Surgical Table With Independently Movable Platform Portions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical tables have limited patient articulation due to horizontally-oriented patient platforms and integrated adjustment mechanisms, which constrain movement to one axis or plane, limiting the ability to independently position and orient different body portions during surgery.
Innovation Solution
A surgical table design featuring two independently movable platform portions, each with vertical orientation and adjustable via sliders, rotators, and telescoping columns, allowing for side-to-side movement, rotation, tilting, and extension of the platforms relative to each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If patient platforms are horizontally-oriented with integrated adjustment mechanisms, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but patient articulation is limited to one axis or plane
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support system is divided into multiple independently movable platform portions (first platform portion and second platform portion) that can be separated by a gap. Each platform portion can be independently adjusted in multiple directions (side-to-side, toward/away, rotation), allowing different body portions to be positioned and oriented independently. This segmentation enables enhanced patient articulation while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If patient platform portions are attached to one another, then structural stability is improved, but movement is constrained to one axis or plane
Solution Approach 1:
The platform portions are designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. Each platform portion includes adjustment mechanisms (sliders, rotators, telescoping columns) that allow real-time modification of position and orientation. The platforms can move side-to-side, toward/away from each other, and rotate, providing multi-axis freedom of movement while maintaining stability through controlled adjustment rather than rigid attachment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustment mechanisms are integrated into horizontally-oriented platforms, then device complexity is reduced, but the degree of patient articulation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanisms operate in multiple dimensions rather than being constrained to a single horizontal plane. Platforms can adjust side-to-side (lateral dimension), move toward/away from each other (longitudinal dimension), and rotate (angular dimension). This multi-dimensional adjustment capability significantly increases articulation degree while distributing complexity across multiple independent adjustment systems rather than integrating all mechanisms into a single horizontal platform.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical table including a first platform portion and a second platform portion that are independently moveable relative to one another is provided. A first portion of a patient can be supported by the first platform portion and a second portion of the patient can be supported by the second platform portion, and the first platform portion and the second platform portion can be adjusted relative to one another to correspondingly adjust positions/orientations of the first portion and the second portion of the patient. To illustrate, using a first end portion supporting the first platform portion, the first platform portion can be rotated about a vertical axis and moved side to side to adjust the position/orientation thereof relative to the second platform portion, and using a second end portion supporting the second platform portion, the second platform portion can be moved toward and away from first platform portion.