Angle adjustment of a patient bed's lying surface using a push chain

Abstract

Patient bed - wherein the patient couch has a base (1) which rests on a surface (2), - wherein a base frame (3) is arranged directly or indirectly on the substructure (1), - wherein the patient bed has an additional frame (4) which is hinged to the base frame (3) so that the additional frame (4) can be pivoted relative to the base frame (3) about a pivot axis (5), - wherein the patient couch has a lying board (6) defining a longitudinal direction (x) which is mounted on the additional frame (4), - wherein the patient bed has a drive (7) arranged in the base frame (3) which acts on a transmission element (8) by means of which the additional frame (4) including the lying board (6) can be pivoted about the pivot axis (5), characterized by - that the transmission element (8) is designed as a push chain comprising chain links (9), which is guided by means of a guide (13) arranged in the base frame (3) and whose end (16) is attached to the additional frame (4), - that the guide (13) has a main section (14) running straight and essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame (4) and a curved auxiliary section (15) towards the auxiliary frame (4), so that the push chain is guided straight and essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame (4) in the main section (14) and is deflected essentially towards the auxiliary frame (4) in the auxiliary section (15), and - that an actuation device (17) is arranged on the additional frame (4), by means of which a chain section of the push chain extending from the end (16) of the push chain attached to the additional frame (4) to the additional section (15) of the guide (13) is acted upon with a bending moment (M), by means of which the chain section is held in a flexed state.

Description

[0001] Regardless of the grammatical gender of a particular term, persons with male, female or other gender identities are included.

[0002] The present invention relates to a patient bed, - wherein the patient bed has a substructure that rests on a surface, - wherein a base frame is arranged directly or indirectly on the substructure, - wherein the patient bed has an additional frame which is hinged to the base frame, so that the additional frame can pivot relative to the base frame about a pivot axis, - wherein the patient bed has a longitudinally defining lying board which is mounted on the additional frame, - wherein the patient bed has a drive arranged in the base frame which acts on a transmission element by means of which the additional frame including the lying board can be pivoted about the pivot axis.

[0003] Such a patient couch is known, for example, from DE 20 2021 104 657 U1 and the corresponding US 2023 / 0 063 881 A1. Reference is also made to the following publications: DE 10 2005 054 222 A1, DE 203 11 152 U1, DE 10 2021 200 593 B3 and WO 2006 / 136 129 A1.

[0004] The lying surface of a patient bed is often adjustable in several degrees of freedom. In some cases, only height adjustment and movement of the lying surface along a (in this case horizontal) longitudinal direction of the patient bed are possible. In other cases, movement of the lying surface along a (also horizontal) transverse direction of the patient bed is also possible. In still other cases, pivoting around a longitudinal and / or transverse axis of the patient bed is possible (alternatively or in addition to the possibility of transverse movement). In this case, the relevant factor is that pivoting of the lying surface is possible.

[0005] When the treatment table is swiveled, the transmission element can be subjected to significant loads. This is especially true when swiveling around a transverse axis is required. In this case, the loads can be very high due to the long overhang of the table and the resulting large tilting moment. The transmission element must therefore be dimensioned and designed accordingly. At the same time, for some applications—particularly in radiation therapy—it is necessary to be able to set a desired angular position with high precision. A further challenge is that often only limited installation space is available for the drive and the transmission element, yet swiveling through a large angle is still required.

[0006] In the prior art, adjustment mechanisms that work with wedges are typically used. These mechanisms require a relatively large amount of space and only allow a small swivel angle.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to create possibilities by means of which a compact design can be maintained and yet a relatively large swivel angle can be achieved.

