Transfer Assistance Device with Differential Air Pressure Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walking assistance devices cannot independently adjust air pressure across different regions of air bags, leading to an uneven distribution of pressure on the torso, which increases the burden on individuals being assisted during transfer.
Innovation Solution
A transfer assistance device with a bogie, tiltably supported arm, and a holding part that includes low and high pressure air cells to adjust air pressure on different parts of the torso, allowing for differential pressure distribution across the front, lateral, and back surfaces, with an air pressure adjuster to control these cells independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single air bag is used to support the torso, then the structure is simple, but the pressure distribution is uniform and cannot be adjusted for different body regions
Solution Approach 1:
The single air bag is divided into multiple independent air bags (first air bag, second air bag, third air bag) that can be independently controlled. Each air bag corresponds to a different body region (solar plexus, lateral surface, back surface), allowing independent pressure adjustment for each region while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different air bags are assigned different pressure levels according to the specific requirements of each body region. The solar plexus region receives lower pressure, while other regions receive higher pressure, creating localized pressure quality that adapts to different anatomical characteristics and comfort requirements.
2Reliability
If air pressure is increased to improve holding force, then transfer stability improves, but burden on the person being assisted increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air pressure is differentiated across different body regions, with the solar plexus region (a sensitive and vulnerable area) receiving lower pressure to reduce burden, while other regions receive higher pressure to maintain holding force and transfer stability. This localized pressure quality resolves the contradiction between stability and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the air support system into multiple independently controlled air bags, the system can apply different pressure levels to different regions, allowing the solar plexus area to experience reduced pressure while other areas provide sufficient support for stable transfer.
3Device complexity
If uniform pressure is applied across all air bags, then the control system is simple, but comfort and burden reduction are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented to independently control each air bag's pressure. While this increases control complexity slightly, it enables differentiated pressure adjustment that significantly improves comfort by reducing burden on sensitive areas like the solar plexus while maintaining support elsewhere.
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 reduces the burden on the solar plexus and other areas of the torso by adjusting air pressure, ensuring a more comfortable and efficient transfer process.
Implementation Method 1
an air pressure adjuster to individually adjust air pressure of the first bag and air pressure of the second bag
Data Source
AI summary
The transfer assistance device includes a bogie, an arm tiltably supported by the bogie, a holding part that is supported by the arm and holds a torso of a person being assisted. The holding part includes at least a low pressure cell group and a high pressure cell group configured to respectively face different parts of a front surface of the torso of the person being assisted. The transfer assistance device further includes air pressure adjuster configured to individually adjust air pressure of the low pressure cell group and air pressure of the high pressure cell group.