JP6640645B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic device and cart for ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a cart for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a plurality of ultrasonic probes are often used. In particular, in the case of a shared service in which an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is shared by each medical department, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a plurality of ultrasonic probes are held in a holder unit according to each medical department, and a user of each medical department is provided. Used for At this time, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, adjustment of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probes, attachment and detachment of the ultrasonic probe connector from the apparatus main body, insertion and removal of the probe head in the holder unit, according to the habits and diagnostic purposes of the users in each medical department. And so on.

  Various structures such as a fixed structure, a rotating structure, and a sliding (sliding) structure are known as holder units related to such adjustment and insertion / removal.

  The fixed structure is, for example, a structure in which a plurality of holding units are fixedly formed. In the case of the fixed structure, since the ultrasonic probe is held at the fixed position, the adjustment range of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probes is narrow.

  The rotating structure is a structure that rotatably supports a disk on which a plurality of holding units are formed. In the case of the rotary structure, the range of adjustment of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probes is extended as compared with the fixed structure in order to hold the ultrasonic probe movably on the circumference.

  The sliding structure is a structure that supports each of the plurality of holding portions so as to be slidable on the rail. In the case of the sliding structure, in order to hold the ultrasonic probe movably on the rail, the adjustment range of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probes is expanded as compared with the fixed structure.

  As described above, among the structures of the holder unit, the rotational structure and the sliding structure extend the adjustment range of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probes, so that the degree of freedom of the adjustment operation by the user is improved.

Japanese Patent No. 4067998 Patent No. 4217186

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the above-described holder unit usually has no particular problem. However, according to the study of the present inventor, when the ultrasonic probe is inserted and removed (i) and when the ultrasonic probe is moved (ii), as described below. It is thought that there is room for improvement in that each has the potential for collision.

  (I) When the holder unit is located below the connector of the ultrasonic probe mounted on the apparatus main body, when inserting and removing the ultrasonic probe with respect to the holder unit, the head of the ultrasonic probe is connected to the connector or the apparatus main body. May cause collision. For example, when a portable ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is installed on a trolley with a holder unit, the distance between the portable apparatus main body and the holder unit is short, so that the above-described collision is likely to occur when the ultrasonic probe is taken in and out. .

  (Ii) When holding an ultrasonic probe having a long head, such as a transrectal probe or a transvaginal probe, in a holder unit, when moving the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus to go around a hospital room, the ultrasonic probe head may be attached to a wall or the like. May collide with other obstacles. For example, when the ultrasonic probe protrudes from the area (footprint) surrounded by the contact portion between each wheel of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and the floor, the ultrasonic probe is affected by the surrounding environment of the footprint, so that when moving the ultrasonic apparatus, In addition, the above-mentioned collision is likely to occur.

  According to the study of the present inventors, the possibility of collision is not limited to the ultrasonic probe, but may be any ultrasonic diagnostic device such as a bottle container containing Sonozelly (registered trademark). , It is considered the same.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a cart for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can avoid collision of instruments held by a holder unit.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment includes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body in which a connector of an ultrasonic probe is mounted on one side, and a carriage having a pedestal on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a rail and a holder unit.

  The rail is supported near the pedestal on a side opposite to a surface on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed, and has a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a side closest to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.

  The holder unit is slidably mounted on the rail and holds an ultrasonic diagnostic instrument.

