Patient Weighing Overlay with Segmented Load Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical professionals face challenges in obtaining precise weight measurements in emergency and hospital settings due to patient conditions, environmental constraints, and time restraints, leading to medication dosing errors, especially in pediatric and unconscious patients, and existing patient transport device weight systems often fail to meet safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A patient weighing system for patient transport devices, comprising overlays with cutouts and attachment sub-systems, sensor sub-systems with load cells and voltage amplification boards, and a user interface, which calculates total patient weight by summing measurements from multiple sensor sub-systems, ensuring accurate and timely weight determination while adhering to safety guidelines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional weighing methods are used in emergency settings, then the patient can be weighed, but the measurement process is time-consuming and may not be accurate due to patient condition and environmental constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patient transport device is divided into multiple sections (head section, body section, leg section) with separate sensor sub-systems in each. This segmentation allows independent weight measurement of different body parts simultaneously, enabling accurate total weight calculation without requiring the patient to be on a single large scale, thus reducing weighing time while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical weighing scales with sensor sub-systems that include load cells and voltage amplification boards. This substitution enables electronic weight measurement that can be performed quickly and accurately on specific body parts, eliminating the time and accuracy limitations of conventional mechanical scales in emergency settings.
2Reliability
If existing patient transport device weight systems are used, then weight measurement is possible, but they fail to meet safety standards and may cause medication dosing errors
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the weight measurement system into separate sensor sub-systems for different body parts, the patent ensures that each measurement is independent and can be calibrated individually. This segmentation improves reliability by allowing targeted accuracy verification for each body section, ensuring compliance with safety standards for medication dosing calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives weight data from multiple sensor sub-systems and calculates the total patient weight. This feedback mechanism allows the system to verify measurements and ensure accuracy before using the data for medical decisions, thereby meeting safety standards and preventing dosing errors.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensor sub-systems are used to measure different body parts, then accurate total weight can be calculated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each sensor sub-system is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a weight measurement device and as an integrated part of the patient transport device structure. The sensor sub-systems include load cells, voltage amplification boards, and housing assemblies that can be universally applied to different body parts, reducing overall system complexity through standardized modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the weight measurement function with the existing patient transport device structure by integrating sensor sub-systems into the overlay and attachment sub-systems. This combining approach allows the measurement function to be embedded within the transport device rather than adding separate external equipment, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
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 system provides accurate and timely weight measurements, reducing medication errors and ensuring compliance with safety standards, thereby enhancing patient care and reducing liability in emergency medical transport.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one load cell configured to compress and generate an electrical voltage when force is applied along the z-axis of the at least one load cell
Data Source
AI summary
A patient weighing system is disclosed. The system may include a set of overlays configured to cover a top face of a patient transport device. The system may further include a set of attachment sub-systems configured to couple each overlay to the top face of the patient transport device. The system may further include a set of sensor sub-systems including a load cell and a housing assembly. Each housing assembly may include at least a top dome housing portion. The top dome housing portion may have one degree of freedom along a z-axis and the load cell may be configured to compress and generate an electrical voltage when force is applied along the z-axis of the load cell. Each set of sensor sub-systems may be configured to measure a weight of a portion of a patient's body.