Drive System Mounting Assembly for Medical Gantry Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for attaching a drive system and stand to a ring in a nuclear medicine gantry face challenges such as large tolerance accumulation, tooth misalignment, and deflection under load, leading to binding issues during rotation, and lack an efficient and repeatable assembly process.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a mounting assembly with a mounting bar and a moveable adjuster that allows for adjustable tooth clearance between the drive system and the ring, along with a compliant joint between the ring and stand to accommodate deflection, ensuring proper alignment and rotation without binding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the stand has a machined surface for mounting the drive system, then proper tooth alignment can be achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases and tolerance accumulation between the mounting surface and gear teeth remains large
Solution Approach 1:
A mounting plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the stand and the drive system. The mounting plate provides a reference surface for positioning the drive system, eliminating the need for a precision-machined surface on the stand itself. This mediator absorbs the tolerance accumulation and provides the necessary alignment reference, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining tooth alignment precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple attachment points are used to fasten the ring and stand, then deflection under load is minimized, but the ring may become overconstrained and bind during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates adjustable mounting bars with adjusters that allow for dynamic positioning and compliance. This enables the system to accommodate slight variations and deflections under load while maintaining proper alignment, preventing overconstraint and binding during rotation. The adjustable mechanism provides the necessary flexibility to maintain both stability and smooth rotation.
3Manufacturing precision
If slotted mounting holes are used for adjustable tooth clearance, then alignment can be adjusted, but the assembly process becomes complex and requires lifting the drive system weight
Solution Approach 1:
Adjusting blocks are introduced as intermediaries between the mounting plate and the drive system. These blocks provide the necessary clearance adjustment without requiring slotted holes or lifting the heavy drive system. The adjusting blocks can be positioned and secured in place, providing precise tooth clearance adjustment while simplifying the assembly process and eliminating the need for complex slot mechanisms.
4Ease of repair
If the drive system is removed and reinstalled, then maintenance or replacement can be performed, but additional process variation occurs due to repeated adjustment procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates pre-positioned reference surfaces and standardized mounting features that establish alignment before the drive system is installed. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the drive system is removed and reinstalled, the alignment process is simplified and consistent, reducing process variation. The reference surfaces and standardized features guide the reinstallation process, maintaining precision without requiring complex repeated adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for securing a drive system to a ring in a medical imaging gantry, the ring defining a central longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a ring having an outer race and an inner race rotatively mounted within the outer race, the inner race defining inner race teeth about a portion of its circumference, The apparatus also includes a drive system having a drive gear, defining drive gear teeth that are engaged with the inner race teeth, and defining tooth clearance there between. A mounting assembly is also included having at least one mounting bar rigidly attached to the outer race outer facing surface, the mounting bar including a transverse face being substantially perpendicular to the ring outer race circumference, at least one mounting plate secured to the drive system and transverse face of the at least one mounting bar.