  The rail is formed such that the angle of the holder unit can be changed with respect to a vertical line substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction at least in a first portion facing a side where the connector is mounted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an appearance of a portable diagnostic device applied to an ultrasonic diagnostic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another appearance of the portable diagnostic device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the portable diagnostic device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an appearance of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an external appearance of the cart for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in the same embodiment as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an external appearance of the cart for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in the same embodiment as viewed obliquely from the rear. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the adapter according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an appearance of the support member, the rail, and the holder unit in the same embodiment as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the support member, the rail, and the holder unit in the same embodiment as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a top view schematically showing the configuration of the rail in the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second modification of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of the second modification example of the embodiment. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of the second modification example of the same embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram for explaining a third modification of the embodiment. FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line B-B ′ of FIG. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fourth modification of the embodiment. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of the fourth modification example of the embodiment. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fifth modification of the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a cart for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to one embodiment includes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body in which a connector of an ultrasonic probe is mounted on one side, and a carriage having a pedestal on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed. Here, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is detachably held on a pedestal by a lock mechanism or the like (not shown). However, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is not limited to this, and may have a configuration in which the diagnostic apparatus main body and the cart are integrated.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an appearance of a portable diagnostic device applied to an ultrasonic diagnostic device according to an embodiment. The portable diagnostic device 1 has, for example, the appearance of a notebook computer or a tablet computer, and has a device main body 11, a detachable ultrasonic probe 12, an input device 13, a monitor 14, a plurality of connector ports 15, and an openable / closable. It has a simple cover portion 16. By changing the cover 16 from the closed state to the open state, the monitor 14 and the input device 13 can be used. The ultrasonic probe 12 has a head 12a, a connector 12b, and a cord 12c for electrically connecting the head 12a to the connector 12b. The connector 12b is connected to a connector port 15 provided on the right side of the apparatus main body 11. Be attached. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 12b of the plurality of ultrasonic probes 12 may be attached to the connector port 15 of the apparatus body 11. Although not shown, the connector port 15 may be provided on the left side of the apparatus main body 11. Moreover, you may make it provide in both right and left side surfaces as needed. Alternatively, the connector port 15 may be provided on the front side or the back side toward the apparatus main body 11. If necessary, the connector port 15 may be provided on any of a plurality of side surfaces facing the apparatus main body 11. Supplementally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus may be moved to the patient's bedside to perform ultrasonic image diagnosis. In this case, when the patient's bed is disposed on the right side of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the connector port 15 is provided on the right side of the apparatus main body 11 so as to be closer to the patient. Is preferred. Similarly, when the patient's bed is disposed on the left side of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the connector port 15 is preferably provided on the left side of the apparatus main body 11 in front.

  FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the portable diagnostic device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the portable diagnostic apparatus 1 includes an ultrasonic probe 12, an input device 13, a monitor 14, an ultrasonic transmitting unit 21, an ultrasonic receiving unit 22, a B-mode processing unit 23, a Doppler processing unit 24, An image generating unit 25, an image memory 26, an image synthesizing unit 27, a control processor (CPU) 28, an internal storage unit 29, and an interface unit 30 are provided.

  The head 12 a of the ultrasonic probe 12 generates a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators that generate ultrasonic waves based on a drive signal from the ultrasonic transmission unit 21 and convert reflected waves from the subject into electric signals, and are provided on the piezoelectric vibrators. And a backing material for preventing propagation of ultrasonic waves from the piezoelectric vibrator to the rear. The connector 12b of the ultrasonic probe 12 is electrically connected to a connector port 15 provided on the apparatus main body 11. In this state, the connector 12b sends the drive signal received from the ultrasonic transmission unit 21 via the connector port 15 to the cord 12c, and transmits the electric signal received from the code 12c via the connector port 15 to the ultrasonic reception unit 22. To send to.

  It should be noted that there are various types of ultrasonic probes 12 according to, for example, a diagnosis target site, a diagnosis purpose, and the like. For example, FIG. 2 shows an ultrasonic probe 12 having a short head 12a for abdominal diagnosis and an ultrasonic probe (transrectal probe) 12 having a long head 12a for transrectal diagnosis. Of the ultrasonic probes 12 having the connector 12b connected to the connector port 15, the head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12 used for the current imaging is gripped by the user, and the ultrasonic probe 12 according to a drive signal from the apparatus main body 11. Is activated. On the other hand, the head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12, which is not used for current imaging, is held by a holder unit provided on a bogie (not shown).

  The input device 13 includes various switches, buttons, a trackball, a mouse, a keyboard, and the like for inputting various instructions, conditions, a region of interest (ROI) setting instruction, various image quality condition setting instructions, and the like from the operator to the apparatus main body 11. Have.

  The monitor 14 displays morphological information (B-mode image), blood flow information (average velocity image, variance image, power image, and the like) in the living body based on the video signal from the image generation unit 25, and a combination thereof. It is a circuit displayed as. The term “monitor” may be read as “display”.

  The ultrasonic transmission unit 21 has a trigger generation circuit, a delay circuit, a pulser circuit, and the like (not shown). In the pulsar circuit, a rate pulse for forming a transmission ultrasonic wave is repeatedly generated at a predetermined rate frequency fr Hz (period; 1 / fr second). Further, in the delay circuit, a delay time necessary for focusing the ultrasonic waves in a beam shape for each channel and determining transmission directivity is given to each rate pulse. The trigger generation circuit applies a drive pulse to the ultrasonic probe 12 at a timing based on the rate pulse. The term “ultrasonic transmission unit” may be read as “ultrasonic transmission circuit”.

