Adjustable Surgical Headrest With Multi-Axis Patient Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headrest assemblies for surgical patients in the prone position are cumbersome and time-consuming to adjust, often causing abrasions due to foam cushions and limited adjustability.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable headrest assembly with a U-shaped frame, gel cushions, and a multi-axis adjustment mechanism allowing for translation, pivotal movement, and axial displacement of forehead and chin supports, enabling precise positioning of the patient's head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional foam cushions are used in headrest assemblies, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but the patient experiences abrasions during extended surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the cushions from traditional foam to gel material. This material substitution eliminates abrasions to the patient's skin during extended surgery while maintaining the necessary support and comfort functions. The gel material provides a smoother, more compliant surface that reduces friction and skin irritation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the headrest assembly includes adjustment mechanisms for cushion positions, then the adaptability to different patient dimensions is improved, but the device becomes difficult and time-consuming to adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-axis adjustment mechanism that enables dynamic repositioning of the forehead and chin cushions along multiple degrees of freedom. The system includes translation along the longitudinal axis, pivotal movement, and adjustment perpendicular to the longitudinal plane, allowing the cushions to be quickly positioned to match various patient head dimensions and surgical requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a first adjustment mechanism for longitudinal translation, a second adjustment mechanism for pivotal movement, and a third adjustment mechanism for perpendicular translation. This segmentation allows each degree of freedom to be adjusted independently and simultaneously, improving both adaptability and ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If the headrest assembly is designed with fixed cushion positions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to accommodate different patient head dimensions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed headrest structure into a dynamic, multi-axis adjustment system. The forehead cushion and chin cushion are each mounted on independent adjustment mechanisms that provide translation along the longitudinal axis, pivotal movement, and translation perpendicular to the longitudinal plane. This dynamic design accommodates various patient head dimensions while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular component design.
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest assembly includes a frame, a first head support configured and dimensioned to support a forehead of a patient, and a second head support configured and dimensioned to support a chin of the patient. An adjustment mechanism is mounted to the frame and is operable to adjust the position of at least one of the first and second head supports relative to the frame. The first and second head supports having at least two degrees of freedom relative to a longitudinal plane and at least one degree of freedom relative to an axial plane that is orthogonal to the longitudinal plane. The longitudinal plane extends parallel to an X axis and also extends parallel to a Y axis that is orthogonal to the X axis. The axial plane extends parallel to one of the X axis and the Y axis. The axial plane also extends parallel to a Z-axis that is orthogonal to both the X axis and the Y axis.