Bed Rail Pivot and Nesting Frame for Hidden Fall Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bed rails have complex assemblies that can lead to unintended structures, lack a hidden storage solution for the guard frame, and often require permanent pivots that do not provide a secure or out-of-sight mechanism for preventing falls.
Innovation Solution
A bed rail design featuring a four-piece guard frame with distinct diameter support members and connecting ends to prevent incorrect assembly, a pivot mechanism that automatically engages and disengages, and a one-piece junction to minimize play, along with a base support system that includes a wide platform and sliding tube for stability and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional bed rail includes a permanent pivot for the guard frame, then the guard frame can swing between night and lowered positions, but the guard frame remains permanently visible and occupies space on the exterior of the bed
Solution Approach 1:
The guard frame is designed to nest within the base frame when not in use. The base frame includes a receiving space between the mattress and box spring where the guard frame can be stored, effectively hiding it when not needed and freeing up exterior bed space.
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent pivot is replaced with a dynamic storage mechanism. The guard frame transitions from a fixed swinging position to a movable stored position, allowing it to be tucked away in the base frame during the day and deployed at night as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional bed rail includes many parts for assembly, then the guard frame can be configured, but users may assemble it in unintended ways creating unsafe structures
Solution Approach 1:
The support members are designed with asymmetric features including different diameters and different connecting ends. This asymmetry ensures that parts can only be assembled in the correct orientation and configuration, preventing incorrect assembly while maintaining the necessary guard frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the support members have different properties (different diameters, different end configurations). This local variation in quality provides built-in guidance for correct assembly and prevents incorrect configurations.
3Reliability
If the guard frame is permanently mounted on the bed exterior, then it provides continuous fall prevention, but it cannot be concealed when not needed
Solution Approach 1:
The guard frame transitions from a static permanent mounting to a dynamic stored/operational system. It can be positioned vertically at the bed side for fall prevention and horizontally stored in the base frame for aesthetic purposes, providing both safety and visual appeal.
Data Source
AI summary
A bed rail for engagement between a mattress and a box spring and having a base support and a guard frame, with guard frame having a pivot that pivots and slides in the base support. The base support includes a first seat that seats the pivot and a second seat that seats a biased piece sliding axially on a first support member of the guard frame. The first support member extends from a plastic piece that forms a junction from which a second support member and the pivot extend and that nestles up to the second seat.