User detection system, sensor device included in the user detection system and bed having the user detection system

Abstract

To additionally retrofit a user detection system or later remove the system to / from a bed that does not have the system.SOLUTION: A user detection system is a system for detecting a state of a user on a bed, and comprises: multiple sensor devices that detect a load of the user; and a monitoring control device that is electrically connected to the multiple sensor devices, receives signals from the multiple sensor devices and detects the state of the user. The user detection system is configured to be detachably attached to the bed in a retrofitting manner. Each sensor device is configured to be detachably attached to the bed by being suspended beneath the bottom of the bed. Each sensor device includes a pressing object part that is pressed by the load of the user and the pressing object part is inserted into a through hole for ventilation of the bottom.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for detecting a user's state, such as a user getting out of bed or a user's position on a bed having multiple movable sub-bottoms, a sensor device included in the system, and a bed equipped with the system. [Background technology]

[0002] Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4. The bed device disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses three pressure sensor units arranged at both ends and the center of the width of the back plate, and three pressure sensor units arranged at both ends and the center of the width of the fixed plate to determine whether the user's position on the bed is normal supine, at risk of falling, out of bed, in bed, or has fallen.

[0003] The user position detection device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a number of bag-shaped cells arranged in the width and length directions of the air mat, and calculates the user's position on the air mat by detecting the differential air pressure between adjacent bag-shaped cells.

[0004] The bed exit confirmation device disclosed in Patent Document 3 has strip-shaped sensors extending across the width of the bed in positions corresponding to the user's shoulders, waist and feet, located in the gap between the mattress and a number of butterfly springs supporting the underside of the mattress. The strip-shaped sensors have tactile switches, and the output of these tactile sensors is used to detect the presence or absence of a person on the mattress and changes in body position.

[0005] The pamel for measuring bio-information disclosed in Patent Document 4 is a panel placed on the sleeping surface of a bed, has an elastically bendable receiving plate portion on which a strain gauge is provided, and measures the user's bio-information using the output of the strain gauge in response to vibrations in the center of the receiving plate portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-100039 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2017-000318 A [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2012 / 053599 [Patent Document 4] JP 2005-253957 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] It is presumed that the bed apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a user detection system for detecting the user's state, such as when the user gets out of bed or the user's position on the bed, as standard equipment from the time of shipment. Such beds are more expensive than beds that do not. However, whether or not a user detection system is required varies from user to user. Furthermore, even for the same user, whether or not the system is required varies depending on the health condition, care environment, etc. Therefore, it would be more convenient if a user detection system could be added to a bed that does not have one, or if it could be removed later.

[0008] In this case, it is preferable that the operations of attaching and detaching the user detection system to and from the bed be as simple and quick as possible.

[0009] According to the above-mentioned conventional technology, the user detection system has a sensor device that reacts to the load or body movement of the user, and the sensor device is provided on the upper surface of the bottom supporting the mattress. However, if the sensor device protrudes above the upper surface of the bottom due to its thickness, the protruding sensor device may deteriorate the user's sleeping comfort.

[0010] Most of the beds equipped with user detection systems are nursing or medical beds. Many of these beds are equipped with multiple movable sub-bottoms that can be tilted to change the user's posture to different postures, such as lying down, sitting up, and legs up. It is also desirable for the user detection system to be able to flexibly adapt to such variations in the posture of the bottom, i.e., the posture of the user.

[0011] Users have different physiques. In addition, there are variations in the length and width of bed bottoms. It is desirable for the user detection system to be adaptable to variations in user physiques and bed bottom sizes.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the convenience or adaptability of a user detection system for a bed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a user detection system for a bed includes a plurality of sensor devices that detect a load of a user and emit a signal corresponding to the load, and a monitoring control device that receives the signals from the plurality of sensor devices and detects a state of the user. The user detection system is configured to be removably attached to the bed afterwards. The plurality of sensor devices are removably attached to a plurality of different positions of the bed bottom in a plan view in a manner to be suspended from the bed bottom.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the bottom has a plurality of through holes that penetrate the bottom in a thickness direction and function as air holes. Each of the sensor devices has a pressed part that is pressed by the weight of the user. When each of the sensor devices is attached to the bottom, the pressed part is inserted into the through hole from below, and the pressed part in the through hole is pressed by a mattress placed on the bottom, so that each of the sensor devices detects the weight of the user.

[0015] According to one embodiment, when each sensor device is attached to the bottom, the upper surface of the pressed portion is positioned at the same height as or lower than the upper surface of the bottom so that the bottom surface of the mattress enters the through hole due to the user's weight, causing the mattress to press the upper surface of the pressed portion.

[0016] According to one embodiment, when the bottom has a greater number of through holes than the number of the sensor devices, the mounting position of each sensor device to the bottom can be changed by changing the through hole into which the pressing portion of each sensor device is inserted.

[0017] 4. The user detection system according to claim 2, wherein the bottom is a bottom having a mesh structure, and a plurality of meshes of the bottom having the mesh structure are utilized as the plurality of through holes.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the bottom is a flat bottom made of metal or resin, the flat bottom has a plurality of ventilation holes, and the plurality of ventilation holes are used as the plurality of through holes.

[0019] According to one embodiment, a fixing device is provided for removably attaching the sensor device to the bottom, and the fixing device is configured so that an operator can fix the sensor device to the bottom using a screw or with a one-touch fixation.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the fixing device has a snap-fit ​​connection structure that enables an operator to fix the sensor device to the bottom with a single touch.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the fastener is located at the same height as or below the upper surface of the bottom.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the user detection system includes eight of the sensor devices, and two of the eight sensor devices are attached to each of four regions of the bottom that receive loads from four parts of the back of the upper body, the lower back including the part from the lower back to the buttocks, the upper part of the lower legs including the part from the thighs to the knees, and / or the lower part of the lower legs including the part from the lower legs to the feet, when the user is lying on his / her back on the bed with his / her body stretched straight and his / her height aligned with the longitudinal direction of the bed. The two sensor devices attached to each region of the bottom are respectively arranged in a first half region from the center of the width direction of each region of the bottom to one end of the width direction and a second half region from the center of the width direction of each region of the bottom to the other end of the width direction.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the bottom has four element bottoms, including a back bottom supporting the back of the user, a waist bottom supporting the waist of the user, a knee bottom supporting the upper part of the lower leg of the user, and a foot bottom supporting the lower part of the lower leg of the user, and the angles of the back bottom, the knee bottom, and the foot bottom are variable with respect to the horizontal. The user detection system includes eight sensor devices, and two sensor devices selected from the eight sensor devices are attached to each of the four element bottoms. The two sensor devices attached to each element bottom are arranged in a first half area from the center of the width direction of each element bottom to one end of the width direction, and a second half area from the center of the width direction of each element bottom to the other end of the width direction, respectively.

[0024] According to one embodiment, each of the sensor devices has a support and a lever cover arranged on the upper side of the support. The lever cover has a fulcrum supported by the support and an extension portion extending in one direction from the fulcrum in a plan view. The extension portion is rotatable in the vertical direction around the fulcrum and is elastically lifted from the support. The lever cover has the pressed portion on an upper portion of the extension portion. Each of the sensor devices is arranged so that the one direction in which the extension portion extends is along the width direction of the bottom and so that the pressed portion is closer to the center of the width direction of the bottom than the fulcrum in a plan view.

[0025] According to one embodiment, each of the sensor devices includes a cushion disposed below the extension portion of the lever cover, and a pressure sensor disposed above the support body and below the cushion. When the pressure-receiving portion is pressed downward by the weight of the user, the lever cover descends to apply pressure to the pressure sensor via the cushion member, and the pressure sensor outputs a signal according to the pressure.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the bottom has two or more of the through holes arranged at different positions in the width direction of the bottom. Each of the sensor devices has two or more of the pressed parts arranged at upper parts of the extension parts at different positions in the one direction in which the extension parts extend in a plan view. When each of the sensor devices is attached to the bottom, the two or more pressed parts are inserted into the two or more through holes arranged in the width direction of the bottom.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the lever cover of each of the sensor devices covers the entire upper area of ​​the support from above.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the monitoring and control device is disposed below the waist bottom.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the bed includes a bottom drive system for driving one or more of the bottom elements. The monitoring and controlling device is connected to the plurality of sensor devices and the bottom drive system, and detects the state of the user based on the signals from the plurality of sensor devices and the signals related to the driving of the bottom elements from the bottom drive system.

[0030] According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of sensor devices has a pressure-receiving portion that is pressed by the load of the user, and a pressure sensor that detects the load of the user through the pressure-receiving portion. The pressure-receiving portion is inserted into a through hole that penetrates the bottom in a thickness direction. Each of the sensor devices is configured to detect the load of the user by pressing the pressure-receiving portion.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the bed has a mattress placed on the bottom. The mattress bulges into the through hole due to the weight of the user, thereby pressing the pressed portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed equipped with a user detection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] Plan view (A), side view (B), and front view (C) of the bed in Figure 1 [Diagram 3] A diagram explaining the movable state of the bed bottom [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the layout of each part of a user detection system. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 shows a state in which the sensor device is attached to the bottom of the element. [Figure 6] A perspective view of a sensor device [Figure 7] Cross section AA of Figure 6 [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of a cushioning material and a pressure sensor of a sensor device. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the sensor device attached to the mesh bottom. [Figure 10]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor device attached to the mesh bottom along a second direction. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a control flow of a monitoring control device. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a modified fixing device. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 shows a first modified example of an element bottom. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 shows a second modified example of the element bottom [Figure 15] FIG. 3 shows a third modified example of the element bottom [Figure 16] FIG. 4 shows a fourth modified example of the element bottom. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. A bed 1 according to the present embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0034] In the following description, the term "length direction" means the direction along the long side of the rectangle of bed 1, "width direction" means the direction along the short side of bed 1, and "height direction" means the vertical direction when bed 1 is placed on a horizontal floor. Additionally, "head direction" means the direction from the feet to the head as seen by the user when the user lies on his / her back on bed 1, "head side" means the side closer to the user's head, "foot direction" means the direction from the user's head to the feet, "foot side" means the side closer to the user's feet, and "front", "back", "left", and "right" mean the directions or sides of the front, back, left, and right as seen by the user.

[0035] The bed 1 according to this embodiment includes a base frame 11, a center frame 12, a head frame 13, and a foot frame 14. The base frame 11 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and is placed on the installation floor via casters 15 (or fixed feet, not shown) provided at the four corners.

[0036] A center frame 12, a head frame 13, and a foot frame 14 are mounted on the base frame 11. The head frame 13 is disposed on the head side of the center frame 12 and the two are joined together, and the foot frame 14 is disposed on the foot side of the center frame 12 and the two are joined together. In this way, the center frame 12, the head frame 13, and the foot frame 14 are mutually joined to form a single lifting frame 12, 13, 14 that is approximately rectangular in plan view as a whole.

[0037] The lifting frames 12, 13, 14 (for example, the center frame 12) are coupled to a lifting mechanism 16 provided on the base frame 11, and can be raised and lowered in the height direction by the lifting mechanism 16.

[0038] The bottom 2 is placed on the lifting frames 12, 13, and 14. The bottom 2 is a plate that is approximately rectangular in plan view, and supports a mattress (not shown) that is laid thereon. The bottom 2 has a plurality of approximately rectangular, flat-plate-like element bottoms that are arranged at different positions in the length direction. These element bottoms are, for example, a back bottom 21, a waist bottom 23, a knee bottom 25, and a foot bottom 27, in that order from the head side to the foot side.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the movable state of each element bottom. The back bottom 21 is for supporting the upper body of the user, for example, the back. The back bottom 21 includes, for example, an upper back bottom 21A and a lower back bottom 21B arranged on the foot side of the upper back bottom 21A. The upper back bottom 21A and the lower back bottom 21B are rotatably linked to each other via a back bending hinge 21C at the foot side end of the upper back bottom 21A and the head side end of the lower back bottom 21B. The back bottom 21 (the lower back bottom 21B) is rotatably linked to the lifting frames 12, 13, 14 via a back-raising hinge 24 at its foot side end.

[0040] The upper bottom 21A is for supporting a relatively high portion of the user's upper body (e.g., from the head to the shoulder blades). The lower bottom 21B is for supporting a relatively low portion of the user's upper body (e.g., from the shoulder blades to the upper waist).

[0041] The back bottom 21 is coupled to a back-raising mechanism (not shown) provided on the lifting frames 12, 13, 14, for example, and can be rotated as a whole around the back-raising hinge 24 by the back-raising mechanism, and can assume various angles from a horizontal position to a position inclined forward by a predetermined angle. This allows the user's upper body to be raised or laid down. Note that Figs. 3(A) and (B) show examples of the change in angle of the back bottom 21 due to rotation.

