1. An air vehicle comprising:
at least one propeller, each propeller comprising at least one blade having a constant pitch angle;
at least one propeller motor configured to reverse propeller direction of rotation of the at least one propeller while the air vehicle is in flight; and
an autopilot configured to maintain airspeed of the air vehicle above stall conditions using the propeller motor while the air vehicle is in flight.
2. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the motor is configured to drive the propeller via a propeller shaft, and wherein the motor is an electrical motor configured to drive the propeller shaft in either of two angular directions.
3. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one propeller is at least one forward-mounted tractor propeller.
4. The air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one propeller is at least one aft-mounted pusher propeller.
5. A method of in-flight augmentation of an air vehicle descent rate comprising:
regulating, via an autopilot, an airspeed value of the air vehicle by regulating a motor; and
generating an input to effect a change in the in-flight descent rate of the air vehicle via direction of rotation reversal of at least one propeller of the air vehicle, each propeller comprising at least one blade having a constant pitch angle; and
rotating, via the motor and responsive to the input, the at least one propeller in a direction of rotation for generating forward air vehicle thrust.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the motor driving the at least one propeller is an electrical motor configured to drive the at least one propeller in two angular directions.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one propeller is at least one forward-mounted tractor propeller.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one propeller is at least one aft-mounted pusher propeller.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one propeller comprises two blades.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one blade comprises a counterweight.
11. A method comprising:
reversing, via an autopilot, a direction of rotation of at least one motor of an in-flight air vehicle, the at least one motor connected to at least one propeller comprising at least one blade having a constant pitch angle;
detecting, via at least one sensor, an airspeed of the in-flight air vehicle dropping toward a stall speed; and
generating, via the autopilot, a downward bias to an acceleration command based on the detected airspeed of the in-flight air vehicle.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
generating an input to set a rotation rate of the reversed propeller of the in-flight air vehicle to pin-wheel the at least one propeller.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
generating an input to set a rotation rate of the reversed propeller of the in-flight air vehicle to free wheel the at least one propeller.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein reversing the direction of rotation of the least one the motor further comprises:
generating a voltage of opposite polarity of an original voltage, wherein the at least one motor of the in-flight air vehicle is a brushless direct current (DC) motor.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein reversing the direction of rotation of the least one the motor further comprises:
generating a reverse phase of an original phase, wherein the at least one motor of the in-flight air vehicle is an electrically commutated alternating current (AC) motor.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the downward bias to the acceleration command further comprises:
maintaining, via the autopilot, one or more maneuver limits of the in-flight air vehicle.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the downward bias to the acceleration command further comprises:
maintaining, via the autopilot, a limit below a threshold on at least one of: an acceleration command, a bias, and an error path of the in-flight air vehicle.
18. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the downward bias to the acceleration command further comprises:
maintaining, via the autopilot, a flight trim of the in-flight air vehicle proportional to a drag produced by reversing the direction of rotation of the at least one motor.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein reversing, via the autopilot, the direction of rotation of the at least one motor increases the drag of the in-flight air vehicle.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one propeller is at least one of: a forward-mounted tractor propeller and an aft-mounted pusher propeller.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus for imaging of a part of a patient comprising:
a patient support table, the patient support table comprising;
a table support base for mounting in fixed position in an imaging suite;
and an upper patient support portion on which the patient can lie with the part of the patient exposed for imaging;
the upper patient support portion being mounted for controlled movement thereof relative to the table support base;
a magnetic resonance imaging system for obtaining images of the part of the patient, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
a magnet for use with a control system for controlling and varying the magnetic fields,
a radio frequency transmission and detection system for eliciting and detecting from the part of the patient nuclear magnetic resonance signals, in response to the magnetic fields, including RF coils arranged to be located adjacent to the part of the patient;
and a computer and display monitor for decoding and displaying an image obtained from the detected signals;
the magnet defining a coil surrounding a horizontal axis and defining a cylindrical bore extending between axial ends of the coil of the magnet with an imaging zone part way along the bore between the ends;
wherein the magnet is mounted on a magnet support arranged so that the magnet is movable longitudinally along its axis between a magnetic resonance imaging position in which the magnet bore surrounds the patient support portion while the patient support portion remains supported on the table support base and a remote position in which the magnet is removed from the upper patient support portion by a distance such that the upper patient support portion is out of the strong magnetic field of the magnet;
and an X-Ray imaging system comprising:
an X-Ray source;
an X-Ray receptor;
the X-Ray source and the X-Ray receptor being arranged to define an imaging zone;
an X-Ray support base;
the source and the receptor being mounted on a common mounting member carried on the X-Ray support base and moveable relative thereto for adjusting the relative positions of the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging zone for imaging selected parts of the patient;
