Surgical table and method of operating the same

Abstract

A surgical table includes a mechanism for causing movement of a tabletop of the table relative to a column of the table in a selected longitudinal or transverse direction of the tabletop, the mechanism including first and second drive elements movably mounted on one of the column and the tabletop and a traverse device mounted on the other of the column and the tabletop, wherein the tabletop is movable relative to the column between a predetermined traverse position, at which both of the first and second drive elements are engaged with the traverse device, and a first traverse position, at which the first drive element is engaged with the traverse device and the second drive element is disengaged from the traverse device. Also described is a system for helping a user dispose a tabletop of a table a predetermined position relative to a column of the table.

1 . A surgical table comprising:
 a base for standing on a floor;   a column extending from the base;   a tabletop providing a patient support surface;   a tabletop traverse drive mechanism coupling the tabletop to the column, which tabletop traverse drive mechanism is for causing movement of the tabletop relative to the column in a selected longitudinal or transverse direction of the tabletop; and   a controller for controlling operation of the tabletop traverse drive mechanism;   wherein the controller is configured to control the tabletop traverse drive mechanism to cause movement of the tabletop relative to the column between first and second traverse positions via a predetermined traverse position, and configured, when the tabletop is at the predetermined traverse position relative to the column, to control the tabletop traverse drive mechanism to cause the movement of the tabletop relative to the column to be paused for a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         2 . A surgical table according to  claim 1 , wherein the tabletop traverse drive mechanism is for causing movement of the tabletop relative to the column in a selected longitudinal direction of the tabletop. 
     
     
         3 . A surgical table according to  claim 1 , comprising a sensor for sensing, and for notifying the controller of, a relative position of the tabletop and the column. 
     
     
         4 . A surgical table according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is for sensing, and for notifying the controller of, when the tabletop is at the predetermined traverse position relative to the column. 
     
     
         5 . A surgical table according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.05 and 5 seconds. 
     
     
         6 . A surgical table according to  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.1 and 3 seconds. 
     
     
         7 . A surgical table according to  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.25 and 2 seconds. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a surgical table having a base for standing on a floor; a column extending from the base; a tabletop providing a patient support surface; a tabletop traverse drive mechanism coupling the tabletop to the column, which tabletop traverse drive mechanism is for causing movement of the tabletop relative to the column in a selected longitudinal or transverse direction of the tabletop; and a controller for controlling operation of the tabletop traverse drive mechanism, the method comprising:
 the controller controlling the tabletop traverse drive mechanism to cause movement of the tabletop relative to the column between first and second traverse positions via a predetermined traverse position; and   the controller controlling the tabletop traverse drive mechanism to cause the movement of the tabletop relative to the column to be paused for a predetermined period of time when the tabletop is at the predetermined traverse position relative to the column.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the tabletop traverse drive mechanism is for causing relative movement of the tabletop relative to the column in a selected longitudinal direction of the tabletop. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising sensing a relative position of the tabletop and the column. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising sensing when the tabletop is at the predetermined traverse position relative to the column. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.05 and 5 seconds. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.1 and 3 seconds. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined period of time is between 0.25 and 2 seconds. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product for causing a surgical table to perform the method of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         16 . A surgical table according to  claim 2 , comprising a sensor for sensing, and for notifying the controller of, a relative position of the tabletop and the column.