Patient Support

• US 20130239329A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elekta AB
• Original Assignee: Elekta AB
• Inventors: Humphrey, Malcolm George, Doherty, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/600
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/02 Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/107 Supply appliances supply appliances for dental machines A61C1/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam

Abstract

Standby power supplies for patient tables need frequent replacement of the lead-acid batteries on which they depend. We propose to feed the emergency power direct to the drive motors, subsequent to the control circuitry. This will reduce the load on the standby power system, allowing greater design freedom to select longer-lasting or less expensive energy stores.

Claims

1. A patient support, comprising:

a patient table provided with a control panel;

at least one electrically-powered motor for adjusting the position of the patient table;

a motor control system, adapted to process control instructions for the patient table and arrange the provision of power to the at least one motor;

a standby power source;

a mains power input delivering mains electrical power to the motor control system and to the standby power source;

a standby control system, adapted to process control instructions from the control panel and arrange the provision of power to the at least one motor from the standby power source.

2. A patient support according to claim 1 in which the standby power source includes a capacitive energy store.

3. A patient support according to claim 1 further comprising a switch adapted to connect the at least one motor to either the motor control system or the standby control system.

4. A patient support according to claim 3 in which the switch is under the control of the standby control system.

5. A patient support according to claim 3 in which the switch defaults to connecting the at least one motor to the standby control system.

6. A patient support according to any of claims 1-5 in which the motor control system is adapted to process control instructions from both the control panel and an external source of control instructions for the patient table.

7. A patient support according to any of claims 1-5 in which the standby control system is integrated into the standby power source.

8. A patient support according to any of claims 1-5 in which the standby control system is integrated into the control panel.