SELF ADJUSTING BEARING USED ON CT GANTRY

• US 20120148013A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Xiaoyan, Liu, Hailiang, Liu, Zhuo, Wang, Xueli, Yang, Xuyong
• Granted Patent: US 8,662,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/44 Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4447 Tiltable gantries
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 13/04 Bearings with only partial enclosure of the member to be borne; Bearings with local support at two or more points
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/507 with rolling elements journaled in one of the moving parts, e.g. stationary rollers to support a rotating part
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2300/14 Large applications, e.g. bearings having an inner diameter exceeding 500 mm
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2316/10 in medical appliances, e.g. in diagnosis, dentistry, instruments, prostheses, medical imaging appliances

Abstract

A self adjusting bearing for use on a CT gantry is provided. The self adjusting bearing is configured to be mounted on a main frame of the CT gantry and is configured to support a rotating base of the CT gantry wherein the self adjusting bearing includes a roller, a first component, and a second component, the roller is configured to support the rotating base and is rotatably mounted on the first component, the second component is configured to be mounted on the main frame, and the first component and the second component are configured to rotatably engage each other such that they can rotate relative to each other during the mounting of the self adjusting bearing.

Claims

1. A self adjusting bearing for use on a CT gantry, said self adjusting bearing configured to be mounted on a main frame of the CT gantry and configured to support a rotating base of the CT gantry, wherein:

said self adjusting bearing comprises a roller, a first component, and a second component;

said roller is configured to support said rotating base and is rotatably mounted on said first component;

said second component is configured to be mounted on the main frame; and

said first component and said second component are configured to rotatable engage each other such that they can rotate relative to each other during the mounting of said self adjusting bearing.

2. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of said first component is one of approximately perpendicular to and approximately parallel to an axis of rotation of said roller.

3. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 1, wherein one of said first component and said second component is a convex block, and the other of said first component and said second component is a concave block.

4. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 3, wherein:

said convex block comprises a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third recess therebetween;

said concave block comprises a first recess, a second recess, and a third protrusion therebetween;

said first protrusion and said second protrusion match said first recess and said second recess of said concave block respectively; and

said third recess of the convex block matches said third protrusion of said concave block.

5. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 4, wherein:

a first leg and a second leg are provided at an upper end of said first component; and

said roller is rotatably mounted between said first leg and said second leg around a first mounting piece.

6. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 5, wherein:

said first protrusion, said second protrusion, and said third protrusion each extend one of approximately perpendicular to and approximately parallel to said first leg and said second leg.

7. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 4, wherein:

said first protrusion and said second protrusion each have an arcuate profile similar to an arcuate profile of said first recess and said second recess; and

said third protrusion has an arcuate profile similar to an arcuate profile of said third recess.

8. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 4, wherein:

a second mounting piece extends through said first protrusion, said second protrusion, and said third protrusion; and

said convex block and said concave block are configured to rotate relative to each other around said second mounting piece.

9. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 4, wherein:

said first protrusion and said second protrusion each comprise a locating slot;

said third protrusion comprises a locating hole;

a fixing means extends through said locating hole and is configured to be slidably received in said locating slot; and

a relative position of said convex block to said concave block is secured when said fixing means is fastened.

10. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 4, wherein:

said first protrusion and said second protrusion each comprise a locating hole;

said third protrusion comprises a locating slot;

a fixing means extends through said locating hole and is configured to be slidably received in said locating slot; and

a relative position of said convex block and said concave block is secured when said fixing means is fastened.

11. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 9, wherein:

said locating hole comprises two locating holes having equal radial distance to the axis of rotation of said first component; and

said locating slot comprises two locating slots having equal radial distance to an axis of rotation of said first component.

12. The self adjusting bearing according to claim 1, wherein said roller is cone shaped, and a cone angle of said roller is arranged such that said roller has roll friction with said rotating base.

13. A CT gantry comprising a main frame, a rotating base, and a self adjusting bearing according to claim 1, wherein said self adjusting bearing is mounted on said main frame and supports said rotating base.

14. The CT gantry according to claim 13, further comprising a fixed type bearing arranged on said main frame and disposed at a side of said rotating base opposite said self adjusting bearing.

15. The CT gantry according to claim 14, wherein said CT gantry comprises a first bearing couple comprising two self adjusting bearings, and a second bearing couple and a third bearing couple each comprising one self adjusting bearing and one fixed type bearing.

16. The CT gantry according to claim 13, wherein said rotating base has a chamfer configured to guide said roller of said self adjusting bearing.

17. The CT gantry according to claim 13, wherein said rotating base has comprises a driving surface disposed on an outer periphery, said driving surface engages a driving belt for driving said rotating base.

18. The CT gantry according to claim 13, further comprising a failsafe set mounted on said main frame configured to support said rotating base upon failure of said self adjusting bearing.

19. The CT gantry according to claim 13, further comprising a bearing support bracket mounted on said main frame, said self adjusting bearing is mounted on a tilting surface of said bearing support bracket.

20. A CT system comprising a self adjusting bearing according to claim 1.

21. A CT system comprising a CT gantry according to claim 13.