Air cushion bed with sensing mat capable of detecting the lying of a patient thereon

Abstract

An air cushion bed includes an inflatable air mattress; a first sensing mat provided on an outer surface of the air mattress and including a first upper and a first lower sensing sheet with a first soft pad sandwiched between them; and a first determining module electrically connected to the first upper and lower sensing sheets. When the first sensing mat is compressed and the first upper and lower sensing sheets are electrically connected to each other via holes on the first soft pad, the first determining module determines there is a patient lying on the air mattress or the air mattress with a patient lying thereon is insufficiently inflated. A second sensing mat and a second determining module can be additionally provided on another outer surface of the air mattress opposite to the first sensing mat for the air cushion bed to determine both of the above two situations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air cushion bed with sensing mat capable of detecting the lying of a patient thereon, comprising:
 an inflatable air mattress;   a first sensing mat being provided on an outer surface of the inflatable air mattress and including:
 a first upper sensing sheet having a first upper conductive printed pattern provided thereon; 
 a first lower sensing sheet having a first lower conductive printed pattern provided thereon, and the first lower conductive printed pattern being oriented to the first upper conductive printed pattern on the first upper sensing sheet; and 
 a first soft pad being sandwiched between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet, and having a plurality of first through holes provided thereon; and 
   a first determining module being electrically connected to the first upper conductive printed pattern and the first lower conductive printed pattern for determining whether the first upper sensing sheet is electrically connected to or disconnected from the first lower sensing sheet;   wherein when the first sensing mat is compressed by an external force applied thereto and the first upper sensing sheet is brought to contact with the first lower sensing sheet via the first through holes on the first soft pad, the first upper conductive printed pattern is electrically connected to the first lower conductive printed pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first sensing mat is provided on a top surface of the inflatable air mattress, and the first determining module detects an electrical connection state between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet for determining whether there is a patient lying on the inflatable air mattress. 
     
     
         3 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first sensing mat is provided on a bottom surface of the inflatable air mattress, and the first determining module detects an electrical connection state between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet for determining whether the inflatable air mattress is sufficiently inflated when a patient is lying thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first sensing mat further includes at least one first fastening element provided on between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet for fixedly fastening the first upper sensing sheet to the first lower sensing sheet with the first soft pad sandwiched between them. 
     
     
         5 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first fastening element includes a male fastener and a mating female fastener; and the male and the mating female fastener being separately provided on two facing sides of the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet are flexible printed circuit boards; and wherein the first upper conductive printed pattern and the first lower conductive printed pattern are formed with a conductive graphite material; and wherein the first soft pad is selected from the group consisting of a foam pad and a latex pad. 
     
     
         7 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second sensing mat being provided on another outer surface of the inflatable air mattress opposite to the first sensing mat, and including:
 a second upper sensing sheet having a second upper conductive printed pattern provided thereon; 
 a second lower sensing sheet having a second lower conductive printed pattern provided thereon, and the second lower conductive printed pattern being oriented to the second upper conductive printed pattern on the second upper sensing sheet; and 
 a second soft pad being sandwiched between the second upper sensing sheet and the second lower sensing sheet, and having a plurality of second through holes provided thereon; and 
   a second determining module being electrically connected to the second upper conductive printed pattern and the second lower conductive printed pattern for determining whether the second upper sensing sheet is electrically connected to or disconnected from the second lower sensing sheet;   wherein when the second sensing mat is compressed by an external force applied thereto and the second upper sensing sheet is brought to contact with the second lower sensing sheet via the second through holes on the second soft pad, the second upper conductive printed pattern is electrically connected to the second lower conductive printed pattern.   
     
     
         8 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first sensing mat is provided on a top surface of the inflatable air mattress, and the first determining module detects an electrical connection state between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet for determining whether there is a patient lying on the inflatable air mattress; and wherein the second sensing mat is provided on a bottom surface of the inflatable air mattress, and the second determining module detects an electrical connection state between the second upper sensing sheet and the second lower sensing sheet for determining whether the inflatable air mattress is sufficiently inflated when a patient is lying thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the first through holes on the first soft pad have an inner diameter smaller than that of the second through holes on the second soft pad. 
     
     
         10 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the first soft pad has a thickness larger than that of the second soft pad. 
     
     
         11 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first sensing mat further includes at least one first fastening element provided on between the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet for fixedly fastening the first upper sensing sheet to the first lower sensing sheet with the first soft pad sandwiched between them; and wherein the second sensing mat further includes at least one second fastening element provided on between the second upper sensing sheet and the second lower sensing sheet for fixedly fastening the second upper sensing sheet to the second lower sensing sheet with the second soft pad sandwiched between them. 
     
     
         12 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the first fastening element and the second fastening element respectively include a male fastener and a mating female fastener; the male and the female fastener of the first fastening element being separately provided on two facing sides of the first upper sensing sheet and the first lower sensing sheet, and the male and the female fastener of the second fastening element being separately provided on two facing sides of the second upper sensing sheet and the second lower sensing sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The air cushion bed as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first upper and lower sensing sheets as well as the second upper and lower sensing sheets are flexible printed circuit boards; and wherein the first upper and lower conductive printed patterns as well as the second upper and lower conductive printed patterns are formed with a conductive graphite material; and wherein the first soft pad and the second soft pad are selected from the group consisting of a foam pad and a latex pad.