  The ultrasonic receiving unit 22 has an amplifier circuit, an A / D converter, an adder, and the like (not shown). The amplifier circuit amplifies the echo signal captured via the ultrasonic probe 12 for each channel. The A / D converter gives the amplified echo signal a delay time necessary to determine the reception directivity, and then performs an addition process in an adder. The term “ultrasonic receiving unit” may be read as “ultrasonic receiving circuit”.

  The B-mode processing unit 23 is a circuit that receives an echo signal from the ultrasonic receiving unit 22, performs logarithmic amplification, envelope detection processing, and the like, and generates data whose signal intensity is represented by brightness.

  The Doppler processing unit 24 frequency-analyzes velocity information from the echo signal received from the ultrasonic receiving unit 22, extracts a blood flow, a tissue, and a contrast medium echo component due to the Doppler effect, and outputs a blood flow such as an average velocity, dispersion, and power. This is a circuit that obtains information for multiple points.

  The image generation unit 25 generally converts a scanning line signal sequence of an ultrasonic scan into a scanning line signal sequence of a general video format represented by a television or the like, and converts an ultrasonic diagnostic image as a display image. It is a circuit to generate.

  The image synthesizing unit 27 is a circuit for synthesizing the image received from the image generating unit 25 together with character information and scales of various parameters, and outputting the synthesized image to the monitor 14 as a video signal.

  The control processor 28 has a function as an information processing device (computer) and controls the operation of the device main body 11.

  The internal storage unit 29 stores data groups such as a control program for executing a predetermined scan sequence, image generation and display processing, diagnostic information (patient ID, doctor's findings, etc.), diagnostic protocol, transmission / reception conditions, and the like. It is a storage circuit.

  The interface unit 30 is an interface circuit for the input device 13, a network, and a new external storage device (not shown). Data such as an ultrasonic image and analysis results obtained by the apparatus main body 11 can be transferred to another apparatus via a network by the interface unit 30.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the appearance of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which the portable diagnostic apparatus 1 is mounted on a cart 50, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the appearance of the cart from diagonally forward. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the appearance of the bogie from diagonally backward. The carriage 50 is provided at four corners of the support table 51 along a direction in which a diagonal line of the support table 51 is extended, and a substantially rectangular shape having substantially the same thickness as the support table 51. Four plate-like legs 52, a wheel 53 attached to one surface of the tip of the leg 52, and a support post 54 erected on a surface of the support base 51 opposite to the wheel 53, A pedestal 55 is provided at the top of the support column 54 and the portable diagnostic device 1 is detachably installed. In addition, the shape of the support base 51, the number and installation direction of the legs 52, the number of wheels 53, and the like are merely examples, and are not limited thereto. Further, the support 54 has an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the pedestal 55.

  On the other hand, the right side (the side corresponding to the connector port of the portable diagnostic device 1) and the back side (the side corresponding to the base end of the cover 16) on the bottom surface of the base 55 opposite to the installation surface. Is provided with a plurality of support members 60, 60 'along a longitudinal direction (substantially vertical direction) substantially parallel to the support column 54. A rail 70 having a longitudinal direction in a direction (substantially horizontal direction) orthogonal to the columns 54 is attached to the distal ends of the plurality of support members 60 and 60 ′. Note that the support members 60 and 60 ′ may be any members that support the rail 70, such as a support member provided along a longitudinal direction (substantially horizontal direction) substantially parallel to the pedestal 55 from the column 54. Other structures may be used. In any case, the rail 70 is supported near the pedestal 55 on the side opposite to the surface on which the apparatus main body 11 is installed, and has a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the nearest side of the apparatus main body 11. The vicinity is a range where the user who operates the input device 13 can reach the holder unit 80, for example, within a range of the length of one side of the apparatus main body 11 from the bottom surface of the pedestal 55. It is within the length of the head 12a of the transrectal probe from the bottom surface. If the rail 70 is positioned below the vicinity of the rail, the collision with the connector 12b can be easily avoided when the device enters and exits, but the operation of the user may be difficult. It is preferable to be supported in the vicinity from the bottom surface of 55. A plurality of holder units 80 that hold instruments for ultrasonic diagnosis are slidably (slidably) mounted on the rail 70 along the rail 70. However, at times other than the sliding operation, each holder unit 80 is fixed on the rail 70 by a frictional force. The number of holder units 80 is arbitrary. An adapter 90 for holding the head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12 is attached to each holder unit 80.

