Biopsy Driver Homing for Needle Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated biopsy systems face challenges in ensuring proper alignment of drive members with needle interfaces during the installation of disposable biopsy needle assemblies, leading to potential misalignment and delays in procedures, which can cause patient discomfort and anxiety.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a homing process controlled by a computerized controller to position drive members in specific home positions, ensuring proper coupling with needle interfaces, and includes features like needle sensors and audio warnings to facilitate correct alignment and user guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a disposable biopsy needle assembly is installed on a motorized driver, then the biopsy procedure can be performed, but proper alignment of drive members with needle interfaces cannot be ensured, leading to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a homing process before needle assembly installation to position the drive members at predetermined home positions. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the needle assembly is installed, the drive members are already aligned with the needle interfaces, eliminating misalignment issues without requiring complex real-time alignment procedures during the biopsy procedure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the drive members are positioned manually, then alignment can be adjusted, but procedural delays occur and patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect the position of the needle assembly and automatically actuates the drive members to the correct home positions without requiring manual intervention. The system self-adjusts the alignment based on sensor feedback, eliminating the need for manual positioning while avoiding procedural delays and patient discomfort associated with manual adjustments.
3Manufacturing precision
If a homing process is implemented to ensure proper alignment, then alignment precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the position of the needle assembly and provide feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the control system automatically actuates the drive members to the correct home positions. This feedback mechanism ensures precise alignment while keeping the system relatively simple by using straightforward sensor-actuator loops rather than complex alignment algorithms or manual adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A biopsy system includes a motorized driver having a drive member operatively coupled with a needle interface of a biopsy needle assembly that is removably installed on the motorized driver, wherein the motorized driver actuates the drive member to thereby actuate the biopsy needle assembly via the needle interface. A system controller that controls operation of the motorized driver is configured to perform a homing process including determining a system test failure or a needle removal condition in which a biopsy needle assembly installed on the motorized driver has been or should be removed from the motorized driver. Upon determining a system test failure or needle removal condition, the controller positions the drive member in a drive member home position for receiving a new biopsy needle assembly to be installed on the motorized driver.