Bed-Affixed Mobility Strap Grid for Stability Without Protrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobility assistance devices for bed mobility, such as bed rails and overhead trapeze bars, are limited in providing stability and assistance for a wide range of movements and positions, and often protrude significantly from the bed, causing discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A mobility strap and strap grid system that is affixed to the bed, providing rigid support and hand-grips to assist with various movements while minimizing protrusion from the bed, allowing comfortable use and adjustment from different positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bed rails are used to provide stability and movement assistance, then mobility support is improved, but the device protrudes significantly from the bed causing discomfort and limiting ease of entering/exiting
Solution Approach 1:
The bed rail system is divided into separate modular components including base legs, support rails, and handhold elements that can be independently positioned and configured. This segmentation allows the device to provide stability where needed while minimizing protrusion in areas where comfort and ease of entry/exit are priorities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional vertical bed rails to a multi-dimensional configuration using base legs inserted between mattress and box spring, with support rails extending in various orientations. This dimensional change allows stability support without significant lateral protrusion that would interfere with entering or exiting the bed.
2Reliability
If overhead trapeze bars are used to assist movement, then mobility support is improved, but the device requires great dead-lift from overhead and provides little assistance to those with limited upper-body strength
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces base legs and support rails as intermediary elements between the user and the bed structure. These intermediaries transfer and distribute forces through the bed framework rather than requiring the user to lift their entire body weight overhead, making the device accessible to those with limited upper-body strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional overhead trapeze mechanical system requiring direct upper-body lifting is replaced with a distributed support system using base legs and support rails that provide mechanical advantage through the bed structure, reducing the physical effort required from the user.
3Reliability
If bed rails extend upward to provide stability, then mobility assistance is improved, but the device limits ease of entering and exiting the bed
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs adjustable and reconfigurable components including base legs and support rails that can be dynamically positioned to provide stability during use while minimizing interference during entry and exit. The handhold elements can be repositioned along the support rails to accommodate different user needs and bed configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
Stability support is concentrated in specific local areas where needed (through base legs inserted at strategic positions between mattress and box spring) rather than requiring continuous vertical rails along the entire bed side. This localized approach provides necessary stability while maintaining ease of entry and exit in other areas.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed include devices for increasing bed mobility. A mobility strap apparatus includes a bed-strap; a fastening end coupled to the bed-strap; and a hand-grip coupled to the top surface of the bed-strap. Rigid affixing of the bed-strap to a bed provides stable support to users when moving or stabilizing oneself on a bed. A mobility strap grid provides a bed-strap configured to be longitudinally aligned with a bed; a bed-strap configured to be laterally aligned with the bed, intersecting and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinally aligned bed-strap; a fastening end coupled to a bed-strap; and a hand-grip coupled to the top surface of a bed-strap.