Wall-Mounted Lift Control Display for Untethered Patient Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current overhead lifts are tethered, making them cumbersome to maneuver, especially in spaces with obstacles, and lack effective data transmission and feedback mechanisms for caregivers, limiting their operational efficiency and usability.
Innovation Solution
A lift communications system featuring a wireless, wall-mounted control that communicates with rail-mounted lifts, allowing for untethered operation and providing a remote display for data transmission and feedback, enhancing caregiver interaction and lift control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a corded hand control is used for operating overhead lifts, then the lift can be controlled, but the hand control and its attachment point create obstacles in the room during non-operation and are difficult to maneuver around objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control interface from the tethered hand control and relocates it to a wall-mounted display unit. This separates the control function from the physical tether, allowing the lift to move freely without being constrained by a cord. The wall-mounted display provides control capabilities while eliminating the obstructive tether that previously limited maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication system as an intermediary between the wall-mounted display and the lift motor. This intermediary enables untethered control by transmitting control signals wirelessly, eliminating the need for a physical cord connection while maintaining full control functionality.
2Loss of information
If a small screen on the corded hand control is used, then control functions are provided, but the screen is too small to provide relevant and easily readable information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a small, handheld display to a large, wall-mounted display. This dimensional change from portable to fixed mounting allows for a significantly larger screen size that can display detailed information about lift operation, subject status, and system diagnostics in an easily readable format.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a duplicate control interface on the wall-mounted display that mirrors the functionality of the hand control. This copying allows caregivers to operate the lift and view information from a stationary position with a large, readable display, eliminating the need to physically handle the small hand control for monitoring purposes.
3Loss of information
If overhead lifts generate operational data, then information about lift usage and status is available, but there are no components to provide the data in a usable manner for feedback and compliance tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where operational data from the lift is transmitted to the wall-mounted display and presented in a user-friendly format. This allows caregivers to receive real-time feedback about lift usage, subject status, and system health, enabling them to monitor compliance and make informed decisions about patient care.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the absence of a data display system with an electronic data transmission and visualization system. The wall-mounted display incorporates screens and interfaces that electronically present operational data, replacing the previous scenario where data was generated but not effectively communicated to users.
4Ease of operation
If the hand control is tethered to the lift, then control is maintained, but the tether must be stored at reachable height creating obstacles and tangling issues during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the tether from the control system by implementing wireless communication between the wall-mounted display and the lift. This extraction eliminates the physical cord that created obstacles and tangling problems, allowing the lift to move freely throughout the room without constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall-mounted display serves multiple functions including control interface, information display, and data monitoring. By consolidating these functions in a stationary unit, the system eliminates the need for a mobile hand control with tether, reducing overall system complexity and eliminating obstacle creation.
Data Source
AI summary
Lift communications systems, wall-mounted controls, and methods of using and configuring the same are disclosed. A lift communications system includes one or more lifts, each one of the one or more lifts is movable within a space. The lift communications system further includes a wall-mounted control coupled to a wall of the space. The wall-mounted control is configured to communicatively couple to the one or more lifts via a wireless connection. When the wall-mounted control is communicatively coupled to a lift of the one or more lifts, the wall-mounted control is configured to direct operation of the lift and receive data from the lift.