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'I was a stranger and you welcomed me.' Jesus' words in Matthew are disarmingly simple, yet they encapsulate a core tenet of Christianity: radical inclusion. Jesus calls us to extend that same kind of hospitality to the strangers among us. Two of our writers apply this message to the thorny issue of immigration, a topic that engenders passion from folks on all sides. Ched Myers provides a thought-provoking biblical reflection on welcoming the outsider, and Helene Slessarev-Jamir evaluates current policies and legislation aimed at immigration reform. Each writer, by the way, brings to the issue the perspective of being married to a foreign-born spouse.
Abortion is another topic on which political rhetoric tends to mask much of the real, substantive work being accomplished. Amy Sullivan goes beyond the standard for-and-against arguments to find promising developments among groups working to reduce the number of abortions in the United States. In CultureWatch, Hollywood insider Donovan Jacobs heads behind the screens to look at why films and television shows rarely depict characters who are poor.
And since we always need a laugh during tax season (actually, welll laugh any time), be sure to check out Ed Spivey's H'rumphs column on the back page. We're happy to report that one of his columns, '80 in a 55 Zone,' recently was honored in the Independent Press Association's first annual humor awards in San Francisco. Ed has kept us laughing for more than 30 years, and his humor has brought others into the fold. What a way to welcome.
The Editors
Many of us attend worship communities that struggle to hit the right note between traditional hymn-and-organ music and the praise choruses of a (usually loud and) youthful rock band. Some of us love those old hymns; others couldn't imagine singing anything more boring.
But there is a middle way, reports Sojourners' editorial assistant Steve Thorngate--who, in his pre-Sojourners life, was music director at several churches (and who now calls forth many a note from staff members during our worship gatherings and potlucks). Steve points to a variety of resources that are grounded in tradition yet contemporary and accessible.
Author and pastor Brian McLaren does much the same thing in our cover feature, in which he's proposed alternate images for the 'kingdom' of God. The 'revolution' of God is one suggestion; what might yours be? McLaren's musings go beyond mere semantics--fresh metaphors not only provide new understandings of God, but they can also chase out racism, nationalism, and other isms lurking in our more traditional words.
This month marks the start of Lent, our invitation to reflect and take stock of our lives, to grow in our relationship with God, and to remember our commitment to a deeper way of discipleship. Jesus withdrew into the wilderness for 40 days; your 'wilderness' likely will look different. But whatever form your journey takes, we pray that this Lenten season provides you with fresh words and reverent music, and--above all--draws you ever closer to the one whose Way we follow. The Editors
With all the bad news of late, it's heartening to read some hopeful news, especially about poverty. Stephen C. Smith, an economist and longtime Sojourners reader, points to some creative solutions to seemingly intractable problems, such as access to clean water. Ever heard of Play-Pumps? They're water pumps being used in South Africa and elsewhere that serve about 400 people each. Plus, they're fun--they double as merry-go-rounds for kids of all ages. The hard part is getting children off of them.
Promising stirrings in the ecumenical world also give reason for hope. For too long, our ecumenical bodies have remained strangely segregated, without the membership and insight of our pentecostal, evangelical, and Catholic brothers and sisters. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, former Sojourners managing editor who now heads the Reformed Church in America, looks at why this is, and why true ecumenism must reflect the actual makeup of the 21st century church.
Another writer with Sojourners connections reports from Greensboro, North Carolina, on the first truth and reconciliation commission in the United States. Deanna Wylie Mayer, who volunteered in our office for a few weeks last year, tells the story of a terrible event that took place in Greensboro 25 years ago, and the hard--but hopeful--work of reconciliation.
And while we wish wed had a direct connection to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the example of his life, which began 100 years ago this month, offers much in the way of hope. The question he and others in the Confessing Church movement tried to answer--how are we to live faithfully as Christians today?--is as pertinent as ever. The Editors
Parents often feel like theyre swimming upstream when it comes to raising their kids and protecting their family life. It can feel almost impossible to make a living, get to every soccer game and band concert, and carve out a little personal space to keep from going loony. Danny Duncan Collum, one of our regular contributors, wrote a column some months ago on the perils of parenting, and it struck such a chord among our readers (and parents here) that we asked him to consider the subject in more depth. How did parenting get to be so hard? Here, he and his wife, Polly, parents of three, try to answer that question by looking at the cultural and economic changes of the last few decades. They also write about strategies for resisting the plague of consumption they and other parents experience, as well as some legislative policies that would lessen the economic death grip in which many of us liveparents and non-parents alike. We also speak with Mary Ann and Greg Welter, who have raised 13 kids over 25 years and were longtime members of Sojourners early worshipping community. Apart from a lot of prayer, howand whydo they do it? Part of the answer, Mary Ann says, is walking alongside your kids and realizing you cant control every outcome. But as they and our other writers note, there are individual and societal decisions we can all make to help life in the parent lane run a little smoother. The Editors
The t's were crossed and i's dotted for this issue with our special focus on books and music when Hurricane Katrina roared into the Gulf Coast stringing houses, cars, and boats together like so many beads. For thousands, the comfort and safety of home is gone, the favorite chair in a favorite room, the way the back door creaked, the billowy tree outside. Damaged are the wrought-iron balconies of New Orleans and the shrimp boats. Even more terrible is the loss of sisters, fathers, and grandmothers, of separated families, of emotional, physical, and spiritual trauma. Katrina's winds and waters left devastated lives and a damaged region that won't regain a sense of normalcy for a long time.
Of course, normalcy was an elusive state for thousands of Gulf Coast residents whose living conditions were already tenuous. As we've seen, one effect of Katrina's pounding is the confirmation and, yes, surprise from many that only some partake in our country's abundance. We have much to learn about loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Like so many of you, we have awaited word of friends and family living in the Gulf Coast, added our prayers of grief and mourning, and given resources to groups providing relief there. We are heartened to witness the opening of cities, schools, and churches to evacuees, and we pray that, like those who have held the hands of displaced kindergartners bravely marching up the steps of their new schools, we keep opening our arms to those in need one, three, and five years down the road.
-The Editors
After more than a dozen years at the corner of Chapin and 15th Streets NW, Sojourners is moving to another location in Washington, D.C. So that the editorial staff could spend some days packing (and unpacking) boxes instead of corralling words, we've made this a one-time-only combined September-October issue.
The old building that weve been in is a mansion built in the first decades of the 20th century, one of several in the neighborhood completed at the behest of Mary Foote Henderson, a senators widow. Henderson hoped to make this stretch of 15th and 16th Streets - the crest of a ridge with the sweep of downtown Washington visible to the south - into "Embassy Hill."
Decades after its glory days, you could call this building shabby chic - gold-painted detailing on the ornate plasterwork trim, chandeliers...and ceilings that only fall down occasionally (we have the only organizing staff in town with their own hard hats). Along with actual work, this place has held parties, worship services, lots of intern farewell skits, and myriad prayers of sending, healing, and thanksgiving. Well remember much fondly.
We wont, however, miss the frequent lack of heat in the winter or cooling in the summer, and the organizing staff would really like to take off their hard hats. Were going to a new old building, the former home of the Tivoli, a 1920s movie theater. Well have fresh-built office space, with intact ceilings. We carry there our memories, a lot of files, and the blessing of having good work. Thank you, as always, for being part of it. - The Editors
When it comes to faith, politics, and culture (three of our favorite topics here at Sojourners), the public discussion too often seems to shrink down big ideas and complex life to simple, narrow dichotomies: Yes or no. Blue or red. Pro-this or pro-that (anti-that or anti-this). Smut on the airwaves or rampant censorship. Guns or butter. Our God or no God.
Our choices are then supposed to line up neatly with one another, dividing us into two camps, Us and Them.
But life, for worse and usually better, isn't like that. Whether or not our political discourse or cultural institutions always reflect it, people are complex, our beliefs are complex, our hopes and dreams are complex. Simplistic extremes don't define most of us - and that doesn't mean that we're wishy-washy or undecided. Rather, it usually indicates that our deepest commitments and strongest passions don't come in prepackaged, pre-labeled, off-the-shelf sets.
