Bed device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current bed devices require constant attention from operators to prevent hazardous situations, especially in home care settings where operators are not skilled in controlling the devices, leading to increased risk and burden, as they need to manually stop and adjust operations to ensure patient safety.

Innovation Solution

A bed device equipped with a controller, position detector, and notification unit that reads limitation settings from a table to suspend or continue operations based on patient position and bed mode, providing alerts and allowing operators to confirm safety before proceeding with movements like back rise or knee rise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If alarm notification is implemented to warn of hazardous positions, then patient safety awareness is improved, but operator burden increases as manual intervention is still required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidoperator burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bed device automatically detects patient position and autonomously determines hazardous states without requiring operator judgment. The system self-manages safety monitoring by comparing detected positions against predefined hazardous position data, automatically issuing warnings or suspending operations without operator intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors patient position through detectors and provides real-time feedback to the control unit. When hazardous positions are detected, the system automatically feeds back warning signals to the operator or suspends bed operations, creating a closed-loop safety control system that reduces operator burden while maintaining high safety standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If constant attention is required from operators to prevent accidents, then patient safety is maintained, but operation efficiency decreases and operator stress increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccident preventionVSAvoidoperation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bed device performs automatic safety monitoring and hazard detection without requiring continuous operator attention. The system independently manages safety checks by detecting patient position, comparing it with hazardous position data, and autonomously determining whether to warn or suspend operations, thereby freeing operators to focus on patient care rather than constant monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-defines hazardous positions and operation conditions in advance, creating a database of unsafe states before operations begin. This preliminary preparation allows the system to automatically evaluate current patient positions against pre-established safety criteria, enabling rapid automated safety decisions without requiring operators to anticipate or react to potential hazards in real-time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If unskilled caregivers operate the bed device, then home care accessibility is improved, but safety risk increases due to lack of control expertise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehome care accessibilityVSAvoidoperation safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bed device automatically performs safety monitoring and hazard detection functions that would otherwise require skilled operator knowledge. The system self-manages safety by detecting patient position, comparing it with pre-defined hazardous positions, and autonomously determining appropriate actions, thereby compensating for the lack of operator expertise and enabling unskilled caregivers to safely operate the device at home.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides automated feedback to unskilled operators by issuing warnings or suspending operations when hazardous positions are detected, eliminating the need for operators to possess specialized control knowledge. This automated safety feedback mechanism allows family members and unskilled caregivers to operate the bed device safely without requiring training in complex control procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3459516B1Bed device
Publication Date: 2021.03.10 PARAMOUNT BED CO LTD
  • EP3459516B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3459516B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3459516B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A bed device includes: an operation section that receives an operation input; a controller that controls a movement of the bed in accordance with the operation input; a detector that detects a position of a patient on the bed; and, a limitation table that stores a limitation area set on the bed in association with a limitation content, wherein when the position of the patient detected by the detector is included in the limitation area, the limitation content is read out from the limitation table so as to control the controller in accordance with the limitation content. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a higher safety bed device which can not only notify the danger based on the bed movement but also limit the movement of the bed in accordance with the status of the patient or the bed device.