Hospital Bed Side Rail Telescopic Post Merging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hospital and care bed side rails require laborious handling to transition between use and non-use positions, and the detachable center post can be cumbersome and prone to loss, hindering unhindered access to the bed.

Innovation Solution

The side rail features telescopic support posts with pivotable longitudinal bars, allowing simultaneous transfer between use and non-use positions with simple downward or upward movements, and includes a locking mechanism for secure positioning to prevent unintentional changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the side rail uses a detachable center post design, then the longitudinal beams can be lowered into non-use position, but the center post becomes cumbersome to handle and can be lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the center post with the longitudinal bars by providing guide slots directly in the headboard at positions corresponding to the longitudinal bars. This integration eliminates the separate detachable center post component, preventing it from being lost while maintaining the ability to lower longitudinal bars into non-use position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the longitudinal beams are lowered into non-use position, then access to the bed is improved, but the center post must still be removed or pivoted which requires additional handling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The guide slots are integrated directly into the headboard structure at positions corresponding to the longitudinal bars. This merging of functions allows the longitudinal bars to be lowered directly into the headboard guides without requiring separate removal or pivoting of a center post, eliminating the second handling activity and reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the support post is designed to be telescopic with multiple sections, then the longitudinal bars can pivot smoothly, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support post is segmented into multiple telescopic sections that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows the support post to adjust its length and provide smooth pivoting motion for the longitudinal bars while maintaining a compact structure when retracted, balancing adaptability with manageable complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2364685B1Bed, in particular hospital and/or home care bed

Publication Date: 2015.05.06 HERMANN BOCK GMBH

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AI summary

The post (14) has a releasing element (49) supported by a middle section (26) and provided with a sliding path cooperative with a locking element (44), where end area (52) of the releasing element is turned towards an upper section (27). The releasing element is formed according to a type of a bar, which is arranged at an inner side of the middle section. The locking element is formed according to a type of a pin, which includes a break-through (48). The locking element is displaceable in a direction (55) lying transverse to vertical adjustment of the post.