In-Bore Patient Transfer Height Adjustment via Mechanical Linkage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MRI systems face challenges in accommodating patients of varying sizes, particularly normal or slightly overweight individuals, due to fixed tabletop heights in the bore, leading to sub-optimal imaging and potential misalignment issues, and adding actuators and sensors inside the bore complicates the system and patient transfer process.
Innovation Solution
A patient transfer system with a bed and bed support pedestal providing motorized height adjustment, coupled with a mechanical linkage, allows for vertical adjustment of the tabletop within the MRI bore without additional actuators or sensors, ensuring horizontal alignment and reducing misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional actuators and sensors are added inside the bore for height adjustment, then tabletop height adjustability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A mechanical linkage system acts as an intermediary mechanism that transmits the height adjustment motion from the bed support pedestal (outside the bore) to the tabletop (inside the bore). This intermediary mechanism enables height adjustment without requiring additional actuators or sensors inside the magnet bore, thus maintaining system simplicity while achieving the desired adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for electronic actuators and sensors inside the bore with a purely mechanical linkage system. The mechanical linkage utilizes the existing bed support pedestal's vertical motion to automatically adjust the tabletop height through mechanical advantage, eliminating the need for complex electromagnetic actuation systems within the magnet bore.
2Adaptability or versatility
If tabletop height inside bore is fixed for large patients, then imaging coverage for large patients is improved, but imaging quality for normal weight patients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed tabletop height system into a dynamic, adjustable system. The tabletop height can now be varied to accommodate different patient sizes and imaging requirements. The mechanical linkage enables smooth height adjustment while maintaining stability during imaging, allowing optimization of imaging quality for each patient individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The height adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: it accommodates different patient sizes (obese, normal weight), optimizes imaging coverage for various anatomical regions, and maintains proper alignment for different imaging sequences. This universal solution replaces the need for multiple fixed-height configurations.
3Ease of operation
If bed support pedestal is used for height adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but potential misalignment during patient transfer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical linkage system incorporates geometric constraints and alignment features that provide passive feedback during the height adjustment process. As the bed support pedestal moves vertically, the linkage automatically maintains proper alignment between the tabletop and the bore, preventing misalignment without requiring active control or additional sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical linkage is designed to maintain equipotential alignment conditions throughout the height adjustment range. The geometry of the linkage ensures that the tabletop remains properly aligned with the bore centerline regardless of the height position, eliminating alignment errors that would otherwise occur with simple vertical translation.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient transfer system (10) for an imaging device (1) comprises: a bridge (12) disposed in a bore (5) of the imaging device; a bed (20) disposed adjacent the imaging device and having a bed extension (22) extending underneath the bridge; and a bed support pedestal (24) providing motorized height adjustment of the bed. Motorized operation of the bed support pedestal to raise the bed also lifts the bridge using the bed extension which extends underneath the bridge.