Powered Surgical Cart Steering for Heavy Patient Side Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in moving a teleoperated surgical patient side cart efficiently and safely due to its weight, size, and configuration, which requires significant effort and can be cumbersome for users to control and maneuver, especially when relocating it between different operating rooms.
Innovation Solution
A patient side cart equipped with a drive system and a steering interface that detects user input forces, using a control module and model section to output movement commands to driven wheels, enabling easier and safer movement by reducing the user's necessary force and providing intuitive control through sensors and feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the patient side cart is designed with sufficient weight and size to support surgical instruments and equipment, then the cart provides adequate structural stability and load-bearing capacity, but the cart becomes difficult and cumbersome to move and maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pushing and steering with an automated drive system. Motors are integrated into the wheel assemblies to provide powered movement, while sensors detect user steering inputs and automatically control the cart's direction, eliminating the need for users to physically maneuver the heavy cart
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control system as an intermediary between the user and the cart's movement. The system includes sensors that detect user inputs, processors that interpret desired movement, and actuators that execute movement commands, mediating the interaction between the user and the heavy cart to make it easier to operate
2Strength
If the cart is equipped with heavy-duty components to support teleoperated surgical instruments, then the cart achieves necessary load-bearing capacity and stability, but the force required to move and control the cart increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes manual force application with an automated drive system. Motors integrated into the wheel assemblies provide powered propulsion, eliminating the need for users to physically push or pull the heavy cart. The system detects user intent through sensors and automatically generates the necessary driving force
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cart design prioritizes stability and load support for surgical equipment, then the cart maintains proper positioning during surgery, but the cart requires more effort and time to relocate between operating rooms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual relocation with an automated drive system that enables rapid movement. The powered wheels and control system allow the cart to be quickly transported between operating rooms without requiring manual pushing or pulling, significantly reducing relocation time while maintaining positioning stability during surgical operations
Data Source
AI summary
A cart for supporting one or more instruments during a computer-assisted remote procedure can comprise a base; a steering interface having a portion configured to be grasped by a user; a sensor mechanism configured to detect a force applied to the steering interface by a user; and a switch operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The cart may further include a drive system comprising a control module operably coupled to receive an input from the sensor mechanism in response to the force applied to the steering interface and, on the condition that the switch is in the engaged position, to output a movement command based on the received input from the sensor mechanism. A driven wheel mounted to the base of the cart may be configured to impart motion to the cart in response to the movement command.