X-Ray Collimator Belt-Pulley Drive for Precise Slat Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing X-ray collimators face issues with precise and reliable transmission of motion between orthogonal shafts due to traditional belt and pulley systems, leading to imprecise and repetitive motion in adjusting X-ray beam dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A transmission device utilizing a belt with helical teeth and a toothed pulley to transmit motion between orthogonal shafts, ensuring precise and repetitive movement of X-ray slats for beam adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional belt and pulley systems are used to transmit motion between orthogonal shafts, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the motion transmission is imprecise and non-repetitive
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley is segmented into discrete teeth along its circumference, with each tooth engaging with a corresponding tooth on the belt. This segmentation transforms the continuous belt-pulley contact into discrete, repeatable engagement points, ensuring precise and reproducible motion transmission between orthogonal shafts while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The belt is configured with a curved or helical path that engages with the toothed pulley at an angle, allowing smooth transition of motion between orthogonal directions. The curved engagement surface ensures continuous contact and precise motion transfer while accommodating the orthogonal arrangement of shafts
2Reliability
If traditional bearing or roller systems are used to accompany the belt onto the pulley, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the motion transmission reliability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional bearing or roller intermediary is completely removed from the system. Instead, the belt itself is designed with integrated teeth that directly engage with the pulley teeth, eliminating the need for separate bearing or roller components and their associated mounting requirements, thereby improving reliability without significantly complicating manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The belt and pulley are designed as composite mechanical elements where the belt incorporates tooth structures that mate with the pulley teeth. This composite toothed interface combines the flexibility of belt transmission with the precision of gear engagement, ensuring reliable and repeatable motion transmission
Data Source
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AI summary
An X-ray collimator (6) comprises a first rotatable shaft (40) having a first axis (A1) arranged longitudinally, a first pair of slats (32a,32b) sliding longitudinally and a first device for transmitting the motion from the first shaft (40) to the first pair of slats (32a,32b). The first transmission device comprises a first belt (42) rotationally jointed with the first shaft (40) and a first toothed pulley (46) with helical teeth, rotatable about a first secondary axis (A1') orthogonal to the first axis (A1) and translationally jointed with the slats (32a,32b) of the first pair. The first belt (42) is engaged with the first toothed pulley (46) in a semicrossed manner for the transmission of the motion between skew axes (A1,A1').