Examining Table Gap Cover With Moving Chain Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical examining tables, such as MRI tables, have gaps between moving and non-moving parts that can lead to accidents when patients' limbs enter the gap during movement, potentially causing injury due to the lack of effective protection.
Innovation Solution
A gap protection device comprising a guide rail, a protecting chain, a rigid rope, and a roller, where the chain is slidably connected to the table body and forms a closed loop with the rope, ensuring the gap is covered during movement, with optional springs for stability and non-magnetic materials to avoid interference with magnetic environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gap is reserved between the table body and non-moving part to enable smooth movement, then the movement smoothness is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to risk of finger injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible protecting chain that can bend and deform to cover the gap between the moving table body and non-moving part. The chain consists of multiple connected links that can flexibly adapt to the gap space, providing protection while allowing smooth movement of the table body.
Solution Approach 2:
The protecting chain is designed as a dynamic structure that moves together with the table body. When the table body moves, the chain follows the movement and maintains coverage of the gap, ensuring continuous protection without interfering with the movement smoothness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed cover shell is used to cover the gap, then the protection effect is improved, but the movement functionality deteriorates due to collision with table body
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting chain is designed as a dynamic structure that moves together with the table body. When the table body moves, the chain follows the movement and maintains coverage of the gap, ensuring continuous protection without interfering with the movement smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible chain structure can deform and adapt to the moving gap space, unlike a rigid cover shell. This flexibility allows the protection device to move with the table body without causing collision or interference.
3Strength
If magnetic materials are used in the protection device, then the structural strength is improved, but the magnetic field environment deteriorates due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from magnetic to non-magnetic materials. The protecting chain and other components are made of non-magnetic materials that maintain sufficient mechanical strength while not interfering with the magnetic field environment of the MRI examining table.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection device uses composite material construction, combining non-magnetic materials with appropriate mechanical properties. This ensures both structural strength and compatibility with the magnetic field environment.
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 solution effectively prevents foreign objects from entering the gap, ensuring patient safety, providing stable and durable protection without affecting the magnetic environment, and is cost-effective to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The arrangement of the roller and the spring may provide a buffer to the gap protection device and make the movement of the device more stable
Implementation Method 2
The arrangement of the roller and the spring may provide a buffer to the gap protection device and make the movement of the device more stable
Data Source
AI summary
A gap protection device for an examining table includes a guide rail, a protecting chain and a rigid rope. The guide rail is fixed onto the non-moving part of the examining table. One end of the protecting chain is fixed onto the body of the examining table and is movable along the guide rail so as to cover the gap between the body and the non-moving part of the examining table. The two ends of the rigid rope are respectively connected to the two ends of the protecting chain. When the examining table is moved, the closed loop formed by the protecting chain and the rigid rope circulates synchronously under the drive of the examining table, such that the protecting chain covers the gap between the body and the non-moving part of the examining table.