Surgical Table Orthogonal Inclination Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical tables lack the ability to incline their tabletops over a wide range of angles about two orthogonal axes, requiring robust actuators that are costly and complex, and lack mechanisms for easy height adjustment and monitoring of actuator states and movements.
Innovation Solution
A surgical table design featuring a mechanism with a first and second frame connected to the tabletop and column via actuators, allowing rotational movement about orthogonal axes, and a system for monitoring actuator states and movements, including a controller for adjusting the height of the table.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the tabletop is designed to incline over a greater range of angles about two orthogonal axes, then the versatility of the table is improved, but the robustness requirements of actuators increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inclination mechanism is divided into two separate frames: a first frame for supporting the tabletop and a second frame rotatably mounted on the first frame. Each frame is controlled by dedicated actuators (first actuator for the first frame, second actuator for the second frame), allowing independent control of inclination about two orthogonal axes. This segmentation enables versatile positioning while distributing mechanical loads across separate actuator systems rather than requiring a single robust actuator to handle all movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism adds a rotational degree of freedom by mounting the second frame rotatably on the first frame about an axis orthogonal to both longitudinal and transverse directions of the tabletop. This creates a two-stage inclination system where the first actuator controls inclination about one axis and the second actuator controls inclination about a perpendicular axis, enabling three-dimensional positioning capability without requiring oversized actuators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanism with two frames and multiple actuators is used for inclination, then the range of motion is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex inclination mechanism is segmented into modular components: a first frame connected to the tabletop, a second frame rotatably mounted on the first frame, a first actuator controlling the first frame, and a second actuator controlling the second frame. This modular segmentation makes the complex system easier to manufacture, assemble, and maintain compared to a monolithic inclination mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses rotatable mounting of the second frame on the first frame, creating dynamic movement capability. The rotatable connection allows the second frame to rotate about an axis orthogonal to both longitudinal and transverse directions, enabling compound inclination movements that would be difficult to achieve with fixed-axis mechanisms.
3Reliability
If robust actuators are used to withstand patient loads, then the reliability is improved, but the cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system is segmented into a first actuator connected to the first frame and a second actuator connected to the second frame. Each actuator handles a portion of the patient load independently, allowing the use of less robust (and therefore less complex and less expensive) actuators compared to a single actuator system that would need to handle the entire load while providing multi-axis inclination.
Solution Approach 2:
By introducing the second frame rotatably mounted on the first frame, the system creates an additional rotational dimension. This allows the actuators to work in a distributed manner where each actuator controls a specific degree of freedom, reducing the individual load-bearing requirements while maintaining overall system reliability for withstanding patient loads.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A surgical table includes a base for standing on a floor; a column extending from the base; a tabletop providing a patient support surface; and a mechanism coupling the tabletop to the column and for enabling rotational movement of the tabletop relative to the column about two orthogonal axes, the mechanism comprising a first frame connected to the tabletop and a second frame connected to the column and rotatably mounted on the first frame about an axis that is orthogonal to both longitudinal and transverse directions of the tabletop. Also disclosed is a system for helping a user dispose a tabletop and a base of a surgical table at a predetermined relative position, a system for recording actions performed by a surgical table, and surgical tables configured to adjust a height of a tabletop thereof in specific manners.