DE202019102655U1 - CT for animals - Google Patents

Abstract

Computed tomography for animals with
- a driven, movable table top (24) of a patient table (23)
a gantry (2) movably mounted in a longitudinal axis direction (L),
a supporting device (8) for an animal, which is designed in particular for supporting a body part of the animal,
a coupling unit (5) connecting the table top (24) and the gantry (2), the gantry (2) being moved together with the table top (24) when the table top (24) is moved by means of the coupling unit (5),
characterized in that
- The gantry (2) is movably mounted on a guide unit (30),
- The coupling unit (5) has a sensor unit (26) for detecting the movement of the table top (24),
- A drive device (18) for moving the gantry (2) and
- Includes a control unit which is coupled to the sensor unit (26) and the drive device (18) and adapted to control the drive device (18) due to the detected movement of the table top (24) by the sensor unit (26).

Description

The invention relates to a computer tomograph for animals with a driven, movable table top of a patient table and a gantry movably mounted in a longitudinal axis direction according to claim 1.

A computer tomographic examination of animals, in particular of the head area, is usually carried out in such a way that the animals, for example horses, are anesthetized and, in the anesthetized state, placed on the patient table of a computer tomograph. In addition to the practical problem of handling an anesthetized animal, the anesthetization of, for example, large animals is reluctant to perform, since in addition to the risk of injury when handling the animal and the anesthetic itself brings a high risk for the animal with it.

For a careful examination special computer tomographs are known, which are adjustable and movable accordingly and in which it is sufficient to sedate the animals, so that the animals are sedated during the investigation. The disadvantage of this is that such special equipment is expensive and limited in their operational capability to a few specific purposes.

The invention is thus based on the object of providing a computer tomograph which can be used universally, with which even sedated animals can be gently examined.

The invention solves the problem by a computer tomograph with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. In this case, all the features described in principle or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency.

The computed tomography apparatus for animals comprises a patient table having a driven and movable table top, a gantry movably mounted in a longitudinal axis direction, a support for an animal formed at least for supporting a body part of the animal, and a coupling unit connecting the table top of the patient table and the gantry by means of which the gantry is moved when moving the table top together with the table top, wherein the gantry is movably mounted on a guide unit and the coupling unit comprises a sensor unit for detecting the movement of the table top, a drive device for moving the gantry and a control unit which with the sensor unit and the drive device coupled and is adapted to control the drive device due to the detected movement of the table top by the sensor unit.

The inventive computer tomograph is designed as a, for example, in an examination room, permanently mounted, non-mobile computer tomograph.

In a computer tomographic examination, the body part to be scanned, in particular the head of an animal, for example a horse, is moved through the gantry, i. H. moved through the tunnel of the gantry. In order to obtain exact images of the part of the body to be scanned in the computer tomograph, the knowledge about the exact position of the body part in the gantry is necessary. In conventional CT scanners, the gantry is in a fixed, immovable position, while the patient table or the tabletop is moved into the gantry (into the tunnel) or, if it is already in the gantry, out. The determination of the exact position thus takes place, inter alia, via the movement of the patient table / tabletop.

The movable support of the gantry in combination with the combination of the tabletop allows simultaneous and identical movement of the gantry for table top movement, allowing the gantry to be moved over the part of the body to be scanned for positioning as usual by movement of the patient table.

The mobile storage of the gantry in combination with the combination of the tabletop standard computer tomographs, which are used, for example, also for humans and animals, which are stored on a conventional patient table with tabletop, can be used for scanning sedated large animals. The inventive computer tomograph makes it possible to move the gantry over the object to be scanned instead of the object to be scanned into the gantry and thereby to use the usual device for determining the position of the object to be scanned.

The computer tomograph is of particular interest in large animals such as ponies, horses, cattle and physically larger animals, since their handling is difficult in the anesthetized state. Because of its sometimes particularly high value of the computer tomograph is especially for scanning the head area as well as for scanning the extremities of animals, for example, trained by horses.

