Bed Siderail Assembly With Inward Pivoting and Lock Status Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hospital bed siderails pose challenges due to increased bed width when lowered, creating obstacles and making it difficult to maneuver through door frames or elevators, and often have unreliable locking systems, which can lead to safety issues and maintenance complications.
Innovation Solution
A siderail assembly with angled connecting arms and a locking mechanism that allows the siderail to pivot inwardly, featuring a damper for controlled movement and an indicator for locking status, preventing unintended pivoting and ensuring secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the siderail is lowered to allow patient access, then patient accessibility is improved, but the bed width increases making it difficult to maneuver through door frames or elevators
Solution Approach 1:
The siderail assembly employs a dynamic pivoting mechanism with connecting arms that allow the siderail to move between a lowered position (improving patient accessibility) and an inwardly pivoted position (reducing bed width for maneuvering). The system transitions from a static barrier to a dynamically adjustable component that adapts to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces motion in a second dimension by allowing the siderail to pivot inwardly toward the bed frame while simultaneously lowering. This arcuate path of movement, enabled by the angled connecting arms, allows the siderail to occupy a different spatial configuration that reduces the overall bed width footprint while maintaining accessibility functionality.
2Ease of operation
If the siderail is lowered to improve patient access, then patient accessibility is improved, but obstacles are created around the bed making it harder for medical personnel to interact with the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting arms and pivoting mechanism create a dynamic system where the siderail can be positioned optimally for both patient access and medical personnel interaction. The inward pivoting capability ensures that even when lowered, the siderail does not extend far from the bed frame, minimizing obstruction of the working space around the bed.
3Reliability
If a locking system is added to secure the siderail, then safety is improved, but the locking system may be unreliable and fail to provide proper indication of locked status
Solution Approach 1:
The locking assembly incorporates a visual indicator that provides immediate feedback to users about the locked status of the siderail. This feedback mechanism eliminates uncertainty by clearly communicating whether the siderail is securely locked in its raised or lowered position, preventing accidental movement and ensuring safety while maintaining reliability.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional siderail displacement systems with grooves and crevices are used, then mounting functionality is achieved, but cleaning and disinfection become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting connecting arms create a dynamic mounting system that replaces static grooves and crevices with moving joints. This dynamic design eliminates difficult-to-reach crevices where dirt and pathogens could accumulate, while the pivot points are designed to be easily accessible for cleaning and maintenance.
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 siderail assembly allows for efficient space utilization when lowered, enhances safety with secure locking, and facilitates easier cleaning and maintenance by preventing the siderail from becoming stuck in intermediate positions.
Implementation Method 1
the siderail motion assembly includes a damper connecting the mounting member to at least one of the at least two connecting arms for damping the pivoting of the siderail
Data Source
AI summary
A siderail assembly for a bed, the bed having a patient support assembly, the siderail assembly comprising: a siderail disposed in a siderail plane; a mounting member for mounting to the patient support assembly; at least two parallel connecting arms, each connecting arm having a first end pivotably connected to the mounting member and a second end pivotably connected to the siderail, each connecting arm being adapted to pivot relative to the siderail about a first pivot axis and to pivot relative to the mounting member about a second pivot axis to allow the siderail to pivot along an arcuate path relative to the mounting member, the first and second pivot axes being parallel to each other and angled relative to the siderail plane to allow the siderail to move in a direction perpendicular to the siderail plane when pivoting.