Airborne cooling system and medical equipment

Abstract

This invention claims an airborne cooling system and medical device. The airborne cooling system is applied to a rotating frame to dissipate heat from heat-generating components on the frame. A liquid cooling plate is disposed within each heat-generating component. The airborne cooling system includes a cooling module and connecting pipes, both mounted on the rotating frame and capable of rotating with it. The cooling module and the liquid cooling plate are connected and communicate with each other via the connecting pipes to control the temperature of the refrigerant within the liquid cooling plate during cooling operations. This invention mounts the cooling module for cooling the liquid cooling plate onto the rotating frame, allowing the entire airborne cooling system to rotate with the frame. This avoids the use of a winding frame and shortens the length of the connecting pipes, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of the medical device using this airborne cooling system and reducing the overall size of the system, further reducing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of heat dissipation for medical devices, and in particular relates to an airborne cooling system and medical device. Background Technology

[0002] Medical equipment such as linear heater radiotherapy includes a rotating gantry, which needs to rotate during operation. Currently, to address the heat dissipation requirements of rotating medical equipment, a water-cooled plate is typically installed on the rotating gantry. Heat exchange between the water-cooled plate and the heat-generating components on the rotating gantry is achieved. The water inside the water-cooled plate is cooled by a water chiller installed outside the rotating gantry. Water pipes are used to guide the water from the water-cooled plate to the water chiller for cooling. The cooled water is then returned to the water-cooled plate.

[0003] However, because the rotating frame of the medical equipment rotates at a high speed during operation, and the water-cooling plate needs to rotate at high speed along with the rotating frame, a coaxial winding frame needs to be installed outside the rotating frame. The water pipes are placed on the winding frame and rotate with it. This not only requires the winding frame to be highly precise, but also requires the water pipes to have sufficient length to ensure the connection between the water-cooling plate and the water chiller. This will increase the overall size of the medical equipment and increase the production and assembly costs of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to provide an airborne cooling system and medical device for solving the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] An airborne cooling system is applied in a rotating frame to dissipate heat from heat-generating components on the rotating frame. A liquid cooling plate is disposed within each heat-generating component. The airborne cooling system includes a cooling module and connecting pipes, both of which are mounted on the rotating frame and can rotate with it. The cooling module and the liquid cooling plate are connected and communicate with each other via the connecting pipes, thereby controlling the temperature of the refrigerant within the liquid cooling plate during cooling operations by the cooling module.

[0006] In this application, the cooling module used to cool the liquid cooling plate is installed on the rotating frame, so that the entire airborne cooling system can rotate with the rotating frame. This avoids the use of the winding frame and shortens the length of the connecting pipes, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of medical equipment using the airborne cooling system and reducing the overall size of the airborne cooling system, which further reduces costs.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cooling module includes a heat exchanger and a fan, the heat exchanger being disposed on the connecting pipe so that the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate can flow to the heat exchanger through the connecting pipe;

[0008] The fan is positioned facing the heat exchanger to provide air cooling for the heat exchanger.

[0009] It is understandable that the structure of the cooling module is specifically achieved through the above-mentioned heat exchanger and fan structure, so that the airborne cooling system integrates liquid cooling and air cooling to meet the heat dissipation requirements of medical equipment during operation.

[0010] In one embodiment, there are multiple heat exchangers, which are connected in sequence and arranged on the rotating frame along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame.

[0011] Each heat exchanger has a cavity formed between it and the rotating frame.

[0012] It is understandable that by setting the number of heat exchangers to multiple, and each heat exchanger forming a cavity with the rotating frame to suspend the heat exchanger, the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat exchanger when the fan is working can be improved, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the airborne cooling system when it is working. In addition, the cavity can accommodate other components in the airborne cooling system, so as to facilitate the overall integration of the cooling system.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cooling module further includes an air guide shroud disposed between the plurality of heat exchangers and the fan, so that the fan can simultaneously draw air from the plurality of heat exchangers.

[0014] It is understandable that the above-mentioned air guide shroud structure is designed to meet the requirements of simultaneous air cooling of multiple heat exchangers when the fan is working, and to specifically realize the assembly and connection of the fan in the cooling module.

[0015] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system further includes a base mounted on the rotating frame;

[0016] The cooling module is integrated onto the base.

