Retractable Trim Plate Hook Arm for Medical Tubing Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical facilities, excess tubing and cables are not securely stored, leading to cleanliness issues, potential contamination, and interference with medical equipment functionality due to draping on the floor or blocking visual inspection of devices.
Innovation Solution
A retractable trim plate with a folding hook arm and weight-bearing truss that securely stores tubing and cables, keeping them clean and sterile while allowing for unobstructed access to medical equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tubing is coiled and placed in a bag or hung on equipment, then storage is achieved, but the tubing is not secure and can fall away, drag on the floor, or detach
Solution Approach 1:
The trim plate is divided into functional segments: a stationary faceplate portion and a movable hook arm portion. This segmentation allows the hook arm to be independently positioned to securely hold tubing while keeping the main plate structure stable and clean.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook arm is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to extend when tubing needs to be stored and retract when not in use. This dynamic design enables secure tubing storage while maintaining a clean, unobtrusive appearance when the hook is not needed.
2Reliability
If coiled tubing is hung on flowmeter or stuffed behind suction regulator, then storage is achieved, but visual inspection of equipment is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The tubing storage function is extracted from the medical equipment itself (flowmeter, suction regulator) and relocated to a dedicated hook arm on the trim plate. This separation allows the equipment to remain visually accessible while providing secure tubing storage elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing tubing behind or on the equipment (occupying the same spatial plane), the hook arm extends outward in a different dimension, providing storage space that does not interfere with visual inspection of the equipment face.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed hook structure is added to the trim plate, then tubing storage is provided, but the plate size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hook arm is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to extend when tubing needs to be stored and retract when not in use. This dynamic design enables secure tubing storage while maintaining a clean, unobtrusive appearance when the hook is not needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook arm nests within or alongside the trim plate structure when retracted, minimizing the increase in overall plate size. The truss mechanism folds compactly, allowing the storage function to be integrated without significantly increasing the footprint of the trim plate.
4Device complexity
If tubing is allowed to drape on the floor or along the wall, then no additional structure is needed, but cleanliness and sterility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hook arm serves as an intermediary structure between the trim plate and the tubing. It provides a designated storage point that elevates the tubing off the floor and prevents it from draping along the wall, thereby maintaining cleanliness and sterility with minimal additional structure.
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 solution provides a secure, clean, and space-efficient storage for medical tubing and cables, preventing contamination and ensuring clear access to medical devices, thus enhancing the functionality and safety of medical environments.
Implementation Method 1
One end of the weight bearing truss is pivotally connected to the retracting hook arm at about the middle of the hook arm
Data Source
AI summary
A trim plate is disclosed that includes a base plate, a folding hook arm pivotally attached to the base plate, and a weight-bearing truss that supports the folding hook arm. A first end of the weight bearing truss is pivotally connected to the hook arm at about the middle of the hook arm and the second end of the truss is positioned in a primary slot in the base plate. Two secondary slots in the base plate are positioned on either side of the primary slot, and pins extend perpendicularly from the base plate end of the truss and fit in the secondary slots for sliding therein whenever the hook arm is open or closed.