English Abstract
Brief assistive devices industry background summar
Many hospital patients and senior citizens lack mobility freedom. There are
many various
assistive devices which aid in the movement and transport of these physically
challenged
individuals. To name a few assistive devices, there are wheelchairs, walkers,
scooters and
walking sticks. At some point during transport movement, they require
transfers from these
assistive devices to a bed, bathtub, sofas, automobiles, public pools etc.
Continuously lifting
patients have caused many back injuries at homes and hospitals and because of
this, all hospitals
have initiated a zero lift policies for the practicing nurses. Manufacturers
have come far by
developing and selling various lifting devices which are rolled to the bed,
car etc and a small
actuator lifts the patients up or down. Other ways are use of ceiling lifts to
avoid slippery floors
or frictional surfaces such as carpets etc, in which a motorized lifting
device is attached with a
strap to a ceiling track. The track itself is made out of an extruded metal.
Inside the tract rolls a 6
wheeled carriage. The carriage also acts like a lifting pivot and provides a
single directional
movement function to transfer patients to the desired locations, but limited
only to where the
tracks are laid track.
In my invention the freedom to position and transfer patients, anywhere is
greatly enhanced. This
raises the mobility as well as the standard of living for a maturing
population which is a growing
trend. The market demographics for this product are very strong as the baby
boomers are retiring.
Expanding on the existing Problem
The main purpose of the problem was overcome some disadvantages and
difficulties associated
with the track lift systems. The track system provided motion in the direction
where the tracks
are permanently installed. The lifting positions were limited to where the
tracks were installed.
More tracks were necessary if they were needed to reach certain areas like a
bath tub, toilet etc.
and if the track crossed one another then they had to have a mechanical
turntable installed at the
cross-over junction to allow a change in direction. More over, the track looks
ugly with
protruding rail in the ceiling.
Objectives
The challenge was to make the track available in an area of a room and
avoiding the rotational
directional change. They also had to have an appealing decorative and a
pleasing look. It also
had to accommodate existing motor lifts which are available in the market. The
design had to be
strong to carry patient weights and offer smooth quite movements.
The solution
The invention is based on the principle of a free standing trapped carriage
sliding freely and
safely in an x-y motion, inside the grove of this embodiment. The main
embodiment consists of
decorative trap bolts assembled to ceiling tile, and a free moving carriage
which holds the patient
load.
Horizontal movement
The carriage would be able to move in any x-y horizontal position under the
ceiling tile guided
by the embodiment's central structural trap bolts. The gravitational fall is
prevented by having
the carriage diameter sized larger than the bottom base of the trap bolts.
Vertical movement
Would remain the same as available in the market and this invention will
accommodate existing
available equipment in the market, however the lifts have to be affixed to the
invented
embodiment's sliding carriage.
Original
The type of this embodiment is non existent and obviously, having the ability
to he at any
horizontal x-y position has practical advantages over existing single track
products. This mass
produced durable product is very simple, unique and would require minimal
service maintenance.
The appropriate preferred practice would be in use in at hospitals, elderly
institutions like
nursing homes and long term retirement homes as well as homes of our beloved
elderly seniors.
The carriage features extends to hold IV bags movable to any where in the
room, replace curtain
tracks in the hospital where the privacy area could be enlarged or reduced at
will because the
curtain would follow the carriage wherever it was directed. It would also be
associated with other
products like a lift, curtain rings, slings etc.
Competition
This product would put competition on notice and make some of their products
redundant if not
obsolete. This is an opportunity with an international scope with a Canadian
based design
innovation.
Accommodation
The embodiment allows incorporating ceiling fixtures such as lamps, smoke
alarms via suitable
brackets and will have outlets in the ceiling tiles to allow wire runs.
Manufacturing
The use of injection mold technology would bring the price level to
affordability. The product is
profitable, simple and easy to produce. The intent is to use environmental
friendly recyclable
materials.
Technology
The embodiment could be injection molded from readily available high strength
advanced
polymers. Sliding surfaces could be made out of low friction materials to
lower the push force.
The material would have a high wear and tear chemistry element.
Operations
The parts can be assembled at site without any special tools. The installation
would require close
adjoining of tiles on all x-y and also z axis to allow free carriage movement.
The Installers would
be certified to tackle safe load distribution and mounting considerations.
Because this product is
modular, it can be easily dismantled, transported and accommodated to a new
home without
damage to existing ceiling.
Spin-off and enhancements
Due to the embodiment's ability to be positioned anywhere in the ceiling, spin-
off to other
industries for lift operations or ceiling use, looks very promising. This
technology could be
extended to other lifting requirements in industries such as factories, meat
plants, public
transportation, malls etc. This embodiment offers other hanging products that
can he attached to
this embodiment.
Limitations
Just like the existing tracks, the embodiment would be designed to hold
practical patient dynamic
weights and exceeding these tested limits would prove risky and hazardous. As
in the ceiling lift
industry, the various ceilings should also be sufficiently structurally strong
for the embodiment
to be firmly installed and affixed for safe operation. Additional structural
reinforcement could be
required in rare cases.
Concerns
The tile mounting holes are designed to accommodate concrete ceilings and to
various American
and European joist sizes. There are objects in the ceiling such as lamps,
fans, sprinklers, etc that
could interfere if they are not be incorporated within the embodiment. The
necessity of this
embodiment outweighs the objections to reroute ceiling fixtures and services.
Others may object
placing any thing on the ceiling.
Disclosures
This patent has not been disclosed to any body except trusted family members
and a patent
attorney.
