Six-Axis Patient Couch Lever Mechanism Reducing Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional six-axis patient positioning couches are costly and complex due to increased parts, making them less desirable for radiation treatment applications where a compact and low-cost solution is needed.
Innovation Solution
A couch design featuring a tabletop supported by a pair of rails, moving sections with sliders and block bodies, and levers with drive mechanisms that allow for six-axis movement while minimizing the number of parts through a rack and pinion system and pivotable support, enabling compact and cost-effective patient positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a six-axis patient positioning system is implemented, then the degree of freedom for radiation treatment alignment is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple positioning functions into a single integrated couch structure that provides six-axis movement capability. The couch integrates horizontal movement along three axes and rotation around three axes within one unified device, eliminating the need for separate positioning devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full six-axis functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The couch is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs horizontal positioning and rotational positioning functions. The same couch structure enables both translational movement along X, Y, Z axes and rotational movement around these axes, making it a universal positioning platform that replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized devices
2Adaptability or versatility
If a six-axis patient positioning system is implemented, then the degree of freedom for radiation treatment alignment is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple positioning functions into a single integrated couch structure that provides six-axis movement capability. The couch integrates horizontal movement along three axes and rotation around three axes within one unified device, eliminating the need for separate positioning devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full six-axis functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The couch is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs horizontal positioning and rotational positioning functions. The same couch structure enables both translational movement along X, Y, Z axes and rotational movement around these axes, making it a universal positioning platform that replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a compact and low-cost solution for six-axis patient positioning, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity while maintaining high degrees of freedom for precise radiation treatment alignment.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first and second drive mechanisms may include a rod-shaped threaded section extending in parallel with one of the rails and having a thread formed on an outer surface, and a nut section provided at one of the block bodies so that the threaded section is screwed to the nut section, and the threaded section may axially rotate relative to the nut section, thereby allowing the block body to move with respect to the moving section
Implementation Method 2
the support section may connect the moving section to the tabletop such that the tabletop is pivotable around a predetermined center of rotation with respect to the moving section
Data Source
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AI summary
A couch with a patient-inclining device (10) includes a tabletop (28), a pair of second rails (15) arranged below the tabletop, a second moving section (16) having a pair of second sliders (17) which are movable on the pair of second rails, a pair of block bodies (22A and 22B) which are movable on the pair of second rails, drive mechanisms (23A and 23B) which linearly move the block bodies with respect to the second moving section, a support section (26) provided on the second moving section to support the tabletop, and levers (27A and 27B), each having one end connected to the tabletop and the other end connected to the associated one of the pair of block bodies.