General Electric Company

Thomas Robert Murray

Russell Wayne Hum

Christopher J Falkner

Shawn Patrick Faessler

The present invention, in one embodiment, is an interference detection assembly for detecting patient and patient table interference with a gantry of a computed tomography system. The assembly, in one form, includes a frusto-conical capacitive plate secured to a leading frusto-conical surface of the gantry bore. The capacitive plate is coupled to a control unit which detects changes in the capacitance of the capacitive plate. When the plate is discharged below a threshold charge, the control unit generates a signal which may be used to automatically interrupt a scan.

Methods and apparatus for detecting gantry interference in a computed

The present invention, in one form, is a brake assembly for a tilting gantry. The brake assembly is coupled to the gantry in substantially the same manner as a driving actuator is connected to the gantry, and includes a hydraulic cylinder, a piston, a reservoir and a valve. The cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end to define a chamber. The piston includes a head and an arm which is configured to couple to the gantry. The piston is positioned within the hydraulic cylinder so that the head of the piston is in the cylinder chamber and the piston arm extends through a piston opening of the first end of the hydraulic cylinder. The reservoir is configured to retain hydraulic fluid, and the valve is connected in series circuit between the hydraulic cylinder and the reservoir. Particularly, a fluid line couples the reservoir to the hydraulic cylinder, and the valve is positioned in the fluid line to control the flow of hydraulic fluid between the reservoir and the hydraulic cylinder.

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Delafied, WI, United States of America

Thomas Robert Murray