Retractable Patient Bed Side Barrier With Sliding Bottom Extender
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient bed side barriers face challenges in adjusting height to balance protection and accessibility, as they either occupy excessive space or pose safety risks due to inadequate positioning, especially when trying to reconcile standards for barrier height and bedding plane elevation.
Innovation Solution
A retractable side barrier system utilizing a deformable parallelogram mechanism with a sliding extender attached to a deployment bar, allowing for vertical adjustment along guide means to maximize barrier height while maintaining safety by retracting when lowered, thus optimizing space usage and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the barrier height is increased to improve protection, then the distance between the top bar and bedding plane increases, but the bedding plane height must be raised which increases injury risk and reduces patient accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is segmented into a main barrier element and a separate extender element. The extender can be deployed to increase barrier height when needed, and retracted when not needed, allowing the main barrier to remain at a safe height while providing protection when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system transitions from a static height to a dynamic, adjustable height. The extender can be deployed downward when the main barrier is in its high position, and retracted when the barrier is in its low position, allowing the barrier height to adapt to different protection needs without permanently raising the bedding plane.
2Ease of operation
If the deformable parallelogram mechanism is used to adjust barrier height, then the barrier can move parallel to itself, but the deployment bar occupies excessive space when installed in a fixed box under the frame
Solution Approach 1:
The extender is nested within or alongside the main barrier element when retracted. The sliding connection allows the extender to be stored compactly within the barrier structure, minimizing the space required under the bed frame while maintaining full functionality when deployed.
3Length of moving object
If the barrier is designed with L-shaped portions that are further apart in the high position, then the barrier height is increased, but the space between portions creates safety hazards and the low position occupies excessive longitudinal space
Solution Approach 1:
The extender dynamically adjusts its position based on the barrier height. When the main barrier is high, the extender deploys downward to extend the barrier; when the main barrier is low, the extender retracts. This dynamic adjustment ensures the barrier maintains appropriate spacing at all times, eliminating the safety hazard of fixed L-shaped portions being too far apart.
Data Source
AI summary
A bed with a movable side barrier comprising a main barrier element and a bottom extender is disclosed. The main barrier element is associated with a deformable parallelogram mechanism hinged to a frame of the bed, said mechanism includes a deployment bar hinged between two parallel arms, and the bottom extender is attached to the deployment bar via a horizontally-sliding connection and is constrained to slide along vertical guide means carried by the main barrier element.