Communication and bed function control apparatus

• Main Authors: ZERHUSEN, ROBERT M, RIVALLANT, STEPHANE, HAMILTON, MICHAEL W, HORNBACH, DAVID W, CORBIN, SCOTT M, MOSTER, JEFFREY A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 20.08.2008
• Subjects: BEDS; CALCULATING; CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; COFFEE MILLS; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; FUNERAL DEVICES; FURNITURE; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; PHYSICS; SELECTING; SOFAS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION; TRANSPORT OR ACCOMODATION FOR PATIENTS

A communication and control apparatus (30) includes a control unit (46) having a surface (96) accessible to a person on a bed (10), the control unit (46) being coupled to a portion of the bed (10), and a plurality of icons (98) located on the surface (96) of the control unit (46). Each icon (98) represents a separate one of the plurality of controlled functions. The apparatus (30) also includes an indicator associated with each icon (98), a single select switch (84) located on the surface (96) of the control unit (46), and at least one adjustment switch (86, 88) located on the control unit (46) to control the function selected using the select switch (84). The select switch (86, 88) is actuatable to scroll sequentially through the plurality of different functions. The control unit (46) is configured to actuate the indicator corresponding to a function selected as the select switch (84) is actuated to scroll through the plurality of different controlled functions.