EP0059999B1 - Control system for devices movable in space - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for controlling a spatially movable device according to the preamble of claim 1 and the use of such a device.

A facility of the type mentioned is. e.g. B. is known from US-A 3 906 369.

The known device comprises a hand unit with two parallel handles, which has a plurality of toggle switches above the handles on an oblique, V-shaped console, a safety switch between the handles and a pressure switch connected to a potentiometer below the handles.

Due to the size of the hand-held unit and the arrangement of the various operating elements, the hand-held unit must be held and operated with two hands, operation being complicated and requiring increased attention that separate operating elements are available for all operating functions and only of the ten fingers of the two hands four can be used for operation. Furthermore, the parameter values are not shown.

The representation of values by means of a monitor integrated in a hand-held unit is known from FR-A 2 251 864. In addition to the fact that this hand-held unit for data input and output can only be operated with two hands due to its multiply assigned keypad, the integrated monitor forces you to concentrate your full attention on the hand-held unit.

Another device is known from the publication "Clinac 6/100 from Varian (RAD 1826 A 2/79). The spatially movable device to be controlled there consists of a linac and a treatment bed. On page 6 of this publication, a hand unit belonging to the system is shown. Among other things, it has the disadvantage that it can only be operated with both hands. The patient can therefore not be cared for while setting the Linac or the treatment bed.

From the publication "Asklepitron-45 by BBC (CH-E 6.00117.1.E), a control unit for a Betatron and a treatment bed is mounted on a base. The so-called “dead man's requirement”, namely that two mechanically and electrically separate signal circuits must exist in order to be able to trigger a parameter change, is not fulfilled there. In the case of similar operating units, the dead man requirement is met with a foot pedal.

From the publication "Therasim 720 from AECL (Med. 543/72), a device for controlling a therapy device and a treatment bed is known, in which a hand unit, an input point and an electronic process control unit are shown. The hand unit can only be operated with both hands.

All the devices described above have the additional disadvantage that a direct comparison between the set parameter values and the setpoints is not possible.

Another disadvantage is that the buttons on the control unit can be blocked accidentally or deliberately. In operating units without a dead man function, this can have serious consequences for the patient, especially in systems without touch protection, in which, for. B. All parameter changes can be interrupted immediately when the lamp head is touched.

The invention is therefore based on the object of designing a device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the hand unit can be operated with one hand, fulfills the dead man's requirement and all desired parameter values can be read directly on a monitor in large display, independently of the hand unit.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

The advantages achieved by the invention are essentially to be seen in the fact that the operator can work in the whole room and still has one hand free, e.g. B. to set up the patient in a system with therapy device and treatment bed. The dead man requirement is fully guaranteed and the correctness of the set parameter values in the entire room must be checked immediately on the monitor.

Even with spatially movable devices of another type, the invention is well applicable, such as. B. in hoists, especially cranes, and machine tools. With the invention, some sources of danger are also eliminated here, e.g. B. when loading trucks with a crane.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.

• Figur 1 in schematischer Darstellung eine erfindungsgemässe Einrichtung zur Steuerung der Positionsparameter einer räumlich bewegbaren Vorrichtung,
• Figur 2 die Handeinheit der Einrichtung in Ansicht von aussen und
• Figur 3 eine mögliche Realisierung der Prozesssteuereinheit.

It shows :

• 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention for controlling the position parameters of a spatially movable device,
• Figure 2 shows the hand unit of the device in a view from the outside and
• Figure 3 shows a possible implementation of the process control unit.

The figures show a device for controlling the position parameters e, a, r, s, q, v of the spatially movable device 1. In its basic structure, it consists of a hand-held unit 2, an electronic process control unit 5 with an input point 6, a monitor 8 and an OR gate 12.

The spatial positions of the device 1, here a betatron with a radiator head and treatment bed, are characterized by the position parameters e, a, r, s, q, v.

The position parameters e, a, r denote the positions of the spotlight head of the betatron. In particular, the position parameter e determines the movement of the lamp head in the longitudinal direction of the treatment bed, the position parameter a the angle of rotation of the lamp head about the isocentric axis, and the position parameter r the movement in the beam direction of the lamp head.

The position parameters s, q, v characterize the positions of the treatment bed. In particular, the position parameter s determines the position in the longitudinal direction, the position parameter q the position in the transverse direction, and the position parameter v the position in the vertical direction of the treatment bed.

The position parameters e, a, r, s, q, v are set with the actuators 7a-7f of the device 1.

The hand-held unit 2 has parameter selection keys 3a-3f, keys for additional functions 9a-9f, a slide 4 which is held in a stable idle position 0 by means of a spring, an emergency switch 10 and signal lamps 11a-111. It is operated by a hand 18 with the index finger 13, middle finger 14, ring finger 15, little finger 16 and thumb 17 of the operator.

The process control unit can e.g. B. a microcomputer, type HLF from Indel, Dübendorf (Switzerland). The entry point is e.g. B. a device of the brand Maxiswitch Comp. The monitor is from the brand RCA type TC 1214.

Pressing z. B. the key 3a causes a display of the parameter value e, that is, the position of the lamp head in the longitudinal direction, on the monitor 8. If the slide 4 is also z. B. actuated in direction a, the lamp head is moved forward by means of the actuator 7a in the longitudinal direction of the treatment bed. The value of the deflection of the slide 4 from the rest position 0 determines the speed of the parameter change. In this case there are two discrete steps in the forward direction and two in the backward direction.

However, a continuous deflection of the slide 4, and thus a continuous control of the speed of the parameter change, can also be carried out.

Likewise, the parameter change takes place in the reverse direction when the slide 4 is pushed in direction b.

This applies analogously to the other parameter positions, such as radius r and angle of rotation a of the emitter head and longitudinal direction s, transverse direction q and vertical direction v of the treatment bed. The corresponding keys are 3b to 3f.

The process control unit 5 is programmed such that when two parameter selection keys 3a-3f are pressed simultaneously, only one signal is taken into account, i. H. that only a single parameter change is made. This applies analogously to several keys 3a-3f pressed at the same time or additional function keys 9b, 9e and 9f.

With the buttons 9e and 9f and the slider 4, the opening of the diaphragm of the spotlight head can be enlarged or reduced in width (x direction) and length (y direction).

The key 9b together with the slider 4 allows the spotlight head to be turned away from the isocentric axis.

Pressing z. B. the parameter selection key 3a and the key 9c causes the automatic setting of the parameter position, here the longitudinal direction e of the lamp head (setpoint). The lig or IIh lamp indicates the direction in which the parameter change is taking place. When the target value is reached, the lamps 11a and 11k light up.

This applies analogously to the other parameter selection buttons 3b-3f and the corresponding lamps 11b-11f. This also applies to the additional function keys 9b, 9e and 9f, and the lamp 11j.

The entire device 1 is brought into the starting position by pressing the two buttons 9c and 9d. When the lamps 11 and 11 e light up, this starting position has been reached.

When the spotlight head is touched, the lamp 11 illuminates. The current parameter changes are then automatically interrupted by the blocking system of the process control unit 5. The blocking can be bridged with the button 9a, so that further parameter changes can be made deliberately.

• In Fig. 3 ist die Prozesssteuereinheit 5 durch eine einfache logische Schaltung realisiert, welche in diesem Fall aus den ODER-Gattern 19 besteht. In dem dargestellten Beispiel bestehen die Stellglieder 7a-7f - hier repräsentiert durch Stellglied 7a - aus einem Regler R, einer Antriebssteuerung A und einem Motor M. Das ODER-Gatter 12 entspricht dem in Fig. 1 dargestellten Gatter 12.

The interaction of the process control unit 5 with the actuators 7a-7f is explained using the example of FIG. 3:

• 3, the process control unit 5 is implemented by a simple logic circuit, which in this case consists of the OR gates 19. In the example shown, the actuators 7a-7f - represented here by actuator 7a - consist of a controller R, a drive control A and a motor M. The OR gate 12 corresponds to the gate 12 shown in FIG. 1.

