Newborn Bassinet Access Flap and Height Adjustment for Bedside Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleeping devices for newborns do not allow for comfortable and safe prolonged physical contact between a mother and her child, as they often require uncomfortable positions for the mother and pose a risk of crushing the infant due to inadequate height adjustment and access mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A sleeping device with a support structure featuring a nacelle and adjustable height and inclination, equipped with a pivoting closure flap and automatic height adjustment using telescopic columns and gas springs, ensuring safe and comfortable physical contact regardless of the bed height, and incorporating locking mechanisms for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the nacelle has a high peripheral wall to ensure safety, then the risk of crushing the newborn is reduced, but the mother cannot easily make physical contact with her child
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral wall is segmented by introducing a notch that divides the wall into two parts, creating an access opening. This allows the mother's hand to reach through the notch to touch the newborn while the rest of the wall remains intact to provide safety and containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall has different properties at different locations: most of the wall maintains high height for safety, while a specific local region (the notch) has an opening to facilitate maternal contact. This local modification preserves overall safety while enabling the needed interaction.
2Reliability
If the sleeping device is placed close to the mother's bed for visual contact, then visual bonding is improved, but physical contact remains insufficient for newborn bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral wall is segmented by introducing a notch that divides the wall into two parts, creating an access opening. This allows the mother's hand to reach through the notch to touch the newborn while the rest of the wall remains intact to provide safety and containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall has different properties at different locations: most of the wall maintains high height for safety, while a specific local region (the notch) has an opening to facilitate maternal contact. This local modification preserves overall safety while enabling the needed interaction.
3Reliability
If the nacelle has a fixed high wall structure for safety, then protection is improved, but the device cannot adapt to different bed heights
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates adjustable height mechanisms that allow the nacelle to be positioned at different heights relative to the bed. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the device to adapt to various bed heights while maintaining the protective enclosure structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeping device is designed with universal adaptability to work with different bed types and heights. The adjustable support structure and configurable peripheral wall (with optional shutter) allow the same device to serve multiple configurations while maintaining safety and comfort functions.
4Ease of operation
If the peripheral wall has a notch for access, then physical contact is enabled, but the opening may compromise safety
Solution Approach 1:
A shutter is introduced as an intermediary element that can be positioned to cover or uncover the notch. When closed, the shutter maintains safety by blocking access; when open, it allows maternal contact. This intermediary component mediates between the conflicting needs of safety and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The peripheral wall configuration is made dynamic through the movable shutter that can transition between open and closed states. This allows the safety characteristic to change based on operational needs: closed for protection, open for contact, providing adaptive safety rather than a fixed state.
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
Facilitates direct and simplified physical contact between mother and child while ensuring safety, with automatic height adjustment matching the bed's position and locking features preventing accidental displacement or harm, thus enhancing the mother-infant bonding experience.
Implementation Method 1
adjustment means (10) comprising at least one gas spring (13)
Implementation Method 2
adjustment means (10) comprising at least one and, according to the example shown, two telescopic columns (11)
Implementation Method 3
locking mechanisms for enhanced security
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2~3
Figure 5
AI summary
This newborn sleeping device (1) comprises a load-bearing structure (2) that supports a removable bassinet (4) for the newborn. The load-bearing structure (2) includes a chassis (6) adapted for movement on the floor, and a bassinet holder (8) attached to the chassis (6). The bassinet (4) includes a base connected to a peripheral wall having at least one cutout defining an access point to the interior of the bassinet (4) and at least one closing flap (18, 19) covering at least part of the access point to the interior of the bassinet (4), the flap (18, 19) being movable between a closed and an open position.