Examination Table Motion Tracking With Hall-Effect Position Sensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional examination tables require inefficient manual operation and lack reliable position tracking, leading to time-consuming adjustments and inaccurate positioning, especially for medical professionals.
Innovation Solution
The examination table incorporates Hall-effect sensors with a control system that enables one-touch movement and calibration algorithms for precise positioning of the support surface and backrest, using motors to move between predefined positions and track movements accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional potentiometer position sensors are used to track the position of the support surface and backrest portion, then position tracking capability is provided, but the system requires frequent physical calibration and is unreliable over extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical potentiometer position sensors with Hall-effect sensors that use magnetic fields to detect motor shaft position. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical calibration while providing reliable, maintenance-free position tracking over extended periods, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and calibration time
Solution Approach 2:
The Hall-effect sensors continuously provide accurate position feedback without requiring external calibration or adjustment. The system serves itself by maintaining accurate position tracking automatically, eliminating the time-consuming manual calibration process that was required with potentiometers
2Ease of operation
If conventional control panels with individual buttons are used, then basic control functionality is provided, but the user must individually push multiple buttons to move between positions, which is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The control system includes pre-programmed position profiles for common configurations (examination position, chair position, transport position). When a user activates a single button, the system automatically executes the pre-planned sequence of motor movements to reach the desired position, eliminating the need for users to manually sequence multiple button presses and significantly reducing adjustment time
3Productivity
If independent motor control is used for the support surface and backrest portion, then individual positioning control is achieved, but the system lacks coordinated movement capability for efficient position transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The control system merges the control of the first motor (support surface) and second motor (backrest portion) into a unified coordinate system. The control panels are operably connected to both motors, allowing simultaneous coordinated control. This integration enables efficient position transitions by coordinating both motors together rather than controlling them independently, improving productivity while managing complexity through unified control logic
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
This solution streamlines the operation of examination tables by allowing one-touch positioning and continuous tracking of the support surface and backrest, reducing user effort and ensuring accurate positioning without the need for frequent recalibration.
Implementation Method 1
a first Hall-effect sensor for detecting rotations of the first motor to determine a current position of the support surface
Data Source
AI summary
An examination table includes a support surface movable with respect to a base. The support surface includes a seat portion and a backrest portion. A first motor drives the support surface with respect to the base, and a second motor drives the backrest portion pivotally with respect to the seat portion. A control system includes a control panel and first and second Hall-effect sensors for detecting rotations of the respective first and second motors to determine the current positions of the support surface and the backrest portion. The control system executes a movement algorithm for moving the support surface and the backrest portion to a desired position from the current position. The control system also executes a calibration algorithm for calibrating position tracking of the support surface and the backrest portion.