3D contact force sensing
AssigneeMeasurement Specialties, Inc.
InventorArmin Jamali
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Contact-force-sensing systems that can provide additional information about the forces that are applied by catheters and other devices to cell walls and other surfaces. One example can provide directional information for a contact-force-sensing system. For example, magnitude, plane angle, and off-plane angle information can be provided by a contact-force-sensing system. Another example can provide guiding functionality for a contact-force-sensing system. For example, a contact-force-sensing system can provide tactile response to a surgeon or operator to allow a device to be accurately guided though a body.
Claims20
A force-measurement system comprising:
- a central axis;
- three or more discrete and independent pressure-sensor chambers placed radially around the central axis, each pressure-sensor chamber movable independently of a remainder of the pressure-sensing chambers and including a fluid housed in a chamber and a pressure sensor positioned to sense a pressure on the fluid;
- and
- a central member in line with the central axis, the central member capable of being deflected in a least one direction.
A force-measurement system comprising:
- three or more peripheral pressure-sensor chambers placed radially around a central axis of the force-measurement system, each peripheral pressure-sensor chamber comprising a fluid housed in a chamber and a pressure sensor positioned to sense a pressure on the fluid in the chamber;
- a central rod to engage with a cell wall, the rod configured to be deflected;
- a force-distribution structure attached to the rod and in contact with each of the three or more peripheral pressure-sensor chambers;
- and
- a central balloon, wherein the three or more pressure-sensor chambers each comprises a balloon and the rod is configured to be deflected, wherein when the rod is deflected laterally, the rod exerts a force on at least one of the peripheral balloons, and when the rod is deflected along the central axis, the rod exerts a force on the central balloon.
A force-measurement system comprising:
- a central axis;
- three or more pressure-sensor chambers comprising peripheral balloons placed radially around the central axis, each pressure-sensor chamber comprising a fluid housed in a chamber and a pressure sensor positioned to sense a pressure on the fluid;
- and
- a central member comprising a central balloon in line with the central axis, the central member capable of being deflected in a least one direction, the peripheral balloons are located in the central balloon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.