Patient Repositioning Device Torque Transfer Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient repositioning devices are inefficient and pose health risks to caregivers due to non-optimal working postures, unequal loads, and lack of adaptability to individual patient needs, often requiring heavy lifting and bending, and can hinder patient mobility and safety.
Innovation Solution
A portable, non-powered patient repositioning device with a support unit comprising planar upper and lower body supports and handles that allow for torque transfer, enabling caregivers to assist patients in moving from sitting to lying positions while maintaining the patient's legs and upper body parallel, reducing caregiver strain and facilitating ergonomic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a caregiver manually lifts and repositions a patient from sitting to lying position, then the patient can be repositioned, but the caregiver experiences muscle overload and back strain due to non-optimal working posture and heavy lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a repositioning device as an intermediary tool between the caregiver and patient. The device includes a support structure with a platform that supports the patient's body, allowing the caregiver to lift and reposition the patient without directly bearing the full weight. The device acts as a mechanical mediator that distributes the load and eliminates the need for the caregiver to bend or twist their back during the repositioning maneuver.
Solution Approach 2:
The device provides an equipotential working surface for the patient during repositioning. The support platform is designed to maintain the patient's body in a neutral, ergonomic position throughout the maneuver, ensuring that the patient's legs and upper body remain substantially parallel in the sagittal plane. This eliminates the need for the caregiver to adopt non-optimal postures to compensate for patient positioning difficulties.
2Productivity
If the patient's legs are lifted up into bed manually, then the patient can be positioned in bed, but the caregiver must lift heavy weight at a difficult height and position
Solution Approach 1:
The repositioning device segments the patient's body into distinct support zones: a lower body support portion and an upper body support portion. The device divides the lifting task into manageable segments by providing separate structural support for different body parts, allowing the caregiver to apply force more effectively without bearing the entire patient weight simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The device structure is designed to counterbalance the patient's weight during the repositioning maneuver. The support platform and structural framework work together to offset the gravitational force acting on the patient, reducing the lifting force that the caregiver must apply. The device essentially provides a mechanical counterweight to the patient's body weight during the transition.
3Area of stationary object
If the bed width is large, then more patient space is available, but the caregiver's reach is reduced and the patient's legs must come from far in from the bed edge
Solution Approach 1:
The device extends the caregiver's effective reach by adding a spatial dimension to the interaction. Instead of the caregiver needing to reach across the entire bed width to access the patient's legs, the device provides a mechanical extension that bridges the gap between the caregiver's position and the patient's body. The support structure effectively adds a new dimension to the working space, allowing the caregiver to operate from a more convenient distance.
4Ease of operation
If the patient is helped to move from lying to sitting position, then the patient can change posture, but the patient may be passivized if the technique makes them more dependent on equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with dynamic characteristics that adapt to the patient's level of participation. The support platform can be adjusted and repositioned based on the patient's capabilities, allowing the patient to actively participate in the repositioning maneuver when able. The device provides dynamic support rather than fixed mechanical assistance, enabling the patient to maintain control over their own movement while receiving necessary support.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient repositioning device includes an upper body support and a lower body support which are generally planar and laterally spaced from one another by a spacing element. A handle can rotate in the plane of the supports, enabling a care giver to rotate a patient form a sitting to a lying position and then to roll the patient onto their back. Another embodiment provides a patient cradle for cradling a patient from a reclining to a sitting position and vice versa.