In our cover feature, Washington Post columnist Donna Britt writes about the frustrations felt by herself and others who are often horrified by the sex and violence pervading our culture, who are devout in their faith, but who don't support the Republican agenda or always feel welcome or heard in the Democratic party. She makes an eloquent case for faith and values taking their proper place in both parties - not as tools to win elections, but as needed resources in a coarse and messed-up world. Also in this issue, Stacia Brown interviews seven people who were raised in conservative evangelical churches about the varied ways those experiences have shaped and influenced their lives.
Whether you prefer red, blue, purple, or blue with red stripes, we're glad you're here.
Our culture here in the United States has definite bipolar tendencies: On one hand we're encouraged to want--and to purchase--more, more, more. More food, more entertainment, more stuff. On the other hand, there's still a streak of 'deprivation equals virtue' in our collective psyche, which enterprising sorts have tapped by turning deprivation and discipline into products to buy--diet plans, gym memberships, storage containers to corral our stuff, organizers to sort our overflowing schedules, life coaching to help us figure out how to live a better game, a winning game.... Whew.
In the meantime we have neighbors near and far who lack food, water, shelter, love. Our shopping doesn't help them--but neither does our self-flagellation, since both keep us focused on ourselves and on our things. God's promises are far from stingy--"Hearken diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness," instructs Isaiah 55:2. But they're not a call to gluttony either (despite that bit about delighting in fatness). How do we find the right balance for our souls, our bodies, our sisters and brothers, and our world? What is 'enough'?
In this special issue, we explore some of the components of a sustainable, healthy, generous, just, and merciful life. How do we seek this for ourselves and others in the midst of consumerism and sprawl? What is the role of Sabbath in our call to follow Jesus? Do industrial processes, manufactured goods, and buildings need to be so often toxin-based, or could human creativity design a better way?
In all, we're humbly trying to find for ourselves what we wish for all of you: deeper knowledge, experience, and sharing of God's abundance in what can be a confusing, feast-or-famine world.
Sometimes the most important stories are hidden in plain view.
In February 1965, during an assault on civil rights demonstrators, an Alabama state trooper shot a young black man named Jimmy Lee Jackson. Jackson died a few days later, and his killing was a catalyst for the march from Selma to Montgomery.
The trooper who shot Jimmy Lee Jackson had never been named. But late last summer, journalist John Fleming found the trooper, James Bonard Fowler, who agreed to talk. (For whatever reason, the Justice Department had apparently never sought out Fowler.) Fleming noted when he pitched the story, "He's never spoken to anyone before and fully admits shooting Jackson, although he insists it was self defense."
Fleming introduces us to a complex, but remorseless, old man who doesn't fear legal action, confident in his version of events - and who never had to be in hiding because authorities didn't seem to look for him.
A longer version of this article appears on www.sojo.net, and related material will be published in The Anniston (Ala.) Star - where Fleming serves as editor at large - on March 6 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the first attempt at a Selma to Montgomery march, which ended in a brutal attack on the Edmund Pettus Bridge by state and local law authorities.
Taxes are a less dramatic subject than a killer's confession, but the deficit of moral values and equity in the current administration's tax agenda is also a vital story that doesn't get enough play. In our cover story New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston clarifies some of the ways President Bush's proposals and strategies stray far from traditional principles of fair taxation - and even from the bedrock values of democracy.
- The Editors


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The Mom Book Goes to School
The Mom Book Goes to School
Insider Tips to Ensure Your Child Thrives in Elementary and Middle School
Free Press, Paperback, 9780743257541, 382pp.
Publication Date: July 5, 2005
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About the Author
Stacy M. DeBroff is author of "The Mom Book" and coauthor of "Mom Central: The Ultimate Family Organizer". The ultimate insider for advice, tips, and information, Stacy has won the loyalty of moms across America. She is the founder and president of MomCentral.com, a premier website for moms, and publishes the monthly "Mom Central" newsletter. Prior to becoming a parenting author, Stacy founded and directed the Office of Public Interest as a lawyer at Harvard Law School from 1990 to 1998. The mother of two young children, Stacy lives in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

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Dead Confederate
~ Group
Dead Confederate is an American alternative rock band formed in Augusta, Georgia and based in Athens, Georgia. The band's sound has been described as a mix of alternative country, psychedelic rock and grunge, and has drawn comparisons to Nirvana and My Morning Jacket.
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Thelma Streat was a favorite black artist among First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the King and Queen of England, actor Vincent Price and dancer Katherine Dunham.
Read more on Thelma Streat here.
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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 25, 2003
|Filing date
|Jan 4, 2002
|Priority date
|Mar 19, 2001
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Adi Shechtman, Gideon E. Sturlesi, Florin Coter
|Original Assignee
|Ortho Scan Technologies Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (9), Classifications (16), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/810,538 filed Mar. 19, 2001, and includes subjects matter of Provisional Application No. 60/276,478 filed Mar. 19, 2001, Provisional Application No. 60/276,480 filed Mar. 19, 2001, and Provisional Application No. 60/316,249, filed Sep. 4, 2001, the priority dates of which applications are claimed herein.
The present invention relates to contour mapping systems and methods for mapping the contour of an object. The invention is particularly useful for mapping the curvature of the spine of a human being in order to detect spine deformities, such as scoliosis and kyphosis, and is therefore described below with respect to this application. The invention also relates to probes particularly useful in such a contour mapping system.
Scoliosis refers to a lateral spinal curve of a certain degree that affects an estimated 500,000 adults in the USA. The most common form of scoliosis, called idiopathic (i.e., of unknown origin), is so named because its real cause is unknown. There is a higher tendency for scoliosis to run in families, with many more affected girls than boys; thus adolescent girls over the age of nine are five times more likely to be diagnosed with scoliosis than boys of the same age. Early detection of scoliosis can lead to effective treatment. Currently, scoliosis is treated by special braces, surgery, or by a combination of both.
Screening for scoliosis detection has been adopted in most of the U.S. schools and in most of the Western World countries. Between 10 to 30% of the children that undergo a simple examination at school are advised to visit a pediatrician/orthopedist for a more thorough investigation and treatment recommendation. Approximately 30% of the latter are found to require long term treatment.
The basic tool for detecting scoliosis, and for quantifying its severity, is the spinal roentgenogram consisting of full length radiographs of the spine, one frontal and another sidewise. This is also the tool used by the physician during the long period of treatment and follow up.
Thus, a treated child will be exposed to a significant number of X-ray procedures, two to three double sessions per year. As a result, there is a concern about the cumulative effects of this high dose radiation. Recent publications reveal a three to four times higher risk to develop breast cancer and a number of thyroid cancers in women undergoing repetitive X-ray exposures as part of their scoliosis treatment. In spite of efforts to reduce the radiation dose, there is still a higher lifetime risk of cancer from spinal radiographs among people with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Therefore, there is a real need for an alternative device, system and method capable of being used for the same diagnostic function as the X-ray today but avoiding the radiation exposure hazard, especially for young people, arising from multiple exposures during a long period of treatment. There is also a real need for a device, system and method capable of providing more detailed information about the examined spine, such as the degree of curvature of the spine, or the degree of rotation and/or deformation of any particular vertebra therein.
A number of alternative systems are described in the literature for measuring spine curvature in order to avoid the health hazard of radiation; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,324,672; 4,036,213; 4,600,012; 4,664,130; 4,760,851; 5,251,127; and 5,471,995. However, no system has yet proved to be entirely satisfactory. Efforts are therefore continually being made to develop systems, devices and methods for measuring the spinal curve in a manner which enables more precision, and which can be performed more conveniently, than the existing systems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel probe, contour mapping system and method for mapping the contour of an object, paticularly a person's spine in a precise, convenient and simple manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel probe, contour mapping system and method for measuring the curvature of the spine of a person in order to detect and/or treat for spine deformities, such as scoliosis or kyphosis.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a probe for use in a contour mapping system, the probe being constructed so as to be carried by a user's hand with the tip of at least one finger of the user's hand movable along the outer surface of the object whose contour is to be mapped; the probe including a position sensor to be located at a predetermined position with respect to the finger tip for sensing the position of the probe, and thereby of the finger tip, as the probe is moved by the user's hand along the outer surface of the object whose contour is to be mapped.
The user's finger or fingers are thus utilized as the "feeling part" of the probe. This not only simplifies the construction of the probe, but also exploits the sense of touch for following the curvature to be mapped. Such a system is therefore particularly useful for mapping the curvature of a person's spine, but it will be appreciated that it could be used in other applications involving the mapping of the contour of other objects.