[0017] It is understandable that the above-mentioned base structure allows the cooling module to be mounted on the rotating frame based on the base, thus achieving modularity of the overall structure of the cooling module and facilitating assembly and connection on the rotating frame.

[0018] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system further includes an expansion tank disposed on the connecting pipe to balance the pressure of the refrigerant in the connecting pipe.

[0019] It is understandable that by using the structure of the expansion tank described above, and by utilizing the structural characteristics of the expansion tank, pressure is maintained for the refrigerant in the connecting pipeline. This avoids water hammer effect in the refrigerant in the connecting pipeline and reduces the risk of refrigerant leakage.

[0020] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system further includes a heater mounted on the connecting pipe to control the temperature of the refrigerant within the liquid cooling plate under the heating of the heater.

[0021] It is understandable that by using the above-mentioned heater structure to heat the refrigerant, precise control of the refrigerant temperature inside the liquid cooling plate can be achieved to meet the heat dissipation requirements of medical equipment.

[0022] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system further includes an exhaust valve and a one-way valve. The exhaust valve is installed on the connecting pipe, wherein the exhaust valve has a breathable membrane to allow gas in the refrigerant in the connecting pipe to be discharged outward through the breathable membrane.

[0023] The one-way valve is located on the gas discharge path to allow the breathable membrane to conduct in one direction.

[0024] It is understandable that the refrigerant in the connecting pipe is vented through the venting membrane on the venting valve to meet the venting requirements of the airborne cooling system when it is suitable for rotating operation. The one-way valve allows the venting membrane to be unidirectionally open to prevent external air from entering the connecting pipe in the reverse direction through the venting membrane.

[0025] This application also claims protection for a medical device, including a rotating frame and an airborne cooling system as described in any of the above claims, wherein a heating element is provided on the rotating frame and a liquid cooling plate is arranged within the heating element;

[0026] The airborne cooling system is mounted on the rotating frame.

[0027] In this application, the airborne cooling system is installed on the rotating frame, which avoids the use of the winding frame and shortens the length of the connecting pipes, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of the medical device and also reducing the overall size of the medical device.

[0028] In one embodiment, there are multiple cooling modules, which are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame.

[0029] Understandably, setting the number of cooling modules to multiple ensures that the airborne cooling system can be applied to the rotating frame to meet the heat dissipation requirements of the rotating frame.

[0030] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0031] The airborne cooling system and medical device of the present invention install a cooling module for cooling liquid cooling plates onto a rotating frame, so that the entire airborne cooling system can rotate with the rotating frame. This avoids the use of a winding frame and shortens the length of the connecting pipes, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of medical devices using the airborne cooling system and reducing the overall size of the airborne cooling system, thus further reducing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an airborne cooling system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an airborne cooling system provided in an embodiment of this application when it is installed on a rotating frame;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a medical device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Reference numerals: 100, Airborne cooling system; 10, Cooling module; 11, Heat exchanger; 12, Fan; 13, Air guide shroud; 20, Connecting pipe; 30, Base; 31, Chassis; 32, Bracket; 40, Expansion tank; 50, Heater; 60, Liquid storage tank; 70, Water pump; 101, Cavity; 200, Rotating frame; 201, Heating element; 300, Support surface; 301, Groove. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "located on" another component, it can be directly located on the other component or may have an intervening component. When a component is considered to be "located on" another component, it can be directly located on the other component or may have an intervening component. When a component is considered to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly fixed to the other component or may have an intervening component.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, the airborne cooling system 100 claimed in this application is applied to a rotating frame 200 to dissipate heat from the heat-generating component 201 on the rotating frame 200. A liquid cooling plate (not shown) is arranged inside the heat-generating component 201. It should be noted that the rotating frame 200 needs to rotate during operation. Specifically, the rotating frame 200 can be applied to medical equipment or other equipment operating under rotating conditions, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0041] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the airborne cooling system 100 claimed in this application includes a cooling module 10 and a connecting pipe 20. Both the cooling module 10 and the connecting pipe 20 are mounted on a rotating frame 200 and can rotate with the rotating frame 200. The cooling module 10 is connected to the liquid cooling plate via the connecting pipe 20 to control the temperature of the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate during the cooling operation of the cooling module 10. In other words, when the airborne cooling system 100 is working, the liquid cooling plate on the rotating frame 200 absorbs heat from the heat-generating component 201 through heat exchange. The refrigerant, after absorbing heat, flows through the connecting pipe 20 and passes through the cooling module 10. Under the cooling effect of the cooling module 10, the refrigerant temperature decreases, and then it flows back to the liquid cooling plate, thus achieving heat dissipation for the rotating frame 200. It should be noted that the refrigerant flowing in the connecting pipe 20 can specifically be a liquid such as water or refrigerant.

