Telescopic Animal Handling System for MRI Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MRI systems lack a simple and precise method for positioning animals, such as anaesthetized mice and rats, within the device for optimal analysis.
Innovation Solution
A maneuverable animal handling system (AMS) with a telescopic mechanism and a configurable encapsulatable life support system (ELSS) that includes an anesthetization gas mask and fluid supplying mechanism, ensuring precise positioning and maintaining an airtight, thermally isolated environment to prevent gas leakage and spillage of hazardous materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a telescopic mechanism with inner and outer shafts is used to position the animal, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a telescopic mechanism where an inner shaft is nested within an outer shaft, allowing compact storage and precise extension to positioning depth. The inner shaft can slide within the outer shaft to achieve variable length adjustment, enabling accurate animal positioning while maintaining a compact overall structure when retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic mechanism provides dynamic adjustability of the positioning system length, allowing the distal portion to be extended to the precise depth required for animal positioning within the MRI device, then retracted for safety and compactness. This dynamic capability enables precise positioning while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Reliability
If an airtight encapsulatable life support system is used to prevent gas leakage, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes an airtight encapsulatable life support system (ELSS) that forms a sealed environment around the animal. This encapsulation prevents leakage of anesthetization gas and contains hazardous materials, while the flexible or adaptable nature of the sealing system allows it to accommodate the animal and positioning mechanism without excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ELSS creates a controlled, sealed environment that maintains an inert or controlled atmosphere around the animal, preventing escape of anesthetization gases into the laboratory environment and containing any hazardous materials, thus improving safety without requiring complex active containment systems.
3Reliability
If thermal isolation is implemented to protect the animal environment, then animal welfare is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ELSS provides thermal isolation through its encapsulating structure, which acts as a thermal barrier between the ambient environment and the animal's controlled environment. This simple encapsulation approach maintains appropriate temperature for the animal without requiring complex active thermal control systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the distal portion is made rotatable and linearly reciprocatable along the shaft axis, then positioning flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distal portion is designed to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shafts and linearly reciprocatable along the shaft axis. These dynamic movements allow the animal to be positioned in various orientations and depths within the MRI device, maximizing positioning flexibility. The rotational capability enables adjustment of the animal's orientation, while linear reciprocation allows precise depth control.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of rotational and linear reciprocating movements of the distal portion provides multi-functional positioning capability, allowing the same mechanism to achieve both angular and depth adjustments. This universal positioning approach handles various positioning requirements without needing separate mechanisms for each degree of freedom.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal handling system (AMS), useful for positioning an immobilized animal in a predefined configuration, including: a proximal portion, held outside a medical device, comprises at least one inner shaft, and at least one outer shaft, the at least one outer shaft telescopically maneuverable along the at least one inner shaft to provide a telescopic mechanism of variable (proximal-) length, the proximal portion; and a distal portion comprising a configurable encapsulatable life support system (ELSS), the ELSS is rotatable and/or linearly reciprocatable along the main longitudinal axis of the shafts by means of the maneuverable telescopic mechanism of the proximal portion. The proximal portion further comprising indicia indicating the linear displacement and rotation of the ELSS of the distal portion, such that the ELSS is accurately and reversibly configured within the medical device to optimized animal analyses.