Deployable Siderail Handle for Bed Ingress and Egress Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing person-support apparatuses, such as hospital beds and stretchers, lack effective assistive devices for easy ingress and egress, as current grab bars and handles do not adequately address the need for enhanced assistance during these processes.
Innovation Solution
A siderail assembly with a movably coupled handle that can transition between a perimeter edge position and an ingress/egress assist position, allowing the handle to be stored within the siderail body and extend for deployment to facilitate easier entry and exit from the apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed grab bar is used on the siderail, then the structure remains simple and compact, but it cannot provide adjustable assistance during ingress/egress operations
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between different positions (stored position within the siderail body and deployed position extending outward). This dynamic configuration enables the handle to adapt to different user needs during ingress/egress while maintaining a compact form when not in use, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity through controlled mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle is positioned within the siderail body in the storage position, effectively nesting the handle inside the siderail structure. This nesting approach allows the handle to be stored compactly within the existing siderail footprint without adding significant external complexity, while still providing the capability to extend outward when needed for assistance.
2Ease of operation
If the handle extends outward to assist ingress/egress, then user assistance is improved, but the handle occupies more space and may interfere with the siderail's compact structure
Solution Approach 1:
The handle transitions from a retracted state (within the siderail body) to an extended state (protruding outward for grip). This dynamic extension allows the handle to provide adequate assistance during ingress/egress operations while minimizing space occupation when not in use, as the handle only occupies additional space temporarily when needed for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The siderail assembly is segmented into the main siderail body and the movable handle component. This segmentation allows the handle to be independently positioned - either stored within the siderail body轮廓 or extended outward as needed - enabling the system to provide assistance functionality without permanently increasing the footprint of the siderail assembly.
3Reliability
If the handle is always extended for assistance, then ingress/egress support is continuously available, but the siderail cannot maintain a compact stored position
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed with movable coupling that allows it to assume different positions based on operational needs. When ingress/egress assistance is required, the handle extends outward to provide reliable support. When not in use, the handle returns to the stored position within the siderail body, maintaining a compact profile. This dynamic positioning ensures reliability when needed while preserving compactness during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle nests within the siderail body when not in use, allowing the siderail to maintain its compact profile. When assistance is needed, the handle can be deployed outward from this nested position. This nesting mechanism ensures that the siderail assembly maintains its compact shape and clean lines when the handle is stowed, while still providing the capability to extend for reliable ingress/egress support when required.
Data Source
AI summary
A perimeter panel for a person-support apparatus comprises a panel body and a handle. The panel body includes a perimeter edge. The handle is movably coupled to the panel body and configured to move between a storage position and a deployed position. The handle forms a portion of the perimeter edge of the panel body when the handle is in the storage position and extends from the panel body in the deployed position.