Foldable Hydraulic Patient Table for Adult Lifting Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adult patients require caregivers to change dressings or clean them in various settings, and there is a need for a patient table that can support and lift adult patients while being easily portable.
Innovation Solution
A patient table with an upper structure, lower structure, and a lifting system, featuring pivotable upper sections and extendable leg systems, powered by a hydraulic system to change between configurations for support and transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the patient table is designed to support and lift adult patients, then the lifting capability and support strength are improved, but the device becomes heavier and less portable
Solution Approach 1:
The patient table is divided into multiple sections including a head section, body section, and leg section that can be independently folded and collapsed. This segmentation allows the table to maintain structural strength for lifting patients while enabling compact folding for portability, reducing the overall weight perception and ease of transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The leg systems are designed to be nested within the upper structure when collapsed, with the legs storing inside the table sections. This nesting approach minimizes the overall footprint and weight distribution when the table is in transport mode, while still providing full lifting capability when deployed.
2Ease of operation
If the patient table is designed to be easily portable and collapsible, then the ease of transport is improved, but the structural stability and support capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patient table incorporates dynamic elements including pivotable sections that can rotate between folded and extended positions, and extendable legs that adjust from retracted to deployed states. These dynamic features allow the table to transition smoothly between portable and stable configurations, maintaining structural integrity during patient support while enabling easy transport when collapsed.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper structure and lower leg systems are merged through pivotable connections that allow the legs to be stored within the table sections when collapsed. This merging ensures that when the table is deployed, the legs provide stable support while maintaining a compact form when folded, thus achieving both portability and structural stability.
3Ease of operation
If the lifting system uses hydraulic cylinders for smooth elevation, then the lifting smoothness and control are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting system employs hydraulic cylinders connected to the leg systems, which provide smooth and controlled elevation of the patient table when activated. The hydraulic mechanism ensures uniform lifting across all legs, maintaining patient comfort and safety while reducing the complexity of manual lifting operations through fluid-powered actuation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the upper sections are pivotably coupled to enable collapsing, then the collapsibility is improved, but the structural strength and rigidity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The upper structure is segmented into multiple pivotable sections (head section, body section, leg section) that can be independently folded. Each section maintains sufficient rigidity to support patient weight when extended, while the pivot connections enable smooth collapsing for transport. The segmentation allows the table to adapt between rigid support mode and flexible storage mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable couplings between upper sections incorporate dynamic characteristics that provide structural rigidity when the table is in the extended, load-bearing position, while allowing controlled folding when collapsed. The mechanical joints are designed to lock or stabilize during patient support, ensuring structural strength, while enabling easy articulation during transport operations.
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 patient table provides support and elevation for adult patients, facilitating caregiver tasks while being easily collapsible and portable, with a hydraulic lifting system ensuring smooth transitions between configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The lifting system may be hydraulic. The lifting system may change the leg systems from the unextended configuration to the extended configuration in unison. The lifting system may include a hydraulic pump, hydraulic cylinders, and hydraulic lines that cooperatively form hydraulic circuits
Data Source
AI summary
A patient table for adult patients includes an upper structure, a lower structure, and a hydraulic lifting system. The upper structure is configured support the adult patient and includes upper sections that are pivotably coupled to each other to change the between expanded and collapsed configurations. The lower structure is configured to support the upper structure above a ground surface and includes leg systems that are each extendable to change between extended and unextended configurations and that are each pivotably coupled to one of the upper sections to change between an in-use configuration extending downward from the upper section to which it is coupled and a stowed configuration contained within the upper section to which it is coupled. The lifting system is configured to change the leg systems from the unextended configuration to the extended configuration to lift the upper structure and from a lowered position to an elevated position.