Adjustable Patient Mobility Garment with Segmented Pelvic Belt

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current patient mobility assistance devices are not effectively used by nurses due to complexity, size issues, and compatibility with different patient body types, leading to safety concerns and inefficiencies in patient care, as they require too much time and training to operate effectively.

Innovation Solution

A simplified patient mobility garment with adjustable features in multiple dimensions, designed to fit a wide range of patient sizes and shapes, easy to apply and adjust, and compatible with various lifts, allowing nurses to quickly and safely assist patients without the need for multiple sizes or complex equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional patient mobility harnesses are used, then patient support and safety are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of operation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidharness complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pelvic belt is divided into multiple size segments (small, medium, large, extra-large) with each segment having specific width and girth dimensions. This segmentation allows the single harness design to accommodate different patient body sizes while maintaining consistent safety and support features across all sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The harness is designed as a universal multi-size garment that can be used on patients of various body types without requiring multiple different harness models. The combination of adjustable straps, multiple attachment points, and segmented sizing creates a single device that performs multiple sizing functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If traditional patient mobility harnesses are used, then patient support is improved, but time required for application and training increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient supportVSAvoidapplication time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pelvic belt is pre-configured with attachment points, straps, and structural elements during manufacturing. The leg straps are pre-attached to the belt at appropriate positions, and the shoulder straps are pre-positioned. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for nurses to perform complex assembly or adjustments during patient application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The harness incorporates self-adjusting features including elastic sections that automatically accommodate different body sizes, and straps that can be quickly adjusted by the patient or nurse without requiring specialized training or tools. The design enables intuitive application without extensive instructional training.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Stability of the object's composition

If traditional patient mobility harnesses are used, then patient stability is improved, but adaptability to different patient body types decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient stabilityVSAvoidbody type adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The pelvic belt incorporates elastic sections and flexible materials that dynamically adapt to different patient body shapes and movements. The leg straps and shoulder straps can be adjusted in length and position to accommodate various limb lengths and body proportions while maintaining stable patient support during mobility activities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The harness design varies key dimensional parameters (belt width, girth, strap length, attachment point positions) across different size configurations to match different patient body types. Small size has narrower dimensions while extra-large size has wider dimensions, allowing parameter optimization for each body type while maintaining the same stable support mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If multiple sized harnesses are used, then fit accuracy is improved, but device complexity and inventory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefit accuracyVSAvoidinventory complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11077004B2Patient mobility garment for nurses

Publication Date: 2021.08.03 ARNOLD JEANNE MARGARET

AI summary

A patient mobility garment includes a flexible, laterally extending pelvic belt body having upper, lower, and opposite side borders, along with a plurality of spaced apart ribs placed in generally vertical directions substantially approaching or spanning the upper and lower borders; a plurality of loops vertically positioned with respect to one another about the ribs; a plurality of flexible, adjustable length girding straps horizontally oriented with respect to the pelvic belt body and configured to gird the pelvic belt body about a patient's pelvis area and bring the opposite side borders into conjunction or registry, each girding strap having a girding strap attaching member for fixation of the girding straps; a plurality of flexible, typically adjustable length shoulder straps; and a plurality of flexible, depending leg straps, each terminating in a fastener for engaging at least one of the vertically positioned loops. Busy nurses find it advantageous.