Mobile Treatment Device for Nuclear Spin Resonance Limb Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nuclear magnetic resonance treatment devices are typically stationary, making it uncomfortable and impractical for patients with restricted mobility to treat limbs, as they require positioning within a fixed treatment zone.
Innovation Solution
A mobile treatment device with a height-adjustable and rotatable support for limbs, equipped with Helmholtz coils to generate a homogeneous magnetic field, allowing for flexible adaptation to different anatomies and user positions, and featuring a pneumatic lifting mechanism and locking system for easy operation and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the treatment device is made stationary with a fixed treatment zone, then the device structure is simple and stable, but it becomes uncomfortable and impractical for patients with restricted mobility who need to treat limbs
Solution Approach 1:
The support is made height-adjustable via a lifting mechanism actuated by a pedal, allowing it to move vertically along the column. This dynamic adjustment enables the device to adapt to different limb positions and patient anatomies, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity by introducing controlled mobility only where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into separable components: a mobile cart with wheels for transportation, a vertical column for structural support, and an adjustable support for limb placement. This segmentation allows the treatment zone to be positioned flexibly while maintaining overall structural stability, improving accessibility without excessive complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the support is made height-adjustable to accommodate different limb positions, then the adaptability to different anatomies is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A pneumatic lifting mechanism is used to adjust the height of the support. This pneumatic system provides smooth, controlled vertical movement with minimal manual effort, achieving high adaptability to different limb positions while keeping the adjustment mechanism relatively simple and maintenance-free.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism is actuated by a pedal that the patient can operate independently with their foot, allowing self-adjustment of the support height. This self-service approach improves adaptability while minimizing the complexity of control systems, as the adjustment is direct and intuitive without requiring complex electronics or multiple control points.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the support is made rotatable to adapt to slanting limbs, then the versatility for different anatomical conditions is improved, but the device complexity and potential instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support is made rotatable about a horizontal axis, allowing it to tilt and adapt to slanting limb positions. This dynamic adjustment capability is complemented by a locking mechanism that secures the support at desired angles, thereby achieving versatility while maintaining stability during treatment through the combination of mobility and fixation.
4Ease of operation
If the treatment device is made mobile with wheels for easy transportation, then the ease of operation and accessibility are improved, but the stability and precision of the treatment zone may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the mobile transportation function (cart with wheels) from the stable treatment function (vertical column and support assembly). The heavy column and support structure remain stationary once positioned, providing a stable treatment zone, while the wheeled base enables easy transportation and repositioning, thus resolving the contradiction between mobility and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical column acts as an intermediary between the mobile cart base and the adjustable support. It provides a rigid, stable mounting structure that isolates the treatment zone from vibrations and movements of the wheeled base, ensuring treatment zone stability while preserving the mobility benefits of the cart design.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile treatment device with a support for the limbs of a user, wherein, in a treatment volume arranged above the support, nuclear spin resonances can be generated in the tissue of the user, the support being height-adjustable.