Mobile Accessory Cart with Automatic Ergonomic Height Adjustment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile accessory carts in healthcare and other industries often have cumbersome and complicated adjustability mechanisms for ergonomic features like the height of the work surface, keyboard, and monitor, leading to inadequate ergonomic adjustments and increased risk of repetitive strain injuries among users.

Innovation Solution

The design includes an automatic height adjustment mechanism for the work platform and monitor, along with a monitor mount that allows for ergonomic positioning and rotation, and a keyboard platform that locks out non-ergonomic positions, simplifying adjustments and ensuring proper ergonomic alignment through motorized movement based on user input or detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustability mechanisms are provided for work surface, keyboard, and monitor height, then ergonomic adaptability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to cumbersome adjustment procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveergonomic adaptabilityVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an automated motorized height adjustment system. The motorized mechanism automatically adjusts the work surface, keyboard, and monitor heights based on user input or detection, eliminating the need for users to manually operate complex mechanical adjustment components while maintaining full ergonomic adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-adjustment by automatically modifying the heights of various components based on detected user characteristics or input data. The cart serves itself by autonomously configuring the ergonomic setup without requiring user intervention in the adjustment process, thereby simplifying operation while preserving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple manual adjustment mechanisms are provided for work surface, keyboard, and monitor, then ergonomic adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates requiring many adjustment steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveergonomic adaptabilityVSAvoidadjustment operation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple independent adjustment functions into a single integrated motorized system. Instead of requiring separate manual adjustments for work surface height, keyboard height, and monitor height, the unified automated system coordinates all these adjustments simultaneously or sequentially through a single control interface, dramatically improving ease of operation while maintaining comprehensive ergonomic adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automatic adjustments before the user begins work. By detecting user characteristics or receiving input data in advance, the system pre-configures the optimal heights for all components, eliminating the need for users to perform multiple adjustment steps during their workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If fixed ergonomic positioning is enforced, then user safety and ergonomic correctness are improved, but adaptability to different user sizes and shapes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveergonomic correctnessVSAvoiduser size adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic ergonomic positioning where the system automatically adjusts to different user characteristics. The motorized height adjustment mechanism enables the cart to dynamically reconfigure its components based on detected user data, providing fixed ergonomic positioning for each individual user while maintaining adaptability across different user sizes and shapes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2626273B1Accessory cart
Publication Date: 2020.04.08 HUMANSCALE CORP
  • EP2626273B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2626273B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2626273B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In the specification and drawings an accessory cart (100) is described and shown with a base (102), a housing element that is connected to the base (102) and extends upward from the base, and a platform, which is connected to the housing element with the height of the platform being automatically adjustable. Optionally, the base may include four swivel wheels and a retractable fifth tracking wheel centrally located, and a wireless recharging system (170,172) for a battery. The cart is advantageously used in the healthcare industry.