Retractable Foot Casters for Adjustable-Length Patient Beds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient beds lack the ability to efficiently adjust their base length and caster positions to accommodate different bed positions, such as transitioning from a horizontal to a chair position, which can be cumbersome and require manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
A bed design featuring an adjustable-length base with movable caster supports and an actuator system that automatically adjusts the base length and caster positions in response to the foot section's movement, allowing for seamless transitions between horizontal and chair positions, and incorporating a controller to manage these changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the bed uses a fixed-length base with stationary casters, then the structure is simple and stable, but the bed cannot efficiently accommodate transitions between horizontal and chair positions
Solution Approach 1:
The base length is made dynamically adjustable through a telescoping mechanism with movable caster supports that can extend and retract along the longitudinal axis. This allows the base to adapt its length according to the bed's position (horizontal vs. chair position), resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The caster supports are nested within the base structure, allowing them to slide in and out along the longitudinal axis. This nesting arrangement enables the caster supports to be positioned at different locations depending on the bed configuration, providing adaptability while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If the bed requires manual adjustment of base length and caster positions, then the mechanism remains simple, but user convenience decreases and manual effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bed system performs self-adjustment of base length and caster positions through actuators that automatically detect and respond to changes in bed configuration. When the deck section moves between horizontal and angled positions, the actuators autonomously extend or retract the caster supports to the appropriate locations without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect the position of the deck section and automatically trigger corresponding adjustments in base length and caster positions. This feedback loop enables automated adaptation to different bed configurations, improving ease of operation while introducing controlled automation.
3Reliability
If the caster supports are fixed in position, then the structure is stable and simple, but the bed cannot maintain proper caster positioning during position transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The caster supports are designed to be dynamically repositionable along the longitudinal axis of the base. This dynamic positioning capability ensures that the casters are always located at the optimal positions for the current bed configuration, maintaining stability and reliability whether the bed is in horizontal or chair position.
Solution Approach 2:
The base structure is segmented into fixed and movable portions, with the caster supports being the movable segments that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the caster supports to be adjusted without affecting the overall structural integrity of the base, maintaining reliability while enabling precise positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A bed has a head section and a foot section. The bed can assume a horizontal position and at least one position in which the foot section is at an angle relative to horizontal. For instance, the bed may assume a chair position, in which the head section is pivoted upwardly and the foot section is pivoted downwardly, to a substantially vertical position.Casters allow the bed to move relative to the floor. The casters can retract toward the head section of the bed as the foot section pivots downwardly toward the floor.