Multifunctional Patient Examination System with Adjustable Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing patient examination systems require two separate pieces of clinical furniture, an examination table and a chair, which occupy more space and pose challenges in compliance with accessibility regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act, due to their inability to accommodate various patient positions efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A multifunctional patient examination system with a frame assembly, motion-controlling assemblies, and a patient support assembly that includes a seat, back, and footrest subassemblies, allowing for adjustable positions such as prone, supine, side-lying, seated, and Trendelenburg positions, with a cover element for easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two separate items of clinical furniture (examination table and examination chair) are used to accommodate various patient positions, then the patient can be supported in multiple positions (prone, supine, side-lying, seated, semi-supine), but the room space required increases and compliance with accessibility regulations becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of an examination table and an examination chair into a single integrated patient support system. This unified structure provides both table-like support (for prone, supine, and side-lying positions) and chair-like support (for seated and semi-supine positions) within one piece of furniture, thereby reducing the total space required while maintaining the ability to accommodate various patient positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient support system is designed with multi-functional capabilities, allowing it to perform the roles of both an examination table and an examination chair. The system includes adjustable support surfaces and positioning mechanisms that enable it to provide appropriate support for diverse patient positions, making a single piece of furniture universally applicable for multiple examination scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If two separate items of clinical furniture are used, then various patient positions can be accommodated, but compliance with accessibility regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the examination table and chair functions into one integrated system, the patent creates a unified structure that can be designed to meet accessibility standards more effectively. The combined system allows for coordinated adjustment mechanisms and positioning features that facilitate easier patient transfer and positioning, thereby improving compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
3Area of stationary object
If a single multifunctional patient support system is used to reduce space requirements, then room space and accessibility compliance are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support system is divided into distinct subassemblies, including a seat subassembly with a seat cushion, a back subassembly, and a footrest subassembly with a footrest cushion. Each subassembly can be independently adjusted and positioned, allowing the system to achieve multiple patient positions through coordinated movement of these segmented components, thereby managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates motion-controlling assemblies connected to the frame assembly that enable dynamic adjustment of the patient support components. These motion-controlling mechanisms allow the seat, back, and footrest to be moved between various positions (lowered, raised, intermediate, and Trendelenburg positions), providing adaptability while using controlled mechanical systems to manage the complexity of movement.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient examination system including a frame assembly, one or more motion-controlling assemblies connected to the frame assembly for moving one or more selected movable portions of the frame assembly, and a patient support assembly. The patient support assembly includes a seat subassembly including a seat cushion, a back subassembly, a footrest subassembly including a footrest cushion, and a cover element covering a top side of the seat cushion and an external side of the footrest cushion. The cover element has an exposed surface for engagement with the patient. The seat subassembly includes the seat cushion and is secured to the upper element of the frame assembly. The frame assembly is configured to support the seat subassembly relative to the floor in a lowered position thereof, in a raised position thereof, in intermediate seat positions therebetween, and in Trendelenburg positions.