DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hospital beds and, more particularly, to hospital beds and operation tables with integrated weighing system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In healthcare industry, it is frequently necessary to obtain accurate measurement of weight of a living being. Very often, the drug dosage during the medical treatment depends upon the weight of a patient receiving the treatment. Accordingly, accurate weighing of patients is indeed essential in deciding the amount of drugs that need to be administered to the patient. Moreover, it is always recommended to gather a latest weight of the patient rather than relying upon a last measured weight, as the patient tends to exhibit weight fluctuations during the course of illness or treatment.

Going by the conventionally available weighing mechanisms that require a living being to stand atop a weighing machine, it is comparatively easy to measure weight of an ambulatory patient than the patients who cannot stand on their own (non-ambulatory patients) due to disability, e.g. paraplegic people. Likewise, an otherwise ambulatory patient may not be able to stand on his own due to a substantially-sick or bed-ridden condition. In such scenarios, the non-ambulatory or substantially-sick/bed-ridden patients are generally assisted by para-medical staff to stand atop the weighing machine, thereby not only causing discomfort to the patient but also compromising with the accuracy of the weight determination.

Accordingly, there lies a need for mechanism to measure weight of a living being resting upon a surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified format that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the present invention describes a system for weighing a body resting on a surface. The system comprise a structure resting at base and supporting a top portion; a hydraulic fluid compartment supported within said top portion; a plate supported over an upper surface of said top portion and above said compartment to enable a body at resting horizontally over said top portion; and a device connected to said compartment to determine a weight of said body at least based on a pressure applied upon the hydraulic fluid at least due to said horizontal resting.

To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram illustrating a system for real time weighing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 illustrates a top view of a bed in accordance with an exemplary implementation of system as referred in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of the bed as depicted in Fig. 2.
Figure 4 illustrates a schematic view of a top portion within the system as depicted in Fig. 1.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRITION
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect”, “another aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a system 100 for weighing a body that is resting upon a surface. The system 100 comprises: a structure 102 resting at base and supporting a top portion 104, a hydraulic fluid compartment 108 supported within said top portion 104, a plate 110 supported over an upper surface of said top portion 104 and above said compartment 108 to enable a body at resting horizontally over said top portion 102; and a device 112 connected to said compartment 108 to determine a weight of said body at least based on a pressure applied upon the hydraulic fluid at least due to said horizontal resting.

In an implementation of the present subject matter, the system 100 may be a bed 100, which may be a horizontal block 102 having a flat top portion 104. Accordingly, the horizontal block 102 in turn comprises the hydraulic fluid compartment 108 supported within said horizontal block 102 and the plate 110 supported over the top portion 104 and above said compartment 108 to enable a body at resting horizontally over said top portion 104. Further, the device 112 is connected to the compartment 108 to determine a weight of the resting body.

The compartment 108 filled with hydraulic fluid is sealed at its top end by a sealing member (shown in Fig. 4) and the plate 110 is located over the sealing member. The device 112 is a pressure measuring device 112 that is operatively coupled to the compartment 108 for measuring a pressure exerted on the hydraulic fluid due to the placement or resting of the body upon the supporting plate 112. A processing device may be connected to the pressure measuring device to convert the measured pressure into weight and accordingly cause a display of the same. Accordingly, the system 100 or the bed 100 is operable for measuring in real time, a weight of a person resting upon the supporting plate in a supine position, prone position, semi-supine position, log position and also in a sitting condition.

Figure 2 is a top view of the bed 100 acting as the real time weighing bed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the structure 102 is movable through provision of wheels 202, thereby leading to the mobility of the entire bed 100.

Figure 3 depicts an isometric view of the bed 100 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the top portion 104 is vertically supported by the structure 102 or the horizontal block 102 via a connecting structure 302. The connecting structure 302 as illustrated in the present implementation enables a height adjustment of the top portion 104 relative to the structure 102. The top portion 104 may be further provided with a cavity or hollow space for accommodating the compartment 108. Furthermore, the top portion 104 also provides a slot to facilitate an operational connection of the pressure measuring device 112 with the compartment 108.

Figure 4 illustrates a schematic view of the top portion 104 within the system as depicted in Fig. 1. The compartment 108 is shaped so as to accommodate a pre-determined volume of the hydraulic fluid 402. A top end of the compartment 108 is provided with a sealing member 404. The sealing member 404 in a preferred aspect can be made of a flexible material. In a further preferred aspect, the sealing member can be made of a non- elastic member. The supporting plate 110 can be positioned upon the sealing member 404. A peripheral wall of the compartment 108 is provided an outlet provision and a first end of a fluid transporting means 406 can be connected to the outlet provision. For such purpose, the fluid transporting means 406 may be supported by the top portion 108 through a slot to allow a rigid connection with the compartment 108. On the other hand, a second end of the fluid transporting means 406 may be connected to the pressure measuring device or the weight measuring device 112.
While the aforesaid explanation of figures has depicted the system 100 in the form a stand-alone bed, it may be understood that the system 100 may also be retro-fitted to an existing bed to turn it into a resting bed cum weight measuring system. For example, conventional beds used in the hospital wards and operation theaters may be retro-fitted with the system of Fig. 1.

Accordingly, the bed 100 in accordance with the present invention or a bed retro-fitted with the system 100 of Fig. 1 will let the patients to be in the supine or semi-supine conditions and yet enable an accurate measurement of weight in such conditions. Accordingly, the administration of dosages may be based on the measured weight, thereby dispensing with the requirement of temporarily displacing an otherwise bed-ridden patient from a current state to a standing position, merely for the purposes of measuring weight.

This written description uses examples to describe the subject matter herein, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. A system (100) for weighing a body resting on a surface, the system comprising:
a structure (102) resting at base and supporting a top portion (104);
a hydraulic fluid compartment (108) supported within said top portion (104);
a plate (110) supported over an upper surface of said top portion (104) and above said compartment to enable a body at resting horizontally over said top portion (104); and
a device (112) connected to said compartment (108) to determine a weight of said body at least based on a pressure applied upon the hydraulic fluid at least due to said horizontal resting.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said structure (102) comprises means to vary the elevation of said top portion and comprises wheels (202) at the base for mobility of said structure (102).

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top portion (104) comprises a cavity for accommodating said compartment (108).

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plate (108) is supported over said cavity and covers said compartment.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compartment (108) is sealed at the top and connected to a fluid transporting means (410) to receive said hydraulic fluid.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claims 1 and 5, wherein said device (112) comprises:
a pressure measuring mechanism externally connected to said transporting means (410);
a processing device connected to said pressure measuring device to convert the measured pressure into weight.

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure (102) comprises a slot for connecting the device (112) to said compartment (108).

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top portion (104) is vertically adjustable with respect to the structure (102), and corresponds to a bed having an adjustable height.

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said horizontally resting body is a human being lying over said bed.

10. A bed (100) comprising:
a horizontal block (102) supporting a top portion (104);
a hydraulic fluid compartment (108) supported within said horizontal block (102);
a plate (110) supported over said top portion (104) and above said compartment (108) to enable a body at resting horizontally over said top portion (104); and
a device (112) connected to said compartment (108) to determine a weight of said resting body at least based on a pressure applied upon the hydraulic fluid with the compartment (108) due to said horizontal resting.