Bed monitoring system

Abstract

A bed monitoring system ( 1 ) includes a substantially rectangular bed ( 2 ) for supporting a user (not shown). Bed ( 2 ) is longitudinally extending between a bed head and a bed foot and has a periphery that is crossed by the user to move from the bed. Three spaced apart sensors, in the form of respective photo-electric receivers ( 6, 7 and 8 ), are mounted to bed ( 2 ) and are collectively responsive to the user crossing the periphery for generating a movement signal. Three generators, in the form of spaced apart photoelectric emitters ( 9, 10 and 11 ), are mounted to bed ( 2 ) for establishing a field in the form of respective beams ( 12, 13 and 14 ). These beams are detected by receivers ( 6, 7 and 8 respectively), and are changed by the user crossing the periphery along which the respective beam extends. Emitters ( 9, 10 and 11 ) are contained within a common housing with receivers ( 6, 7 and 8 ) respectively.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
   
   
       41 . A sensor assembly for a bed, the assembly including:
 a support member for mounting to the bed;   at least one sensor support that extends between a proximal end that is mounted to the support member and a distal end, wherein the support is movable between an operable position and a stored position in which the distal end is respectively spaced apart from and adjacent to the member; and   sensor equipment that is mounted at or adjacent to the distal end.   
   
   
       42 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 41  wherein the support member is releaseably mounted to the bed. 
   
   
       43 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 42  wherein the support member is clampingly mounted to the bed. 
   
   
       44 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 43  wherein the assembly includes two sensor supports that are at or adjacent the ends of the member. 
   
   
       45 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 44  wherein the distal ends of the respective supports progress toward each other as they are moved into the stored position. 
   
   
       46 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 45  wherein the support is gravitationally biased into the operable position. 
   
   
       47 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 46  wherein the member includes a locating formation, and the proximal end includes a mounting formation that inter-engages with the locating formation for guiding the movement between the operable and the stored positions. 
   
   
       48 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 47  wherein the locating formation includes a pair of opposed flanges and a locating pin, and the mounting formation includes a slot for slideably receiving the pin. 
   
   
       49 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 48  wherein during movement between the operable and stored positions, the locating formation and the mounting formation are relatively translated and rotated. 
   
   
       50 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 49  wherein the translation and rotation are consecutive. 
   
   
       51 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 50  wherein there is only a single translation and a single rotation. 
   
   
       52 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 51  wherein the proximal end is slideably mounted to the member. 
   
   
       53 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 52  wherein the member extends transversely, and the support is mounted to the member for relative slidable movement between the operable and the stored positions. 
   
   
       54 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 53  wherein the member is tubular and the support is telescopically mounted within the member. 
   
   
       55 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 54  wherein the sensor support includes an arm that is moveable between a nested and an extended configuration with respect to the support member in response to predetermined movement of the sensor support toward the retracted and operable positions respectively. 
   
   
       56 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 55  wherein the sensor assembly includes a locking device that moves between a locked and an unlocked configuration wherein, in the locked configuration, the locking device maintains the arm in the extended position. 
   
   
       57 . A sensor assembly according to  claim 56  wherein the locking device automatically moves to the locked configuration as the arm moves into the extended configuration. 
   
   
       58 . A sensor assembly  claim 57  wherein the locking device is manually moved into the unlocked configuration. 
   
   
       59 . A method of mounting a sensor assembly to a bed, the method including:
 mounting a support member to the bed;   providing at least one sensor support that extends between a proximal end that is mounted to the support member and a distal end, wherein the support is movable between an operable position and a stored position in which the distal end is respectively spaced apart from and adjacent to the member; and   mounting sensor equipment at or adjacent to the distal end.