JP2004305603A - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To offer a probe holder with which a mutual intertwinement of cables of ultrasonic probes to hold does not take place in ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A probe holder structure comprises a mounting footing 26 and a support 24, which are anchored to the operation console 12 of the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, and a rotation holder section 22 rotatably arranged centering around a shaft part 242 projected onto the center of this support 24. Two or more pocket sections 222 holding ultrasonic probes 120 are formed in the rotation holder section 22. Only when a slit 224 on the side part of the pocket section 222 comes to the position of the slit 254 of the support 24, the cable 122 of the ultrasonic probe 120 can be passed through slits 224 and 254, and the ultrasonic probe 120 can be successfully accommodated in the pocket section 222. If the ultrasonic probe 120 is removed from the pocket section 222, the rotation holder section 22 is locked in relation to the support 24 and cannot rotate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a holder mechanism for holding an ultrasonic probe.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing a state around a console of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. As shown in this figure, generally in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a console 12 is provided on the front side of a display device 10 for displaying a diagnostic image, and a probe holder 110 is provided along a side of the console 12. Have been. The probe holder 110 is provided with a plurality (three in the illustrated example) of pocket portions 112 for accommodating an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe 120 has a cable 122, and the other end of the cable 122 is connected to an arithmetic processing unit (not shown) of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body below the display device 10. A slit 114 is provided on the side of the pocket portion 112 of the probe holder 110 so that the cable 122 can be passed when the ultrasonic probe 120 is inserted into the pocket portion 112.
[0003]
In medical examination using an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, diagnosis is often performed while replacing different types of ultrasonic probes 120.
[0004]
For example, a plurality of ultrasonic probes 120 may be connected in a number smaller than the number of pocket portions 112 of the probe holder 110 in some cases. In such a case, the user can hang the used ultrasonic probe 120 on the empty pocket portion 112 of the probe holder 110. Therefore, the used ultrasonic probe 120 is not always returned to the pocket 112 taken out. The pocket 112 may be returned to a pocket other than the pocket 112 taken out.
[0005]
Further, the ultrasonic probe 120 may be connected to all of the pocket portions 112 of the probe holder 110, but even in such a case, the used ultrasonic probe 120 is placed on the taken out pocket portion 112 before being taken out. In addition, another ultrasonic probe 120 to be used from now on is often taken out of the pocket portion 112 and hung the used ultrasonic probe 120 on the pocket portion 112 in many cases.
[0006]
As described above, while the diagnosis is repeated, the arrangement order of the ultrasonic probes 112 on the probe holder 111 is complicatedly changed, and the cables 122 are entangled. In such a case, the operation of the ultrasonic probe 120 becomes difficult, so that an operation of untangling the cables is required, which is inconvenient.
[0007]
As a technique proposed to solve such a problem, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1. According to this technology, "providing the guide 22b corresponding to the connector 31 on the probe holder 22 on which the probe 30 is mounted determines the mounting position of the probe and prevents the cable 30a from becoming entangled."
[0008]
However, as a cause of the entanglement between the cables, there is a part due to a handling error that does not return the used ultrasonic probe to a predetermined position to be held, and it seems that this point is not sufficiently solved.
[0009]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-28705
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has the same purpose as that of the above-mentioned publication in providing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of holding a plurality of ultrasonic probes without entanglement between cables.
[0011]
However, the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a probe holder which is a mechanism completely different from the mechanism disclosed in the above-mentioned gazette and which is configured by an extremely simple mechanism.
[0012]
Further, the present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a probe holder that prevents entanglement between cables due to mishandling that does not return to a predetermined position to be held.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and a plurality of holding units that are rotatably supported with respect to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body and hold an ultrasonic probe. Is rotatable to a predetermined attachment / detachment position, and only when the holding unit is located at the attachment / detachment position, is a rotary holder unit configured to attach / detach an ultrasonic probe to / from the holding unit; A rotation suppressing unit that suppresses a rotation operation of the rotation holder unit when the ultrasonic probe is not held by the holding unit.
[0014]
With this configuration, the ultrasonic probe can be held by the holding unit or removed from the holding unit only when the holding unit is at the attachment / detachment position. In addition, when the ultrasonic probe is taken out of the holding unit at the attachment / detachment position, the rotation suppressing unit prevents the rotation holder unit from rotating with respect to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.
[0015]
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the rotation suppressing section is attached to a position corresponding to the attachment / detachment position of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and engages with an engagement section provided on each of the holding sections of the rotation holder section. A locking member that locks the rotation holder portion with respect to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body by joining together, and an elastic member that urges the locking member in a direction to be engaged with the engagement portion. In a state where the ultrasonic probe is not held in the holding portion located at the position, the lock member is engaged with the engagement portion by the urging force of the elastic member, and in the held state, the ultrasonic probe is By pushing the lock member away from the engagement portion, the engagement between the lock member and the engagement portion is released.
[0016]
More preferably, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, when mounted on the holding portion, pushes the lock member in a direction away from the engagement portion, and releases the engagement between the lock member and the engagement portion. Is further provided.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. In this drawing, the display device 10 and the console 12 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus are shown, and the arithmetic processing unit and the like below them are omitted. The operation console 12 is provided with various buttons, a pointing device, and the like, but these are omitted because they are not directly related to the present invention.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a rotary probe holder structure 20 capable of holding a plurality of ultrasonic probes is provided on a side of a console 12 provided in front of a display device 10 for displaying a diagnostic image. Is provided. Unlike the conventional linear probe holder, the probe holder structure 20 is rotatable in a horizontal plane in a direction indicated by an arrow A in the figure.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a configuration of the probe holder structure 20 and an attachment structure of the probe holder structure 20 to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2, the probe holder structure 20 is roughly composed of a rotary holder 22, a support 24, and a mounting base 26. The mounting base 26 is fixed to the console 12 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body with screws or the like. The support base 24 is fixed to the mounting base 26 with screws or the like. When viewed from above, the support 24 and the mounting base 26 have substantially the same shape. The support 24 is provided with a shaft 242. The rotation holder 22 is rotatably attached to the support base 24 with the shaft 242 as a rotation axis. A plurality (three in this example) of pocket portions 222 for holding the ultrasonic probe 120 are formed on the periphery of the rotary holder portion 22. An arc-shaped concave portion 14 is formed on one side of the console 12 so as to match the shape of the disk-shaped probe holder structure 20.
[0022]
The term “ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body” in the claims includes the console 12, the support base 24, and the mounting base 26 in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the support table 24 is attached and fixed to the operation console 12. However, a structure corresponding to the support table 24 can be integrally formed as a part of the operation console 12.
[0023]
The structure of the probe holder structure 20 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
[0024]
A pocket 222 for accommodating the ultrasonic probe 120 is formed near the outer periphery of the disk-shaped rotary holder 22. In this example, the pocket portion 222 is a depression having a circular cross section. A slit 224 is formed from the bottom surface of the pocket portion 222 to the outer peripheral side surface of the rotary holder portion 22. The width of the slit 224 is wider than the cable 122 of the ultrasonic probe 120, but narrower than the handle of the ultrasonic probe 120 (this portion is accommodated in the pocket 222). Therefore, when the ultrasonic probe 120 is accommodated in the pocket portion 222, the cable 122 can be passed therethrough, and the accommodated ultrasonic probe 120 can be held so as not to come off to the side.
[0025]
A bearing hole 226 is provided in the center of the disk-shaped rotary holder 22 for fitting with the shaft 242 of the support base 24. The bearing hole 226 is formed by a cylindrical bearing wall 230. At the center of the bearing hole 226, a center shaft tube 228 that fits into the center hole 244 of the shaft portion 242 is provided to protrude. The central shaft cylinder has a cylindrical shape, and a projecting shaft 272 described later fits inside the cylinder.
[0026]
Further, a click slit 232 corresponding to each pocket portion 222 is provided in a bearing wall 230 forming an inner peripheral surface of the bearing hole 226 of the rotary holder portion 22. The click slit 232 is provided on a line connecting the center of the bearing hole 226 and the center line in the width direction of the slit 224 of each pocket 222. The bearing wall 230 is divided into a plurality of parts by a click slit 232.
[0027]
A screw hole 234 for screwing the lock engagement plate 280 is formed on the outer periphery of the bearing wall 230 of the rotation holder 22 (the surface opposite to the bearing hole 226).
[0028]
The lock engagement plate 280 is one of members for stopping (locking) the rotation of the rotation holder 22, and is attached to the rotation holder 22 by screwing the screw 284 into the screw hole 234. Fixed. The lock engagement plate 280 is formed with an engagement groove 282 with which a lock member 260 described later (details will be described later) is engaged. The engagement groove 282 is provided one by one corresponding to each pocket part 222. If the lock engagement plate 280 is correctly positioned and fixed to the rotating holder 22, the slit 224 of the pocket 222 is aligned with the slit 254 (details will be described later) of the support base 24, and the engagement corresponding to the pocket 222 is performed. The groove 282 comes to a position where it can be engaged with the lock member 260.
[0029]
On the other hand, the support base 24 is formed by connecting a circular central portion 248 on which the shaft portion 242 protrudes and an outer peripheral portion 250 surrounding the central portion 248 in a round shape at a root portion 246. A circular donut-shaped gap 252 is formed between the central portion 248 and the outer peripheral portion 250. The gap 252 is a space where the cable 122 of the ultrasonic probe 120 accommodated in the pocket 222 can freely move in accordance with the rotation when the rotary holder 22 is rotated about the shaft 242.
[0030]
Further, the outer peripheral portion 250 is formed in a circular ring shape, and a slit 254 having substantially the same width as the slit 224 of the rotary holder portion 22 is provided at one position. A gap corresponding to the slit 254 of the support base 24 is also formed in the mounting base 26. Therefore, if the slit 224 of the pocket portion 222 is aligned with the slit 254 of the outer peripheral portion 250, the cable 122 can pass through the slits 224 and 254, so that the pocket portion 222 can accommodate the ultrasonic probe 120. The ultrasonic probe 120 can be taken out from the pocket portion 222. That is, the position of the pocket 222 where the slit 224 of the pocket 222 is aligned with the slit 254 of the outer periphery 250 is the attachment / detachment position of the ultrasonic probe 120 with respect to the pocket 222.
[0031]
A click pin 256 protrudes from the outer periphery of the shaft 242 of the support base 24 at a position on a line connecting the center hole 244 and the slit 254. The click pin 256 is formed in a shape and a size to be engaged with the click slit 232 of the rotary holder 22. When the click slit 232 comes to the position of the click pin 256 when the rotation holder part 22 is rotated with respect to the shaft part 242, the click pin 256 and the click slit 232 are fitted to each other. The holder 22 is in a stable state in which the holder 22 does not rotate. At this time, the slit 224 of the rotary holder 22 and the slit 254 of the support stand 24 are aligned at the same position, and the ultrasonic probe 120 can be received in the pocket 222. From this state, if the user applies a certain amount of force to rotate the rotary holder 22, the bearing wall 230 formed of an elastic material such as resin is slightly bent, and the click pin 256 is disengaged from the click slit 232. , The rotary holder 22 can be rotated.
[0032]
In the vicinity of the root portion 246 of the support base 24, a rotation stopper 258 is protruded. The rotation stopper 258 is provided at a position where the pocket 222 of the rotation holder 22 contacts. Therefore, when the rotation holder portion 22 rotates and one of the three pocket portions 222 hits the rotation stopper 258, it does not further rotate in that direction. Therefore, even if a plurality of ultrasonic probes 120 are held in the probe holder structure 20, the cables 122 are not twisted.
[0033]
Further, a lock member 260 is attached to a position on a line connecting the center hole 244 and the slit 254 on the slit 254 side of the central portion 248 of the support base 24. Therefore, a bearing 259 that receives the rotation shaft 260a of the lock member 260 is provided at a position of the central portion 248 facing the slit 254. The upper portion of the bearing 259 has an opening having a width smaller than the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 260a, and the rotating shaft 260a is pressed and fitted into this opening. As a result, the lock member 260 is held by the bearing 259 and can be rotated around the rotation shaft 260a.
[0034]
The lock member 260 is a member for locking the rotation holder section 22 to the support table 24. A leaf spring 262 is screwed to the lock member 260 by a screw 264.
[0035]
On the back side (the lower side in FIG. 3) of the shaft portion 242 of the center portion 248 of the support base 24, a shaft support portion 270 having a screw hole formed at the center is provided with the screw hole as the center hole 244. Attached with coaxial positioning. Then, the projecting shaft 272 is screwed into the screw hole of the shaft supporting portion 270. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4A, for example, the protruding shaft 272 protrudes upward from the center hole 244 on the upper surface of the shaft portion 242 of the support base 24, and this fits with the center shaft tube 228 of the rotary holder portion 22. .
[0036]
FIG. 4A shows a state where the rotary holder 22, the support 24, the mounting base 26, the lock member 260, the protruding shaft 272, and the lock engagement plate 280 described above are assembled.
[0037]
FIG. 4A shows a state in which the slit 224 of the pocket 222 having the rotary holder 22 is aligned with the slit 254 of the support 24, and the center axis of the rotary holder 22 (that is, the center of the center shaft tube 228). FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view when cut along a plane passing through the center of a slit 254. As shown in this figure, the mounting base 26 is mounted and fixed to the console 12 by screws 300 at the left end in the figure. The support 24 is fixed to the mounting base 26 with a screw 302. The lock member 260 is supported by a bearing 259 (see FIG. 3) of the support base 24. The protruding shaft 272 is fixed to the shaft 242 of the support base 24 via the shaft support 270. Then, the rotary holder 22 and the support base 24 are combined in a state where the bearing hole 226 is fitted to the shaft 242 and the center shaft tube 228 is fitted to the protruding shaft 272.
[0038]
In the state shown in FIG. 4A, the ultrasonic probe 120 is not held in the pocket portion 222 aligned with the slit 254. FIG. 4B shows an enlarged view of the range A near the lock member 260 in this state. As shown in this drawing, one end of the leaf spring 262 is screwed to a lower portion of the lock member 260, and the other end is in contact with the side surface of the central portion 248 of the support base 24. By the action of the leaf spring 262, the lock member 260 is urged in the direction indicated by the arrow X in the drawing. Therefore, when the ultrasonic probe 120 is not housed in the pocket portion 222, the lock member 260 rotates in the direction of the arrow X about the rotation shaft 260a by this urging force, and as a result, the head of the lock member 260 The portion 261 fits into the engagement groove 282 of the lock engagement plate 280. In this state, even if it is attempted to rotate the rotary holder 22, the head 261 of the lock member 260 fixed to the support base 24 is locked in the engagement groove 282 of the lock engagement plate 280 fixed to the rotary holder 22. It cannot be rotated because it is caught on the side.
[0039]
Note that an overhang 263 formed at the lower portion of the lock member 260 overhangs directly below the center of the pocket 222.
[0040]
On the other hand, when the ultrasonic probe 120 is accommodated in the pocket portion 222 aligned with the slit 254, the state shown in FIG. FIG. 5B shows the state of the vicinity A of the lock member 260 at this time.
[0041]
In the state shown in FIG. 5, the cable attachment part 120 a of the ultrasonic probe 120 extends downward from the center of the pocket part 222, and this cable attachment part 120 a presses the overhang part 263 of the lock member 260. Due to this pressing force, the lock member 260 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow X in FIG. 4, and the head portion 261 is disengaged from the engagement groove 282 of the lock engagement plate 280. As a result, the rotation holder 22 can rotate with respect to the support stand 24.
[0042]
The structure of the probe holder structure 20 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment has been described above. Next, an example of how to use the probe holder structure 20 will be described.
[0043]
When setting the ultrasonic probe 120 in the probe holder structure 20, the user rotates the rotary holder 22 until the vacant pocket 222 comes to the position of the slit 254 of the support 24. When the user arrives at an appropriate position (ie, a position where the slit 232 and the slit 254 are aligned), the user can know the clicking sound by clicking the click pin 256 and the click slit 232. In this state, the cable 122 can be passed through the slits 224 and 254, so that the user can set the ultrasonic probe 120 in the empty pocket portion 222.
[0044]
When the ultrasonic probe 120 held in the pocket 222 is taken out, the rotary holder 22 is rotated until the pocket 222 comes to the position of the slit 254, and then the ultrasonic probe 120 is taken out.
[0045]
When the ultrasonic probe 120 is taken out of the pocket 222 at the position of the slit 254, the rotation holder 22 is locked to the support 24 by the lock member 260. Therefore, the rotary holder 22 cannot be rotated until the ultrasonic probe 120 is returned to the pocket 222.
[0046]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 120 can be set only when the pocket portion 222 is at a predetermined position (in this example, the position of the slit 254). When the ultrasonic probe 120 is taken out from the part 222, the rotary holder part 22 cannot be rotated until it is returned to the pocket part 222. With such a mechanism, it is possible to prevent the ultrasonic probe 120 housed in the pocket 222 having the rotating holder 22 from being replaced in another pocket 222. Therefore, the conventional problem that the order of the plurality of ultrasonic probes 120 is complicatedly changed while the accommodating and taking out of the ultrasonic probes 120 is repeated does not occur, so that the entanglement of the cables 122 can be prevented. Further, in the configuration of the present embodiment, in the conventional configuration, the user may need to change the posture at the time of putting in and out of the pocket portion at the back and the pocket portion at the front, but the probe holder structure The ultrasonic probe 120 can be moved in and out of the body 20 at the same position where the user can easily work.
[0047]
When such a probe holder structure 20 is used, if the number of the ultrasonic probes 120 provided in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is smaller than the number of the pockets 222, the empty pockets 222 may be attached and detached (positions of the slits 254). ), The rotary holder 22 cannot be rotated. Therefore, in such a case, the dummy probe 150 may be accommodated in the empty pocket portion 222 as shown in FIGS. The dummy probe 150 includes a cylindrical main body 152 that fits into the pocket 222, and a protrusion 154 that extends downward from the center of the main body. When the main body 152 is accommodated in the pocket 222, the protrusion 154 protrudes from the slit on the bottom surface of the pocket 222, and presses the overhang 263 of the lock member 260 similarly to the cable attachment 120 a of the ultrasonic probe 120. To unlock.
[0048]
The configuration described above is merely an example, and various types of probe holder structures can be considered within the scope of the present invention.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, only when the holding section of the rotary holder section is at the predetermined attachment / detachment position, the ultrasonic probe is held by the holding section or taken out from the holding section. When the ultrasonic probe is taken out of the holding unit at the attachment / detachment position because the rotation holder unit cannot rotate with respect to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body due to the rotation suppressing unit, It is possible to prevent the cables from being entangled due to, for example, changing the arrangement of the sound wave probes.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a probe holder structure and an attachment structure of the probe holder structure to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of a rotary holder and a support base in the embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the assembled probe holder structure in a state where the ultrasonic probe is not held in the pocket portion.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the assembled probe holder structure in a state where the ultrasonic probe is held in a pocket portion.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a probe holder in a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 display device, 12 console, 20 probe holder structure, 22 rotation holder, 24 support base, 26 mounting base, 120 ultrasonic probe, 122 cable, 222 pocket, 224, 254 slit, 226 bearing hole, 228 center Shaft barrel, 230 bearing wall, 232 click slit, 234 screw hole, 242 shaft, 244 center hole, 246 root, 248 center, 250 outer periphery, 252 gap, 256 click pin, 258 detent, 259 bearing, 260 Lock member, 260a Rotating shaft, 262 leaf spring, 264 screw, 270 shaft support, 272 projecting shaft, 280 lock engaging plate, 282 engaging groove.

Claims (3)

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a plurality of holders rotatably supported with respect to the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and holding the ultrasonic probe. Each of the holders can be moved to a predetermined attachment / detachment position by rotation. A rotary holder configured to be capable of attaching and detaching the ultrasonic probe to and from the holding unit only when located at the position,
When the ultrasonic probe is not held in the holding unit located in the attachment and detachment position, a rotation suppression unit that suppresses the rotation operation of the rotation holder unit,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The rotation suppressing unit includes:
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is attached to a position corresponding to the attachment / detachment position of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and engages with an engaging section provided on each of the holding sections of the rotary holder section to thereby attach the rotary holder section to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus A lock member for locking to the main body,
An elastic member that urges the lock member in a direction in which the lock member engages with the engagement portion;
In the state where the ultrasonic probe is not held in the holding portion located at the attachment / detachment position, the lock member is engaged with the engagement portion by the urging force of the elastic member, and in the state held, 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an engagement between the lock member and the engagement portion is released by an ultrasonic probe pushing the lock member in a direction away from the engagement portion. . The ultrasonic wave according to claim 2, further comprising: a dummy probe that, when mounted on the holding portion, pushes the lock member in a direction away from the engagement portion to release the engagement between the lock member and the engagement portion. Diagnostic device.

Images