Patient positioning and support systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326907-B2
Application number	US-201213563441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2012
Priority date	Jul 31, 2012
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A patient positioning system employs an arm having a first portion and a second portion which is telescopic relative to the first portion. A first positioning device may be coupled to the first portion of the arm providing support for the arm. The first positioning device is rotatable on a first axis, allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device. The second positioning device is coupled to the second portion of the arm and movable with the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm. The second positioning device is operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A patient positioning system, comprising:
an arm having a first portion and a second portion;
a first positioning device coupled to the first portion of the arm, the first positioning device providing support for the arm and rotatable on a first axis, thereby allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device;
a second positioning device coupled to the second portion of the arm, the second positioning device being operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis;
a third positioning device coupled to the arm and operable to extend and/or retract the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm along a longitudinal axis of the arm; and
a control system coupled to the first, the second, and/or the third positioning devices to control operations of the first, the second, and/or the third positioning devices,
wherein the first positioning device is operable to pivot the arm on a third axis.

2. A patient positioning system comprising
an arm having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion of the arm being telescopic relative to the first portion of the arm;
a first positioning device coupled to the first portion of the arm, the first positioning device providing support for the arm and rotatable on a first axis, thereby allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device; and
a second positioning device coupled to the second portion of the arm and movable with the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm, the second positioning device being operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis;
wherein the first positioning device is operable to pivot the arm on a third axis.

3. The patient positioning system of claim 2 wherein the arm is non-articulated.

4. The patient positioning system of claim 2 further comprising a movable base member, the movable base member being coupled to the first positioning device thereby allowing the first positioning device to further move with the movable base member.

5. A patient positioning system comprising
an arm having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion of the arm being telescopic relative to the first portion of the arm;
a first positioning device coupled to the first portion of the arm, the first positioning device providing support for the arm and rotatable on a first axis, thereby allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device; and
a second positioning device coupled to the second portion of the arm and movable with the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm, the second positioning device being operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis;
wherein the second positioning device is further operable to rotate the patient support on at least one additional axis that is different from the second axis.

6. The patient positioning system of claim 5 wherein the second positioning device comprises a wrist assembly that is operable to rotate the patient support on a yaw, a pitch, and a roll axis.

7. A patient positioning system comprising
an arm having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion of the arm being telescopic relative to the first portion of the arm;
a first positioning device coupled to the first portion of the arm, the first positioning device providing support for the arm and rotatable on a first axis, thereby allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device; and
a second positioning device coupled to the second portion of the arm and movable with the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm, the second positioning device being operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis;
wherein the first positioning device is enclosed in an enclosure in a form comprising a portion of sphere.

8. The patient positioning system of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the arm is enclosed in the enclosure.

9. A patient positioning system comprising
a first turret rotatable on a first axis;
an arm having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the arm being coupled to the first turret, thereby allowing the arm to be supported by and rotate with the first turret; and
a second turret coupled to the second end portion of the arm and rotatable on a second axis, the second turret being adapted to couple with a patient support to allow the patient support to rotate with the second turret.

10. The patient positioning system of claim 9 wherein the arm is telescopic.

11. The patient positioning system of claim 10 wherein the arm is pivotable about the first turret on a third axis.

12. The patient positioning system of claim 11 wherein the arm is non-articulated.

13. The patient positioning system of claim 9 wherein the arm is pivotable about the first turret on a third axis.

14. The patient positioning system of claim 13 wherein the arm is non-articulated.

15. The patient positioning system of claim 9 wherein the arm is non-articulated.

16. The patient positioning system of claim 9 wherein the second axis is generally perpendicular to the first axis.

17. The patient positioning system of claim 9 further comprising a movable base member, wherein the movable base member is coupled to the first turret thereby allowing the first turret to further move with the movable base member.

18. The patient positioning system of claim 17 further comprising a carriage between the second turret and the patient support, the second turret being operable to rotate the carriage on an axis that is different from the second axis, thereby allowing the patient support to rotate with the carriage.

19. The patient positioning system of claim 18 wherein the carriage is operable to pitch and/or roll the patient support.

20. A patient positioning system, comprising:
an arm having a first portion and a second portion;
a first positioning device coupled to the first portion of the arm, the first positioning device providing support for the arm and rotatable on a first axis, thereby allowing the arm to rotate with the first positioning device;
a second positioning device coupled to the second portion of the arm, the second positioning device being operable to rotate a patient support at least on a second axis;
a third positioning device coupled to the arm and operable to extend and/or retract the second portion of the arm relative to the first portion of the arm along a longitudinal axis of the arm; and
a control system coupled to the first, the second, and/or the third positioning devices to control operations of the first, the second, and/or the third positioning devices, wherein each of the first, second, and third positioning devices comprises one or more servo motors and one or more feedback devices which are coupled to the controller.

21. The patient positioning system of claim 20 wherein the control system comprises a controller and a user interface device which allows a user to interact with the controller in controlling the operations of the first, second, and/or third positioning devices.

22. The patient positioning system of claim 21 wherein the user interface device comprises a remote control unit that allows the user to remotely control the operations of the first, second, and/or third positioning devices.

23. The patient positioning system of claim 20 further comprising a movable base member,

Assignees

• Marle Jason
• Varian Med Sys Inc

Inventors

• Marle Jason

Classifications

• A61G2210/50

  for radiography · CPC title

• A61G7/1017

  Pivoting arms, e.g. crane type mechanisms · CPC title

• A61G7/1057 Primary

  Supported platforms, frames or sheets for patient in lying position · CPC title

• A61B6/0457

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61B6/0407

  Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body · CPC title