Hamper Lift

A design of a hamper where a lift is installed to help nurses with back pain from on work injury due to repetitive back strain.

Calculations,Project Report · Ryker Seebacher, Loic Ramos, Charlie Thwaites, Max Franco · Mechanical,Electrical · 2026-01-08 – 2026-04-07

Context

Had a $200 budget. Goal was to create an affordable easy to use hamper with a lift mechanism that allowed nurses not to bend down as much when having to transport and tie bags. This helps with back issues which are a big problem in hospitals. The prototype testing used 15lb bags.

Approach

We used a linear actuator for the lifting mechanism with scissors arms made with aluminum metal. This was done as the linear actuator was within our budget and provided good lifting power while the scissors arms were able to safely lift the platform where the bag rests up. Aluminum was used for the arms as it was cheap but something durable was still needed to withstand the weight of the bag.

Outcome

The lift successfully lifted the bag and was usable for multiple tries. It was calculated that it would be usable for around 150~ full lifts up and down before needing to recharge in order to prevent the battery from dying.

Project Media