Radiotherapy Couch Controller Single-Axis Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiotherapy apparatuses cause discomfort and burden to patients during position adjustments, as they require complex and height-increasing mechanisms for precise alignment, which are costly and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A radiotherapy apparatus controller and method that simplifies patient positioning by reducing rotational movements to a single axis, using a couch driving device with a frame supported parallelly and rotatably, allowing for a more compact and cost-effective design with reduced couch height, thereby minimizing patient discomfort and burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex position adjustment mechanisms are used to achieve precise patient alignment, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity and couch height increase
Solution Approach 1:
The position adjustment mechanism is segmented into independent single-axis rotational components rather than complex multi-axis systems. Each rotational axis is independently controlled, allowing precise positioning through coordinated simple movements, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the positioning approach by utilizing rotational movement around a single axis combined with vertical couch height adjustment. This dimensional strategy replaces complex multi-axis rotational mechanisms with a combination of single-axis rotation and linear vertical movement, simplifying the device while achieving the same positioning accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex position adjustment mechanisms are used to achieve precise patient alignment, then positioning precision is improved, but patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the positioning task into simple single-axis rotational movements and vertical adjustments, the system reduces the complexity of patient repositioning. Each movement is simpler and more predictable for the patient, reducing discomfort compared to complex multi-axis rotational movements required by traditional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the movement parameters from complex multi-axis rotations to simple single-axis rotation combined with vertical displacement. This parameter simplification makes the position adjustment process more comfortable for patients while maintaining the ability to achieve precise alignment through controlled vertical couch height changes.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex position adjustment mechanisms are used to achieve precise patient alignment, then positioning precision is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is segmented into simple, independent single-axis rotational mechanisms and vertical adjustment components. These segmented simple mechanisms are significantly cheaper to manufacture than integrated complex multi-axis systems, while the coordinated control of these simple components achieves the required positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a dimensional approach that replaces expensive complex rotational mechanisms with simpler vertical linear adjustment combined with single-axis rotation. This dimensional substitution dramatically reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining positioning precision through the vertical height adjustment capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A radiotherapy apparatus control method of the present invention includes: collecting a planning-stage position where a patient is arranged during a planning stage; collecting a position-adjusting-stage position where the patient is arranged during a position-adjusting stage; calculating a treatment-stage position, a gantry-angle offset value and a ring-angle offset value such that an orientation in which an irradiation head is arranged with respect to the treatment-stage position, when a ring is arranged while deviating from a ring angle by the ring-angle offset value and a gantry is arranged while deviating from a gantry angle by the gantry-angle offset value, coincides with an orientation in which the irradiation head is arranged with respect to the planning-stage position, when the ring is arranged at the ring angle and the gantry is arranged at the gantry angle; and arranging the patient at a patient position. Here, the patient position can be calculated such that the rotational movement amount for moving the patient from the position-adjusting-stage position to the treating-stage position is reduced.