Patent Abstract:
A radiation shielded cockpit comprises a radiation blocking material which creates a semi-enclosed work space and which is provided with a structure for receiving and supporting an articulated robot arm and an articulated robot arm that engages the supporting structure in a readily removable manner.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/791,707 entitled RADIATION SHIELDING COCKPIT WITH ARTICULATED ROBOTIC ARM filed Mar. 15, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     There are systems for the performance of medical procedures in which a percutaneous device is inserted into a human patient with the guidance of an X-ray image using a mechanism held adjacent to the patient by a robotic arm and the mechanism is controlled from a remote cockpit which provides shielding to the operator of the system from the radiation generated in obtaining the X-ray image. The arm has typically been attached to the patient table by a rail and removed from the rail and placed on the floor between procedures. 
     SUMMARY 
     The radiation shielding cockpit from which a robotic catheter procedure system may be controlled is provided with a structure to which an articulated robotic arm may be attached. The arm may be statically attached simply to store it between catheter procedures or it may be dynamically attached such that it may participate in a robotic catheter procedure. In the latter case a sensing and signaling mechanism is provided which senses changes in the location of the patient table which supports the patient who is to undergo a robotic catheter procedure involving the articulated robotic arm. 
     One embodiment involves a radiation shielded cockpit comprising a radiation blocking material which creates a semi-enclosed work space is provided with a structure for receiving and supporting an articulated robot arm and an articulated robot arm that engages the supporting structure in a readily removable manner. 
     One embodiment involves a radiation shielded cockpit comprising a configuration of radiation blocking materials which creates a semi-enclosed work space is provided with a structure for receiving and supporting an articulated robot arm and an articulated robot arm that engages the supporting structure and has a mechanism for tracking the horizontal movement of a patient table and moving the robot arm in accordance with that tracking 
     One embodiment involves a process for storing an articulated robot arm by providing the articulated robot arm, a configuration of radiation blocking materials which creates a semi-enclosed work space and a structure that is attached to the configuration of radiation blocking materials and engages the articulated robot arm in a readily removable manner and when so engaged supports the arm and causing the structure to engage the robot arm in readily removable manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a radiation shielding cockpit with an articulated robotic arm attached and an adjacent patient table. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a radiation shielding cockpit with an articulated robotic arm attached and deployed above an adjacent patient table. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A , a radiation shielding cockpit  10  is shown with a left side wall  12 , a right side wall  14 , a horizontal work table  16  and a front wall  18 . Attached to the right side wall  14  is a mounting rail  20 . This attachment is via right vertical rail  22  and left vertical rail  24 , both of which are attached to the right wall  20 . An articulated robotic arm  30  is attached to the mounting rail  20  via an articulated robotic arm mounting bracket  32 . The articulated robotic arm  30  is in a stored position with most of its structure lying above the cockpit work table  16 . Adjacent the radiation shielding cockpit  10  is a patient rail  40  which has an articulated robotic arm mounting bracket  42 . In one embodiment to put the system into use and perform a procedure the articulated robotic arm  30  is removed from the mounting rail  20  and attached to the patient table mounting rail  42 . After a procedure is completed the articulated robotic arm  30  may be removed from the patient table mounting rail  42  and attached to the cockpit mounting rail  20  thus facilitating its storage out of the way of medical personal who perform their functions such as transport of the patient and preparing the patient table to receive a patient in the close vicinity of the patient table  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , a similar arrangement to that of  FIG. 1B  is shown with the item numbers having the same meaning However, in this case the articulated robotic arm  30  is dynamically mounted to the radiation shielding cockpit  10 . The articulated robotic arm  30  includes a mechanism which allows it to track any movements of the patient table  40 , particularly in the xy or horizontal plane, and deploy its drive motor mounting base  34  and its attached cassette  36  in a proper orientation to the patient table  40  and therefore the patient (Not illustrated). The tracking mechanism of the articulated robotic arm  30  may be instructed by a wireless positioning signal  50 . In this embodiment the patient table mounting rail  42  is not used. 
     Articulated robotic arm  30  may also be controlled in the z direction and automatically adjusted in the vertical z direction by a controller to ensure that the height of the robotic arm  30  is constant with respect to the patient table  40  or patient. This would allow for a constant positioning of a robotic catheter drive with the patient. If the patient moved for example on the table the robotic arm could automatically adjust so that the guide wire or catheter does not move relative to the patient in an undesirable manner. 
     Although, not shown in  FIG. 1A  or  1 B cockpit  10  may include radiation shields that extend over the walls of the cockpit. In one embodiment, two of the walls have a transparent radiation shield extending upward from the walls, while the third wall remains free of a shield so that the robotic arm may be rotated into the center portion of the cockpit when not in use. Alternatively, a shield may be located on the third wall and removable or may be lowered to allow at least a portion of the robotic arm to swing into the center area of the cockpit when it is desired to store the robotic arm when not in use. 
     While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention. A number of features are disclosed herein. These features may combined in multiple combinations such that features may be used alone or in any combination with any of the other features.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6