One preferred embodiment of the invention is described wherein the probe is constructed for grasping by the user's hand with the tip of at least one finger in a predetermined position with respect to the position sensor carried by the probe. The described probe includes a handle graspable by the user's hand, and a finger supporting member fixed at one end of the handle for supporting the user's index finger at the predetermined position with respect to the position sensor. In this embodiment, the position sensor is fixed within the finger supporting member.
A second embodiment is described wherein the probe is constructed for mounting on at least one finger of the user's hand, with the position sensor at the predetermined position with respect to the finger tip. In the described embodiment, the probe is constructed for mounting on two adjacent fingers of the user's hand with the finger tips exposed for direct contact with the object whose contour is to be mapped.
According to a further embodiment, the probe may also include an ultrasonic transducer for sensing the physical structure of the object whose contour is to be mapped.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a probe for contour mapping the outer surface of an object comprising: a position sensor carried by the probe for sensing the position of the probe as it is moved along the outer surface of the object whose contour is to be mapped; and an ultrasonic transducer carried by the probe for sensing the physical structure of the object whose contour is to be mapped.
According to further aspects of the invention, there is provided a contour mapping system for mapping the contour of an object, comprising a probe of any of the above embodiments, and a position tracking system for tracking the movements of the position sensor of the probe, and thereby of the finger tip of the user's hand, as the probe is moved with the user's hand along the outer surface of the object.
In the embodiments described below, the object whose contour is to be mapped is the spine of a person, and the system includes a data processor programmed to display data regarding the person's spine as mapped by the probe. The data processor may also be programmed to compute and to display various characteristics of the mapped spine, such as the curvature of the spine, the distance between adjacent vertebrae, and/or the rotation or deformation of any particular vertebra in the spine.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of examining a subject's spine, comprising: providing the hand of an examiner with a probe having a position sensor at a predetermined location with respect to a finger tip of the examiner's hand; moving the finger tip along the spinous processes of the vertebrae of the subject's spine; upon feeling a spinous process with the finger tip, recording the position of the probe, and thereby of the felt spinous process; and utilizing the recorded positions of the felt spinous processes to calculate and display the curvature of the subject's spine.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of examining a subject's spine, comprising: moving a position sensor along the outer surface of the subject's spine to map the subject's spine curvature; and utilizing an ultrasonic transducer to examine the physical structure of at least one vertebra of the subject's spine to detect deformation and/or rotation of the examined vertebra.
According to further features in one preferred embodiment of the invention described below with respect to this aspect, the position sensor maps the subject's spine curvature by sensing the spinous processes of the vertebrae in the subject's spine, and the ultrasonic transducer examines the physical structure of at least one vertebra by sensing and displaying the location and contour of the two transverse processes relative to each other and to the spinous process of the examined vertebra such as to provide an indication of the rotation and/or deformation of the examined vertebra.
As will be described more particularly below, such a probe, system and method may be used for examining the spine of a subject and for providing detailed information about the examined spine without subjecting the subject to the hazards of radiation.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view illustrating one form of probe constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the probe of FIG. 1 in a computerized spine analyzer system for measuring the curvature or other characteristics of the spine of a person;
FIG. 3 illustrates a second form of probe constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention wherein the system includes a reference position sensor (e.g., a magnetic field generator) fixed to the object (e.g., the back of the person whose spine is to be mapped), whereby the position tracking system tracks the movement of the position sensor with respect to that reference;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the manner of determining the spine coordinates using a coordinate-set generated by the field generator, and another coordinate-set defined by the subject;
FIGS. 6a-6 d illustrate the manner of utilizing the sampled points for producing a spine model;
FIG. 7 is a view from the rear diagrammatically illustrating the manner of constructing the virtual spine out of the sampled points, scaling it to a model, and determining the curvature or deformity angles;
FIG. 8 pictorially illustrates a portable system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the main components of the system of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 illustrates a probe constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, including an ultrasound transducer with a position sensor, more particularly with two position sensors, and the manner in which such a probe is used for mapping the curvature of the spine and for analyzing the structure of selected vertebrae therein;
FIG. 11 graphically illustrates the manner in which the system of FIG. 10 may be used for indicating the degree of rotation of a vertebra due to spine deformity;
FIG. 12a illustrates the structure of a normal vertebra, FIG. 12b illustrates the structure of a rotated vertebra, and FIG. 12c illustrates the structure of a deformed (but not rotated) vertebra;
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating the main components of a system using the probe of FIG. 10;
FIG. 14 is a pictorial illustration of another portable system using a separate ultrasound probe in addition to, or in lieu of, the finger tip probe;
FIG. 15 illustrates an example of the separate ultrasound probe used in the system of FIG. 14;
FIGS. 16 and 17 are diagrams helpful in explaining an example of a specific examining procedure using the system and probe of FIGS. 14 and 15, respectively; and
FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating the specific examining procedure of FIGS. 16 and 17.
FIG. 1 illustrates one form of probe, therein generally designated 2, to be carried by a user's hand and to be used in the manner shown in FIG. 2 for mapping the curvature of a person's spine, e.g., in order to detect the presence and severity of a deformation in the spine, such as scoliosis or kyphosis. As will be described more particularly below and as shown in FIG. 2, the probe 2 is constructed such that when it is grasped by a user's hand, the outer tip of the index finger of the user's hand is at a predetermined position with respect to a position sensor carried by the probe. That is, the sensor is fixed at a known position with respect to the user's index finger tip; such position is predetermined for each user according to the finger size. As the finger tip is moved along the outer surface of the subject's spine, the movements of the position sensor will thus trace or map the curvature of the spine.
Probe 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a handle 3 graspable by the hand of the user, and a position sensor 4 for use in tracking the movements of the probe. Position sensor 4 is carried by a finger-supporting member 5 extending substantially perpendicularly from one end of the handle 3 and formed with a groove 5 a for receiving the index finger of the user's hand grasping the handle 3. The finger-supporting member 5 is of a length less than the length of the user's index finger so that when the user grasps the handle 3 with the user's index finger within groove 5 a, the outer tip of the user's index finger is exposed for contact with the outer surface of the spine whose curvature is to be mapped, as shown in FIG. 2.
A person's spine is composed of 33 vertebrae. A typical vertebra consists of two main parts: an inner, ventral part called the body; and an outer, dorsal part called the vertebral arch. These two parts surround a central space through which the spinal cord passes.
The vertebral arch consists of seven bony outgrowths as follows: two pedicles that project backwardly from the body; two laminae which form connecting processes between the pedicles; the spinous process, which is a bony outgrowth that projects backwardly and downwardly; and two transverse processes, which project laterally and provide sites for the attachment of muscles and ligaments.
As will be described more particularly below, the spinal curve is sensed in the described preferred embodiments by finger tip sensing the spinous process of each vertebra.
Probe 2 further includes a button 6 depressible by the thumb of the user's hand to enter into the position tracking system the location of the position sensor 4 at the instant the button is depressed. Probe 2 includes a second button 7, next to button 6, and also depressible by the thumb of the user. Button 7 may be used for canceling a previous entry, or for canceling all the previous entries. For example, the tracking system can be programmed such that a short depression of button 7 cancels the previous entry, whereas a long depression of the button clears the system of all the previous entries for the respective operation. The probe may also include an audible or visual signaling device 8 (FIG. 1) for providing an appropriate signal to indicate a reading has been properly entered.
When probe 2 is used, as shown in FIG. 2, for mapping the curvature of a person's spine, the movements of the position sensor 4, which correspond to the movements of the user's index finger and thereby of the curvature of the person's spine, are tracked by a position tracking system included within a data processor in a workstation 10. Many position tracking systems are known in the prior art for the determination of the position of an object in a three-dimensional space. Such systems, once calibrated and normalized, track the movements of the object to thereby determine its actual position at all times. Thus, position tracking systems are known which include mechanical, acoustical, radio-frequency, magnetic, electromagnetic and optical devices for tracking the movements of the object. Examples of such position tracking systems based on acoustical or electromagnetic fields are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,412,619; 6,083,170; 6,063,022; 5,954,665; 5,840,025; 5,718,241; 5,713,946; 5,694,945; 5,568,809; 5,546,951; 5,480,422 and 5,391,199, which patents are incorporated herein by reference.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the position tracking system is of the electromagnetic field type. It includes a field generator 9 for generating and transmitting a magnetic field in the space occupied by the person's spine to be mapped. The position sensor 4 within the probe 2 is a 6-D magnetic sensor for sensing the instantaneous position of the probe within the generated magnetic field. Both the field generator 9 and the position sensor 4 produce signals which are applied to the workstation 10. The workstation tracks the movement of the position sensor 4, and thereby of the probe 2, as the probe is moved with the user's hand along the outer surface of the subject's spine.