[0008] The problem is solved by a patient couch with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the patient couch are the subject of dependent claims 2 to 7. According to the invention, a patient couch of the type mentioned above is designed by, - that the transmission element is designed as a push chain comprising chain links, which is guided by means of a guide arranged in the base frame and whose end is attached to the additional frame, - that the guide has a straight main section running essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame and a curved auxiliary section towards the auxiliary frame, so that the push chain is guided straight and essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame in the main section and is deflected essentially towards the auxiliary frame in the auxiliary section, and - that an actuation device is arranged on the additional frame, by means of which a chain section of the push chain extending from the end of the push chain attached to the additional frame to the additional section of the guide is acted upon with a bending moment, by means of which the chain section is held in a pressed-through state.

[0009] A push chain is a chain with several properties. First, the links of a push chain can only pivot relative to each other around a single axis, and thus only within a single plane. Second, this pivoting movement is limited in one direction. The connection of the links in a push chain can be visualized similarly to the fingers of a human hand. In a human hand, the fingers (the "push chain") can be pivoted almost arbitrarily forward toward the palm. There is free movement in this direction. However, the fingers can only pivot backward until the individual finger bones (the "chain links") are in a substantially straight line. Further pivoting toward the back of the hand is not possible. Furthermore, it is not possible to pivot the finger bones relative to each other to the left or right. A push chain exhibits precisely the same degrees of freedom.The state in which the individual chain links are swung back as far as possible, i.e., are at their limit, is referred to as the fully pressed state.

[0010] Preferably, consecutive chain links of the push chain, when the push chain is compressed, form an angle of 180° with respect to a joint where the two consecutive chain links are connected. As a result, the chain section forms a straight bar and therefore requires very little space.

[0011] In many cases, the lying board can be moved relative to the additional frame in the longitudinal direction of the lying board.

[0012] The pivot axis can be oriented orthogonally or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lying board, as required.

[0013] The pivot axis usually runs horizontally. This is generally the case, in particular, when the pivot axis is oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal direction of the lying board.

[0014] Preferably, the drive acts on the push chain in the main section. This allows the entire drive and transmission element to have a particularly low overall height.

[0015] The properties, features, and advantages of this invention described above, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understandable in connection with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. These drawings show, in schematic representation: Fig. 1 a patient bed, Fig. 2 a drive kinematics, Fig. 3 to 5 a base frame and an additional frame in various states and Fig. 6 a section of a push chain.

[0016] According to Fig. A patient couch comprises a substructure 1. The substructure 1 rests on a base 2. A base frame 3 is attached to the substructure 1, either directly or indirectly. The patient couch also has an additional frame 4. The additional frame 4 is hinged to the base frame 3, allowing it to pivot about a pivot axis 5 relative to the base frame 3. Finally, the patient couch has a lying surface 6, which is mounted on the additional frame 4. In this case, the lying surface 6 is displaceable relative to the additional frame 4 in a longitudinal direction x of the lying surface 5. The pivot axis 5 is oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal direction x of the lying surface 6. In principle, however, the pivot axis 5 could also be oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction x of the lying surface 6. Preferably, the pivot axis 5 is horizontal.

[0017] According to Fig. 2 The patient couch has a drive 7. The drive 7 is arranged in the base frame 3 and acts on a transmission element 8, by means of which the additional frame 4, including the couch board 6, can be pivoted about the pivot axis 5. By appropriately acting the drive 7 on the transmission element 8, the additional frame 4 can be moved relative to the base frame 3 from a central position, in which the additional frame 4 runs parallel to the base frame 3 ( Fig. 3) on the side where the transmission element 8 acts on the additional frame 4, lower as required ( Fig. 4) or be raised ( Fig. 5).

[0018] The transmission element 8 is designed as a push chain, which corresponds to the illustration in Fig. The chain comprises 6 chain links 9. A characteristic of a push chain is that the chain links 9 - shown in Fig. 6. Only a short section of the push chain with a total of only three chain links 9 are connected to each other in such a way that they can be bent almost arbitrarily in one bending direction 10, but can only be bent against the bending direction 10 until a stop is reached. For example, boundary areas where immediately adjacent chain links 9 meet can be designed such that they slide along each other when bent in the bending direction 10, but when bent against the bending direction 10, they abut each other at contact surfaces 11 when a limit angle is reached, so that the contact surfaces 11 limit further bending against the bending direction 10. When the contact surfaces 11 limit further bending against the bending direction 10, this is usually referred to as the compressed state of the push chain.The angle formed between immediately successive chain links 9 of the push chain in the compressed state of the push chain with respect to a joint 12, at which the two immediately successive chain links 9 are connected, can be determined as required. Typically, and preferably also within the scope of the present invention, this angle is 180°.

