Autoleveling low profile patient support apparatus

Abstract

A patient support apparatus ( 20 ) including a patient support surface ( 22 ) and a repositioning mechanism ( 24 ) for vertically and angularly repositioning the surface ( 22 ). The apparatus ( 20 ) including sensors ( 84 ) for automatically detecting and inhibiting attempts to vertically reposition the surface ( 22 ) when it is at a particular angular position, and attempts to angularly reposition the surface ( 22 ) when it is at a particular vertical position. The apparatus ( 20 ) also includes a tilt control system ( 88 ) for limiting the extent to which head or foot ends ( 36,38 ) of the surface ( 22 ) can be angularly repositioned, a scale ( 92 ) and a warning system ( 120 ) for communicating a warning when a change in the weight on the surface ( 22 ) is indicative of a patient moving or attempting to move off of the surface ( 22 ), a sensor ( 122 ) for detecting an increase in amperage during an operation and stopping the operation, and an ability to update microcontroller programming via a controller area network bus ( 102 ).

Having thus described the disclosed subject matter, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A patient support apparatus, comprising:
 a patient support surface;   a base frame;   one or more electronic functionalities operable with the patient support apparatus;   one or more microcontrollers operably communicating with the one or more electronic functionalities, wherein each microcontroller is operable to perform a function by a program, and wherein each microcontroller program is updatable;   a controller area network bus operable to communicate with the one or more microcontrollers; and   wherein upon updating a microcontroller program the program update is communicated to the one or more microcontrollers via the controller area network bus.   
     
     
         2 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electronic functionalities includes a repositioning mechanism operably connected to the patient support surface and the base frame to vertically position the patient support surface relative to the base frame. 
     
     
         3 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the repositioning mechanism further comprises:
 a first frame member operably connected to the patient support surface and the base, and a first actuator operably connected to the first frame member;   a second frame member operably connected to the patient support surface and the base, and a second actuator operably connected to the second frame member, wherein the second frame member and second actuator are disposed opposite the first frame member and actuator;   wherein the actuators position the patient support surface in a first position wherein the patient support surface is elevated relative to the base;   wherein the actuators position the patient support surface in a second position wherein the patient support surface is lowered relative to the base;   wherein when the first frame member and second frame member are moved equally in the same direction between the first and second positions the patient support surface is vertically repositioned; and   wherein when the first frame member and second frame member are moved in opposite directions the patient support surface is angularly repositioned.   
     
     
         4 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more sensors operable to automatically detect and inhibit an attempt to vertically reposition the patient support surface when the patient support surface is in a particular angular position, and to automatically detect and inhibit an attempt to angularly reposition the patient support surface when the patient support surface is in the particular vertical position. 
     
     
         5 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein when the patient support surface is lowered to a particular minimum height, the one or more sensors are operable to determine whether the patient support surface is level, and if it is not level, to automatically initiate leveling of the patient support surface by the repositioning mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more electronic functionalities includes a scale operable to determine a weight on the patient support surface. 
     
     
         7 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a warning system operably connected to the scale;   wherein the scale communicates a change in the weight on the patient support surface to the warning system; and   the warning system communicates a warning upon a change in the weight on the patient support surface.   
     
     
         8 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the updated program is provided by an updater host operably connected to the controller area network bus. 
     
     
         9 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the updater host communicates the updated program to the one or more microcontrollers. 
     
     
         10 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 wherein the one or more microcontrollers include a memory;   wherein the program update is opened by the update host, and an update host update command is transmitted to the microcontroller by the update host;   wherein the one or more microcontrollers receive the update host update command and transmits a microcontroller update command to the update host;   wherein the update host receives the microcontroller update command and transmits a microcontroller program update to the one or more microcontrollers; and   wherein the one or more microcontrollers store the microcontroller program update in the memory.   
     
     
         11 . A method of updating functionality in a patient support apparatus, the patient support apparatus including a patient support surface above a base frame for supporting a patient, and one or more electronic functionalities operable with the patient support apparatus, the method comprising:
 providing one or more microcontrollers operably communicating with the one or more electronic functionalities, wherein each microcontroller is operable to perform a function by a program, and wherein each microcontroller program is updatable;   providing a controller area network bus operable to communicate electronic signals to the one or more microcontrollers; and   updating a microcontroller program via the controller area network bus.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing an update host with a program update operably communicating with the controller area network bus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the one or more microcontrollers include a memory;   executing the program update by the update host, and the update host transmitting an update host update command to the one or more microcontrollers;   receiving the update host update command by the one or more microcontrollers, and the one or more microcontrollers transmitting a microcontroller update command to the update host;   receiving the microcontroller update command by the update host, and the update host transmitting a microcontroller program update to the one or more microcontrollers; and   storing the microcontroller program update in the memory by the microcontroller.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more electronic functionalities includes a repositioning mechanism operably connected to the patient support surface and the base frame to vertically position the patient support surface relative to the base frame. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the repositioning mechanism further comprises:
 a first frame member operably connected to the patient support surface and the base, and a first actuator operably connected to the first frame member;   a second frame member operably connected to the patient support surface and the base, and a second actuator operably connected to the second frame member, wherein the second frame member and second actuator are disposed opposite the first frame member and actuator;   wherein the actuators position the patient support surface in a first position wherein the patient support surface is elevated relative to the base;   wherein the actuators position the patient support surface in a second position wherein the patient support surface is lowered relative to the base;   wherein when the first frame member and second frame member are moved equally in the same direction between the first and second positions the patient support surface is vertically repositioned; and   wherein when the first frame member and second frame member are moved in opposite directions the patient support surface is angularly repositioned.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing one or more sensors operably communicating with the repositioning mechanism; and   wherein the one or more sensors are operable to automatically detect if the patient support surface is level.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal by the repositioning mechanism from the one or more sensors indicating the patient support surface is not level; and   actuating the repositioning mechanism to level the patient support surface relative to the base frame.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal by the repositioning mechanism from the one or more sensors that the patient support surface is in a particular angular position; and   inhibiting actuation of the repositioning mechanism in response to the signal.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more electronic functionalities includes a scale operable to determine a weight on the patient support surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a warning system operably connected to the scale;   wherein the scale communicates a change in the weight on the patient support surface to the warning system; and   the warning system communicates a warning upon a change in the weight on the patient support surface.