Infant Positioning Pad With Adjustable Wings for Stable Flexion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infant positioning devices fail to securely maintain preterm and ill infants in therapeutic flexion and midline positions for extended periods, as they tend to unroll, loosen, or shift, and are limited in the positions they support, making it difficult to achieve normal fetal development.
Innovation Solution
A multipurpose infant positioning device with adjustable components such as a lower pad, wings, and a detachable pillow that allows for secure attachment to various locations, providing support in supine, side-lying, and prone positions without disturbing the infant, and enabling easy repositioning between these positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional items like blankets and towels are used to support the infant, then the infant can be positioned in therapeutic positions, but the items tend to unroll, loosen and shift away from their position, failing to provide secure boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device is divided into multiple functional segments including a base portion, side portions, and a head portion. Each segment can be independently positioned and secured to provide stable boundaries while maintaining therapeutic positioning. The side portions can be adjusted to different positions to accommodate various infant sizes and positioning needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary securing mechanism that connects the positioning device to the infant's current support surface (bed, crib, incubator). This intermediary attachment system prevents the device from shifting or loosening while maintaining the therapeutic positioning boundaries.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single positioning device is used, then the structure is simple, but the device can only support limited therapeutic positions
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device is designed with universal applicability to support multiple therapeutic positions including supine, prone, and side-lying positions. The adjustable side portions and reconfigurable components allow the same device structure to accommodate different positioning requirements without requiring multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic, adjustable components that can be repositioned and reconfigured to adapt to different therapeutic positioning needs. The side portions can be moved between different positions, and the overall structure can be adjusted to maintain stability across various infant positions and sizes.
3Reliability
If the device provides secure boundaries to maintain therapeutic positions, then the infant positioning is stable, but the infant's freedom of movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device provides secure boundaries only at critical locations where therapeutic positioning is needed (head support, side boundaries), while leaving other areas open to allow infant movement. The side portions provide containment without completely restricting the infant's ability to move within the designated space.
Data Source
AI summary
A multipurpose infant positioning device that includes a lower pad with front and back surfaces, wings attached to lateral sides of the lower pad and a bottom flap attached to the bottom portion of the lower pad. At least one of the wings and bottom flap have fastening segments attached thereto for adjustably attaching these components to portions of the lower pad. The fastened wing and bottom flap are made of a material having sufficient resiliency to maintain and bring an infant back to flexed midline position within the infant positioning device. These infant positioning devices may further include a headpiece, brim, pocket at the back surface of the lower pad and a detachable readjustable multipurpose pillow for positioning the infant from and between supine, prone and side-lying positions, all while maintaining and reinforcing the flexed midline position of the infant for normal development.