Adjustable Surgical Table Base Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical tables face instability due to irregularities in the floor surface, which can cause rocking and vibration, compromising positional accuracy of robotic surgical arms, and existing solutions struggle to balance stability with mobility and compliance.
Innovation Solution
A surgical table base with adjustable support members and force feedback, featuring a support assembly with at least four support members, one of which is adjustable to maintain optimal load distribution and stability on uneven surfaces, and a load sensor to detect and adjust the load distribution dynamically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid support structure is used to improve stability, then stability is improved, but the table cannot adapt to irregularities in the floor surface
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is made adjustable to change its length dynamically, allowing the table base to adapt to irregularities in the floor surface while maintaining stability during surgical procedures
Solution Approach 2:
A force sensor is integrated into the adjustable support member to detect load distribution and provide feedback signals. This enables automated adjustment of the support member length to optimize load distribution and maintain stability on uneven surfaces
2Stability of the object's composition
If the base is made large to prevent tipping, then stability is improved, but the footprint becomes larger than the table top
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing base size, the invention uses an adjustable support member that can extend or retract to provide stability without increasing the horizontal footprint of the base beyond the table top area
3Adaptability or versatility
If robotic surgical arms are attached to a mobile surgical table, then versatility is improved, but vibration from arm operation affects positional accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensor continuously monitors vibrations and load changes in the adjustable support member during robotic arm operation. This feedback enables real-time adjustment to isolate and reduce unwanted vibrations, maintaining positional accuracy of the robotic surgical arms
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable support member acts as an intermediary element between the mobile table base and the robotic surgical arms, providing vibration isolation and load distribution to protect positional accuracy while maintaining system versatility
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
A base for a surgical table, carrying optionally a patient and any equipment supportable by the surgical table, includes a base body to which other components of a surgical table can be coupled, a support assembly coupled to the base body to support the base body o the surface, and a load sensor disposed to detect the portion of the total load carried by one of the support members. The support assembly includes at least four support members, each having a surface-engaging end. One of the support members is adjustable to move the one support member relative to a plane defined by the three of the other support members and thereby to change the portion of the total load carried by one of the support members.