Patient tables with movable tabletop are known. In this case, the patient table with a pedestal usually rests on the floor of the examination room and a component, such as, for example, the tabletop, is connected via a drive unit movable. The table top (or the movable component) performs a linear movement, which is usually parallel to the ground and in the longitudinal axis direction of the table top. The longitudinal axis direction is understood to mean the direction of movement perpendicular to the tunnel opening of the gantry. In addition, the longitudinal axis direction usually corresponds to the longitudinal axis direction of extension of the table top, wherein the patient table can also be placed next to the gantry so that the movement of the table top in the longitudinal axis direction and the movement of the gantry in the longitudinal axis direction can take place in different spatial directions. In this case, for example, a control unit for controlling the drive unit may be arranged, which is likewise designed as part of the patient table or as a separate control unit.

Also, the inventive computer tomograph has a patient table with a fixedly mounted on the ground, immovable component (base) and a movably mounted and driven table top. The drive of the table top by means of the drive unit of the table top, which may be formed, for example, as an electric motor. In addition, a corresponding control unit is provided. The drive unit may, for example, be part of the patient table. The control unit may also be part of the patient table, but is preferably formed and arranged separately from the patient table.

The gantry is - as stated - also linearly movable, as the patient table. It too is movable parallel to the ground. Their movement is perpendicular to the tunnel opening in the gantry, which corresponds to their longitudinal axis direction.

A support device is understood to mean a device which makes it possible to treat a sedated and not anesthetized animal, in particular a large animal, in a standing position. The support device may be designed so that at least the head of the animal and / or a limb of the animal, in particular a leg of the animal, for example a large animal, is deposited on it while the animal is resting on its legs or on the one not to be scanned Legs up. For this purpose, the support device, for example. Have a support table for placing the head and / or a limb.

The coupling unit generates an electrical coupling between the driven and movable table top and the driven and movably mounted gantry. The coupling unit is designed such that a movement of the table top generated by a drive unit of the table top is transmitted from the table top to the gantry. The tabletop thus does not enter the tunnel of the gantry during scanning of the body part, but remains during the driving movement, for example, at a fixed distance from the gantry.

As stated, the gantry has its own drive device. The drive device may include a drive motor with, for example, a rack and pinion gear, which has a spur gear coupled to the electric motor with a rack fixedly positioned.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the drive device comprises a drive motor with a Elektrohubzylinder. The Elektrohubzylinder may preferably be equipped with a threaded spindle to allow a particularly precise and smooth movement of the gantry.

The drive device can be arranged in the vertical direction below the gantry, whereby on the one hand a particularly space-saving construction is possible, on the other hand, the rack can be particularly easily attached to the substrate or a position-fixed component of the computer tomograph.

In particular, in order to facilitate the examination of the legs and / or feet of the animals is provided according to a development of the invention that the drive device is arranged to move the gantry in the longitudinal axis direction not below the gantry, but in the horizontal direction next to the gantry. As a result, the space available under the gantry is increased and the gantry, in particular the tunnel of the gantry, can be arranged at a small distance from the ground, which makes it easier to examine the legs and feet.

The sensor unit is designed to detect the movement of the table top of the patient table and to transmit a corresponding signal to the control unit. For this purpose, an incremental rotary encoder, a laser linear scanning or a photosensor scanning for detecting the movement of the patient table is particularly preferably provided. Especially the laser linear scanning as well as photosensor scanning allow a particularly accurate detection of the tabletop movement and a largely delay-free processing of the movement keys obtained, whereby the synchronization of the gantry movement is facilitated with the desktop movement.

The control unit is designed to receive the signal of the sensor unit. The control unit processes the signal of the sensor unit, transmits it to the drive device, which in turn is designed to receive the processed signal. For this purpose, the control unit comprises Particularly preferred is a servo pack with a servo controller, which detects the movement data coming from the sensor unit as a signal, processes and sends to the drive device, whereby a control of the drive device, in particular a drive motor of the drive device is performed.

