Hospital Bed Handling System with Sliding Support Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bed handling systems require technicians to manually attach arms to the ends of heavy medical beds, which is cumbersome, risky, and limited in weight capacity, especially for obese patient beds, and can cause structural damage due to torsional forces.
Innovation Solution
A handling system with a support device featuring sliding ends, a lifting portion, and adjustable holding elements that allow for easy lifting and orientation of medical beds without attaching arms to the ends, using a fork-like lifting portion and pivotally mounted receiving assembly to securely lift and rotate the bed, enabling maintenance without manual strain or structural damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If arms are firmly attached to end portions of the bed before lifting, then the bed can be lifted and positioned, but the operation becomes tedious and requires technician to bend down with precautions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the attachment operation from the lifting process by using a support device that engages with the bed base directly, eliminating the need to attach arms to end portions. The support device is positioned under the bed base and lifts it directly, removing the tedious attachment step entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device acts as an intermediary between the lifting mechanism and the bed. It engages with the bed base through the bed base opening and transfers the lifting force, eliminating direct attachment to bed ends and simplifying the operation.
2Ease of operation
If arms are used to lift the bed, then the bed can be positioned, but structural damage may occur due to rotational movement and torsional forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the arms entirely from the lifting mechanism and uses a support device that engages directly with the bed base. This eliminates the rotational movement and torsional forces that arms impose on the bed structure during lifting and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device serves as an intermediary that engages with the bed base opening and provides a stable lifting interface. This direct engagement under the bed base eliminates the need for arms that attach to bed ends, thereby preventing structural damage from torsional forces.
3Extent of automation
If two motorized elements are used to actuate lifting of arms, then the bed can be lifted, but torsional problems occur for the bed structure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the arms and their motorized actuation from the system, replacing them with a support device that lifts the bed base directly. This eliminates the torsional problems caused by distributed motorized elements acting on arm mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device acts as a single unified intermediary between the lifting mechanism and the bed base, replacing the distributed two-motor arm system. This centralized approach eliminates the torsional forces that arise from distributed actuation points on the bed structure.
4Reliability
If fastening arms is performed manually, then the bed can be secured for lifting, but the operation is tedious and risk of defect increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the manual fastening operation entirely by using a support device that engages with the bed base opening. The support device is positioned and secured without requiring manual fastening of arms to bed ends, eliminating both the tedium and risk of attachment defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device serves as an intermediary that provides a secure engagement interface with the bed base through the opening. This direct engagement eliminates the need for manual fastening operations on arm attachments, improving both reliability and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a handling system that makes it possible to place a wheeled sleeping unit, particularly a hospital bed, in a high position for a maintenance operation. The system includes a supporting device that is slidably mounted along a guide assembly and is provided with a receiving assembly that is hinged onto one or more vertical slidable portions of the device that are adjacent to a raising area. A sleeping unit can be placed in the area, above a lifting portion defined by the receiving assembly, and a longitudinal side of the unit can be positioned against an abutment surface of the assembly. The receiving assembly includes a holding element that fits into the top of the unit so as to lock the positioning of the unit in the receiving assembly, which makes it possible to change the orientation of the unit after a raising phase.