Adjustable Footprint Lift Table for Radiotherapy Measurement Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation therapy systems face challenges in maintaining stability and portability during commissioning of linear accelerators, particularly in supporting water tanks and ensuring accurate measurements, which can lead to dosimetric errors and equipment misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A support apparatus with a table base assembly and frame assembly that includes pivotable legs and casters, allowing for adjustable footprint and stability, enabling precise positioning and easy transport of radiation measuring equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed table is used to support the water tank, then stability during measurements is improved, but portability and ease of transport deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support table incorporates legs with adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow the table to transition between a stable, expanded configuration during measurements and a compact, folded configuration for transport. The legs can be positioned at multiple angles and locked in place, providing dynamic adaptability between stability and portability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The table is divided into modular components including separable legs, a foldable top surface, and detachable support elements. This segmentation allows the table to be disassembled into smaller parts for easy transport while reassembled into a stable structure for measurement operations.
2Ease of operation
If the table footprint is reduced for portability, then ease of transport is improved, but stability during measurements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The table features dynamically adjustable legs that can be extended outward to increase the footprint during measurements, providing enhanced stability. During transport, the legs are folded inward or retracted, reducing the overall footprint and improving maneuverability. Locking mechanisms maintain the desired configuration in each state.
Solution Approach 2:
The stability issue is resolved by utilizing the vertical dimension through adjustable leg heights and angles. The legs can be positioned at different elevations and orientations, allowing the table to achieve stability through vertical adjustment rather than relying solely on horizontal footprint size.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the table is made more stable by increasing footprint, then measurement stability is improved, but device complexity and space requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a permanently large, complex structure, the table employs dynamically adjustable legs with telescopic or articulating mechanisms. These mechanisms allow the table to achieve a large stable footprint only when needed, while maintaining a compact form when not in use, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The table legs and support structures are designed to nest within each other or fold into the table body when not in use. This nesting capability allows a large, stable structure to be compacted into a small package, reducing the complexity of storing and transporting a stable measurement table.
Data Source
AI summary
A lift table provides stability and portability for a radiation measurement scanning system. The lift table may be fixed for radiation measurement or configured for storage. Further, the lift table may be easily disassembled and assembled to allow efficient transporting. The lift table supports a multiple axes scanning system for measuring radiation from a radiation source, such as a linear accelerator (LINAC) and includes a leveling platform, all of which are provided by a desirable weight and portability.