Bariatric Patient Support Turning Bladder Wedge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bariatric patient support systems lack an efficient mechanism to safely turn patients, particularly those weighing up to 453 kg, to prevent pressure ulcers and facilitate care tasks like bathing and linen changes, while ensuring structural integrity and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A bariatric patient support system featuring a frame with an articulating deck, zoned air bladders, and a turning bladder with a unitary structure and fasteners that allow for controlled inflation to create a wedge shape, enabling safe patient turning and accommodating varying patient sizes and weights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a bariatric patient support system is designed to support patients up to 453 kg, then the structural strength and frame capacity must be increased, but this increases the overall weight and complexity of the support system
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into modular components including a frame, deck, mattress with zoned air bladders, and a separate turning bladder. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for strength-to-weight ratio while maintaining overall system capability to support up to 453 kg.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates movable and adjustable components including an articulating deck with multiple position settings, zoned air bladders that can be independently inflated/deflated, and a turning bladder that creates wedge shapes. These dynamic elements allow the system to adapt to different patient sizes and care needs without requiring excessive structural weight.
2Ease of operation
If separate bladders are used to lift right and left sides of the patient support surface, then patient turning capability is achieved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turning function is integrated into the existing mattress structure by incorporating a turning bladder that works in conjunction with the zoned air bladders. This unified approach eliminates the need for completely separate turning mechanisms and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective patient turning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The air bladder system serves multiple functions: the zoned air bladders provide pressure redistribution and positioning, while the turning bladder provides patient turning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated turning devices and simplifies the overall system architecture.
3Ease of manufacture
If a unitary structure bladder with fasteners is used for turning, then the bladder can be easily configured and adjusted, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The turning bladder is manufactured as a unitary structure with pre-positioned fasteners and seams. This preliminary configuration during manufacturing ensures proper alignment and reduces the precision requirements during assembly, as the critical alignment features are already established in the factory setting.
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 system effectively supports patients up to 453 kg, allowing for safe turning and adjustment to prevent pressure ulcers, while maintaining structural integrity and comfort, and can be easily expanded to accommodate different patient sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The turning bladder may then be inflated with a fluid to a sufficient pressure to turn the bariatric patient to a side
Implementation Method 2
A restraint is coupled to the top portion and to the base portion and is disposed between the first side portion and the second side portion. The restraint includes a dimension to restrict a distance between the top portion and the bottom portion.
Data Source
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AI summary
A patient support (10) including turn assist, low air loss or integrated lateral transfer. The patient support is adapted to support a bariatric patient and includes a turning bladder (46) for turning or assisting in turning a bariatric patient.