JP6031312B2 - Portable ultrasound imaging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and more particularly to a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus having an operation panel provided with a multi-function operation button.

  Ultrasonic imaging devices are widely used as relatively simple and non-invasive medical image diagnostic devices, and various types of portable ultrasonic diagnostic devices that can be used not only in in-hospital laboratories but also in hospital rooms and out of hospitals have been developed. . For example, a notebook-type superstructure having a structure in which a display panel for displaying an image taken by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an operation panel for performing an instruction input operation necessary for ultrasonic inspection are connected at one end so as to be opened and closed. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and the like have been put into practical use (Patent Document 1, etc.).

  In general, when performing an ultrasonic examination, it is necessary to set various examination conditions such as an ultrasonic focus position and width, an oblique angle, a frequency, and a gain in accordance with a target region and a disease. Further, during the examination, it is necessary to change the brightness, position, size, etc. of the displayed screen, or to stop and observe and record the image when it is a desired image. In order to input these condition settings and instructions during inspection, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes a large number of input means such as operation buttons and a trackball. These input means are usually arranged collectively on an operation panel or console.

  However, when an enormous number of operation buttons are arranged on the operation panel of the above-described portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus, there is a limit to downsizing.

  As a technique for reducing the area occupied by an operation panel in a general ultrasonic imaging apparatus, Patent Document 2 discloses an operation button and a rotation for an apparatus upper panel including a first operation tool such as a keyboard and a touch panel display. It has been proposed that a panel having a second operation tool such as a knob is movably disposed. As a technique for reducing the number of console switches, Patent Document 3 stores the display order of various functions performed during inspection, and controls the displayed functions to be executed by operating a push switch. Has been proposed.

JP 2010-162107 A JP 2011-125477 A JP-A-8-308830

  The technique described in Patent Document 2 described above requires a mechanism for moving the second operation tool relative to the operation panel, and is difficult to be mounted on a portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The technique described in Patent Document 3 can be applied to functions that can be operated by a push switch such as inspection start / end and display image enlargement / reduction, but setting and changing of inspection conditions including position designation and numerical input In order to realize this function, input means for that purpose is necessary.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus having an operation button that can perform various operations with a small number of buttons and has excellent operability.

  In order to solve the above problems, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the operation panel includes a plurality of touch panel type operation buttons whose functions can be switched. Specifically, the electronic circuit constituting the ultrasonic imaging unit is built in, and includes a main body having a display unit and an operation panel connected to the main body. The operation panel includes a plurality of touch panel type operation buttons. And a control unit that switches the function of each operation button.

  A control part switches the function of the said operation button according to the inspection mode or the inspection condition setting procedure preset for every inspection mode. During the inspection, the function of the operation button is switched according to a predetermined inspection procedure.

  Furthermore, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention is an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including a main body incorporating an electronic circuit that constitutes an ultrasonic imaging unit, and an operation panel connected to the main body. A plurality of touch panel type operation buttons are provided, and at least one of the operation buttons is an operation button including a convex or concave portion with respect to the operation panel surface.

  The operation buttons include a button having a function of selecting or turning on / off a predetermined operation by a push-down operation, a button having a function of instructing a numerical value change by a finger rotation operation, and a position change by a finger movement operation. It includes at least one type of button having a function, and the convex or concave shape differs depending on the function.

  According to the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention, various processes such as inspection conditions and execution or change during inspection can be reliably performed by switching the function of the operation button.

The figure which shows the whole one Embodiment of the portable ultrasonic imaging device of this invention, and the perspective view seen from the apparatus front side The perspective view seen from the back right side and the left side of the portable ultrasonic imaging device of FIG. 6 views of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of FIG. Functional block diagram showing the configuration of the ultrasonic imaging unit The figure which shows the whole probe generally used with an ultrasonic imaging device Front perspective view showing the operation panel mounting mechanism Back side perspective view showing operation panel mounting mechanism The figure which shows the principal part of the attachment mechanism of FIG. Perspective view showing parts of the operation panel mounting mechanism A perspective view showing the structure of the operation panel side FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing changes in the attitude of the operation panel, where FIG. 5A shows an initial state, FIG. 5B shows a state in which the operation panel is slid to the lowermost position, and FIG. d) Shows the state tilted at the position (c). It is a figure which shows the usage example of the operation panel according to the use condition of an apparatus, (a) shows the state in which the operator held the apparatus, (b) shows the state which put the apparatus on the stand. (A)-(c) is a figure which shows the example of a change of an operation panel attachment mechanism, and the change of an attitude | position by it FIG. 1 is a rear view of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the attachment mechanism of a handle and a stand part The perspective view which shows the attachment mechanism of a handle The perspective view which shows the attachment mechanism of a stand part The perspective view which shows the principal part of the attachment mechanism of a handle and a stand part (A), (b) is a figure which shows the different use condition of a stand part. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the use condition from which a handle differs. The figure which shows the back panel and back cover of a portable ultrasonic imaging device The figure which showed only the principal part of the AA cross section of FIG. (A), (b) is the right side view and left side view of FIG. 21, respectively. Perspective view showing probe connector (A)-(c) is a figure which shows other embodiment of a back panel. The figure which shows embodiment of a wireless probe Functional block diagram of the probe and main body of FIG. The figure which shows the usage condition of the probe of FIG. The figure which shows another usage pattern of the probe of FIG. The figure which shows embodiment of another radio | wireless probe Sectional view and plan view for explaining the structure of the operation button (A)-(c) is a figure which shows the shape of an operation button of a different type Functional block diagram showing the function of the control unit 43 for controlling the GUI Flow chart showing an example of control procedure The figure which shows an example of the display screen at the time of a measurement start The figure which shows an example of the function allocation with respect to an operation button Flow chart showing an example of changing the control procedure It is a figure which shows the example of the operation button provided in the handle, (a) is a top view of a handle, (b) is the figure which looked at the handle from the top, (c) is a figure which shows a use condition. The figure which shows an example which provided the operation button on the back of the main body The figure which shows the usage example of the operation button of FIG. The figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of the portable ultrasonic imaging device of this invention, and the perspective view which looked at the main body from the back surface 41 is a cross-sectional view of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of FIG. The perspective view which shows the probe holder and the cup of the state which removed the cup of 2nd Embodiment

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus in FIG. 3 is a six-sided view of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of FIG. 1 in a state in which the operation panel is slid.

  The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a notebook type or tablet type apparatus having a small thickness d with respect to vertical and horizontal sizes L1 and L2, and a main body in which an electronic circuit and the like necessary for ultrasonic inspection are stored. 10 and an operation panel 20. A display panel 30 for displaying an ultrasonic image and a GUI necessary for operation is fixed to the front surface of the main body 10. The size of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 is not particularly limited, but the size of the widest surface is about A4 size to B4 size and can be held on one arm by an operator with one hand. It is.

  FIG. 4 shows an outline of the ultrasonic imaging unit 40 configured by an electronic circuit or the like housed in the main body 10. The imaging unit 40 includes an ultrasonic probe (probe) 50, a probe connection unit 41 to which the probe 50 is connected, an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 42, a control unit 43, a memory unit 44, a DSC (digital scan converter) 45, A display unit 46, an input unit 47, an auxiliary device 48, a power supply device 49, and the like are included.

  The probe 50 is a case of an acoustic lens, an array in which piezoelectric elements that convert an electric signal into an ultrasonic wave and an ultrasonic wave reflected from the subject into an electric signal are arranged in a one-dimensional direction or a two-dimensional direction, and a backing material. Various types of probes are prepared according to the object and purpose of inspection. FIG. 5 shows an example of the probe 50. The probe 50 includes a probe main body 50a in which a probe array or the like is covered with a resin cover, a connector portion 51 for connecting the probe main body 50a to a power source, and a cable 52 for connecting the probe main body 50a and the connector portion 51. It consists of and. At the time of ultrasonic inspection, a connector part 51 of a probe selected from various types is connected to a probe connection part 41 provided on the main body 10 for use.

  The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 42 transmits an electrical signal to the probe 50 and receives an electrical signal from the probe 50 to perform processing such as phasing. The DSC 45 scans the received signal on the time axis and performs a process for displaying it on the display panel 30 as a two-dimensional image. The display unit 46 displays an ultrasonic image and a GUI necessary for an operation, and includes a display panel 30 and a display panel driving device. The input unit 47 is used to input an instruction necessary for operating the apparatus, and a button provided on the operation panel 20 or the like has its function. The power supply device 49 includes a terminal for supplying power from a power source such as a battery or an external power source. The control unit 43 controls the operation of each unit. In addition, data necessary for the operation of each unit, image data being processed or a result, and the like are stored in the memory unit 44.

  Note that the configuration of the imaging unit 40 illustrated in FIG. 4 is merely an example, and a configuration in which some of the components are omitted or a configuration in which another component is added may be used.

  Returning to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the external features of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front surface of the main body 10 includes an area where the display panel 30 is fixed and an area where the operation panel 20 is arranged, and the area where the display panel 30 is fixed and the operation panel are arranged. A step is formed between the regions as shown in FIG. That is, the thickness of the main body 10 is larger in the region where the display panel 30 is formed than in the region where the display panel 30 is not formed. A space (stepped portion) 10a in which the operation panel 20 is stored is provided in contact with the area where the display panel 30 is provided.

