Imaging system gantry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9313867-B2
Application number	US-201214363337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2012
Priority date	Dec 20, 2011
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

An imaging system ( 100 ) includes a stationary gantry ( 102 ), a rotating gantry ( 104 ) that rotates around an examination region about a z-axis, an annular support ( 106 ) that is statically affixed to the stationary gantry and that rotatably couples the rotating gantry to the stationary gantry, and a radial compliant ring ( 108 ) disposed between the annular support and the rotating gantry. In a variation, the imaging system also includes an axial compliant ring ( 112 ) disposed perpendicular to the radial compliant ring, statically affixed to the annular support and extending in part in a recess ( 206 ) of the rotating gantry.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging system, comprising:
a stationary gantry;
a rotating gantry that rotates around an examination region about a z-axis, the rotating gantry, including:
a first recess; and
a second recess located in the first recess;
an annular support that is statically affixed to the stationary gantry and that rotatably couples the rotating gantry to the stationary gantry, wherein a sub-portion of the annular support protrudes in the first recess and a first surface of the sub-portion is adjacent to the second recess; and
a radial compliant ring disposed between the annular support and the rotating gantry in the second recess, adjacent to the first surface of the sub-portion of the annular support.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gantry rotates along radial compliant ring.

3. The imaging system of claim 1 , the radial compliant ring, comprising: an elastic material.

4. The imaging system of claim 1 , the radial compliant ring, comprising:
a metal strip having first and second major surfaces and including a plurality of waves, which form recesses on the first major surface and protrusion on the second major surface.

5. The imaging system of claim 4 , wherein the radial compliant ring is pre-loaded between the annular support and the rotating gantry such that it behaves as a spring therein.

6. The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least a second radial compliant ring stationarily disposed between the annular support and the stationary gantry.

7. The imaging system claim 1 , wherein the radial compliant ring is a closed ring.

8. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the radial compliant ring is an open ring.

9. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the radial compliant ring rotates with the rotating gantry.

10. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of waves provide a minimum radial stiffness that compensates for at least one a static imbalance, tolerance build-up, and operational distortions of the stationary gantry.

11. The imagine system of claim 1 , wherein a pre-loading of the radial compliant ring provide support through an operational temperature range of the imaging system, allow for local thermal expansion and/or contraction differentials.

12. The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an axial compliant ring disposed perpendicular to the radial compliant ring, statically affixed to the annular support and extending in part in the second recess of the rotating gantry.

13. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the axial compliant ring is pre-loaded such that at least one of predictable loads of the rotating gantry center of gravity offset torque, the rotating gantry dynamic imbalance, and tilt axial loads are mitigated.

14. A method, comprising:
rotating a rotating gantry of an imaging system about a stationary gantry the imaging system, wherein the rotating gantry is rotatably affixed to the stationary gantry via an annular support and a radial compliant ring, which resides between the rotating gantry and the annular support in a first recess located in a second recess in the rotating gantry and adjacent to a surface of the annular support which is located in the first recess.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the radial compliant ring is pre-loaded, thereby acing as a spring between the rotating gantry and the annular support.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pre-loading provides primary axial retention through friction.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the rotating gantry is rotatably affixed to the stationary gantry via an axial compliant ring, which is perpendicular to the radial support ring and statically affixed to the annular support, and which extends into a recess of the rotating gantry.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the axial compliant ring is pre-loaded, thereby acting as a second spring between the rotating gantry and the annular support.

19. An imaging system gantry sub-system, comprising:
an annular support that statically affixes to a stationary gantry of the imaging system and that rotatably couples a rotating gantry to the stationary gantry;
a radial compliant ring disposed between the annular support and the rotating gantry in a recess in the rotating gantry and adjacent to a surface of the annular support, wherein the rotating gantry rotates along the radial compliant ring.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Sharpless Ronald B

Classifications

• F16C27/00

  Elastic or yielding bearings or bearing supports, for exclusively rotary movement (shock-damping bearings for watches or clocks G04B31/02) · CPC title

• F16C2316/10

  in medical appliances, e.g. in diagnosis, dentistry, instruments, prostheses, medical imaging appliances · CPC title

• A61B6/035 Primary

  Mechanical aspects of CT · CPC title

• H05G1/04 Primary

  Mounting the X-ray tube within a closed housing · CPC title

• F16C27/04

  Ball or roller bearings, e.g. with resilient rolling bodies · CPC title