The tracked positions as determined by the workstation 10 are recorded in an input/output storage device 11 for further processing, as will be described more particularly below. In addition, the output of the workstation can be transmitted via a telecommunication device 12 to a remote location, e.g., via a telephone line, for viewing, recording, or further processing.
FIG. 3 illustrates another construction of probe, therein generally designated 20, which may also be used. The probe 20 illustrated in FIG. 3 is directly mounted on at least one finger, and preferably on two fingers, of the user.
Thus, probe 20 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a housing 21 mountable on two fingers (the index finger and the next adjacent finger) such as to expose the outer tips of the two fingers for direct contact with the spine (or other object whose contour is to be mapped). Housing 21 includes a position sensor 22 for sensing the instantaneous position of the probe in space, e.g., in the same manner as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. Probe 20 also includes a depressible button 23 for entering the instantaneous location of the position sensor, and a second depressible button 24 for clearing previous entries, in the same manner as described above with respect to probe 2 illustrated in FIG. 1.
Probe 20 in FIG. 3 may also include a display 25, which may be used for displaying each entry or any of the calculations produced by the workstation during an examination procedure. Such a display may also be included in probe 2 illustrated in FIG. 1; and similarly, probe 20 illustrated in FIG. 3 could also include an audible signal to indicate when an entry has been made, as in probe 2 illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 illustrates a probe, therein generally designated 30, used with a reference sensor, generally designated 32, attached to the person's body at a fixed and known location with respect to a predetermined reference point of the spine 34. Thus, the position tracking system will track the movements of the probe 30 with respect to the reference 32; and since the position of the reference 32 is known with respect to the spine 34, the tracked movements of the probe trace the curvature of the spine. Such an arrangement makes the system sensitive only to the changes in position of the probe 30 with respect to the reference 32, and thereby enables the system to ignore changes in position of the person's body generally in space. The system illustrated in FIG. 4, therefore, is particularly useful for displaying the dynamic movements of the spine during body movements, e.g., forward and sideward bending movements.
Reference sensor 32 may be another position sensor which serves as a reference with respect to probe 30; alternatively, it may be the magnetic field generator itself which also thereby serves as a reference with respect to probe 30.
FIG. 5 illustrates the manner in which the probe 30 of FIG. 4 may be used with a field generator used as the reference sensor 32 for mapping the curvature of the spine 34.
As shown in FIG. 5, two coordinate-sets are involved in acquiring the coordinates of the spine 34. One coordinate-set is generated by the field generator 32, and the second coordinate-set is defined according to the standing position of the subject. These two sets may not be correlated to each other for several reasons, e.g., the subject not standing exactly in the right coordinates of the generator, the generator not being perfectly parallel to the floor, etc. In order to provide accurate readings of each sensed spine position, a correction method is used to correct the deviation of the standing-position coordinates from the field-generator coordinates with respect to each measurement made in the standing position of the subject.
FIG. 5 illustrates the manner in which this is done with respect to one orthogonal plane, namely the (X,Y) plane. In the position illustrated in FIG. 5, the subject stands in a way that the posterior superior iliac spine coordinates (x1, y1, z1);(x2, y2, z2) are projected on the (X,Y) plane with a shift of α� in reference to the field-generator X-axis. A correction factor is thus calculated and applied to each actual reading made on the subject according to the standing-position coordinates of the subject.
FIGS. 6a-6 d illustrate the manner of utilizing the sampled points for producing a calculated spine for the respective patient. FIG. 6a illustrates the sampled points; FIG. 6b illustrates the spine curve as generated by the sampled points, including interpolations between sample points; FIG. 6c illustrates the spine model produced with 18 points of the spine pattern with known vertebrae measurements and known distances from each other; and FIG. 6d illustrates the projection of the pattern of FIG. 6c on the interpolated spine of FIG. 6b.
After a set of points are sampled from the patient's spine, each point is characterized by the vector (x,y,z,α,β,γ), where (x,y,z) are the coordinates, and (α,β,γ) are three angles in space. Where the goal is to build the curve as clinically accurate as possible to the patient's spine, the vectors of each vertebra are positioned in their right place over the calculated spine according to a spine-model, in a way that each vertebra is placed in the right distance from its neighbors and in the right angle in the spine (FIG. 6c). The model is built according to a known statistic scale of the spine and is used to normalize the samples and to scale them in the right proportion along the curve for angle calculations (FIG. 6d).
FIG. 7 illustrates the manner in which the spine model may be used for determining various characteristics of the vertebra, such as calculating the deformity or curvature angles. For this purpose, the vertebrae at the inflection points (points of direction change) are identified and their vertebra angles are calculated. For example, in the lower part of the S-curve illustrated in FIG. 7, the vertebrae at the inflection points are at T11 and L4, and the deformity angle of this curvature is α1+α2; whereas in the upper part of the S-curve, the vertebrae at the inflection points are T1 and T8, and the deformity angle is β1+β2.
It will be appreciated that each sampled point can be validated for legitimacy. Thus, since the overall structure of the spine is known, including the vertebrae place boundaries along the spine and the orientations of each vertebra in reference to its neighbors, it is possible to determine whether an actual reading is valid in relation to previous readings; if not, such a reading can be ignored.
At the present time, the physician uses a special ruler to calculate the deformity angle according to the known Cobb angle method. In this method, the physician manually draws the Cobb angle on the X-ray film from the vertebrae end plates. With the present invention, however, the Cobb angle may be reconstructed from the spinous process samples, as shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 illustrates a system, generally designated 40, which may be constructed as a portable system for convenient transportation to various sites. The system illustrated in FIG. 8 includes a probe 41, which may be of any of the constructions described above, for application to the finger tip of the user to map the curvature of the subject's spine. The probe is connected to a workstation 42 which includes a user interface 43 and a display 44. The illustrated control system further includes a foot switch 45 which may be used for energizing the field generator 46, and/or for entering the readings, instead of, or in addition to, a control switch on the probe 41 itself.
As further shown in FIG. 8, the illustrated system also includes a scale 47 for weighing the patient and for entering the weight into the workstation 42. Other pertinent information may be entered into the workstation, for example the height of the patient as determined by placing the probe 41 at the top of the patient's head, as shown at 41′, and determining the vertical position of the probe over the scale 47.
The overall electrical system is illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the workstation 40 receives real-time control inputs from both the position sensor 41 and the field generator 46 as controlled by the foot-switch 45, and produces real-time feedback in order to track the movements of the position sensor, and thereby of the user's finger tips as they are moved along the vertebrae. The workstation 40 includes a database 50 for storing data during its processing, and a graphic display 44 for displaying the processed data. Communication with the database 50 is via a CPU and peripheral controls within the workstation 40, which includes the appropriate acquisition control and data decoding circuitry. Communication with the graphic display 44 is via graphic and video interface circuitry within the workstation 40. The workstation 40 receives, in addition to the data from the position sensor 41, also the weight data from the scale 47, and the height data 51 by reading the position of the position sensor 41 when placed at the top of the patient's head, as shown at 41′ in FIG. 8.
The workstation 40 may also receive updating data, as shown at 52, for manually updating the medical history of the patient. The workstation 40 may also be connected to an external storage and input/output device, as shown at 53, for externally storing, displaying or processing the data. The workstation may also be connected to a telecommunication unit, as shown at 54, for transmitting the data to a remote location, such as a medical center or an on-line technical support facility.
The workstation 40 may process the inputted information according to the following algorithm:
(1) Read n points sampled from the patient's spine;
(2) "Copy" the constructed curve onto a spine model;
(3) Determine the position of each vertebra (XYZ axes and angles);
(4) Run a correction function (based on wide statistics researches) to convert the spinous process curve to the curve which passes through the middle of the vertebrae;
(5) Determine the vertebrae that define each curvature segment of the spine and calculate the deformity angle of such curvature segment.
