Adjustable Posterior Head Support for Prone Therapy Beds

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Therapeutic beds for prone therapy often limit access to the posterior of a patient's head, making it difficult for caregivers to position patients for medical procedures, reduce facial pressure, and improve ventilation and cooling.

Innovation Solution

A therapeutic bed with a frame that rotates patients between supine and prone positions, equipped with a chassis and a posterior head panel that is translatably and pivotably coupled to the chassis, allowing the panel to move between a closed position supporting the posterior of the patient's head and an open position for access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the posterior head support is fixed in a closed position, then the patient's head is well supported during prone therapy, but access to the posterior of the patient's head is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to posterior of patient's headVSAvoidsupport for patient's head

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The posterior head support panel is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between closed and open positions. This dynamic design enables the support to adapt to different operational needs: providing support when closed and allowing access when opened, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the posterior head support is made movable to allow access, then caregivers can access the posterior of the patient's head, but the support structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to posterior of patient's headVSAvoidsupport structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The head support structure is segmented into separate components: a chassis and a movable posterior head support panel. This segmentation allows the panel to be independently moved for access while the chassis remains stable, providing access functionality without requiring complete structural redesign or excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the panel is opened to reduce facial pressure and improve ventilation, then patient comfort is improved, but the risk of head instability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefacial pressure and ventilationVSAvoidhead stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The movable panel design allows the system to dynamically adjust between closed (stable) and open (comfortable) states. When the panel is opened to reduce facial pressure and improve ventilation, the adjustable nature ensures the head can be repositioned or supported by other means, maintaining stability while improving patient comfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12226356B1Adjustable posterior head support

Publication Date: 2025.02.18 TURN MEDICAL LLC

AI summary

Support assemblies for supporting the head of a patient during rotation are described. The support assemblies may include a posterior head support panel that allows for access to the patient.