DETECTION OF COLLISIONS IN MEDICAL
PROCEDURES
Inventor: Jonathan Li, Winnipeg (CA)
Assignee: IMRIS, Winnipeg, Manitoba (CA)
Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 47 days.
Appl.No.: 11/397,910
Filed: Apr. 5, 2006
Prior Publication Data
US 2007/0228264 Al Oct. 4, 2007
Related U.S. Application Data
Provisional application No. 60/786,400, filed on Mar. 28, 2006.
Int. CI.
G01J1/42 (2006.01)
H0SG1/54 (2006.01)
U.S. CI 250/227.14; 250/227.16;
250/370.1; 378/117; 600/424; 385/13
Field of Classification Search
250/227.14-227.16, 363.03, 370.1, 370.09; 378/95, 117, 177, 197; 385/12, 13; 600/407, 600/410, 415, 424 See application file for complete search history.
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,105,455 A * 4/1992 Katoetal 378/117
A method of detecting collisions between elements in a medical procedure such as between a magnet and another element in the procedure mounting on the medical device a flexible body within which is mounted one or more parallel side by side optical fibers arranged such that the impact causes bending of one or more of the optical fibers and detecting changes in light transmission through the optical fiber to detect the bending and thus the collision. The single fiber or fibers are located in a junction between a lower body of resilient foam and a surface layer of a stiffer flexible material.
10 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
