Lateral Patient Transfer Bed with Sliding Mattress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient transferring devices require lifting patients, which can lead to injuries for caregivers and is inefficient, as they do not facilitate a safe and seamless transfer between gurneys and hospital beds.
Innovation Solution
A patient transferring device comprising a hospital bed with a mattress deck and a gurney with a mattress panel, where the mattress is slidably coupled to both, allowing the mattress to transfer a patient laterally from the gurney to the hospital bed without lifting, utilizing aligned channels and lobes for smooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional patient transferring devices are used, then patient transfer between gurney and bed is achieved, but patient lifting is required causing caregiver injury and inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress serves as an intermediary element between the gurney and hospital bed. The mattress is slidably coupled to both surfaces and acts as a mediator to transfer the patient laterally without lifting. The aligned channels and lobes mechanism enables the mattress to glide smoothly from the gurney onto the hospital bed, carrying the patient safely throughout the transfer process.
2Productivity
If patient lifting is used for transfer, then transfer between gurney and bed is achieved, but transfer efficiency is reduced and manual effort is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the manual lifting mechanical system with a sliding mechanism. The mattress is equipped with lobes that engage with aligned channels on both the gurney and hospital bed, creating a guided sliding path. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for manual lifting and enables efficient lateral transfer of the patient.
3Device complexity
If simple transfer methods are used, then transfer process is simple, but seamless and safe transfer is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the mattress with integrated lobes, the aligned channels on the gurney and hospital bed, and the sliding interface. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while maintaining overall system simplicity. The lobes and channels work together as separate but coordinated elements to ensure safe transfer.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient transferring bed assembly includes hospital bed that has a mattress deck and a plurality of legs. A gurney is provided that includes a mattress panel and a plurality of legs. The gurney is positionable in a transferring position having the mattress panel being positioned adjacent to and being oriented coextensive with the mattress deck on the hospital bed. A mattress is slidably coupled to the mattress panel on the gurney and a patient lies on the mattress. The mattress slidably engages the mattress deck on the hospital bed when the gurney is positioned in the transferring position and the mattress is urged to slide laterally onto the mattress deck. In this way the mattress transfers the patient from the gurney to the hospital bed without requiring the patient to be lifted.