Patent Application
20150007390
This application claims the benefit of DE 10 2013 213 213.1, filed on Jul. 5, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present embodiments relate to a patient transport system, a patient transport device and a medical instrument, configured for docking of the patient transport device.
In hospitals, patients are to be transported between different diagnostic and therapy instruments, or between holding areas and examination rooms. In so doing, due to the health of the patient, the patient may be conveyed in a lying position on a patient transport device (e.g., a trolley). For diagnosis or treatment with a diagnostic or treatment instrument (e.g., computed tomography scanner, magnetic resonance imaging scanner, x-ray instrument, radiation therapy instrument, etc.), the patient is to be repositioned from the patient transport device to a space provided for the diagnosis or treatment procedure. This repositioning should be associated with as little exertion for the patient as possible. This applies, for example, to patients in a poor physical state. Current patient transport devices are, in part, configured for docking onto a medical instrument or a medical modality (e.g., the patient transport device is fastened to the medical instrument in order thus to simplify the repositioning of the patient).
Where possible, a patient transport device may dock quickly and efficiently onto a medical instrument so as to keep the patient stress low and not to interrupt the medical workflow. The document US 20060167356 A1 discloses a trolley that provides automatic assistance for the docking procedure. Sensors support the locking of the trolley on a medical instrument in order thus to avoid difficulties for the operating staff when connecting trolley and medical instrument.
The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary.
The present embodiments may obviate one or more of the drawbacks or limitations in the related art. For example, assistance for an operating staff during patient transport using a patient transport device is provided.
According to one embodiment, a patient transport system configured for a simplified docking procedure is provided. The transport system includes a patient transport device or a trolley. The patient transport device or the trolley is configured to be docked on a medical instrument. The simplification includes assisting the approach of the patient transport device within the process of docking on a medical instrument. Within the scope of one or more of the present embodiments, information relevant to this approach is determined by a detection device or measurement device. This information may be a distance between the patient transport device and the medical instrument, a speed of the patient transport device or presence of an object between the patient transport device and the medical instrument. In the process, a plurality of the aforementioned items of information may be determined within the scope of checking the region between the patient transport device and the medical instrument.
For determining the relevant information, the detection device may use, for example, ultrasound, capacitive induction, RFID technology or a camera system. A combination of these various technologies may also be used. Specifically, the detection device may be formed with an RFID transmitter/receiver pair, an optical marker and a camera, an ultrasound transmitter/receiver pair, or a combination thereof. The aforementioned elements are arranged on the patient transport device or on the medical instrument. The following options may be provided. The medical device may include at least one camera (e.g., a plurality of cameras), and the patient transport device includes an optical marker (e.g., a plurality of optical markers), or an interchanged arrangement of camera and markers. The medical device may include an RFID transmitter (e.g., a plurality of RFID transmitters), and the patient transport device includes an RFID receiver (e.g., a plurality of RFID receivers), or RFID transmitters and receivers with an interchanged arrangement. The patient transport device may include an ultrasound transmitter and ultrasound receiver (e.g., arranged in spatial proximity), where the ultrasound receiver detects ultrasonic waves reflected by the medical instrument or another object.
The aforementioned embodiments may also be used in combination.
In accordance with one development, the patient transport system includes a monitoring unit for evaluating the information determined by the detection device. The patient transport system may be configured for wireless transmission, from the patient transport device and/or the medical instrument to the monitoring unit. The patient transport system may transmit information relevant to the approach or information required for determining the information relevant to the approach. The monitoring unit may also take on, at least in part, the determination or calculation of the relevant information (e.g., be part of the detection device with respect to these objects). By way of example, the detection device may then be realized with sensor devices that are arranged on the patient transport device and/or the medical instrument and include radio transmission devices and may include calculation devices for determining the relevant information (e.g., distance, speed, presence of an interfering object).
In accordance with one development, the patient transport system includes a protection device, by which an optical or acoustic warning signal is emitted, or automatic braking of the patient transport device is brought about. These measures are adopted if the information relevant to the approach lies outside of an admissible value range or if the presence of an object between the patient transport device and the medical instrument is detected.
One or more of the present embodiments enable a patient transport device to avoid collisions (e.g., with an object situated between the device and the medical instrument or because the too high speed of approach of the patient transport device would lead to a collision with the medical instrument or to an impact on the medical instrument with risk for the mechanical parts present (on the docking site)).
The counterparts thereto are cameras 71, 72 and 73 attached to the gantry 2 of the magnetic resonance imaging scanner. The cameras 71, 72, and 73 are placed on edge regions (e.g., 71 and 73 to the center right and left; 72 directly above the gantry) so as to be able to cover a region that is as broad as possible. For the cameras 71, 72 and 73, recording regions 711, 721 and 731 have been shown in each case. These indicate that a plurality of markers may be registered with the cameras in each case. The desired information is calculated from the recorded images. It is also possible, for example, to deduce from the marker being covered that an interfering object is situated in an interspace between trolley 1 and gantry 2. The recorded information is transmitted by radio to the receiver 6 and, from there, forwarded to a monitoring unit 4. The monitoring unit 4 evaluates the received information and provides a report about a result of the evaluation. The report is displayed, for example, by the monitor 5. By way of example, a warning may be displayed at the monitor 5. The warning provides information about an impending collision. Alternatively, or parallel thereto, there may be an acoustic warning The arrangement of markers on the trolley 1 and cameras on the gantry 2, shown in this exemplary embodiment, may also be interchanged (e.g., the cameras may also be arranged on the trolley 1, while the markers may be found on the gantry 2). In one embodiment, both trolley 1 and gantry 2 may have markers and cameras in order thereby to realize a camera/marker system optimized for collision protection.
It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims can, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.
While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE 102013213213.1 | Jul 2013 | DE | national |
