Table-Mounted Radiation Shield Rail Clamp With Anti-Sag Joint
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation protection systems for medical personnel in operating rooms face issues such as loose set screws damaging table rails, requiring additional rails for medical devices, and sagging due to heavy bars, which affect the stability and functionality of radiation shields.
Innovation Solution
A radiation shield assembly with a curtain bar that fits multiple rail sizes, includes an accessory rail for additional devices, and uses pivoting joints to prevent sagging, allowing adjustable width and flexible curtain attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If set screws are used to mount the shield to the table rail, then the shield can be attached to the rail, but the set screws can come loose and damage the rail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful set screw mounting mechanism entirely and replaces it with a clamp that embraces the rail from the outside. The clamp uses a single set screw that applies uniform pressure around the rail circumference, eliminating the need for multiple set screws that could loosen and damage the rail.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp is constructed from radiopaque material that provides both mechanical clamping function and radiation shielding capability. This composite approach integrates the mounting structure with the protective function, creating a unified component that attaches to the rail while providing radiation protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the table rail is occupied by the shield, then radiation protection is provided, but the rail is not available for mounting other medical devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the rail system into two independent components: the primary table rail that supports the patient table, and an accessory rail that is mounted to the curtain bar (which is attached to the primary rail). This segmentation allows the accessory rail to provide additional device mounting capability without interfering with the primary rail's function of supporting the patient table and shield assembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If heavy bars are used to provide radiation shielding, then adequate radiation protection is achieved, but the bars sag under their own weight causing excessive wear on joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces counterbalancing springs that are attached to the curtain bar and configured to exert an upward force opposing the downward force of gravity on the heavy radiopaque curtain bar. This counterweight mechanism compensates for the bar's weight, preventing sagging and reducing stress on the pivot joints while maintaining adequate radiation protection.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a single curtain bar is used to fit multiple rail sizes, then versatility is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamically adjustable clamp mechanism where the width of the clamping jaws can be modified to accommodate different rail dimensions. The clamp includes adjustment features that allow the opening between the jaws to be changed, enabling the same clamp structure to securely attach to various rail sizes without requiring multiple different clamp designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A radiation shield assembly is described, configured to block radiation emanating from a radiation source from reaching a user. A first curtain bar includes one or more mounting slots, each mounting slot attached to a respective mounting bracket. The one or more mounting slots include a plurality of furrow pairs of distinct depths. The mounting bracket includes a pair of protrusions fitting into a respective furrow pair on a curtain bar attachment end and a c-shaped aperture on a rail attachment end. A width of the c-shaped aperture is adjusted based on the placement of the protrusions in respective furrow pairs. The first curtain bar is attached to a second curtain bar by a pivoting anti-sag joint. An accessory rail is attached to the first curtain bar that is adjustable between two or more distinct widths. The anti-sag joint includes a convex conical section and a complementary concave conical section.