Emergency Cot Restraint Arms for Faster Patient Crash Securing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current patient transport devices in emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, lack effective restraints, particularly in the forward direction, and require time-consuming fitting and re-adjustment of chest and hip belts, which can be obstructive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of rigid restraint arms on an emergency cot that can transition between open and restrained configurations, providing lateral, vertical, and forward direction restraints, with adjustable and rotatable components to secure patients effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chest and hip belts are used to restrain patients, then patient restraint is provided, but the fitting process is time-consuming and requires adjustment for each patient
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system is divided into modular components: a wearable restraint garment with integrated chest and hip belts, separate from the cot restraint arms. This segmentation allows the garment to be pre-fitted to the patient before transport, while the cot restraint arms provide additional security without requiring complex adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint garment is designed to be pre-fitted to the patient's body measurements and preferences before emergency transport. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming fitting and adjustment during critical transport situations, as the garment automatically adapts to the patient's anatomy.
2Reliability
If chest and hip belts are fitted to each patient, then secure fit is achieved, but the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint garment incorporates self-adjusting mechanisms including elastic materials, stretchable fabrics, and automatic tensioning systems that adapt to the patient's body shape without requiring manual measurement or adjustment by medical personnel. The garment self-regulates to provide optimal restraint force.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint system utilizes materials and mechanisms that automatically adjust physical parameters such as tension, length, and fit based on the patient's body characteristics. Elastic materials and spring-loaded components change their physical state to match the patient's anatomy, providing secure fit without manual intervention.
3Reliability
If chest and hip belts are used, then patient restraint is provided, but re-adjustment and removal may be needed if obstructing critical areas
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint garment and cot restraint arms are designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow quick modification of restraint force and positioning. Medical personnel can easily release and reposition the restraint mechanisms without complex procedures, and the system adapts to patient movement and positioning needs during transport.
4Reliability
If rigid restraint arms are implemented, then forward direction crash restraint is provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid restraint arms are integrated into the cot frame structure, serving multiple functions: providing crash restraint in forward, lateral, and vertical directions, supporting the patient support surface, and enabling easy adjustment between open and restrained configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint system provides protection in multiple spatial dimensions simultaneously. The rigid restraint arms extend in lateral directions from the head end of the cot, while also providing forward direction restraint, creating a three-dimensional restraint envelope that secures the patient against various crash vectors without requiring separate restraint systems for each direction.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient transport device for transporting a patient secured to a secured area thereof may include a first restraint arm disposed about a first longitudinal side of the secured area and a second restraint arm disposed about a second longitudinal side of the secured area opposite the first longitudinal side of the secured area. A head-cage restraint arm may further be disposed about a third leading end of the secured area between the first and second longitudinal sides of the secured area. The first restraint arm, the second restraint arm and the head-cage restraint arm may be operable to transition between an open configuration and a restrained configuration relative to the secured area.