Illuminated Mesh Therapy Bed for Comfort and Airflow Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light therapy devices often lack patient comfort due to non-conformable hard surfaces, require disrobing, cause perspiration and overheating, and pose hygiene concerns, while also being inefficient in temperature regulation and light transmission.
Innovation Solution
A light therapy bed with a PBM mesh structure supported by a rigid frame, featuring illuminating and non-illuminating strands forming a conformable hammock-type support with open apertures, allowing adjustable airflow and customizable light application profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a clear hard surface is used to support the patient, then light transmission is maintained, but patient comfort deteriorates due to non-conformability to body contours
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid clear surface with a flexible transparent or translucent sheet that can conform to the patient's body contours while still transmitting light effectively. This flexible membrane maintains optical properties while providing comfort through conformability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction combining transparent/translucent material with flexible substrate, creating a material that simultaneously provides both light transmission and body conformability, resolving the contradiction between optical function and comfort.
2Area of stationary object
If an enclosed structure is used to provide light therapy, then light coverage is improved, but temperature regulation deteriorates causing perspiration and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a mesh structure with open apertures that allows air circulation through the support surface. This porous configuration enables heat dissipation and breathing while maintaining structural support, solving the overheating problem in enclosed light therapy devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid support surface is segmented into a mesh pattern with open spaces, creating a structure that provides both coverage and ventilation. The segmented design allows thermal management while maintaining the enclosing structure for light therapy.
3Illumination intensity
If a hard or flexible plastic surface is used for light therapy, then light transmission is maintained, but patient comfort deteriorates due to skin adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible membrane that can gently conform to the body without creating adhesion points. The flexibility and softness of the material prevent skin sticking while maintaining transparency for light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The support surface is designed with curved, contoured shapes that follow natural body lines, reducing contact pressure points and preventing skin adhesion while maintaining light transmission through the curved transparent surface.
4Temperature
If the mesh structure has high openness for airflow, then temperature regulation improves, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction where the mesh structure combines strong structural elements with open spaces. The composite design provides both mechanical strength to support the patient and sufficient openness for airflow and cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into a mesh pattern where the distribution and thickness of the mesh strands are optimized to provide adequate strength while maintaining high openness for airflow. The segmented structure achieves both structural integrity and thermal management.
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
Enhances patient comfort through conformation to body contours, reduces perspiration, improves hygiene, and enables effective light transmission and temperature regulation, while allowing for tailored therapeutic treatments.
Implementation Method 1
The illuminating strands have light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) which emit electromagnetic radiation at one or more selected frequencies
Implementation Method 2
an array of spaced-apart mesh apertures extending through the mesh structure to an opposite side thereof, allowing passage of electromagnetic radiation from the light sources
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method for applying photobiomodulation (PBM) light illumination therapy to a patient. A light therapy bed has a PBM mesh structure supported by a rigid frame to form a patient support surface adapted to contactingly support the patient. The mesh structure has respective illuminating and non-illuminating strands which interconnect to form a conformable, open hammock-type support structure with an array of mesh apertures extending therethrough. The illuminating strands have light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) which emit electromagnetic radiation at one or more selected frequencies. A control circuit activates the light sources in accordance with a selected modulation profile. In further embodiments, an upper PBM mesh structure can be lowered to concurrently irradiate the patient. The open mesh areas can constitute 50% or more of the overall areal extent of the mesh to provide patient cooling and application of additional light from a supplemental source.