Medical Support Arm Tension Assembly for Low-Profile Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical device support systems face challenges with bulky and heavy support arms due to extensive mounting structures, which occupy space, obstruct laminar flow, and have visible fasteners, making them aesthetically and functionally suboptimal.

Innovation Solution

A support arm design utilizing tension members that secure the structure without visible fasteners, featuring a proximal hub, distal hub, and intermediate beam with a cavity, where tension members extend through the beam and are secured at both ends, allowing for a compact and lightweight configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If traditional mounting structures with bolts and bosses are used, then the support arm achieves structural stability, but the space footprint and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidspace footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the traditional mounting structure including bolts, bosses, and threaded holes from the support arm design. By extracting these bulky fastening components, the support arm achieves a significantly reduced space footprint and streamlined profile while maintaining structural integrity through alternative means.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent integrates the mounting function directly into the support arm structure itself, eliminating the need for separate mounting components. The support arm is designed with built-in attachment mechanisms that combine the structural support and mounting functions into a single unified component, reducing overall volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If traditional mounting structures with bolts and bosses are used, then the support arm achieves structural stability, but the weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes heavy mounting components such as bolts, bosses, and threaded holes from the support arm design. By extracting these dense fastening elements, the overall weight of the support arm is significantly reduced while maintaining structural stability through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies material and structural optimizations at specific locations where mounting is needed, using localized reinforcement or specialized attachment mechanisms only where required, rather than uniformly thickening the entire support arm structure. This reduces overall weight while maintaining stability at critical points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If traditional mounting structures with visible fasteners are used, then the support arm achieves secure assembly, but the aesthetic quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure assemblyVSAvoidaesthetic quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes all visible fasteners including bolts, nuts, and external mounting hardware from the support arm design. By extracting these visually prominent components, the support arm achieves a clean, sleek appearance with no visible fasteners, while secure assembly is maintained through integrated attachment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent integrates the fastening function into the support arm structure itself, combining the structural support and fastening functions into unified components. This eliminates the need for separate visible fasteners, achieving both secure assembly and superior aesthetic quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If traditional mounting structures are used, then the support arm achieves reliable fastening, but the number of components and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliable fasteningVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes multiple separate mounting components including bolts, nuts, washers, bosses, and threaded holes from the support arm design. By extracting these individual fastening elements, the total number of components is significantly reduced, simplifying both the structure and assembly process while maintaining reliable fastening through integrated mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple fastening functions into single integrated components. Instead of using separate bolts, nuts, and mounting brackets, the support arm incorporates built-in attachment mechanisms that perform multiple fastening functions simultaneously, reducing component count and assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3917438B1Support arm for medical device support system

Publication Date: 2022.10.12 AMERICAN STERILIZER CO

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AI summary

A support arm for a medical device support system. The support arm includes a proximal hub, a distal hub, and an intermediate beam between the proximal hub and the distal hub. The intermediate beam having a cavity. A tension member extends through the cavity of the intermediate beam and is secured at opposite ends to the proximal hub and the distal hub to secure the proximal hub, the distal hub, and the intermediate beam together.