Surgical Table Extension Base Constraint for Tilt Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical table extensions fail to provide adequate patient support during lateral tilt and flex positions, are prone to accidental base positioning that compromises support, and are difficult to store and transport compactly.
Innovation Solution
A surgical table extension with a large area base and support leg featuring U-joints that limit motion, an integral cart for transportation, and a stop mechanism to prevent base misalignment, ensuring stable patient support and easy deployment and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the base is made small and lightweight for easy transport, then the table extension becomes easier to store and transport, but the table extension cannot provide adequate patient support during lateral tilt and flex positions
Solution Approach 1:
The table extension is divided into separable components including the base, support leg, patient support structure, and integral cart. This segmentation allows the base to be optimized for stability with a large area design while maintaining ease of transport through modular assembly and disassembly. The base can be independently handled during transport without moving the entire assembled structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is designed with a large horizontal area to provide stable support during lateral tilt and flex positions. By increasing the base area in the horizontal dimension, the table extension achieves adequate patient support stability without compromising transportability, as the larger base can be managed as a separate module during movement.
2Reliability
If the base is made large to provide adequate patient support, then the table extension provides stable support during lateral tilt and flex positions, but the table extension becomes more difficult to store and transport compactly
Solution Approach 1:
The table extension system is segmented into modular components that can be assembled and disassembled. The large area base is one such module that provides stable patient support when assembled, but can be separated for compact storage and transport. The integral cart with shelf further facilitates compact storage by providing a folded position for the patient support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support leg incorporates telescoping sections that can extend and retract, allowing the table extension to adapt its configuration. When assembled, the extended support leg provides adequate patient support with a large base area. When stored or transported, the support leg can be retracted to reduce the overall volume and make the system more compact.
3Volume of moving object
If the support leg is made extendable and retractable for compact storage, then the table extension can be stored compactly, but the support leg may suffer from moments or loads that could lead to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The support leg is designed with telescoping sections that can dynamically adjust between extended and retracted positions. This dynamic capability allows compact storage when retracted while providing full support when extended. The design includes features to manage moments and loads during extension and retraction cycles to prevent failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping support leg incorporates mechanisms to cushion and manage the moments and loads that occur during extension and retraction. By anticipating these forces and designing appropriate cushioning features beforehand, the support leg can safely undergo repeated extension and retraction cycles without failure, enabling compact storage capability.
4Ease of operation
If the table extension allows free movement of the base for easy positioning, then the table extension is easier to deploy, but the base may be accidentally placed in positions where the table can no longer support a patient
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the base and support leg incorporates feedback mechanisms that provide information about the base's position and orientation. This feedback allows the system to detect when the base is in a safe, supported position versus an unsafe position, preventing accidental misplacement that would compromise patient support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The table extension design includes preliminary anti-action features such as mechanical stops, guides, or interlocking mechanisms that prevent the base from being positioned in unsafe configurations. By anticipating potential positioning errors and designing countermeasures in advance, the system ensures that the base can only be placed in positions that maintain adequate patient support.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical table extension features a patient support structure, a large area base, and a support leg. A first joint having at least two degrees of freedom is located between the patient support structure and the support leg. A second joint also having at least two degrees of freedom is located between the base and the support leg. There is a stop limiting the range of motion of the support leg such that a portion of the base area is constrained to be below the first joint irrespective of the position of the base.