FIG. 10 illustrates a probe, generally designated 60, including a position sensor, in this case two position sensors 61, 62, and an ultrasonic transducer 63 located between the two position sensors. The ultrasonic transducer 63 senses or images the physical structure of particular vertebrae in the patient's spine (or other object whose contour is to be mapped) and displays this information or image, together with the position of the outer tip of the user's finger or fingers carrying the probe. The two position sensors 61, 62 thus sense and display the location of the surfaces touched by the finger tips, and thereby the locations of the vertebrae in the spinal column being analyzed; whereas the ultrasonic transducer 63 senses and displays the physical structure of the respective vertebra scanned, and displays information concerning such physical structure, particularly the location and contour of the two transverse processes relative to each other and to the spinous process of the examined vertebra, such as to provide an indication of the rotation and/or deformation of the respective vertebra.
The display 65 in FIG. 10 shows three vertebrae along the spine: The first one illustrates the normal position of the spinous process at "A", and the normal positions of the two transverse processes at "B" and "C", respectively. The next vertebra is rotated and the positions of its three processes are shifted due to an λ-degree of spine rotation as shown at a1, b1, c1, respectively. The third vertebra is shifted even more such that its three processes are rotated to a more extreme degree as shown at a2, b2, c2, respectively.
The graph of FIG. 11 illustrates the above conditions in the display 65, together with the displays of the two position sensors 61, 62, at P1, P2.
FIGS. 12a-12 c illustrate the images represented by the information produced by the ultrasonic transducer 63: Thus, FIG. 12a is for a normal vertebra; FIG. 12b is for a rotated vertebra; and FIG. 12c is for a deformed (not rotated) vertebra. In FIGS. 12a-12 c, the values "x1" and "x2" represent the distance along the X-axis of the two transverse processes from the spineous process; and the values "y1" and "Y2" represent the distances of the two transverse processes from the spineous process along the Y-axis, i.e., toward the examiner's finger tip. It will be noted that in FIG. 12a, x1=x2, and Y1=Y2, thereby indicating a normal condition of the vertebra; in FIG. 12b, x1<x2 and Y1>Y2, thereby indicating a rotated condition of the vertebra; whereas in FIG. 12c, x1<x2 and Y1=Y2, thereby indicating a deformed (non-rotated) condition of the vertebra.
FIG. 13 illustrates the main components of the control system for the probe in FIG. 10. To facilitate understanding, those components which are generally the same as in FIG. 9 are identified by the same reference numerals. FIG. 13 shows the ultrasound transducer at 63.
FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a system similar to that of FIG. 8 but including, in addition to or in lieu of the finger probe 41, a display-type probe which includes the position sensor or sensors, an ultrasonic transducer, and also a display screen for navigating along the spine. The display-type probe shown in FIG. 14 is generally designated 70, and is more particularly illustrated in FIG. 15. The remainder of the system illustrated in FIG. 14 may otherwise be the same as described above with respect to FIG. 8, and therefore the same reference numerals have been used as in FIG. 8 to facilitate understanding.
With respect to the display-type probe 70 (as more particularly shown in FIG. 15), it includes a handle 71 graspable by the user, and a housing 72 enclosing within it a pair of position sensors 73, 74 (or only one position sensor), and an ultrasonic transducer 75 at one end of the housing to be placed against the spine of the patient being examined. The housing 72 further includes an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen 76 having arrows to direct the user to the right place and orientation of the probe with respect to the subject's spine. Housing 72 also includes a push-button 77 for entering the location of the position sensors.
Following is an example of how the probe 70 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 may be used for making an examination;
1. The examiner wears the finger tip scanner 41 and palpates (feels) the spinous processes of the vertebrae in the patient's spine and enters the location and angle of each vertebra in the manner described above.
2. The system receives these entries, calculates the spinal curve, and finds the apex vertebrae (those at the inflection points) of each curvature segment, as described above with respect to FIG. 7.
3. The examiner then grasps the ultrasonic probe 70 and moves it along the spine of the patient to align it with each apex vertebra. Thus, since the system has previously calculated the location of each apex vertebra, and since the instantaneous location of the ultrasonic probe 70 can be determined by the positioning sensor 73, 74 on the probe 70 sensing the spinous processes of the vertebrae, the system can locate the instantaneous position of the probe with respect to a targeted apex vertebra and indicate the movements of the probe in order to align it with respect to a targetted apex vertebra. When the probe 70 exactly overlies a targetted apex vertebra, this is indicated by a validation light signal on the screen 76 of the probe.
4. The examiner, using the foot switch 45 or push-button 77, actuates the ultrasonic transducer 75 of the probe 70 to scan the respective apex vertebra and to display information regarding the physical structure of that vertebra, as described above particularly with respect to FIGS. 10-12, to thereby provide an indication of the rotation and/or deformation of the respective apex vertebra.
5. The system receives the ultrasonic signals from transducer 75, translates them into digital signals, and processes such signals to display the degree of rotation and/or deformation, if any, of the examined apex vertebra.
A specific example of an examining procedure will now be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17 and the algorithms illustrated by the flow chart of FIG. 18.
The inputs to the algorithm are coordinate samples, taken by conducting the examination twice on each patient. The readings required are the following (FIG. 16):
i). Vertebra C7—Reference point;
ii). Vertebrae T1-L5 (14 points out of 17 vertebras are needed);
iii). Superior border of the "Gluteal Cleft";
iv). 2 points of the PSIS (Posterior Superior Iliac Spine);
v). 2 points on the shoulders (Acronium);
vi). A point at the "Occipital Tuberance".
1. A Table Distance Test is performed wherein each vertebra is identified by the system according to built-in tables of distance (Z-axis) between vertebrae, based on statistics and literature. The coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the next digitized point have to fall within a certain range determined according to the above distance-tables. In order to get a full length of the spine, L5 (FIGS. 7, 17) must be digitized.
2. The "Gluteal Cleft" point (FIG. 16) is identified and validated by:
i). a Z value lower than L5;
ii). an X value approximately as L5;
3. The "PSIS" points are identified and validated by:
i). a Z value for both points approximately the same.
ii). An X value on two sides of L5.
iii). A higher X value will identify the point as "Right PSIS"
iv). A lower X value will identify the point as "Left PSIS"
4. The "Acronium" points are identified and validated by:
i). a Z value of both points approximately the same.
ii). an X value on two sides of C7, T1 (FIGS. 7, 17).
iii). a higher X value will identify the point as "Right Shoulder".
iv). a lower X value will identify the point as "Left Shoulder".
5. The "Occipital" point is identified and validated by:
i). a Z value higher then C7.
ii). an X value approximately as C7.
In order to be certain that the examiner has accurately palpated the spinous processes, input coordinate samples are taken by conducting the examination twice on each patient and running a repeatability test on the two sets of points (blocks 81-83, FIG. 18). If rejected, the system asks for a third scan (scan 3), and a third repeatability test is performed (blocks 84, 85, 86). If again rejected, the system determines that the patient cannot be examined by the system, and should be examined by other means, e.g., X-ray, etc. (blocks 87, 88).
Where measurements are accepted, the system calculates the deformity angle and the end vertebrae (block 89), and finds the apex point of the curve (block 90).
The outputs according to the flow chart of FIG. 18 will therefore be:
(1.) the position coordinates for each vertebra;
(2.) the deformity angles;
(3.) the end vertebra for each angle; and
(4.) the apex vertebra for each angle.
It will thus be seen that the described system enables data representing, or relating to, the spine curvature to be obtained in a manner which is free of the health hazards characteristic of the presently-used X-ray equipment. The novel system allows frequent monitoring of the spinal curvature so as to permit a progressive analysis of the development of scoliosis or kyphosis based on consecutive scanning. If X-ray pictures have already been taken of the particular subject, the described system allows an augmented presentation of such X-ray pictures with the graphical presentation of the data acquired by the use of the equipment. The system also allows the measurement and display of many parameters of the patient's spine useful in analyzing its condition, such as the distance between vertebrae, the spine deformities or curvatures, and the degree of deformation or rotation of any selected vertebra, particularly the apex vertebrae of a curvature segment.
