# US 11,744,529 B2 · Supplementary collision detection and prevention system for a medical imager > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,744,529 B2 - Document ID: US11744529B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/731,471 - Filed: 2019-12-31 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2023-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-02 - Assignees: Radiaction Ltd. - Applicants: Radiaction Ltd - Inventors: Jonathan Yifat; Yossi Bar; Amir Belson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11744529B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/102: {Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices} - A61B 6/107: {Protection against radiation, e.g. shielding} - A61B 6/4441: {the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm} - A61B 6/4405: {the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley} - A61B 6/547: {involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device} - A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches - A61B 2562/0247: Pressure sensors - A61B 2562/0257: Proximity sensors - A61B 2562/0261: Strain gauges - A61B 2562/0271: Thermal or temperature sensors - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a collision detection and prevention system for medical X-ray equipment, in particular a supplementary system that augments an existing safety system, which is useful when the X-ray equipment includes an auxiliary apparatus, such as a radiation shield, which may interfere with the existing collision detection and prevention system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A supplementary collision detection and prevention system for use in combination with medical imaging equipment which includes a native anti-collision mechanism having native sensors and an add-on system that limits a functionality of the native anti-collision mechanism, the supplementary collision detection and prevention system comprising: a plurality of supplemental sensors incorporated into the add-on system and being any one of a proximity sensor and/or contact sensor, and/or an inertial motion sensor, and/or an operator detection sensor, and/or an electrical current sensor configured to facilitate prevention or protection from collision with an entity; and an interface configured to receive communication from at least one of the plurality of supplemental sensors and to transmit a signal to the native anti-collision mechanism to actuate an anti-collision operation of the medical imaging equipment to avoid or mitigate a collision. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a command controller configured to actuate the anti-collision operation of the medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the add-on system is a radiation blocking shield and wherein at least one of the supplemental sensors is associated with the radiation blocking shield. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of supplemental sensors is selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor; a strain sensor; an infrared sensor; an ultrasonic sensor; an ultrasound sensor; a laser sensor; a radio frequency sensor; an electro-optic sensor; and a thermal sensor, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical current sensor is configured to measure electrical current consumption in one more units of the medical imaging equipment and detect operation thereof that may lead to collision with the entity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operator detection sensor is configured to detect an activity by an operator that can lead to collision with the entity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operator detection sensor is associated with a foot pedal or an operation control panel of the medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operator detection sensor is selected from the group consisting of a proximity sensor; a contact sensor; an infra-red sensor; an optic sensor; or a combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the inertial motion sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscopic sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the inertial motion sensor is configured to detect movement of a moving part of the medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the entity is a patient, a patient table, an operator or a piece of medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the radiation blocking shield extends from a radiation shield support base and wherein said support base includes one or more of the plurality of supplemental sensors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the radiation shield is a retractable shield that is configured to retract in response to said signal. ### Claim 14 A radiation shielding system comprising: (a) at least one radiation blocking shield configured to be positioned around an X-ray source or an X-ray detector of a medical imaging equipment; wherein the medical imaging equipment includes a native anti-collision detection mechanism including at least one native sensor; (b) a supplementary collision detection and prevention system configured to avoid collision of an entity with the X-ray source and/or X-ray detector of the medical imaging equipment, the supplementary collision detection and prevention system including a plurality of supplemental sensors being any one of a proximity sensor and/or contact sensor, and/or an inertial motion sensor, and/or an operator detection sensor, and/or an electrical current sensor configured to facilitate prevention or protection from collision with said entity; and (c) a command controller configured to receive communication from the supplemental sensors and mechanically and/or electrically actuate an anti-collision operation of the medical imaging equipment to avoid or mitigate a collision; and a mechanical trigger configured to actuate at least one of the native sensors in response to said mechanical and/or electrical operation, thereby activating the native anti-collision mechanism of the medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein said electrical anti-collision operation includes an electrical trigger that actuates the native anti-collision mechanism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the supplemental sensors is associated with the radiation blocking shield. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the radiation blocking shield includes a radiation shield support base, further comprising one or more of the supplemental sensors mounted on said radiation shield support base. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the supplemental sensors is a sensor selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor; a strain sensor; an infrared sensor; an ultrasonic sensor; an ultrasound sensor; a laser sensor; a radio frequency sensor; an electro-optic sensor; and a thermal sensor, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the electrical current sensor is configured to measure electrical current consumption in one or more units of the medical imaging equipment and detect operation thereof that may lead to collision with the entity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the operator detection sensor is configured to detect an activity by an operator that can lead to collision with the entity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the operator detection sensor is associated with a foot pedal or an operation control panel of the medical imaging equipment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the operator detection sensor is selected from the group consisting of a proximity sensor; a contact sensor; an infra-red sensor; an optic sensor; or a combination thereof. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the inertial motion sensor is a gyroscopic sensor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the inertial motion sensor is disposed on the radiation blocking shield, and/or the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the entity is a patient, a patient table, an operator or a piece of C-arm equipment. ### Claim 26 A method of detecting and/or avoiding a collision between (a) a moveable portion of a piece of medical imaging equipment and (b) an entity, wherein the medical imaging equipment includes a native anti-collision mechanism, the method comprising: placing a radiation blocking shield over at least a portion of the medical imaging equipment, wherein the native anti-collision mechanism includes native anti-collision sensors and wherein the radiation blocking shield limits a functionality of the native anti-collision sensors of the native anti-collision mechanism; arranging of a plurality of supplemental sensors on the radiation blocking shield; sensing with the plurality of supplemental sensors proximity and/or contact between the entity and the moveable portion of a piece of medical imaging equipment; communicating the sensing of such proximity and/or contact between the entity and the moveable portion to a command controller of the radiation blocking shield; and mechanically and/or electrically actuating an anti-collision operation of the medical imaging equipment to avoid or mitigate a collision between the entity and the moveable portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising mechanically triggering at least one of the native sensors in response to said mechanical and/or electrical operation. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting a signal to an electrical trigger that actuates the native anti-collision mechanism. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein actuating the anti-collision operation comprises retracting the radiation blocking shield. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising stopping or slowing the moveable portion of the medical imaging equipment.