The control of the drive device is carried out such that the gantry performs both a temporal and spatial synchronous movement to the table top. That is, the movements of the tabletop and the movement of the gantry coupled with it are identical both in terms of time, in their direction of movement and in the distance traveled / time unit. A possibly occurring offset due to the signal transmission, processing of the signal of the sensor unit in the control unit or inertia of the drive device is minimal, so that this continues to be understood a synchronous movement.

The signal transmissions can be wired, but preferably wireless. Possibly. can be arranged for the drive unit of the table top and for the drive device of the gantry and a common control unit.

The mobile storage of the gantry by means of the guide unit. Under the guide unit are, for example, rail-shaped bearing rails and rolling on the bearing rails understood. In this case, in order to ensure an exactly linear movement of the gantry laterally on the bearing rails attacking guide body, in particular guide rollers may be arranged. Despite the heavy weight of the gantry, the bearing rails and rollers permit a precise movement guidance of the gantry and represent a particularly cost-effective embodiment. In this embodiment, at least two bearing rails can be arranged, which are firmly anchored, for example, in the bottom of the examination space and spaced from one another. The bearing rails preferably have a metallic sliding surface for the rollers. The rolling on the bearing rollers rollers can be designed as a smooth running heavy duty rollers, whereby the motion control is further improved. The rollers can be arranged on the underside of the gantry, so that the gantry with the roller bearings stands up on the bearing rails. For lateral guidance of the gantry or a lifting device also bearing units, for example. Roller bearings or aerostatic bearings can be arranged, which bear laterally against the bearing rails.

According to a development of the invention, linear guides with guide rails and guide carriages are arranged as a guide unit. The guide slide (also called carriage) are preferably mounted on the guide rails by means of ball bearings or roller bearings. By mounted on the roller or ball bearings guide the movement of the gantry in the longitudinal axis direction is significantly simplified because on the one hand a much lower effort to start and move the gantry is necessary and on the other a more precise and better guided movement is possible. Due to the compelling direction specification for the linear guides with guide slide and guide rail, incorrect movements of the gantry and thus inaccuracies during scanning are significantly reduced.

Particularly preferably, the guide unit comprises at least one hydrostatic slide bearing, whereby a particularly easy and precise movement of the gantry is possible. A hydrostatic plain bearing can be formed, for example, by a guide rail and a guide slide guided on / on the guide rail and correspondingly hydrostatically mounted. The hydrostatic slide bearing allows a further improvement of the movement of the gantry.

Regardless of whether the guide unit has one or more hydrostatic bearings, guide carriages with roller bearings or ball bearings, or similar. The guide unit may comprise a plurality of guide rails and, correspondingly, a plurality of guide slides, for example for each guide rail.

According to a development of the invention, the guide unit has at least one aerostatic sliding bearing. In this case, the aerostatic sliding bearing, i. the air bearing, in particular two bearing rails (also called guide rails), on which air bearings are arranged, which produce an example. A few microns strong air cushion during operation. The air bearings can be arranged below the gantry, so that at least the gantry on the air cushion along the guide rail longitudinal direction can be moved very easily.

The aerostatic guide unit may comprise, for example, three air bearings, wherein two air bearings are spaced from each other on a first guide rail and a third air bearing rests on the second guide rail. As a result, a three-point bearing of the gantry is generated, whereby any existing bumps can be compensated. Preferably, the third air bearing is designed as a double nozzle, that is, instead of a single third air bearing two air bearings directly next to each other and, for example, arranged adjacent to each other. The distance of the first and second air bearing corresponds, for example, largely the depth of the gantry.

The guide rails for the aerostatic guide unit may have a metallic sliding surface for the air bearings. Preferably, however, they include sliding surfaces of stone or granite. The air bearings can, for example, be designed as air bearing pads.

