Thigh Cuff Relief System for Bedridden Patient Weight Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing body weight relief systems require healthcare personnel to lift patients to connect harnesses or straps, which is cumbersome and interferes with medical devices, especially for bedridden patients, limiting their mobility during rehabilitation.
Innovation Solution
A body weight relief system featuring a thigh cuff with distributed fastening means and a guide mechanism that allows easy connection and movement without repositioning the patient, ensuring compatibility with medical devices and allowing unrestricted walking or stepping movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If harnesses or straps are arranged on the upper body, waist and/or groin region to hold the user securely, then the user is secured in a stable manner, but healthcare personnel must lift the patient to connect them, which is cumbersome and interferes with medical devices
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into multiple independent attachment points distributed around the user's body (upper body, waist, and thigh regions). This segmentation allows healthcare personnel to connect the user to the relief system incrementally, starting from the thigh cuffs which are easily accessible, rather than requiring complete disconnection and reconnection of a single complex harness system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate connection elements (such as detachable linkages and modular attachment mechanisms) that serve as mediators between the user and the main relief system. These intermediaries allow for easy connection and disconnection without requiring healthcare personnel to lift or reposition the patient, thereby simplifying the operation while maintaining secure connection.
2Reliability
If harnesses or straps are arranged on the upper body, waist and/or groin region, then the user is secured stably, but the connection interferes with or impedes other medical devices connected to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the connection system into distributed attachment points including thigh cuffs, the patent creates connection zones that are spatially separated from typical medical device locations (ECG electrodes, catheters, and other monitoring equipment on the torso). This spatial segmentation reduces interference while maintaining overall connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief system is designed with universal attachment mechanisms that can be configured in multiple ways depending on the patient's needs and the presence of other medical devices. The system can adapt to different medical device configurations while maintaining secure connection, enhancing versatility and compatibility.
3Reliability
If traditional harness systems are used, then the user is secured stably, but the patient's stepping or walking movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic connection mechanisms that allow for controlled movement within the connection system. The detachable linkages and flexible support means enable the user to perform stepping and walking movements while maintaining secure connection to the relief system, adapting to the dynamic nature of rehabilitation exercises.
Data Source
AI summary
A relief system for at least partially relieving the body weight of a person includes at least one first fastening device for fastening a first end of a first support device and at least one second fastening device for fastening a second end of the first support device which are formed on a cuff, such that an equally distributed tensile force is exerted on the cuff at the first fastening device and second fastening device when the first support device is guided through a guide device during a movement of the cuff when loaded by at least part of the body weight of the person. This advantageously permits a simple connection in particular of a bedridden patient to the relief system, without the patient first having to be moved, without other medical/therapeutic devices being disturbed, and without limiting the patient's stepping/walking movement.