Articulating arm
First Claim
1. A device for positioning a treatment instrument with respect to a patient, comprising:
- a holder for securing the treatment instrument, wherein the holder allows the treatment instrument to move about the patient;
a first arm;
a counterbalance;
a vertical support coupled to the first arm at a pivot point, wherein the first arm is substantially transverse to the vertical support;
wherein a first portion of the first arm extends in a first direction from the pivot point and a second portion of the first arm extends in a second direction from the pivot point, wherein the holder is coupled to the first portion of the first arm and the counterbalance is coupled to the second portion of the first arm;
a second arm coupled to the vertical support and the holder such that the second arm is substantially parallel to the first portion of the first arm; and
a vertical member directly coupled to the first arm and the second arm, wherein the vertical member is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation throughout the range of movement of the first arm.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Just one embodiment of the invention includes a device, method and system for positioning a treatment instrument with respect to a patient. The novel device includes a holder for securing the treatment instrument (e.g., a magnetic stimulation device used for transcutaneous magnetic stimulation treatment of depression). The holder allows the treatment instrument to move about the patient. The device also includes a first arm that is coupled to the holder, and a vertical support that is coupled to the first arm. The first arm is substantially transverse to the vertical support, and may rotates about the vertical support in a horizontal axis. Such rotation, as well as movement and rotation of other components with respect to each other may be facilitated by a ball bearing construction.
157 Citations
65 Claims
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1. A device for positioning a treatment instrument with respect to a patient, comprising:
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a holder for securing the treatment instrument, wherein the holder allows the treatment instrument to move about the patient; a first arm; a counterbalance; a vertical support coupled to the first arm at a pivot point, wherein the first arm is substantially transverse to the vertical support; wherein a first portion of the first arm extends in a first direction from the pivot point and a second portion of the first arm extends in a second direction from the pivot point, wherein the holder is coupled to the first portion of the first arm and the counterbalance is coupled to the second portion of the first arm; a second arm coupled to the vertical support and the holder such that the second arm is substantially parallel to the first portion of the first arm; and a vertical member directly coupled to the first arm and the second arm, wherein the vertical member is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation throughout the range of movement of the first arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A system device for positioning a treatment instrument with respect to a patient, comprising:
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an articulating arm device, comprising; a holder for securing the treatment instrument, wherein the holder allows the treatment instrument to move about the patient, the holder comprising a vertical member; a first arm coupled to the holder; a counterbalance coupled to the first arm; a vertical support attached to the first arm at a pivot point, wherein the first arm is substantially transverse to the vertical support; wherein a first portion of the first arm extends in a first direction from the pivot point and a second portion of the first arm extends in a second direction from the pivot point, wherein the holder is coupled to the first portion of the first arm and the counterbalance is coupled to the second portion of the first arm; a second arm coupled to the vertical support and the holder such that the second arm is substantially parallel to the first portion of the first arm, wherein the vertical member is directly coupled to the first arm and the second arm and the vertical member is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation throughout the range of movement of the first arm; and a treatment instrument locator device, comprising; fiducial reflectors located on the treatment instrument and the patient; and a video camera for determining the position of the treatment instrument and the position of the patient, wherein the video camera determines the positions as a function of detecting the location of the fiducial reflectors, wherein the video camera maintains a line of sight to at least one fiducial reflector while the articulating arm is in operation.
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Specification