[0042] The upper back bottom 21A and the lower back bottom 21B of the back bottom 21 are connected to the back-raising mechanism (or a separate back-bending mechanism), and the mechanism allows the upper back bottom 21A to rotate around the back-bending hinge 21C relative to the lower back bottom 21B (rotation state not shown), allowing the back bottom 21A to take various angles from a flush position to a position bent forward by a predetermined angle. This allows the position of the user's upper body (spine) to be adjusted between a straight position and a position bent forward to a certain degree.

[0043] The position in the length direction of the back bending hinge 21C that links the upper back bottom 21A and the lower back bottom 21B is variable within a predetermined distance range, and can be set to any position among a plurality of different positions (not shown). This allows the position of the back bending hinge 21C, that is, the position at which the user bends their back, to be adjusted to suit the user's physique and physical characteristics.

[0044] The waist bottom 23 is for supporting the user's hips, for example, the portion from the lower waist to the buttocks (lumbar region). The waist bottom 23 is fixed horizontally to the lift frames 12, 13, 14, for example.

[0045] The knee bottom 25 is for supporting the user's upper leg, for example, from the thigh to the knee. The knee bottom 25 is rotatably linked at its head end to the lifting frames 12, 13, 14 via a knee-raising hinge 28. The knee bottom 25 is connected to a knee-raising mechanism (not shown) provided on the lifting frames 12, 13, 14, for example, and can be rotated around the knee-raising hinge 28 by the knee-raising mechanism to take various positions from a horizontal position to a position inclined forward by a predetermined angle. This allows the user's knee to bend the knee joint, or to lower the knee to straighten the knee joint.

[0046] The foot bottom 27 is for supporting the part of the user from the knee to the foot (lower part of the leg). The knee bottom 25 and the foot bottom 27 are rotatably linked to each other via the knee bending hinge 26 at the foot side end of the knee bottom 25 and the head side end of the foot bottom 27. The foot side end of the foot bottom 27 is placed on the lifting frames 12, 13, 14 in a state where it can slide in the length direction. When the knee bottom 25 rotates around the knee lifting hinge 28 by the knee lifting mechanism, the foot bottom 27 also rotates around the knee bending hinge 26. Note that Figs. 3(A) and (B) show an example of the change in angle between the knee bottom 25 and the foot bottom 27 due to the rotation.

[0047] Alternatively, the foot bottom 27 may be coupled to a foot raising mechanism provided on the lifting frames 12, 13, 14, which allows the foot bottom 27 to rotate about the knee bending hinge 26 to adjust the height of the user's feet (not shown).

[0048] The position of the knee bending hinge 26 in the longitudinal direction is variable within a predetermined distance range, and can be set to any position among a plurality of different positions (not shown). This allows the position of the knee bending hinge 26, i.e., the position at which the user's knee is bent, to be adjusted to suit the user's physique, physical characteristics, etc.

[0049] The back bottom 21, the waist bottom 23, the knee bottom 25, and the foot bottom 27 may be configured so that their respective length and / or width dimensions are variable (the specific configuration for varying dimensions is not shown, but known technology can be used).

[0050] The position of each element bottom can be controlled by the user or caregiver using a control panel provided on the bed 1 or a remote controller (not shown).

[0051] Each of the bottom elements, such as the back bottom 21, the waist bottom 23, the knee bottom 25, and the foot bottom 27, has, for example, a mesh structure. The bottom element of the mesh generally has an outer frame 31 that is relatively thick and highly rigid and is formed into a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, a plurality of elongated vertical wires 33A stretched in the length direction with a gap between them inside the outer frame 31, and a plurality of elongated horizontal wires 33B stretched in the width direction with a gap between them inside the outer frame 31. The vertical wires 33A and horizontal wires 33B cross each other to form a mesh structure. Such a bottom element of the mesh has a large number of meshes (i.e., through holes 35 that penetrate the bottom in the thickness direction from its upper surface to its lower surface) arranged in a matrix in the length direction and the width direction.

[0052] The bed 1 is equipped with a user detection system 4 which includes a number of sensor devices 5 .

[0053] Hereinafter, a user detection system 4 for the bed 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of each part of the user detection system 4. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the attachment state of each element bottom of the sensor device 5 (representatively, the back bottom 21 is shown).

[0054] The bed 1 according to this embodiment does not need to be equipped with the user detection system 4 at the time of shipment. After shipment, the user detection system 4 can be additionally and detachably attached to the bed 1 as an optional item. Furthermore, once the user detection system 4 has been attached to the bed 1, it can also be removed from the bed 1. The task of attaching and detaching the user detection system 4 to and from the bed 1 is simple, requiring an operator to simply tighten and loosen a fixing screw with a screwdriver, or to attach and detach with a single touch, and can be completed in a short time.

[0055] The user detection system 4 includes a plurality of sensor devices 5 (eight in the illustrated example) and at least one monitoring control device 6 electrically connected to the sensor devices 5.

[0056] The monitor and control device 6 may be electrically connected to a nurse call system 9. The nurse call system 9 will be described later.

[0057] The monitoring control device 6 may further be electrically connected to a bottom drive system including several mechanisms for changing the posture of the bottom 2 of the bed 1, such as the above-mentioned back-raising mechanism, back-bending mechanism, and knee-raising mechanism, and a bottom drive control device 7 that drives and controls them (for example, in this embodiment, to the bottom drive control device 7).

[0058] The eight sensor devices 5 basically have the same configuration, but may have different configurations. Each sensor device 5 senses the load applied from the user to the upper surface of each element bottom through a mattress (not shown) and outputs an electrical signal indicating a value corresponding to the load. The specific configuration will be described later.

[0059] The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 4. The eight sensor devices 5 are paired with two sensor devices 5 to form four pairs of sensor devices 5. These four pairs of sensor devices 5 are attached to the bottom 2 in the following arrangement in a plan view. That is, when the user is lying on his / her back on the bed 1 with his / her body stretched straight and his / her height aligned with the longitudinal direction of the bed 1, the four pairs of sensor devices 5 are attached to four regions of the bottom 2 that receive loads from four parts of the user's back of the upper body, the lower back including the part from the lower back to the buttocks, the upper part of the lower legs including the part from the thighs to the knees, and / or the lower part of the lower legs including the part from the lower legs to the feet.

[0060] The pair of sensor devices 5 attached to each of the above-mentioned regions of the bottom 2 are disposed in the right half region from the center in the width direction to one end in the width direction of each of the above-mentioned regions of the bottom 2, and in the left half region from the center in the width direction to the other end in the width direction of each region. A gap is provided between the pair of sensor devices 5, and the center in the width direction of the bottom 2 is located within that gap. No sensor device 5 is disposed in the space between the gaps.