  The operation panel 20 has substantially the same volume as the space of the stepped portion 10 a and is movably fixed to the main body 10. In a state where the operation panel 20 is housed in the stepped portion 10a, the side surface of the operation panel 20 contacts the step of the display panel 30, and the front surface of the main body 10 and the upper surface of the operation panel 20 are one continuous surface. In addition, the three side surfaces of the operation panel 20 form one surface substantially continuous with the corresponding side surface of the main body 10. Thereby, the main body 10 and the operation panel 20 form an integral tablet shape. If necessary, the operation panel 20 can be moved from the storage position shown in FIG. 1 to change the angle with respect to the main body 10. A structure for attaching the operation panel 20 to the main body 10 will be described in detail later.

  The operation panel 20 is a touch panel type operation panel, which converts an operation of an operator pressing a button with a finger or a pen or moving it in a pressed state into an electrical signal, and controls the control unit of the ultrasonic imaging unit 40. Send to 43. Due to the area limitation that the ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is a tablet type, fewer operation buttons 21 to 27 (FIG. 31) are provided than the operation panel of the conventional notebook type ultrasonic imaging apparatus. Yes. In the illustrated example, seven operation buttons 21 to 27 are provided, and these operation buttons 21 to 27 are realized by switching a plurality of functions, respectively.

  Furthermore, in order to complement the functions of the operation buttons provided on the operation panel 20, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment also provides operation buttons at predetermined positions other than the operation panel, for example, the handle or the back side. be able to. The operation button on the back side is provided at a position where the operator can easily operate the device with the handle 60 described below when the operator handles the apparatus.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, on the back surface of the main body 10, a handle 60 for making the main body 20 easy to be held by an operator, and a stand portion 70 for using the main body 10 on a desk or table. Is fixed. The handle 60 and the stand part 70 are each fixed to the main body 10 so as to be foldable and rotatable by an attachment mechanism provided substantially at the center of the back surface of the main body. On the back surface of the main body 10, there is formed a recess 15a in which the handle 60 and the stand portion 70 are stored when folded. The depth of the concave portion 15a is substantially the same as the thickness of the handle 60 and the stand portion 70. When the concave portion 15a is folded and stored in the concave portion 15a, the handle 60 and the stand portion 70 fit on the back surface. 2 and 3, the handle 60 is folded and stored in the recess 15a, and the stand unit 70 is pulled out from the storage unit 15a.

  The operator can perform an ultrasonic examination on the main body 10 while holding the handle 60 with one hand and operating the operation panel 20 with the other hand. At this time, since the handle 60 is rotatably fixed to the main body 10, the position of the handle 60 in the rotation direction can be set to an arbitrary position. The handle 60 can be used not only when measuring, but also when carrying the ultrasonic imaging apparatus 100.

  By opening the stand part 70 with respect to the main body 10, the main body 10 can be fixed on a stand or a desk. At this time, the main body 10 can be placed vertically or horizontally by rotating the stand unit 70 with respect to the main body 10.

  An insertion port 17 for connecting a connector 51 of a probe (ultrasonic probe) 50 is further provided on the back surface of the main body 10. In order to form the insertion port 17 (probe connection portion 41) on the back side of the main body 10, both side surfaces of the main body 10 have a shape in which a part of the back side is recessed, and faces the recessed space 15b. The insertion port 17 is provided, and the space 15 b provides a space (accommodating portion) in which the connector 51 is accommodated. The thickness of the space 15b is substantially the same as the thickness of the connector 51. Thus, when the connector 51 is inserted into the insertion port 17, when viewed from the front side of the main body 10, the connector 51 is hidden from the back side, and does not protrude from the side surface. It can be avoided.

  Based on the outline of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment described above, each feature of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus will be described in detail. An important feature of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment is that the operation panel 20 includes a plurality of touch panel type operation buttons, and the function of each operation button is switched according to the inspection mode and the inspection flow. In addition, the operation panel 20 is attached to the main body 10, the handle 60 and the stand part 70 are attached to the main body 10, the operation buttons provided on the back side, the structure of the connector 51 housing part, and the like. Hereinafter, each embodiment having each feature will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Mounting structure of operation panel 20>
In the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of this embodiment, the operation panel 20 can slide (move in the same plane) with respect to the main body 10 and can rotate with respect to the main body 10 at an arbitrary position in the sliding direction. That is, the main body is provided with a stepped portion for accommodating the operation panel on the surface on which the display surface of the display panel is formed, supports the operation panel slidably along a direction parallel to the display surface, and displays the operation panel. And a support mechanism that supports the angle with respect to the surface in a changeable manner. The shape of the step portion is substantially the same as the shape of the operation panel, and the display surface and the operation surface of the operation panel are substantially in the same plane when the operation panel is stored in the step portion.

  The operation panel support mechanism includes a slide mechanism unit and a tilt mechanism unit. The operation panel is fixed to the tilt mechanism unit, and the tilt mechanism unit is rotatably connected to the slide mechanism unit.

  As an example, the slide mechanism section includes a plate-like member in which a long hole whose longitudinal direction is the slide direction is formed, and a guide pin that is fixed to the main body and engages with the long hole to guide the movement of the plate-like member. Have The tilt mechanism includes a rotating member that is rotatably supported by an axis in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction and parallel to the display surface with respect to the plate-like member, and an operation panel is fixed to the rotating member.

  The step portion of the main body that houses the operation panel may have a panel portion that is parallel to the display surface. In that case, a slit that allows movement of the plate member in the sliding direction is formed in the panel portion. The portion of the plate-like member in which the long hole is formed can be configured to engage with the guide pin on the side opposite to the display surface of the panel portion and to support the rotating member on the display surface side.

  The slide mechanism unit and the tilt mechanism unit may be connected by a link. In that case, the operation panel can make the movement range from the position stored in the step portion to the position facing the back surface of the main body.

  Hereinafter, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment will be further described with reference to the drawings. An example of a mounting structure that enables the operation panel 20 to move is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are a perspective view of a part of the front surface of the main body 10 as viewed from the front side of the main body 10 and a perspective view as viewed from the back side of the inside, respectively. FIGS. FIG. 8 is a front view seen from the inside side, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the mounting member seen from the front side and the back side. In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the vertical direction (or vertical direction) and the horizontal direction (or horizontal direction) are indicated by arrows, but these directions are provisional directions set for explanation, and the mobile phone according to the present embodiment. The direction arbitrarily changes according to the posture of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The same applies to the names of vertical parts and horizontal parts.

  A front panel 11 that provides a region 10 a in which the operation panel 20 is accommodated is fixed to the front surface of the main body 10, and a mounting structure for the operation panel 20 is fixed to the front panel 11.

  The front panel 11 of the main body 10 is made of a plate material such as rigid metal or FRP, and is provided integrally with a plate material (referred to as a vertical portion) 11a having a surface parallel to the front surface of the main body and one end (upper end in the figure). And a horizontal portion 11b. The vertical portion 11a is fixed to the structure of the main body 10 with screws or the like. The vertical portion 11a is formed with one or a plurality of holes through which a cable (not shown) for electrically connecting the operation panel 20 and the imaging unit (electronic circuit) 40 housed in the main body 10 is passed. .

  A display panel 20 is disposed on the horizontal portion 11b of the front panel 11, and a pair of blocks 110, which is a mounting structure of the operation panel 20, is fixed on the back side. In the illustrated embodiment, the block 110 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is fixed to the vertical portion 11a with a screw or the like in a state where a part thereof is fitted in a rectangular cutout formed in the horizontal portion 11b of the front panel. As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of pins 113 is fixed to each block 110. A long hole is formed in the slide member 115 to which the operation panel 20 is fixed, and the long hole is attached to the block 110 by a stopper 112 so as to pass through the pair of pins 113. The pin 113 functions as a guide for the vertical movement of the slide member 115. By adjusting the tightening force of the slide member 115 on the block 110 with the stopper 112, a predetermined resistance can be given to the movement of the slide member 115 in the slide direction (vertical direction). You can stop at the position.

  In the vertical portion 11a of the front panel 11, a slit 11c for allowing the slide member 115 to move in the vertical direction is formed. Since the slide member 115 is provided in each of the left and right blocks 110 and has the same structure, only one slide member 115 will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the slide member 115 includes an L-shaped plate portion 1151 in which a long hole 115 a is formed, and a shaft portion 1152 bent 90 degrees with respect to the plate surface of the plate portion 1151. Since the pair of pins 113 penetrates the elongated holes 115a of 1151, the slide member 115 can slide in the vertical direction without rotating.

  The shaft portion 1152 of the slide member 115 includes a fixed portion 1152a and a rotating portion 1152b having a hinge structure. The fixed portion 1152a has a larger vertical dimension than the rotating portion 1152b, and is formed integrally with the plate portion 115a. The rotating part 1152b is fixed so as to be rotatable with respect to the fixed part 1152a around a shaft p1 (not shown) provided inside the shaft part 1152. The upper end of the operation panel 20 is fixed to the rotating unit 1152b. As the shaft portion 1152 having such a structure, a torque hinge capable of stopping the rotation at an arbitrary position can be used, and the torque value of the torque hinge is appropriately selected in consideration of the weight of the operation panel 20. Can do.