The described system further enables dynamic spine analysis (during bending), and limited space motion analysis (during movements). For example, the data processor may be programmed to display the dynamic movement of the spine while a point on the spine is contacted by the probe. Thus, the physician can touch a point on the spine, and while the patient is bending forwardly or sidewardly, e.g., at 90� (Adams test), at 45�, etc., data can be accumulated which can be integrated to simulate dynamical movements of the spine and indicate the degree of chest deformity and rotation.
The illustrated probes may utilize the user's finger to enter a position sensed by the probe into the position tracking system. In the above-described probes, the entry command is effected by depressing a push button and/or by a foot pedal, but other arrangements could be used. For example, the entry command could be effected by an electrical switch which is actuated by contact of the probe or the user's finger with the object, (e.g., the person's spine) to be mapped, or which is actuated by a proximity detector when at a predetermined proximity from the object. The entry command could also be effected by a voice-responsive device. The use of a probe, such as shown at 70 in FIGS. 14 and 15, which includes a screen having arrows, etc., directs the user to the right location and orientation for the ultrasonic transducer 75.
In addition, the data may be entered continuously to map the spinal column or other object. Alternatively, the data may be entered in the form of selected samples, which samples could be used, by either interpolation or extrapolation, for deriving any desired information regarding the spinal column or other object being mapped.
While the preferred embodiments described above utilize an electromagnetic-field position tracking system for tracking the movements of the probe, other forms of position tracking systems could be used, such as optical systems, sonic systems, articulated arm systems, infrared systems, and other such systems well known in the art.
Therefore, while the invention has been described with respect to several preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that these are set forth merely for purposes of example, and that many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention may be made.
|Cited Patent
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|Mayer Tom G
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|Bunnell William P
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|Chek Paul W
|Cranio-cervical sagittal-alignment caliper and universal measurement system
|Apr 6, 2000
|Nov 6, 2001
|Garrett D. Herzon
|Bipolar handheld nerve locator and evaluator
|May 19, 1992
|Dec 2, 1993
|Wolfgang Brunner
|Detecting surface shape of human or animal body - pressing metal surface on elastically compressible element with displacement and distance sensors against body
|Jan 28, 1994
|Aug 3, 1995
|Nikola Dr Rer Nat Seichert
|Measuring apparatus for profiling contours of human body e.g. human spine
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Sep 5, 2002
|Nov 6, 2007
|Biotonix Inc.
|Method for determining the risk of developing a skeletal condition
|Nov 7, 2005
|Feb 16, 2010
|California Institute Of Technology
|Fingertip tracker
|Jun 22, 2010
|Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
|System for determining a position of a point on an object
|Jul 25, 2012
|Dec 23, 2014
|Kendall Duane Anderson
|Instrument for measuring the posture of a patent
|Sep 5, 2002
|Mar 11, 2004
|"Biotonix Inc."
|Method for determining the risk of developing a skeletal condition
|Mar 11, 2004
|Sep 15, 2005
|Green John M.Ii
|System for determining a position of a point on an object
|Nov 7, 2005
|Jun 15, 2006
|Pearl Michael L
|Fingertip tracker
|Feb 8, 2012
|Aug 9, 2012
|Henrik Malchau
|Patient Positioning Systems and Methods
|Mar 6, 2005
|Dec 13, 2006
|Orthoscan Technologies Ltd.
|An inclination measuring device
|U.S. Classification
|600/594, 600/409, 600/587
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jan 4, 2002
Owner name: ORTHOSCAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., MASSACHUSETTS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SCHEHTMAN, ADI;STURLESI, GIDEON E.;COTER, FLORIN;REEL/FRAME:012443/0577
Effective date: 20011231
|Sep 13, 2006
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Feb 25, 2007
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Apr 24, 2007
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20070225


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Dec 7, 1999
|Filing date
|Oct 6, 1998
|Priority date
|Jul 31, 1997
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|John A. Wegener, Joe K. Hall, Richard C. Emerson
|Original Assignee
|Egs Electrical Group Llc
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (10), Referenced by (10), Classifications (20), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/904,218; filed on Jul. 31, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,591.
The present invention relates to circuit breaker operators and, more specifically, to circuit breaker operators having an integral push to test arrangement and a misalignment indicator.
The use of switches in electrical circuits associated with machinery and other equipment are known in the art. Switches such as circuit breakers typically control the flow of electrical current and may take the form of a toggle switch with a lever that is manually operated between the ON and OFF positions to complete or interrupt the electrical circuit. Such switches are frequently placed in protective enclosures when used in explosive atmospheres (i.e., an environment containing flammable vapors) or otherwise harsh environments. Protective enclosures provide a measure of safety, i.e., by creating a barrier between flaming gases and the personnel operating the switches.
For switches housed in an enclosure, a remote operating device may be utilized to penetrate the enclosure walls and allow the switches to be externally operated. This is often the case for explosion-proof or hazardous location-related enclosures in which an externally operated switch may be required.
Prior art remote operators, however, are limited in their function. They are only capable of turning ON or OFF a single corresponding switch per remote operator. However, in practice, circuits may have coupled thereto a plurality of switches such as a circuit breaker, fault test initiators and so forth. Given the limitations of current remote operators, the additional switches associated with the circuits must either be operated by a person from an internal position in the enclosure (i.e., opening the panel and operating the switch), or a separate remote operator must be incorporated into the enclosure for those additional switches. For the former case, the internal operation of a switch is impractical and especially dangerous for explosion-proof or hazardous location-related enclosures, as described above. For the latter case, the incorporation of additional remote operators into the enclosure increases the overall cost of the system and, more importantly, decreases the overall integrity of the enclosure by requiring additional holes to be drilled into the enclosure.
Accordingly, there is a desire to provide a remote operator that is capable of functioning to operate a toggle switch in a circuit breaker or the like, and concomitantly therewith a push to test switch.
Other problems associated with prior art remote operators also involve the misalignment of the remote operator with respect to the toggle lever, when the panel of the enclosure is in the closed position. For example, during product assembly, installation and maintenance, the door must be opened and the remote operator disengaged with the circuit breaker in either the ON or OFF position. Reclosing the door with a misaligned operator prevents the operator from engaging the breaker toggle, leaving the circuit breaker inoperable. Moreover, the occurrence of a misalignment may not be apparent, particularly in light of the fact that the door is in the closed position thereby preventing a view of the operator and switch.
In addition, misalignment is typically remedied by painstakingly guiding the operator onto a toggle lever (for actuating a switch) as the door closes. This task is performed blindly, requiring the person making the adjustment to do so with the enclosure door closed (i.e., not seeing how the operator mates with the toggle lever).
One approach to remedy the above problem is to employ a remote, self-adjusting operator as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,935 to Mina et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,603 to Bogdanovs et al. Both remote operators automatically move into an aligned position with respect to the toggle lever, when the door to the enclosure is closed. Such devices do not provide or require an indication of a misalignment.
There is a desire to provide an alternative approach to the misalignment problem in which a circuit operator able of indicating a misalignment of the circuit operator with respect to the toggle lever, when the door of the enclosure is in the closed position. There is also a desire to provide a circuit operator that provides a safe and easy method for realigning the circuit operator with the toggle-lever when the door of the enclosure is in the closed position.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit operator that is capable of externally operating multiple switches, i.e., a circuit breaker and fault test switch, maintained in a housing.
It is a further object of the invention to construct the above circuit operator such that fewer holes need to be drilled in the housing, thereby proving a stronger housing that requires less materials and reduces the assembly time of the overall device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a misalignment indicator-which indicates a misalignment of a switch actuator, when a cover of the housing is in the closed position.
It is still yet a further object of the invention to provide a circuit operator-that provides a simple, easy method for realigning the switch actuator, when an openable cover of the housing is in the closed position.
A circuit operator with a push to test arrangement includes a housing. A first switch is mounted in the housing and has a toggle lever pivotably connected thereto so as to place the toggle switch in its on or off state. A second switch is also mounted in the housing and is connected to a push button for initiating tests. A single-switch actuator allows a user to actuate the first switch or the second switch from an exterior of the housing.
