Mini C-arm assembly for mobile X-ray imaging system
First Claim
1. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
- a C-arm assembly having a center of mass, said C-arm assembly further comprising a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor;
a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm;
an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said first arm about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions; and
mobile base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor;
wherein the C-arm assembly is mass balanced about the single axis of orbital rotation such that the center of mass of the C-arm assembly substantially coincides with the single axis of orbital rotation for any position of said C-arm assembly relative to the support arm along the circular movement track;
wherein the C-arm assembly and the support arm have a collective center of mass and are collectively mass balanced about the axis of lateral rotation such that said collective center of mass substantially coincides with said axis of lateral rotation for any rotational position of the support arm relative to the first arm of the articulating arm assembly about said axis of lateral rotation.
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0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A C-arm apparatus. An X-ray imaging system is coupled to a C-arm, including an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively on the C-arm. The C-arm is mass balanced about its axis of orbital rotation and is pivotally coupled to an articulating arm assembly supported upon a wheeled support base. The mass balance enables repositioning of the X-ray imaging system between an anterior-posterior view and an orthogonal lateral view with a single, orbital movement of the C-arm which also causes the views to define an imaging isocenter. The C-arm is preferably miniaturized to an approximate diameter of twenty-eight inches with a source-to-image distance of approximately fourteen inches.
191 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a C-arm assembly having a center of mass, said C-arm assembly further comprising a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said first arm about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions; and mobile base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor; wherein the C-arm assembly is mass balanced about the single axis of orbital rotation such that the center of mass of the C-arm assembly substantially coincides with the single axis of orbital rotation for any position of said C-arm assembly relative to the support arm along the circular movement track; wherein the C-arm assembly and the support arm have a collective center of mass and are collectively mass balanced about the axis of lateral rotation such that said collective center of mass substantially coincides with said axis of lateral rotation for any rotational position of the support arm relative to the first arm of the articulating arm assembly about said axis of lateral rotation. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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2. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a C-arm assembly having a center of mass, said C-arm assembly further comprising a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said first arm about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions; and mobile base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor; wherein the C-arm assembly is mass balanced about the single axis of orbital rotation such that the center of mass of the C-arm assembly substantially coincides with the single axis of orbital rotation for any position of said C-arm assembly relative to the support arm along the circular movement track; wherein the axis of lateral rotation resides above the axis of orbital rotation when the C-arm assembly is being supported by the mobile base support means in a suspended position.
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22. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a C-arm assembly having a center of mass, said C-arm assembly further comprising a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said first arm about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions; and mobile base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor; wherein the C-arm assembly is mass balanced about the single axis of orbital rotation such that the center of mass of the C-arm assembly substantially coincides with the single axis of orbital rotation for any position of said C-arm assembly relative to the support arm along the circular movement track; wherein the support arm and the C-arm each include a first side panel, and wherein the mobile base support means includes a front section and a side section which collectively form a corner section therebetween, and wherein the first arm of the articulating arm assembly is pivotally attached to the base support means at a first pivot point of attachment, and wherein the C-arm assembly and the articulating arm assembly and the support arm are configured and pivotally interconnected so as to be pivotally manipulable into a compact arrangement such that (i) the first arm extends from the first pivot point of attachment across at least a portion of the front section of the base support means to the corner section so as to reside closely adjacent to said front section, and (ii) the support arm extends from a portion of the first arm adjacent the corner section across at least a portion of the side section of the base support means such that the first side panels of the support arm and C-arm reside closely adjacent to said side section, such that the first arm and the support arm collectively extend across at least a portion of the front section, around the corner section, and across at least a portion of the side section.
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23. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a curved arm assembly comprising a curved member having a pair of opposing distal ends and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the curved member such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm coupled to the curved member; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm; and base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the curved arm assembly in a suspended position; wherein the support arm and the curved member each include a first side panel, and wherein the base support means includes a front section and a side section which collectively form a corner section therebetween, and wherein the first arm of the articulating arm assembly is pivotally attached to the base support means at a first pivot point of attachment, and wherein the curved arm assembly and the articulating arm assembly and the support arm are configured and pivotally interconnected so as to be pivotally manipulable into a compact arrangement such that (i) the first arm extends from the first pivot point of attachment across at least a portion of the front section of the base support means to the corner section so as to reside closely adjacent to said front section, and (ii) the support arm extends from a portion of the first arm adjacent the corner section across at least a portion of the side section of the base support means such that the first side panels of the support arm and curved member reside closely adjacent to said side section, such that the first arm and the support arm collectively extend across at least a portion of the front section, around the corner section, and across at least a portion of the side section. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a curved arm assembly comprising a curved member having a pair of opposing distal ends and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the curved member such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm coupled to the curved member; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm and a second arm pivotally attached to both the first arm and the support arm; and base support means pivotally attached to the first arm of the articulating arm assembly for supporting the curved arm assembly in a suspended position; wherein the support arm and the curved member each include a first side panel, and wherein the base support means includes a front section and a side section which collectively form a corner section therebetween, and wherein the first arm of the articulating arm assembly is pivotally attached to the front section of the base support means at a first pivot point of attachment, and wherein the curved arm assembly and the articulating arm assembly and the support arm are configured and pivotally interconnected so as to be pivotally manipulable into a compact arrangement such that (i) the first arm extends from the first pivot point of attachment across at least a portion of the front section of the base support means so as to reside closely adjacent to said front section, and (ii) the second arm extends from the first arm across at least a portion of the front section of the base support means to the corner section so as to reside closely adjacent to said front section, and (iii) the support arm extends from a portion of the second arm adjacent the corner section across at least a portion of the side section of the base support means such that the first side panels of the support arm and curved member reside closely adjacent to said side section, such that the second arm and the support arm collectively extend across at least a portion of the front section, around the corner section, and across at least a portion of the side section.
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29. A mobile C-arm apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, said apparatus comprising:
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a C-arm assembly having a center of mass, said C-arm assembly further comprising a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor face each other, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor; a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm; an articulating arm assembly comprising a first arm pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively, laterally rotatable relative to said first arm about a first axis of rotation to selected lateral positions; and mobile base support means pivotally attached to the first arm for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor; wherein the C-arm assembly is mass balanced about the single axis of orbital rotation such that the center of mass of the C-arm assembly substantially coincides with the single axis of orbital rotation for any position of said C-arm assembly relative to the support arm along the circular movement track; wherein the articulating arm assembly further comprises means for enabling the support arm to rotate relative to the first arm also about a second axis of rotation which is noncoaxial with respect to the first axis of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification