US20110214588A1 - Guidance system for a medical facility - Google Patents

Guidance system for a medical facility Download PDF

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Publication number
US20110214588A1
US20110214588A1 US13/024,974 US201113024974A US2011214588A1 US 20110214588 A1 US20110214588 A1 US 20110214588A1 US 201113024974 A US201113024974 A US 201113024974A US 2011214588 A1 US2011214588 A1 US 2011214588A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
transport device
magnetic
mobile transport
floor
path
Prior art date
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Abandoned
Application number
US13/024,974
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English (en)
Inventor
Peter Grübling
Klaus Herrmann
Ulrich Weber
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Siemens AG
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG filed Critical Siemens AG
Assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT reassignment SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HERRMANN, KLAUS, GRUEBLING, PETER, WEBER, ULRICH
Publication of US20110214588A1 publication Critical patent/US20110214588A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
    • H02K41/00—Propulsion systems in which a rigid body is moved along a path due to dynamo-electric interaction between the body and a magnetic field travelling along the path
    • H02K41/02—Linear motors; Sectional motors
    • H02K41/03—Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G1/00—Stretchers
    • A61G1/02—Stretchers with wheels
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10—Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/1051—Arrangements for steering
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G7/00—Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons
    • A61G7/08—Apparatus for transporting beds
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L5/00—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles
    • B60L5/005—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
    • G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions
    • G05D1/021—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles
    • G05D1/0259—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles using magnetic or electromagnetic means
    • G05D1/0265—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles using magnetic or electromagnetic means using buried wires
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B6/00—Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment
    • A61B6/04—Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like
    • A61B6/0487—Motor-assisted positioning
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G2203/00—General characteristics of devices
    • A61G2203/10—General characteristics of devices characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering
    • A61G2203/22—General characteristics of devices characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G2203/00—General characteristics of devices
    • A61G2203/30—General characteristics of devices characterised by sensor means
    • A61G2203/36—General characteristics of devices characterised by sensor means for motion
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G2210/00—Devices for specific treatment or diagnosis
    • A61G2210/50—Devices for specific treatment or diagnosis for radiography
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L2200/00—Type of vehicles
    • B60L2200/26—Rail vehicles

Definitions

  • the present embodiments relate to a guidance system for a medical facility.
  • a medical facility e.g., a medical system
  • patients positioned on a patient transport device e.g., trolley
  • a patient transport device e.g., trolley
  • Particle therapy is an established method for the treatment of tumor conditions, for example.
  • a particle therapy system may be operated in an efficient manner.
  • a known approach is to irradiate a patient in a treatment room and to undertake little preparation/aftercare on the patient in the treatment room. Preparation includes, for example, the immobilization of a patient. The preparation/aftercare may thus take place in a separate room.
  • the patient transport device may travel considerable distances between the preparation room and the treatment room over routes that for reasons of radiation protection, may be maze-like in nature. The patient may thus be conveyed backwards and forwards between the preparation room and the treatment room.
  • the transport of a patient couch may be monitored using an optical system, and the patient couch may be steered automatically via an integrated control mechanism.
  • a guidance system for medical facilities which facilitates the conveyance of a mobile transport device in a readily controllable manner and minimizes a force used for the conveyance, is provided.
  • a mobile transport device that is operable to be conveyed along the guidance system in a readily controllable manner and with a minimum of force is specified.
  • a medical facility including the guidance system and a method for steering a mobile transport device, which provide simple and safe guidance, are provided.
  • a guidance system for medical facilities includes at least one floor element that extends along a path (e.g., a target path) of the medical facility and is arranged in a floor region of the path.
  • the floor element is configured for magnetic interaction such that by the magnetic interaction of the floor element with a magnetic guide element arranged on a mobile transport device, a magnetic attraction may be generated.
  • the mobile transport device may be guided along the floor element by the magnetic attraction during forward motion of the mobile transport device along the path through the medical facility.
  • the floor element may be manufactured from ferrous metal sheet and/or ferromagnetic steel, as examples.
  • the guidance system may guide the mobile transport device on the path.
  • the magnetic interaction brings about a magnetic attraction between the floor element and the magnetic guide element.
  • the magnetic attraction directly exercises a resetting force on the mobile transport device.
  • the magnetic attraction exerts a direct force on the mobile transport device so that upon being moved forwards, the transport device is drawn to the target path, which is characterized by the floor element. Should the mobile transport device veer off track and diverge from the path, the magnetic attraction causes the mobile transport device to be drawn back laterally to the path.
  • the floor element e.g., a rail
  • the greater the divergence from the floor element e.g., from the central axis of the rail
  • the larger the resetting force is.
  • the guidance system includes elements that enter into magnetic interaction with each other.
  • the guidance system may be constructed in a comparatively simple manner and may require little maintenance but nevertheless, offers effective and contact-free guidance of the mobile transport device.
  • the guidance system serves to prevent the mobile transport device, which is being moved forward along the path, from veering off the target path at locations including numerous corners, for example, and colliding with a wall. Collisions of this kind may pose a problem (e.g., in radiation therapy) if a patient is already stereotactically fixed and is not to be physically shaken.
  • the guidance system offers a series of advantages.
  • the complex sensor and control technology is cost-intensive and may also be susceptible to faults.
  • the controller and the motor mechanism that are arranged on the mobile transport device result in increased space requirements and greater weight.
  • An energy supply for the controller is also needed.
  • the energy supply may include a battery with a charge status that is monitored. Alternatively, the energy supply may be supplied via cables, which give rise to significant disadvantages in terms of freedom of movement.
  • the same advantages also apply compared with active control of the mobile transport device. Active control makes use of induction loops attached to the floor for the correct guidance of the mobile transport device.
  • the guidance system of the present embodiments offers the advantage of magnetic and thus contactless guidance.
  • the safety of the medical facility may thereby be improved, as mechanical rail systems represent dangerous trip hazards or uneven floors and also present cleaning problems from a hygiene perspective.
  • the guidance system of the present embodiments may provide a smooth floor.
  • the floor element includes an elongated, rail-like body made of ferromagnetic material.
  • the elongated, rail-like body includes, at least partially, a ferrous metal sheet and/or ferromagnetic steel.
  • a ferrous metal sheet and/or the ferromagnetic steel may be several centimeters wide (e.g., between 5 and 15 cm) and several millimeters thick (e.g., between 2 and 20 mm).
  • the floor element (e.g., the elongated, rail-like body) may taper at a start of the path and/or at an end of the path.
  • the tapering causes the magnetic interaction with the mobile transport device to weaken at the start and/or the end, facilitating the mobile transport device to be led to the floor element without jolting.
  • the floor element includes an element generating a magnetic field (e.g., a permanent magnet).
  • a curved section may, for example, be configured in this way.
  • the magnetic effect may be strengthened in this manner.
  • the magnet or magnets used in the curved section is/are oppositely poled to the guide element of the mobile transport device so that an attractive effect arises.
  • the floor element may be set into the floor.
  • the floor element may, for example, be prepared or incorporated with the floor covering such that an overall smooth surface is produced (e.g., there are no rims, channels or edges).
  • the medical facility e.g., medical system
  • the medical system may be a particle therapy system, for example.
  • the particle therapy system includes at least one treatment or diagnostic room and one preparation room, in which a patient is prepared for a subsequent diagnosis or treatment.
  • the guidance system is arranged along the path at least between winding stretches between the preparation room and the treatment or diagnostic room.
  • the workflow may be simplified in this way.
  • the mobile transport device (e.g., a patient transport device) of the present embodiments includes a magnetic guide element.
  • the magnetic guide element is configured to enter into magnetic interaction with a floor element such that by the magnetic interaction, a magnetic attraction may be generated.
  • the floor element may be arranged in a floor region and may extend along a path.
  • the mobile transport device may be laterally guided on the path by the generated magnetic attraction during forward motion of the mobile transport device along the path.
  • the magnetic guide element may include a permanent magnet.
  • the permanent magnet may permit a weight and space-saving construction of the mobile transport device.
  • the permanent magnet may, for example, be a Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) magnet.
  • NdFeB magnets are strong, provide a high degree of attraction and thus sufficiently positive guidance.
  • a magnet diameter of 125 mm, for example, may provide a holding force of 130 kg.
  • NdFeB magnets may have a diameter of between 100 and 200 mm and a thickness of 10 to 30 mm, for example.
  • NdFeB magnets retain magnetic properties for a period of time of 10 years or longer, for example.
  • the permanent magnet may be provided with a plastic coating.
  • the plastic coating may be several mm in thickness, for example. The plastic coating prevents the permanent magnet from directly contacting or “clashing” with the floor element (e.g., when the mobile transport device is sprung) and thus no rigidly fixed distance between the permanent magnet and the floor element applies.
  • the magnetic guide element is arranged such that the magnetic guide element is a minimal distance from the floor (e.g., less than 10 cm). In one embodiment, the magnetic guide element is less than 5 cm from the floor. In another embodiment, the magnetic guide element is between 2 and 20 mm from the floor. A high degree of attraction is provided in this way.
  • the magnetic guide element is arranged in a front part (e.g., half) of the mobile transport device, where the front half is defined in relation to the standard direction of motion (e.g., a direction of motion preferably adopted during use in a standard manner).
  • the magnetic guide element may, for example, be arranged such that the magnetic guide element is arranged in front of a furthest forward wheel in the direction of motion.
  • the transport device may include a front axle that is characterized by the position of the furthest forward wheel.
  • the magnetic guide element may be arranged in the region of the front axle (e.g., in the same position as (in line with), slightly ahead of or behind the front axle in relation to the direction of motion).
  • the position of the magnetic guide element may be selected on the basis of size, axle construction, weight distribution and/or the characteristics of the corners to be negotiated.
  • the magnetic guide element may lie on a longitudinal central axis of the mobile transport device.
  • the mobile transport device includes another magnetic guide element.
  • the other magnetic guide element is arranged in a rear part (e.g., a rear half) of the mobile transport device.
  • the rear part may be towards a back of the mobile transport device relative to the direction of motion.
  • the other magnetic guide element may, for example, be arranged such that the magnetic guide element is located behind a rearmost wheel of the mobile transport device.
  • the mobile transport device includes a rear axle that is characterized by the position of the rearmost wheel.
  • the other guide element may be arranged in an area of the rear axle (e.g., in the same position as (in line with), slightly ahead of or behind the rear axle relative to the direction of motion). Such an arrangement may be helpful if the mobile transport device is to be shifted backwards in addition to forward motion along the path.
  • a wheel is linked to the magnetic guide element via a steering mechanism.
  • the magnetic attraction exerted on the magnetic guide element may be transferred to the wheel via the steering mechanism.
  • the wheel position may be at least partially influenced by the magnetic attraction, such that the position of the wheel affects steering of the mobile transport device along the path and thus affects redirection of the mobile transport device to the target path.
  • the floor element comes into magnetic interaction with a magnetic guide element of the mobile transport device such that when moved forward, the mobile transport device is steered along the floor element by a magnetic attraction between the magnetic guide element and the floor element.
  • FIG. 1 shows a view of an irradiation room of a particle therapy system with an access path, along which one embodiment of a guidance system is arranged;
  • FIG. 2 shows an enlarged representation of an area from FIG. 1 indicated by II;
  • FIG. 3 shows an enlarged representation of an area from FIG. 1 indicated by III;
  • FIG. 4 shows a side view of the area from FIG. 3 indicated by IV;
  • FIG. 5 shows a side view of one embodiment of a patient transport device
  • FIG. 6 shows a top view of one embodiment of the patient transport device
  • FIG. 7 shows a front view of one embodiment of the patient transport device
  • FIG. 8 shows an enlarged representation of an area from FIG. 7 indicated by VIII;
  • FIG. 9 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 8 with a lateral displacement of a magnet relative to a magnetic rail
  • FIG. 10 shows a side view of one embodiment of a patient transport device
  • FIG. 11 shows a side view of one embodiment of a patient transport device with a steering mechanism
  • FIG. 12 shows a top view of one embodiment of the patient transport device shown in FIG. 11 ;
  • FIG. 13 shows a side view of one embodiment of the patient transport device shown in FIG. 5 ;
  • FIG. 14 shows one embodiment of the structure of a magnetic guide element with two oppositely poled permanent magnets.
  • FIG. 1 shows part of a particle therapy system 11 with a treatment room 13 .
  • the treatment room 13 may be entered via a maze-like access path 15 (e.g., an entry path).
  • a patient on a patient couch is conveyed along the path 15 in order to reach the treatment room 13 .
  • a guidance system 17 is arranged along the path 15 . With the aid of the guidance system 17 , passage of the patient couch is supported along the path 15 , as is described in greater detail with reference to the following figures.
  • the guidance system 17 includes a floor element 19 configured in rail-like form.