  FIG. 10 shows the back surface structure of the operation panel 20 to which the slide member 115 is connected. As shown in the figure, when the side on which the operation buttons 21 to 27 of the operation panel 20 are provided is the front, the back surface has a step with respect to the outermost surface of the back surface in order to accommodate the vertical portion 11a of the front panel 11. A flat portion 21a is formed. Further, a concave portion 21b having a shape corresponding to the shape of the shaft portion 1152 (fixed portion 1152a and rotating portion 1152b) is formed at the upper end of the flat portion 21a, and the vertical portion 11b of the front panel 11 is formed in the concave portion 21b. A shaft portion 1152 protruding to the front surface is stored. The rotating portion 1152b of the shaft portion 1152 is fixed to a corresponding position of the concave portion 21b with a screw or the like. By making the sizes of the fixing portion 1152a and the rotating portion 1152b different from each other, it is possible to prevent the lateral displacement, and the fixing portion 1152a can be suppressed by the surface, so that the rotation can be prevented and the posture can be maintained.

  The movement of the operation panel 20 attached to the main body 10 with the above attachment structure will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 11A, from the state (initial position) where the operation surface of the operation panel 20 is parallel to the front surface of the main body 10 and the operation panel 20 and the display panel 30 are substantially in contact with each other, for example, the operation panel 20 When both are held down and pushed downward in the figure, the slide member 115 fixed to the operation panel 20 moves integrally with the operation panel 20. This movement is in the direction in which the long hole 115a of the slide member 115 is guided by the pin 113, that is, the vertical direction, and the slide member 115 (plate portion 1151) is fixed with a predetermined tightening force. You can stop at. FIG. 11B shows a state where the operation panel 20 has been moved to the lowest end.

  When the lower side of the operation panel 20 is pulled away from the main body 10 at a desired vertical position (FIG. 11C) of the operation panel 20, for example, the rotating portion of the shaft portion 1152 to which the operation panel 20 is fixed. 1152b rotates with respect to the other part of the slide member 115 (the plate portion 1151 and the fixing portion 1152a of the shaft portion 1152), thereby tilting the operation panel 20 with respect to the main body 10. As a result, the tilt state as shown in FIG.

  In this manner, the operation panel 20 can be slid and tilted at any position with respect to the main body 10, so that the operator moves the operation panel 20 to a position where it can be easily operated according to the use state. be able to. For example, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), when the operator holds the handle 60 on the back surface of the main body 10 and uses the apparatus on the arm, the operator adjusts the angle of the arm with respect to the operator's body. The operability can be improved by appropriately tilting the operation panel 20 for use.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12B, when the stand unit 70 on the back surface of the main body 10 is erected and the apparatus is handled on the table, the angle is adjusted to the angle of the display panel 30 (display surface) provided by the stand unit 70. By sliding / tilting the operation panel 20, the lower end of the operation panel 20 comes into contact with the table, and the apparatus can be stably placed on the table together with the stand unit 70, and the operability of the operation panel is improved. be able to. In this case, even when the angle of the main body 10 with respect to the placement surface changes, the end of the operation panel 20 can be brought into contact with the placement surface by adjusting the slide position and the tilt angle. The stand 70 can stably maintain the posture of the main body and ensure stable operation of the operation panel 20.

  As described above, according to the mounting structure of the operation panel 20 of the present embodiment, the operation panel can be slid and tilted with respect to the main body 10 and can be tilted at an arbitrary position in the sliding direction. The operability of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus can be improved.

  The movement range of the operation panel 20 in the sliding direction has an upper limit at a position where the upper end of the operation panel 20 contacts the horizontal portion 11a protruding to the front side of the front panel 11, but the lower limit is the length of the long hole 115a (operation The length from the level at which the panel 20 is fixed to the upper end of the long hole 115a can be regulated. In the mounting structure of the present embodiment, the position where the upper end of the operation panel 20 is slightly above the lower end of the front panel 11 is regulated to be the lower limit, but the slide member 115 and the long hole 115a formed in the slide member 115 are restricted. By extending the length upward, the movable range on the lower limit side can be expanded.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation axis p1 of the operation panel 20 is positioned on the front side of the main body with respect to the plate portion 1151, but as shown in FIG. 13A, the rotation axis p1 of the operation panel 20 is set to the plate portion. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the rotary shaft p1 and the operation panel 20 are connected by a link 1153, positioned on the extension of the long hole 115a of the 1151 in the longitudinal direction. In this case, when the rotation axis of the operation panel 20 is slid to the lower end of the front panel 11 (FIG. 13B), the operation panel 20 is rotated about 180 degrees around the rotation axis p1 to obtain the main body. 10 can also be positioned on the back side (FIG. 13C). In such a posture, for example, while the image displayed on the display panel 30 on the front side of the main body 10 is shown to the patient, the operator operates the operation panel 20 from the back side to change the display (for example, enlarge the image). And the like can be performed.

  The attachment structure shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 is an example of a mechanism for sliding and chilling the operation panel 20, and includes a mechanism for sliding the operation panel 20 with respect to the main body 10 and a rotation mechanism incorporated in the slide mechanism. If it is a thing, it will not be limited to what is illustrated. For example, a guide rail is provided on the front panel 11 in the vertical direction, and a mounting member is prepared which includes a slider that fits on the guide rail and moves up and down along the guide rail, and a rotating portion that is rotatably fixed to the slider. And it is also possible to employ | adopt the structure which fixes the upper end part of the operation panel 20 to the rotation part of this attachment member.

  However, the mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 has most of the mechanism on the back side of the front panel 11, and there is no risk of fingers or cords being caught between the guide rail and the like, and the mechanism can be configured compactly. There are advantages.

<Attachment structure of handle 60 and stand part 70>
The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a handle and / or a stand unit on the back surface of the apparatus main body, the angle of which is variable with respect to the back surface and which is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the back surface of the main body 10. It is characterized by that.

  The handle 60 stabilizes the use posture by holding it by hand when operating the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment on the arm, and can also be used when carrying the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The stand unit 70 supports the apparatus when the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention is used on a table, and stabilizes the use posture at an arbitrary angle with respect to the table surface. Only one of the handle 60 and the stand part 70 may be provided, and by making the shape appropriate, one of them can have both functions of the handle and the stand part. In the following description, an embodiment including both the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 will be described. In addition to the above features, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to this embodiment has a feature that the handle can be rotated independently of the stand portion.

  Hereinafter, the structure of the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is a rear view of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. Also in FIG. 14, the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the paper will be described as the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the apparatus. Does not limit the orientation of the device.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the back surface 15 of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment includes a back panel 151 that covers the back surface of the display panel 30 and the back surface of the front panel 11 that is continuous therewith, and a back surface that covers the imaging unit 50. And a cover 152. The back panel 151 is parallel to the display surface of the display panel 30 and the front panel 11, and the vertical and horizontal sizes thereof are substantially equal to the vertical and horizontal sizes of the apparatus. The back cover 152 has a raised shape (convex portion) that covers a part of the back panel 151, and the upper end and the lower end are connected to the upper end and the lower end of the back panel 151. Except for the portions where the curved surfaces (R) at the four corners are formed, the shape is formed so as to enter the inside of the back panel 151. That is, the left and right sides of the back surface are recessed portions 15 b formed by the side surfaces of the back panel 151 and the back cover 152.

  The shape of the back cover 152 having the recesses 15b on both sides is a space for receiving the connector 51 of the probe 50, which will be described later, but an embodiment in which the insertion port of the connector 51 of the probe 50 is provided on the side surface of the apparatus is also possible. In this case, the recess 15b is not essential. In this embodiment, the recesses 15b are provided on both the left and right sides of the apparatus, but the number, shape, position, etc. of the recesses can be changed as appropriate.

  Further, the back cover 152 is provided with a concave portion 15a having a rounded four corners at the center. A circular opening is provided at the center of the recess 15a, and a mechanism for attaching the handle 60 and the stand 70 is provided in the opening. In FIG. 14, the opening is covered with a circular cover 15c.

  When the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 are folded, that is, flat with respect to the back surface, the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 are accommodated in the recess 15a, and the ultrasound imaging apparatus can maintain the tablet shape without protruding from the back surface. The handle 60 has a ring shape, a part of the ring is a base 60a fixed to the apparatus side, and another part is a part (a handle part) 60b to be gripped by a person. It operates as a handle when operated so as to be pulled up. Similarly, the stand unit 70 can be operated to be lifted from the apparatus and function as a stand.

  The attachment mechanism of the handle 60 and the stand part 70 that enables the above operation will be further described with reference to FIGS. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the handle and stand attachment mechanism, FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the handle attachment mechanism, FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the stand attachment mechanism, and FIG. 18 is an illustration of the handle and stand attachment portion. It is a perspective view which shows a rotation mechanism. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 15, the handle 60 and the stand part 70 are schematically shown only by dotted lines. Moreover, in FIG. 16, the stand part 70 is abbreviate | omitted and described.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the attachment mechanism of the handle and the stand is fixed to a shaft (not shown) Z fixed to the structure of the main body 10 (or the back panel 151) and to the shaft Z so as to be rotatable. A disk-shaped first rotating plate 161 and a second rotating plate 162 are provided. The handle 60 is fixed to the upper surface of the first rotating plate 161 by an attaching mechanism 1611 to 1614, and the stand unit 70 is fixed to the lower surface of the second rotating plate 162 by an attaching mechanism. As shown in FIG. 14, these attachment mechanisms are covered with a cover 15 c that is designed to be integrated with the back cover 152 so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the attachment mechanism of the handle 60 includes a pair of plates 1611 fixed to the first rotating plate 161, hinge portions (1612, 1614) fixed to the respective plates 1611, and washers 1613. It consists of. The hinge portion includes a shaft fixing portion 1612 that fixes a shaft (not shown) and a rotating portion 1614 that is rotatably supported with respect to the shaft and to which the base portion 60a of the handle 60 is fixed, and the washer 1613 is a shaft fixing portion. 1612 and the rotating part 1614 are interposed. The left and right rotating portions 1614 are integrated members connected by a plate member, and the base portion 60a of the handle 60 is fixed to the plate member portion by screws or the like. The shaft fixed to each shaft fixing portion 1612 is on the same axis P connecting the shaft fixing portions on both sides, and the handle 60 fixed to the rotating portion 1614 rotates around this axis P.