• Beim Schliessen der Taste 3a geht ein Signal in den Regler R. Wird nun der Schieber 4 in eine erste Stellung gebracht, in welcher beispielsweise der Schalter 4a geschlossen wird, so werden zwei ODER-Gatter 19 aktiviert, von denen einer den Befehl « Vorwärts », und das andere den Befehl « langsam an den Regler R gibt. Der Regler R aktiviert jetzt entsprechend die Antriebssteuerung A. Der Motor M wird jedoch erst dann in Funktion gesetzt, wenn auch vom ODER-Gatter 12 ein Signal eintrifft. Dies ist dann der Fall, wenn der Schalter 4a des Schiebers 4 geschlossen ist.

The function of the elements shown is as follows:

• When the key 3a is closed, a signal goes into the controller R. If the slide 4 is now brought into a first position in which, for example, the switch 4a is closed, two OR gates 19 are activated, one of which commands the "forward" command. , and the other gives the command «slowly to the controller R. The controller R now accordingly activates the drive control A. However, the motor M is only activated when a signal also arrives from the OR gate 12. This is the case when the switch 4a of the slide 4 is closed.

• Sollte aufgrund eines Fehlers im Regler R und/oder der Antriebssteuerung A der Motor M aktiviert werden, ohne dass der Schieber 4 betätigt ist, so kann der Motor M trotzdem nicht in Funktion treten, da hierzu noch ein vom Schieber 4 über das ODER-Gatter 12 bewirktes Signal erforderlich ist. Ohne ein derartiges Signal ist die Stromversorgung des Motors M unterbrochen.

The dead man requirement is thus ensured by the OR gate 12:

• If, due to a fault in the controller R and / or the drive control A, the motor M is activated without the slider 4 being actuated, the motor M can still not function, since one of the sliders 4 is operated via the OR gate 12 effected signal is required. Without such a signal it is Power supply to motor M interrupted.

When the switch 4a 'is closed, the same functional sequence basically results, but the controller R brings about a higher speed of the motor M.

When the switches 4b, 4b 'are closed, the direction of movement of the motor M is reversed.

Claims (5)

1. Device for controlling the position parameters (e, a, r, s, q, v) of a spatially movable device (1), comprising :

- a hand-operated unit (2) ;

- thrust operating elements (3a-3f) on the hand-operated unit (2) for selecting first one of the position parameters (e, a, r, s, q, v) in each case ;

- a second operating element (4) on the hand-operated unit (2) for controlling the rate of change of a position parameter (e, a, r, s, q, v) selected by means of the first operating elements ;
characterised in that :

- the hand-operated unit (2) is limited laterally by two opposite side faces in such a way that, when lying in the palm of the hand, it can be held by the same hand, with the thumb of this hand resting on the second side face and the other fingers of this hand resting on the first side face ;

- the first operating elements are designed as push-button switches (3a-3f) and are arranged on the first side face in such a way that they lie within the gripping range of the index finger (13), middle finger (14), ring finger (15) and little finger (16) of a hand (18) holding the hand-operated unit (2) ;

- the second operating element is designed as a slide switch (4) and is arranged on the second side face in such a way that it lies within the gripping range of the thumb (17) of the hand (18) holding the hand-operated unit ;

- the slide switch (4) can be deflected from a stable neutral position (o) in two directions (a, b) with the value of the deflection of the slide switch (4) controlling, according to direction and rate, the change in the position parameter (e, a, r, s, q, v) selected by means of the push-button switches (3a-3f), and with a change in the position parameters (e, a, r, s, q, v) being impossible in the neutral position (o) of the slide switch (4) ; and

- the values of the position parameters (e, a, r, s, q, v) can be read off in large-scale display on a monitor (8) which is arranged separately from the hand-operated unit (2) and is in operative connection with the hand-operated unit (2) via a process control unit (5) having an input point (6).

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the slide switch (4) of the hand-operated unit (2) can be deflected continuously.

3. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the slide switch (4) of the hand-operated unit (2) can be deflected in discrete stages.

4. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that an emergency switch (10), push-button switches (9a-9f) for additional functions and signal lamps (11a-11j) are arranged on a front face of the hand-operated unit (2).

5. Use of a device according to Claim 1 for controlling a spatially movable, medical irradiation device, preferably a betatron.

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