Patient Support User Module With Color-Matched State Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient support apparatuses face challenges in effectively and efficiently communicating the states of monitored conditions to caregivers using indicator lights.
Innovation Solution
A patient support apparatus equipped with a user module that includes a display and indicator panel, where light emitters project light to illuminate indicia and reflective surfaces, controlled by a controller to generate state indicators matching the color of the light emitters based on monitored condition changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If indicator lights are used to communicate monitored condition states, then information communication is improved, but the complexity of the indicator system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator system is segmented into multiple independent light emitters (first light emitters for indicia, second light emitters for reflective surfaces) that can be controlled separately. Each light emitter corresponds to specific monitored conditions, allowing the system to communicate multiple pieces of information simultaneously without requiring a single complex indicator mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
A reflective surface is introduced as an intermediary element between the second light emitters and the viewer. The light emitters illuminate the reflective surface to display information at a distance, mediating the communication between the monitored conditions and remote viewers without requiring direct adjacency to the display.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple light emitters are used to illuminate indicia and reflective surfaces, then information visibility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different light emitters are positioned to illuminate specific local areas (indicia and reflective surfaces) rather than illuminating the entire apparatus. This localized illumination approach ensures that energy is concentrated only where information display is needed, improving visibility efficiency while reducing overall energy consumption compared to full-apparatus illumination.
3Ease of operation
If a reflective surface is used to display information at a distance, then viewer accessibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective surface serves as an intermediary that enables information display at a distance from the patient support apparatus. By reflecting light from the second light emitters, the system allows caregivers to view monitored condition information without needing to be adjacent to the display, improving accessibility while adding only a simple reflective component rather than a complex display mechanism.
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
Facilitates quick and reliable communication of patient support apparatus and patient states to caregivers, allowing efficient information transfer at various distances and reducing the need for direct adjacency to the display.
Implementation Method 1
One or more first light emitters are arranged to project light to illuminate the indicia... One or more second light emitters are arranged to project light against the reflective surface to illuminate the reflective surface
Implementation Method 2
One or more second light emitters are arranged to project light against the reflective surface to illuminate the reflective surface in a reflected color so that the reflected color is viewable by a user remote from the support structure
Data Source
AI summary
A patient support apparatus comprises a support structure, a user module, and a controller. The user module comprises a display and indicator panel that has a plurality of indicia, each associated with a monitored condition. First light emitters are arranged to project light to illuminate the indicia and second light emitters are arranged to project light off a reflective surface. The controller is coupled to the display and the light emitters, and is configured to, in response to a change in a state of one of the monitored conditions, generate on the display a state indicator corresponding to the change in the state and activate the light emitters such that a color of the light projected by the light emitters matches a color of the state indicator.