Pivotable Bed Surface for Healthcare Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional healthcare beds lack a mechanism to easily facilitate patient access and caregiver assistance, as they do not provide adequate pivoting capabilities to improve mobility and accessibility, leading to difficulties in getting in and out of the bed and providing care.
Innovation Solution
A healthcare bed with a pivoting bed surface that articulates between a fully reclined and fully inclined position, utilizing linear actuators and a bed surface pivot assembly to allow for easy rotation and locking of bed sections, enabling better access and support for patients and caregivers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bed surface is made fixed and stable, then structural integrity is maintained, but patient mobility and caregiver access are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bed surface is designed to be dynamically adjustable through a pivot mechanism that allows rotation between a horizontal sleeping position and a vertical seated position. The pivot assembly with actuators enables the bed surface to transition between fixed stable states and movable configurable states, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed surface is divided into separable sections (backrest, seat, leg sections) that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the bed to maintain structural integrity of individual components while enabling flexible reconfiguration for patient access and caregiver intervention.
2Ease of operation
If the bed surface is made pivotable to improve access, then patient mobility is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables patient self-adjustment for seating, facilitates caregiver access for medical procedures, and maintains structural support. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating several operational needs into a single mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed includes actuators and control systems that enable patients to independently adjust the bed surface position without caregiver assistance. This self-service capability reduces the operational burden on healthcare staff and improves patient autonomy, offsetting the increased device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bed surface is articulated to allow 90-degree pivoting, then caregiver access is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bed design incorporates standardized pivot angles (0 degrees for sleeping, 90 degrees for seating) that simplify manufacturing by defining specific geometric parameters. These fixed angular parameters allow for pre-fabricated components and assembly procedures, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the articulated functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A central bed having a longitudinal bed frame and a bed section mounted to the frame for rotation about a substantially vertical axis between a home position aligned with the bed frame and an away position.