Articulating Arm Limiter for Ultrasound Recoil Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound therapy systems for Histotripsy face challenges in maintaining precise control and safety due to sudden jerks caused by weight compensators recoiling, which can lead to patient injury during procedures like prostate treatment.
Innovation Solution
An articulating arm system with an arm limiter is introduced, featuring a rotating joint and a weight compensator to reduce load and prevent recoil by limiting rotation at specific joints, ensuring controlled movement and positioning of ultrasound therapy transducers and imaging systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a weight compensator is used to reduce load on the articulating arm, then ease of operation is improved, but sudden recoiling occurs causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The arm limiter applies a preliminary constraint to prevent the weight compensator from recoiling beyond a safe range. By pre-establishing a mechanical stop at the limiting position, the system counteracts the potential harmful recoil action before it can occur, thus eliminating sudden jerks while maintaining the weight compensation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm limiter acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the articulating arm and the weight compensator. It mediates the motion by allowing normal operation within safe limits while blocking excessive movement, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety hazards.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the articulating arm is allowed full range of motion for positioning flexibility, then adaptability is improved, but sudden recoiling and loss of control occur
Solution Approach 1:
The arm limiter pre-establishes mechanical constraints at predetermined safe positions, preventing the articulating arm from moving into unstable ranges where recoil could occur. This allows the arm to maintain flexibility within safe boundaries while automatically preventing entry into dangerous zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically balances flexibility and safety by allowing full range of motion within predetermined safe limits while automatically constraining movement beyond those limits. The arm limiter provides dynamic control by being permissive within safe ranges and restrictive when approaching dangerous ranges.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices for manipulating an articulating arm of an ultrasound therapy system are provided. In one embodiment an articulating arm comprises a first articulating arm link, a second articulating arm link, a rotating joint configured to rotationally connect the first articulating arm link to the second articulating arm link so that the first and second articulating arm links are substantially perpendicular, and an arm limiter attached to the second articulating arm link, the arm limiter being configured to limit rotation of the second articulating arm link along the rotating joint with respect to the first articulating arm link. An ultrasound therapy transducer and imaging system can be mounted on the articulating arm. Methods for performing manipulating the arm and system are also provided.