In order to improve the design of the chairbed further, an energy storage system was also developed and patented (for use on all surgical tables). Normal surgical beds are lowered for patient entry, raised for the surgical procedure and then lowered again for the patient to leave. Some are powered but this has problems of weight and the need for batteries or a mains electricity supply.

The energy storage system developed here uses a combination of hydraulics, pneumatics and low cost suspension parts from Citroen cars. These store the energy and effectively balance the patient weight. This means that, for a typical day surgery, instead of having to ‘pump up’ 20 patients, the system raises them using stored energy of previous patients. The system only requires the addition of energy for increases in patient weight and this is provided by pumping, as with conventional beds.

For more information see www.keymed.co.uk