Patient Support Deck Height Control for Safe Egress

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional patient support apparatuses face challenges in facilitating safe and efficient patient mobility and ambulation, particularly due to issues with the positioning of the patient support deck relative to the floor, which can lead to difficulties in exiting and re-entering the apparatus, and the need for caregivers to manually reposition patients for proper support.

Innovation Solution

A patient support apparatus with a control system that allows for the lift mechanism and articulation system to be adjusted via a single 'one-touch' egress input, positioning the patient support deck at an optimal height and configuration for ambulation, while also guiding side rails to facilitate easy ingress and egress through indicator prompts, thereby reducing the risk of alarm activation and minimizing caregiver effort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the patient support deck is positioned at a lower height for stability, then the stability of the apparatus is improved, but the ease of patient ingress and egress deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of patient support apparatusVSAvoidease of patient ingress and egress

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patient support deck is made dynamically adjustable in height relative to the base through the lift mechanism. The deck can be positioned between a first height (optimized for stability during patient care) and a second height (optimized for patient ingress/egress), allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs rather than being fixed at a single height.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple manual adjustments are required for patient egress, then the precision of patient positioning is improved, but the time required for the procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of patient positioningVSAvoidtime for patient egress procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically positioning the patient support deck at the optimal second height and configuring the articulation system to the egress configuration in advance, before the patient actually needs to exit. This automated preparation eliminates the need for multiple manual adjustments during the critical egress moment, thus reducing procedure time while maintaining positioning precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system enables self-service operation where the apparatus automatically performs the positioning and configuration adjustments needed for patient egress without requiring multiple manual interventions from caregivers. The system serves itself by detecting when egress is needed and automatically executing the sequence of adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the bed exit system is armed to alert caregivers, then the safety monitoring is improved, but the risk of false alarm activation during assisted egress increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of safety monitoringVSAvoidfalse alarm activation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control system automatically disarms the bed exit system as a preliminary action before initiating the patient egress sequence. This ensures that when the patient moves during assisted egress, it does not trigger a false alarm. After the egress procedure is complete and the patient is safely transferred, the system can then re-arm the monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If caregivers manually reposition patients for proper support, then the comfort and support quality is improved, but the physical effort and time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of patient supportVSAvoidtime for manual repositioning

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The articulation system with multiple deck sections provides self-service functionality by automatically adjusting and maintaining optimal patient support configurations. The system can independently position different sections of the patient support surface to provide proper anatomical support during various phases of patient care, including ingress, egress, and ambulation, without requiring continuous manual repositioning by caregivers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11723821B2Patient support apparatus for controlling patient ingress and egress

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 STRYKER CORP

AI summary

A patient support apparatus comprising a base movable about a floor surface and a deck comprising sections movable between deck configurations including an egress deck configuration. An articulation system coupled to the deck moves the sections. A lift mechanism moves the deck relative to the base between lift configurations including an egress lift configuration. An egress input is arranged for actuation by a user. A bed detection system monitors data associated with the patient support apparatus and communicates with a remote station. A controller interrupts communication of the bed detection system with the remote station, drives the articulation system to move the sections to the egress deck configuration, and drives the lift mechanism to move the support frame to the egress lift configuration in response to actuation of the egress input.