a patient in the bed could perform physiotherapy.
In order to solve the problems described, reference is made to an earlier patent application WO 2015/158664 A1 and also to the applicant's earlier patent DE 10 2015 117 596 B3, to which full reference is made in the context of the present invention and which already discloses a rehabilitation mechanism for bedridden patients and methods for the activation thereof and also a bed comprising the rehabilitation mechanism, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed which takes account of the above requirements.
However, the bed or standing frame known from these publications must comprise a verticalization mechanism, so that rehabilitation can be effectively carried out using the rehabilitation mechanism. Consequently, depending on the number of bedridden patients in a care home and/or hospital, additional, in some cases huge, investment is required, as beds with their own verticalization mechanism, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed, are substantially more expensive to purchase than comparable standard beds without their own verticalization mechanism.
Based on this, the problem addressed by the present invention is that of supplying a device for converting a bed, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed, from a horizontal position into a tilted, preferably verticalized, position with respect to its longitudinal side, which is improved, in particular more reasonably priced, compared with the prior art and to support the bed in a tilted position in such a manner that a patient can perform physiotherapy exercises, in particular movement therapy including own weight components.
This problem is solved by a device having the features of the independent patent claim 1.
The device according to the invention for converting a bed from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to its longitudinal sides is based on generic devices in that,
The device according to the invention advantageously allows the conversion of standard beds without their own verticalization mechanism, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed, from a horizontal position into a tilted, preferably verticalized position, in relation to its longitudinal sides. This advantageously saves on the procurement of a special bed with its own verticalization mechanism and the costs associated with this.
The device according to the invention also allows the tilting, preferably the verticalization, of a bedridden patient in their (own) bed, wherein tilting angles between the receiving and stand device of up to 90° can be achieved. In this case, the interaction of the receiving and stand device supports and/or stabilizes the tilted, in particular verticalized, bed position in such a manner that the patient in the bed can perform physiotherapy exercises involving own weight components. The transfer of the patient into a separate piece of equipment with its own verticalization mechanism or from their own bed to a special bed with its own verticalization mechanism, which transfer goes hand-in-hand with a high level of risk for the patient's health and a great deal of effort on the part of staff, is thereby advantageously avoided.
Advantageous embodiments and developments which can be used individually or in combination with one another are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
In a first embodiment of the invention, it is preferred in this case for the receiving device and/or the stand device to be configured at least sectionally along both longitudinal sides of the bed, preferably substantially in a U-shape. The embodiment of the receiving and/or stand device at last sectionally along both longitudinal sides of the bed may advantageously facilitate a receiving of the bed close to its focal point, even when space is tight, as has now become the case in hospitals and/or care homes. “Receiving” in this case should be understood to mean within the context of this invention an interaction between the receiving device and the bed which allows the bed to be lifted from the floor during conversion from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to its longitudinal sides. In a preferred embodiment, the bed can be completely raised from the floor in this case, so that all bedposts, casters and/or any other support devices of the bed are spaced apart from the floor, in particular from the floor of the patient's room. Particularly on intensive-care wards, intensive-care beds may be positioned in such a manner that the top part of the bed can only be reached with difficulty, as apparatus for monitoring the vital parameters and also for performing life-supporting measures are usually arranged there. A substantially U-shaped receiving and/or stand device may in this case advantageously facilitate the receiving of a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed by moving up to the bed via the bottom end thereof or by introducing the bed into the gap formed by the U-shape. Moreover, a cross strut such as that preferably realized by the U-shaped design helps to reinforce the receiving and/or stand device when gripping the longitudinal sides of the bed. In addition, the cross strut may advantageously produce an attachment point for a stabilization mechanism for holding and/or stabilizing a bedridden patient.
Consequently, in a preferred embodiment, a stabilizing mechanism of this kind is provided to hold—preferably receiving all or part of the weight of a bedridden patient—and/or stabilize a patient. This advantageously allows the use of therapy in which the patient trains in a controlled manner bearing their entire, or only partial, body weight. The stabilization mechanism in this case may advantageously prevent the patient from slipping in the bed, in particular at tilting angles >45°.
