Removable Seat for Mobility Apparatus with Gas Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobility devices for assisting individuals to stand from a seated position or vice versa are often bulky, cumbersome, and expensive, posing risks to caregivers due to improper handling and lifting, and are not suited for home environments.
Innovation Solution
A compact, portable mobility apparatus with a base, pivotally attached handle assembly, locking mechanism, actuating mechanism, and a gas spring mechanism that provides mechanical advantage for lifting, allowing individuals to be transferred between seated and standing positions safely and efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If hoist floor-based lifts and ceiling-based lifts are used, then individual lifting capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase, and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting system is divided into modular components: a base unit with casters for mobility, a separate handle assembly that can be positioned at different heights, and a removable seat. This segmentation allows the system to provide institutional-grade lifting capability while maintaining simplicity and adaptability for home use.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle assembly is designed with pivotal attachment to the base, allowing it to rotate and adjust to different positions and angles. This dynamic configuration enables the handles to be positioned optimally for various user heights and transfer scenarios, improving ease of operation while maintaining lifting effectiveness.
2Force
If hoist floor-based lifts and ceiling-based lifts are used, then individual lifting capability is improved, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle assembly pivots on the base and can be locked at multiple positions, allowing caregivers to adjust the handle height and angle to match the user's body dimensions. This dynamic adjustability makes the device easier to operate for different individuals while maintaining the mechanical advantage needed for safe lifting.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit serves multiple functions: it provides the lifting mechanism, acts as a mobile platform with casters, and supports the removable seat. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices into one unified system that is easier to operate and store.
3Force
If current mobility devices are used, then lifting capability is improved, but device portability and adaptability for home settings worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is designed as a removable component that can be attached to and detached from the base. This segmentation allows the device to be configured for different home environments and transfer scenarios, and enables the base to be used independently if needed, greatly enhancing adaptability for home settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The casters on the base provide mobile mobility, allowing the device to be easily moved to different locations within the home. Combined with the pivotal handle assembly that adjusts to various positions, the device adapts to different spatial constraints and user needs in home environments.
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 apparatus enables safe and efficient transfer of individuals by providing a mechanical advantage for caregivers, reducing the risk of injury and anxiety, and is designed for use in home settings, offering a cost-effective alternative to bulky electrical and hydraulic lifts.
Implementation Method 1
a gas spring mechanism coupled to the hub ring to provide a mechanical advantage to assist an operator in lifting a patient
Implementation Method 2
a breaking mechanism for the casters, wherein the breaking mechanism is operable to lock and unlock the casters simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A seat comprising: an attachment bracket; a seat hub rotatably attached to the attachment bracket in a first axis; a first locking mechanism operable to place the seat hub between a first position and a second position; a seat arm swivably attached to the seat hub in a second axis, wherein the second axis is substantially orthogonal to the first axis; a seating pad rotatably attached to the seat arm in a third axis, wherein the seating pad is caused to pivot into a sitting position; a second locking mechanism operable to maintain the seating pad in the sitting position.