Month: July 2023

Medical equipment has always been representative of high-value products in the field of medical devices,especially devices like CT scanners. Like other industrial sectors, the medical device industry also relies on the support of numerous downstream industries. JINPAT,as a specialized slip ring manufacturer, is part of the medical device industry chain and has the ability to provide corresponding slip rings for various medical equipment with different functions.

JINPAT has developed multiple types of slip rings for medical equipment. Apart from the large through-hole pancake slip rings with a diameter exceeding 1200mm developed for CT scanners, the rest of the slip rings are categorized as medium and small-sized products. Among the seproducts, the capsule series slip rings are the mainstay, with only a few models belonging to the hollow shaft series. Whether capsule slip rings or hollow shaft slip rings, these products developed for medical equipment are primarily customized models. To meet the stability requirements of medical equipment, these slip rings use gold-to-gold contacts and have been optimized in certain performance aspects.

In some specialized medical equipment with unique functions, centrifuges or other high-speed systems are integrated, and the slip rings associated with these components are mostly high-speed products.Since the rotational speed of these components generally exceeds 500rpm,standard slip rings have a design speed limit of 300rpm, which is insufficient to meet the requirements. In order to address the needs of the medical industry and similar fields, JINPAT has developed the LPC/LPM-YS series of capsule standard slip rings. This series of products has a design speed of up to2000rpm, meeting the requirements of the majority of medical or other high-end instrument equipment available on the market.

Compared to the capsule slip rings with an outer diameter of 22mm, hollow shaft slip rings have much larger copper ring diameters, which limits the transmission of certain special signals. However,this limitation is not significant in the field of medical equipment, as the most commonly used hollow shaft slip rings have a bore size of 12.7mm, and common signals in medical instruments such as USB 2.0, Ethernet, and pulse signals can be transmitted within this bore size. Hollow shaft slip rings also have an advantage in that the center through-hole can be utilized, and it can become an optoelectronic integrated slip ring after installing fiber optic slip rings. In many slip ring cases developed by JINPAT for medical equipment, there are also products with integrated single-channel fiber optic slip rings.

With the advancement of technology, various functional robots have also entered the field of medical care, such as surgical robots and rehabilitation robots. Many slip ring technologies in these medical robots come from the industrial robot field. As a leading technology provider in the industrial robot slip ring field, JINPAT naturally has the capability to provide slip rings for medical robots. In addition to these two types of robots, there is also a category of endoscope-equipped medical inspection robots with slip rings. Some of these robots have endoscope lenses designed as fully movable structures capable of 360° rotation for viewing and illumination.The slip rings used in these endoscopes must be the LPMS ultra-miniature slip rings with a diameter of 5.5-6.5mm provided by JINPAT.

Machine vision methods are widely applied in detection tasks during the machining process, such as indexing fixture angle measurement, gear profile inspection, crankshaft processing, headphone jack manufacturing, intelligent grinding, and CNC machine tool automatic tool alignment.In earlier years, traditional manual lathe machining of conductive slip ring copper rings had many drawbacks. Therefore, the introduction of machine vision methods in the manufacturing and inspection of conductive slip ring copper rings not only ensures higher accuracy and efficiency but also avoids the subjectivity and individual differences associated with manual inspection.

To address the challenges faced during the machining process of precise conductive slip ring grooves, a positioning solution based on image measurement and analysis principles has been proposed.This solution utilizes machine vision methods to obtain the cutting position for each pass and ultimately generates the G-code required for machine tool processing, achieving the automation of precise conductive slip ring groove machining. As a method for automation in the process of conductive slip ring manufacturing, machine vision measurement technology demonstrates rationality and scientific basis but also complexity. The following analysis delves into this issue.

The process of measuring and machining conductive slip ring grooves within the machine involves several cumbersomesteps. The specific process is as follows: 1) Mount the precise conductive slip ring onto the lathe. 2) Install the measuring head on the machine tool and position it at the initial location. 3) Capture four sets of images at the initial position of the slip ring, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively. 4)Process each set of images and calculate the average values of the four sets of data. 5) Based on the measurement results and the machine tool’s movement mode,calculate the machining position of the groove and generate the corresponding G-code. 6) Remove the measuring head, install the machining tool, and run themeasurement G-code for machining.

To ensure precise measurement and control of conductive slip ring groove machining using machine vision measurement systems, a complex hardware setup is required. This setup includes industrial cameras, dual-telecentric lenses, lighting sources, mechanical structures, and measurement fixtures, among others. Undoubtedly, this increases costs, and the complexity of the system also introduces risks of reduced stability. Therefore,when applying machine vision measurement technology, it is necessary to enhance its reliability and ensure long-term stable operation before deployment, which inevitably adds to the costs. However, in the current context, intelligent high-end machine tools have been widely adopted in the field of mechanical machining. For the processing of conductive slip ring copper rings, complex machine vision measurement technology is generally no longer required.

As a leading international manufacturer of slip rings, JINPAT has the capability to develop slip rings for all types of precision medical equipment, making it a promising supplier of slip ring solutions for precision medical devices. Compared to other fields ofelectromechanical equipment, slip rings for precision medical instruments have their own unique characteristics. Based on years of experience providing product solutions to upstream manufacturers, JINPAT can classify these slip rings according to their product features and application terminals.

Slip rings for medical equipment are highly customized in the technical field. Based on the characteristics of slip ring products, common slip rings for medical equipment can be classified into three major categories: high-speed slip rings, super miniature slip rings, and fiber optic slip rings.

Firstly, high-speed slip rings for medical equipment include the most representative product, the pulse signal slip ring. JINPAT offers pulse signal slip rings with a limited number of channels, but the rotational speed is typically above 1000rpm, with a maximum speed of up to5000rpm. JINPAT has successfully mass-produced high-speed slip rings with speeds of up to 20,000rpm, making it almost effortless to handle medical equipment slip rings below 5000rpm.

Next, super miniature slip rings are acategory that JINPAT specializes in. The LPMS series slip rings have a minimum diameter of only 5.5mm and even possess the technology for 4.5mm diameter slip rings. This ultra-small diameter allows them to be installed in extremely compact capsule endoscopes and other small-scale medical instruments. A typical application is in self-built small rodent electroencephalogram recording devices in biological laboratories. The standard models of LPMS series products support the mixed transmission of power and signals, and for products with multiple channels, they also support the integration of signals such as SDI,USB 2.0, and Gigabit Ethernet, meeting the demands of the market for miniaturization and micro-sizing of certain special medical devices.

Lastly, there are fiber optic slip rings and optoelectronic integrated slip rings. JINPAT has developed various types of fiber optic slip rings. The demand for fiber optic slip rings in medical equipment mainly focuses on single-channel slip rings. JINPAT has developed multiple types of single-channel fiber optic slip rings in different shapes,fully meeting the needs of the current market for independent installation or integrated use of medical equipment. In addition to standalone usage, fiber optic slip rings are often integrated with JINPAT various small to medium-sized high-speed conductive slip rings. For example, larger diameter products likeLPFO-01G can be integrated into the LPT series, while models such as LPFO-01A/C can be fully integrated into the LPC-T series capsule slip rings with through-holes.Compared to optoelectronic integrated slip rings from other manufacturers, JINPAT similar products have advantages in terms of electrical and mechanical performance, cost control, and delivery lead time.

In the field of medical devices, Disease detection and biological analysis instruments are important equipment in hospital departments. These devices extensively utilize slip rings as key components.Particularly in instruments that require high-speed rotation, slip rings play a critical role in achieving the desired state of the tested substance for accurate detection results. Therefore, high-speed slip rings have become an indispensable part of medical devices. JINPAT offers a variety of high-speed slip rings to meet the requirements of these medical devices.

