Housing Cladding Module with Collision Identification for Medical Devices

• US 20140111227A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Neuber, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 9,851,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/697
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/10 by measuring variations of frequency of stressed vibrating elements, e.g. of stressed strings using resistance strain gauges G01L1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/00 Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/006 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/02 Electrochemical measuring systems for weathering, corrosion or corrosion-protection measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/041 of a solid body

Abstract

A housing cladding module for a medical device is provided for collision identification. The module includes resistor elements, which are arranged in and/or on the surface and which are designed such that the resistor elements change their electrical resistance on expansion. The resistor elements are arranged in such a way that the resistor elements are expanded in the event of a collision with an object. The collision is identified easily, and the effective collision force may be ascertained.

Claims

1. A housing cladding module for collision identification of a medical device, the housing cladding module comprising:

resistor elements arranged in the housing cladding module, a surface or the housing cladding module, or both, the resistor elements configured to change an electrical resistance on expansion and arranged to expand on collision of the housing cladding module with an object.

2. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements are fibrous.

3. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fibrous resistor elements are formed from carbon fibers.

4. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another.

5. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements form a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

6. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing cladding module is formed from a soft, deformable material.

7. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another.

8. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resistor elements form a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

9. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing cladding module is formed from a soft, deformable material.

10. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resistor elements form a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

11. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing cladding module is formed from a soft, deformable material.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fibrous resistor elements are formed from carbon fibers.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another.

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing cladding module is formed from a soft, deformable material.

12. An arrangement comprising

a housing cladding module having resistor elements arranged in the housing cladding module, a surface or the housing cladding module, or both, the resistor elements configured to change an electrical resistance on expansion and arranged to expand on collision of the housing cladding module with an object;

and

a resistance measurement unit operable to measure changes in resistance of the resistor elements.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the resistor elements are fibrous.

17. A method for detecting a collision of an object with a housing cladding module of a medical device, the method comprising:

arranging resistor elements in a housing cladding module, on a surface of the housing cladding module, or both; and

measuring a change in electrical resistance of the resistor elements.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein measuring comprises measuring a change in the electrical resistance of the resistor elements due to expansion of the resistor elements.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising expanding at least one of the resistor elements on a collision with the object.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising electrically insulating the resistor elements from one another, the resistor elements comprising carbon fibers.