Optical Fiber Alignment Device for Medical Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging and treatment systems face challenges in accurately aligning devices or phantoms without the need for transparency or holes, and existing methods require additional sensors and restrictive alignment procedures.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical fibers to guide light from a light source to an indicator position, allowing for correct alignment without the need for transparency or holes, and enabling flexible placement of alignment indicators, potentially remote from the alignment area, with optional lenses for precision and intensity adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If light is guided through a phantom using existing methods, then alignment can be detected, but the device must be transparent or contain holes which restricts design freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical fibers as an intermediary element to transfer light from the alignment position to the indicator position. This allows alignment detection without requiring the phantom body to be transparent or contain holes, as the optical fibers act as mediators that can be integrated into the phantom structure while maintaining its integrity and design freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment indication function is segmented from the phantom body by using separate optical fiber elements. The optical fibers are integrated into the phantom but remain distinct components that can be positioned independently, allowing the phantom material itself to remain opaque without affecting alignment detection capability.
2Productivity
If alignment indicators are placed near the alignment position, then alignment can be detected, but the indicator must be visible at the alignment location which limits workflow efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the alignment indication from the alignment position (one location in space) to a remote indicator position (another location in space) using optical fibers. This spatial extension allows the indicator to be placed at a more convenient location for observation while maintaining the precision of alignment detection through the optical fiber's light guidance capability.
3Measurement precision
If the light entrance area is reduced to improve positioning precision, then alignment accuracy increases, but the light signal intensity at the indicator position decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the optical parameters of the system by introducing lenses at the indicator position. These lenses concentrate the light from the optical fiber, increasing the intensity of the light signal while maintaining the small light entrance area required for high positioning precision. This parameter change allows both precision and visibility requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
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 provides improved alignment accuracy and workflow efficiency by allowing remote alignment verification, reducing the need for additional sensors and enabling precise alignment in multiple directions without the constraints of transparency or hole requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one optical fiber is configured to guide light provided by the light source from the alignment position to the indicator position
Data Source
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AI summary
It is an object of the invention to provide for an improved device that is configured to be aligned with a medical system. This object is achieved by a device configured to be aligned with respect to a medical system by means of a light source. The device comprises at least one optical fiber. The at least one optical fiber extends from an alignment position to an indicator position. The at least one optical fiber is configured to guide light provided by the light source from the alignment position to the indicator position in case the device is correctly aligned with respect to the medical system and light source.