Sliding Coil Support Stand for MR Linac Patient Bed

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical radiotherapy systems face challenges in accurately and stably positioning patients due to inaccuracy in bed repositioning, instability during movement, and the need for user-friendly and patient-friendly movable beds, particularly in MR Linac systems, which affects alignment, resource efficiency, and patient safety.

Innovation Solution

A movable bed system with a patient support outside the treatment space and a treatment table inside, featuring a coil arrangement with a support stand that slides along guide tracks, an adjustable spring element for friction control, and a height adjustment mechanism, allowing for secure, stable, and accurate patient positioning with flexible rail elements and a stop device to prevent accidental movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the bed is made movable between patient support and treatment table, then patient positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient positioning accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bed is designed as a movable component that can dynamically transition between different positions (patient support location and treatment table location) along a longitudinal direction. This dynamic positioning capability allows the bed to be moved precisely to required locations while maintaining relatively simple structural design through the use of moving mechanisms rather than multiple fixed components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the bed is made stable during movement and treatment, then patient positioning stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient positioning stabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bed incorporates a moving mechanism that enables controlled movement between positions while maintaining stability during both movement and treatment phases. The mechanism allows the bed to be easily moved when needed while ensuring it remains stable and secure once positioned for treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A transferring mechanism acts as an intermediary between the patient support and treatment table, facilitating smooth and stable bed movement. This intermediary mechanism ensures the bed can be easily transported while maintaining patient safety and positioning stability throughout the transfer process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the coil arrangement is made secure on the patient bed, then patient safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support stand incorporates arc-shaped parts with curved guide tracks that provide natural guidance and secure positioning for the coil arrangement. The curved geometry inherently stabilizes the coil on the patient bed while maintaining simple structural design, eliminating the need for complex locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system ensures precise and stable patient alignment, reduces the risk of misalignment and injury, enhances handling and imaging quality, and minimizes material within the treatment bore, thereby improving the efficiency and safety of medical treatments in MR Linac systems.

Implementation Method 1

an end part of the at least one arch-shaped part comprises at least one flexible rail element arranged to fit into the guide track and to be moved into and out of the guide track

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

an adjustable spring element which can be adjusted to adjust a width of the flexible rail element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3388110B1Coil arrangement
Publication Date: 2023.01.11 ELEKTA AB
  • EP3388110B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3388110B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3388110B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a system for moving a patient into and from a medical apparatus, comprising: a patient support (12) arranged outside a treatment space of a medical apparatus, a treatment table (14) arranged inside the treatment space in the medical apparatus and a patient bed (16) movable in a longitudinal direction from the patient support to the treatment table and back by means of activation of a transferring mechanism. The system may further comprise a coil arrangement (28) including an anterior coil (30) and a support stand (32), the support stand (32) resting on the patient bed (16) adjacent to longitudinal edges (23) of said patient bed (16) and being slidable along the patient bed (16) in a longitudinal direction when a patient is placed on the bed (16).