Robotic Transfer Bed With Articulated Lift for Patient Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Moving heavy payloads in hospital environments, such as patients, requires significant human effort and poses a risk of injury to personnel, while robotic systems are underutilized in this context.
Innovation Solution
A robotic transfer device with an articulated body and rolling bed, equipped with actuators, allows for autonomous lifting and maneuvering of payloads by rotating and translating relative to the ground or static objects, and can be integrated with unmanned vehicles for enhanced mobility and payload transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual lifting by personnel is used, then human strength and effort are required, but risk of injury to personnel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic transfer device autonomously performs patient transfer operations without requiring human physical intervention for lifting and maneuvering, eliminating the safety risks associated with manual handling while maintaining operational capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lifting system with an automated robotic system equipped with actuators and control algorithms, substituting human physical effort with mechanical automation to eliminate injury risks
2Reliability
If robotic transfer device is introduced, then human intervention is eliminated and safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic transfer device is divided into modular functional components including articulated body segments, rolling bed units, and actuator assemblies, allowing complex functionality to be achieved through coordinated simple modules that can be independently controlled and maintained
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system integrates multiple functions including autonomous navigation, patient lifting, positioning, and transfer operations within a single unified platform, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized devices for each function
3Adaptability or versatility
If articulated body with multiple actuators is used, then autonomous maneuvering capability is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated body employs dynamic control algorithms that continuously adjust actuator commands based on real-time sensor feedback and computed paths, enabling complex maneuvering tasks to be executed through adaptive coordination rather than fixed mechanical linkages
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and control algorithms that monitor the actual position and orientation of the articulated body and rolling bed, comparing it with the desired trajectory and making real-time corrections to maintain precise control despite the complexity of multiple actuators
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic transfer device is an unmanned vehicle carrying an articulated body that can load, unload, and transport a payload. The configuration of the articulated body is such that one of the degrees of freedom is along a vertical axis so that it can lift a payload from the bottom. At the tip, the articulated body has a roller bed which can be moved up or down with or without a payload. When the rollers rotate about their own axes, the payload moves linearly along the direction of motion perpendicular to the axis of rotation. This phenomenon helps transporting the payload from one robotic transfer device to another. If a patient bed is detachable from the frame, then the robotic transfer device can lift the bed along with the patient. A robotic transfer device and a method of transferring patient from one robotic transfer device to another are disclosed.