In a further embodiment of the device, it has proved successful for the adjustment mechanism to comprise at least one sensor for detecting the tilting angle and/or the tilting speed between the receiving device and the stand device. A sensor of this kind may advantageously supply actual values of a tilting angle between the receiving device and the stand device.
Moreover, an embodiment according to the invention is preferred in which at least one control device is provided for interaction with the adjustment mechanism, in particular for setting control parameters such as a tilting angle, in particular, between the receiving device and the stand device and/or a tilting speed. This has the advantage that the operation of the adjustment mechanism can take place in a controlled manner via a control loop for comparing actual values of the tilting angle with the desired target values of the tilting angle that can be defined via the control device, wherein all intermediate stages can preferably be started at 0° a 90°. Moreover, different tilting speeds can advantageously be selected via the control device, e.g. a rapid movement during no-load operation for maintenance or cleaning and also for rapid horizontalization in case of an emergency involving resuscitation and a slow movement for the safe and comfortable movement of the bedridden patient.
For this purpose, it is also preferable for the adjustment mechanism to have at least one drive, in particular a pneumatic, hydraulic and/or preferably electromechanical drive for moving the receiving device with respect to the stand device. In particular, an electromechanical drive guarantees an easily controllable movement in this case for converting the bed from a horizontal position into a tilted position with respect to its longitudinal sides which can advantageously be adapted to the respective needs of the bedridden patient.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the invention, load rollers and/or casters for moving the device in any directions parallel to the floor and support elements for the stable support of the device on the floor are provided on the stand device. Alternatively to this, the stand device according to the invention preferably has fastening means which allow the device to be fastened to a floor and/or wall section. Load rollers and/or casters on the stand device advantageously allow a mobile embodiment of the device which flexibly replace multiple beds with their own verticalization mechanism and are therefore able to improve the utilization of resources. For safety reasons, support elements are then provided in the mobile embodiment of the invention which advantageously fix the device to the floor during operation and enable the patient to perform physiotherapy exercises in the bed in a tilted, particularly verticalized, position when the device has a stable standing. In the variant comprising a permanently installed unit, the stand device preferably has fastening means which in turn advantageously allow fixing of the device to a floor and/or wall section (substantially permanently this time). The permanently installed variant of the invention is particularly suitable for medium- and long-term treatment of a bedridden patient. This means that any treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed can be equipped for the treatment duration with one or more permanently installed variants of the invention and optimized to suit for the special needs of the patient concerned.
Moreover, it has proved successful for the device to have a rehabilitation mechanism for interaction with a bedridden patient, at least comprising a support plate, a foot module and/or a knee module. It is known in the art for bedridden patients, in particular intensive-care patients, to benefit greatly from physiotherapy measures which, however, are time-consuming and staff-intensive. If the device in a preferred embodiment has a rehabilitation mechanism of this kind, early mobilization of intensive-care patients in bed with a simultaneous lessening of the burden on care staff can advantageously be made possible.
Physiotherapy involving at least part of the patient's own body weight can advantageously prevent muscle wastage in bedridden patients and/or promote muscle-building. Moreover, it is known in the art for physical stimuli also to have an advantageous effect on the cognitive skills of coma patients, in particular. The actual physical load placed on a patient should, however, be well adapted or measured on a patient-specific basis, so that it can have a positive effect on the recovery process.
