Variable Width Hospital Bed Deck Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accommodating patients of wide girth on patient support apparatuses poses challenges, particularly during transportation through doorways not designed for such apparatuses, as existing systems lack effective width adjustment mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a control interface with buttons for width alteration, a bed controller, motor, and a fluid supply device that inflates or deflates mattress chambers to adjust the deck sections' width, allowing for extension or retraction of the support apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the patient support apparatus is designed to accommodate patients of wide girth, then the support capacity is improved, but the transportability through standard doorways deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support apparatus employs adjustable deck sections that can dynamically change width. The deck includes movable portions that can extend to accommodate wide girth patients and retract to reduce width for transportation, allowing the apparatus to adapt its dimensions based on operational requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of deck width through mechanical adjustment. By modifying the width parameter of the deck sections, the apparatus can transition between a wide configuration for patient support and a narrow configuration for transport through standard doorways
2Adaptability or versatility
If the deck section width is increased to accommodate wide girth patients, then the patient comfort is improved, but the transportation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is divided into multiple adjustable sections rather than a single rigid structure. This segmentation allows individual sections to be independently adjusted or repositioned, enabling the overall width to be modified by moving specific segments while maintaining structural integrity during transport
3Device complexity
If a fixed width design is used for patient support, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to different patient sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic, adjustable structure. The deck sections are designed with movable components that can be repositioned to change width, providing adaptability to different patient sizes while maintaining relatively simple structural mechanisms for adjustment
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
Enables safe and efficient transportation of patients by accommodating varying widths, ensuring compatibility with different doorway sizes through controlled inflation and deflation of mattress chambers, thereby facilitating easy passage.
Implementation Method 1
A fluid supply device may be configured to be controlled by the mattress controller. A mattress may be configured to be supported the person support apparatus, the mattress may comprise at least one chamber fluidly connected to the fluid supply device and may be configured to be inflated by the fluid supply device upon the fluid supply device receiving a control signal from the mattress controller
Data Source
AI summary
A system for changing width of a person support apparatus is disclosed. A person support apparatus comprises at least one deck extension which is configured to be retracted or extended by at least one motor controlled by a bed controller. A mattress controller communicates with a bed controller and controls a fluid supply device to inflate or deflate a mattress supported by the person support apparatus to alter the width of the mattress. The mattress may also be inflated or deflated in response to manual extension or retraction of the deck extension.