[0061] One example of such four pairs of sensor devices 5 is shown in FIG. 4. That is, the four pairs of sensor devices 5 are attached to four element bottoms, namely, the back bottom 21, the waist bottom 23, the knee bottom 25, and the foot bottom 27. For example, the first pair of sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) is attached to the back bottom 21, the second pair of sensor devices 5(b), 5(b) is attached to the waist bottom 23, the third pair of sensor devices 5(c), 5(c) is attached to the knee bottom 25, and the fourth pair of sensor devices 5(d), 5(d) is attached to the foot bottom 27. Here, it is preferable that the first pair of sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) is attached to, for example, the lower back bottom 21B of the upper back bottom 21A and the lower back bottom 21B of the back bottom 21. This is because the lower back bottom 21B often receives a larger load from the user than the upper back bottom 21A.

[0062] By arranging four pairs of sensor devices 5 (i.e., a total of eight sensor devices 5) in the bottom 2 in this manner, it is possible to appropriately detect the user's state, such as the position and posture, on the bed 1. In other words, without the need to use too many sensor devices 5, with a moderate number of sensor devices 5, eight, which is neither too many nor too few, it is possible to determine, with sufficient resolution for practical use, whether the user's state is normal, requires caution, or is dangerous. Furthermore, by arranging four pairs of sensor devices 5 (i.e., a total of eight sensor devices 5) in the bottom 2 as described above, it is possible to determine whether the user's state is normal, requires caution, or is dangerous, even when the bottom 2 is not horizontal but is bent due to bottom driving such as lifting the back or knees.

[0063] The sensor devices 5 of each pair may be basically arranged in line symmetrical positions with respect to the center line CL of each element bottom in the width direction in a plan view. For example, one sensor device 5(a) of the first pair may be arranged in a range between a position shifted a predetermined distance to the left from the center line CL of the back bottom 21 in the width direction to the left end of the back bottom 21, and the other sensor device 5(a) may be arranged in a position range line symmetrical to the right of the sensor device 5(a).

[0064] Similarly, the other three pairs of sensor devices 5 may be arranged at line-symmetric positions on the left and right sides of the center line CL in the width direction of each element bottom. Depending on the user's physique, behavioral pattern, and other environmental conditions, the sensor devices 5 of each pair may be arranged at positions slightly shifted in the length direction or width direction from the line-symmetric positions as described above.

[0065] The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 5. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and (C), the first pair of sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) can vary the distance (spacing) between them in the width direction of the bottom 2, that is, the distance from the center line CL to each of the sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) can be varied. Also, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and (B), the first pair of sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) can vary their longitudinal positions on the back bottom 21. That is, the arrangement of each of the sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) on each element bottom can be appropriately adjusted as necessary, depending on the physique and condition (e.g., medical condition) of the patient. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, only the first pair of sensor devices 5(a), 5(a) has been described above, but it goes without saying that the same is true for all of the sensor devices 5 of the user detection system 4.

[0066] Return to FIG. 4. The monitoring control device 6 is placed in an empty space below the bottom 2. For example, the monitoring control device 6 can be placed in an empty space below the waist bottom 23. This is because an empty space suitable for a storage location is easily formed below the waist bottom 23, and the waist bottom 23 is fixed and does not rotate, making it easy to store. In addition, this arrangement allows the monitoring control device 6 and all (eight in the illustrated example) sensor devices 5 to be placed at an appropriate distance. For example, if the monitoring control device 6 and each sensor device 5 are connected by wire (the wiring is shown by dotted lines in the illustrated example), it is easy to organize the wiring, and there is no need to provide extremely long or short wiring, and it is sufficient to set the wiring to approximately the same length. The monitoring control device 6 may be stored in another empty space in the bottom 2, or may be stored in another place such as next to the bed 1.

[0067] <Structure of the sensor device> Next, the structure of the sensor device 5 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sensor device 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the cushioning material 72 and the pressure sensor of the sensor device 5. Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating the state in which the sensor device 5 is attached to a bottom element (waist bottom 23) having a mesh structure. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor device 5 attached to the bottom 2 having a mesh structure taken along the second direction.

[0068] The sensor device 5 has, for example, an elongated, generally rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. In the following description, the term "first direction" refers to the longitudinal direction of the sensor device 5 in a plan view, and the term "second direction" refers to the lateral direction of the sensor device 5 in a plan view.

[0069] The sensor device 5 is attached to any one of the bottom elements of the bed 1 in a position in which the first direction of the sensor device 5 coincides with the width direction of the bed 1.

[0070] The sensor device 5 has a support 51 and a lever cover 52. Both the support 51 and the lever cover 52 are, for example, elongated boxes that are approximately rectangular parallelepipeds. The support 51 is, for example, a box having a bottom wall 51a and a side wall 51b, and an open top part 51c without a top wall. The lever cover 52 is, for example, a box having a top wall 52a and a side wall 52b, and an open bottom part 52c without a bottom wall. In both the first direction and the second direction, the size of the lever cover 52 is larger than the size of the support 51. A portion of the support 51 including the open top part 51c is completely accommodated in the opening of the bottom part 52c of the lever cover 52, and the open top part 51c of the support 51 and the upper part of the side wall 51b around it are covered from the outside by the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52 and the side wall 52b around it.

[0071] The support 51 has four arms 53 extending outward in the second direction from two points on both sides near one end in the first direction and two points on both sides near the other end by a certain distance. These four arms 53 function as part of a fixing device for attaching the sensor device 5 to the element bottom.

[0072] That is, each of the four arms 53 has a female screw hole formed downward from its upper surface. Two fixing plates 54 are further prepared as other parts of the fixture. One fixing plate 54 is for connecting with the two arms 53 extending from both side surfaces near the one end, and has through holes 54a at two locations corresponding to the female screw holes (not shown) of the two arms 53. The other fixing plate 54 is for connecting with the two arms 53 extending from both side surfaces near the other end, and has through holes 54a at two locations corresponding to the female screw holes of the two arms 53.

[0073] The lever cover 52 of the sensor device 5 has a protrusion 56 as a pressed part that is pressed by the load of the user. Specifically, for example, the lever cover 52 has a plurality of mesa-shaped (i.e., plateau-shaped with a flat upper surface) protrusions (pressed parts) 56 arranged in a row in the first direction on the upper part of its top wall 52a. Each protrusion 56 is square or rectangular in a plan view, and this shape is selected so that it can be inserted from below into each mesh (through hole 35) of the element bottom and accommodated therein. In the upper part of the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52, there is a recessed groove 57 adjacent to each protrusion 56. The width and depth of each groove 57 are selected so that it can accommodate the vertical wires 33A or horizontal wires 33B that define each mesh of the element bottom.

