Inflatable mattress with lateral extensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient handling mattresses face challenges in efficiently lifting and moving patients due to limited design features that facilitate easy handling and lifting, often requiring wider plenum chambers which increase air volume and inflation time.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates lateral extensions and lift handles attached to the mattress body, allowing for easier patient lifting and movement without increasing the mattress body or plenum chamber size, with the lateral extensions providing extra width for lifting and the lift handles enabling ergonomic patient handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the width of the plenum chamber is increased to allow easier handling of the mattress, then the ease of operation is improved, but the volume of air required for inflation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is segmented into a main body and separate lateral extensions. The lateral extensions are detachable components that can be attached to the sides of the mattress body, providing additional width and handling surfaces without being part of the inflated plenum chamber. This segmentation allows the mattress to gain the handling benefits of a wider design while maintaining a compact inflation volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the width of the inflated plenum chamber (two-dimensional expansion), the solution adds lateral extensions that protrude outward from the sides of the mattress body (three-dimensional addition). This dimensional approach provides additional handling surface area without proportionally increasing the air volume required for inflation.
2Ease of operation
If the width of the plenum chamber is increased to allow easier handling of the mattress, then the ease of operation is improved, but the inflation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the mattress into a compact main body and separate lateral extensions, the inflated portion maintains a smaller volume that requires less air and inflates faster. The lateral extensions are attached after inflation, so they do not contribute to the inflation time, yet they provide the handling advantages of a wider mattress.
Solution Approach 2:
The mattress body is inflated to the required size before attaching the lateral extensions. This preliminary inflation of a smaller core structure reduces inflation time, and the extensions are added as a subsequent step that enhances handling capability without affecting the inflation process.
3Ease of operation
If lift handles are attached to the lateral extensions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lift handles are integrated into the lateral extensions, combining the handling function with the structural component. Rather than adding separate, complex lifting mechanisms to the mattress body, the handles are attached to the extensions in a straightforward manner, providing lifting capability with minimal additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral extensions serve as intermediary structures that connect the mattress body to the lift handles. These extensions provide a convenient attachment point for the handles and distribute lifting forces, simplifying the overall lifting mechanism compared to direct attachment to the mattress body.
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
This configuration reduces the volume of air required for inflation, decreases inflation time, and simplifies patient positioning on narrow surfaces, while allowing secure and comfortable lifting and handling of patients.
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
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, an inflatable patient handling mattress includes a mattress body, a first lateral extension, a second lateral extension, and one or more lift handles. The mattress body includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a plenum chamber between the top panel and the bottom panel and configured to be filled with air. The first lateral extension extends from a first side of the mattress body. The second lateral extension extends from a second side of the mattress body, the second side opposite the first side. Each lift handle of the one or more lift handles is attached to one of the first lateral extension and the second lateral extension. The one or more lift handles are configured to be used to lift a patient disposed on the mattress body.