  With this attachment mechanism, the handle 60 is rotated with respect to the rotating plate 161 around the axis P, and the handle portion 60b facing the base portion 60a is raised from the recessed portion 15a to the outside of the recessed portion 15a. Can be rotated. In this state, the operator can hold the handle portion 60b and place the device on the arm for operation or carry the device. The washer 1613 provides resistance against rotation about the axis P of the handle 60, that is, rotation of the handle portion 60b, by the tightening force, and the handle 60 is used with the handle 60 fixed at an arbitrary angle. be able to.

  The second rotating plate 162 includes a disc portion 162a located on the lower side of the first rotating plate 161, and a ring portion 162b provided around the disc portion 162a. The disk portion 162a is formed as a straight portion by cutting off two opposing arcs, and the stand portion 70 is fixed by an attachment mechanism so as to be positioned on both sides of the straight portions on both sides. A portion of the ring portion 162b corresponding to the straight portion of the disc portion 162a is notched, and movement of a mounting portion of the stand portion 70 described later is allowed.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 17, the mounting mechanism of the stand unit 70 includes a pair of fixed blocks 1621 fixed to the back surface of the disk portion 162b, shaft fixing portions 1622 fixed to the respective fixed blocks 1621, shafts An axis (not shown) that is fixed to the fixed portion 1622 and is on the axis Q, an arm portion 1623 that is rotatably connected to the shaft fixed portion 1622 by the shaft, and provides resistance to movement of the arm portion 1623 around the axis. And a support portion 1624. The arm portion 1623 has a bowl-like shape, one end is pivotally supported on the shaft to which the shaft fixing portion 1622 is fixed, and the stand portion 70 is fixed to the other end.

  By this attachment mechanism, the stand part 70 fixed to the arm part 1624 can be rotated from the state housed in the recessed part 15a to the state rising to the outside of the recessed part 15a as shown in FIG. In addition, since the arm portion 1624 has a bowl shape, the stand portion 70 has a rotation axis Q below the rotation axis P of the handle 60, but is stored in the recess 15a. A flat surface substantially continuous with the back surface can be formed. Further, when the stand unit 70 is rotated around the axis Z by a rotation mechanism described later with the stand unit 70 tilted from the back surface, the stand unit 70 interferes with the inner wall of the recess 15a on the back surface to prevent the rotation. There is no.

Next, the rotation mechanism of the first rotating plate 161 and the second rotating plate 162 will be described.
The first rotary plate 161 to which the handle 60 is fixed and the second rotary plate 162 to which the stand unit 70 is fixed are arranged in parallel to the back surface inside the back surface of the main body 10. As shown, an axis Z in a direction perpendicular to the back surface passes through each center, and is supported rotatably in a plane parallel to the back surface with the axis Z as a rotation axis. As shown in FIG. 18, a nut 1631 is fixed to one end of the shaft 160, and the other end is fixed to the structure of the main body 10 with a double nut 1636. The first rotating plate 161 is sandwiched between a fixture 1632 for fixing the nut 1631 and the first washer 1633, and the second rotating plate 162 is sandwiched between the first washer 1633 and the second washer 1634, and the clamping force against each washer The frictional force (resistance) of rotation around the axis Z is adjusted. In the present embodiment, the rotational friction force of the second rotating plate 162 is adjusted to be larger than that of the first rotating plate 161. That is, the rotational torque of the first rotating plate is smaller than the rotating torque of the second rotating plate.

  With this structure, the second rotating plate 162 can be rotated around the axis Z by rotating the stand unit 70 in a state where the stand unit 70 and the handle 60 stand outside the recess 15a. As shown in (a) and (b), the main body 10 can be used in a state of being placed on a table in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. During the rotating operation of the stand unit 70, the first rotating plate 161 rotates integrally with the second rotating plate 162.

  On the other hand, when only the handle 60 is raised outward while the stand portion 70 is stored in the recess 15a, the rotation of the stand portion 70 is restricted by the side surface of the recess 15a. The fixed second rotating plate 162 does not rotate, only the first rotating plate 162 and the handle 60 fixed thereto rotate, and the handle 60 can be moved to an arbitrary position in the rotation direction. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the handle 60 can be held in either a vertical type or a horizontal type. For example, even when the handle 60 is mounted on an arm, the angle with respect to the main body can be arbitrarily set. Can be changed.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the frictional force of rotation about the axis Z of the first rotating plate 161 and the second rotating plate 162 is adjusted to be larger in the second rotating plate 162 than in the first rotating plate 161. Therefore, even when the stand unit 70 is lifted and can be rotated, only the handle 60 can be rotated independently.

  As described above, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 that can be raised from the back surface on the back surface of the tablet structure. Since the device 10 can be rotated independently, the device 10 can be used in any orientation, and the angle between the handle 60 and the back surface when the handle 60 is held and the angle when the stand unit 70 is raised can be arbitrarily set. Can improve usability.

  In the present embodiment, a configuration is employed in which a difference is provided between the frictional force of the rotation mechanism of the handle 60 relative to the main body 10 and the frictional force of the stand unit 70. There is no need to make a difference in force.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the rotation axis of the handle 60 and the rotation axis of the stand unit 70 are common has been described, but it is also possible to adopt a structure in which these are supported on the main body by another axis. In this case, either one of the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 is folded and stored in the recess 15a, and the other is raised from the recess 15a and rotated to an arbitrary angle to use the interference between the two. Can be prevented. However, the embodiment shown in the drawings is preferable in that the structure can be made compact and the degree of freedom of use is high.

<Probe connector mounting structure>
Next, the probe connector mounting structure will be described.
The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment is characterized in that a space is provided on the back surface in which the connector portion of the probe can be accommodated when the probe is connected. That is, the main body has a narrow portion narrower than the width of the main body on the second surface (back surface) facing the first surface (front surface) provided with the display panel, and the maximum thickness is the connector portion. The probe connection part to which the connector part is connected is formed in the narrow part of the convex part.

  Alternatively, on the second surface of the main body, the second surface (back surface) facing the first surface (front surface) provided with the display panel is provided with a storage portion for storing the connector, and facing the storage portion. A probe connecting portion to which the connector portion is connected is formed on a surface (side surface) orthogonal to the surface.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a probe, but there are various types of probes depending on the object and purpose of inspection. However, the number of terminals and the shape of the connector 51 are generally the same, those of the same size are prepared, and a common insertion port can be used.

  In the case where the display panel can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body like a conventional notebook type ultrasonic imaging apparatus, the probe connector insertion port is provided on the side surface of the apparatus main body, and the probe is connected to the insertion port. The connector is disposed at a position protruding from the side surface of the main body. In this case, the connector may collide with an external structure or a person during work, and there is a possibility that the connection becomes unstable or the connector is damaged. In the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment, a space for housing the probe connector is formed by the back panel 151 and the back cover 152 on the back surface side, and an insertion port is provided facing this space, whereby the structure described above is provided. Protect the connector from collisions with the body and people.

  This back surface structure will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 21 is a view showing a back panel and a back cover of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus, FIG. 22 is a view showing only a main part of the AA cross section of FIG. 21, and FIGS. 23 (a) and 23 (b) are FIG. It is a right view and a left view. FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an example of a probe connector. In FIG. 21, the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the paper are assumed to be the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 21, a back cover 152 having a convex shape as a whole with respect to the flat back panel 151 and having a recess 15 a in the center is provided on the back surface of the main body 10. When the apparatus includes a handle or a stand, the recess 15a is a space for storing them. In FIG. 21, the handle and the stand are omitted.

  The back cover 152 is parallel to the back panel 151 and has the longest distance from the back panel 151. The top cover 152a is an upper and lower portion that curves with an inclination toward the upper end and the lower end of the main body 10 from the flat portion 152a. The side surface portion 152b has left and right side surface portions 152c facing the back panel 151 inside the left and right ends of the main body 10 from the flat surface portion 152a. The left and right side surface portions 152c are the upper end portion of the device 10 in the vertical direction. And it curves toward a lower end part and is connected with side part 152b. Due to the shape of the back cover 152, a half-moon-shaped space (recess 15 b) is formed between the side surface portion 152 c of the back cover 152 and the left and right end portions of the back panel 151.

  As shown in FIG. 23B, the insertion port 17 for connecting the connector 51 of the probe 50 is substantially at the center (planar portion) of the side surface portion 152c of the back cover 152 forming this space (recessed portion 15b). Is formed. This central portion is a narrow portion where the width of the back cover 152 is the narrowest with respect to the width of the main body 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the insertion opening 17 is provided on the left side surface portion 152c of the left and right side surface portions, but may be provided on the right side. A lock button 18 that locks the connection state of the connector 51 connected to the insertion port 17 is provided in the vicinity of the insertion port 17. The mechanism for locking the connection state of the connector 51 by the lock button 18 and the releasing mechanism thereof are the same as those of a known ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and description thereof is omitted here.

  The relationship between the space 15b formed by the side surface portion 152c and the back panel 151 and the probe connector 51 will be described. As shown in FIG. 22, the maximum height hmax of the side surface portion 152 (that is, the maximum thickness of the back cover 152) is equal to or larger than the thickness h of the probe connector 51 shown in FIG. The distance L between the side surface portion 152c and the left end portion or the right end portion of the back panel 151 is approximately the same as the width W of the average probe connector. Therefore, in a state where the connector 51 is inserted into the insertion port 17 and the probe 50 is connected to the apparatus main body 10, the connector 51 is almost in the same plane as the back surface and does not protrude greatly from the side surface of the apparatus main body 10. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the connector 51 from colliding with a structure or a person outside the apparatus without causing the connector 51 to protrude from the main body 10 and thereby being damaged. Further, since the connector 51 is accommodated in the back surface of the apparatus, a stable posture can be maintained even when the main body 10 is laid flat on a table without raising the handle 60 or the stand unit 70.

  In addition, since the side surface of the back cover 152 that defines the space 15b has a curved surface, a part of the cable 53 coming out from the connector 51 connected to the insertion port 17 is stored in the space 15b. It is guided outside along the curved shape. Even when the probe is operated on the side of the apparatus, it is possible to prevent the vicinity of the connector 51 of the cable 53 from touching a person or an object or applying an excessive force to the connection portion.

  The insertion port 17 can be provided on both the left and right side portions 152c. However, the insertion port for the probe is provided only on one side (left side toward the back side), and the other side is an electronic device such as a memory or a power source. It is also possible to provide a connection terminal, for example, a USB port 19, for connecting the. In the present embodiment, a probe insertion port 17 is provided on the left side toward the back surface, and a plurality of USB ports 19 are provided on the right side. By providing such a connection terminal, the main body 10 can be equipped with a minimum number of devices, and can be connected to a memory or an external device as necessary, thereby reducing the weight of the main body and increasing the functionality of the device. Can be planned. On the other hand, when probe insertion holes are provided on both sides, connection to a plurality of types of probes is possible, and the insertion holes can be selected according to the dominant hand of the operator and the attitude at the time of inspection.

  In the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment, in a state where the probe connector 51 is connected to the main body 10, the connector 51 and the cable portion connected thereto are substantially contained within the volume of the rectangular parallelepiped that defines the tablet shape of the main body 10. By providing the space 15b, the posture can be stabilized and the expensive connector 51 can be protected.

  In the illustrated embodiment, a case has been described in which portions (recesses 15b) retracted inward from the side surface of the main body 10 are provided on both side surfaces of the back cover, and the insertion port 17 of the connector 51, a USB port, and the like are provided respectively. For example, as shown in FIGS. 25A to 25C, it is possible to provide a space only on one side or to change the shape and position of the recess 15b.

  FIG. 26 shows another example of the probe that can be applied to this embodiment. The probe 500 is a wireless probe that wirelessly transmits and receives signals to and from the apparatus body 10, and includes a probe body 510, an operation unit 520, and a cable 530 that connects the probe body 510 and the operation unit 520. Yes.

  The probe main body 510 has the same configuration as that of the probe main body 50a of the probe 50 shown in FIG. 5, and includes a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers (piezoelectric elements) and a backing material. Ultrasonic waves are sent into the subject from the piezoelectric element array arranged on the surface to be pressed, and ultrasonic echo signals reflected from the inside of the subject are received.

  Similar to the probe main body 510, the operation unit 520 has a size that can be operated by being held by the operator's hand, and includes a wireless device (wireless transmission / reception means) 521 and operation buttons 522 as shown in FIG. Yes. The wireless device 521 converts electric signals from the piezoelectric element array 511 of the probe main body 510 and signals from the operation buttons 522 into radio waves and infrared rays, and transmits radio waves and infrared rays from a radio adapter (radio transmission / reception means) on the main body 10 side. Is converted into an electrical signal and output to the piezoelectric element 511.

  The wireless adapter on the main body 10 side is connected to the insertion port 17 to which the connector portion 51 of the wired probe is connected, and is housed in a space 15b on the back surface of the main body that the insertion port 17 faces.

  The operation button 522 is for sending a predetermined command to the ultrasonic imaging unit 40, and may be one or two or more. The function of the operation button may overlap with any function of the operation buttons provided on the operation panel 20, or may have a separate function. For example, it is possible to provide a function for performing processing frequently executed during an inspection, such as a freeze key for temporarily stopping a display screen during photographing and a recording key for recording and saving an image on the display screen. In the case where the probe main body 510 incorporates a battery or the like, a switch having an on / off function may be included.

  The probe 500 further includes a mechanism for detachably connecting the probe main body 510 and the operation unit 520. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, a hook 523 and a hook receiving portion 513 that are engaged with each other are formed on each outer case of the probe main body 510 and the operation portion 520. In the illustrated embodiment, a hook receiving portion 513 is formed on a portion serving as a handle of the probe main body 510, and a hook 523 is formed on one surface of an operation portion 520 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. By inserting the surface while sliding the surface to the hook receiving portion 513, both are connected. The connected state is shown in FIG. In this state, since the probe main body 510 and the operation unit 520 are coupled, the cable 530 is hooked on a hand or other equipment in a state of being bundled in a loop as necessary, and is moved with the other equipment. You can make it.

  When performing the inspection, as shown in FIG. 29, the probe main body 510 can be operated with the operation portion 520 hooked on the operator's pocket or belt using the hook 523. The hook 523 may be a clip type, and in that case, the hook 523 can be stopped at an arbitrary position with a clip.

  In the wireless probe 500 shown in FIGS. 26 to 29, the probe main body 510 and the operation unit 520 are connected via the cable 530, but the cable may be omitted. In this case, as shown in FIG. 30, the probe main body 510 is provided with an operation unit 520 and wireless transmission / reception means (not shown).

  By using the wireless probe 500 as described above instead of the probe 50 connected to the main body 10 via the cable 53 as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to further facilitate carrying of the probe and handling at the time of inspection. it can.

<Multi-function operation button>
Next, a multi-function operation button that is a feature of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

  The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an electronic circuit that constitutes an ultrasonic imaging unit, and includes a main body 10 including a display unit and an operation panel 20 connected to the main body 10. Is provided with a plurality of touch panel type operation buttons (21 to 27) and a control unit (43, 431) for switching the function of each operation button.

  The control unit of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of this embodiment can further include the following features.

  The control unit switches the function of the operation button according to the imaging mode. For example, the function of the operation button is switched according to the inspection condition setting procedure determined in advance for each imaging mode. The control unit switches the function of the operation button according to a preset inspection procedure.

  The control unit includes a numerical value calculation unit (432) that converts the operation of the operation button into a numerical value or a change amount of the numerical value.

  The operation buttons include at least one of buttons (23, 25) having a function of instructing a change in numerical value by a finger rotation operation and buttons (24) having a function of instructing a position change by a finger movement operation. . Furthermore, buttons (21, 22, 26, 27) having a function of selecting or turning on / off a predetermined operation by a pressing operation are included.

  The operation button includes a convex or concave portion with respect to the operation panel surface. In that case, the operation button can have a convex shape or a concave shape depending on the function.

  Furthermore, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment includes a main body 10 incorporating an electronic circuit constituting an ultrasonic imaging unit, and an operation panel 20 connected to the main body, and the operation panel 20 includes a plurality of touch panel types. The operation buttons (21 to 27) are provided, and at least one of the operation buttons is an operation button including a convex or concave portion with respect to the operation panel surface.

  This operation button has a function to select or turn on / off a predetermined operation by a push-down operation, a button to have a function to instruct a numerical change by a finger rotation operation, and a position change by a finger movement operation Including at least one kind of button having a function to perform, and a convex shape or a concave shape differs depending on the function.

  The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment is, for example, a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus in which a display unit and an operation panel are provided on the same surface.

  The operation panel 20 of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment is a touch panel type operation panel, and is provided with operation buttons 21 to 27 that perform button functions by an operator's touch operation. A touch panel has a pair of electrodes arranged through a spacer to detect a voltage change between both electrodes caused by the proximity of an operator's finger or a change in resistance caused by pressing with a finger. A capacitive touch panel, a resistive touch panel, and the like are known, and any of them can be adopted. One feature of the operation panel 20 of the present embodiment is that the shape of the operation buttons is not flat with respect to the touch panel surface but has a predetermined concave shape. Another feature is that the function of the operation button changes according to the imaging mode and the inspection flow.

  Note that the button shape is not a concave shape, and may be a convex shape protruding from the touch panel surface, or a convex portion partially protruding in the concave shape. However, in order to prevent the button from malfunctioning, a button shape having a concave shape or a partial convex shape within the concave shape is suitable.

  First, the shape characteristics of the operation buttons will be described with reference to FIGS. 31 and 32. FIG. FIG. 31 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of the operation panel and a planar shape of the operation buttons, and FIGS. 32A to 32C are cross sections showing the operation buttons 22, 23 and 24 provided on the operation panel of FIG. It is a figure and a top view. In FIG. 31, a capacitive (projection type) touch panel is shown as an example, but the type of the touch panel is not limited to this.