[0074] As a result, the multiple mesa-shaped protrusions 56 arranged in the first direction of the lever cover 52 of the sensor device 5 are accommodated inside the multiple meshes (through holes 35) arranged in the width direction of the element bottom. The upper surfaces of these protrusions (pressed parts) 56 are located at the same height as the upper surface of the element bottom, that is, at a lower height than the upper surface of the vertical wire 33A arranged on the horizontal wire 33B in this embodiment. For example, it is desirable that the height of the upper surface of the protrusions 56 is the same as the height of the upper surface of the vertical wire 33A or slightly lower (for example, a few tenths of a millimeter). Therefore, the upper surface of the sensor device 5 does not protrude higher than the upper surface of the element bottom. Therefore, the sensor device 5 does not affect the user's sleeping comfort. On the other hand, when the weight of the user is applied to the mattress (not shown) on the bottom, the mattress enters the mesh (through holes 35) of the element bottom and bulges downward, pressing downward against the convex portion 56 of the lever cover 52, so that the load due to the weight of the user is applied from the mattress to the lever cover 52 of the sensor device 5. The sensor device 5 can detect this load. It is also preferable that the upper surface of the fixing tool does not protrude above the upper surface of the bottom. Specifically, it is preferable that the upper surface of the fixing plate 54 is located at the same level as or lower than the upper surface of the element bottom. This prevents the mounting method of the sensor device 5 from adversely affecting the user's sleeping comfort.

[0075] The internal structure of the sensor device 5 for detecting the load will be described below.

[0076] For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the sensor device 5 has a pressure sensor 71, a cushion material 72, and an elastic member between a support body 51 and a lever cover 52.

[0077] The lever cover 52 has a support rod 58 protruding downward at a location near one end in the first direction on the lower surface of the top wall 52a. The lower end 58a of the support rod 58 abuts against one location on the bottom wall 51a of the support body 51. An elastic member, for example, a coil spring 73, is inserted between a location near the other end in the first direction of the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52 and a location on the bottom wall 51a of the support body 51 located directly below the location. The coil spring 73 lifts the lever cover 52 upward and elastically supports it. As a result, in the lever cover 52, an extension portion 59 extending from the lower end 58a of the support rod 58 toward the other end in the first direction in a plan view is not in direct contact with the support body 51 and is floating above the support body 51. Therefore, the lever cover 52 is supported on the support body 51 in a state in which it can swing up and down like a seesaw, with the lower end portion 58a of the support rod 58 as a fulcrum.

[0078] A pressure sensor 71 is installed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 51a of the support 51, at a location between a fulcrum (lower end portion 58a in the illustrated example, the same below) in a first direction when viewed in a plane and an elastic member (coil spring 73 in the illustrated example, the same below).

[0079] 8, a cushioning material 72 is inserted between the upper surface of the pressure sensor 71 and the lower surface of the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52. For example, the cushioning material 72 may be fixed to the lower side of the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52 with an adhesive or by other methods, or may be fixed to the upper side of the pressure sensor 71 on the support body 51 side, or may be configured not to be fixed to any member and to be inserted between the upper surface of the pressure sensor 71 and the lower surface of the top wall 52a of the lever cover 52 by the user.

[0080] The pressure sensor 71 is, for example, a flat thin plate attached to the bottom wall 51a of the support body 51, and converts the pressure applied to its upper surface into an electrical signal having a value corresponding to the pressure and outputs it. The output signal of the pressure sensor 71 is input to the monitoring and control device 6.

[0081] The cushioning material 72 is positioned between the lever cover 52 and the pressure sensor 71, and absorbs the mechanical shock that the lever cover 52 applies to the pressure sensor 71. The cushioning material 72 is made of a soft elastic material such as silicone rubber.

[0082] When a downward load is applied from above to any of the protrusions 56 of the extension 59 of the lever cover 52 of the sensor device 5 configured in this manner, the extension 59 of the lever cover 52 rotates about the fulcrum and descends, pressing the pressure sensor 71 via the cushion material 72. The pressure sensor 71 provides the monitoring and control device 6 with an electrical signal having a value according to the pressing force. When the pressure applied to the pressure sensor 71 is removed, the lever cover 52 returns to its original position due to the action of an elastic member (e.g., coil spring 73), and the output signal from the pressure sensor 71 indicates zero pressure. Note that the elastic member is not shown in FIG. 8.

[0083] The sensor device 5 detects the load applied by the user anywhere in the widthwise range of the bed 1 over almost the entire length in the first direction (i.e., on any of the multiple protrusions 56). Despite the wide detectable widthwise range, each sensor device 5 only requires one pressure sensor 71, which reduces costs.

[0084] The sensor device 5 is attached to the bottom 2 in such a position that the point of action of the lever cover 52 (the part pressing the pressure sensor 71) is located toward the center of the width direction of the element bottom (i.e., close to the center line CL) and the fulcrum of the lever cover 52 is located toward the right or left end of the bottom 2 (i.e., away from the center line CL).

[0085] By mounting the sensor device 5 on the bottom 2 in this position, the state of the user on the bottom 2 can be detected more reliably than when the sensor device 5 is mounted in the opposite position. This is because the user is often positioned near the center of the bottom 2. Therefore, in the lever cover 52 of the sensor device 5 mounted in the above position, the load from the user is often applied to a portion relatively far from the fulcrum, that is, a portion located toward the center of the bottom 2. The moving stroke of the lever cover 52 required to activate the pressure sensor 71 is relatively long in a portion relatively far from the fulcrum, so the accuracy of load detection is also relatively good.

[0086] The monitoring control device 6 receives output signals from the eight sensor devices 5 and an output signal from the bottom drive control device 7, and estimates the state of the user on the bed 1. The user's state to be determined includes, for example, whether the user is lying on his / her back on the bed 1 or sitting up, whether the user is sitting on the edge of the bottom 2 in the width direction (edge ​​sitting position), whether the user is sleeping near the edge of the bed 1 in the width direction (whether there is a risk of falling), whether the user has stood up and left the bed 1 (out of bed), whether the user has been out of bed for a long period of time, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, it may be possible to determine whether the upper body of the user falls to the right, left, or forward when the back bottom 21 is in an upright state, and whether the buttocks of the user slide forward beyond the waist bottom 23 while the back bottom 21 is being moved from a lying state to an upright state. The variations of the user state to be determined may be other than those described above, and may be more or less than those described above.