The switch actuator preferably includes a plate positioned in the housing and having a first surface and second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface has two feet, preferably in parallel, that extend therefrom to position on opposing sides of the toggle lever of the first switch. The plate further includes a surface portion adjacent to the feet and opposing the second switch. The switch actuator further includes a plate operating mechanism, preferably an external handle coupled to the plate across a shaft that passes through the housing. The plate operating mechanism can be operated externally (i.e., via the handle) to move the plate in a first and second direction (i.e., longitudinal direction) to toggle the toggle lever between the feet and/or in a third and fourth direction (i.e., axial direction), orthogonal to the first and second directions, to trigger the second switch.
As can be appreciated, the present invention allows a manufacturer to produce a housing with fewer holes therein and, thus, capable of having thinner walls. This results in a stronger housing for withstanding explosive pressure, particularly in an industry where minimizing the wall thickness of the housing is very important. The present invention further reduces the cost of the housing by reducing drilling time and assembly time.
The present invention also includes a misalignment feature which indicates a misalignment of the switch actuator, when an openable cover of the housing is in the closed position. A misalignment of the switch actuator occurs when either feet of the plate are in contact with an upper surface of the toggle lever and a cover member of the housing is in the closed position (a MISALIGNED position). This unexpected contiguity forces the plate, to move in the axial direction towards the housing which, in turn, forces the gear and shaft also to move in the axial direction towards the housing. As a result, the externally positioned handle moves away from the housing. The movement of the external handle as well as the distance between the handle and the exterior of the housing indicates the occurrence of a misalignment between the switch actuator and the toggle lever.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a circuit breaker operator in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an actuator plate of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of an actuator plate of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 illustrates a gear in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a position of a handle and shaft of FIG. 1 in a NORMAL position.
FIG. 6 illustrates a position of a handle and shaft of FIG. 1 in a MISALIGNED position.
Referring to FIG. 1, a circuit breaker operator 10 provides a housing having therein multiple switches 25A, 25B such as a circuit breaker and a switch which energizes a ground fault simulation circuit and a switch actuator 11 having an external handle 12 for providing external operation of the multiple switches. Handle 12 can be rotated in either direction to operate a first switch 25A, i.e. a circuit breaker, and moved towards and away from the housing to activate a second switch 25B, i.e., a ground fault simulation circuit.
In particular, circuit breaker operator 10 includes a housing 34 having mounted therein a panel board 32 having a plurality of switches 25 including at least a first switch 25A and/or a second switch 25B. Housing 34 comprises a body portion 35A and an openable cover member 35B for allowing access to an interior of housing 34. Cover member 35B includes an aperture 15 thereon for receiving a portion of a shaft therethrough. Body portion 35A and cover member 35B are made from a suitably strong material, such as cast aluminum, to withstand explosive pressures from within or hazardous environmental conditions. Body portion 35A and cover member 35B can be connected together by hinges or other suitable means.
Circuit breaker 25 has positioned thereon a toggle lever 28 for turning first switch 25A to an ON or OFF state. It is preferred that first switch 25A is a circuit breaker. Circuit breaker 25 further has positioned thereon a push button 30, adjacent to toggle lever 28, for operating second switch 25B which preferably initiates a fault test. It is preferred that second switch 25B is a switch for a test circuit such as a ground fault interrupt (GFI) simulator (not shown). The ground fault simulation circuit (not shown), when activated, causes first switch 25A to trip. Although FIG. 1 only describes two switches, panel board 32 may include a plurality of switches for operating various circuits contained therein. In fact, panel board 32 must not necessarily be present for this plurality of switches to be present and functional.
Circuit operator 10 further includes a switch actuator 11 for operating both toggle lever 28 and push button 30. Switch actuator 11 includes a handle 12 located on an exterior of cover member 35B, a plate 18 having a first surface 19A and a second surface 19B (FIGS. 1 and 3) opposite first surface 19A, and a shaft 16 having a portion passing through aperture 15 and connected between handle 12 and first surface 19A of plate 18 by way of a gear 20. Shaft 16 is connected to first surface 19A of plate 18 by way of gear 20 such that rotational movement of handle 12 is translated into longitudinal movement of plate 18 and axial movement of handle 12, i.e. towards and away from housing 12, moves plate 18 towards and away from circuit breaker 25. Handle 12 can thus be rotated in either direction to move plate 18 in the longitudinal directions and moved in the axial directions (i.e., towards and away from housing 12) to move plate 18, likewise, in a corresponding axial direction.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, second surface 19B of plate 18 has extending therefrom a first foot 24A and a second foot 24B, preferably substantially parallel to each other. There is provided between feet 24A, 24B a space 36 for receiving therein toggle lever 28, when cover member 35B is in the closed position. When the cover member is in the closed position and the toggle lever is positioned between feet 24A, 24B (hereinafter the NORMAL position of switch actuator 11), handle 12 can be rotated to cause plate 18 to move in a first or second longitudinal direction, thereby causing either foot 24A or 24B to contact toggle lever and toggle lever 28 to an ON or OFF state.
On second surface 19B of plate 18, there is also provided a contact surface 26, adjacent to foot 24B. When cover member 35B is in the closed position, contact surface 26 is positioned over push button 30. Handle 12 can be moved towards housing 34 to cause contact surface 26 to press against push button 30, thereby actuating second switch 25B. The actuation of second switch 25B activates a test circuit which simulates a ground fault and trips first switch 25A. Note that contact surface 26 can be positioned adjacent to either feet 24A, 24B depending on the location of push button 30.
Referring to FIG. 2, first surface 19A of plate 18 includes a gear rack 44 having a plurality of gear teeth 46 and an extending structure 48, opposite gear rack 44 and having a lip extending therefrom. A space 52 is provided between extending structure 48 and gear rack 44 for receiving gear 20 therein. As shown in FIG. 4, gear 20 includes a centrally positioned hole 62 for connecting to shaft 16 and a plurality of gear teeth 60 radially extending from a portion 64 of gear 20. When gear 20 is positioned in space 52 of plate 18, gear teeth 60 of gear 20 meshes with gear teeth 46 of gear rack 44 and lip 50 is positioned above gear 20, preferably over an edge of the gear, to movably secure the shaft assembly., i.e., the gear, shaft and handle, to plate 18. The above gear system converts rotational movement of shaft 16 and connected gear 20 to translational or linear movement of plate 18 in the longitudinal directions.
Plate 18 further includes a longitudinal slot 42 between first and second surfaces 19A, 19B, also shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pin 22 connected to an interior surface of cover member 35B is positioned in slot 42 to keep plate 18 moving in the longitudinal and/or axial (to the shaft and pin) directions. It should be noted that pin 22 and plate 18 remain free from each other except for the limited travel allowed by longitudinal slot 42 in plate 18 and the travel afforded by a first spring 14A. By limiting travel along the longitudinal direction, t he task of realigning switch actuator 11, in the case of misalignment, is made simple and easy. That is to say, the range of the longitudinal movement of plate 18 can be preset so as to require less experimentation or play to realign plate 18 with toggle lever 28.
Referring again to FIG. 1, circuit operator 10 also includes a first compression spring 14A positioned around shaft 16 and between handle 12 and cover member 35B of housing 34. First spring 14A allows switch actuator 11 to return to the NORMAL position after handle 12 is pushed in an axial direction towards housing 34 to operate second switch 25B (i.e., the push to test feature). First spring 14A similar to longitudinal slot 42 of plate 18 (FIG. 2) limits movement along the axial direction and, likewise, simplifies the task of realigning switch actuator 11. In the interior of housing 34 (FIG. 1), there is also provided a second compression spring 14B positioned around shaft 16 and between an interior surface of cover member 35B of housing 34 and gear 20. Second spring 14B allows switch actuator 11 (i.e., the shaft assembly including handle, shaft and plate) to return to the NORMAL position if actuator 11 is realigned with toggle lever 28 of first switch 25A.
Provided herein is an example of an operation of the multi-switching function of the present invention. Initially, when cover member 35B is in the closed position, handle 12 may be used to operate externally either toggle lever 28 (i.e., the circuit breaker) or push button 30 (i.e., GFI switch). The former can be performed, for instance, by turning or rotating handle 12 in such a manner as to cause gear 20, within housing 34 and attached to handle 12 across shaft 16, to turn and engage gear rack 44 of plate 18. The rotation of gear 20 in turn is translated by gear rack 44 into a corresponding longitudinal or linear movement of plate 18. Therefore, if toggle lever 28 is in the ON position and handle 12 is turned toward the OFF position, plate 18 would be translated in such a manner to cause feet 24A, 24B of plate 18 to push toggle lever 28 of first switch 25A (i.e., circuit breaker) toward the OFF position and vice-versa.
