System for initializing positions of target locating arm and device for firing focused shots

• US 5,085,206 A
• Filed: 10/09/1990
• Issued: 02/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technomed Medical Systems
• Original Assignee: Inserm (institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale, Technomed International
• Inventors: Cathignol, Dominique, Mestas, Jean-Louis, Lacruche, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Funk, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/595,679
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/128, 128/24 AA, 128/24 EL, 128/660.01, 128/804, 128/660.03
• US Class Current: 601/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2255 Means for positioning patient, shock wave apparatus or locating means, e.g. mechanical aspects, patient beds, support arms, aiming means positioning of patients for radiation diagnosis A61B6/04; positioning of locating means inside shock wave apparatus A61B17/2256
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures

Abstract

A method and apparatus for coordinating the initial positions in three dimensions of a device (10) for triggering and focusing shots and a locating arm (14). The apparatus includes structure (20) for calibrating the distance (D) between the free end (14a) of the locating arm (14) and the device (10) for triggering and focusing shots, the calibration structure (20) preferably comprising a link member (22). The invention improves the accuracy with which a target is located and, therefore, the effectiveness with which it is destroyed.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point with the initial "reference" position of a locating arm, comprising the steps of:

providing a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point;

providing a locating arm having a free end for supporting a removable locating probe, said probe replaceable by calibration means, for locating the position in three dimensions of a target whereupon the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots may be brought into coincidence with the target;

adjusting the distance between the free end of the locating arm and the device for triggering and focusing shots by said calibration means to a "reference" distance value;

setting, in three dimensions, the position of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm, when adjusted by the calibration means, as the initial "reference" position, in three dimensions, of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm, respectively;

using said initial "reference" position for subsequently bringing the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots into coincidence with the target from knowledge of a given position of the free end of the locating arm as determined by said "reference" distance value.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the distance which is calibrated is the distance between the free end of the arm and the target point.

3. A method of coordinating the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point with the initial "reference" position of a locating arm, comprising the steps of:

providing a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point;

providing a locating arm having a free end for supporting a removable locating probe mounted for locating the position in three dimensions of a target whereupon the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots may be brought into coincidence with the target; and

coordinating the distance between the free end of the arm and the device for triggering and focusing shots, and

moving the device for triggering and focusing shots successively along three axes X, Y and Z through predetermined distances in order to detect imperfections in the displacements in three dimensions of the locating arm and/or of the device for triggering and focusing shots.

4. A method of coordinating the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point with the initial "reference" position of a locating arm, comprising:

providing a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point;

providing a locating arm having a free end for supporting a removable locating probe mounted for locating the position in three dimensions of a target whereupon the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots may be brought into coincidence with the target;

providing a link member having a first end and a second end, said first end being removably securable to the device for triggering and focusing shots and the second end being removably securable on the free end of the locating arm when the probe is removed for coordination purpose;

coordinating the distance between the free end of the arm and the device for triggering and focusing shots by removably securing the link member between the free end of the arm and the device for triggering and focusing shots and by setting the position in three dimensions of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm when coordinated by the link member as the initial "reference" position in three dimensions respectively of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm.

5. A method according to claim 4, comprising moving the device for triggering and focusing shots successively along the three axes X, Y and Z by predetermined distances with the locating arm being moved by the link member, noting the new coordinates in three dimensions of the free end of the locating arm and when the observed new coordinates for the free end of the arm are different from the coordinates expected from the predetermined displacement of the device for triggering and focusing shots, correcting permanently the coordinates observed with the free end of the locating arm as a result of displacement of the device for triggering and focusing shots.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the step of providing a link member comprises providing a link member having a first and second link elements which are hinged to each other about a hinge which allows for displacement of the device of triggering and focusing shots and the locating arm in any of three dimensions, with the first link element being mounted on the device for triggering and focusing shots and with the second link element being mounted on the free end of the locating arm instead of and in the position of the locating probe.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing first and second link elements comprises providing link elements of adjustable length, wherein said coordinating step comprises causing the hinge point or axis between the link elements to coincide with the target point by adjusting the length of the link element which is mounted on the device for triggering and focusing shots, and wherein the distance between the free end of the arm and the target point is subsequently adjusted to a reference distance value by adjusting the length of the link element mounted on the arm.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said reference distance is not less than the greatest detection depth of the locating probe.

9. Apparatus for coordinating the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point with the initial "reference" position of a locating arm, comprising:

a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point;

a locating arm supporting a locating probe on its free end for locating the position in three dimensions of a target, whereupon the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots may be brought into coincidence with the target;

displaceable calibration means for adjusting the distance between the free end of the locating arm and the device for triggering and focusing shots to a "reference" distance value;

setting means for setting, in three dimensions, the position of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm, when coordinated by the calibration means, as the initial "reference" position, in three dimensions, of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm, respectively;

means for using said initial "reference" position for subsequently bringing the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots into coincidence with the target from knowledge of a given position of the free end of the locating arm as determined by said "reference" distance.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said distance comprises the distance between the free end of the arm and the target point.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the device for triggering and focusing shots is constituted by a truncated ellipsoidal reflector.

12. Apparatus for coordinating the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point with the initial "reference" position of a locating arm, comprising:

a device for triggering and focusing shots on a target point;

a locating arm supporting a removable locating probe on its free end for locating the position in three dimensions of a target whereupon the target point of the device for triggering and focusing shots may be brought into coincidence with the target; and

coordination means comprising a link member having a first end and a second end, said first end being removably securable to the device for triggering and focusing shots and the second end being removably securable to the free end of the locating arm when the probe is removed for coordination purposes, whereby the initial "reference" position in three dimensions of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm may be set and the coordinates respectively of the initial "reference" position of the device for triggering and focusing shots and of the locating arm may be noted.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the link member comprises a first link element and a second link element which are hinged to each other about a hinge which allows displacement in three dimensions of the device for triggering and focusing shots and the locating arm, wherein the first link element is mounted on the device for triggering and focusing shots, and wherein the second link element is mounted on the free end of the locating arm instead of and in the position of the locating probe.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each link element is adjustable in length.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the hinge coincides with the target point.