Counter-Rotating Belt Table Assembly for Patient Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient transfer devices face challenges such as limited deployment flexibility, discomfort for patients, instability during transport, and difficulty in navigating tight spaces due to counter-rotating belt designs that require significant base extension and can trap bed linens or clothing, and are difficult to clean.
Innovation Solution
A patient transfer device with a table assembly featuring upper and lower tables surrounded by counter-rotating belts, where the upper table geometry can adjust to facilitate comfortable and stable patient acquisition, transport, and delivery, with mechanisms to prevent linen or clothing entrapment and improve cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If counter-rotating belts are used to eliminate friction during patient transfer, then patient comfort is improved, but the device base must extend under the bed which limits deployment flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the table assembly movable and adjustable rather than fixed. The table can be positioned at various locations and orientations, and the belt system dynamically adapts to different patient positions and transfer scenarios, eliminating the need for base extension while maintaining frictionless transfer capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational dimension by allowing the table to be inserted from the side rather than requiring base extension underneath the bed. This dimensional shift in the transfer mechanism enables deployment in tight spaces while preserving the counter-rotating belt friction-reduction benefit
2Object-affected harmful factors
If counter-rotating belts are used to transfer patients, then patient comfort is improved, but the device cannot be properly cleaned due to belt complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the belts from the contact path between the table and patient. By positioning the belts on the underside of the table rather than having them directly contact the patient, the design maintains frictionless transfer while allowing the patient-contact surfaces to be easily removed and cleaned independently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the table into removable sections that can be separated for cleaning. The table surface is divided into multiple parts that can be detached from the frame and belt mechanism, allowing thorough cleaning of patient-contact areas without disassembling the entire device or exposing cleaning staff to belt mechanisms
3Stability of the object's composition
If the base extends under the bed to prevent tipping, then transport stability is improved, but the device cannot navigate tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic stabilization where the table assembly itself provides stability through its positioning and configuration rather than requiring a wide base. The movable table can be locked into stable positions during transport, providing stability without extending the device footprint into tight spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by positioning and securing the table assembly before transport begins. The table is pre-positioned in a stable configuration and locked in place, eliminating the need for base extension while ensuring stability is established in advance of movement
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of delivering a patient using a transfer device having a base, a frame attached to the base, and a table assembly attached to the frame and supporting the patient which includes upper and lower tables surrounded by respective upper and lower counter-rotating belts, the method comprising: moving the table assembly from a home position over the base to an extended position adjacent the base and above a first patient support surface with the upper and lower tables completely separated, while keeping the base stationary; maintaining a separation between a delivery side plate of the upper table and the lower table along a delivery side of the table assembly while placing a driving side plate of the upper table into forcible contact with the lower table; counter-rotating the upper and lower belts to offload the patient onto the first patient support surface while the delivery side plate of the upper table is separated from the lower table and the driving side plate of the upper table is in forcible contact with the lower table.