JP2022075950A - Portable ultrasonic image diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable ultrasonic image diagnostic device capable of improving visibility of a display panel.

SOLUTION: An ultrasonic image diagnostic device 10 is connected with an ultrasonic probe P for performing transmission and reception of an ultrasonic wave, and has a configuration in which a device body 12 and the lower end of a lid body 14 having a display panel 16 are connected to each other with a hinge, and the lid body 14 is overlapped with the device body 12 to fold the ultrasonic image diagnostic device 10. The ultrasonic image diagnostic device 10 has a configuration in which the hinge is provided on the upper surface on the nearer side than the center of the device body 12 and the lid body 14 is rotated to the depth side of the device body 12 with a horizontal shaft H of the hinge as a spindle to fold the ultrasonic image diagnostic device 10.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus.

Conventionally, an ultrasonic probe is used to send and receive ultrasonic waves to a subject such as a living body, and ultrasonic image data is generated based on a signal obtained from the received ultrasonic waves, and an ultrasonic image based on this is generated. There is known an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device that displays the image on an image display device. In ultrasonic image diagnosis using such a device, the state of heartbeat and fetal movement can be obtained in real time by simply applying an ultrasonic probe to the body surface of the subject, and it is non-invasive. Because it is highly safe, it can be repeated.

Further, in recent years, a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device that is small and portable has been put into practical use, and diagnosis can be performed outside medical facilities such as hospitals.

In such a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus, for example, the rear end of the first housing in which the operation member that can be operated by the user is arranged and the lower end of the second housing having the display panel are hinged. After the connection is completed and the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging is completed, the second housing can be folded by rotating the second housing toward the front side with the hinge as a support axis (for example, Patent Document 1). ).

US Pat. No. 6,980,419

Since the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device is small as described above, it has an advantage that the device can be installed anywhere when performing ultrasonic diagnostic imaging.
However, in the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1, the display panel is arranged in the back of the apparatus at the time of ultrasonic diagnostic imaging, so that, for example, the apparatus can be used by a user such as a doctor. If the ultrasonic diagnostic image is visually recognized from below the device while performing diagnosis by installing it at a position higher than the patient's line of sight, the first housing becomes an obstacle and the display panel becomes difficult to see. ..

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus capable of improving the visibility of a display panel.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a second casing having a first housing and a display panel, to which an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is connected. It is a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus configured to be foldable so that the lower end portion of the body is connected by a hinge and the second housing is overlapped with the first housing.
The hinge is provided on the upper surface on the front side of the center of the first housing, and the second housing is rotated to the back side of the first housing with the horizontal axis of the hinge as a support axis. It is characterized in that it is configured to be foldable by making it foldable.

The invention according to claim 2 is the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hinge is a biaxial hinge further having a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis, and the second casing. It is characterized in that the body can be rotated around the vertical axis as a support axis.

The invention according to claim 3 is the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.
The display panel is characterized by being a touch panel.

The invention according to claim 4 is the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
It is characterized by including a slide member to which the hinge is attached and a guide portion for sliding and guiding the slide member in the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the first housing.

The invention according to claim 5 is the portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
On the front side of the hinge of the first housing, there is an operation area in which one or more operation members that can be operated by the user are arranged, and a grip hole into which the user's hand can be inserted is provided in the operation area. It is characterized in that a grip portion that is opened and can grip the front end portion of the first housing is formed.

According to the present invention, the visibility of the display panel can be improved.

It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus. It is a top view which shows the appearance of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus. It is a partially enlarged view of a hinge. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus is folded. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus is folded. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. It is a partially enlarged view of a slide base.

Hereinafter, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In the following description, those having the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 as a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus has a box-shaped apparatus main body 12 as a first housing and a display panel 16 on the front surface. It is configured to have a lid 14 as a housing of 2. The apparatus main body 12 is formed of, for example, a magnesium alloy, and an electronic circuit board on which electronic components such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) are mounted is housed therein. The lid 14 is formed in a size that matches the device main body 12 in a plan view when folded. The display panel 16 is a touch panel having, for example, a display device including an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Electronic Luminescence) display, and a position input device configured on the display screen of the display device. The position input device is, for example, a pressure-sensitive type (resistance film thickness type) in which transparent electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern on a display screen, and detects the XY coordinates of a force point pressed by a finger on the screen with a voltage value. , The detected position signal is output as an operation signal. The position input device is not limited to the pressure-sensitive type, and an appropriate one can be applied from various methods such as a capacitance method. Further, the display panel 16 is not limited to the touch panel, and may be a display device having only a display function.
In the description of the present embodiment, the terms left / right, front / back, and up / down mean left / right, front / back, and up / down based on the state in which the user of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 faces the display panel 16.

