Examination Table Scale Control for Motion-Stable Patient Weighing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional examination tables with integrated scales face challenges such as the need for manual taring, difficulty in accurately measuring patients with involuntary movements, and ensuring the table supports the patient's full weight, especially for those with conditions like Parkinson's disease and elderly or disabled individuals.
Innovation Solution
The examination table incorporates an auto-taring feature using seat sensors, motion sensing, and weight thresholds to detect patient presence and adjust for involuntary motion, and a mechanism to raise the table so the patient's feet are off the floor for accurate weight measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the table height is lowered to facilitate patient ingress/egress and comfort, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates because the patient's feet touch the floor and not all weight is supported by the table
Solution Approach 1:
The examination table incorporates a height adjustment mechanism that dynamically changes the table height based on the measurement phase. The table can be lowered to facilitate patient ingress/egress and then raised to ensure feet are off the floor during weighing, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary height adjustment before the weighing process begins. The table is positioned at an optimal height to support the patient's full weight before measurement starts, preventing the need to lower it during the actual weighing process.
2Measurement precision
If manual taring is required before each weighing, then measurement precision can be maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates because staff must interrupt patient care to tare the scale
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic taring using load sensors that detect when the examination table is empty and automatically zero the scale. This self-service taring mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention while maintaining measurement accuracy, allowing staff to focus on patient care.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses load sensors to continuously monitor the weight on the table and provides feedback to the control system. When the table is detected as empty, the system automatically tares the scale. This feedback mechanism ensures proper taring without requiring staff intervention.
3Productivity
If the scale measures weight continuously to capture patient weight, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates for patients with involuntary movements like tremors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic sampling of weight measurements rather than continuous measurement. It takes multiple readings at regular intervals and processes them to determine the patient's weight, allowing brief periods of movement while still capturing an accurate measurement over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes more measurements than strictly necessary (excessive action) and uses processing algorithms to determine the final weight. By capturing multiple readings and filtering out anomalies caused by movement, the system ensures accurate measurement even when patients cannot remain completely still.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures accurate and convenient patient weighing without manual taring, accounting for involuntary movements and ensuring full weight support, enhancing patient comfort and measurement reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The base assembly includes a plurality of load sensors that support the table assembly and that generate signals proportional to the force being exerted on the load sensors by the supported portion of the table assembly
Data Source
AI summary
An examination table including an integrated scale with automatic taring, weight capture in the presence of patient motion, and automatic table height adjustment. The examination table includes a controller that periodically tares the integrated scale when a patient is not on the table so that the scale is ready to measure the weight of a patient without manual taring by the table operator. When a patient is on the table, the controller detects the presence of patient motion based on signals from load sensors, and captures weights for patients experiencing uncontrolled motion or tremors by averaging and comparing sampled weight values over predetermined periods of time. To insure that the patient is fully supported by the examination table before weighing the patient, the controller automatically adjusts the height of the examination table support surface so that the patient's feet are not touching the floor prior to weighing the patient.