Rotating radiation chamber for radiation therapy

• US 5,993,373 A
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited
• Inventors: Nonaka, Hideki, Kan, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Straub, Nina Nathan
• Application Number:
  US09/130,476
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 600/1.2, 604/20, 607/1, 607/2, 607/100, 250/492.3, 250/492.1, 378/65, 378/68, 378/69, 378/64, 378/195, 378/194
• US Class Current: 600/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries

Abstract

A fixed ring rail and a moving ring rail sandwiching a moving route of a radiation beam irradiating section therebetween, forms a cylindrical passage with a semicircular cross-section having a horizontal floor. Upon that passage is placed a moving floor composed of a continuous series of multiple plates which are connected freely flexible with each other. The moving floor is moved in synchrony with the rotation of radiation beam irradiation section, and, at the same time, the moving ring rail is allowed to rotate in the reverse direction by the same distance. A horizontal floor necessary as an access floor to the treatment bed and to the radiation beam irradiating section is formed regardless of the rotating position of the radiation beam irradiation section, and the patient is surrounded completely to remove him/her of fear.

Claims

1. A rotating radiation chamber for radiation therapy which has radiation beam irradiating section rotatable around a patient comprising:

fixed and moving ring rails sandwiching a moving route of the radiation beam irradiating section therebetween;

a moving floor comprising a continuous series of multiple plates connected with each other freely flexible through links and placed within a cylindrical passage with a semicircular cross-section having a horizontal floor and formed between the fixed and moving ring rails, and

a driving means which moves the moving floor in synchrony with the rotation of radiation beam irradiation section, and meanwhile rotates the moving ring rail in reverse direction by same distance.

2. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 1 which is further provided with a safety means which abolishes operation of the driving means, if relative displacement between the fixed ring rail and the moving ring rail exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fixed ring rail is supported by a support fixed to a wall of an outer housing, and the moving ring rail is supported by a support ring by way of plural support rolls.

4. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 3 wherein a rear surface panel to form a part of enclosure surrounding the patient is fixed to the support ring.

5. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein the moving floor has plural wheels placed on both sides of the plates and running either on the fixed ring rail or on the moving ring rail, and links fitted to shaft of paired wheels to join adjacent plates together.

6. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein the driving means comprises:

a toothed latch which is fixed to a latch support stabilized on space frame of the radiation beam irradiation section, to pull the moving floor by hooking the moving floor, in synchrony with the rotation of radiation beam irradiation section; and

a ring rail driving mechanism which rotates, by spinning a sprocket to engage with a conveyor chain fixed on outer periphery of the moving ring rail, the moving ring rail in synchrony with the rotation of radiation beam irradiating section by same distance in reverse direction.

7. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 2 wherein the safety means comprises a laser type tilt sensor attached to either the fixed ring rail or the moving ring rail, and a reflecting plate attached to the other ring rail.

8. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 7 which has plural sets of the laser type tilt sensor and the reflecting plate.

9. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 6 which has a clutch to abolish operation of the ring rail driving mechanism, when a relative displacement between the fixed ring rail and moving ring rail exceeds a predetermined limit.

10. The rotating radiation chamber as set forth in claim 9 wherein, as center of gravity of the moving ring rail is shifted downward, the moving ring rail returns by its own weight to the original position to keep bottom surface horizontal, when the clutch is disconnected.