CT Rotatable Drum Air Bearings for Friction-Free Gantry Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional CT imaging systems experience wear and tear due to friction between the rotating gantry and stationary components, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement, and suffer from wobble/jitter during rotation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of air bearings to create a contactless levitation system for the rotatable gantry, using inductive motors for contactless rotation, and a contactless data-link for information transmission, eliminating physical contact and reducing friction and wobble.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical bearings and physical linkages are used to support and rotate the gantry, then the gantry can be supported and driven, but friction is generated causing wear and tear requiring maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based support and drive systems with magnetic field-based systems. Specifically, magnetic bearings replace mechanical bearings to support the gantry without physical contact, and an induction motor provides contactless rotation. This substitution eliminates friction and wear between moving parts, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and harmful friction/wear factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic fields as an intermediary between the stationary and rotating components. Magnetic bearings create a magnetic field that levitates the gantry, and the induction motor creates a rotating magnetic field to drive rotation without mechanical contact. This intermediary magnetic field transmission method eliminates direct mechanical contact, thereby eliminating friction and wear while maintaining support and drive functions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If mechanical bearings are used to reduce friction, then rotation is enabled, but wobble and jitter occur during gantry rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical bearings with magnetic bearings that provide contactless support. The magnetic field creates a stable levitation effect that eliminates the mechanical contact points that cause wobble and jitter. This substitution improves both rotation stability and smoothness by removing the sources of mechanical instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of contact from mechanical to magnetic. By transitioning from physical contact to magnetic field interaction, the system achieves smoother rotation without the friction and instability inherent in mechanical bearing systems. The magnetic field parameters can be precisely controlled to optimize levitation stability and rotation smoothness.
3Use of energy by moving object
If physical contact components are used for gantry rotation, then the system structure is simple, but energy is lost to friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces friction-based mechanical transmission with magnetic field-based transmission. The induction motor converts electrical energy directly to rotational motion through magnetic fields without mechanical friction, and magnetic bearings eliminate frictional losses during rotation. This substitution dramatically reduces energy consumption by eliminating frictional energy loss while maintaining the drive function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses magnetic fields as an intermediary to transmit energy and motion without mechanical contact. The induction motor creates a rotating magnetic field that induces current in the rotor, producing rotational motion without physical contact. Magnetic bearings use magnetic fields to levitate and support the gantry without friction. This intermediary magnetic transmission minimizes energy loss while efficiently transmitting power and motion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces energy consumption, extends the lifespan of components, and improves axial alignment, minimizing wobble and friction during gantry rotation.
Implementation Method 1
a first air bearing disposed between the rotatable gantry and the support structure... a second air bearing disposed between the rotatable gantry and the support structure
Implementation Method 2
an inductive motor configured to contactlessly rotate the rotatable gantry
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for a system includes a rotatable drum defining a bore and configured for rotation about an object positioned within the bore, a support structure configured to support the rotatable drum during a rotation of the drum, a first radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a first distal end of the rotatable drum, and a second radial air bearing disposed between the rotatable drum and the support structure and positioned proximate to a second, opposite distal end of the rotatable drum. The first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are located at different longitudinal positions along a longitudinal axis of the rotatable drum and the first radial air bearing and the second radial air bearing are configured to levitate the rotatable drum relative to the support structure.