Patient positioning apparatus

• US 20080098525A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Doleschal, Stefan, Weidner, Paul, Hoth, Tobias
• Application Number:
  US11/980,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/600
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/32 for force
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms

Abstract

The patient positioning apparatus features a patient bed able to be moved by a motorized drive under the control of a control device. A sensor device is provided for detection of a manual force acting on the patient bed to move it. The control device is configured so that it activates the drive as a function of the force detected. In this way a simple method of supporting the manual movement of the patient bed by the drive is achieved.

Claims

1. A patient positioning apparatus comprising:

a patient bed movable in a motorized manner via adrive;

a sensor operable to detect a manual force acting on the patient bed; and

a control unit operable to activate the drive,

wherein the control device is operable to activate the drive as a function of the detected manual force.

2. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor device is operable to detect a relative force between the drive and the patient bed.

3. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor device is disposed between the drive and the patient bed.

4. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is operable to activate the drive when a threshold value of the force acting on the patient bed is exceeded.

5. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is operable to activate the drive so that the force between a drive axis and the patient bed is below a predetermined tolerance value.

6. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual force is iteratively measured.

7. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide is a linear guide.

8. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide is a positioning robot.

9. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive is iteratively activated.

10. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drive is activated at regular intervals.

11. The patient positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the manual force is measured at regular intervals.

12. A method for positioning a patient bed, the method comprising:

measuring a manual force acting on the patient bed; and

moving the patient bed with a motorized device as a function of the measured manual force.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein measuring includes measuring with a sensor that is operable to detect a relative force between the motorized device and the patient bed.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sensor is a strain gage.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein moving the patient bed with a motorized device includes moving the patient bed with a motorized device only when a threshold value of the manual force acting on the patient bed is exceeded.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein moving the patient bed with a motorized device includes moving the motorized device so that the force between a drive axis and the patient bed is below a predetermined tolerance value.