  As shown in FIG. 31, the touch panel 200 constituting the operation panel 20 includes a first layer electrode 202 formed on the first substrate 201 and a second layer electrode 204 formed on the second substrate 203. The uppermost cover 205 is laminated with an adhesive layer 206 interposed therebetween. The electrodes 202 and 204 of the first layer and the second layer are made of a conductive material such as ITO, and are formed as rectangular electrode patterns on the substrates 201 and 203 made of an insulator such as glass or plastic by a technique such as sputtering. It has been done. The cover 205 is made of an insulating material such as plastic like the substrate. The rectangular alignment directions of the first layer electrode 202 and the second layer electrode 204 are orthogonal to each other, one being an X electrode and the other being a Y electrode. When an electric current is passed through these electrode patterns, an operation by the operator is detected by detecting a change in capacitance that occurs at the intersection of the electrode patterns immediately below where the operator touches the cover.

  The touch panel 200 of the present embodiment is formed in a concave shape in which the position of the cover 205 corresponding to the operation buttons 21 to 27 is lower than the cover surface. By making the operation button in such a concave shape, the operator can operate the device without looking at the operation panel 20, for example, while facing the patient to be examined or checking the image. You can know where to go.

  In this embodiment, the concave shape of the operation button is varied depending on the function of the button. The button functions include a function for selecting or turning on / off a predetermined operation by a push-down operation, a function for instructing a change in a numerical value by a finger rotation operation, and a function for instructing a change in position by a finger movement operation. . For example, the operation buttons 21, 22, 26, and 27 are operation buttons for selecting a predetermined operation or inputting only on / off, and it is only necessary to detect the presence or absence of a touch operation on the place where the button is located. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 32A, the shape is a spherical concave portion that is easy to touch and does not collect dirt easily, and the size is not limited. For example, the outer diameter is about 10 to 20 mm. The depth of the recess is about 1 mm.

  The operation buttons 23 and 25 are buttons having a function of instructing a change in numerical value by a finger rotation operation, and can input processing (menu) selection, numerical value increase / decrease, position movement, and the like. As shown in FIG. 32B, the operation buttons 23 and 25 have a circular outer periphery like the operation buttons 21 and the like, and the diameter thereof is larger than that of the operation buttons 21 and the like. There is a rotatable space, and a convex portion 232 is formed at the center. Although the size of the operation buttons 23 and 25 is not limited, For example, a diameter is about 25-40 mm, the depth of a recessed part is about 1 mm, and the diameter of the convex part 232 is about 10-15 mm. The operation buttons 23 and 25 having such a shape change the intersection of the touch portion, that is, the electrode pattern by touching the concave space 231 with a finger and moving the finger clockwise or counterclockwise. Is detected as a change in a predetermined numerical value or the like.

  The operation button 24 is an operation button having a function of instructing a change of position by a finger movement operation, that is, a trackball (trackpad) function, and has a concave bottom surface. Although FIG. 32C shows a circular outer periphery, the shape is arbitrary as long as there is an area where the finger touching the cover 205 can be dragged. The operation button 24 can move the pointer displayed on the screen of the display panel 30 to a position on an arbitrary screen by moving the finger in an arbitrary direction with the finger touching the flat bottom surface. This makes it possible to set the position and area via the pointer, for example, set the ROI and sample gate width, and measure the distance.

  Next, the function change of the operation button, which is the second feature of the operation panel of this embodiment, will be described with reference to FIGS.

  An operation panel of a conventional ultrasonic imaging apparatus is provided with a plurality of operation buttons and pointers each assigned one function. There are various functions necessary for the operation of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. For example, the imaging modes include B mode, M mode, D (Doppler) mode, 3D mode, etc., and are set for each imaging mode. The conditions to be performed and the type of processing performed during imaging are different. For this reason, in order to ensure operability and arrange these many operation buttons, the operation panel has to be large in area. In this embodiment, an operation panel suitable for a tablet-type small ultrasonic imaging apparatus is provided by assigning and switching a plurality of functions to one operation button.

  FIG. 33 is a functional block diagram illustrating functions of the control unit 43 that controls the GUI configured by the operation panel and the display panel, and FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure.

  As shown in FIG. 33, the control unit 43 includes a main control unit 430, a button function switching unit 431, a numerical value calculation unit 432, a display control unit 433, and an imaging control unit 434.

  When a predetermined operation mode is selected by operating a specific operation button on the operation panel 20, the button function switching unit 431 switches functions of other operation buttons in accordance with the selected operation mode. For example, the function can be switched to a function for sequentially inputting a plurality of conditions normally set in a predetermined imaging mode, and the order of inputting the conditions may be set in advance or selected by the user. You may make it do. Further, in a predetermined imaging mode, it is possible to switch to a function for sequentially executing a general inspection routine. Details of the function switching will be described later.

  When an operation button having a numerical value input function (hereinafter collectively referred to as operation button B) is operated, the numerical value calculation unit 432 calculates a change amount of a numerical value such as an imaging condition assigned to the operation button B. For example, when the operation button 23 shown in FIG. 32 is operated, the distance (angle) operated by the finger is calculated from the change in the coordinates, and the value assigned to the operation button 23 when the value is operated It is converted into a change amount from a preset value (for example, gain, frequency, etc.). Further, when an operation button having a trackball function (hereinafter referred to as operation button C) is operated, the position and distance at which the pointer has moved is calculated. Then, the calculation result is passed to the imaging control unit 434 and the display control unit 433.

  The display control unit 433 controls display of images and GUI display in various modes. For example, a pointer is displayed on the image, and the pointer is moved according to the operation of the operation button C. Further, the region set by the operation button C is displayed superimposed on the image with a diagram showing the ROI. Further, in accordance with the operation of the operation button B, the magnification is changed such as enlargement / reduction of the image, or the calculation result of the numerical value calculation unit 432 is displayed in a display area different from the image.

  The imaging control unit 434 performs an M-mode trace or a D-mode trace called a measurement start or freeze in a selected imaging mode by operating an operation button having a specific on / off function (hereinafter referred to as an operation button A). Each element (such as an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit) of the imaging unit 40 is controlled so that measurement is performed according to the imaging conditions set by performing a pause or operating various operation buttons.

  Based on the configuration of the control unit 43, the procedure of the control unit centering on the function switching function of the operation buttons as the measurement progresses will be described. FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the procedure. In the following description, the function assigned to each operation button is an example, and the correspondence between the function and the operation button can be arbitrarily changed.

  First, when the apparatus is turned on, a menu screen (menu display block 301) including selection of an imaging mode is displayed on the screen of the display panel 30 as shown in FIG. 35 (step S101). At this time, information on the inspection target and past data are read from, for example, a memory connected to the USB port. The read patient information and the like can be displayed on the patient information display block 302. When preset values of imaging conditions are set in advance for each examination site, a menu screen for selecting the examination site may be displayed on the menu screen. The preset value of the imaging condition may be read from an external memory. In a state where the imaging mode is displayed on the menu screen (menu display block 302), for example, the function of the operation button is assigned to one of the operation buttons B (for example, the operation button 23). A function for confirming the imaging mode selection is assigned to one operation button A (for example, the operation button 26).

  FIG. 36 shows an example of function assignment of operation buttons on the operation panel shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, in the initial state, the operation button 21 is a “reset” button for returning the apparatus to the previous state, and the operation button 22 is a “stop” button or “freeze” for pausing the currently ongoing process. Button, the operation button 23 is a “menu selection button”, the operation button 24 is a “position designation” button, the operation button 25 is a “numerical value designation” button or a “preliminary menu selection” button, or the operation button 26 is “Enter” to confirm the operation "Button and operation button 27 are" examination start "buttons.

  In such an initial state, first, the operation button 23 is operated, and an arbitrary menu is selected from a plurality of menus displayed on the display screen.

  In selecting a menu, when the concave portion 231 of the operation button 23 is operated with a finger, the position of the highlighted menu among a plurality of menus displayed on the display screen changes according to the movement. When the menu to be selected is highlighted and the movement of the finger is stopped and the operation button 26 is touched, the selection operation by the operation button 23 is confirmed, and the highlighted menu is selected. The menu selected first is, for example, the imaging mode. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus has a plurality of imaging modes such as a B mode, an M mode, and a D mode (Doppler mode), and one of the imaging modes is selected by the above operation (step S102).

  For example, when the imaging mode is set to the B mode, the button function is switched to set the imaging conditions for the B mode, and the display screen displays the B mode imaging in the imaging condition display block 303 as shown in FIG. The condition is displayed. The menu display block 301 displays an image and a GUI necessary for condition setting. The display is switched by the display control unit 433.

  B-mode imaging conditions include display-related conditions such as frequency, gain, depth, width, oblique angle, focus position and focus zone position of the display target area, and other aspects such as contrast and noise removal of the displayed image. It is. Some are set prior to the start of measurement depending on the conditions, and some are set after the start of measurement. However, if the imaging conditions are preset as described above, the preset values are corrected. Or start the inspection without any modifications. That is, when the “inspection start” button 27 is operated after the menu selection (S103), the ultrasonic beam scanning is started without setting the conditions, and the inspection is started. When the inspection start button 27 is not operated, the button function is switched to a function for setting conditions in the selected imaging mode (S104). In order to set a plurality of conditions with few operation buttons, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 34, the function of the operation button is switched to a function for another imaging condition when one imaging condition is determined. The order of the imaging conditions to be switched is determined in advance and stored in the memory unit 435, and the button function switching unit 431 switches the button functions according to the determined order so that the imaging conditions can be sequentially set.

