# US 8,770,839 B2 · Diagnostic imaging apparatus with airflow cooling system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,839 B2 - Document ID: US8770839B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/025,573 - Filed: 2011-02-11 - Published: 2011-09-22 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-19 - Assignees: Mobius Imaging, LLC - Applicants: Eugene A. Gregerson; Russell Stanton; Michael Allen; Michael Connor; Scott Coppen - Inventors: Eugene A. Gregerson; Russell Stanton; Michael Allen; Michael Connor; Scott Coppen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770839B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/4488: {Means for cooling (A61B6/045 takes precedence)} - A61B 6/035: {Mechanical aspects of CT} - A61B 6/44: {Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis} - A61B 6/4405: {the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley} - F01P 5/02: Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers - F01P 5/06: Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans - G01R 33/3804: {Additional hardware for cooling or heating of the magnet assembly, for housing a cooled or heated part of the magnet assembly or for temperature control of the magnet assembly} - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06F 9/451: Execution arrangements for user interfaces - A61B 6/4423: {related to hygiene or sterilisation} - A61B 6/4429: {related to the mounting of source units and detector units} - A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems} - A61N 2005/002: {Cooling systems} - A61N 2005/0632: {Constructional aspects of the apparatus} - F01P 1/00: Air cooling - F01P 7/02: the coolant being cooling-air - F01P 11/10: Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A diagnostic imaging system, which can be a mobile or stationary surgical CT imaging system or an MRI system, comprises an internal airflow cooling system that includes an air intake opening and an air outtake opening that are positioned near the ground and direct air flow away from the sterile surgical field. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile diagnostic imaging system, comprising: a mobile base; a gantry mounted above a surface of the base having an imaging bore and a housing defining an interior that contains imaging components; and an airflow cooling system that directs a flow of air through the interior of the housing of the gantry and includes an air intake opening and an air exhaust opening, wherein the air exhaust opening is positioned near the ground and directs the exhaust air from the imaging system below a surgical sterile field and a portion of the system including the gantry translates with respect to the base and at least one of the air intake opening and the air exhaust opening are located on the portion of the system that translates with respect to the base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile diagnostic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the air intake opening and air exhaust opening are positioned near the ground and direct air flow below the surgical sterile field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises an x-ray CT imaging system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein the gantry comprises a generally O-shaped housing that contains the imaging components. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, further comprising an air duct system that provides a fluid connection between the air intake opening and the interior of the gantry at a first side of the gantry, and provides fluid connection between the air exhaust opening and the interior of the gantry at a second side of the gantry, opposite the first side. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mobile imaging system of claim 6, wherein the gantry is supported by a gimbal, and the duct system is provided in the gimbal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The mobile imaging system of claim 6, wherein the duct system is provided in the gantry. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The mobile imaging system of claim 7, further comprising a bearing system with a through-hole that connects the gimbal to the gantry on the two opposing sides of the gantry and allows the gantry to tilt relative to the gimbal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mobile imaging system of claim 9, wherein the airflow directed from the intake opening on the gimbal is directed to enter through the bearing attached to the gantry to enter the gantry at an intake side and wherein the airflow passes through the generally O-shaped gantry and exits through the bearing attached to the gantry opposite the first bearing thereby allowing the airflow to be directed through an exhaust opening on the gimbal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, further comprising an airflow bifurcation system located within gantry that forces airflow entering a first side of the gantry to be distributed in two directions around the interior of the gantry and exit through a second side of the gantry, opposite the first side. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mobile imaging system of claim 11, wherein the bifurcation system comprises a plurality of bulkheads that direct the air along the two directions of the gantry and prevent airflow in the opposing direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile imaging system of claim 12, wherein at least one fan is provided within the gantry to direct the airflow. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mobile imaging system of claim 13, wherein the at least one fan is cooperatively associated with the bulkheads. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a rotor that rotates around the interior of the gantry, the imaging components being mounted to the rotor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mobile imaging system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of bulkheads mounted to the rotor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein heat sensitive imaging components are placed generally adjacent to another on the gantry such that when the imaging system is not in use, the heat sensitive components are located proximate an air intake side of the gantry and less heat sensitive components are located proximate an air exhaust side of the gantry. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The mobile imaging system of claim 7, wherein at least some imaging components are provided on the gimbal, and the heat sensitive components are generally placed proximate the air intake opening and the less heat sensitive components are generally placed proximate the air exhaust opening. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The mobile imaging system of claim 17, wherein heat generating imaging components are generally placed as closed to the air exhaust as possible. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The mobile imaging system of claim 17, wherein the gantry is enclosed or sealed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein the gantry has one or more openings on an outer diameter of the gantry for installation, removal and servicing of components within the gantry. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The mobile imaging system of claim 1, wherein the air intake opening and an air exhaust opening are positioned below an imaging region defined by the gantry. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The mobile imaging system of claim 17, wherein the heat sensitive components include a detector array. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The mobile imaging system of claim 17, wherein the heat sensitive components include at least one of a battery power source and a computer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The mobile imaging system of claim 19, wherein the heat generating components include at least one of an x-ray source, a high-voltage generator, and an x-ray tube cooler. ### Claim 26 A method for diagnostic imaging using a mobile imaging system, comprising: positioning an object within an imaging bore of a gantry of the mobile imaging system; obtaining imaging data from the object using imaging components contained within an interior housing of the gantry; directing a flow of air through the mobile imaging system to cool the imaging components, the air exiting the imaging system at one or more positions near to the ground and below a surgical sterile field; and translating a first portion of the imaging system comprising the gantry relative to a base of the imaging system, wherein the air enters and exits the imaging system at one or more positions on the first bortion of the system. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the air enters and exits the imaging system at positions below the imaging bore of the gantry. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: directing the flow of air through the interior housing of the gantry. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: rotating a rotor within the gantry housing to a stationary park position when the imaging system is not obtaining imaging data, the imaging components being mounted to the rotor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: rotating the rotor to a stationary park position in which heat sensitive imaging components are positioned on an upstream side of the flow of air and heat generating imaging components are positioned on a downstream side of the flow of air. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: directing the flow of air through a duct system in fluid communication with the interior housing of the gantry. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the duct system is contained in a gimbal structure that supports the gantry. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: directing the flow of air in two directions around the interior of an O-shaped gantry. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the object comprises a human or animal subject. ### Claim 35 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imaging data comprises x-ray CT scan imaging data. ### Claim 36 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imaging data comprises magnetic resonance imaging data.