Operating Table Joint Layout for Large Tilt and Trend Angles

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing operating tables cannot achieve large tilt and trend angles due to construction constraints, limiting the pivoting range of the table top around central pivot axes.

Innovation Solution

A joint system with two rotatable joint parts about a vertical axis allows the pivot axis to be positioned off-center, enabling large tilt and trend angles up to 90°, with a single lifting cylinder and rotary drives for adjustable inclination and canting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a gimbaled support with two lifting cylinders is used to pivot the table top about two mutually perpendicular axes, then the table top can be adjusted in both transverse and longitudinal directions, but the pivot axes being arranged centrally limits the achievable tilt and trend angles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepivoting rangeVSAvoidconstruction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The joint is divided into two joint parts that can rotate relative to each other about a vertical axis. This segmentation allows the pivot axis to be repositioned from a central location to an off-center location, thereby achieving larger tilt and trend angles without requiring a complex gimbal structure with two lifting cylinders.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The joint configuration is made dynamic by allowing the two joint parts to rotate relative to each other about a vertical axis. This enables the pivot axis position to change from central to off-center, adapting the system to achieve extreme pivot angles while maintaining a simpler single-lifting-cylinder construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the pivot axis is arranged centrally to the column, then the construction is simpler, but the table top cannot be pivoted to the required large tilt angles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt angle rangeVSAvoidconstruction simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The joint is designed with asymmetric positioning capability, where the pivot axis can be rotated from a central symmetric position to an off-center asymmetric position. This allows the system to achieve large tilt angles (extreme pivot angles up to 90°) while maintaining a relatively simple construction that does not require a full gimbal mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Device complexity

If a single lifting cylinder is used instead of two, then the construction is simpler and less expensive, but achieving both tilt and trend adjustments becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of lifting cylindersVSAvoidadjustment capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The joint introduces an additional rotational degree of freedom about a vertical axis, allowing a single lifting cylinder to achieve both tilt and trend adjustments. By rotating the joint about this vertical axis, the system can reposition the pivot axis to achieve large tilt angles while the single cylinder provides the necessary lifting and positioning capability in a different dimensional configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8245336B2Operating table

Publication Date: 2012.08.21 STRYKER EUROPEAN OPERATIONS HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

An operating table has a column on which a table top is supported so that it is pivotable about an axis extending transversely to the table top and about an axis extending longitudinally to the table top, with the table top being connected to the column via joint parts which are rotatable.