EXAMINATION TABLE WITH MOTION TRACKING

• US 20120042451A1
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midmark Corporation
• Original Assignee: Midmark Corporation
• Inventors: Hyre, Rodney, Jones, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0018 Physician's examining tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/06 raising or lowering of the whole table surface A61G13/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/08 the table being divided into different adjustable sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion

Abstract

An examination table includes a support surface movable with respect to a base. The support surface includes a seat portion and a backrest portion. A first motor drives the support surface with respect to the base, and a second motor drives the backrest portion pivotally with respect to the seat portion. A control system includes a control panel and first and second Hall-effect sensors for detecting rotations of the respective first and second motors to determine the current positions of the support surface and the backrest portion. The control system executes a movement algorithm for moving the support surface and the backrest portion to a desired position from the current position. The control system also executes a calibration algorithm for calibrating position tracking of the support surface and the backrest portion.

Claims

1. An examination table, comprising:

a base;

a support surface mounted on the base and including a seat portion and a backrest portion;

a first motor configured to drive the support surface with respect to the base;

a second motor configured to drive the backrest portion with respect to the seat portion; and

a control system including a control panel with a first button, a first Hall-effect sensor configured to detect rotations of the first motor to determine a current position of the support surface, and a second Hall-effect sensor configured to detect rotations of the second motor to determine a current position of the backrest portion,

wherein when the first button on the control panel is actuated, the control system executes a movement algorithm for moving the support surface and the backrest portion to a desired position from the current position, the movement algorithm being configured to;

(1) detect the current position of the support surface;

(2) actuate the first motor until the support surface has moved to the desired position;

(3) detect the current position of the backrest portion; and

(4) actuate the second motor until the backrest portion has moved to the desired position.

2. The examination table of claim 1, wherein the first and second motors are brushless direct-current electric motors.

3. The examination table of claim 1, wherein the desired position corresponds to an examination position of the examination table.

4. The examination table of claim 1, wherein the desired position corresponds to a chair position of the examination table.

5. The examination table of claim 1, wherein the control panel further includes a second button that may be pressed by a user to execute the movement algorithm to move the support surface and the backrest portion to a second desired position.

6. The examination table of claim 1, wherein the control panel further includes a set of manual-control buttons for individually actuating one of the first and second motors in a certain direction.

7. An examination table, comprising:

a base;

a support surface mounted on the base and including a seat portion and a backrest portion;

a first motor configured to drive the support surface between a distal position and a proximal position with respect to the base;

a second motor configured to drive the backrest portion to pivot between a first position and a second position with respect to the seat portion; and

a control system including a control panel with a calibration button, a first Hall-effect sensor configured to detect rotations of the first motor, and a second Hall-effect sensor configured to detect rotations of the second motor,

wherein when the calibration button on the control panel is actuated, the control system executes a calibration algorithm for calibrating position tracking of the support surface and the backrest portion, the calibration algorithm being configured to;

(1) actuate the first motor to drive the support surface to the proximal position;

(2) set a Base Position Variable Minimum to zero at the proximal position;

(3) actuate the first motor to drive the support surface to the distal position;

(4) set a Base Position Variable Maximum to a number of first motor rotations detected by the first Hall-effect sensor during the movement of the support surface to the distal position;

(5) actuate the second motor to drive the backrest portion to the first position;

(6) set a Backrest Position Variable Minimum to zero at the first position;

(7) actuate the second motor to drive the backrest portion to the second position; and

(8) set a Backrest Position Variable Maximum to a number of second motor rotations detected by the second Hall-effect sensor during the movement of the backrest portion to the second position.

8. The examination table of claim 7, wherein the control system determines a current position of the support surface by detecting how many first motor rotations the first motor has traveled from the proximal position.

9. The examination table of claim 8, wherein the control system determines a current position of the backrest portion by detecting how many second motor rotations the second motor has traveled from the first position.

10. The examination table of claim 9, wherein the control panel includes a first button configured to actuate the control system to execute a movement algorithm for moving the support surface and the backrest portion to a desired position from the current position, the movement algorithm being configured to:

(1) detect the current position of the support surface;

(2) actuate the first motor until the support surface has moved to the desired position;

(3) detect the current position of the backrest portion; and

(4) actuate the second motor until the backrest portion has moved to the desired position.

11. The examination table of claim 10, wherein the control system sets a Base Position Variable equal to the number of first motor rotations the first motor has traveled from the proximal position, and

wherein the movement algorithm is configured to (1) actuate the first motor to drive the support surface toward the proximal position if the Base Position Variable for the current position is greater than the Base Position Variable for the desired position;

and (2) actuate the first motor to drive the support surface toward the distal position if the Base Position Variable for the current position is less than the Base Position Variable for the desired position.

12. The examination table of claim 10, wherein the control system sets a Backrest Position Variable equal to the number of second motor rotations the first motor has traveled from the first position, and

wherein the movement algorithm is configured to (1) actuate the second motor to drive the backrest portion toward the first position if the Backrest Position Variable for the current position is greater than the Backrest Position Variable for the desired position;

and (2) actuate the second motor to drive the backrest portion toward the second position if the Backrest Position Variable for the current position is less than the Backrest Position Variable for the desired position

13. The examination table of claim 7, wherein the first and second motors are brushless direct-current electric motors.

14. The examination table of claim 7, wherein the control panel further includes a set of manual-control buttons for individually actuating one of the first and second motors in a certain direction.