MECHANICAL CLUTCH FOR MRI
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mechanical clutch (100) engaging the rotation of a first and a second rotatable shafts;
- said mechanical clutch comprises;
an outer element (110) having a first main longitudinal axis (111) with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore (112);
said outer element is connected, in said proximal end, with said first shaft;
said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (113) (SFM) comprising at least one aperture (114);
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) (113A) to a tensed configuration (TC) (113B);
said member;
an inner element (120), having a second main longitudinal axis (121) with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said proximal end, with said second shaft;
said inner element comprises in said distal end a cylindrical protrusion (122) having a third main longitudinal axis (124);
said cylindrical protrusion is configured to rotatably accommodate within said cylindrical bore;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge (123) perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;
wherein said SFM is in said TC when said proximal end of said bulge is reversibly accommodated within said aperture and in said RC when said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture;
wherein said SFM is configured to temporarily collapse outwardly when in said TC;
wherein said clutch ceases to engage said rotation of said first and said second rotatable shafts when said SFM collapse outwardly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mechanical clutch for preventing damage to a capacitor of an MRI device. The clutch prevents the application of excessive torque via the tuning rods of the gradient coil of the MRI device. The mechanical clutch allows the tuning rods to slip (disengage) when the capacitor reaches the end of its adjustment range.
15 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A mechanical clutch (100) engaging the rotation of a first and a second rotatable shafts;
said mechanical clutch comprises; an outer element (110) having a first main longitudinal axis (111) with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore (112);
said outer element is connected, in said proximal end, with said first shaft;
said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (113) (SFM) comprising at least one aperture (114);
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) (113A) to a tensed configuration (TC) (113B);
said member;an inner element (120), having a second main longitudinal axis (121) with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said proximal end, with said second shaft;
said inner element comprises in said distal end a cylindrical protrusion (122) having a third main longitudinal axis (124);
said cylindrical protrusion is configured to rotatably accommodate within said cylindrical bore;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge (123) perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;wherein said SFM is in said TC when said proximal end of said bulge is reversibly accommodated within said aperture and in said RC when said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture; wherein said SFM is configured to temporarily collapse outwardly when in said TC; wherein said clutch ceases to engage said rotation of said first and said second rotatable shafts when said SFM collapse outwardly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
7. A mechanical clutch (100) engaging the rotation of a first and a second rotatable shafts;
said mechanical clutch comprises; an outer element (110) having a first main longitudinal axis (111) with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore (112);
said outer element is connected, in said proximal end, with said first shaft;
said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) (113) comprising at least one aperture (114);
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) (113A) to a tensed configuration (TC) (113B);
said member;an inner element (120), having a second main longitudinal axis (121) with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said proximal end, with said second shaft applying Torque (Tx);
said inner element comprises in said distal end a cylindrical protrusion (122) having a third main longitudinal axis (124);
said cylindrical protrusion is configured to rotatably accommodate within said cylindrical bore;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge (123) perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;wherein said SFM is in said TC when said proximal end of said bulge is reversibly accommodated within said aperture and in said RC when said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture; wherein said SFM is configured to temporarily collapse outwardly when in said TC; wherein said clutch ceases to engage said rotation of said first and said second rotatable shafts when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is accommodated within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
13. A mechanical clutch (100) engaging the rotation of at least one capacitor (140) and a tuning rod of a resonance coil of an MRI (TR) (130);
- said mechanical clutch comprises;
an outer element (110) having a first main longitudinal axis (111) with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore (112), said outer element is connected, in said proximal end, with said at least one capacitor;
said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) (113) comprising at least one aperture (114);
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) (113A) to a tensed configuration (TC) (113B);
said member;an inner element (120), having a second main longitudinal axis (121) with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said proximal end, with said TR applying Torque (Tx);
said inner element comprises in said distal end a cylindrical protrusion (123) having a third main longitudinal axis (124);
said cylindrical protrusion is configured to rotatably accommodate within said cylindrical bore;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge (123) perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;wherein said SFM is in said TC when said proximal end of said bulge is accommodated within said aperture and in said RC when said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture; wherein said SFM is configured to temporarily collapse outwardly when in said TC; wherein said clutch ceases to disengage said at least one capacitor with said TR when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is reversibly accommodated within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is located outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- said mechanical clutch comprises;
-
19. A mechanical clutch (100) engaging a first and a second rotatable shafts;
- comprises;
an outer housing (120) having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said second axis, a substantially cylindrical bore, said outer housing is connected, in said proximal end, with said second shaft; an inner element (110) configured to rotetably accommodate within said outer element, having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, connected, in said distal end, with said first shaft, characterized, in a plain perpendicular to said first axis, by a substantially cylindrical cross-section having a defined diameter, DI; wherein said inner element comprises at least one bulge protruding said diameter DI, said bulge is characterized by a proximal base located within diameter DI and distal end perturbing outside diameter DI; wherein said outer housing further comprising at last one semi-flexible member configured to reversibly transition from a relaps configuration, whereat said bulge in and a tensed configuration by a predefined torque (TX); wherein said member comprises at least aperture configure to reversibly accommodate said bulge'"'"'s distal end; wherein the orientation of said bulge in respect to said member'"'"'s opening is rotetably transformable from at least one first eclipsed orientation, where the bulge'"'"'s distal portion is located within said opening, to at least one second non-eclipsed phase; wherein said member is configured to temporarily collapse outwardly when said bulge is in its eclipsed configuration; wherein at said eclipsed orientation, the rotation of both said first and said second shafts is synchronically engaged; and
further wherein at said at least one second non-eclipsed phase, said first and said second shafts are disengaged.