[0042] It is understood that the airborne cooling system 100 of this application installs the cooling module 10 for cooling the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate onto the rotating frame 200, so that the airborne cooling system 100 as a whole can rotate with the rotating frame 200. This avoids the use of the winding frame (not shown) and shortens the length of the connecting pipe 20, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of medical devices using the airborne cooling system 100 and reducing the overall size of the airborne cooling system 100, which further reduces costs.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the cooling module 10 includes a heat exchanger 11 and a fan 12. The heat exchanger 11 is mounted on the connecting pipe 20 so that the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate can flow to the heat exchanger 11 through the connecting pipe 20. The fan 12 faces the heat exchanger 11 and is used to provide air cooling for the heat exchanger 11. This structural configuration of the cooling module 10 integrates liquid cooling and air cooling in the airborne cooling system 100. Furthermore, the fan 12 provides air cooling for both the heat exchanger 11 and the rotating frame 200, meeting the heat dissipation requirements of the medical equipment during operation. It should be noted that the heat exchanger 11 is preferably a plate-fin heat exchanger. Utilizing the structural characteristics of plate-fin heat exchangers, a smaller volume is achieved while maintaining the same heat exchange capacity, facilitating assembly on the rotating frame 200.

[0044] In one embodiment, there are multiple heat exchangers 11, which are sequentially connected and arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame 200. Each heat exchanger 11 has a cavity 101 formed between it and the rotating frame 200. In other words, in this embodiment, the heat exchangers 11 in the airborne cooling system 100 are suspended above the rotating frame 200. This improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the fan 12 when it performs air cooling on the heat exchangers 11, thereby improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the airborne cooling system 100. Furthermore, the cavities 101 can accommodate other components of the airborne cooling system 100, facilitating the overall integration of the cooling system. It should be noted that the number of heat exchangers 11 is preferably two, arranged in a V-shape. Of course, those skilled in the art can also use three, four, or even more heat exchangers 11, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0045] In one embodiment, the cooling module 10 further includes an air guide shroud 13, which is disposed between the plurality of heat exchangers 11 and the fan 12, so that the fan 12 can simultaneously draw air from the plurality of heat exchangers 11 to meet the requirement of simultaneous air cooling of the plurality of heat exchangers 11 when the fan 12 is working, and specifically realize the assembly and connection of the fan 12 in the cooling module 10. It should be noted that the cooling module 10 has one fan 12, and in order to meet the requirements of the airborne cooling system 100 for use in rotating conditions, the overall structure of the fan 12 can be made more robust and compact. Of course, for those skilled in the art, the number of fans 12 can also be set to two or even more.

[0046] The connecting pipe 20 is used to connect the heat exchanger 11 and the liquid cooling plate. Since the airborne cooling system 100 needs to rotate with the rotating frame 200 when it is installed on the rotating frame 200, the connecting pipe 20 can be fixed to the rotating frame 200 using a fixing clip (not shown). It should be noted that, in order to make the airborne cooling system 100 suitable for rotating conditions, the part of the connecting pipe 20 that is placed on the cooling module 10 can be made of copper pipe to reduce pressure loss at the joint, while the remaining part can be made of flexible hose to facilitate the connection between the part of the connecting pipe 20 extending out of the cooling module 10 and the liquid cooling plate, and to assemble and fix it on the rotating frame 200. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the airborne cooling system 100 also includes a base 30, which is mounted on the rotating frame 200. The cooling module 10 is integrated onto the base 30, allowing it to be mounted on the rotating frame 200 based on the base 30. This modularity of the overall structure of the cooling module 10 means that all components of the airborne cooling system 10, except for the liquid cooling plate and some connecting pipes 20, are integrated onto the base 30, facilitating assembly and connection on the rotating frame 200. It should be noted that the base 30 is specifically fixed to a corresponding mounting plate (not shown) on the rotating frame 200 using bolts.