Although switch actuator 11 and plate 18 are arranged with respect to a front panel or cover 35B as described above and shown in FIG. 1, switch actuator 11 and plate 18 may also be arranged with respect to a side panel or cover of housing 34 to operate toggle lever 28 and push button 30. In this case, handle 12 can be rotated to operate push button 30 or pushed and pulled to operate toggle lever 28.
When a GFI breaker is in the ON position, pushing handle 12 causes shaft 16 to move in the axial direction (along the axis of shaft 16) further into housing 34, spring 14A to be compressed and surface 19B of plate 18 to be moved towards push button 30. Surface portion 26 of plate 18 contacts push button 30 of second switch 25B (i.e., GFI switch) and activates a test circuit that trips first switch 25A, the circuit breaker. As this occurs, toggle lever 28 moves from the ON position to the TRIPPED position. The movement of toggle lever 28 exerts a force in the linear direction on plate 18, thereby causing plate 18 to move in the linear direction (along an axis of plate 18). The movement of plate 18, in turn, causes gear 20 to turn, via gear rack 44, and then shaft 16 to turn. The turning shaft causes handle 12 to turn and to indicate a new position of switch 25A. In this way, the position of toggle lever 28, i.,e., ON, TRIPPED or OFF state, is indicated by the external positioning of handle 12. Note that when handle 12 is released by the person operating switch actuator 11, compression spring 14A discharges and axially moves shaft 16 and components thereon (i.e., the components of switch actuator 11) towards the outside of housing 34, and to the NORMAL position.
Although switch 25A can be manually tripped by pushing handle 12 to activate a fault test, via push button 30, much of the operation described above would be the same if switch 25A tripped on its own accord.
Another feature of the present invention is the misalignment indicator, an example of which is provided below. Misalignment of plate 18 with toggle lever 28 may sometimes occur when cover member 35B of housing 12 is closed. In particular, this occurs where either foot 24A or 24B of plate 18 contacts an upper surface of toggle lever 28 (the MISALIGNED position), instead of being positioned on opposite sides of toggle lever 28 (the NORMAL position). This unexpected contiguity forces plate 18 to move in the axial direction towards housing 34 which, in turn, forces gear 20 and shaft 16 also to move in the axial direction towards housing 34. As a result, handle 12 moves away from housing 34 and compresses second spring 14B against the internal surface of housing 12. The movement of handle 12 as well as the distance between handle 12 and the exterior of housing 34 indicates the occurrence of a misalignment between switch actuator 11 and toggle lever 28.
In the event that switch actuator 11 is misaligned with toggle lever 28, switch actuator 11 can be simply and easily realigned by turning handle 12 in either directions. The longitudinal and axial movement of plate 18 are respectively limited by longitudinal slot 42 and pin 22, and first spring 14A. As previously discussed, the range of motion can be limited so that less experimentation is required to realign switch actuator 11 (particularly feet 24A, 24B of plate 18) with toggle lever 28. When switch actuator 11 is realigned with toggle lever 28, second spring 14B discharges and moves actuator 11 back to a normal position, i.e., handle 12 and shaft 16 moves back towards housing 34. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, actuator 11 can be simply and easily realigned without reopening cover member 35B or requiring cumbersome and time-consuming experimentation.
The invention having thus been described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Aug 7, 1973
|Mar 25, 1975
|Siemens Ag
|Switch position indicator for electromagnetic switchgear
|Jun 25, 1979
|Aug 4, 1981
|Merlin Gerin
|Ground fault circuit interrupting device
|Jan 21, 1982
|Oct 11, 1983
|Westinghouse Electric Corp.
|Ground fault circuit interrupter with a unified test and reset switch mechanism
|Nov 14, 1990
|May 5, 1992
|Cooper Industries, Inc.
|Operating mechanism for throwing toggle switches
|Oct 15, 1991
|Jan 19, 1993
|Delco Electronics Corporation
|Pushbutton rotary switch
|Jul 12, 1991
|Jun 15, 1993
|Westinghouse Electric Corp.
|Lockable rotary handle operator for circuit breaker
|Apr 22, 1993
|Feb 15, 1994
|Appleton Electric Company
|Self-locating, prepositioning actuator for an electrical switch enclosure
|Aug 4, 1994
|Feb 20, 1996
|Eaton Corporation
|Door release for circuit interrupter rotary handle mechanism
|Oct 21, 1994
|Nov 26, 1996
|Cooper Industries, Inc.
|Remote, self-adjusting operator for an electrical enclosure
|Jul 31, 1997
|Jan 19, 1999
|Gseg Llc
|Circuit breaker operator which actuates toggle and push button switches and has a misalignment indicator
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Feb 11, 2004
|Sep 28, 2004
|Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
|Extended rotary handle operator
|Dec 20, 2004
|Oct 17, 2006
|Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
|Computer bezel
|Jan 31, 2012
|Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
|Two pole circuit breaker voltage monitoring integration
|Nov 24, 2008
|Feb 11, 2014
|Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
|Improper voltage detection for electronic circuit breaker
|Mar 8, 2012
|May 27, 2014
|Ericson Manufacturing Co.
|Electrical enclosure
|Dec 20, 2011
|Jun 17, 2014
|Cooper Technologies Company
|Actuating multiple features of a device located in an explosion-proof enclosure
|Dec 20, 2004
|Oct 20, 2005
|Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
|Computer bezel
|Nov 24, 2008
|May 27, 2010
|Square D Company - Schneider Electric
|Two Pole Circuit Breaker Voltage Monitoring Integration
|Nov 24, 2008
|May 27, 2010
|Square D Company-Schneider Electric
|Improper Voltage Detection for Electronic Circuit Breaker
|Dec 20, 2011
|Jun 28, 2012
|Joseph Michael Manahan
|Actuating multiple features of a device located in an explosion-proof enclosure
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Oct 6, 1998
Owner name: EGS ELECTRICAL GROUP LLC, ILLINOIS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:WEGENER, JOHN A.;HALL, JOE K.;EMERSON, RICHARD C.;REEL/FRAME:009510/0621
Effective date: 19981005
|Apr 1, 2003
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 7, 2007
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jul 11, 2011
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Dec 7, 2011
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Jan 24, 2012
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20111207


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144. Cast Magnesium Safety Components - Energy Absorption Capacity
- Prof. Dr. K. U. Kainer
Published Online: 22 APR 2005
DOI: 10.1002/3527603565.ch144
Copyright © 2004 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA
Book Title
Magnesium: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications
Additional Information
How to Cite
Dørum, C., Hopperstad, O.S., Lademo, O.-G., Langseth, M. and Sannes, S. (2003) Cast Magnesium Safety Components - Energy Absorption Capacity, in Magnesium: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications (ed K. U. Kainer), Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim, FRG. doi: 10.1002/3527603565.ch144
Editor Information
GKSS-Forschungszentrum, Institut für Werkstoffforschung, Max-Planck-Straße, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
Publication History
- Published Online: 22 APR 2005
- Published Print: 27 NOV 2003
ISBN Information
Print ISBN: 9783527309757
Online ISBN: 9783527603565
- Summary
- Chapter
- cast magnesium safety components;
- energy absorption capacity;
- high pressure die casting (HPDC)
Growing concerns for economy, environment and functionality have led to increased use of light-metals in the load carrying structure and safety components of cars. With High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) of magnesium and aluminium alloys, components with very complex, thin-walled geometry, like instrument panels, A and B pillars and front end structures, can be cast with a high production rate. The challenge with HPDC is to optimise the process parameters with respect to the part design and the solidification characteristics of the alloy in order to obtain a sound casting without casting defects. Unbalanced filling and lack of thermal control can cause porosity and surface defects due to turbulence and solidification shrinkage. These defects can give low ductility compared to for instance extruded materials.
To explore the possibilities for energy absorption in HPDC magnesium alloys, it was decided to investigate a different energy absorption principle, namely bolt shearing. In the automotive industry, this generic mechanism is already in use in extruded crash-boxes, but has not yet been utilised with respect to cast components.


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