The examination height of the animal is determined by the vertical height of the lower edge of the tunnel in the gantry. Usually, the patient table is set to the correct height for this purpose. However, since in the inventive computer tomograph the animal is not placed on the patient table, a lifting device for moving the gantry in the vertical direction is provided according to a development of the invention. The lifting device can particularly preferably have a positioning device which can be moved in the vertical direction, for example a lifting table which can be moved in the vertical direction or angle supports which can be moved in the vertical direction, in each case for setting up the gantry. The angle supports are arranged, for example, on two opposite sides of the gantry.

Especially to facilitate the examination of the limbs of the animals, it is advantageous if the distance from the ground to the lower edge of the tunnel opening in the gantry is minimal. In order to achieve a further minimization here, according to a development of the invention, it is provided that the lifting devices are arranged laterally to the erection device, so that the lifting table or the angle supports, for example, can be lowered down to the ground or approximately to the ground.

For a particularly precise motion control and a compact design of the lifting device is also provided according to a development of the invention that each lifting device each comprises an electrically driven spindle gear (for example, a Elektrohubzylinder) and two linear rails with guide carriage. About the spindle gear while the vertical stroke is generated while the linear guides with carriages ensure an accurate movement of the erector (lift table or angle brackets).

The lifting devices thus have a drive unit with an electric drive motor for driving the spindle gear. The lifting devices arranged on opposite sides of the gantry can be moved synchronously. The drive units of the lifting devices are not arranged below the gantry, but preferably laterally from the gantry and possibly above the spindle gear.

According to a development of the invention, the lifting device with the gantry is arranged on the guide unit. That is, the lifting device moves along with the gantry in the longitudinal axis direction during the movement of the gantry on the guide unit. Accordingly, the above embodiments of the guide unit can also be arranged directly on the lifting device instead of directly on the gantry. Thus, in an advantageous manner, the lifting device with the gantry, for example, on the guide carriage of the guide rails, which in turn are arranged on the ground.

Both the drive device for moving the gantry in the longitudinal axis direction and / or the drive unit for moving the lifting device vertically may be arranged below the gantry, but are preferably not positioned below the gantry but laterally from the gantry.

According to a development of the invention, the guide unit may alternatively be arranged on the lifting device, so that the lifting device fixed in position, for example. Rests on the ground and the gantry performs the movement in the longitudinal axis direction on the lifting device. For this purpose, the lifting device in particular a lifting truck or lifting table on which the gantry stands up with the guide unit. As a guide unit, the above-mentioned embodiments of the guide unit are suitable, wherein preferably guide rails are used with guide carriage.

As already mentioned, the supporting device is designed in particular for an animal, in particular a horse, for example, to stand in front of the supporting device and to rest its head or one of its legs / feet on the supporting device. In order to make the examination particularly gentle for the respective animal, it is provided according to a development of the invention that the support device is adjustable in the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the direction of movement is understood starting from the ground on which the animal stands, vertically upwards.

The mobility of the support device in the vertical direction makes it possible to adapt the support device to animals of different sizes so that even animals of different heights can take a particularly gentle head posture or a gentle posture of their extremities during the examination.

For optimal examination of the animal, it is advantageous if the respective body part is at the height of the tunnel of the gantry. For this purpose, the possibility of a lifting device for vertical movement of the gantry has already been described. Especially in the examination of the extremities, however, a gentle posture for the animal is difficult to achieve. Even with a complete lowering of the gantry to the ground it can The animal may need to raise its leg or foot very high in order to get to the height of the tunnel.