In the present embodiment, the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 and the lid are provided by the hinge 30 (see FIG. 3) covered with the cover body 14a at a position in front (front side) of the center of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12. The lower end of 14 is connected. The hinge 30 is a so-called biaxial hinge, and in FIG. 1, the lid 14 can be rotated with respect to the device main body 12 on the horizontal axis H and the vertical axis V, respectively. Therefore, for example, when the lid 14 is tilted to the rear side (back side) as it is with the horizontal axis H as a support axis from the state shown in FIG. 1, the back surface of the lid 14 and the device main body 12 are shown as shown in FIG. The lid 14 and the device main body 12 are superposed so as to face the upper surface 12a of the above surface, and the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device 10 can be folded. That is, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 is folded so that the display panel 16 is exposed upward. Further, after rotating the lid 14 from the state shown in FIG. 1 so that the display panel 16 faces the rear side (that is, the back surface of the lid 14 faces the front side) with the vertical axis V as a support axis. When the horizontal axis H is used as a support axis and tilted to the rear side, as shown in FIG. 5, the lid 14 and the device main body 12 are superimposed so that the display panel 16 and the upper surface 12a of the device main body 12 face each other. , The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 can be folded.

Here, a specific configuration of the hinge 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the hinge 30 as viewed from the front side. In reality, since the hinge 30 is covered with the cover body 14a, it cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 3, the hinge 30 includes, for example, a rotating shaft 34, a horizontal arm 33, a torque limiter 32, and a mounting plate 31, and engages with the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12. It is attached to the slide base 26.

The rotation shaft 34 is rotatably supported in the center of the upper surface of the slide base 26 with the vertical axis V as a support axis. A torque limiter (not shown) is provided on the support portion of the rotation shaft 34 of the slide base 26 so as to rotate with respect to the slide base 26 when a rotational force of a predetermined torque is applied to the rotation shaft 34. It is configured.

A horizontal arm 33 extending in the left-right direction is fixed to the upper end portion of the rotating shaft 34. That is, the horizontal arm 33 can rotate about the vertical axis V together with the rotating shaft 34. A disk-shaped flange 33a extending upward is integrally formed at both ends of the horizontal arm 33. A cylindrical torque limiter 32 that matches the outer surface of the flange 33a is fixed to the outer surface of the flange 33a.

The torque limiter 32 rotatably supports the mounting plate 31 with the horizontal axis H as a support axis. The torque limiter 32 allows the mounting plate 31 to rotate when a rotational force of a predetermined torque is applied to the mounting plate 31.

The mounting plate 31 has an arm 31b mounted on the torque limiter 32 and a flat plate-shaped mounting portion 31a integrally formed at the tip of the arm 31b. The mounting portion 31a has a plurality of screw holes and is configured to be screwed to the lid body 14.
In the present embodiment, since it is configured as described above, the lid body 14 can be rotated by the vertical axis V and the horizontal axis H and then supported in that posture.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the biaxial hinge is applied as the hinge 30, but a uniaxial hinge that can rotate only the horizontal axis H may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, a terminal (not shown) is provided on the right side surface of the apparatus main body 12, and the connector CN of the ultrasonic probe P is configured to be connectable. As a result, the ultrasonic probe P transmits ultrasonic waves (transmitted ultrasonic waves) to a subject such as a living body (not shown), and the reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the subject (reflected ultrasonic waves: echo). ) Can be received. That is, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 causes the ultrasonic probe P to transmit the transmitted ultrasonic wave to the subject by transmitting the drive signal of the electric signal to the ultrasonic probe P, and also causes the ultrasonic probe P to transmit the transmitted ultrasonic wave. The internal state inside the subject is imaged as an ultrasonic image based on the received signal, which is an electrical signal generated by the ultrasonic probe P in response to the reflected ultrasonic waves from the inside of the subject received by the tentacle P. can do.