  For example, at the time of initial condition setting, the operation button 23, the operation button 24, and the operation button 25 can be switched to a function for setting an oblique angle, a function for adjusting a position (depth and width), and a function for setting a focus position, respectively. Suppose. In this case, when the ring-shaped portion of the operation button 23 is operated with a finger, a diagram showing the oblique angle with respect to the vertical plane is displayed on the display screen (for example, block 301 in FIG. 35), and the angle changes as the finger moves. To do. Specifically, when the concave portion 231 of the operation button 23 is touched with a finger and turned clockwise or counterclockwise, the numerical value calculation unit 432 calculates the change in the position and responds to the position change amount. The amount of change in angle is calculated. The display control unit 433 creates a diagram representing the oblique angle in accordance with the change amount of the angle calculated by the numerical value calculation unit 432, and displays the diagram on the display panel by superimposing it on the vertical image. The calculated angle can also be displayed as a numerical value. The diagram representing the oblique angle or the numerical value of the angle continues to change as the operation button 23 continues to be operated, and when the finger moves in the opposite direction, the angle changes in the opposite direction. When the desired oblique angle is displayed, the operator touches the operation button 26 to determine the oblique angle.

  When the operation button 24 is operated, the pointer is placed at a desired position, and when the operation button 26 is touched, the start point in the X direction (width) or Y direction (depth) is determined, and then the operation button 24 is dragged to move the pointer. When the operation button 27 is touched at the stopped position after moving in the X direction or the Y direction by a desired distance, the end point in the X direction or the Y direction is determined. By these operations, the depth and width of the target portion displayed in the B mode are determined.

  The same applies to the focus, but since the focus setting includes a plurality of processes such as setting of the position and the focus zone, the function of the operation button is changed hierarchically so that the operation buttons 23 to 25 are set in combination. You may let them.

  Even when a condition other than those described above is set, when one condition setting is completed, the function of the operation button used for the condition setting is switched to the next condition setting to enable the operation (S105, S106, S104). ). Regarding a condition that the operator does not need to change (may be executed by default) by assigning one of the operation buttons, for example, the operation button 22 with a skip function for skipping a predetermined condition setting order. The setting or change may be omitted.

  When necessary condition setting is completed, the function of the operation button is switched by each operation button so that processing such as condition change during inspection, contrast adjustment, ROI and sample area setting, and TIC analysis can be executed (S107). ). For example, as shown in FIG. 36, the function for adjusting the change in the numerical value such as contrast is assigned to the operation button 23 and the operation button 26 (Enter button) for confirming the adjustment, and the position is changed as in the setting of the ROI and the sample area. A function for instructing a process that requires designation is assigned to the operation button 24, and a function for instructing the start of a predetermined process such as TIC analysis is assigned to the operation button 25 and the operation button 26 (Enter button). The condition change during the inspection may be assigned to the operation button 21, for example, and when this operation button is operated, the process may return to the condition setting processing loop (S103 to S106).

  When the “examination start” operation button 27 is operated after the button function is switched in step S107, measurement is started, and the display control unit 433 projects a B-mode image on a display screen (for example, the display block 301). When an operation button to which a function for instructing a predetermined process is assigned is operated during the inspection, the process is started (S109, S110). When the number of processes during measurement including condition setting such as display is not enough for the number of operation buttons provided on the operation panel 20, button function switching is performed as in steps S110 to S112. In this case as well, performing the processing order in a predetermined order is the same as in step S105 for setting conditions, and a skip function may be assigned to a specific operation button to skip unnecessary processing.

  When the M mode or D mode is selected in the first imaging mode selection (S102), the conditions to be set and the contents of the processing performed during measurement differ, but basically the procedure as shown in FIG. Thus, the progress of the inspection and the function switching of the operation buttons are performed. In M mode and D mode, processing (freezing) is often performed in which an image displayed during inspection is stopped and recorded as necessary. With regard to the processing that is performed at such a high frequency, functions such as “freeze” and “record” can be assigned to the operation buttons 1 and 2 at the time of inspection, and the freeze and recording can be performed at any time. For example, as shown in FIG. 36, when the freeze function is assigned to the operation button A (for example, the operation button 22) and the device becomes “freeze” by the operation of the operation button 22, the operation button B (for example, the operation button 23) is assigned. A function for sequentially displaying images before freezing is provided, and the function of the operation button 22 is switched from a function for instructing “freeze” to a function for instructing “record”.

  Thus, by switching the button function in accordance with the process flow and procedure, the operator can proceed with the inspection smoothly. In addition, by assigning instructions such as operation stop / confirmation and inspection start to the same operation button, the inspection can proceed without confusion even if the button function changes.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 34, the button functions are sequentially switched for a plurality of condition n settings or a plurality of processes and operations. In this case, the button functions can be switched by only one operation button. This includes the case where a plurality of operation buttons are switched simultaneously. Conversely, the functions of some operation buttons may be switched and the functions of some operation buttons may not be changed.

  In the example shown in FIG. 34, the case where the conditions and the order of processing are determined in advance has been described. However, instead of determining the order, a plurality of conditions are displayed as a menu as shown in FIG. A condition may be selected and set. In this case, for example, in the menu screen for selecting the imaging mode, when the imaging mode is selected, the display control unit 433 switches to a screen that displays conditions to be set in the imaging mode (S121). In this screen, the imaging conditions of the selected imaging mode (for example, B mode) are presented as a menu. Therefore, on the screen on which a plurality of conditions are displayed, the operation button B or the operation button C (for example, the operation button 24) is operated. Select the condition to be set. The selection of the desired condition is confirmed by, for example, the Enter button 26 after moving the pointer to a condition (for example, frequency) block for setting the position of the pointer on the screen by operating the operation button 24. A condition (for example, any of depth, oblique angle, gain, etc.) to be set by this operation is selected.

  Next, the selected condition is set (S122). The condition is set by, for example, operating the operation button 23 and turning the concave portion 231 clockwise or counterclockwise with the finger touched. The numerical value calculation unit 432 calculates the change in the position, calculates the numerical value of the frequency corresponding to the position change amount, and causes the display control unit 433 to display it on the condition display block 303 (FIG. 35). When the operator touches the operation button 26 when a desired numerical value is displayed, the frequency is determined.

  When one condition is set, until the examination start button is operated (S103), the process returns to step S121, the button function is switched, and another condition block can be selected from the condition menu selection screen. Steps S121 and S122 are repeated until the setting of conditions to be set is completed. When the examination start button is operated, the button function is further switched and the process proceeds to the measurement, as in steps S107 to S112 shown in FIG.

  According to the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment, various processes such as execution and change of various processes including inspection conditions and display during inspection can be reliably performed with a small number of operation buttons. According to the present invention, by configuring the operation button with a button including a convex or concave portion with respect to the operation panel surface, the touch panel type button operation is erroneously operated even while operating the ultrasonic probe (probe). Can be done without.

  Specifically, the operation button is changed to a touch panel type operation button, and the function of the operation button is switched according to the inspection procedure and the imaging mode, so that there is little in the limited area of the tablet type. Various imaging condition settings and various processes can be realized by the number of operation buttons.

  In addition, by making the shape of the operation button concave or convex with respect to the operation surface, the operation panel can be operated reliably even when paying attention to the image displayed on the patient or the display panel. Can do. In particular, by making the shape different according to the function of the operation button, various functions can be realized and the reliability of the operation can be improved.

  Note that the operation buttons illustrated in FIGS. 31 and 32 are examples, and the type, number, and arrangement of the operation buttons can be changed as appropriate. Also, the assignment of functions to the operation buttons shown in FIG. 36 is an example, and it goes without saying that it can be changed depending on the region to be examined and the imaging mode.

<Back side operation button>
Next, an operation unit (operation button) installed on the back side, which is a feature of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment, will be described. Since the conventional ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the notebook type is premised on the operation of placing the apparatus on a table, all the operation buttons are provided in the operation panel. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment is characterized in that operation buttons are provided in places other than the operation panel. That is, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment has a feature that, as shown in FIG. 12, the handle portion 60 can be handled and the main body 10 can be used on the arm. This feature makes it possible to place the operation button at a position where the hand handling the handle can operate.

  Although the example of arrangement | positioning of an operation button is shown in FIGS. 38-40, these are examples and are not limited to these, The arbitrary combinations are also possible.

  FIG. 38 is an example in which the operation button 81 is provided on the handle 60 itself, (a) is a plan view of the handle 60, (b) a view of the handle portion 60b of the handle from above, and (c) is a use state. Is shown. The operation button 81 is provided at the end of the handle portion 60b of the handle 60 at a portion (concave portion) that is recessed from the outer surface. In this embodiment, the operator can operate the operation button 81 with the thumb while holding the handle 60 with four fingers of the right hand, for example. Since the operation button 81 is provided at a position recessed from the handle surface, there is no possibility of erroneous operation when the handle 60 is gripped.

39 and 40 are examples in which an operation button 82 is provided on the upper end portion of the back cover 152. FIG. As shown in FIG. 40, the operator can operate the operation button 82 with, for example, the index finger while holding the handle 60 with the thumb and other fingers. In FIG. 39, two operation buttons are shown, but the number of operation buttons may be one or more than two. However, it is desirable that the position and number be operable with a hand having a handle.
Further, both the operation button 81 of the handle 60 and the operation button 82 of the back cover 152 may be provided.

