Patient Lift Quick Release Mechanism for Toolless Spreader Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient lift apparatuses face challenges in reducing patient rocking movement, ease of use, and efficient exchange of the spreader element, often requiring tools and compromising patient handling safety.
Innovation Solution
A patient lift apparatus with a quick release mechanism integrated into the coupling member, featuring a dovetail connection and a locking-unlocking mechanism that allows toolless release and automatic locking of the spreader element, combined with a damping element to reduce patient rocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a friction coupling with viscous-type rotary damper is provided at the pivot joint to restrict pivoting movement, then erratic movement of the coupling member is reduced, but patient rocking movement is not sufficiently dampened
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated damping element is introduced as an intermediary component between the boom portion and coupling member. This separate damping mechanism works in conjunction with the friction coupling to provide enhanced damping of patient rocking movement while maintaining the stability benefits of the friction coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling system combines multiple damping mechanisms (friction coupling and viscous-type rotary damper) to create a composite damping solution that addresses both erratic movement and patient rocking movement simultaneously.
2Ease of operation
If a carabiner arrangement is used to couple the spreader element to the boom portion, then exchange of the spreader element is facilitated, but the spreader element may swing in any direction causing patient injury risks
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is divided into two separate coupling elements: a first coupling element pivotably coupled to the boom portion with controlled pivoting, and a second coupling element connected to the spreader element. This segmentation allows quick exchange while controlling the swinging motion through the pivot joint's constrained movement.
3Ease of operation
If a simple pivot joint is provided allowing free pivoting of the coupling member, then ease of operation is improved, but erratic movement and patient rocking are not controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot joint and damping element are merged into an integrated coupling system. The pivot joint provides ease of operation for the coupling member, while the damping element (with friction coupling and viscous-type rotary damper) is combined with this joint to control erratic movement and dampen patient rocking, achieving both ease of operation and stability.
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
The solution enhances ease of use by allowing toolless exchange of the spreader element, reduces patient rocking through efficient damping, and ensures secure connection to prevent accidental release, thereby improving patient handling safety and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
In one embodiment, the friction coupling may furthermore comprise a viscous-type rotary damper, which damper acts to dampen rotation of the coupling member (and associated spreader element) with respect to the boom portion.
Implementation Method 2
a friction coupling is provided at the pivot joint, which friction coupling is designed to restrict pivoting movement of the coupling member and associated spreader element
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a patient lift apparatus (1) comprising a supporting frame (10), a boom portion (18) connected to the supporting frame (10), and a spreader element (25) coupled to the boom portion (18) via a coupling member (20). The boom portion (18) and coupling member (20) are joined by a pivot joint (PJ2) allowing the coupling member (20) and associated spreader element (25) to pivot with respect to the boom portion (18) about a pivot axis (PA2). According the invention, the patient lift apparatus (1) further comprises a quick release mechanism (30, 200) to release the spreader element (25) from the boom portion (18). The quick release mechanism (30, 200) is an integral part of the coupling member (20), which coupling member (20) comprises a first coupling element (21) that is pivotably coupled to the boom portion (18) and a second coupling element (22) that is connected to the spreader element (25) and releasably coupled to the first coupling element (21), thus forming a releasable coupling section (200) between the first and second coupling elements (21, 22).