Inflatable mattress with longitudinally oriented stringers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional patient handling mattresses with transverse stringers require more materials and processing steps, and when deflated, they provide inadequate breathability and increased pressure points due to multiple layers under the patient, leading to discomfort and potential skin issues.
Innovation Solution
A transfer mattress design featuring longitudinally oriented inner and outer stringers that reduce material usage, enhance breathability, and maintain connector spacing between inflated and deflated states, allowing for efficient air flow and comfortable patient support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If transverse stringers are used in traditional mattresses, then structural support is provided, but material usage increases and processing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional transverse stringer orientation by using longitudinal stringers that run parallel to the long axis of the mattress. This inversion simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining structural support, as the longitudinal orientation allows for more straightforward assembly and reduces the number of components required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary transverse stringers, retaining only the essential longitudinal stringers for structural support. This reduction in components directly decreases material usage and simplifies processing steps while preserving the necessary structural integrity of the mattress.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple layers are used under the patient in deflated state, then structural integrity is maintained, but breathability decreases and pressure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin, flexible stringer structures that can conform to the patient's body contours when deflated. These flexible longitudinal stringers provide minimal structural support while allowing the mattress to collapse into a thin profile, thereby maintaining breathability and reducing pressure points through direct contact with the support surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies stringers selectively in specific longitudinal locations rather than using a uniform multi-layer construction across the entire mattress. This localized approach provides structural integrity only where needed while leaving other areas open for breathability and weight distribution, thereby reducing pressure points.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional transverse stringer design is used, then manufacturing follows conventional methods, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mattress structure into discrete longitudinal stringer components that can be manufactured separately and assembled efficiently. This segmentation allows for optimized material usage in each component while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized production processes for individual stringers.
Solution Approach 2:
By inverting the traditional transverse orientation to longitudinal stringers, the patent enables more efficient material utilization. The longitudinal orientation allows stringers to span the full length of the mattress, reducing the total number of stringers needed and thereby decreasing overall material usage while still providing adequate structural support.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If longitudinally oriented stringers are used, then breathability is enhanced and pressure points are reduced, but connector spacing must be maintained between inflated and deflated states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic connector designs that can adapt their positioning or attachment method to accommodate the mattress's transition between inflated and deflated states. The longitudinal stringers are configured with flexible attachment points that maintain appropriate spacing dynamically, allowing breathability benefits during deflation while ensuring structural integrity during inflation.
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 mattress design reduces material usage, improves breathability, and decreases pressure points, enhancing patient comfort and reducing the risk of skin conditions by maintaining air circulation and distributing weight effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the escape of air under pressure through the pinholes creates an air bearing of relatively small height between the underlying fixed, generally planar support surface and the perforated flexible sheet
Implementation Method 2
When the mattress is charged with pressurized air, the increased volume of air acts initially to jack a load placed upon the mattress above the perforated flexible sheet
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer mattress includes a top panel, a bottom panel, an outer stringer and an inner stringer. The top panel has a perimeter including a proximal edge and a distal edge, wherein a central longitudinal axis extends from the proximal edge to the distal edge. The bottom panel has a plurality of perforations and a perimeter including a proximal edge and a distal edge coupled to the perimeter of the top panel. The outer stringer and inner stringer each have a superior edge coupled to the top panel and an inferior edge coupled to the bottom panel and a longitudinal portion that is substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis. The inner stringer is positioned between the central longitudinal axis and the outer stringer.