  • the floor element comes into magnetic interaction with the patient couch or another transport device.
  • the floor element 19 tapers in end regions 21 that are, for example, in a preparation room (e.g., at the start of the maze-like path 15 ) and/or in the treatment room 13 .
  • FIG. 2 represents an area indicated by II in FIG. 1 in enlarged form.
  • the tapering of the floor element 19 in the end regions 21 reduces the magnetic interaction with the floor element 19 at the end regions 21 . Because of the reduced magnetic interaction, the patient couch may be introduced into the guidance system 17 gently and largely without jolting.
  • FIG. 3 shows an enlarged representation of an area of FIG. 1 indicated by III.
  • the floor element 19 may be differently constructed in different sections. In sections that generally take a straight course, the floor element 19 may include an elongated ferrous metal sheet or a ferromagnetic steel sheet 23 (e.g., a ferrous metal sheet). In other sections (e.g., highly tortuous sections 25 ), the floor element 19 includes a plurality of small permanent magnets 27 (e.g., 5 mm to 20 mm in size). As a result of the use of the plurality of small permanent magnets 27 , the patient couch may continuously travel, so that jolting caused by the attraction forces of the individual floor magnets is largely avoided.
  • a plurality of small permanent magnets 27 e.g., 5 mm to 20 mm in size
  • FIG. 4 shows a side view of an area from FIG. 3 identified with IV.
  • Both the ferrous metal sheet 23 and the plurality of small permanent magnets 27 are set into the floor and provided with a coating 29 so that a smooth floor surface results.
  • the magnetic field lines 31 are also shown in FIG. 4 .
  • the magnetic field lines 31 symbolize the magnetic field produced by the small permanent magnets 27 .
  • the magnetic field of the small permanent magnets 27 is oriented such that through interaction with a magnetic guide element of the patient couch, an attraction force is created.
  • FIG. 5 shows a side view of one embodiment of a mobile patient couch 33 (e.g., a patient bed or a patient table).
  • the mobile patient couch 33 includes a table top 35 , and a patient (not shown) is positioned on the table top 35 .
  • the patient couch 33 may, for example, include four wheels 37 so that the patient couch 33 is mobile. In other embodiments, more wheels (e.g., five or six wheels) or fewer wheels may be provided.
  • An operative (not shown) may push the patient couch 33 ahead of the operative.
  • the patient couch may have a preferred direction of motion, in which the patient couch is conveyed during standard use.
  • the patient couch 33 may include a handle 39 for this purpose.
  • two of the four wheels 37 or all of the four wheels 37 are castering, so winding stretches may also be negotiated with the patient couch 33 .
  • a permanent magnet 41 may be arranged in a frontal area of the patient couch 33 (e.g., relative to the direction in which the patient couch 33 may be propelled in standard use).
  • the permanent magnet 41 may include a material including Neodymium Iron Boron.
  • the permanent magnet 41 may be arranged ahead of a front axle (e.g., an axle for front steerable wheels 37 ).
  • the permanent magnet 41 may be arranged in line with or slightly behind the front axle.
  • the permanent magnet 41 is at a small distance (e.g., between 1 mm and 10 mm) from the floor.
  • FIG. 6 shows a top view of one embodiment of the patient couch 33 with the table top 35 removed.
  • FIG. 6 shows the floor element 19 , which came into magnetic interaction with the permanent magnet 31 of the patient couch 33 .
  • the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet 41 and the floor element 19 causes the patient couch 33 to be guided along the floor element 19 .
  • FIG. 7 shows a front view of one embodiment of the patient couch 33 .
  • FIG. 7 shows that the floor element 19 is set into the floor.
  • the floor element 19 is set into the floor.
  • a smooth floor surface without grooves and edges is created.
  • FIG. 8 shows an enlarged representation of an area from FIG. 7 indicated by VIII.
  • the permanent magnet 41 may be provided with a plastic coating 42 .
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the situation that may occur when upon being moved forward, the patient couch 33 moves away from the floor element 19 .
  • the magnetic attraction 45 e.g., forces
  • the permanent magnet 41 is drawn towards the floor element 19 so that the patient couch 33 is automatically guided along the floor element 19 .
  • the forces are absorbed through the wheels and may generate a slightly increased rolling friction as a result of the greater vertical bearing force of the castors.
  • FIG. 10 shows one embodiment of a patient couch 33 that includes another guide element 47 compared with the patient couch 33 shown in FIG. 5 .
