Surgical Table Drive and Jacking for Low-Force Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical tables in robotics surgery environments require significant manual force to move due to high weight loads, leading to operator strain and reduced efficiency, especially when navigating through confined spaces or changing orientations.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a drive assembly with electric motors, jacks, and manual actuators, such as kinematic straps or drive springs, to assist in moving and reorienting the table, reducing the need for manual force and enhancing control over the table's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual force is applied to move the surgical table, then the table can be moved, but significant operator strain and injury risk occur due to high force requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely manual mechanical pushing system with an electromechanical system. Electric motors mounted on the table base drive wheels that contact the floor, converting electrical energy to mechanical motion. This substitution eliminates the need for operators to directly apply large forces, reducing strain and injury risk while maintaining table mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces drive wheels and motors as intermediary elements between the table and the floor. Instead of operators directly pushing the table, the motors transmit force through driven wheels that contact the floor, acting as intermediaries that amplify and control the force application, thereby reducing the direct physical effort required by operators.
2Force
If multiple operators are used to move the table, then sufficient force can be applied, but operator coordination complexity and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The table becomes self-propelled through integrated electric motors that automatically generate the force needed for movement. The system serves itself by converting electrical energy to mechanical motion without requiring external human force application, eliminating the need for multiple operators and their coordination while maintaining sufficient moving force.
3Force
If the table is designed to be lightweight, then ease of manual movement improves, but load-bearing capacity for patient and equipment decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pushing with an electromechanical drive system. Electric motors provide the force for movement, allowing the table to be heavier (to support patient and equipment) without increasing the force required by operators, since the motors compensate for the additional weight.
4Ease of operation
If electric motors are integrated into the table, then ease of movement improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electric motors serve multiple functions: they propel the table during movement, can potentially position it precisely, and may provide braking or holding capabilities. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing enhanced operational ease and additional capabilities beyond simple movement.
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 solution significantly reduces the effort required to move and reorient the surgical table, minimizing operator strain and improving efficiency, allowing for easier navigation in confined spaces and precise control during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
A vibration motor is mechanically coupled to a portion of the surgical table to induce one or more vibrations across the surgical table. The vibrations cause one or more of the casters to oscillate, so as to have momentary and intermittent contact with the floor.
Implementation Method 2
The drive motor can drive the drive wheel through a mechanical transmission such as a gearbox.
Implementation Method 3
The base can be provided in a wheeled or rolling configuration in which several casters are rotatably mounted to the body of the base and lie on the floor.
Data Source
AI summary
Several solutions are described for making it easier to move a surgical robotics patient table, either from rest or to turn it. The table has a base, a support, and a table top on which the patient is supported. A number of casters are mounted to a body of the base. In one case, controllable jacks lift the body to release the casters thereby allowing them to swivel to a desired orientation. In another case, a drive assembly is rotatably coupled to the body of the base and includes an electric drive motor and a drive wheel to drive the table across the floor. Other aspects are also described and claimed.