According to a development of the invention, therefore, a lifting truck is provided as an alternative or in addition to the lifting device, which is designed to move the animals in the vertical direction. Thus, the pallet truck can be arranged for example in the area of the footprint of the animal on the ground, whereby the animal can be raised or lowered accordingly. The lift truck preferably has a vertically movable lifting table (platform) for setting up the animal. In this case, the lifting table is preferably also movable by lifting devices in the vertical direction. The lifting devices may be designed according to the lifting devices of the lifting device. Therefore, they preferably have two lifting devices, which are arranged in particular on opposite sides of the lifting table and each comprise at least one electrically driven spindle drive with a drive unit and in each case at least two linear rails with guide carriage.

To protect the animals on the platform, a fall protection can be provided in an advantageous manner, which is arranged, for example, in the form of a protective grid and in particular on the front and rear of the platform.

In an advantageous manner, in addition, for example, the support device, which can also be moved in the vertical direction, can be arranged on the platform.

• 1 schematisch in einer perspektivischen Darstellung einen Computertomografen für Tiere;
• 2 schematisch in einer perspektivischen Darstellung einen Querschnitt des Computertomografen aus 1;
• 3 schematisch in einem Querschnitt den Computertomografen aus 1 und 2;
• 4 schematisch in einer Ansicht einen Ausschnitt eines Patiententisches des Computertomografen aus den 1-3 mit einer Sensoreinheit;
• 5 schematisch in einer perspektivischen Darstellung eine Ausführungsform des Computertomografen mit einem Hubwagen und einer Führungsvorrichtung auf einer Hubvorrichtung;
• 6 schematisch in einer perspektivischen Darstellung eine weitere Ausführungsform des Computertomografen mit einem Hubwagen und einer Hubvorrichtung auf einer Führungsvorrichtung.

Furthermore, the invention will be described in detail with reference to an embodiment. It shows:

• 1 schematically a perspective view of a computer tomograph for animals;
• 2 schematically in a perspective view of a cross section of the computer tomograph 1 ;
• 3 schematically in a cross section of the computer tomograph 1 and 2 ;
• 4 schematically in a view a section of a patient table of the computer tomograph from the 1-3 with a sensor unit;
• 5 schematically in a perspective view of an embodiment of the computer tomograph with a lift truck and a guide device on a lifting device;
• 6 schematically a perspective view of another embodiment of the computer tomograph with a lift truck and a lifting device on a guide device.

1 shows schematically in a perspective view a computer tomograph 1 for animals (not shown here), in this case for large animals, such as horses. The computer tomograph 1 has a gantry 2 with a tunnel 3 for introducing the body part of the animal to be scanned (not shown here). The computer tomograph 1 is permanently installed in the examination room and not mobile.

The gantry 2 stands on a lifting device 4 on. The lifting device 4 is for lifting the gantry 2 in vertical direction V educated.

To move the gantry 2 in the longitudinal axis direction L is a leadership unit 30 with two bearing rails (hereinafter also guide rails 6 called) and on the guide rails 6 rolling roller bearings 7 arranged. The roller bearings 7 are designed as light heavy duty heavy duty rollers and with the lifting device 4 connected. The roller bearings 7 are designed as double roles. A total of 8 individual rollers are thus arranged, with two roles a roller bearing 7 and every roller bearing 7 a bearing point on the guide rail 6 form. The guide rails 6 are over cross struts 11 connected with each other.

Next shows 1 a support device 8th for an animal head (not shown here). The support device 8th has a support table 9 to hang up the animal's head. The support table 9 is on two stands 10 arranged, in turn, on one of the two cross struts 11 are attached. The stands 10 are in vertical direction V telescopic and have a corresponding locking device 12 for fixing the support table 9 in different vertical heights.

Not shown here is a patient table 23 (please refer 4 ) with a movable table top 24 (please refer 4 ). This can be at the support device 9 opposite side of the gantry 2 or, for example, be arranged laterally from the gantry.

The computer tomograph 1 is in a vertical direction V shown lower position in which a movement in the vertical direction V can be carried to the top.

2 shows a perspective view of a section of the computer tomograph 1 out 1 in cross section, 3 the computer tomograph 1 and 2 in cross section.

