Bed-Integrated Knee Module for Automated Rehabilitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bed-bound patients, particularly those with orthopedic, intensive care, and neurological activity restrictions, face challenges in rehabilitation due to the inability to move into vertical positions, leading to muscle atrophy and stiffness, and existing rehabilitation devices are cumbersome, risky to use, and often require manual intervention, limiting their effectiveness and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A modular rehabilitation mechanism integrated into a bed, featuring a knee module with angle sensors and a control module that adjusts eccentric disks to facilitate automated, planned rehabilitation movements, allowing for rhythmic loading and unloading of the legs in both horizontal and vertical positions, and includes a foot module for additional support and feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bedside exercise machine is used for cyclic leg movements, then leg stiffness prevention is improved, but verticalized position exercises and full body weight loading are not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The rehabilitation mechanism incorporates a movable bed frame that can dynamically adjust between horizontal and verticalized positions, allowing the same device to provide both supine cyclic leg movements and verticalized weight-bearing exercises, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability for stiffness prevention and adaptability for different exercise positions
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated rehabilitation mechanism is designed to perform multiple functions: it can provide cyclic leg movements when the bed is horizontal and enable verticalized position exercises with full body weight loading when the bed is verticalized, making a single device suitable for diverse rehabilitation needs without requiring separate equipment
2Reliability
If a standing table is used for verticalized position exercises, then full body weight loading is improved, but patient transfer from bed is required which involves risks and is often impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The rehabilitation mechanism merges the bed structure with the exercise mechanism, combining the patient support function with the rehabilitation exercise function in a single integrated system. This eliminates the need for patient transfer between separate bed and standing table devices, improving ease of operation while maintaining the effectiveness of body weight loading exercises
Solution Approach 2:
The movable bed frame acts as an intermediary that enables the patient to transition smoothly from a horizontal supine position to a verticalized position without requiring transfer to another device. This intermediary structure provides continuous support and control during the position change, making verticalized exercises accessible to patients who cannot be transferred
3Reliability
If rehabilitation devices are placed in separate training rooms, then specialized rehabilitation is improved, but patient transfer requirements and accessibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The rehabilitation mechanism is designed as a modular system that can be integrated into the existing bed structure. The exercise mechanism is segmented into components that can be attached to and removed from the bed frame, allowing specialized rehabilitation to be brought to the patient's bedside without requiring complex facility modifications or patient transfer to separate training rooms
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 scheduled, automated, and safe rehabilitation of bed-bound patients' joints, muscles, and tendons, reducing the risk of infection and improving muscle function, while allowing for objective monitoring and feedback, thus minimizing activity restrictions and promoting early rehabilitation.
Implementation Method 1
at least two eccentrics (63, 64), each formed by an eccentric disc (632, 642) mounted on an eccentric shaft (631, 641)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rehabilitation mechanism (30) which is designed to be suitable for rehabilitating at least the joints, muscles, and tendons of the legs (92) of a patient (90) confined to bed in an automated manner according to a plan, at least comprising the following: - a knee module (50) which can be operatively connected to the knee joint (93) of the patient (90) confined to bed, and - a control module (60) for controlling rehabilitation movements at least of the joints, muscles, and tendons of the legs (92) of the patient (90) confined to bed according to a plan by means of the knee module (50); wherein - the knee module (50) is designed as a module which can be arranged above the patient (90) and the mattress (20), which is supported directly or indirectly on a bed (11) or the mattress frame (21), and which comprises at least the following: - a knee prosthesis (51) which receives a knee joint (93) of the patient (90) confined to bed; - a connection element (52) which is connected to the knee prosthesis (51); - an extension arm (53) to which the connection element (52) is secured; and - a mechanism (61) which can be actuated by the control module (60) and which introduces a defined force into the knee prosthesis (51) via the extension arm (53) and the connection element (52) such that the joints, muscles, and tendons of the leg (92) carry out rehabilitation movements according to a plan via the patient's (90) knee joint (93) which is received in the prosthesis.