For this purpose, it has proved successful in one embodiment of the invention for the supporting plate and/or a foot module arranged on said supporting plate to be arranged on the bed in a manner capable of being brought into operative connection with the feet and/or the soles of the feet of a bedridden patient, wherein the support plate can preferably be configured in an insertable or movable manner in relation to the longitudinal sides of the bed. Moreover, it has proved successful in one embodiment for the rehabilitation mechanism to have at least one horizontal displacement means, in particular at least one rail or a spindle drive, for moving the support plate. In addition, it is preferable for the rehabilitation mechanism to comprise at least one weight sensor and/or one motor to guarantee a controlled displacement movement of the support plate. When converting a bed from a horizontal position in relation to its longitudinal side into a tilted position, the downwardly acting force on a bedridden patient in the bed increases with the tilting angle. When the foot is in contact with a rehabilitation mechanism, in particular with a support plate, the loading of the patient's musculoskeletal system therefore also increases with the tilting angle due to gravity. A movement performed manually or by means of a motor, for example, of the support plate controlled by a weight sensor and, for example, guided by at least one, preferably two, horizontal bars arranged on the longitudinal side of the bed, may in this case control the displacement movement of the support plate in relation to the patient on the one hand and, on the other hand, advantageously facilitate at least partially a metering of the weight actually acting on the patient's musculoskeletal system.
An embodiment is preferred in this case in which the device has at least one interface for connection of the rehabilitation mechanism to the control device and/or in which the control device is preferably operatively connected to the weight sensor and/or to the motor, preferably to both, to control the interaction of the rehabilitation mechanism and adjustment mechanism. This has the advantage that by means of the control device, both the rehabilitation mechanism and also the adjustment mechanism can be actuated via the control device and all control parameters (target values) compared with current actual values of the sensor to detect the tilting angle and/or the weight sensor.
Finally, an embodiment of the invention has proved successful in which the device comprises a transport means, in particular a trolley, for the transport and/or operative connection of the rehabilitation mechanism to the bed. In particular, in the variant as a permanently installed device, the rehabilitation mechanism can be conveniently transported to the bed and/or away from the bed with the help of a transport means, in particular a trolley, which advantageously makes it easier for the care staff both to introduce the bed into the device and also to attach the rehabilitation mechanism to the bed.
The present invention provides both a mobile and also a stationary device for converting a bed, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed from a horizontal position into a tilted, preferably verticalized, position with respect to its longitudinal side. This advantageously involves uncoupling the verticalization process from the bed concerned in each case and in this way allows great flexibility for the care staff in their daily treatment routine in a care home and/or hospital, particularly due to its multi-functionality, and therefore safe and comfortable treatment for a bedridden patient. The device according to the invention is suitable both for new installation and also for retrofitting to the hardware in hospitals and/or care homes and advantageously saves the investment otherwise necessary in beds with their own verticalization mechanism. In particular, due to the flexibility of the invention, irrespective of whether it is designed as a mobile or stationary device, a smaller number of devices according to the invention is required compared with the number of beds with their own verticalization mechanism that would otherwise have to be purchased, which results in additional cost savings.
Further advantages and embodiments are described below with the help of preferred exemplary embodiments and also in connection with the drawing.
The drawing shows schematically:
In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same reference numbers are used to denote identical or comparable components.
The present invention provides both a mobile and a stationary device 1 for converting a bed 10, in particular a treatment bed, patient bed, hospital bed or intensive-care bed, from a horizontal position into a tilted, preferably verticalized, position in relation to its longitudinal side 12. During this, it advantageously uncouples the verticalization process from the bed 10 concerned in each case and in this way allows great flexibility for the care staff in their daily treatment routine in a care home and/or hospital, particularly due to its multi-functionality, and therefore safe and comfortable treatment for a bedridden patient 90.
The device 1 according to the invention is suitable both for new installation and also for retrofitting to the hardware in hospitals and/or care homes and advantageously saves the investment otherwise necessary in beds with their own verticalization mechanism 70. In particular, due to the flexibility of the invention, irrespective of whether it is designed as a mobile or as a stationary device 1, a smaller number of devices 1 according to the invention is required compared with the number of beds 10 with their own verticalization mechanism 70 which would otherwise have to be purchased, which results in additional cost savings.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2016 115 982.4 | Aug 2016 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2017/070327 | 8/10/2017 | WO | 00 |