POSITIONING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING A LOAD

• US 20080301872A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH & Company KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Herrmann, Klaus, Loseken, Jochen Miguel, Fahrig, Wolfram
• Granted Patent: US 8,702,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/81.1R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4092 for producing synchrotron radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5276 involving measuring table sag
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/02 Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/04 tiltable around transverse or longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/06 raising or lowering of the whole table surface A61G13/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1057 monitoring flexing of the patient support or the radiation treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1638 compensation for arm bending/inertia, pay load weight/inertia
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35285 Plausibility check for data, within permissible range
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37285 Load, current taken by motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39176 Compensation deflection arm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49189 Bending of driven table, lag between real and commanded position

Abstract

A positioning device for positioning a load is provided. The positioning device includes a motor, a measuring device, and an evaluation device. The measuring device is associated with the motor, and is operable to ascertain measurement data that characterizes the motor current consumption by the motor in the positioning of the load. The evaluation device evaluates the measurement data that have been ascertained by the measuring device, so that in that way the loading of the positioning device by the load can be ascertained.

Claims

1. A positioning system for positioning a load, having:

a motor for moving a positioning device;

a measuring device that is associated with the motor and that is operable to ascertain measurement data that characterizes a motor current consumption by the motor in the positioning of the load;

an evaluation device that ascertains the load of the positioning device as a function of the measurement data.

2. The positioning device as defined by claim 1, further comprising:

at least one further motor for moving the positioning device;

a further measuring device, which is associated with the further motor and operable to ascertain further measurement data that characterizes a further motor current consumption by the further motor in the positioning of the load;

wherein the evaluation device takes the further measurement data into account.

3. The positioning device as defined by claim 1,

wherein the positioning device includes:

a control device that positions the positioning device in such a way that a deformation of the positioning device by the load is compensated for using the ascertained load.

4. The positioning device as defined by claim 1,

wherein the evaluation device is operable to ascertain the weight of the load and/or the position of the center of gravity of the load.

5. The positioning device as defined by claim 1,

wherein the positioning device is a multiaxial robot arm.

6. The positioning device as defined by claim 5,

wherein the evaluation device takes into account at least one joint position during the ascertaining of the load as a function of the measurement data.

7. The positioning device as defined by claim 1,

wherein the positioning device is a patient positioning device for positioning a patient in a medical system.

18. The positioning device as defined by claim 7, wherein the medical system is a particle therapy system.

8. A method for positioning a load, the method comprising:

positioning the load by moving a positioning device with at least one motor;

ascertaining measurement data that characterizes a motor current consumption by the at least one motor in the positioning of the load;

evaluating the ascertained measurement data in such a way that the load of the positioning device is ascertained.

9. The method as defined by claim 8, further comprising:

controlling the positioning device using the ascertained load of the positioning device to compensate for a deformation of the positioning device by the load.

10. The method as defined by claim 8, further comprising:

performing a plausibility check of the ascertained load.

11. The method as defined by claim 8,

wherein ascertaining the load includes ascertaining the weight of the load and/or the position of the center of gravity of the load.

12. The method as defined by claim 8,

wherein the positioning device is a multiaxial robot arm with a plurality of joints.

13. The method as defined by claim 12,

wherein the evaluation includes taking into account at least one joint position.

14. The method as defined by claim 8,

wherein the positioning device has a plurality of motors;

wherein in each of the motors, measurement data are ascertained which characterize the respective motor current consumption in the positioning of the load; and

wherein ascertaining the loading of the positioning device by the load is effected redundantly by evaluating the measurement data ascertained.

15. The method as defined by claim 14, further comprising:

outputting an error signal when a deviation between the ascertained load and a redundant ascertained load is determined that is outside a tolerance range.

16. A medical diagnosis and/or treatment system comprising:

an examination room or treatment room having a positioning device for a patient wherein the positioning device comprises;

a motor for moving a positioning device;

a measuring device that is associated with the motor and that is operable to ascertain measurement data that characterizes a motor current consumption by the motor in the positioning of the load;

an evaluation device that evaluates the measurement data, so that the load of the positioning device may be ascertained.

17. The medical diagnosis and/or treatment system as defined by claim 16, further comprising:

radiation therapy device for particle therapy.