The lifting device 4 has an erection device, here a lift table 13 to set up the gantry 2 , on. The lift table 13 is each side with a lifting device 14 connected. Every lifting device 14 includes two linear rails 37 with carriages 38 and a spindle 14a for lifting the lift table 13 with the gantry 2 , The spindles 14a be about angular gear 15 (please refer 3 ), an electric motor 16 and two the electric motor 16 each with one of the angular gear 15 connecting waves 17 driven to the gantry 2 in vertical direction V to move. The linear rails 37 with carriages 38 ensure an exact vertical lifting movement through the spindles 14a ,

To move the gantry 2 in the longitudinal axis direction L is also a coupling unit 5 with a drive device 18 , a sensor unit 26 (please refer 4 ) and a control unit (not shown here) arranged.

The drive device 18 has a drive motor 19 and a rack and pinion gear 20 with a gear 21 and a rack 22 on. The drive motor 19 is designed to receive a drive motor signal of the control unit and coupled thereto wired to the control unit.

Opposite the 1 is the computed tomography in 2 in vertical direction V upwards, in its highest vertical position and in 3 moved into a middle vertical position shown.

4 shows a section of a patient table 23 with a movable table top 24 and a pedestal 25 on the tabletop 24 is arranged movable. At the table top 24 is a sensor unit 26 arranged. The sensor unit 26 is designed as a rotary encoder and includes a measuring wheel 27 and an encoder 28 , During a movement of the tabletop 24 becomes the measuring wheel 27 rotated, whereby a rotary encoder signal is generated and transmitted to the control unit. The sensor unit 26 is with the control unit of the drive motor 19 wired coupled.

For detecting an animal body part (not shown here), for example, the animal head of the sedated animal is placed on the support table 9 stored. Subsequently, the gantry 2 driven over the body part to be scanned, so that the body part in the tunnel 3 the gantry 2 enters or exits.

In order to use the computer tomograph's standard control programs to scan bodies, the gantry moves 2 depending on the movement of the table top 24 , That is, as soon as the tabletop 24 is moved after a standard control program, the sensor unit detects 26 the movement and passes a rotary encoder signal to the control unit. The control unit converts the encoder signal into a drive motor signal and uses it to control the drive device 18 such that the drive motor 19 the gantry 2 (here together with the lifting device 4 ) at the same speed and synchronous with the tabletop 24 emotional. As a result, the necessary for the scan position of the gantry in a particularly simple manner 2 determined.

5 shows another embodiment of the computer tomograph 1 with a gantry 2 and a lifting device 4 for moving the gantry vertically 2 ,

In this embodiment, the guide unit 30 on the lifting device 4 arranged. The leadership unit 30 is designed as a linear guide and includes two guide rails 6 with guide carriage (not shown here), by means of ball bearings (not shown here) on the guide rails 6 are movably mounted. The bearings are designed as ball bearings, but may alternatively be designed, for example, as roller bearings or hydrostatic bearings. The gantry 2 gets up on the guide slide. Alternatively, the guide unit 30 also be designed as a hydrostatic or aerostatic bearing.

Further, a drive device (not shown here) is arranged, which is designed as a PLC-controlled servo motor with a Elektrohubzylinder, which here comprises an axial spindle.

The guide rails 6 with the guide carriage and the drive device (at least parts of it) are on a lift table 13 arranged. Next to the lift table 13 has the lifting device 4 two lifting devices 14 on, on opposite sides of the gantry 2 and thus also the lifting table 13 are arranged. The lifting devices 14 are with the lift table 13 connected. The lifting devices 14 comprise a drive unit 31 and a spindle gear (not shown here) for lifting the lift table 13 with the gantry 2 in vertical direction V , In addition, two linear rails with guide carriage are arranged on each lifting device. The two lifting devices 14 are synchronized.

