Active Floor for Proton Therapy

• US 20140121441A1
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ProNova Solutions, LLC (Provision Health Alliance)
• Original Assignee: ProNova Solutions, LLC (Provision Health Alliance)
• Inventors: Huber, Jonathan, Matteo, Joseph C., Evors, Tyler, Jacques, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,975,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0407 Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries

Abstract

An operator positioning apparatus for a proton treatment system includes: a proton beam nozzle to emit a proton beam to a targeted region of a patient; a gantry wheel having a front face to support the proton beam nozzle to direct the proton beam to an isocenter of the gantry wheel corresponding to a center of the targeted region, wherein the gantry wheel rotates the proton beam nozzle around the isocenter; an active floor that horizontally translates across the front face of the gantry wheel, the active floor having an opening having a width through which the proton beam nozzle protrudes when the proton beam nozzle is located below the targeted region.

Claims

1. An operator support apparatus for a proton treatment system, comprising:

a proton beam nozzle to emit a proton beam to a targeted region of a patient;

a gantry wheel having a front face to support the proton beam nozzle to direct the proton beam approximately to an isocenter of the gantry wheel corresponding to the targeted region, wherein the gantry wheel rotates the proton beam nozzle around the isocenter;

an active floor that horizontally translates across the front face of the gantry wheel, the active floor having an opening having a width through which the proton beam nozzle protrudes when the proton beam nozzle is located below the targeted region.

2. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active floor is comprised of a plurality of interconnected slats wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other.

3. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active floor is comprised of a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections move independently of each other.

4. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active floor is comprised of a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections move independently of each other and the opening width is variable.

5. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active floor is comprised of a plurality of interconnected slats arranged in at least two sections, wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other and a first section translates through a channel around a first corner from horizontal movement to non-horizontal movement and a second section translates through a channel around a second corner from horizontal movement to non-horizontal movement.

6. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the active floor is comprised of a circuitous path in a continuous loop.

7. The operator support apparatus of claim 1 comprising a track through which the active floor moves, the track having a plurality of corners around which the floor must bend around in order to follow the track.

8. A rolling floor for supporting a person proximate the nozzle mounted on the rotating wheel of a proton treatment gantry, the rolling floor including:

a first section having one end portion rotatably mounted on a take-up roll and defining an opposite end portion terminating in an opening end of the first section;

a second section having one end portion rotatably mounted on a take-up roll and defining an opposite end portion terminating in an opening end which cooperates with the opening end;

a drive mechanism for selectively discharging and taking up, said first and said second sections of said rolling floor onto and from the respective take-up rolls; and

an opening selectively defined between the opening ends of said first and said second section, said opening size being selected for receiving said nozzle therethrough as said nozzle mounted on said rotating wheel passes below and above said rolling floor during rotation of said nozzle about a patient during proton treatment.

9. The rolling floor of claim 8 wherein said first and second sections of said rolling floor each include a plurality of interconnected slats wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other.

10. A method of operating a proton treatment system, comprising:

emitting a proton beam to a targeted region of a patient utilizing a proton beam nozzle;

rotating the proton beam nozzle around the targeted region utilizing a gantry wheel having a front face to support the proton beam nozzle to direct the proton beam approximately to an isocenter of the gantry wheel corresponding to the targeted region;

horizontally translating an active floor across the front face of the gantry wheel, the active floor having an opening having a width through which the proton beam nozzle protrudes when the proton beam nozzle is located below the targeted region.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the active floor is comprised of a plurality of interconnected slats wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the active floor is comprised of a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections move independently of each other.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the active floor is comprised of a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections move independently of each other and the opening width is variable.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the active floor is comprised of a plurality of interconnected slats arranged in at least two sections, wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other and a first section translates through a channel around a first corner from horizontal movement to non-horizontal movement and a second section translates through a channel around a second corner from horizontal movement to non-horizontal movement.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the active floor is comprised of a circuitous path in a continuous loop.

16. The method of claim 10 comprising a track through which the active floor moves, the track having a plurality of corners around which the floor must bend around in order to follow the track.

17. A method of operating a proton treatment system, comprising:

emitting a proton beam to a targeted region of a patient utilizing a proton beam nozzle;

rotating the proton beam nozzle around the targeted region utilizing a rotating wheel having a front face to support the proton beam nozzle to direct the proton beam approximately to an isocenter of the rotating wheel corresponding to the targeted region;

translating a rolling floor across the front face of the rotating wheel for supporting a person proximate the nozzle mounted on the rotating wheel of a proton treatment gantry, the rolling floor including;

a first section having one end portion rotatably mounted on a take-up roll and defining an opposite end portion terminating in an opening end of the first section;

a second section having one end portion rotatably mounted on a take-up roll and defining an opposite end portion terminating in an opening end which cooperates with the opening end;

a drive mechanism for selectively discharging and taking up, said first and said second sections of said rolling floor onto and from the respective take-up rolls; and

an opening selectively defined between the opening ends of said first and said second section, said opening size being selected for receiving said nozzle therethrough as said nozzle mounted on said rotating wheel passes below and above said rolling floor during rotation of said nozzle about a patient during proton treatment.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first and second sections of said rolling floor each include a plurality of interconnected slats wherein adjacent slats pivot with respect to each other.