Hollow Pole Patient Hoist With Integrated Winch Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient lifting systems require assistance from caregivers for patients to get in and out of bed, and they do not effectively minimize friction on load lines, making them inefficient and costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A patient hoisting system with an upright pole and angularly adjustable arm, featuring a hollow pole for reduced friction, an electrically operated winch controlled by a handheld controller, and pulleys to minimize load line contact with internal surfaces, allowing patients to independently move in and out of bed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the load line travels through the interior of the pole assembly, then friction on the load line is decreased, but the pole structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The load line is routed through the hollow interior of the pole assembly, nesting the cable path within the existing structural component. This eliminates the need for separate external cable guides or protective conduits, reducing friction while avoiding additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Pulleys are introduced as intermediary elements within the hollow pole interior to guide the load line. These pulleys redirect the cable path smoothly through the pole's interior space, minimizing friction contact with the pole walls while utilizing the existing hollow structure
2Ease of operation
If a handheld electrical controller is used, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patient operates the hoisting system independently using the handheld electrical controller, enabling self-service operation. The controller provides intuitive up/down buttons that directly control the winch motor, allowing the patient to maneuver themselves without requiring caregiver assistance or complex multi-step control procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical control system is replaced with an electrical control system using a handheld controller with buttons. This substitution provides more precise and easier control for the patient, replacing manual mechanical operations with electrically actuated winch motor control
3Loss of energy
If the pole is made hollow to accommodate the load line, then friction is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow pole structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the primary structural support for the hoisting system and also serves as a protective conduit for the load line to travel through. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cable protection components and reduces overall manufacturing complexity despite the hollow construction
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
Enables patients to independently move into and out of bed with reduced friction and lower manufacturing costs, enhancing user operation and independence.
Implementation Method 1
a pole assembly which allows the load line to travel through the inside of the pole assembly so as to decrease friction on the load line
Implementation Method 2
The winch is electrically operated by a handheld electrical controller
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for a patient lifting system having an upright pole having a lower end attached to a base wherein the base is mounted on a supporting surface such as a floor proximate a bed of the patient. Extending laterally away from the pole is an angularly adjustable arm or extension which is user selectable to be either; e.g., at a 90-degree angle or a 45-degree angle, which arm is supported by a brace connected between the extension arm and the upright pole. The pole is rotatable in a 360 degree arc and is hollow on the inside which allows a load line to travel through the interior of the gin pole from its lower end to its upper outlet end and includes a plurality of pulleys which allow the load line to travel through the inside of the hoisting system. Also included as a part of the hoisting system is a load line attached to the lower end of the pole using a winch or the like. The winch is electrically operated by a handheld electrical controller which can be held in the hand of a patient so that the patient can assist in maneuvering himself.