Adjustable Patient Support Frame for Bariatric Bed Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hospital beds are inadequate for bariatric patients as they lack the structural strength and functionalities to accommodate morbidly obese individuals, and specialized bariatric beds are often underutilized due to limited general patient care capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A patient support system that is adjustable in height, width, and length, featuring telescoping leg assemblies, a touch-sensitive obstruction sensor, and a rack-and-pinion mechanism for width adjustment, allowing it to convert between standard and bariatric sizes while maintaining the functionalities of regular hospital beds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hospital bed is designed with standard size and structure, then it can accommodate average patients and provide basic functionalities, but it lacks the structural strength and size to accommodate bariatric patients
Solution Approach 1:
The hospital bed incorporates adjustable components including telescoping leg assemblies that can extend the bed width, adjustable side rails that can expand the bed width, and an adjustable mattress support system. These dynamic adjustments allow the bed to transform from a standard configuration to a bariatric configuration, accommodating different patient sizes while maintaining structural integrity through controlled mechanical movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed structure is divided into modular segments including adjustable side rails, telescoping leg assemblies, and segmented mattress support. These modular components can be independently adjusted or reconfigured to accommodate different patient sizes, allowing the bed to adapt from standard to bariatric configurations while maintaining overall structural strength.
2Strength
If specialized bariatric beds are designed with increased structural strength and size, then they can accommodate bariatric patients, but they lack the functionalities of regular hospital beds and are limited to bariatric patient care only
Solution Approach 1:
The hospital bed is designed with universal functionality by incorporating adjustable components that enable it to serve both standard and bariatric patient care needs. The telescoping leg assemblies, adjustable side rails, and configurable mattress support allow the same bed to provide full hospital bed functionalities for average patients while also accommodating bariatric patients when extended, eliminating the need for separate specialized beds.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed transitions from a static specialized design to a dynamic multi-functional system through adjustable components. The telescoping legs, movable side rails, and configurable support structures enable the bed to adapt its configuration based on patient needs, providing full functionality for both standard and bariatric patients within a single device.
3Reliability
If specialized bariatric beds are purchased for bariatric patient care, then bariatric patients can be accommodated safely, but hospital costs increase due to having dedicated bariatric beds that cannot be used for general patient care
Solution Approach 1:
The hospital bed serves as a universal platform that can safely accommodate both standard and bariatric patients through its adjustable configuration. By providing full bariatric capability within a multi-functional bed rather than requiring separate dedicated beds, the system eliminates resource waste while maintaining patient safety through appropriate structural strength and size adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a patient support that may be adjustable in height, width, length or a combination thereof. The patient support may be useable with normal sized patients or with bariatric patients. The patient support has a variety of features to enhance operability and/or functionality, including a width adjustable caster frame, width adjustable deck portions, a width adjustable headboard and an extendible foot board to provide extra length. An enhanced lift mechanism can accommodate bariatric patients and alternative functionality in achieving deck positions improves patient comfort. Various parts of the patient support including deck panels and the footboard may be removed and replaced with ease without complicated connectors.