An operation area 18 in which one or more operation members such as a trackball, a dial, and a button that can be operated by the user are arranged is formed on the front side of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 with respect to the hinge 30. Further, a substantially rectangular grip hole 20 is provided substantially in the center of the operation area 18, and a user's hand can be inserted therethrough. That is, the operation region 18 is configured so that the operation member is arranged around the grip hole 20. Then, the user can grip the grip portion 22 formed in front of the grip hole 20 with his / her hand inserted into the grip hole 20. Since it is configured in this way, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 can be easily carried with one hand. In the present embodiment, the gripping hole 20 is provided in the operation region 18, but the gripping portion 22 may protrude from the front end of the apparatus main body 12. Further, the configuration may not have the gripping hole 20. Further, the grip portion 22 can be provided with a function as a hand rest when the user operates the touch panel. As a result, the touch panel can be easily operated, and the effect of reducing the fatigue of the operator can be obtained.

Further, a slide groove 24 extending in the front-rear direction is formed from the center of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 to the operation region 18. The slide groove 24 slides and guides the slide base 26 to which the hinge 30 is attached in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the lid body 14 can slide and move in the front-rear direction (direction indicated by the arrow R in FIGS. 1 and 2) along the slide groove 24 with respect to the device main body 12. As a result, the lid 14 can be displaced between the position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the position shown by the chain line.

Here, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a configuration for making the lid 14 slidable with respect to the device main body 12 will be specifically described. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, which is an enlarged view of the portion of the slide base 26. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing an enlarged portion of the slide base 26. Note that FIG. 7 shows a part of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 cut off.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 is provided with a pair of flanges 121 so as to face each other on the upper surface side thereof, so that a notch having a convex cross section is formed in the front-rear direction. A slide groove 24 is formed as an extended guide portion. Then, a pair of support members 122 are attached to the back surface of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 so as to cover the lower side of the slide groove 24.

The support member 122 extends along the extending direction of the slide groove 24. The support member 122 is bent at a right angle from the lower end of the base portion 122a formed along the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12, the bent portion 122b bent downward from the tip of the base portion 122a, and the bent portion 122b. It has a tip portion 122c. The pair of support members 122 are attached so that the tip portions 122c face each other. The support member 122 is attached to the back side of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 by screwing the base portion 122a to the back side of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 by a screw B. At this time, a gap 241 through which the wiring C can be inserted is formed between the pair of tip portions 122c. The wiring C electrically connects the electronic circuit board housed in the apparatus main body 12 and the display panel 16, and is composed of, for example, a flexible board (FPC). A pair of flexible closing members 123 are attached to the lower surface of each tip portion 122c so as to insert the gap 241. The closing member 123 is formed of, for example, a PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) resin film, and extends along the extending direction of the slide groove 24. The pair of closing members 123 are provided so that the tip portions thereof come into contact with each other. Since the closing member 123 is configured as described above, the gap 241 can be closed while sandwiching the wiring C inserted through the gap 241. Further, since the closing member 123 has flexibility, the slide groove 24 of the wiring C is allowed to move in the extending direction.

The slide base 26 as a slide member is formed in a box shape, and flanges 26a are laterally projected from the lower portions of the left and right side surfaces. The slide base 26 is housed in the slide groove 24 and is arranged so that the lower surface is covered with the support member 122. At this time, the flange 121 of the main body 12 and the flange 26a of the slide base 26 are arranged so as to face each other in the vertical direction. As a result, the slide base 26 can slide along the slide groove 24 without escaping from the slide groove 24. In the slide base 26, the center of the upper surface is hollowed out in a cylindrical shape to form a support portion 26b, and the rotation shaft 34 is rotatably supported by the support portion 26b. While the rotating shaft 34 is formed in a cylindrical shape, an insertion hole 26c through which the wiring C can be inserted is opened in the center of the bottom surface of the support portion 26b, and the inside of the rotating shaft 34 and the insertion hole 26c are communicated with each other. Therefore, the wiring C inserted through the gap 241 can be guided to the display panel 16 through the inside of the insertion hole 26c and the rotation shaft 34.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, an engaging recess 26d is formed on the side surface of the flange 26a provided on the right side surface of the slide base 26, while the engaging recess 26d is formed at a predetermined position facing the slide groove 24 on the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12. A locking member 124 that is locked to the engaging recess 26d is attached. The locking member 124 has an elastically deformable arm 124a and a locking portion 124b integrally molded at the tip of the arm 124a and bulging toward the slide groove 24 side. The arm 124a is urged toward the slide groove 24, and when the slide base 26 is slid and the locking portion 124b is pressed by the side surface of the flange 26a, the arm 124a is elastically deformed against the urging force. After that, when the engaging recess 26d and the locking portion 124b of the locking member 124 match, the elastic deformation of the arm 124a is restored and the locking portion 124b is locked to the engaging recess 26d. This makes the slide base 26 slightly more difficult to slide, and therefore the lid 14 can be easily positioned.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the lid 14 is provided with the slide groove 24 and the slide base 26 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, but the lid 14 may not slide. ..