[0048] In one embodiment, the base 30 includes a chassis 31 and a bracket 32. The chassis 31 is fixedly mounted on the rotating frame 200. Specifically, the chassis 31 can be configured as a steel frame composed of structural steel. When the chassis 31 is facing a heavy component, a solid sheet metal part can be selected to bear the load. When facing a light component, the corresponding part of the chassis 31 can be hollowed out to reduce the overall weight of the chassis 31. Through holes are drilled in the parts of the chassis 31 that are under greater stress to facilitate bolt fixing of the chassis 31 to the rotating frame 200. The bracket 32 ​​is mounted on the chassis 31 to support the heat exchanger 11. The bracket 32 ​​is correspondingly arranged with the heat exchanger 11 so that the heat exchanger 11 can be held in a suspended state by the corresponding bracket 32. It should be noted that lifting holes can also be provided on the base 30 to facilitate the overall transportation of the base 30, which will not be elaborated here.

[0049] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system 100 further includes an expansion tank 40, which is disposed on the connecting pipe 20 to balance the pressure of the refrigerant within the connecting pipe 20. That is, the expansion tank 40's structure maintains the pressure of the refrigerant within the connecting pipe 20, thus preventing water hammer and reducing the risk of refrigerant leakage. It should be noted that a safety valve (not shown) may also be installed on the connecting pipe 20. The safety valve can cooperate with the expansion tank 40 to further ensure the pressure stability of the refrigerant as it flows within the connecting pipe 20.

[0050] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system 100 further includes a heater 50, which is installed on the connecting pipe 20 to control the temperature of the refrigerant inside the liquid cooling plate under the heating of the heater 50. This allows for precise control of the refrigerant temperature inside the liquid cooling plate to meet the heat dissipation requirements of the airborne cooling system 100 for medical devices. It should be noted that the heater 50 is an electric heater, specifically installed on the outside of the heat exchanger 11 on the base 30. This ensures that the air temperature drawn from the heat exchanger 11 by the fan 12 is not affected by the heater 50.

[0051] In one embodiment, the airborne cooling system 100 further includes an exhaust valve (not shown) and a check valve (not shown). The exhaust valve is installed on the connecting pipe 20. The exhaust valve has a permeable membrane (not shown) to allow gas in the refrigerant within the connecting pipe 20 to be discharged outwards through the permeable membrane. The check valve is located on the gas discharge path to allow the permeable membrane to be unidirectionally open. In other words, when the airborne cooling system 100 is operating, the structural characteristics of the permeable membrane on the exhaust valve allow gas in the refrigerant within the connecting pipe 20 to be discharged outwards, while the refrigerant cannot be discharged through the permeable membrane. This allows the exhaust valve to meet the exhaust requirements during rotating operations. Furthermore, the check valve ensures unidirectional opening of the permeable membrane, preventing air from reversing and entering the connecting pipe 20, thus fulfilling the requirements for the exhaust valve's application in the connecting pipe 20.

[0052] Additionally, it should be noted that the airborne cooling system 100 also includes a liquid storage tank 60, a water pump 70, and a solenoid valve (not shown) to control the flow of refrigerant within the connecting pipe 20. Specifically, the liquid storage tank 60 and the water pump 70 can be installed within the cavity 101 formed by the heat exchanger 11 and the base 30 to reduce the overall volume of the airborne cooling system 100. A drain valve (not shown) and a water filling valve (not shown) can also be connected to the connecting pipe 20. Specifically, the drain valve and the water filling valve can be arranged on the outside of the heat exchanger 11 to facilitate refrigerant charging and subsequent maintenance.

[0053] Furthermore, the presence of multiple liquid cooling plates allows the airborne cooling system 100 to cool one or more heat-generating components 201 on the rotating frame 200 individually during operation, thus meeting the application requirements of the rotating frame 200 in medical equipment. It should be noted that the multiple liquid cooling plates can be connected to one or more cooling modules 10 via connecting pipes 20; this will not be elaborated upon here.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, a medical device provided in one embodiment of this application includes a rotating frame 200 and an airborne cooling system 100. A heating element 201 is provided on the rotating frame 200, and a liquid cooling plate is arranged inside the heating element 201. The airborne cooling system 100 is installed on the rotating frame 200.

