Ceiling-Mounted Radiation Garment Suspension with Rotating Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation protective garment suspension systems for medical professionals are uncomfortable, ill-fitting, and heavy, and previous systems are difficult to clean and incompatible with personal garments, leading to limited commercial success.
Innovation Solution
A ceiling-mounted suspension system with rotating extension arms and adjustable tensioning mechanisms, allowing for secure attachment and tensioning of personal radiation garments without the need for overhead channels, ensuring comfort and sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a proprietary radiation protective garment is permanently secured to the overhead system, then the garment is supported and weight is distributed, but the garment becomes difficult to clean and medical professionals cannot utilize their personal garments
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the garment support function into separate components: the overhead suspension system with multiple cables is separated from the garment itself. The garment is not permanently attached but can be connected via detachable connectors, allowing it to remain removable while still receiving full weight support from the distributed cable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead suspension system is designed to be universal and compatible with multiple different personal radiation garments. The system can support any garment that can be connected via the specified connectors, allowing medical professionals to use their own custom-made or preferred garments rather than being restricted to a single proprietary design.
2Ease of operation
If overhead channels with exposed guides are used, then the system can support garment movement, but dust accumulates along the channels and falls into the sterile environment
Solution Approach 1:
The guide component is extracted and eliminated from the system. Instead of using overhead channels with exposed guides that accumulate dust, the invention uses a direct cable suspension system where cables hang freely from the ceiling mount. This removes the dust-accumulating channel structure entirely while still providing smooth garment movement through the flexible cable mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable system acts as an intermediary between the ceiling mount and the garment, replacing the need for exposed guides. The cable provides a smooth, enclosed pathway for garment movement that does not accumulate dust, eliminating the contamination problem while maintaining operational ease.
3Strength
If the system uses exposed overhead channels, then structural support is provided, but the user must make exaggerated movements to account for the weight and movement of the suit
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from rigid overhead channels to dynamic, flexible cables that can move freely. The cables can adapt to the user's natural movements without requiring exaggerated motions, as they flex and swing independently rather than constraining the user within fixed channel boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the support structure from rigid, fixed-position channels to flexible, movable cables. This allows the support structure to adapt dynamically to user movement patterns, enabling more natural motion while maintaining full structural support capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension system for a personal radiation garment includes a ceiling mount having a flanged drop tube extending vertically, and at least one extension arm that rotates horizontally via bearing joints. A suspension assembly having at least one hoist is positioned along the distal end of the outermost extension arm, and a garment coupler is connected to a cable extending from the hoist. Each of the one or more hoists include an adjustable tensioning mechanism that is controlled manually or by a motor having a controller and a switch.