[0019] Within the base frame 3, the push chain is arranged according to Fig.2 is guided by a guide 13 arranged in the base frame 3. The guide 13 has a main section 14 and an additional section 15. The main section 14 runs straight and essentially parallel to the additional frame 4. This ensures that the push chain is guided straight and essentially parallel to the additional frame 4 in the main section 14. The additional section 15 is bent towards the additional frame 4. This deflects the push chain essentially towards the additional frame 4 in the additional section 15. The end 16 of the push chain is attached to the additional frame 4.

[0020] An actuating device 17 is arranged on the auxiliary frame 4. By means of the actuating device 17, a section of the push chain (chain section) is subjected to a bending moment M, by means of which the chain section is held in the compressed state. The chain section extends from the end 16 of the push chain attached to the auxiliary frame 4 to the auxiliary section 15 of the guide 13.

[0021] The drive 7 can be arranged and designed as required. For example, the drive 7 can be designed as a spindle, a hydraulic cylinder, a cable drive, a belt drive, a rotary drive, etc. Preferably, however, the drive 7 acts on the push chain in the main section 14.

[0022] The present invention offers many advantages. It results in a very compact and low-profile kinematic design. It requires significantly less space than adjustment mechanisms that use wedges and allows for a larger swivel angle. The placement of the drive 7 is considerably more flexible. Push chains are cost-effective, reliable, and robust. They are often even maintenance-free.

Claims

[1] Patient bed, - wherein the patient couch has a base (1) which rests on a surface (2), - wherein a base frame (3) is arranged directly or indirectly on the substructure (1), - wherein the patient bed has an additional frame (4) which is hinged to the base frame (3) so that the additional frame (4) can be pivoted relative to the base frame (3) about a pivot axis (5), - wherein the patient couch has a lying board (6) defining a longitudinal direction (x) which is mounted on the additional frame (4), - wherein the patient bed has a drive (7) arranged in the base frame (3) which acts on a transmission element (8) by means of which the additional frame (4) including the lying board (6) can be pivoted about the pivot axis (5), characterized by , - that the transmission element (8) is designed as a push chain comprising chain links (9), which is guided by means of a guide (13) arranged in the base frame (3) and whose end (16) is attached to the additional frame (4), - that the guide (13) has a main section (14) running straight and essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame (4) and a curved auxiliary section (15) towards the auxiliary frame (4), so that the push chain is guided straight and essentially parallel to the auxiliary frame (4) in the main section (14) and is deflected essentially towards the auxiliary frame (4) in the auxiliary section (15), and - that an actuation device (17) is arranged on the additional frame (4), by means of which a chain section of the push chain extending from the end (16) of the push chain attached to the additional frame (4) to the additional section (15) of the guide (13) is acted upon with a bending moment (M), by means of which the chain section is held in a flexed state. [2] Patient couch according to claim 1, characterized by , that immediately successive chain links (9) of the push chain form an angle of 180° with respect to a joint (12) at which the two immediately successive chain links (9) are connected to each other in the pushed-through state of the push chain. [3] Patient couch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the lying board (6) is movable relative to the additional frame (4) in the longitudinal direction (x) of the lying board (6). [4] Patient couch according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by, that the pivot axis (5) is oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal direction (x) of the lying board (6). [5] Patient couch according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by , that the pivot axis (5) is oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction (x) of the lying board (6). [6] Patient couch according to one of the above claims, characterized by , that the pivot axis (5) runs horizontally. [7] Patient couch according to one of the above claims, characterized by , that the drive (7) acts on the push chain in the main section (14).

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