Movable Patient Table Top for CT Scanner Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient handling systems with long table tops pose challenges in limited space usage and alignment with medical devices like CT scanners, requiring compact designs that allow full-body scanning without patient displacement.
Innovation Solution
A patient handling system with a table top that can move longitudinally over a table base, utilizing an interface member and rollers for support, enabling the table top to extend beyond the base for complete body scanning, and allowing the base to be displaced to increase the scanning path without additional floor fixtures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a long table top is used to allow complete body scanning, then the patient can be surrounded by the CT scanner, but the system occupies excessive space and is difficult to install in limited areas
Solution Approach 1:
The table base is divided into a stationary base and a movable support unit. The support unit can be displaced relative to the base, allowing the table top to extend beyond the stationary base footprint while maintaining a compact overall system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The support unit is made movable relative to the stationary base, enabling dynamic adjustment of the table top position. This allows the table top to extend sufficiently for complete body scanning while the base remains compact for space-efficient installation.
2Strength
If the table top is supported only at one end by the table base, then the table top can be made stiff to carry patient weight, but the table base dimensions must be minimized to save space
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into a compact stationary base and a movable support unit. This segmentation allows the base to remain small for space efficiency while the support unit provides the necessary structural strength to carry patient weight on the stiff table top.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable support unit acts as an intermediary between the compact stationary base and the stiff table top. It transfers and distributes the patient weight while allowing the base to remain dimensionally compact.
3Length of moving object
If the table top moves over a large distance to position the patient for scanning, then complete body scanning is enabled, but the complexity of the moving mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single movable support unit is used to provide the necessary displacement distance for complete body scanning. This dynamic element simplifies the mechanism by avoiding multiple moving parts while achieving the required range of motion.
4Area of stationary object
If the table base is made compact to save space, then installation in limited areas is facilitated, but the table top cannot extend sufficiently for complete body scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a compact stationary base and a movable support unit that can extend beyond the base. This allows the base to remain small for space-efficient installation while the support unit extends the table top sufficiently for complete body scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable support unit enables dynamic extension of the table top beyond the compact base dimensions. This dynamic capability allows the system to achieve the required table top extension length while maintaining a compact base footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient handling system comprising a table top (6) for carrying a lying patient (8). The table top (6) is supported by a table base (1) and the table top (6) can move in longitudinal direction over said table base (1) so that at least a part of the table top (6) can be displaced to a position away from said table base (1). At least a portion (1;4) of said table base (1), to which portion (1;4) the table top (6) is movably attached, can be displaced in substantially said longitudinal direction in which the table top (6) can move. Thereby, said table top (6) can be displaced in longitudinal direction over a distance which is larger than the length of the table top (6).