Motorized patient support for eye examination or treatment

A method for guiding a head of a patient to a desired position, comprising the steps of:

• placing the head of a patient in contact with first and second head-receiving supports;
• controlling a motor assembly to move the first and second head-receiving supports in order to guide the head in any of three axes to a desired position;
• and
• controlling the speed of the motor assembly in order to provide an overall movement speed that is comfortable to the patient.

A motorized patient head support apparatus for positioning the head with respect to an examination or treatment device in three dimensional space defined by an X/Y plane spaced a distance Z from the device, said apparatus comprising:

• a head receiving support structure including an independently movable chinrest;
• a first motor assembly including a first linear drive directed substantially along a first axis;
• a second motor assembly including a second linear drive directed substantially along a second axis, said second linear drive begin coupled to said chin rest for linearly moving the chin rest independent of the support structure;
• and
• a third motor assembly including a third linear drive directed substantially along a third axis, said drives being coupled to said head receiving support structure in order to guide the head substantially linearly in three dimensional space.

A motorized patient head support apparatus for positioning the head with respect to an examination or treatment device in three dimensional space defined by an X/Y plane spaced a distance Z from the device, said apparatus comprising:

• a base carrying a forehead rest;
• a chin rest carried by said base;
• a first motor assembly for linearly driving the chin rest with respect to the base and the forehead rest substantially in the Y-axis;
• a second motor assembly for linearly driving the base and the chin rest substantially in the X-axis;
• and
• a third motor assembly for driving the base and the chin rest substantially in the Z-axis.

A motorized patient head support apparatus for positioning the head with respect to an examination or treatment device in three dimensional space defined by an X/Y plane spaced a distance Z from the device, said apparatus comprising:

• a first support module carrying a first head receiving support;
• a second support module carrying a second head receiving support, said second support module being carried by said first support module and being independently movable with respect thereto;
• a first motor assembly for linearly driving the first support module substantially along a first axis;
• a second motor assembly for linearly driving the second support module substantially along a second axis independent of the first support module;
• and
• a third motor assembly for driving the second support module substantially along a third axis to guide the head in three dimensional space.

A motorized patient head support apparatus for positioning the head with respect to an examination or treatment device in three dimensional space defined by an X/Y plane spaced a distance Z from the device, said apparatus comprising:

• a head receiving support structure;
• a first motor assembly including a first linear drive directed substantially along a first axis;
• a second motor assembly including a second linear drive directed substantially along a second axis;
• and
• a third motor assembly including a third linear drive directed substantially along a third axis, said drives being coupled to said head receiving support structure in order to guide the head substantially linearly in three dimensional space and wherein actuation of the third linear drive induces pivotal motion of the head receiving support structure to approximate motion along the third axis and wherein the approximate motion along the third axis is corrected to create true third axis motion of the head by actuation of the second linear drive.

A motorized patient head support apparatus for positioning the head with respect to an examination or treatment device in three dimensional space defined by an X/Y plane spaced a distance Z from the device, said apparatus comprising:

• a first support module carrying a first head receiving support;
• a second support module carrying a second head receiving support;
• a first motor assembly for linearly driving the first support module substantially along a first axis;
• a second motor assembly for linearly driving the second support module substantially along a second axis;
• and
• a third motor assembly for driving the second support module about a pivot to approximate the motion along a third axis wherein the approximate motion along the third axis is corrected to create true third axis motion of the head by actuation of the first motor assembly.