Rotating Bed Drying with UV Treatment for Bedsore Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Patients confined to bed for extended periods develop skin moisture buildup, leading to bed sores and bacterial infections due to inadequate drying and pressure, which are painful and costly to treat.

Innovation Solution

A device combining a forced air fan and UV light source that can be positioned to treat and dry high-risk skin areas by rotating around the patient, allowing minimal movement to expose skin to air and light, effectively preventing bed sores and killing bacteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a patient is confined to bed for extended periods, then the patient receives continuous medical care, but moisture builds up on the skin leading to bed sores and bacterial infections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous medical careVSAvoidmoisture buildup and bacterial infection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs preliminary drying and UV treatment of the skin before bed sores and infections can develop. By continuously or periodically drying the skin and exposing it to UV light, the system prevents moisture buildup and bacterial growth before they become harmful, rather than treating established infections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical repositioning (physically moving the patient) with a rotating drying and UV treatment device that moves around the patient. Instead of requiring staff to manually reposition the patient every few hours, the device rotates to treat different areas of the patient's body, maintaining skin health through automated environmental control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If specialized beds are used to prevent bed sores, then skin health is improved, but treatment cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveskin healthVSAvoidtreatment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive, replaceable components such as disposable UV light bulbs and standard fan units rather than requiring expensive specialized medical equipment. The drying device uses common components that can be easily replaced when worn, avoiding the high cost of specialized anti-bedsore beds while achieving similar preventive effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The device enables self-service skin care by automatically drying and treating the patient's skin without requiring constant staff intervention. The rotating mechanism autonomously positions the drying and UV treatment elements to cover different body areas, reducing the need for expensive specialized care and manual repositioning services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the patient is repositioned frequently to prevent bed sores, then skin exposure to air is improved, but the patient experiences increased pain and discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveskin exposureVSAvoidpatient pain and discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drying device acts as an intermediary between the patient and the need for repositioning. Instead of directly moving the patient (which causes pain), the device introduces a mediating mechanism that rotates around the patient, providing skin exposure and drying benefits without requiring the patient to experience the discomfort of being moved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of moving the patient to achieve skin exposure, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the patient stationary and moving the drying/UV treatment device around the patient. This reversal eliminates the pain of repositioning while still achieving the goal of skin exposure and moisture removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 device effectively dries the skin and reduces bacterial growth, preventing bed sores and associated infections by using a fan and UV light to treat at-risk areas, reducing the need for specialized beds and costly care.

Implementation Method 1

The apparatus utilizes a forced air source, such as a fan... The present disclosed technology dry the patient as well as destroy the harmful bacteria present on a person's skin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

The apparatus utilizes a forced air source, such as a fan, and a UV light source... destroy the harmful bacteria present on a person's skin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUV radiation: Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS9308393B1Bed drying device, UV lights for bedsores

Publication Date: 2016.04.12 DRI EM

AI summary

A device and method for preventing and treating bedsores on a lying patient. The device uses both a fan and a UV light source. The fan dries the skin while the UV light source aids in drying the patient as well as killing harmful pathogens. The device is adjustable so the air and UV light can be directed at various angles and from different heights, to a patient in different positions, prone, supine, and laying on side.