X-ray system with an industrial robot

• US 7,748,900 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Maschke, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hoon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanei; Mona M
• Application Number:
  US11/827,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 378/189, 378/198
• US Class Current: 378/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37569 Radiography in x and y, x-ray images
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40252 Robot on track, rail moves only back and forth
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45169 Medical, rontgen, x ray

Abstract

There is described an x-ray system with an x-ray source, an x-ray detector and at least one industrial robot having at least three, in particular six, axes of rotation, in which the x-ray source and/or the x-ray detector are/is arranged, directly or by means of a bearer, on the industrial robot, and where the industrial robot is constructed to be mobile, in particular is arranged on a device trolley.

Claims

1. An x-ray system, comprising:

a trolley configured with wheels for movement;

at least a first industrial robot mounted on the trolley and having multiple rotatable arms providing the robot with at least three axes of rotation;

an x-ray source attached to an arm of the first robot for controlled movement;

an x-ray detector positionable with respect to the source to effect an x-ray diagnosis;

a system controller positioned on the trolley and configured to operate at least the first robot and effect movement of the source with respect to the detector to perform the x-ray diagnosis;

a collision monitoring system, integrally formed and operable in conjunction with the system controller, including a plurality of collision sensors configured to prevent collision between the first robot and another robot;

position sensors mounted to the first robot to provide position information of one or more of the arms of the first robot; and

a stability monitoring system, integrally formed and operable in conjunction with the system controller, including a stability sensor operable to prevent an arm of the first robot from being extended so far that the trolley becomes unstable or collapses, wherein a signal received from the stability sensor stops movement of the first robot,

wherein the stability monitoring system is configured to generate a warning signal when a first stability limit is exceeded, and, whenever a second stability limit is passed, to send a signal to the system controller.

2. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are both arranged on a bearer connected to the first industrial robot.

3. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the industrial robot has six axes of rotation.

4. The x-ray system of claim 2, wherein the bearer is selected from the group consisting of a C-arm and a U-bracket, and wherein the x-ray source is arranged on a first end of the bearer and the x-ray detector is arranged on a second opposite end of the bearer.

5. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are both attached to the same arm of the first industrial robot via a U-shaped bearer, wherein the U-shaped bearer has a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg is moveable relative to the second leg.

6. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trolley is driven automatically or manually.

7. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the industrial robot is arranged on rails or tracks.

8. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, further including an operating unit for controlling the system remotely.

9. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the trolley includes an imaging system and a display unit mounted thereon.

10. The x-ray system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bidirectional link to a hospital network to exchange data.

11. The x-ray system of claim 1 wherein the stability monitoring system is configured to generate an audible warning signal when the first stability limit is exceeded.

12. The x-ray system of claim 1 wherein the stability monitoring system is configured so that whenever the second stability limit is passed movement of the first industrial robot stops.

13. The x-ray system of claim 1 wherein the stability monitoring system is configured to steer the arm of the first robot in a direction different from that in which it is being extended whenever the second stability limit is passed.

14. The x-ray system of claim 1 wherein the stability monitoring system is configured to generate a visual warning signal when the first stability limit is exceeded.

15. The x-ray system of claim 1 wherein when the first stability limit is exceeded the stability sensor sends a message to the stability monitoring system, by which a visual or audible warning signal is initiated.

16. An x-ray system, comprising:

a trolley configured with wheels for movement;

at least a first industrial robot mounted on the trolley and having multiple rotatable arms providing the robot with at least three axes of rotation;

an x-ray source attached to an arm of the first robot for controlled movement;

an x-ray detector positionable with respect to the source to effect an x-ray diagnosis;

a system controller positioned on the trolley and configured to operate at least the first robot and effect movement of the source with respect to the detector to perform the x-ray diagnosis;

position sensors mounted to the first robot to provide position information of one or more of the arms of the first robot; and

a stability monitoring system, integrally formed and operable in conjunction with the system controller, including a stability sensor operable to prevent an arm of the first robot from being extended so far that the trolley becomes unstable or collapses, wherein a signal received from the stability sensor stops movement of the first robot

a further industrial robot with at least three axes of rotation, wherein the x-ray source and the x-ray detector are each arranged on a different one of the industrial robots; and

a collision monitoring system, integrally formed and operable in conjunction with the system controller, including a plurality of collision sensors configured to prevent collision between the first industrial robot and the further industrial robots.