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10, the ultrasonic probe P for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is connected, and the apparatus main body 12 and the display panel 16 are connected. The lower end of the lid 14 to be held is connected by a hinge 30, and the lid 14 is configured to be foldable so as to overlap with the device main body 12. In the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10, the hinge 30 is provided on the upper surface on the front side of the center of the apparatus main body 12, and the lid 14 is rotated to the back side of the apparatus main body 12 with the horizontal axis H of the hinge 30 as a support axis. It is configured to be foldable by letting it fold. As a result, since the display panel 16 is arranged on the front side, for example, the device is installed at a position higher than the line of sight of a user such as a doctor or a patient, and the ultrasonic diagnostic image is visually recognized from below the device while performing diagnosis. Even in such a case, the display state of the display panel 16 can be easily visually recognized, and the visibility of the display panel is improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the hinge 30 is a biaxial hinge having a vertical axis V perpendicular to the horizontal axis H, and the lid 14 can be rotated around the vertical axis V as a support axis. Since the display panel can be closed without being exposed, the display panel can be well protected.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the display panel 16 is a touch panel, the display panel is arranged near the hand. For example, the touch operation of the display panel is performed while the hand is supported by the installation table of the device. This can be done and the operability of the device can be improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 has a slide base 26 to which the hinge 30 is attached and a slide groove 24 that slides and guides the slide base 26 in the front-rear direction of the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12. Since the second housing can be appropriately moved back and forth to a position where the display panel can be easily seen, the convenience is improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus 10 has an operation region 18 in which one or more operation members that can be operated by the user are arranged on the front side of the hinge 30 of the apparatus main body 12. Further, since the gripping hole 20 into which the user's hand can be inserted is opened in the operation area 18 to form the gripping portion 22 capable of gripping the front end portion of the device main body 12, the gripping portion is provided so as to project from the device main body. It can be made more compact, and the device can be miniaturized.

The description in the embodiment of the present invention is an example of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention, and is not limited thereto. The detailed configuration and detailed operation of each functional unit constituting the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus can be appropriately changed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the lid 14 is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction by the slide groove 24 and the slide base 26 that is slid and guided along the groove 24, but the lid 14 is guided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The configuration is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration as long as it can be configured. For example, the lid 14 is moved in the front-rear direction by projecting a guide protrusion extending in the front-rear direction on the upper surface 12a of the apparatus main body 12 and sliding the slide base on the top surface 12a guided by the guide protrusion. It may be configured as possible. The shapes of the slide groove 24 and the slide base 26 are not limited to those described above, and shapes can be appropriately applied.

Further, in the present embodiment, the lid body 14 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction, but may be configured so as not to be movable.

10 Ultrasound diagnostic imaging device (portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device)
12 Device body (first housing)
14 Closure (second housing)
16 Display panel 18 Operation area 20 Grip hole 22 Grip part 24 Slide groove (guide part)
26 Slide base (slide member)
30 Hinge P Ultrasonic probe H Horizontal axis V Vertical axis

Claims (5)

An ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is connected, and a first housing and a lower end of a second housing having a display panel are connected by a hinge to the second housing. Is a portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus configured to be foldable so as to be superimposed on the first housing.
The hinge is provided on the upper surface on the front side of the center of the first housing, and the second housing is rotated to the back side of the first housing with the horizontal axis of the hinge as a support axis. A portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device characterized in that it is configured to be foldable by being made to fold. The first aspect of claim 1, wherein the hinge is a biaxial hinge having a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontal axis, and the second housing can be rotated around the vertical axis as a support axis. Portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging equipment. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display panel is a touch panel. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a slide member to which the hinge is attached and a guide portion for sliding and guiding the slide member in the front-rear direction of the upper surface of the first housing. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging device described. On the front side of the hinge of the first housing, there is an operation area in which one or more operation members that can be operated by the user are arranged, and a grip hole into which the user's hand can be inserted is provided in the operation area. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a grip portion that is opened and can grip the front end portion of the first housing is formed.

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