In addition to the lifting device 4 is a pallet truck 29 for large animals for vertical movement of the animal to be scanned (not shown here) arranged. The pallet truck 29 points to move on the ground 34 transport wheels 36 on. The pallet truck 29 also includes a lift table 32 that with two lifting devices 33 is coupled. The lifting devices 33 also have drive units 42 with spindle gears 39 and two linear rails each 40 with carriages 41 to the vertical movement of the lifting table 32 on. The lifting device 33 are on opposite sides of the lift table 32 arranged.

There is also a patient table 23 (please refer 4 ) with a longitudinal direction L movable table top 24 (please refer 4 ), but in the 5 and the 6 not shown. At the patient table 23 is a sensor unit 25 (please refer 4 ), in particular a rotary encoder, a laser sensor or a photosensor, which controls the movement of the tabletop 24 detected and transmitted a corresponding signal to a control unit (not shown here). The control unit is designed to control the drive device and moves the gantry 2 synchronous to the table top 24 ,

To scan a body part of an animal (not shown here) this is on the lift table 32 of the lift truck 29 posed. For example, if an ankle is to be scanned, the lift table 32 via the drive unit 42 and the spindle gear 39 of the lift truck 29 raised together with the animal until the part of the body to be scanned at vertical height of the tunnel 3 the gantry 2 is. Optionally, for example, security gate, so Runterfallschutz, on the pallet truck 29 be attached.

So that the body part to be scanned is not moved during the scanning process, it rests on a support device (not shown here). Since an ankle should be scanned here, the gantry 2 and the lifting device 4 remain in the illustrated lower position.

To scan the pallet truck 29 right in front of the gantry 2 emotional. Subsequently, the gantry 2 on the guide rail 6 in the longitudinal axis direction L and moved over the body part. The lifting device 4 is fixed in position.

For example, if a head of an animal to be scanned, the lift table 32 of the lift truck 29 remain in the illustrated lower position. On the other hand, the gantry 2 together with the guide device 6 through the lifting device 4 in vertical direction V raised until the tunnel 3 the gantry 2 at the height of the head to be scanned. Again, the truck is 29 in front of the gantry 2 drove and then the gantry 2 over the body part to be scanned in the longitudinal axis direction L emotional.

6 schematically shows in a perspective view also a computed tomography 1 with one in the longitudinal axis direction L movable gantry 2 and a lifting device 4 to move the gantry 2 in vertical direction V , Furthermore, a pallet truck 29 shown, which is identical to the pallet truck 29 out 5 is trained.

Opposite the in 5 illustrated computer tomograph 1 is different in the 6 illustrated computed tomography 1 by the arrangement of the guide unit 30 and the lifting device 4 , however, is identical to the embodiment below 5 educated.

In this embodiment, the guide unit 30 also a linear guide with guide rails 6 by means of bearings (not shown here) mounted guide carriage (not shown here) on. The guide rails 6 are however directly on the underground 34 arranged. The storage of the guide carriages on the guide rails 6 via ball bearings. Also, as in the embodiment of 5 be arranged instead of the guide rails with guide slide hydrostatic bearings or aerostatic bearings.

At the in 6 illustrated embodiment is thus the lifting device 4 , or the lifting devices 14 and not the gantry 2 directly on the guide carriage. Instead of a lifting table 13 has the lifting device 4 two angle brackets 35 on, including a lift table 13 could be arranged. The gantry 2 stands on the angle supports 35 on. The angle supports 35 are with lifting devices 14 connected. The lifting devices 14 are each on opposite sides of the gantry 2 arranged. The drive units 31 the lifting equipment 14 are as well as in the embodiment in 5 switched synchronously.

The scanning process differs from the one in 6 illustrated computer tomograph 1 opposite to the 5 illustrated computed tomography 1 to the effect that during the scanning process instead of directly on the guide carriage of the guide unit 30 standing gantry 2 the lifting device 4 , in particular the lifting devices 14 on the guide carriage of the guide unit 30 , gets up. When moving in the longitudinal axis direction L become the gantry 2 together with the lifting device 4 in the longitudinal axis direction L emotional.

