Bed Harness and Tether Support for Upright Sleeping Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with medical conditions or injuries often struggle to maintain an upright sleeping position due to gravity and natural body movement, leading to discomfort and inadequate healing, as existing solutions like reclining chairs are expensive and uncomfortable.
Innovation Solution
A harness system with an anchor and tether that secures the user to the bed, maintaining an upright position by distributing weight and preventing sliding, utilizing a U-shaped rod anchor and adjustable tether for comfort and fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a person uses pillows to prop themselves up in bed, then they can achieve an upright sleeping position, but gravity and body weight cause them to slide down to a horizontal position over time
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into multiple independent components: a harness that wraps around the person's torso, a tether that connects the harness to the bed, and an anchor that secures the tether to the bed frame. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the harness distributes pressure, the tether provides tension support, and the anchor ensures fixed attachment - collectively maintaining the upright position more reliably than a single pillow structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether acts as an intermediary element between the person (via the harness) and the bed (via the anchor). It transfers the gravitational force and body weight from the person to the bed frame, providing continuous mechanical support that prevents sliding down. This intermediary mechanism reliably maintains the upright position by creating a tension-based support system that actively counteracts gravity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a person uses a reclining chair to sleep upright, then they can maintain an inclined position, but it is expensive and uncomfortable and does not allow for deep sleep
Solution Approach 1:
The harness system is designed to be self-adjusting and self-supporting. Once the person puts on the harness and the tether is attached to the anchor, the system automatically maintains the upright position without requiring active control or adjustment. The harness distributes weight across the torso, and the tether-tension mechanism naturally adapts to the person's movements, providing continuous support that allows deep sleep without discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The harness is constructed from flexible materials that conform to the person's body shape, distributing pressure evenly across the torso rather than concentrating it at single points. This flexibility ensures comfort during prolonged wear, while the thin-film construction allows for breathability and ease of movement, enabling the person to sleep deeply without the rigidity and discomfort associated with traditional reclining chairs.
3Reliability
If a person sleeps in an upright position with head and chest higher than waist and legs, then healing is promoted, but the weight of the individual and gravity cause them to return to a supine position
Solution Approach 1:
The tether system functions as a counterweight mechanism by providing an upward tensile force that balances the downward gravitational force acting on the person's body. The anchor secured to the bed frame creates a fixed reference point, and the tether tension compensates for the person's weight, preventing them from sliding down to a horizontal position. This counterbalancing force system reliably maintains the healing-promoting upright position throughout sleep.
Solution Approach 2:
The harness is positioned and adjusted before the person begins sleeping, with the tether pre-attached to the anchor at the desired height. This preliminary setup ensures that the support system is already in place to counteract gravity as soon as the person assumes the upright position. The pre-configured tension and anchor placement are optimized to maintain the correct incline angle, allowing the person to immediately benefit from the healing position without adjustment during sleep.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are apparatuses for supporting a person in an upright position while sleeping or resting in a bed such that the person can avoid sliding down into a horizontal position as a result of natural forces of gravity and normal movement during sleep. According to an aspect, an apparatus includes a harness configured to hold a person, an anchor to secure the harness to a bed, and a tether having one end connected to the harness and another end connected to the anchor. The anchor can include a support member and an insert extending from the support member such that the upper surface of the insert comes into contact with a mattress and the lower surface of the insert comes into contact with a bed-base. The apparatus can hold the person in the same position on the bed allowing them to remain upright while sleeping or resting.