- comprises;
-
20. A method for manufacturing a mechanical clutch for engaging the rotation of a first and a second rotatable shafts (400);
- said method comprises steps of;
a. obtaining (410); i. an outer element having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore, said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) comprising at least one aperture;
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) to a tensed configuration (TC);
said member;ii. an inner element, having a second main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said distal end to a cylindrical protrusion having a third main longitudinal axis;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;b. rotatably accommodating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore (420); c. connecting said first shaft to said proximal end of said outer element (430); and
,d. connecting said second shaft to said proximal end of said inner element (440); said second shaft is applying torque (Tx); wherein said SFM is transitioning from said RC to said TC when said protrusion rotates and said proximal end of said bulge changes its location from outside said aperture to within said aperture; wherein said SFM is temporarily collapsing outwardly when transitioning to said TC; wherein said clutch is ceasing to engage said rotation of said first and said second rotatable shafts when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is accommodating within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is locating outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- said method comprises steps of;
-
22. A method for manufacturing a mechanical clutch for engaging the rotation of at least one capacitor with a tuning rod of at least one resonance coil of an MRI (TR) (400);
- said method comprises steps of;
a. obtaining (410); i. an outer element having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore, said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) comprising at least one aperture;
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) to a tensed configuration (TC);
said member;ii. an inner element, having a second main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said distal end to a cylindrical protrusion having a third main longitudinal axis;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;b. rotatably accommodating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore (420); c. connecting said at least one capacitor to said proximal end of said outer element (430); and
,d. connecting said TR to said proximal end of said inner element (440); wherein said SFM is transitioning from said RC to said TC when said protrusion rotates and said proximal end of said bulge changes its location from outside said aperture to within said aperture; wherein said SFM is temporarily collapsing outwardly when transitioning to said TC; wherein said clutch is ceasing to engage said rotation of said at least one capacitor and said TR when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is accommodating within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is locating outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
- said method comprises steps of;
-
26. A method for operating a mechanical clutch for engaging the rotation of a first and a second rotatable shafts (500);
- said method comprises steps of;
a. obtaining (510); i. an outer element having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore, said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) comprising at least one aperture;
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) to a tensed configuration (TC);
said member;ii. an inner element, having a second main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said distal end to a cylindrical protrusion having a third main longitudinal axis;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;b. connecting said first shaft to said proximal end of said outer element (520);
said first rotating shaft has a limit of torque it can receive (Ty);c. connecting said second shaft to said proximal end of said inner element;
said second shaft is applying torque (Tx) (530);d. accommodating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore (540); and
,e. rotating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore by torque (Tx) applied by said second shaft (550); wherein said SFM is transitioning from said RC to said TC when said protrusion rotates and said proximal end of said bulge changes its location from outside said aperture to within said aperture; wherein said SFM is temporarily collapsing outwardly when transitioning to said TC; wherein said clutch is ceasing to engage said rotation of said first and said second rotatable shafts when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is accommodating within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is locating outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
- said method comprises steps of;
-
31. A method for operating a mechanical clutch for engaging the rotation of at least one capacitor with a at least one tuning rod of a resonance coil of an MRI (TR) (500);
- said method comprises steps of;
a. obtaining (510); i. an outer element having a first main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends, further having, in a plain perpendicular to said longitudinal axis on said distal end, a substantially cylindrical bore, said cylindrical bore comprises at least one semi-flexible member (SFM) comprising at least one aperture;
said SFM is configured to reversibly transition from a relaxed configuration (RC) to a tensed configuration (TC);
said member;ii. an inner element, having a second main longitudinal axis with distal and proximal ends;
said inner element is connected, in said distal end to a cylindrical protrusion having a third main longitudinal axis;
said protrusion comprises at least one bulge perpendicular to said third longitudinal axis bulging from said cylindrical protrusion shell;
said at least one bulge having a distal and a proximal end;
said distal end is in contact with said cylindrical protrusion;b. connecting said at least one capacitor to said proximal end of said outer element (520);
);
said at least one capacitor has a limit of torque it can receive (Ty);c. connecting said at least one TR to said proximal end of said inner element (530); said second shaft is applying torque (Tx); d. accommodating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore (540); and
,e. rotating said protrusion within said cylindrical bore by torque (Tx) applied by said second shaft (550); wherein said SFM is transitioning from said RC to said TC when said protrusion rotates and said proximal end of said bulge changes its location from outside said aperture to within said aperture; wherein said SFM is temporarily collapsing outwardly when transitioning to said TC; wherein said clutch is ceasing to engage said rotation of capacitor and said TR when said SFM collapse outwardly; wherein said proximal end of said bulge is accommodating within said aperture when said Tx is above a predetermined torque value (PTV) and said proximal end of said bulge is locating outside said aperture when said Tx equals or is lower than said PTV. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
- said method comprises steps of;
Specification