Air-Fluidized Support Surface Leveling for Easier Patient Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air fluidized therapy (AFT) person support apparatuses with rigid walls pose difficulties for ingress and egress due to instability and discomfort, as the air walls provide insufficient support.
Innovation Solution
A person support apparatus featuring a tub with foam bolsters along its internal surfaces and an inflatable air bladder above the bolsters, allowing for deflation of specific air zones to facilitate easy entry and exit by leveling the support surface with the bolsters, thereby providing stable and comfortable ingress/egress assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid walls are used to contain microspheres, then structural support is provided, but ingress and egress become difficult and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid wall structure is segmented into rigid wall portions and flexible air bladder portions. The air bladders are divided into multiple zones (head zone, mid zone, foot zone) that can be independently inflated or deflated. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain rigidity where needed while providing flexibility for patient entry and exit.
Solution Approach 2:
The air bladders transition the structure from a static rigid wall to a dynamic system where inflation and deflation states can be changed based on operational needs. During ingress/egress, specific zones are deflated to create openings; during therapy, they are inflated to provide support and containment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air walls are used to provide cushioning, then comfort is improved, but stability during ingress and egress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air wall is segmented into multiple independently controllable zones within each air bladder (head zone, mid zone, foot zone). This allows selective deflation of specific zones to provide stability during ingress/egress while maintaining cushioning in other zones, rather than having to deflate the entire air wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the air bladders in an inflated state ready for therapy, and can quickly transition to deflated states when ingress/egress is needed. The control system is prepared to immediately adjust inflation levels based on operational requirements.
3Shape
If the support surface is elevated above the bolsters, then therapeutic positioning is achieved, but access to the apparatus becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support surface height is made dynamic through the adjustable air bladders. The system can transition between a lower configuration (with deflated bladders where the surface is level with or below the bolsters) for easy access, and a higher configuration (with inflated bladders) for therapeutic positioning. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between accessibility and therapeutic positioning.
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
The solution ensures stable and comfortable support during ingress and egress by using foam bolsters and adjustable air bladders to create a level surface, reducing contact with rigid surfaces and enhancing user mobility.
Implementation Method 1
air fluidizable material contained within a tub
Implementation Method 2
an inflatable air bladder disposed above the foam bolster along the at least one of the plurality of walls of the tub
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include a person support apparatus including a plurality of air fluidizable material, a tub, a foam bolster disposed along at least one wall of the tub and extending over the at least one wall, and an inflatable air bladder disposed above the foam bolster along the at least one wall of the tub. A method of assisting a person with ingress or egress of a person support apparatus by deflating the inflatable air bladder and adjusting a level of fluidization of the air fluidizable material such that the surface supporting the portion of the person is substantially level with a top of the foam bolster is also described.