[0088] Alternatively, the monitor and control device 6 may not be connected to a bottom drive system such as the bottom drive control device 7 and may not make decisions taking into account the angle and movement of the bottom 2.

[0089] The monitoring and control device 6 sends a signal according to the estimated result of the user's condition to the nurse call system 9 via wired or wireless communication, thereby being able to notify the nurse or caregiver of information useful for user care (for example, whether the user is lying normally on his / her back on the bed 1, whether there is a risk of falling off the bed 1, whether the user is on the bed or not, whether the body is abnormally tilted when sitting with the upper body upright, etc.).

[0090] The nurse call system 9 includes, for example, a handset 91 installed near the bed 1 and a parent unit 92 installed in a nurse's station or the like, but may also be connected to or include a mobile communication terminal 90 carried by a nurse or caregiver, and there are various variations in the specific configuration. In the illustrated example, the monitoring and control device 6 is connected to the handset 91 of the nurse call system 9, and a signal from the monitoring and control device 6 is sent to the parent unit 92 via the handset 91.

[0091] 11 shows an example of the flow of control by the monitor and control device 6. The flow of control will be explained below. The monitoring control device 6 inputs signals output from the eight sensor devices 5 and, based on the input signals, determines the distribution of the user's load on the bottom 2 (for example, which sensor device 5, i.e., which position of which element of the bottom the user's load is being applied to, or the magnitude of pressure being applied to each sensor device 5, etc.) (S1).

[0092] The monitoring control device 6 also inputs a signal output from the bottom drive control device 7, and based on the input signal, grasps the posture of the bottom 2 (for example, various postures determined by a combination of the inclinations of multiple bottom elements, and the transition operation from one posture to another, etc.) (S2).

[0093] Next, the monitor and control device 6 inferentially determines whether the user is currently in a state on the bed 1 based on the grasped load distribution and the posture of the bottom 2 (S3).

[0094] Next, the monitor and control device 6 transmits predetermined information or signals to the nurse call system 9 or the mobile communication terminal 90 as necessary based on the determination result of S3 (S4).

[0095] The monitor and control device 6 repeats the above steps (S1 to S4).

[0096] <Installing the sensor device on the bed> When mounting the sensor device 5 on the element bottom, the following procedure can be carried out.

[0097] The sensor device 5 is placed under the bottom element by an operator, and the upper surfaces of the four arms 53 of the sensor device 5 are abutted against the lower surfaces of the two horizontal wires 33B of one bottom element. Two fixing plates 54 are placed on the upper side of the bottom element, and the two fixing plates 54 are abutted against the upper surfaces of the two horizontal wires 33B. Then, four fixing screws (not shown) are inserted from above into the four through holes 54a of the two fixing plates 54, and the fixing screws are inserted into the female screw holes (not shown) of the four arms 53, and the fixing screws are tightened with a screwdriver operated by an operator. As a result, the two horizontal wires 33B of the bottom element are firmly sandwiched between the two fixing plates 54 and the four arms 53, and the sensor device 5 is firmly fixed to the bottom element in a hanging manner.

[0098] This installation is easy since the worker can do it simply with a screwdriver and can be completed in a short time.

[0099] The thickness of the fixing plate 54 is preferably selected so that the upper surface of the fixing plate 54 does not extend above the upper surface of the element bottom (that is, is located at the same level as or slightly below the upper surface of the element bottom).

[0100] <Modifications of sensor device and fixture> A modified example of the fastener will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a modified example of the fastener. In order to further simplify the fastening operation, the fastener may adopt, for example, a snap-fit ​​connection structure as follows. Here, the snap-fit ​​connection structure means a connection structure that utilizes an elastic member, in which the mutually connectable parts of the structure are separated and then a person pushes or pulls a certain part of the structure in one direction to complete the connection of the connectable parts. An example of a snap-fit ​​connection structure is a structure in which two members approach each other in one direction, and at least one member elastically deforms and engages with the other member, and after the engagement, the deformed member elastically returns to its original shape to maintain the engagement, as described below.

[0101] In the fixing device of this example, the fixing plate 154 has two locking projections 155 extending downward from the lower surface near both ends. The locking projections 155 have spring properties and bend when subjected to a bending force, and return to their original straight shape when the force is removed. The tip 155a of the locking projection 155 has a tapered shape with a jaw, for example, like a harpoon. The outer surface of the jaw of the tip 155a of the locking projection 155 has an inclined surface 155b that is inclined with respect to the direction in which the locking projection 155 extends. Locking holes 153a are provided near the tip of each arm 153, penetrating vertically. Each locking hole 153a has a shape and size that allows the tip 155a of each locking projection 155 to be inserted therethrough.

[0102] The distance between the two locking projections 155 and the distance between the two locking holes 153a are appropriately selected, so that the fixing plate 154 can be engaged with the arm 153 as follows.

[0103] In other words, when an operator positions fixed plate 154 directly above two arms 153 and then lowers fixed plate 154 toward arms 153, tip portions 155a of two locking protrusions 155 of fixed plate 154 enter into two locking holes 153a of two arms 153, and inclined surfaces 155b of tip portions 155a of two locking protrusions 155 each contact the inner surfaces of the two locking holes 153a.

[0104] Thereafter, when the operator further lowers the fixed plate 154, the two locking projections 155 bend due to their springiness, and the tip portions 155a of each of them pass through the two locking holes 153a. When the tip portions 155a of the two locking projections 155 completely pass through the two locking holes 153a, the locking projections 155 return to their original straight shape due to their springiness, whereby the tip portions 155a of the locking projections 155 engage with the locking holes 153a.

[0105] By adopting such a snap-fit ​​connection structure that can fix the fixing plate 154 to the arm 153 with one touch, the work of attaching the sensor device 5 to the element bottom can be performed very easily and in a short time. Note that the arrangement of the locking protrusion 155 and the locking hole 153a may be reversed from that described above, that is, the locking protrusion 155 may be provided on the arm 153, and the locking hole may be provided on the fixing plate 154.

[0106] With the sensor device 5 attached to the lower part of the bottom 2 in this manner, even if water gets on the sensor device 5 from above the bottom 2, for example, when a drink is spilled on the bed 1, when the user has incontinence, or when wiping the bed, water will hardly get inside the sensor device 5. This is because, as described above, the lever cover 52 covers the upper part and the periphery of the support body 51 from the outside.

[0107] The whole or a part of the element bottom may have a structure of a type different from the mesh described above. For example, it may be a flat plate type structure made of synthetic resin or metal. The flat plate type element bottom will be described below.

