Apparatus for adding hospital bed functionality to an at-home bed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extended hospitalization and at-home patient care are challenging due to high costs and the complexity of equipping homes with necessary care systems, with a need for non-disruptive monitoring of patients' vital signs.
Innovation Solution
A bed assembly that elevates the head and foot sections using inflatable air bladders, incorporates contactless sensing, and features a collapsible siderail with integrated point-of-care monitoring, allowing caregivers to access patient information without disturbing the patient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional consumer beds are used for at-home patient care, then the setup is simple and cost-effective, but the bed lacks hospital-grade functionality for monitoring and positioning patients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple hospital bed functions into a single bed assembly including inflatable air bladders for positioning, contactless sensing for vital signs monitoring, and integrated point-of-care monitoring systems, allowing one bed to perform multiple hospital-grade functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines previously separate hospital bed components (air bladders, sensors, monitoring systems, siderails) into an integrated bed assembly where these elements work together as a unified system, reducing overall complexity while maintaining full functionality
2Reliability
If hospital-grade monitoring equipment is added to enable vital signs monitoring, then patient care quality improves, but the cost and complexity of equipping the home increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based monitoring (physical sensors requiring skin contact) with contactless sensing technology that uses electromagnetic fields or other non-contact methods to detect vital signs, thereby maintaining monitoring reliability while simplifying the system
Solution Approach 2:
The bed assembly performs self-monitoring of patient vital signs through integrated sensors and processing systems that automatically collect, analyze, and report health data without requiring external monitoring equipment or manual intervention
3Loss of information
If caregivers need to access patient information frequently, then monitoring effectiveness improves, but patient disturbance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring system that continuously collects and processes patient vital signs data, presenting information to caregivers in an accessible format without requiring direct interaction with or disturbance of the patient, thus eliminating the need for caregivers to wake or move the patient to obtain information
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 efficient and cost-effective at-home patient care by providing non-invasive monitoring and adjustable bed settings, reducing the need for extensive hospitalization and simplifying home care equipment, while allowing caregivers to monitor vital signs remotely.
Implementation Method 1
elevate the head section and foot section of the traditional consumer mattress using inflatable air bladders
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure is related to a bed assembly. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bed assembly that is compatible with a traditional consumer bed and can enhance the traditional consumer bed so it provides features of a traditional hospital bed.