  • the other guide element 47 is arranged in a rear area (e.g., part) of the patient couch 33 .
  • the other guide element 47 may be advantageous when the patient couch 33 is moved in an opposite direction of the preferred direction of motion.
  • FIG. 11 shows a patient couch 33 , which differs from the patient couch shown in FIG. 5 in that the permanent magnet 41 is coupled with front steerable wheels 37 ′ (e.g., two front wheels) via a steering mechanism 49 .
  • front steerable wheels 37 ′ e.g., two front wheels
  • the effect of the steering mechanism 49 is illustrated in greater detail within FIG. 12 .
  • the two front wheels 37 ′ are guided on a parallel course by the steering mechanism 49 .
  • the steering mechanism 49 is coupled with the magnetic guide element (e.g., with the permanent magnet 41 ) such that the steering mechanism 49 directs the two front wheels 37 ′ in the direction of a target curve according to the force exerted on the permanent magnet 41 , by which the permanent magnet 41 is attracted to the floor element 19 .
  • FIG. 13 shows a side view of one embodiment of a mobile patient couch 33 that is slightly modified compared with FIG. 5 .
  • the permanent magnet 41 is arranged between the front wheels 37 and the rear wheels 37 .
  • FIG. 14 shows one embodiment of the guide element, in which the single permanent magnet is replaced by two oppositely poled permanent magnets 41 ′, 41 ′′ arranged next to each other.
  • the opposite poling is symbolized by the thick arrows.
  • the two oppositely poled permanent magnets 41 ′, 41 ′′ may be made of NdFeB and may be cuboid in form (e.g., with dimensions of 50 ⁇ 75 ⁇ 10 mm), for example.
  • a distance between the floor element 19 and the permanent magnets 41 ′, 41 ′′ is 10 mm.
  • a floor covering 51 (e.g., consisting of linoleum) may be arranged over the floor element 19 and may be a steel rail (e.g., an 8 mm thick steel rail).
  • the narrow spacer 53 may maintain a distance of 20 mm between the two oppositely poled permanent magnets 41 ′, 41 ′′.
  • a shared yoke 55 made of ferromagnetic material (e.g., a thick steel plate), for example, may be disposed over the two oppositely poled permanent magnets 41 ′, 41 ′′.
  • the advantage of this arrangement lies in the fact that the magnetic field lines run in a self-contained manner through a system including the floor element 19 , the permanent magnet 41 ′, the yoke 55 , and the permanent magnet 41 ′′.
  • a high degree of attraction is thus achieved with small/low-weight magnets, and the magnetic stray fields (e.g., unused field lines outside the system) are reduced.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
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  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
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US13/024,974 2010-02-15 2011-02-10 Guidance system for a medical facility Abandoned US20110214588A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102010008014A DE102010008014A1 (de) 2010-02-15 2010-02-15 Führungssystem für medizinische Anlagen, medizinische Anlage, fahrbare Transportvorrichtung sowie Verfahren
DE102010008014.4 2010-02-15

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US20110214588A1 true US20110214588A1 (en) 2011-09-08

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US (1) US20110214588A1 (de)
EP (1) EP2359792A3 (de)
CN (1) CN102160838A (de)
DE (1) DE102010008014A1 (de)

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US20150041287A1 (en) * 2013-08-10 2015-02-12 Donald Burke Magnetic conveyance system
US9554953B2 (en) 2014-02-05 2017-01-31 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Mobile medical device and method for controlling a movement of the mobile medical device
US9661736B2 (en) 2014-02-20 2017-05-23 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Scanning system for a particle therapy system
US9962560B2 (en) 2013-12-20 2018-05-08 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Collimator and energy degrader
WO2018130315A1 (en) * 2017-01-13 2018-07-19 Siemens Healthcare Gmbh Transport device and method of operating such transport device
US10258810B2 (en) 2013-09-27 2019-04-16 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Particle beam scanning
US10646728B2 (en) 2015-11-10 2020-05-12 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Adaptive aperture
US10653892B2 (en) 2017-06-30 2020-05-19 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Configurable collimator controlled using linear motors
US10675487B2 (en) 2013-12-20 2020-06-09 Mevion Medical Systems, Inc. Energy degrader enabling high-speed energy switching
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EP2359792A2 (de) 2011-08-24

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