Articulated x-ray support boom using jammable material

• US 9,930,764 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Inventors: MacLaughlin, Scott T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US15/068,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4452 the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4464 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/02 Constructional details

Abstract

An x-ray head support boom has a number of tube segments coupled together in series. Each segment may be formed from a flexible membrane and encloses a jammable medium that transitions between a fluidic state and a rigid state in response to an applied force. Each segment is coupled to an actuator for application of the force. At least one cable is coupled to one or more tube segments to apply a tensile force to bend the series of tube segments.

Claims

1. An x-ray head support boom comprising:

an actuator coupled to a source of fluid pressure;

a plurality of tube segments coupled together in series and coupled to the actuator, each of the tube segments formed from a flexible membrane enclosing a jammable medium that is compressed and rigid in an ambient pressure state and which is configured to transition to a fluidic and flexible state in response to the actuator applying positive pressure to the jammable medium from the source of fluid pressure;

at least one cable coupled to one or more of the tube segments; and

a first motor to apply a tensile force to the at least one cable wherein the tensile force bends the series of tube segments.

2. The support boom of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a valve coupled to a conduit containing pressurized air or liquid.

3. The support boom of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a second motor for providing the applied fluid pressure.

4. The support boom of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric motor for providing the applied fluid pressure.

5. The support boom of claim 1, wherein one or more of the tube segments comprise an internal stiffener for maintaining a shape of the tube segment when the medium is in the fluidic state.

6. The support boom of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a pump for providing the applied fluid pressure through one or more conduits.

7. The support boom of claim 1, further comprising a control logic processor to control actuation of the support boom.

8. The support boom of claim 7, further comprising a display in signal communication with the control logic processor, the display configured to accept operator commands to control coarse positioning of the boom.

9. The support boom of claim 1, wherein the at least one cable extends through a channel internal to one or more of the tube segments.

10. An x-ray head support boom comprising:

a tube made from a flexible membrane;

an x-ray source secured to and supported by the tube;

granular media contained within the flexible membrane; and

a pressure source connected to the tube to selectively transition the granular media between a flexible fluid state when the pressure source is powered on and a rigid solid state when the pressure source is powered off.

11. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, wherein the boom is attached to a mobile x-ray cart, and wherein the pressure source is powered off to allow the boom to be seated on the mobile x-ray cart during wheeled transport of the mobile x-ray cart.

12. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, wherein the boom is attached to a wall or ceiling of a radiographic imaging room.

13. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, wherein the tube comprises individual segments, and wherein each individual segment is selectively transitionable between the fluid and rigid states.

14. The x-ray head support boom of claim 13, wherein the individual segments are configured to be extendable and contractible in a telescoping configuration.

15. The x-ray head support boom of claim 13, wherein one or more of the segments comprises a stiffener to retain segment shape when the media therein is in the fluid state.

16. The x-ray head support boom of claim 13, wherein the flexible membrane for one or more of the segments comprises a material impermeable to fluid.

17. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, wherein the pressure source is configured to continuously adjust a positive pressure applied to the tube such that the granular media is adjustable to varying degrees between the flexible fluid state and the solid rigid state corresponding to the applied positive pressure.

18. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, further comprising at least one cable connected to an actuator for providing tensile force for bending the boom.

19. The x-ray head support boom of claim 10, further comprising one or more sensors that provide signals indicative of a position of the x-ray source.

20. A method for supporting an x-ray head, the method comprising:

providing a boom having a plurality of coupled tube segments each formed from a flexible membrane and enclosing a jammable medium that transitions from a compressed rigid state to a flexible fluidic state response to activating an applied positive pressure;

accepting one or more operator instructions that are entered on a display monitor, the instructions indicating a desired position of the x-ray head;

sensing a position of the boom;

applying the positive pressure to one or more of the tube segments in accordance with the operator instructions;

applying a tensile force to the one or more of the tube segments to bend the boom to the desired position; and

locking the desired position of the boom by transitioning the jammable medium to the rigid state by deactivating the applied positive pressure.