Independently Steerable Rear Wheels for Mobile X-ray Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile X-ray imaging systems face challenges in mobility, particularly in crowded operational areas where limited space and the need for precise movements, such as stitching technology, require a larger movement range and improved maneuverability.
Innovation Solution
A base for mobile X-ray imaging systems featuring a carriage with a wheel arrangement of at least three wheels, where at least two rearside wheels are independently actively steerable and drivable, allowing the base to rotate around a virtual point of rotation aligned with the longitudinal center line, enhancing mobility and precision in movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mobile X-ray systems use traditional wheel arrangements for mobility, then they can be moved within operational rooms, but their maneuverability and movement range are limited in crowded areas
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel arrangement is segmented into multiple independently controllable wheels (first pair of rear wheels and second pair of front wheels) with different functions. The rear wheels provide active steering and propulsion while the front wheels provide passive support and additional steering capability, allowing the system to achieve complex movement patterns including rotation around a virtual point and movement in limited spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control of wheel orientations and rotations through multiple actuators. The active steering of rear wheels combined with independent rotation control enables the base to dynamically adjust its movement trajectory and rotate around a virtual point, significantly improving maneuverability in crowded operational areas
2Device complexity
If mobile X-ray systems use simple wheel arrangements, then the structure remains simple, but precision in position control and movement accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates controllers that actively control the steering and rotation of wheels based on feedback from sensors and position data. This closed-loop control enables precise position control and accurate movement by continuously monitoring and adjusting wheel orientations and rotations, achieving high positioning precision while maintaining a manageable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical wheel arrangements with an integrated electromechanical system. Active steering actuators and rotation motors substitute for manual mechanical adjustment, providing automated precision control of wheel positions and orientations, thereby achieving high positioning accuracy without excessive mechanical complexity
3Device complexity
If mobile X-ray systems lack active wheel control, then the structure remains simple, but mobility and movement flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The actively controlled wheel arrangement serves multiple functions: the rear wheels provide both propulsion and active steering, while the front wheels provide additional steering capability and support. This multi-functional design improves mobility and movement flexibility without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same actuator systems serve multiple operational requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A base for a mobile X-ray imaging system comprises a carriage, a mounting structure mounted to the carriage and that movably holds an imaging device, a wheel base, and a controller. The wheel base comprises at least three wheels mounted to the carriage to be pivotable around a vertical pivot axis and to rotate around a horizontal wheel axis. At least two of the wheels form rearside wheels and at least one of the wheels forms a frontside wheel. Each rearside wheel is independently steerable in its orientation around the vertical pivot axis by a pivot actuator. Each rearside wheel is independently drivable around its horizontal wheel axis by a drive actuator to move the base relative to the floor. The controller steers and drives the rearside wheels.