the upper patient support portion of the patient support table being cantilevered from the table support base in a direction longitudinal of the axis so as to extend into the bore from one end of the magnet to the imaging zone and also be used with an X-Ray tube under the upper patient support and a detector above the upper patient support;
the X-Ray imaging system and the patient support table being mounted for relative movement of one relative to the other such that the upper patient support portion can cooperate with the magnet during magnetic resonance imaging and can cooperate with the X-Ray imaging system during X-Ray imaging.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a room containing the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging system, the room having doors through which the magnet can pass and wherein the magnet support is arranged to move the magnet to a position outside the doors when magnetic resonance imaging is complete.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the X-Ray support base is moveable relative to the patient support table between an imaging position in which the patient support portion is located in the imaging zone of the X-Ray imaging system and a remote position in which the X-Ray imaging system is removed from the table a distance such that the magnet can be moved to the imaging position of the magnet.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the X-Ray support base is movable in a direction generally to one side of the longitudinal direction of the table.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided at least one further X-Ray imaging system for co-operation with the first in, for example, a bi-plane configuration.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the X-Ray imaging systems are movable relative to the patient support table and wherein one of the X-Ray imaging systems is movable in a direction generally away from the other.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein one X-Ray imaging system is mounted on floor and the other X-Ray imaging system is mounted from an overhead support.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the other X-Ray imaging system includes overhead rails which are moved in a direction toward one side of the table.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the X-Ray imaging system is mounted on a pivot for movement relative to the patient support table.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the patient support table rotates about a vertical axis from a first angular position for cooperation with the X-Ray imaging system to a second angular position for cooperation with the magnet.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the patient support table rotates about through an angle of the order of 90 degrees.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the patient support portion of the patient support table is mounted for adjustable movement relative to the table support base for use in moving the patient for X-Ray imaging and wherein the movement is fixed and turned off when the magnet is in the magnetic resonance imaging position.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the upper patient support portion is removable from the table support base and wherein the table support base includes registration members which allow engagement thereon only of an upper patient support portion which is configured to match the registration members so as to prevent use of an upper patient support portion which is incompatible with the magnetic field or with X-Ray.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the patient support table has side rails movable longitudinally of the upper patient support portion for supporting accessories and wherein the side rails are limited in movement such that they are prevented from impacting on the magnet when the magnet is in the imaging position.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a safety control system for controlling movements of the magnet, the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging system.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to prevent forward movement of the magnet into the room in the event that the patient support table, the X-Ray imaging system and auxiliary equipment such as the booms that contain the monitors, X-Ray protection, or other equipment are not in a park position.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to move the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging system into a park position on forward movement of the magnet into the room in the event that they are not already in the park position.
18. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to control auxiliary equipment such as the booms that contain the monitors, X-Ray protection, or other equipment by moving them out of the way when the magnet approaches.
19. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to operate forward movement of the magnet up to a halt position spaced from the end of the upper patient support portion of the patient support table at which the magnet automatically is halted to ensure that there will be no collision with the magnet before proceeding forward.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the patient support table is operable to adjust the upper patient support portion when the magnet is in the halt position and wherein the patient support table is prevented from adjusting the upper patient support portion when the magnet is moved forwardly of the halt position.
21. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to operate retraction movement of the magnet up to a halt position spaced from the end of the upper patient support portion of the patient support table at which the retraction movement automatically is halted.
22. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system includes a status display for an operator which includes indication of:
The state of enablement of movement of the magnet for all possible movements;
The state of the X-Ray imaging system and patient support table including being in the park position;
Enablement of movement of the X-Ray imaging system including individual components of the system;
Enablement of movement of the patient support table;
Components of the X-Ray imaging system andor patient table being powered down either manually or automatically to reduce imaging artefacts from noise sources in the X-Ray imaging system andor patient table in the MR images during MR imaging.
23. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the safety control system is arranged to power down the X-Ray imaging system to reduce RF noise during the MRI by removing power to all components within the room with the exception of those necessary to maintain temperature control of X-Ray receptors of the X-Ray imaging system.
