Methods and apparatus for acquiring table elevation information
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining the elevation of a cradle support of a patient table for an imaging system, the table including at least a first and a second table support leg pivotally connected at a first end to a base and pivotally connected at a second end to the cradle support, a driving mechanism connected at one end to the base and at another end to at least one support leg, the driving mechanism configured to move the support legs with respect to the base to cause concurrent vertical and lateral movement of the cradle support while maintaining the cradle support substantially parallel to the base, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one support rail for attaching at a first end to the first support leg and for attaching at a second end to the second support leg; and
a support rail elevation determining apparatus slidably coupled to said support rail so that said support rail may move laterally with respect to said support rail elevation determining apparatus, said support rail elevation determining apparatus comprising a signal generator configured to generate signals indicative of the elevation of the cradle support.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for determining cradle support elevation in an imaging system are described. In one form, the apparatus includes a support rail secured to and between table support legs of a table arrangement. The support rail is maintained substantially parallel with the cradle support. An encoder, coupled to the support rail, generates signals indicative of the cradle support elevation. The encoder signals can be used to determine, using a linear function, cradle support elevation. More specifically, although the cradle support movements are non-linear, the cradle support elevation apparatus provide linear feedback which may be used to determine cradle support elevation.
30 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the elevation of a cradle support of a patient table for an imaging system, the table including at least a first and a second table support leg pivotally connected at a first end to a base and pivotally connected at a second end to the cradle support, a driving mechanism connected at one end to the base and at another end to at least one support leg, the driving mechanism configured to move the support legs with respect to the base to cause concurrent vertical and lateral movement of the cradle support while maintaining the cradle support substantially parallel to the base, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one support rail for attaching at a first end to the first support leg and for attaching at a second end to the second support leg; and a support rail elevation determining apparatus slidably coupled to said support rail so that said support rail may move laterally with respect to said support rail elevation determining apparatus, said support rail elevation determining apparatus comprising a signal generator configured to generate signals indicative of the elevation of the cradle support. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining the elevation of a cradle support of a patient table for an imaging system, at least first and second table support legs pivotally connected at a first end to a base and pivotally connected at a second end to the cradle support, a driving mechanism connected at one end to the base and at another end to at least one support leg, the driving mechanism configured to move the support legs with respect to the base to cause concurrent vertical and lateral movement of the cradle support while maintaining the cradle support substantially parallel to the base, at least one support rail attached at a first end to the first support leg and attached at a second end to the second support leg so that the support rail is substantially parallel to the cradle support and to the base, apparatus for determining the elevation of the support rail, the support rail elevation determining apparatus comprising a signal generator configured to generate signals indicative of the elevation of the cradle support, said method comprising:
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acquiring signals from the signal generator indicative of the elevation of the cradle support; and determining the elevation of the support cradle using the acquired signals and a linear algorithm, the linear algorithm being;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">N=K*nwhere N is the vertical distance between the cradle support and base, K is a predetermined constant, and n is the vertical distance between the support rail and base.
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15. An elevation determination apparatus for determining the elevation of a table top, at least first and second table support legs pivotally connected at a first end to a base and pivotally connected at a second end to the table, a driving mechanism connected at one end to the base and at another end to at least one support leg, the driving mechanism configured to move the support legs with respect to the base to cause concurrent vertical and lateral movement of the table top while maintaining the table top substantially parallel to the base, said apparatus comprising:
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a support rail for pivotally attaching to and extending between respective table support legs; a substantially stationary member; a longitudinally slidable member slidably secured to said stationary member; a roller configured to be located, and roll, on a surface of said support rail; and an extension member extending between and coupled at opposite ends to said roller and said slidable member. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification