Magnetic-controlled quick connection interfaces

Abstract

An electromagnetic locking mechanism can include a base unit having a base interface with a base locking member, and an imaging unit having an imaging interface with an imaging locking member that is configured to mate with the base locking member. One of the base unit or imaging unit has a locking circuit with a switch. When the switch is on, the circuit is complete and one of the base locking member and imaging locking member is an electromagnetic member and the other is a magnetically responsive member. Alternatively when the switch is off, the circuit is incomplete and neither the base locking member nor imaging locking member is the electromagnetic member. One of the base interface or imaging interface has a magnetic member or magnetically responsive member that switches the switch on when the base interface is sufficiently close to the imaging interface.

1 . An electromagnetic locking mechanism comprising:
 a base unit having a base interface with a base locking member; and   an imaging unit having an imaging interface with an imaging locking member that is configured to mate with the base locking member;   one of the base unit or imaging unit has a locking circuit with a switch,   when the switch is on, the circuit is complete and one of the base locking member or imaging locking member is an electromagnetic member and the other is a magnetically responsive member, or   when the switch is off, the circuit is incomplete and neither the base locking member nor imaging locking member is the electromagnetic member; and   one of the base interface or imaging interface has a magnetic member or magnetically responsive member that switches the switch on when the base interface is sufficiently close to the imaging interface.   
     
     
         2 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is magnetically responsive and the other of the base interface or imaging interface without the switch has the magnetic member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         3 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is magnetic and the other of the base interface or imaging interface without the switch has the magnetically responsive member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         4 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is magnetically responsive and located on the base and the imaging interface has the magnetic member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         5 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is magnetic and located on the base and the imaging interface has the magnetically responsive member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         6 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the imaging locking member includes the magnetically responsive member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         7 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the imaging locking member is magnetically responsive and separate from the magnetic member that switches the switch. 
     
     
         8 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the base locking member is a female member and the imaging locking member is a corresponding male member that fits in the female member. 
     
     
         9 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging locking member is a female member and the base locking member is a corresponding male member that fits in the female member. 
     
     
         10 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , the base interface and imaging interface each further comprising alignment features that cooperate for aligning the base interface with the imaging interface. 
     
     
         11 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , the base unit including:
 a tip force determination module; and   an electromagnetic engagement force module; and   the imaging unit including:   a tip force module.   
     
     
         12 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein when the base unit is operably coupled with the imaging unit, the tip force module is configured to provide tip force data to the tip force determination module, the tip force determination module is configured to determine the maximum force of the tip and provide maximum tip force data to the electromagnetic engagement force module, the electromagnetic engagement force is then configured to modulate electromagnetic engagement forces to electromagnetically couple members of the reusable base and disposable imaging unit. 
     
     
         13 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 12 , wherein the base locking member and image locking member are the electromagnetic coupling members. 
     
     
         14 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the base locking member or image locking member that is magnetically responsive has one or more pin recesses containing magnetically responsive pins and the other of the base locking member or image locking member that is electromagnetic when the switch is on has one or more receiver recesses that align with the pin recesses when the base locking member and image locking member are mated. 
     
     
         15 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the magnetically responsive pins are retained in the one or more pin recesses when the switch is off; and   the magnetically responsive pins protrude from the one or more pin recesses into the one or more receiver recesses when the switch is on.   
     
     
         16 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 11 , comprising changing electromagnetic force as a function of measured tip force. 
     
     
         17 . An imaging system comprising:
 a base unit comprising:
 a housing; 
 a system control module located in the housing; 
 a main interface on the housing, the main interface including a plurality of main electrical connectors operably coupled with the system control module and includes one or more main mechanical connectors; 
 one or more main alignment features on the main interface; 
 a mechanical system located in the housing and mechanically coupled with the one or more main mechanical connectors; and 
 a mechanical activating member mechanically coupled with the mechanical system; and 
   one or more imaging units each being configured to be removably coupled to the base unit, the imaging unit comprising:
 an elongate support member having a proximal end, a proximal section, a bendable/deformable section, and a distal end; 
 an imaging interface on the proximal end of the elongate support member, the imaging interface including a plurality of imaging electrical connectors that correspond and connect with the main electrical connectors of the main interface and includes one or more imaging mechanical connectors that correspond and connect with main mechanical connectors of the main interface; 
 one or more imaging alignment features on the imaging interface that are configured to align the imaging interface with the main interface when the one or more imaging alignment features align with the one or more main alignment features; 
 one or more mechanical actuators each having a proximal end mechanically coupled with the one or more imaging mechanical connectors and extending from the imaging interface along the elongate support member to a distal region of the bendable/deformable section with is coupled to a distal end of the mechanical actuator; and 
 a plurality of electrically conductive elements electronically coupled with the imaging electrical connectors and disposed within the elongate support member and extending from the imaging interface to an imaging module located in the distal end of the elongate support member. 
   
     
     
         18 . The imaging system of  claim 17 , comprising an electromagnetic locking mechanism that includes:
 the main interface having a base locking member; and   the one or more imaging units having an imaging interface with an imaging locking member that is configured to mate with the base locking member;   one of the base unit or imaging unit has a locking circuit with a switch,   when the switch is on, the circuit is complete and one of the base locking member or imaging locking member is an electromagnetic member and the other is a magnetically responsive member, or   when the switch is off, the circuit is incomplete and neither the base locking member nor imaging locking member is the electromagnetic member;   one of the base interface or imaging interface has a magnetic member or magnetically responsive member that switches the switch on when the base interface is sufficiently close to the imaging interface.   
     
     
         19 . An electromagnetic locking mechanism comprising:
 a base unit having a base interface with a base locking member; and   an imaging unit having an imaging interface with an imaging locking member that is configured to mate with the base locking member;   wherein one of the base locking member or image locking member is magnetically responsive and has one or more pin recesses containing magnetically responsive pins and the other of the base locking member or image locking member is configured to be electromagnetic and has one or more receiver recesses that align with the pin recesses when the base locking member and image locking member are mated.   
     
     
         20 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the magnetically responsive pins are retained in the one or more pin recesses when neither the base locking member nor image locking member are electromagnetic; and   the magnetically responsive pins protrude from the one or more pin recesses into the one or more receiver recesses when the base locking member or image locking member is electromagnetic.   
     
     
         21 . The electromagnetic locking mechanism of  claim 20 , wherein one of the base unit or imaging unit has a locking circuit with a switch,
 when the switch is on, the circuit is complete and one of the base locking member or imaging locking member is an electromagnetic member and the other is a magnetically responsive member, or   when the switch is off, the circuit is incomplete and neither the base locking member nor imaging locking member is the electromagnetic member;   one of the base interface or imaging interface has a magnetic member or magnetically responsive member that switches the switch on when the base interface is sufficiently close to the imaging interface.   
     
     
         22 . An imaging system comprising:
 a base unit comprising:
 a housing; 
 a system control module located in the housing; 
 a tip force determination module located in the housing; 
 electromagnetic engagement force module located in the housing; 
 a main interface on the housing, the main interface including a plurality of main electrical connectors operably coupled with the system control module and includes one or more main mechanical connectors; 
 a mechanical system located in the housing and mechanically coupled with the one or more main mechanical connectors; and 
 a mechanical activating member mechanically coupled with the mechanical system; and 
   one or more imaging units each being configured to be removably coupled to the base unit, the imaging unit comprising:
 an elongate support member having a proximal end, a proximal section, a bendable/deformable section, and a distal end; 
 a tip force module located in the support member; 
 an imaging interface on the proximal end of the elongate support member, the imaging interface including a plurality of imaging electrical connectors that correspond and connect with the main electrical connectors of the main interface and includes one or more imaging mechanical connectors that correspond and connect with main mechanical connectors of the main interface; 
 one or more mechanical actuators each having a proximal end mechanically coupled with the one or more imaging mechanical connectors and extending from the imaging interface along the elongate support member to a distal region of the bendable/deformable section which is coupled to a distal end of the mechanical actuator; and 
 a plurality of electrically conductive elements electronically coupled with the imaging electrical connectors and disposed within the elongate support member and extending from the imaging interface to an imaging module located in the distal end of the elongate support member. 
   
     
     
         23 . The imaging system of  claim 22 , wherein when the base unit is operably coupled with one of the imaging units, the tip force module is configured to provide tip force data to the tip force determination module, the tip force determination module is configured to determine the maximum force of the tip and provide maximum tip force data to the electromagnetic engagement force module, the electromagnetic engagement force is then configured to modulate electromagnetic engagement forces to electromagnetically couple members of the reusable base and disposable imaging unit. 
     
     
         24 . The imaging system of  claim 23 , the base unit comprising an electromagnetic engagement force adjustment module configured to adjust the tip force.