Adjustable Bed Side Rail Padding for Impact and Entrapment Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient protection systems for adjustable beds do not adequately address the risks of side and head impacts, and entrapment hazards, particularly during adjustments of the bed's positions.
Innovation Solution
The system includes a side impact absorbing pad and a head impact absorbing pad, both supported by the mattress and secured to the bed frame, with a patient access flap and a head entrapment impediment to mitigate injuries and facilitate easy patient access, utilizing a compressible resilient polymer core and shape retention members for consistent protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a side rail is provided for patient support, then patient safety is improved, but the risk of side impact injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
A side impact absorbing pad is positioned between the side rail and the patient on the mattress. This pad is made of compressible material that absorbs impact energy when the patient accidentally contacts the side rail, thereby reducing injury risk while maintaining the safety function of the side rail
2Ease of operation
If the bed is made adjustable for patient comfort, then patient comfort is improved, but the risk of head entrapment during adjustments increases
Solution Approach 1:
A head impact absorbing pad is positioned at the head of the mattress near the headboard. This pad provides cushioning protection in case the patient's head becomes trapped during bed adjustments, reducing the harmful effects while maintaining the adjustability feature
3Reliability
If impact absorbing pads are added to the mattress, then patient protection is improved, but the complexity of the bed system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impact absorbing pads are constructed using flexible, compressible materials that can be integrated into the mattress structure. This approach provides protection without requiring complex mechanical systems, maintaining simplicity while improving safety
Solution Approach 2:
The pads utilize composite material structures combining compressible cores with outer covers, providing effective impact absorption while keeping the design simple and integrable into existing mattress constructions
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
The solution effectively reduces the risk of injury from side and head impacts and entrapment, ensuring consistent protection during bed adjustments by maintaining the position of impact absorbing pads relative to the bed rails and allowing easy patient access and egress.
Implementation Method 1
compressible resilient polymer core
Implementation Method 2
compressible resilient polymer core
Implementation Method 3
shape retention members for consistent protection
Data Source
AI summary
A patient protective system that preferably includes at least an adjustable bed providing a bed frame, and a side rail in sliding communication with the bed frame and a mattress supported by the bed frame. The patient protective system further preferably includes a side impact absorbing pad supported by the mattress and in contact adjacency with the side rail a patient access flap secured to the side impact absorbing pad and attached to the mattress, and a patient head entrapment impediment secured to the side impact absorbing pad and the mattress.