US 12,097,066 B2
Imaging system with balanced integrated power source
Goutam Maji, Karnataka (IN); Girish Makarabbi, Karnataka (IN); and Dangashiya Dhaval Pravinbhai, Karnataka (IN)
Assigned to GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC, Wauwatosa, WI (US)
Filed by GE Precision Healthcare LLC, Wauwatosa, WI (US)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/654,541.
Prior Publication US 2023/0284988 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 6/03 (2006.01); A61B 6/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 6/56 (2013.01) [A61B 6/035 (2013.01); A61B 6/4435 (2013.01); A61B 6/4476 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0214 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for an imaging system, comprising:
electronically coupling a motor configured to drive a rotatable section of a gantry to a stationary electrical storage device arranged at a stationary section of the gantry; and
electronically coupling an x-ray tube to an integrated electrical storage device mounted to the rotatable section, where the integrated electrical storage device is selectably electronically isolated from the stationary electrical storage device;
wherein the integrated electrical storage device electronically couples to the stationary electrical storage device via a contactor of a charging assembly coupled to the stationary section of the gantry and counterpart contacts mounted at a rear side of the rotatable section of the gantry.
 
10. An imaging system, comprising:
a rotatable gantry section including a first electrical storage device and an x-ray tube driven by the first electrical storage device;
a stationary gantry section including a second electrical storage device and a motor driven by the second electrical storage device to rotate the rotatable gantry section;
a charging assembly coupled to the stationary gantry section, wherein the charging assembly selectively engages with counterpart contacts mounted on an exterior surface of the rotatable gantry section; and
a contactor of the charging assembly electronically coupled to the second electrical storage device;
wherein the counterpart contacts are mounted to a rim of the rotatable gantry section and are electronically coupled to the first electrical storage device; and
wherein the rim is in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotatable gantry section.
 
20. A method for an imaging system, comprising:
determining whether an amount of charge of a stationary electrical storage device is greater than a first threshold;
determining whether an amount of charge of an integrated balanced electrical storage device is greater than a second threshold;
when the amount of charge of the stationary electrical storage device is greater than the first threshold and the amount of charge of the integrated balanced electrical storage device is greater than the second threshold, responding to commands to perform a scan by energizing a motor electrically coupled to the stationary electrical storage device to rotate a rotational portion of a gantry of the imaging system and subsequently energizing an x-ray tube electrically coupled to the integrated balanced electrical storage device, wherein the integrated electrical storage device is located closer to a collimator of the imaging system than a detector of the imaging system; and
when the amount of charge of the integrated balanced electrical storage device is below the second threshold, charging the integrated balanced electrical storage device using the stationary electrical storage device, wherein charging the integrated balanced electrical storage device includes energizing the motor to rotate the rotational portion of the gantry so as to align a contactor of one of the stationary electrical storage device and the integrated balanced electrical storage device with corresponding contacts of the other one of the stationary electrical storage device and the integrated balanced electrical storage device at a lower half of a rear side of the gantry.