[0108] 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the bottom elements. Each of the bottom elements, such as the back bottom, the waist bottom, the knee bottom, and the foot bottom, in this example, has a flat plate-type structure made of metal, for example.

[0109] Fig. 13(A) is a diagram showing an outline of an element bottom (an illustrated example is a waist bottom 123, the same applies below), and Fig. 13(B) is a diagram showing an example of an element bottom to which a sensor device 5 is attached. The following description will be given with reference to the drawings. Each element bottom has a plurality of through holes 123a, 123b that penetrate each element bottom in its thickness direction from its upper surface to its lower surface. These multiple through holes 123a, 123b can function as ventilation holes that improve ventilation of the bottom surface of a mattress placed on the bottom 2.

[0110] A plurality of first through holes 123a are formed along the first direction of the bottom element. When the sensor device 5 is attached to the bottom element, the protrusion 56 of the lever cover 52 can be received inside the first through hole 123a.

[0111] The second through hole 123b is used to insert a fastener for attaching the sensor device 5 to the element bottom.

[0112] For example, the sensor device 5 is positioned below the element bottom such that the multiple protrusions 56 of the lever cover 52 are exposed upward from the multiple first through holes 123a, the female screw holes of the four arms 53 are exposed upward from the four second through holes 123b, and the through holes 54a of the two fixing plates 54 are each positioned above the second through holes 123b, so that each fixing plate 54 and each arm 53 is fixed to the element bottom by each fixing screw (not shown), and the sensor device 5 is firmly fixed to the element bottom in a hanging manner.

[0113] The above-mentioned configuration and the shape of the element bottom shown in the figure are only an example. For example, the first through hole 123a and the second through hole 123b formed in the element bottom may be processed in a metal plate-type element bottom to match the shape of the sensor device 5, or the sensor device 5 may be formed to match the shape of holes pre-formed in the element bottom. Note that, although an example of the waist bottom 123 has been illustrated and described here, the same applies to other element bottoms.

[0114] 14 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the bottom elements. Each of the bottom elements, such as the back bottom, the waist bottom, the knee bottom, and the foot bottom, in this example, has a flat plate-type structure made of resin, for example.

[0115] FIG. 14(A) is a diagram showing an outline of an element bottom (the illustrated example is a waist bottom 323, the same applies below), and FIG. 14(B) is a diagram showing an example of an element bottom to which a sensor device 5 is attached. Each element bottom has a plurality of through holes 323a, 323b. The plurality of through holes 323a, 323b function as through holes that penetrate each element bottom in its thickness direction from its upper surface to its lower surface. For example, the plurality of through holes 323a, 323b may be ventilation holes that are formed in advance in each element bottom to improve ventilation of a mattress placed on the bottom.

[0116] In this example, the configuration of each bottom element is the same as in the first modified example, but it is different in that it is made of resin. In the bottom element made of resin as in this example, molding of through holes is easier than that of a metal one, and it is possible to reduce contact noise with other members.

[0117] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the element bottom. Each of the element bottoms such as the back bottom, waist bottom, knee bottom, and foot bottom of this example has a metal flat plate type structure similar to the first modified example (Fig. 13). The element bottom of this example (waist bottom 223 in the illustrated example, the same applies below) has the same configuration for attaching each sensor device 5 (specifically, the configuration of the first through hole 223a and the second through hole 223b) as the first modified example, but differs from the first modified example in that the position of the sensor device 5 can be changed.

[0118] Fig. 15(A) is a diagram showing an outline of an element bottom, and Fig. 15(B), (C), and (D) are diagrams showing examples of an element bottom to which a sensor device 5 is attached. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to the drawings.

[0119] The bottom element of this example has a greater number of first through holes 223a and second through holes 223b in the first direction than the second modified example, which makes it possible to change the position of the sensor device 5 in the width direction of the bed 1, for example, as shown in Figures 15(B) and (D).

[0120] Further, the element bottom is provided with a plurality of sets of the first through-hole 223a and the second through-hole 223b along the second direction, each set corresponding to each sensor device 5. This allows the position of the sensor device 5 to be variable in the length direction of the bed 1, for example, as shown in Figures 15(C) and (D).

[0121] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a fourth modified example of the element bottom. Each of the element bottoms such as the back bottom, waist bottom, knee bottom, and foot bottom in this example has a flat plate-type structure made of resin, similar to the third modified example (Fig. 15). The element bottom in this example (waist bottom 423 in the illustrated example, the same applies below) has the same configuration for attaching each sensor device 5 (specifically, the configuration of the first through hole 423a and the second through hole 423b) as the second modified example, but differs from the second modified example in that the position of the sensor device 5 can be changed.

[0122] Fig. 16(A) is a diagram showing an outline of an element bottom, and Fig. 16(B), (C), and (D) are diagrams showing examples of an element bottom to which a sensor device 5 is attached. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to the drawings.

[0123] The element bottom of this example has a greater number of first through holes 423a and second through holes 423b in the first direction than the second modified example, which makes it possible to change the position of the sensor device 5 in the width direction of the bed 1, for example, as shown in Figures 16(B) and (D).

[0124] Further, the bottom element is provided with a plurality of sets of first through holes 423a and second through holes 423b along the second direction, each set corresponding to each sensor device 5. This allows the position of the sensor device 5 to be variable in the length direction of the bed 1, for example, as shown in Figures 16(C) and (D).

[0125] The above-described embodiments are merely examples for the purpose of explanation, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to these embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms other than the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 1: bed, 2: bottom, 4: user detection system, 5: sensor device, 6: monitoring and control device, 7: bottom drive system, 9: nurse call system, 11: base frame, 12: center frame, 13: head frame, 14: foot frame, 15: caster, 16: lifting mechanism, 21: back bottom, 21A: upper back bottom, 21B: lower back bottom, 21C: back bending hinge, 23: waist bottom, 24: back lift hinge, 25: knee bottom, 26: knee bending hinge, 27: foot bottom, 28: knee lift hinge, 31: outer frame, 33A: vertical wire, 33B: horizontal wire, 35: through hole, 51: support, 51a: bottom wall, 51b: side wall, 51c: top part, 52: lever cover, 52a : top wall, 52b: side wall, 52c: bottom, 53: arm, 54: fixing plate, 54a: through hole, 56: convex portion, 57: groove, 58: support rod, 58a: lower end, 71: pressure sensor, 72: cushioning material, 73: coil spring, 90: portable communication terminal, 91: handset, 92: base unit, 123: waist bottom, 123a: first through hole, 123b: second through hole , 153: arm, 153a: locking hole, 154: fixing plate, 155: locking projection, 155a: tip, 155b: inclined surface, 223: waist bottom, 223a: first through hole, 223b: second through hole, 323: waist bottom, 323a: first through hole, 323b: second through hole, 423: waist bottom, 423a: first through hole, 423b: second through hole

Claims

1. A user detection system for detecting a state of a user on a bed, comprising: The user detection system includes: a plurality of sensor devices each configured to detect a load of the user and generate a signal corresponding to the load; a monitoring control device that receives the signals from the plurality of sensor devices and detects a state of the user; having The user detection system is configured to be removably attached to the bed as a retrofit; The plurality of sensor devices are detachably attached to a plurality of different positions of the bed bottom in a plan view in a manner of being suspended from the bed bottom, User detection system.

