Housing cladding module with collision identification for medical devices

• US 9,851,320 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Neuber, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Astacio-Oquendo, Giovanni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Russo, Raul Rios
• Application Number:
  US14/051,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 324 76, 324439, 324459, 324549, 324600, 324649, 324691, 324693, 324697, 600300, 600309, 600322-325, 600332, 600337, 600339-341
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/10 by measuring variations of frequency of stressed vibrating elements, e.g. of stressed strings using resistance strain gauges G01L1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/00 Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/006 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/02 Electrochemical measuring systems for weathering, corrosion or corrosion-protection measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/041 of a solid body

Abstract

A housing cladding module for a medical device is provided for collision identification. The module includes resistor elements, which are arranged in and/or on the surface and which are designed such that the resistor elements change their electrical resistance on expansion. The resistor elements are arranged in such a way that the resistor elements are expanded in the event of a collision with an object. The collision is identified easily, and the effective collision force may be ascertained.

Claims

1. A housing cladding module for collision identification of a medical device, the housing cladding module comprising:

a housing cladding having a soft, deformable material, wherein the housing cladding is configured to be positioned on a surface of the medical device; and

resistor elements arranged on a on an external surface of the housing cladding,

wherein the resistor elements are configured to expand when an object collides with the housing cladding, and

wherein the resistor elements are configured to change an electrical resistance on expansion.

2. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements are fibrous.

3. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fibrous resistor elements comprise carbon fibers.

4. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another.

5. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements comprise a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

6. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carbon fiber resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another such that carbon fiber threads of the carbon fiber resistor elements do not cross over one another.

7. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resistor elements comprise a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

8. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resistor elements comprise a matrix or a plurality of matrices arranged one above the other.

9. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor elements comprise carbon fibers, and

wherein the carbon fibers are arranged on the external surface of the housing cladding according to an anticipated collision direction.

10. The housing cladding module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carbon fiber resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another such that carbon fiber threads of the carbon fiber resistor elements do not cross over one another.

11. An arrangement comprising:

a housing cladding module having;

a housing cladding comprising a soft, deformable material, wherein the housing cladding is configured to be positioned on a surface of a medical device; and

resistor elements arranged on an external surface of the housing cladding, wherein the resistor elements are configured to expand when an object collides with the housing cladding, and wherein the resistor elements are configured to change an electrical resistance on expansion; and

a resistance measurement unit operable to measure changes in resistance of the resistor elements.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resistor elements are fibrous.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fibrous resistor elements comprise carbon fibers.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resistor elements comprise carbon fibers, and

wherein the carbon fibers are arranged on the external surface of the housing cladding according to an anticipated collision direction.

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the carbon fiber resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another such that carbon fiber threads of the carbon fiber resistor elements do not cross over one another.

17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carbon fiber resistor elements are electrically insulated from one another such that carbon fiber threads of the carbon fiber resistor elements do not cross over one another.

18. A method for detecting a collision of an object with a housing cladding module of a medical device, the method comprising:

providing a housing cladding module comprising a housing cladding having a soft, deformable material;

positioning the housing cladding on a surface of the medical device;

arranging resistor elements on an external surface of the housing cladding, wherein the resistor elements are configured to expand when an object collides with the housing cladding, and wherein the resistor elements are configured to change an electrical resistance on expansion; and

measuring a change in electrical resistance of the resistor elements when the resistor elements expand upon collision of the object with the housing cladding.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising electrically insulating the resistor elements from one another, the resistor elements comprising carbon fibers.