Granted Patent B2

US 12,440,703 · App. 17/526,956 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Inventor: Brent Harper (New Glarus, WI)

Assignee: RefleXion Medical, Inc.

A61N5/107A61N5/1049A61N5/1075A61N2005/1051A61N2005/1057A61N2005/1061A61N2005/1076

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A radiotherapy patient platform system comprising:

a radiotransparent patient platform comprising a conformable substrate having a thermoelectric layer that is configured to transition between a compliant configuration and a rigid configuration;

a heating element coupled to the thermoelectric layer; and

a controller configured to control the heating element.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric layer transitions between the compliant configuration and the rigid configuration based on temperature.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal insulating layer coupled to the thermoelectric layer.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a plurality of wires that couple the heating element to the thermoelectric layer.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling element.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the cooling element comprises a fluid lumen in contact with the thermoelectric layer.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the cooling element is configured to transition the thermoelectric layer from the compliant configuration to the rigid configuration within 60 seconds.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the patient platform further comprises a plurality of enclosures and the controller is configured to independently control a height of each of the plurality of enclosures.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the radiotransparent patient platform further comprises a pressure sensor coupled to the conformable substrate, and the system further comprises a pressure channel coupling a pressure source to each of the plurality of enclosures.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pressure source is configured to provide 1 atm to 2 atm of pressure to each of the plurality of enclosures.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pressure channel comprises a radiotransparent material substantially transparent to high energy photons.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of enclosures comprise a fluid.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of enclosures comprise a flexible membrane.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of enclosures comprise a honeycomb configuration.

16. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a handheld controller comprising a first switch and a docking port, wherein the first switch is configured to generate a movement signal.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first switch comprises at least one of a button, an analog stick, a trackball, a touch screen, a directional pad, a jog dial, a motion detector, an image sensor, and a microphone.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the handheld controller comprises a wireless transmitter outputting the movement signal.

19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a tether coupled to the patient platform and the handheld controller.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the movement signal controls at least four degrees of freedom of motion.

21. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a second switch.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the second switch is a step switch.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the handheld controller is configured to output the movement signal upon activation of the first and second switches.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the handheld controller comprises the second switch and a housing, and wherein the first switch is provided on a first side of the housing and the second switch is provided on a second side of the housing opposite the first side.

25. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a head fixation comprising a hinge coupled to a base, a head rest coupled to the hinge, and a drive system coupled to the head rest, wherein the drive system is configured to extend substantially perpendicularly to the base, wherein the head rest and the drive system each comprise a radiotransparent material substantially transparent to high energy photons.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the drive system comprises a pneumatic element.

27. The system of claim 25 , wherein the drive system comprises an electromechanical element.

28. The system of claim 25 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the drive system, wherein the actuator is coupled to a first end of the patient platform.

29. The system of claim 25 , wherein the hinge comprises a lock, wherein the lock comprises a plurality of detents and a pin.

30. A method for adjusting a radiotransparent patient platform comprising:

heating a thermoelectric layer of the patient platform using a heating element to form a compliant configuration,

modifying a patient surface of the patient platform while the thermoelectric layer is in the compliant configuration; and

cooling the thermoelectric layer to form a rigid configuration.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein modifying the patient surface comprises laying a patient onto the patient surface.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein cooling the thermoelectric layer further comprises activating a cooling element.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein cooling the thermoelectric layer comprises deactivating the heating element.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (400)