24. Apparatus for imaging of a part of a patient comprising:
a patient support table, the patient support table comprising;
a table support base for mounting in fixed position in an imaging suite;
and an upper patient support portion on which the patient can lie with the part of the patient exposed for imaging;
the upper patient support portion being mounted for controlled movement thereof relative to the table support base;
a magnetic resonance imaging system for obtaining images of the part of the patient, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
a magnet for use with a control system for controlling and varying the magnetic fields,
a radio frequency transmission and detection system for eliciting and detecting from the part of the patient nuclear magnetic resonance signals, in response to the magnetic fields, including RF coils arranged to be located adjacent to the part of the patient;
and a computer and display monitor for decoding and displaying an image obtained from the detected signals;
the magnet defining a coil surrounding a horizontal axis and defining a cylindrical bore extending between axial ends of the coil of the magnet with an imaging zone part way along the bore between the ends;
the upper patient support portion of the patient support table being cantilevered from the table support base in a direction longitudinal of the axis so as to extend into the bore from one end of the magnet to the imaging zone;
wherein the magnet is mounted on a magnet support arranged so that the magnet is movable between a magnetic resonance imaging position in which the magnet bore surrounds the patient support portion while the patient support portion remains supported on the table support base and a remote position in which the magnet is removed from the upper patient support portion by a distance such that the upper patient support portion is out of the strong magnetic field of the magnet;
and an X-Ray imaging system comprising:
an X-Ray source;
an X-Ray receptor;
the X-Ray source and the X-Ray receptor being arranged to define an imaging zone;
an X-Ray support base;
the source and the receptor being mounted on a common mounting member carried on the X-Ray support base and moveable relative thereto for adjusting the relative positions of the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging zone for imaging selected parts of the patient;
wherein the upper patient support portion is removable from the table support base and wherein the table support base includes registration members which allow engagement thereon only of an upper patient support portion which is configured to match the registration members so as to prevent use of an upper patient support portion which is incompatible with the magnetic field.
25. Apparatus for imaging of a part of a patient comprising:
a patient support table, the patient support table comprising;
a table support base for mounting in fixed position in an imaging suite;
and an upper patient support portion on which the patient can lie with the part of the patient exposed for imaging;
the upper patient support portion being mounted for controlled movement thereof relative to the table support base;
a magnetic resonance imaging system for obtaining images of the part of the patient, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:
a magnet for use with a control system for controlling and varying the magnetic fields,
a radio frequency transmission and detection system for eliciting and detecting from the part of the patient nuclear magnetic resonance signals, in response to the magnetic fields, including RF coils arranged to be located adjacent to the part of the patient;
and a computer and display monitor for decoding and displaying an image obtained from the detected signals;
the magnet defining a coil surrounding a horizontal axis and defining a cylindrical bore extending between axial ends of the coil of the magnet with an imaging zone part way along the bore between the ends,
the upper patient support portion of the patient support table being cantilevered from the table support base in a direction longitudinal of the axis so as to extend into the bore from one end of the magnet to the imaging zone;
wherein the magnet is mounted on a magnet support arranged so that the magnet is movable between a magnetic resonance imaging position in which the magnet bore surrounds the patient support portion while the patient support portion remains supported on the table support base and a remote position in which the magnet is removed from the upper patient support portion by a distance such that the upper patient support portion is out of the strong magnetic field of the magnet;
and an X-Ray imaging system comprising:
an X-Ray source;
an X-Ray receptor;
the X-Ray source and the X-Ray receptor being arranged to define an imaging zone;
an X-Ray support base;
the source and the receptor being mounted on a common mounting member carried on the X-Ray support base and moveable relative thereto for adjusting the relative positions of the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging zone for imaging selected parts of the patient;
wherein there is provided a safety control system for controlling movements of the magnet, the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging system.
26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the safety control system is arranged to prevent forward movement of the magnet into the room in the event that the patient support table and the X-Ray imaging system are not in a park position.
27. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the safety control system is arranged to operate forward movement of the magnet up to a halt position spaced from the end of the upper patient support portion of the patient support table at which the magnet automatically is halted.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the patient support table is operable to adjust the upper patient support portion when the magnet is in the halt position and wherein the patient support table is prevented from adjusting the upper patient support portion when the magnet is moved forwardly of the halt position.
29. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the safety control system is arranged to operate retraction movement of the magnet up to a halt position spaced from the end of the upper patient support portion of the patient support table at which the retraction movement automatically is halted.
30. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the safety control system includes a status display for an operator which includes indication of:
Enablement of movement of the magnet;
The X-Ray imaging system and patient support table being in park position;
Enablement of movement of the X-Ray imaging system;
Enablement of movement of the patient support table;
The X-Ray imaging system being powered down to reduce RF noise during the MRI.
31. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the safety control system is arranged to power down the X-Ray imaging system to reduce RF noise during the MRI by removing power to all components within the room with the exception of those necessary to maintain temperature control of X-Ray receptors of the X-Ray imaging system.