One noteworthy example is the LPT012B-01S,a compact through-hole high-speed slip ring that has evolved from the JINPAT high-speed standard slip ring, LPT012B-0602. This model is designed to achieve a maximum speed of 2000rpm and utilizes RG178 coaxial cable for transmitting video signals. By replacing the cable with RF coaxial cable, it can also be used for pulse signal transmission. Due to the significant market demand for pulse signals, JINPAT has not only provided the LPT012B as a small hollow shaft high-speed slip ring but also developed the LPM-YS and LPC-YS series of high-speed standard slip rings.

All models in this capsule slip rings family feature a metal housing with a design speed of 1000rpm and a maximum designed service life of 50 million rpm. Additionally, this series of products can be customized to meet the specific needs of the medical equipment industry,including various signal types and higher rotational speeds. Furthermore, the electrical performance, including the dynamic resistance fluctuation value throughout the entire service life, has been optimized to cater to the requirements of the medical device industry.

High-speed slip rings suitable for medical devices possess several key characteristics. Firstly, they exhibit excellent high-speed capabilities, enabling stable operation within medical equipment to meet the demands of high-speed rotation. Secondly, these slip rings are designed to be low-noise and low-vibration, ensuring smooth operation of the equipment and precise and accurate detection. Moreover, they offer reliability,durability, and prolonged stability, resulting in an extended service life.Additionally, high-speed slip rings enable reliable transmission of various signals, such as video signals and pulse signals, to fulfill the functional requirements of medical devices.

Slip ring technology in medical devices exhibits distinct characteristics based on their respective functionalities. Let’s start by examining diagnostic and analytical medical devices. As a vital component within medical equipment, CT scanners represent a pinnacle of advanced technology. Even within the CT system, slip rings are utilized. To validate slip ring technology in CT scanners, JINPAT has developed large-scaleseparate-structure pancake slip rings. These slip rings, such as the LPKS820-0315model, feature a through-hole diameter of 820mm, an outer diameter of 1269mm,and integrate three 15A current paths utilizing carbon brush friction pairs.These slip rings require no regular maintenance and possess excellent resistance to shock and vibration.

 

Alternatively, if needed, pancake slip rings used in CT scanners can be designed as integral structures. However, due to the CT scanner’s maximum rotational speed of 300rpm, the linear velocity requirement for the corresponding pancake slip ring is 20m/s. This presents a challenging task in designing pancake slip rings for CT scanners, demanding high levels of engineering precision and manufacturing capabilities from slip ring manufacturers. Consequently, the distinguishing characteristics of CT slip rings can be summarized as structurally simple yet demanding high levels of precision in processing and design.

 

In the medical device market, numerous cosmetic and physiotherapy devices serve different functions. Compared to high-tech and high-value CT scanners, these devices exhibit relatively simple structures and functionalities. Despite their relatively lower product value, they still require the utilization of slip rings. JINPAT provides several product examples for these medical devices with lower technological barriers, mainly focusing on the LPC, LPM, and LPMS series products featuring fewer current paths. The capsule slip rings from JINPAT adopt gold-to-gold friction pairs, offering compact size, excellent electromechanical performance, and customization options to support various signals or other additional requirements.

 

In addition to medical devices with diverse functionalities, important equipment in the operating room is the surgical shadowless lamp. To assist surgeons in performing better operations, many shadowless lamps are designed with a 360° rotation mechanism, requiring the installation of slip rings. As a pioneering slip ring manufacturer, JINPAT has specifically developed two types of slip ring structures for shadowless lamps. One type is the plug-and-play slip ring, while the other is the separate-structure slip ring. The separate-structure products utilize a combination of carbon brushes and spring contacts, with carbon brushes employed for current paths of ≥10A and spring contacts utilized for small currents or signal paths of 2A. The plug-and-playslip rings feature compact size, small installation space requirements, a lifespan of up to 200,000 insertions and withdrawals, and support for customized high-speed data signals, HD/3G-SDI signals, control signals, and more.