Retractable IV Pole System for Hospital Bed Footprint Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IV pole systems for patient transportation are cumbersome, inefficient, and pose risks to both medical personnel and patients due to their design, leading to increased strain, accidents, and inefficiencies in hospital operations.
Innovation Solution
A retractable IV pole system with a base, mast, and lifting mechanism that allows for easy extension and retraction, reducing the footprint and enabling safe, efficient movement of medical equipment, including a docking system that allows the pole to be securely attached to a boom or hospital bed, facilitating single-user operation and reducing the risk of accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a permanently attached IV pole is used on patient transportation device, then the IV pole is always available for use, but the device becomes bulky and difficult to maneuver, store, and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The IV pole system is divided into separate components: a transportation device without permanently attached poles, and standalone IV poles with wheeled bases that can be positioned independently. This segmentation allows the transportation device to remain maneuverable while IV poles remain available through separate deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The IV pole system transitions from a two-dimensional attachment to the transportation device to a three-dimensional standalone structure with a wheeled base that can be positioned anywhere in the space around the patient, providing availability without adding bulk to the transportation device.
2Ease of operation
If a free standing wheeled IV pole is moved alongside the patient transfer apparatus, then the IV pole can be moved independently, but significant strain is placed on medical personnel and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The IV pole is merged with a wheeled base assembly that integrates the pump, fluid bag holder, and positioning mechanisms into a single unified unit. This combination allows the entire IV system to be moved as one unit alongside the patient transport device, eliminating the need for separate handling and reducing strain on personnel.
3Stability of the object's composition
If IV bags and pumps are repeatedly transferred onto and off the transportation device, then the IV pole remains permanently attached and stable, but the risk of IV leads being strained or pulled from the patient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The IV pole with pump and fluid bag is pre-assembled and positioned on its wheeled base before patient transport begins. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for repeated transfers during transport, maintaining both the stability of the IV pole attachment and the integrity of IV connections to the patient.
4Reliability
If a permanently attached IV pole is used on hospital bed, then the IV pole is always positioned and available, but the bed becomes bulky and patient transfer into and out of the bed becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The IV pole system is segmented from the hospital bed into a separate standalone unit with a wheeled base. This allows the bed to remain adaptable for patient transfer while the IV pole maintains its positioning and availability through independent placement and locking mechanisms near the patient.
Data Source
AI summary
An intravenous (IV) pole docking system for supporting medical equipment having a mast engaged to a base, the base having legs to support the mast and a lifting mechanism engaged to the base and the mast for moving the base along the mast in combination with an extension arm meant to reduce the IV pole footprint. The boom/IV pole system can reduce excess obstacles in and around hospital bed, surgical rooms and the like.