Pivotable Longitudinal Arm Head Positioning Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head positioning and immobilization devices for stereotactic radiosurgery are complex and difficult to assemble and adjust, requiring disassembly to change the longitudinal arm's position and lacking mechanisms for easy angular adjustment and reuse.
Innovation Solution
A device with a pivotable longitudinal arm and rotatable transverse arms that can be adjusted and locked in place without disassembly, featuring indicia for precise positioning and easy mounting on a treatment table, allowing for single-step securement and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single long horizontal arm is used to mount transverse arms for engaging patient head components, then the device can accommodate various patient anatomies, but the device structure becomes complicated and difficult to assemble and adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate modular components: a bridge member with left and right sides, a longitudinal arm that can be attached to either side, and multiple transverse arms that can be mounted on the longitudinal arm. This segmentation allows the components to be independently manufactured, assembled, and adjusted, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining adaptability to different patient anatomies.
Solution Approach 2:
The longitudinal arm is designed to be pivotably mounted on the bridge member, allowing it to be dynamically repositioned between the left and right sides of the bridge. This dynamic capability enables the device to adapt to different patient configurations without requiring a completely different structure, simplifying the overall design while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the longitudinal arm is made adjustable to accommodate different patient anatomies, then the device can be reused for different patients, but the adjustment process requires disassembly which is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal arm is pre-configured with mounting features that align with corresponding features on both the left and right sides of the bridge member. This preliminary design allows the arm to be quickly attached or detached without complex disassembly procedures, enabling rapid reconfiguration for different patients while maintaining adjustability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transverse arms are offset vertically from their rotation axes to provide space for patient head, then the patient head can be accommodated, but the arm structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse arms are offset vertically from their rotation axes, utilizing the vertical dimension to create additional space for accommodating the patient's head. This dimensional adjustment provides the necessary clearance without requiring changes to the horizontal or longitudinal dimensions of the device, maintaining a relatively simple overall structure while solving the spatial requirement.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components are mounted on the longitudinal arm, then the device can engage multiple portions of the patient head, but the number of parts increases making assembly more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The longitudinal arm is designed as a universal mounting structure that can accommodate multiple different transverse arms and engagement components. Each transverse arm can be independently mounted or removed based on the specific treatment requirements, allowing the device to engage multiple portions of the patient's head without requiring all components to be permanently assembled, thus reducing the practical number of parts handled during assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for positioning and immobilizing the head of patient on a treatment table is disclosed. The device comprises a bridge member, a longitudinal arm, and two transverse arms. The bridge member is releasably mounted on the treatment table. The longitudinal arm is pivotably coupled to the upper portion of the bridge member and is arranged to be pivoted from one side of the bridge member to the other side of it, and vice versa, above the patient's head. The transverse arms are releasably secured to the longitudinal arm and are positionable along a portion of the length of the longitudinal arm. Each transverse arm is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and mounts an anatomy engagement component, e.g., a nasion pad or a bite tray, thereon which can be moved into engagement with the patient's head.