Adjustable Healthcare Bed Frame With Locking Wing Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current healthcare bed frames are not easily adaptable to accommodate individuals of varying sizes, particularly those who require wider widths due to obesity or other conditions, as they are typically designed with a standard width of around 35 inches, with bariatric beds offering only limited width options.
Innovation Solution
A healthcare bed with a floor-engaging base frame and a bed frame comprising hingedly connected sections with a central frame and wing sections, equipped with a locking mechanism featuring rocker bars, springs, and locking buttons, allowing the bed frame to be readily transformed between different widths by sliding and locking the wing sections into various positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard width bed frame (35 inches) is used, then the bed accommodates most persons, but it cannot accommodate large persons, obese persons, or persons requiring wider beds
Solution Approach 1:
The bed frame is divided into a central frame portion and two wing sections that can move independently relative to each other. The wing sections are separable from the central frame and can be adjusted to different positions, allowing the bed width to be changed from standard to wider configurations to accommodate different patient sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed frame transitions from a static fixed-width structure to a dynamic adjustable-width structure. The wing sections can be moved between retracted and extended positions using locking mechanisms with rocker bars and springs, enabling the bed to adapt its width dynamically based on patient needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bariatric beds with fixed wider widths (49, 42, or 48 inches) are provided, then large persons and obese persons can be accommodated, but the beds cannot be adjusted to different widths and remain limited to specific width options
Solution Approach 1:
The bed frame incorporates movable wing sections that can be adjusted to provide multiple width configurations. The locking mechanisms with rocker bars and springs enable smooth transitions between different width settings, allowing the bed to adapt from standard width to various wider configurations as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed frame design serves multiple functions: it can operate as a standard width bed for most persons and transform into a wider bed for large or obese persons. The same structural components (wing sections, locking mechanisms) enable the bed to fulfill multiple width requirements without needing separate specialized beds.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bed frame is made adjustable between different widths, then various patient sizes can be accommodated, but the structural integrity and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bed frame uses a dynamic design where wing sections can be moved and locked into position. The locking mechanisms with rocker bars and springs ensure that when the wing sections are secured in their desired positions (whether retracted or extended), the structural integrity is maintained comparable to fixed-width beds.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the bed frame into central and wing sections with independent movement capability, each section can be optimized for strength and stability. The modular design allows for robust connection points and locking mechanisms that maintain structural integrity while enabling width adjustment.
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
Enables the bed frame to be easily adjusted between standard and wider widths, accommodating a range of patient sizes while maintaining structural integrity and ease of use, thereby enhancing patient comfort and caregiver convenience.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring
Data Source
AI summary
A health care bed, including a floor engaging base frame and a bed frame including at least two bed sections hingedly connected to each other and having a central frame portion and left and right wing sections having at least a retracted position and an extended position relative to the central frame portion; and a locking mechanism with at least one rocker bar, at least one spring and at least one locking button for releasably locking the wing sections in the retracted and extended positions.