Inflatable Bed Bolster With Low-Friction Sleeve to Prevent Patient Slippage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients in hospital beds and household beds tend to slip down due to the weight of their upper body and lack of friction between their clothes and the bedsheet, necessitating awkward and strenuous efforts to regain an upright position, especially for weaker individuals.
Innovation Solution
A support apparatus comprising a sheet with a pocket and an inflatable bolster, featuring a low-friction sleeve for easy insertion and removal, and a dump valve for rapid deflation, along with tightening means to secure the sheet and bolster in place, preventing slippage by providing a horizontal reaction force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a patient sits up in bed to improve oxygenation or for reading/eating/TV, then the patient can achieve better medical outcomes or comfort, but the patient tends to slip down the bed due to body weight and lack of friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support apparatus as an intermediary element between the patient and the bed. This apparatus includes a low-friction sleeve that interfaces with the patient's clothing and a high-friction surface that contacts the bed, mediating the interaction to prevent slipping while maintaining the upright position.
Solution Approach 2:
The support apparatus is divided into distinct functional segments: an inflatable bolster providing structural support, a low-friction sleeve for easy insertion/removal and patient comfort, and a sheet with tightening means for securing the apparatus. This segmentation allows each component to address specific aspects of the problem independently.
2Ease of operation
If pillows are used to support the patient's back against the bedhead, then the patient can maintain an upright position, but the pillows tend to slip and require frequent readjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The support apparatus is designed to be self-retaining through the interaction of its components: the inflated bolster maintains its shape and position, the low-friction sleeve prevents sticking to the patient, and the sheet with tightening means secures everything in place. This self-service design eliminates the need for frequent manual readjustment by nurses or patients.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mattress is adjustably inclined to optimize patient position for treatment and recovery, then the patient can achieve optimal medical positioning, but the patient still tends to slip down to the lowest centre of gravity position
Solution Approach 1:
The inflated bolster acts as a counterweight element, providing an opposing force to gravity's pull on the patient's body. By positioning the bolster between the patient's back and the bedhead, it creates a mechanical counterbalance that prevents the patient from sliding down the inclined mattress, maintaining the therapeutic angle.
4Reliability
If a support apparatus with an inflated bolster is used to prevent slipping, then the patient can maintain position, but the bolster needs to be easily removable for emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
The support apparatus is designed for rapid deployment and removal. The low-friction sleeve allows the bolster to be easily slipped out of the sheet's pocket, and the dump valve enables quick deflation. This design facilitates rapid discarding or relocation of the apparatus in emergency situations while maintaining effectiveness during normal use.
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 apparatus effectively prevents patients from slipping down the bed, reduces the risk of pressure sores, and simplifies the process of adjusting position, making it suitable for widespread use across various bed types.
Implementation Method 1
the low-friction sleeve comprises a handle at one end thereof to aid removal of the bolster from the pocket
Implementation Method 2
the bolster provides a horizontal reaction force, preventing them from slipping down the bed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The patient support apparatus (10) comprises a sheet (40) having a pocket (50), and an inflated bolster (60) removably received therein, such that in use with the sheet (40) arranged on the bed, the bolster (60) is arrangeable between the person's pelvis (78) and knees (79), wherein the inflated bolster (60) includes an outer relatively low-friction sleeve (62) for aiding the insertion and removal of the bolster (60) into and out of the pocket (50), and wherein the bolster (60) comprises a dump valve (65) at one end thereof for rapid deflation of the bolster (60) if necessary, the low-friction sleeve (62) comprising a handle (61) at one end thereof to aid removal of the bolster (60) from the pocket (50).