Two-Position Siderail Assembly to Avoid Lower Extremity Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing siderail assemblies for person-support apparatuses, such as hospital beds, often pose a risk of contacting a person's lower extremities when moved between deployed and storage positions, as they do not effectively manage height changes to prevent such interactions.
Innovation Solution
A siderail assembly with a grip portion that can rotate between an upper and lower position relative to the siderail body, utilizing a linkage assembly and locking mechanism to selectively maintain positions and adjust height, thereby reducing the risk of contact with lower extremities during movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the siderail is moved between deployed and storage positions, then the siderail can provide support and safety when needed, but the siderail may contact the lower extremities of a person during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The grip portion is made movable relative to the siderail body, allowing it to rotate between an upper position (when siderail is deployed) and a lower position (when siderail is in storage). This dynamic adjustment ensures the grip does not interfere with patient movement while maintaining support function when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The siderail assembly is divided into separate functional components: the siderail body and the grip portion. This segmentation allows independent movement of the grip relative to the body, enabling the grip to be positioned out of the way during storage while the siderail body remains functional.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the grip portion is made movable to prevent contact with lower extremities, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grip portion rotates about a pivot point to move between upper and lower positions. This simple rotational mechanism provides the necessary safety function without requiring complex actuators, motors, or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip portion is designed to move automatically or manually into position based on the siderail state, without requiring additional complex control mechanisms. The pivot-based rotation allows the grip to self-adjust its position relative to the siderail body.
Data Source
AI summary
A siderail assembly comprises a first siderail body and a second siderail body. The second siderail body is movably coupled to the first siderail body and configured to rotate between a first position and a second position with respect to the first siderail body about a rotational axis passing through the first siderail body. The second siderail body is positioned above the first siderail body in the first position and below the first siderail body in the second position.