US4145613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motorized X-ray tube assembly
Assignee: CGR Medical Corp
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Filing: 1977-10-25
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Granted: 1979-03-20
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Expires: 1997-10-25
Abstract
Abstract A motorized device for rotating i.e. tilting the X-ray tube assembly in a linear and/or complex tomography radiographic system comprising the combination of a permanent magnet stepper motor coupled to a rotatable X-ray tube assembly through a helicon gear set and a spur gear set. The X-ray tube assembly incrementally rotates one angular step with each input drive pulse applied to the stepper motor from a pulse generator operated in accordance with a control input applied from an electronic control system in response to sensed positional change of the X-ray tube assembly. The stepper motor when unenergized is nevertheless adapted to provide a holding torque capability which eliminates the need for a separate brake assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Laverne R. Bunch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/44; A61B6/4476; A61B6/02; A61B6/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
Apparatus including an X-ray source, an X-ray detector and means for rotating the X-ray source on a mounting structure relative to the X-ray receptor, comprising the improvement of: a housing attached to said mounting structure and having a rotatable output shaft coupled to said X-ray source; a spur gear set consisting of a plurality of intermeshed spur gears located within said housing and coupled to said output shaft; a helicon gear set consisting of a pinion gear and a helicon gear located within said housing and including means for coupling said helicon gear to said spur gear set; electrical stepper motor means having a rotary output shaft coupled to said pinion gear and being responsive to drive pulses applied thereto to incrementally rotate said output shaft in a predetermined direction for each drive pulse applied; and drive pulse circuit means coupled to said stepper motor and being operable to generate said drive pulses in response to a command signal applied thereto, said drive pulse circuit being operable to generate said drive pulses in response to positional change of said X-ray source and wherein said X-ray receptor is moved in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of the positional change of said X-ray source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus including an X-ray source, an X-ray detector and means for rotating the X-ray source on a mounting structure relative to the X-ray receptor, comprising the improvement of: a housing attached to said mounting structure and having a rotatable output shaft coupled to said X-ray source; a spur gear set consisting of a plurality of intermeshed spur gears located within said housing and coupled to said output shaft; a helicon gear set consisting of a pinion gear and a helicon gear located within said housing and including means for coupling said helicon gear to said spur gear set; electrical stepper motor means having a rotary output shaft coupled to said pinion gear and being responsive to drive pulses applied thereto to incrementally rotate said output shaft in a predetermined direction for each drive pulse applied; and drive pulse circuit means coupled to said stepper motor and being operable to generate said drive pulses in response to a command signal applied thereto, said drive pulse circuit being operable to generate said drive pulses in response to positional change of said X-ray source and wherein said X-ray receptor is moved in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of the positional change of said X-ray source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said stepper motor means is located within said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said spur gear set is comprised of a first and second spur gear wherein said first spur gear has a relatively smaller number of teeth than said second spur gear, and wherein said second spur gear is coupled to said output shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein the gear ratio of said first and second spur gears is 5:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the gear ratio of said helicon gear to said pinion gear of said helicon gear set is in the range of from 10:1 to 20:1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said electrical stepper motor includes motor coil winding means coupled to said drive circuit means; and additionally including normally closed switch means connected between said motor coil winding means and said drive pulse circuit means for maintaining a closed loop therebetween, thereby providing a residual torque on said output shaft in absence of drive pulses being applied thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein said normally closed switch means comprises a normally closed relay circuit which is adapted to be selectively operated and provide an open circuit between said motor coil winding means and said pulse circuit means to permit the X-ray tube source to rotate freely when desired.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said drive pulse circuit includes electrical pulse generator means providing electrical drive pulses of predetermined polarity for operating said stepper motor to rotate said X-ray tube in a predetermined direction with respect to the direction of the positional change of said X-ray source tube to direct an X-ray beam to an X-ray receptor moving in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of the positional change of said X-ray source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 8 and additionally including stepper motor drive means coupled between said pulse generator and said stepper motor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 9 whereby said stepper motor comprises a permanent magnet stepper motor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 9 and additionally including control circuit means operative to provide an electrical control signal coupled to said pulse generator means for performing a predetermined X-ray procedure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said control circuit means operates in response to a sensed positional change of said X-ray source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said control circuit means operates to effect a rotational drive of said X-ray source to any desired angle during said predetermined X-ray procedure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus as defined by claim 9 and additionally including manually operable circuit means coupled to said control circuit means for providing a rotational drive of said X-ray in a predetermined direction while said circuit means is maintained manually operable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3733487A
Cited
US3708664A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-03-19 | 1982-09-18 | 1983-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-03-19 | 1986-09-18 | 1987-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-03-19 | 1990-09-18 | 1991-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |