Wall-Mounted Patient Lifting Cabinet with Stowed Horizontal Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for handling and moving bedridden patients or mobility impaired persons are cumbersome, require extensive installation, occupy significant space, and pose safety risks due to loose components and unsuitable design for home use, especially in rooms with limited structural capacity.
Innovation Solution
An integral system integrating a patient lifting apparatus into furniture, featuring a vertical cabinet with a horizontal arm that can be stowed and secured, allowing for compact installation and use in small rooms, with a drive unit and lifting device for safe and efficient patient transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional lifting devices are installed in proximity to the patient, then the patient can be handled and moved optimally, but the equipment occupies significant floor space and is difficult to stow away
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device is nested within a vertical cabinet structure. The horizontal arm and lifting mechanism are stored inside the cabinet when not in use, allowing the equipment to be compact and easy to store while providing full patient handling capability when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from occupying floor space to occupying vertical space by mounting the cabinet on a wall. The horizontal arm extends from the vertical cabinet, utilizing three-dimensional space rather than just horizontal footprint, thereby reducing floor area occupancy while maintaining operational accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If pivotal arms are used to position equipment close to the patient, then patient care is improved, but extensive installation work and room alteration are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular components: a vertical cabinet unit that can be independently installed on walls, and a horizontal arm mechanism that attaches to the cabinet. This segmentation allows for simpler, more flexible installation compared to monolithic pivotal arm systems requiring extensive structural modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical cabinet serves multiple functions: it houses the lifting mechanism, provides storage for lifting equipment, and acts as a mounting structure for the horizontal arm. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate installation components and simplifies overall installation requirements.
3Ease of operation
If lifting equipment is left loose and accessible, then ease of use is improved, but safety risks increase due to misplaced components and potential injury
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism and related equipment are nested within the vertical cabinet structure. When not in use, all components are securely stored inside the cabinet, preventing them from being misplaced or creating safety hazards, while remaining easily accessible when needed through the cabinet's opening mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical cabinet acts as an intermediary structure that mediates between the need for easy accessibility and the need for secure storage. It provides a controlled access point (through the opening mechanism) that allows equipment to be easily retrieved while maintaining security and organization when closed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If known systems are installed in private homes, then patient care is available, but extensive installation work and room alteration are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a self-contained vertical cabinet unit that can be independently installed on existing walls in private homes, without requiring extensive structural modification. The modular design allows for adaptable installation in various home environments with different structural capacities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates movable and adjustable components, including a horizontal arm that can be positioned at different angles and a cabinet opening mechanism that allows flexible access. This dynamic design adapts to different usage scenarios and home environments without requiring permanent structural alterations.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for handling and moving bedridden or mobility impaired patients, the system comprising a vertical arm that is arranged in a vertical cabinet, which vertical arm is connected to an arm that is pivotal in a horizontal plane arranged in a horizontal overhead cabinet, said arms being adjustable from an inactive and secured position arranged in the cabinets to an active position arranged outside the cabinets. The horizontal overhead cabinet is connected to the arm that is pivotal in a horizontal plane, and follows the movement of the arm from an inactive and secured position to an active position. A drive unit is further connected to the arm that is pivotal in a horizontal plane, which drive unit via at least a wire or the like is connected to a removable lifting bar. In an inactive and secured position of the system for handling and moving bedridden patients or mobility impaired persons, the horizontal overhead cabinet will house the arm that is pivotal in a horizontal plane and the drive unit.