[0055] In one embodiment, there are multiple cooling modules 10, which are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame 200 to meet the airflow requirements of the fan 12 when the cooling modules 10 are working, thus ensuring that the airborne cooling system 100 is applied to the rotating frame 200 to dissipate heat from the rotating frame 200. It should be noted that the number of cooling modules 10 is preferably two, and in order to ensure the airflow requirements of the fan 12 when the cooling modules 10 are installed on the rotating frame 200, a groove 301 can be formed on the support surface 300 supporting the rotating frame 200, and a preset gap can be formed between the rotating frame 200 and the bottom of the groove 301 to facilitate the airflow of the fan 12 when it is working.

[0056] In summary, the airborne cooling system 100 and medical device of this application install the cooling module 10 for cooling the liquid cooling plate onto the rotating frame 200, so that the airborne cooling system 100 as a whole can rotate with the rotating frame 200. This avoids the use of the winding frame and shortens the length of the connecting pipe 20, thereby reducing the production and assembly costs of the medical device using the airborne cooling system 100 and reducing the overall size of the airborne cooling system 100, which further reduces costs.

[0057] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0058] Those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any appropriate changes and variations made to the above embodiments within the essential spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. An airborne cooling system, applied in a rotating frame (200), for dissipating heat from heat-generating components (201) on the rotating frame (200), wherein, The heat-generating component (201) is equipped with a liquid cooling plate; characterized in that the airborne cooling system (100) includes a cooling module (10) and a connecting pipe (20), the cooling module (10) and the connecting pipe (20) are both mounted on the rotating frame (200) and can rotate with the rotating frame (200); the cooling module (10) and the liquid cooling plate are connected and communicated through the connecting pipe (20) to control the temperature of the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate under the cooling operation of the cooling module (10); The cooling module (10) includes a heat exchanger (11) and a fan (12). The heat exchanger (11) is disposed on the connecting pipe (20) so that the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate can flow to the heat exchanger (11) through the connecting pipe (20). The fan (12) is disposed facing the heat exchanger (11) for air cooling of the heat exchanger (11). The number of heat exchangers (11) is two, and the two heat exchangers (11) are arranged in a V-shape; the number of fans (12) is one, and the fan (12) can simultaneously draw air from the two heat exchangers (11); The airborne cooling system (100) also includes a base (30) mounted on the rotating frame (200); wherein the cooling module (10) is integrated onto the base (30); The base (30) includes a chassis (31) and a bracket (32). The bracket (32) is mounted on the chassis (31) to support the heat exchanger (11). The bracket (32) is correspondingly arranged with the heat exchanger (11) so that the heat exchanger (11) can be kept in a suspended state by the corresponding bracket (32) so that a cavity (101) is formed between each heat exchanger (11) and the rotating frame (200).

2. The airborne cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of heat exchangers (11) is multiple, and the multiple heat exchangers (11) are connected in sequence and arranged on the rotating frame (200) along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame (200).

3. The airborne cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling module (10) also includes an air guide shroud (13), which is disposed between the plurality of heat exchangers (11) and the fan (12) so that the fan (12) can simultaneously draw air from the plurality of heat exchangers (11).

4. The airborne cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airborne cooling system (100) also includes an expansion tank (40), which is disposed on the connecting pipe (20) to balance the pressure of the refrigerant in the connecting pipe (20).

5. The airborne cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airborne cooling system (100) further includes a heater (50) mounted on the connecting pipe (20) to control the temperature of the refrigerant in the liquid cooling plate under the heating of the heater (50).

6. The airborne cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airborne cooling system (100) also includes an exhaust valve and a check valve. The exhaust valve is installed on the connecting pipe (20). The exhaust valve has a breathable membrane so that the gas in the refrigerant in the connecting pipe (20) can be discharged to the outside through the breathable membrane. The one-way valve is located on the gas discharge path to allow the breathable membrane to conduct in one direction.

7. A medical device, characterized in that, It includes a rotating frame (200) and an airborne cooling system (100) as described in any one of claims 1-6, wherein a heat-generating component (201) is provided on the rotating frame (200) and a liquid cooling plate is arranged in the heat-generating component (201); The airborne cooling system (100) is mounted on the rotating frame (200).

8. The medical device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The number of cooling modules (10) is multiple, and the multiple cooling modules (10) are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating frame (200).

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