Optical Alignment Device for Dockable Patient Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for aligning patient supports with operating tables often require fixed floor docks, which limit flexibility, hygiene, and safety, especially when dealing with mobile operating tables.
Innovation Solution
A device equipped with a sensing unit and evaluating unit that detects features on the patient support and operating table using various physical interactions, such as light, ultrasonic, or inductive signals, to determine the relative position, allowing for self-driving or drive-assisted alignment without external components like floor docks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed floor dock is used for aligning the patient support with the operating table, then the alignment stability is improved, but the workflow flexibility and hygiene conditions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical floor dock system with an optical sensing system. The sensing unit detects features on both the patient support and operating table using optical fields, and the evaluating unit calculates relative position based on these optical measurements, eliminating the need for fixed mechanical docking infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical field as an intermediary between the patient support and operating table. The sensing unit emits optical signals that interact with features on the target object, and the evaluating unit processes these optical interactions to determine relative position, serving as a non-contact mediator for alignment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed floor dock is used for aligning the patient support with the operating table, then the alignment stability is improved, but the hygiene conditions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical floor dock system with an optical sensing system. The sensing unit detects features on both the patient support and operating table using optical fields, and the evaluating unit calculates relative position based on these optical measurements, eliminating the need for fixed mechanical docking infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a sensing unit and evaluating unit are used for automated alignment, then the workflow flexibility and hygiene conditions are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit is designed to detect various features (geometric shapes, markers, patterns) on different objects (patient support, operating table) using the same optical detection mechanism. The evaluating unit universally calculates relative position regardless of which object is being detected, making the system adaptable to multiple docking scenarios without requiring separate specialized components.
4Device complexity
If manual alignment is performed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity and safety deteriorate due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service alignment where the sensing unit automatically detects features on the patient support and operating table, the evaluating unit calculates the relative position, and the system provides feedback for alignment without requiring manual measurement or judgment by operators, thus accelerating the process while maintaining simplicity.
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
Enhances workflow flexibility, improves hygiene conditions, and increases safety by enabling precise and automated alignment of patient supports with operating tables, including mobile ones, reducing human error and the need for fixed installations.
Implementation Method 1
The sensing unit senses said feature lying opposite the sensing unit by a position-dependent physical interaction and herefrom generates a signal, which depends on the relative spatial position between the patient support and the operating table
Implementation Method 2
A device equipped with a sensing unit and evaluating unit that detects features on the patient support and operating table using various physical interactions, such as light, ultrasonic, or inductive signals
Data Source
AI summary
A device for assisting the aligning of a patient support dockable onto an operating table is provided A sensing unit is configured to be arranged on the patient support or the operating table and configured to sense a feature of the patient support and/or of the operating table, said feature lying opposite the sensing unit. The sensing unit configured to sense a position-dependent physical interaction and herefrom to generate a signal that depends on the spatial relative position between the patient support and the operating table. An evaluating unit is configured to receive the signal from the sensing unit and to generate an output that characterizes the relative position between the operating table and the patient support.