2. the bottom has a plurality of through holes penetrating the bottom in a thickness direction thereof and capable of functioning as ventilation holes; Each of the sensor devices has a pressed portion that is pressed by the load of the user, When each of the sensor devices is attached to the bottom, the pressed portion is inserted into the through hole from below, The pressure-receiving portion in the through hole is pressed by a mattress placed on the bottom, so that each of the sensor devices detects the load of the user. The user detection system of claim 1 .

3. When the sensor devices are attached to the bottom, the upper surface of the pressed portion is positioned at the same height as or lower than the upper surface of the bottom so that the bottom surface of the mattress enters the through hole due to the weight of the user, and the upper surface of the pressed portion is pressed by the mattress. The user detection system of claim 2 .

4. When the bottom has a number of the through holes that is greater than the number of the sensor devices, By changing the through hole into which the pressed portion of each of the sensor devices is inserted, the mounting position of each of the sensor devices on the bottom can be changed. The user detection system according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The bottom is a bottom having a mesh structure, and a plurality of meshes of the bottom having the mesh structure are used as the plurality of through holes. The user detection system according to claim 2 or 3.

6. the bottom is a flat bottom made of metal or resin, the flat bottom having a plurality of ventilation holes; The plurality of ventilation holes are used as the plurality of through holes. The user detection system according to claim 2 or 3.

7. Further, a fastener is provided for removably attaching the sensor device to the bottom, The fixing device is configured so that an operator can fix the sensor device to the bottom by using a screw or by one-touch fixing. The user detection system of claim 1 .

8. The fixing device has a snap-fit ​​connection structure that enables an operator to fix the sensor device to the bottom with one touch. The user detection system of claim 7.

9. The upper surface of the fixture is located at the same height as or lower than the upper surface of the bottom. A user detection system according to claim 7 or 8.

10. Eight of the sensor devices are provided, When the user lies on the bed with his / her body stretched straight and his / her height aligned along the longitudinal direction of the bed, two of the eight sensor devices are attached to each of four areas of the bottom that receive loads from four parts of the user's back, the lower back including the part from the lower back to the buttocks, the upper part of the lower legs including the part from the thighs to the knees, and / or the lower part of the lower legs including the part from the lower legs to the feet, The two sensor devices attached to each of the regions of the bottom are respectively arranged in a first half region from the center in the width direction of each of the regions of the bottom to one end in the width direction, and a second half region from the center in the width direction of each of the regions to the other end in the width direction. The user detection system of claim 1 .

11. The bottom has four element bottoms: a back bottom supporting the back of the upper body of the user; a waist bottom supporting the waist including the portion from the lower waist to the buttocks of the user; a knee bottom supporting the upper portion of the lower leg including the portion from the thigh to the knee; and a foot bottom supporting the lower portion of the lower leg including the portion from the lower leg to the foot of the user; and the back bottom, the knee bottom, and the foot bottom are variable in angle with respect to the horizontal; said user detection system comprising eight said sensor devices; Two of the eight sensor devices are attached to each of the four element bottoms; The two sensor devices attached to each of the bottom elements are disposed in a first half region from the center of the width direction of each of the bottom elements to one end of the width direction, and a second half region from the center of the width direction of each of the bottom elements to the other end of the width direction, respectively. The user detection system of claim 1 .

12. Each of the sensor devices has a support and a lever cover disposed on an upper side of the support, the lever cover has a fulcrum supported by the support body and an extension portion extending in one direction from the fulcrum in a plan view, The extension portion is vertically rotatable about the fulcrum and is elastically lifted from the support body, the lever cover has the pressed portion on an upper portion of the extension portion, each of the sensor devices is disposed such that the one direction in which the extension portion extends is along the width direction of the bottom and the pressed portion is located closer to the center of the bottom in the width direction than the fulcrum in a plan view; The user detection system of claim 2 .

13. Each of the sensor devices is a cushion disposed below the extension portion of the lever cover; a pressure sensor disposed above the support and below the cushion; having When the pressure-receiving portion is pressed downward by the load of the user, the lever cover descends to apply pressure to the pressure-sensitive sensor via the cushion, and the pressure-sensitive sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the pressure. The user detection system of claim 12.

14. The bottom has two or more of the through holes arranged at different positions in the width direction of the bottom, Each of the sensor devices has two or more pressed portions arranged at different positions in an upper portion of the extension portion in the one direction in which the extension portion extends in a plan view, When each of the sensor devices is attached to the bottom, two or more of the pressed portions are inserted into two or more of the through holes arranged in the width direction of the bottom, respectively. A user detection system according to claim 12 or 13.

15. The lever cover of each of the sensor devices covers the entire upper area of ​​the support from above. A user detection system according to claim 12 or 13.

16. The monitoring and control device is disposed below the waist bottom. The user detection system of claim 11.

17. The bed includes a bottom drive system for driving one or more of the bottom elements; The monitoring control device is connected to the bottom drive system and detects the state of the user based on the signals from the plurality of sensor devices and a signal related to the drive of the bottom element from the bottom drive system. The user detection system of claim 11.

18. Each of the plurality of sensor devices includes a pressure-receiving portion that is pressed by the load of the user, and a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects the load of the user via the pressure-receiving portion, The pressed portion is inserted into a through hole penetrating the bottom in a thickness direction, Each of the sensor devices is configured to detect the load of the user by pressing the pressure-receiving portion. The user detection system of claim 1 .

19. The bed has a mattress placed on the bottom, The mattress bulges into the through hole due to the load of the user, thereby pressing the pressed portion.

20. The user detection system of claim 18.

20. The sensor device included in the user detection system of claim 1 .

21. A bed comprising the user detection system of claim 1 .

Images