The motion control is carried out identically to the in 5 illustrated embodiment. The sensor unit 26 is identical.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

brain scanner

2

gantry

3

tunnel

4

lifting device

5

coupling unit

6

guide rails

7

roller bearing

8th

support device

9

support table

10

stand

11

crossmember

39th

spindle gear

12

locking device

13

Lift table

14

hoist

42

drive unit

14a

spindle

15

angle gear

16

electric motor

17

wave

18

driving device

19

drive motor

20

Rack and pinion

21

gear

22

rack

23

patient table

24

tabletop

25

base

26

sensor unit

27

Measuring Wheel

28

encoder

29th

lift trucks

30th

Guide unit

31st

drive unit

32nd

Lift table

33rd

hoist

34th

underground

36th

transport wheels

35th

angle brackets

37th

linear Slides

38th

carriages

40th

linear Slides

41st

carriages

L

axis direction

V

vertical direction

Claims (17)

A computer tomograph for animals comprising - a powered, movable table top (24) of a patient table (23) - a gantry (2) movably mounted in a longitudinal axis direction (L), - an animal support device (8), in particular for supporting a body part of the animal Tieres is formed, - one of the table top (24) and the gantry (2) connecting the coupling unit (5), wherein by means of the coupling unit (5), the gantry (2) moves when moving the table top (24) together with the table top (24) is, characterized in that - the gantry (2) on a guide unit (30) is movably mounted, - the coupling unit (5) has a sensor unit (26) for detecting the movement of the table top (24), - a drive device (18) for Moving the gantry (2) and - comprising a control unit which is coupled to the sensor unit (26) and the drive device (18) and adapted, due to the detected movement of the table top (24) by the sensor unit (26) d the drive device (18) to control. Computer tomograph after Claim 1 , characterized in that the drive device (18) comprises a drive motor with a Elektrohubzylinder. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive device (18) for moving the gantry (2) in the longitudinal axis direction (L) in the horizontal direction next to the gantry (2) is arranged. Computed tomography according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor unit (26) comprises an incremental rotary encoder, a laser linear scanning or a photosensor scanning for detecting the movement of the patient table. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit comprises a servo-pack with a servo-controller. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as a guide unit (30) linear guides with Guide rails (6) and guide carriages are arranged. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one hydrostatic slide bearing is arranged as a guide unit (30). Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide unit (30) has at least one aerostatic sliding bearing. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lifting device (4) for moving the gantry (2) in the vertical direction (V) is arranged. Computer tomograph after Claim 9 , characterized in that the lifting device (4) in the vertical direction (V) movable positioning device, in particular a pallet truck, a lifting table (13) or angle supports (4) for setting up the gantry (2). Computer tomograph after at least one of Claims 9 to 10 , characterized in that the lifting device (4) has at least one lifting device (14), which is arranged in particular laterally to the erection device. Computer tomograph after Claim 11 , characterized in that each lifting device (14) each comprise at least one electrically driven spindle gear (39) and at least two linear rails (40) with guide carriage (41). Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting device (4) with the gantry (6) on the guide unit (3) is arranged. Computer tomograph after one of Claim 1 to 12 , characterized in that the guide unit (30) arranged on the lifting device (4) and the lifting device (4) is arranged in particular fixed in position. Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lifting carriage (29) for moving the animals in the vertical direction (V) is arranged. Computer tomograph after Claim 15 , characterized in that the lifting carriage (29) for moving the animals in the vertical direction V comprises two lifting devices (33) each having at least one electrically driven spindle gear (39) and at least two linear rails (40) with guide carriage (41). Computer tomograph according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting device (8) in the vertical direction (V) is designed to be movable.

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