Surgical table base with high stiffness and adjustable support members with force feedback

A method of stabilizing a surgical table on a surface, the surgical table having a base, the surgical table and optionally a patient supported by the surgical table, and any equipment carried by the surgical table collectively representing a total load supported on the surface, the base including a support assembly having at least four support members spaced about the base, each support member having surface-engaging end and configured to transmit a portion of the total load through the surface engaging end to the surface, one of the support members being adjustable to move the surface-engaging end of the one support member, the base having a load sensor disposed to detect the portion of the total load carried by one of the support members, the method comprising:

• receiving a signal from the load sensor indicative of the portion of the total load carried by the one of the support members;
• determining whether the portion of the total load is not within an acceptable range;
• and
• if the portion of the total load is not within the acceptable range, causing the surface-engaging end of the adjustable support member to move relative to a plane defined by the surface-engaging ends of three of the other support members and thereby to change the portion of the total load carried by one of the support members.

A base for a surgical table, comprising:

• a base body having a lower side and an upper side to which other components of a surgical table can be coupled,
• the surgical table, and optionally a patient supportable by the surgical table, and any equipment to be carried by the surgical table, collectively representing a table load to be carried by the base body to support the surgical table on a surface;
• a support assembly coupled to the base body to support the base body on the surface, the support assembly including at least four support members spaced about the base body,
• each support member having surface-engaging end and configured to transmit a portion of a total load represented by the weight of the base and the table load through the surface-engaging end to the surface,
• the surface-engaging ends of any three of the four support members defining a plane, one of the support members being adjustable to move the surface-engaging end of the one support member relative to a plane defined by the surface-engaging ends of three of the other support members and thereby to change the portion of the total load carried by one of the support members;
• at least four load sensors operably coupled to the support assembly, each load sensor disposed to detect the portion of the total load carried by each of the support members;
• and
• a controller operable to:
• receive a signal from each of the load sensors indicative of the portion of the total load carried by each of the support members,
• determine a center of gravity for the surgical table based on the signal from each of the load sensors,
• determine whether the center of gravity is located within an acceptable location, and
• if the center of gravity is not located within the acceptable location, send a signal to at least one of (1) an actuator coupled to the adjustable support member to cause the actuator to move the surface-engaging end of the adjustable support member to change the location of the center of gravity, or (2) an output device configured to alert a user.