  The form of the operation button provided on the back side is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the operation button is operated by a mechanical mechanism that converts the push-down operation into an electrical signal.

  The function of the operation button provided on the back side is the same function as the operation button A provided on the operation panel 20 such as start / stop of inspection, freezing, and confirmation of processing operation, and is frequently used during measurement. It is desirable that It is also possible to provide an operation button having a trackball function. As an operation button having a trackball function, a well-known mechanism that optically detects the rotation direction and the rotation speed of the ball-shaped protrusion provided in the recess can be adopted. In response, the cursor displayed on the display unit is operated. As an example, the operation button 81 provided on the handle 60 can have a trackball function, and the operation button 82 provided on the back surface can have a processing confirmation function. By providing an operation button for the trackball function, an operation for selecting a specific menu from the menu displayed on the display unit or setting a ROI by designating a specific position of the displayed image is performed with one hand. be able to.

  As a usage form of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, while holding the handle with one hand and placing the ultrasonic imaging apparatus on the arm, the probe is handled with the other hand. It is conceivable to inspect, but in this case, the operation button having the above function is provided at a position where it can be operated by the hand having the handle, so that the inspection by the probe is interrupted without using the hand having the probe. Therefore, processing such as measurement stop, freeze, and recording can be performed, and the convenience of operation can be greatly improved.

  In FIG. 39, the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 on the back side is shown, but the feature of this embodiment is that an operation unit (operation button) is provided on the back side. In addition, the stand unit 70 can be omitted. Moreover, the surface side of the portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of this embodiment should just be provided with the display panel and the operation panel, and the display panel and the operation panel may each be a fixed type fixed to the main body, Either of them may be movable.

<Probe holding structure>
A portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment different from FIG. 1 will be described. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of this embodiment is characterized in that a probe holder is provided on the back surface of the main body. For example, the probe holder can be detachably attached to the support structure of the handle and / or the stand part.

  During the examination, the probe is applied to an examination site such as a patient, but when the examination is interrupted or when the apparatus is carried, it is necessary to separately store the probe in a holder. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of this embodiment is provided with a probe support structure (probe holder) using the support structure of the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 on the back surface of the main body 10.

  Hereinafter, details of the probe holder will be described with reference to FIGS. 41 is a perspective view of the main body as seen from the back, FIG. 42 is a sectional view, and FIG. 43 is a perspective view showing the probe holder and the cup with the cup removed.

  In the figure, the case where both the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 are provided and applied to an apparatus having the same structure as that of FIG. 14 is shown, but the feature of this embodiment is that a probe holder is provided on the back surface. It is not essential that the handle 60 and the stand unit 70 are provided, and only the handle 60 or only the stand unit 70 may be provided.

  As shown in the drawing, the handle 60 and the stand part 70 are attached to a recess 15a of a back cover 152 provided on the back surface so as to be folded and rotated by a support structure, and the support structure is covered with a cover 15c. The cover 15c of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 is circular, whereas the cover 15c has a shape in which both sides in the left-right direction are cut off, and the probe holder 90 is attached so as to sandwich both sides of the cover 15c. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 43, the probe holder 90 includes a cup support portion 91 and two leg portions 92 connected to the back surface thereof, and these are manufactured by integrally molding with, for example, plastic, metal or the like. Can do.

  The cup support portion 91 is a flat member having an opening 91a into which the cup 95 is fitted, and a part of the opening 91a of the cup support portion 91 is opened, and the inner periphery is C-shaped. Further, the cup support portion 91 is formed with a substantially rectangular notch 91c on the opposite side to the opening 91a back to back, and as a result, a pair of bent portions 91b are formed with the notch 91c interposed therebetween. The length of the substantially rectangular cutout in the longitudinal direction substantially coincides with the width in the left-right direction of the cover 15c having a shape cut off from the left and right. The distance between the tips of the pair of bent portions 91b is slightly narrower than the width of the cover 15c, and as shown in FIG. 42, the cover 15c is sandwiched between the bent portions 91b and fixed to the cover 15c.

  Each of the leg portions 92 extends in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the support surface of the cup support portion 91, and the tip 92a is bent in an L shape. The cover 15c covering the support structure such as the handle 60 is formed with a recess corresponding to the end of the leg 92. When the bent part 91b of the cup support 91 is attached to the cover 15c, the leg 92 The front end 92a of the probe engages with a recess formed in the cover 15c, and is supported by the probe holder 90 together with the bent portion 91b.

  The cover 15c may be provided with a portion (narrow portion) whose width in the left-right direction is narrower than the distance between the tips of the pair of bent portions 91b. In that case, the probe is made using the narrow portion. The holder 90 can be made detachable. For example, after the probe holder 90 bent portion 91b is fitted from the narrow portion of the cover 15c, the probe holder is slid vertically until the tip 92a of the leg portion 92 of the probe holder 90 engages with the concave portion of the cover 15c. The tip 92a is pushed into the recess of the cover 15c and attached. When removing the probe holder 90 from the cover 15c, the reverse operation may be performed.

  As shown in FIG. 43, the cup 95 fixed to the probe holder 90 is formed integrally with a flange portion 95a and a cylindrical portion 95b, and is similar to a cup used for a general probe holder. The cylindrical portion 95b has a diameter that gradually decreases from the flange portion 95a toward the end portion. The flange portion 95a and the cylindrical portion 95b are provided with one slit 95c along the axis of the cylinder, so that the probe 50a to which the cable 53 as shown in FIG. ing. The opening 91 a of the cup support portion 91 has an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 95 b of the cup 95. By inserting the cup 95 from above the opening 91 a, the flange portion 95 a becomes the support surface of the cup support portion 91. It is placed and supported by the cup support portion 91. At that time, the opening part of the opening 91a and the slit 95c of the cup 95 coincide.

  The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with a structure for supporting the probe holder on the back surface of the apparatus, so that it is not necessary to prepare a probe holder separately from the main body, and the convenience of the portable apparatus is improved. Can do.

  Moreover, since the probe holder of this embodiment is attached using the space between the handle 60 and the stand part 70, the function of the handle 60 and the stand part 70 itself is not hindered. That is, even when the probe holder 90 is attached and the probe is not placed, the handle 60 can be lifted and operated, and the stand unit 70 is pulled out and the apparatus is stood on the table. It is also possible. In this state, as shown in FIG. 41, the probe 50 can be inserted into or removed from the probe holder 90.

  As mentioned above, although the embodiment of the portable ultrasonic imaging device of the present invention has been described for each feature, the gist of the present invention is as described in the claims, and the specific structure and arrangement of each part within the scope The combination, number, etc. can be arbitrarily changed. Some of the features described above are not essential in the present invention and can be omitted.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce the number of operation buttons, thereby reducing the size of the operation panel and the size of the entire portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention can enable inspection by an ultrasonic imaging apparatus not only in a hospital examination room but also in various places such as hospital rooms, vehicles, and home visits.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Main body, 11 ... Front panel, 15 ... Back surface of main body, 15a ... Recessed part, 17 ... Probe insertion port, 20 ... Operation panel, 21-27 ... Operation Buttons 28, 29 ... Operation buttons (back side), 30 ... Display panel, 40 ... Ultrasonic imaging unit, 43 ... Control unit, 431 ... Button function switching unit, 432 ... Numerical calculation unit, 433 ... display control unit, 434 ... imaging control unit, 50 ... probe, 51 ... connector, 60 ... handle, 70 ... stand unit, 81, 82 ... Operation buttons, 90 ... probe holder, 100 ... ultrasonic imaging device, 151 ... back panel, 152 ... back cover

Claims (10)

An electronic circuit that constitutes an ultrasonic imaging unit, a main body provided with a display unit, an operation panel connected to the main body and provided with a plurality of touch panel operation buttons, and a control unit that switches the function of each operation button a handheld ultrasound imaging device equipped with bets,
The operation buttons are
A plurality of condition buttons for setting imaging conditions;
A confirm button for confirming imaging conditions set by the plurality of condition buttons;
An inspection start button for instructing the start of the inspection;
A freeze button for temporarily stopping the operation of the portable ultrasonic imaging device after the start of inspection,
In accordance with a predetermined order, the control unit switches the confirmation button to a function for confirming another imaging condition when one imaging condition among the plurality of conditions is confirmed, and depressing the examination start button. When this is done, the function of the condition button is switched to a function for setting a condition under examination . The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1,
The operation button includes a skip button for skipping the order of condition setting . The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The said control part switches the function of the said operation button according to the test condition setting procedure previously decided for every imaging mode, The portable ultrasonic imaging device characterized by the above-mentioned. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The control unit switches a function of the operation button according to a preset inspection procedure. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1,
The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus, wherein the control unit includes a numerical value calculation unit that converts an operation of the operation button into a numerical value or a change amount of the numerical value. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1,
The operation button includes at least one of a button having a function of instructing a change in numerical value by a finger rotation operation and a button having a function of instructing a position change by a finger movement operation. Ultrasonic imaging device. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 6,
The operation button further includes a button having a function of selecting or turning on or off a predetermined operation by a pressing operation. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1,
The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus, wherein the operation button includes a convex or concave portion with respect to an operation panel surface. The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 8,
The operation button has a convex or concave shape depending on a function, and is a portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus.   The portable ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit and the operation panel are portable ultrasonic imaging apparatuses provided on the same surface.

Images