Modular Patient Support with Autonomous Drive Modules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current patient support facilities require frequent repositioning and involve high effort and cost due to their specialized and inflexible designs, limiting their application in medical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A modular patient support facility with autonomous drive modules and a control unit that allows for coordinated and individual movement of patient support plates, enabling flexible positioning and operation across different medical applications, including imaging and surgical interventions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If highly specialized patient support facilities are used for different medical tasks, then the specific medical procedure requirements are met, but frequent repositioning and high effort are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different medical tasksVSAvoidoperational effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal patient support facility that can perform multiple medical tasks including imaging, surgery, and rehabilitation through a single integrated platform. The system uses interchangeable patient support plates (imaging plate with positioning surface, operating plate with partial plates, rehabilitation plate with motion capture markers) that can be quickly swapped on the same robotic support structure, eliminating the need for multiple specialized facilities and reducing repositioning effort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If highly specialized patient support facilities are used for different medical tasks, then the specific medical procedure requirements are met, but frequent repositioning is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different medical tasksVSAvoidrepositioning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic support facility serves as a universal platform that can accommodate different patient support plates for various medical procedures without requiring physical relocation. The system maintains the same spatial position while changing functionality through plate interchangeability, significantly reducing repositioning time and patient transfer requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patient support facility incorporates dynamically adjustable components including height adjustment, tilt angle modification, and plate configuration changes that allow the system to adapt to different medical tasks in place. The robotic arms can reposition imaging equipment and the support plate can modify its orientation without moving the entire facility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple specialized patient support facilities are maintained for different applications, then various medical procedures can be performed, but cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage of different medical applicationsVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple specialized facilities into a single universal robotic support system that can perform imaging, surgery, and rehabilitation functions. By using interchangeable patient support plates and a reconfigurable robotic platform, the system reduces the total number of facilities needed while maintaining comprehensive medical application coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges previously separate specialized facilities (imaging table, operating table, rehabilitation table) into one integrated robotic support facility. The common robotic structure with interchangeable plates combines the functionality of multiple devices, reducing overall system complexity and infrastructure requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple specialized patient support facilities are maintained for different applications, then various medical procedures can be performed, but effort and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage of different medical applicationsVSAvoidimplementation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The universal robotic support facility with interchangeable plates provides multiple medical application capabilities through a single platform, reducing the need to manufacture and maintain multiple specialized facilities. This approach lowers overall implementation cost while maintaining versatility across imaging, surgery, and rehabilitation applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11395636B2Patient support facility and medical imaging facility

Publication Date: 2022.07.26 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

A patient support facility including at least one patient support plate and at least two supports for the patient support plate. Each of the supports are configured to be mobile has an autonomous drive module with a chassis permitting movements and rotations in all horizontal directions, a drive facility, and a control unit. The patient support facility includes a control facility that is configured to operate the drive modules in a coordinated and individual manner.