Guard rail for a bed, guide rack for a guard rail and a bed with such guard rail
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guard rails for beds, particularly those used for bedridden individuals, are often cumbersome and require expensive telescopic cylinders for lifting and lowering, posing a risk if not handled properly.
Innovation Solution
A guard rail system featuring guide racks with hooks and pawls, and connecting elements with variable extension, allowing the top bar to be elevated while automatically adjusting the lower bars, enabling easy operation and secure attachment to beds of varying lengths with adjustable angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If telescopic cylinders are used to lift and lower the guard rail, then the guard rail can be moved easily without manual lifting, but the device becomes expensive and requires careful attention to avoid applying large forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex telescopic cylinder mechanism from the guard rail system and replaces it with a simpler suspension element system. The guard rail is suspended by elements connected to the bed frame, allowing automatic lifting and lowering without expensive cylindrical actuators, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension element system enables the guard rail to lift and lower itself automatically based on its weight and the bed's position, without requiring external power sources or complex control mechanisms. The system self-regulates the guard rail's movement, eliminating the need for telescopic cylinders and reducing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the guard rail is designed with fixed bars, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to beds of varying lengths and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability by allowing the suspension elements to vary in length and the bars to be positioned at different heights and angles. This dynamic configuration enables the guard rail to adapt to various bed lengths and positions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard rail is divided into separate bars (top bar and lower bars) that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows each bar to be optimized for different bed configurations without requiring complete redesign of the entire structure, enhancing adaptability while keeping individual components simple.
3Ease of operation
If the top bar is connected rigidly to lower bars, then the structure is stable, but it cannot automatically adjust when the top bar is elevated
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements between the top bar and lower bars are designed to be flexible in length, allowing automatic adjustment when the top bar is elevated. This dynamic connection maintains structural stability while enabling automatic adaptation to different positions, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension and connecting elements create a mechanical feedback system where elevation of the top bar automatically triggers adjustment of the lower bars through the variable-length connections. This passive feedback mechanism ensures automatic adjustment while maintaining structural integrity, eliminating the need for active control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Guard rail for a bed, guide rack for a guard rail and a bed with such guard rail The invention relates to a guard rail with bars intended for extending along a side of the bed. Guide racks are arranged along opposing ends of the bars. The guide racks include fastening means for securing the guide racks to the bed. Each end of the bars is adapted for engaging a suspension element. Each of the guide racks has a hook at a top position of the guide rack. A top suspension element has a pawl capable of engaging and disengaging the hook of the guide rack. Between a top suspension element and a neighbouring lower suspension element, a connecting element is provided, having a variable extension and a maximum extension between the top suspension element and the neighbouring first lower suspension element. The invention also relates to a guide rack, a method of operating the guard rail and to a bed with a guard rail.