  As shown in an example in FIG. 7, the adapter 90 is made of rubber and is designed to have a size corresponding to each ultrasonic probe 12, and has a bottom surface 91 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the holder unit 80, and a holder unit 80 from the bottom surface 91. And an oblique cylindrical side portion 93 having an opening 92 having a diameter longer than the inner diameter of the cylinder. If the adapter 90 does not fall out of the holder unit 80, the diameter of the opening 92 may not be longer than the inner diameter of the holder unit 80, and the side surface portion 93 may not be oblique cylindrical. Notches 91a and 93a for passing the cord 12c of the ultrasonic probe 12 are formed in the bottom surface 91 and the side surface 93. The adapter 90 is not limited to the head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12, and holds a bottle container that accommodates an acoustic coupling agent such as sterilized sonojelly (a jelly having water solubility and sound speed close to that of a living tissue). You may. When holding the bottle container, for example, an adapter without the notches 91a and 93a is attached to the holder unit 80.

  From the viewpoint of simplifying the drawing and facilitating understanding, illustration of the adapter 90 is omitted in the following drawings.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the support member 60, the rail 70, and the holder unit 80 from obliquely forward, and FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the support member 60, the rail 70, and the holder unit 80 from obliquely above. FIG. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line A-A ′ of FIG. 9.

  The plurality of support members 60 have base ends 60a provided on the fixed plate 61 so as to be orthogonal to the fixed plate 61, respectively. The fixing plate 61 is fixed to the bottom surface of one side of the pedestal 55 such that the longitudinal direction is substantially parallel to one side of the pedestal 55. The support member 60 has a shape in which the other end 60b is bent in a direction (obliquely outward) away from the pedestal 55 and the column 54, and a tip of the other end 60b has a side surface of a rail 70 having a substantially oval cross-sectional shape. Has been fixed. The support member 60 may have a substantially L-shaped cord hook 62 between the base end 60a and the other end 60b.

  The holder unit 80 has a substantially cylindrical shape having a substantially C-shaped shape with a notch 81 through which the cord 12c passes, and a hook 82 for hanging the cord 12c is formed at one end of the notch 81. ing. A plurality of claw portions 83 that sandwich the rail 70 from above and below are formed in a portion of the holder unit 80 that faces the notch portion 81. In this specification, the terms “plurality of claws” and “claws” may be called “clip mechanisms”, respectively. The tips of the claws 83 have an interval through which the other end 60b of the support member 60 can pass. Thus, the holder unit 80 is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the rail 70. At this time, a vertical line L1 extending from the upper end 84a of the inner surface 84 of the holder unit 80 on the claw portion 83 side to the connector 12b side substantially in parallel to the support member 60, and the inner surface 84 is extended on the same plane as the vertical line L1. The angle formed with the straight line L2 is θ. The angle θ corresponds to the angle of inclination of the head 12a in the longitudinal direction of the ultrasonic probe 12 held by the holder unit 80. In other words, the angle θ corresponds to the angle at which the holder unit 80 rotates about a central axis along the longitudinal direction of the rail 70. As the angle θ increases in the range of, for example, 0 ° or more and 40 ° or less, there is a property that the collision between the head 12a that is put in and out of the holder unit 80 and the connector 12b located above the holder unit 80 is easily avoided. Note that, in the present specification, the numerical range of the angle θ is an exemplification, and is not limited thereto.

  FIG. 11 is a top view schematically illustrating the configuration of the rail 70. The rail 70 has, for example, an outward portion 71 in which the angle θ is in the range of 10 ° to 40 °, a transition portion 72 in which the angle θ is more than 0 ° and less than 10 °, and an angle θ of 0 °. And an upward portion 73.

  Thus, according to the twisted rail 70, the holder unit 80 can move along the rail 70, and the angle θ can be changed according to the position of the holder unit 80 on the rail 70. More specifically, the rail 70 is formed so that the angle θ of the holder unit 80 can be changed with respect to the vertical line L1 that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction at least at the outward portion 71 facing the side where the connector 12b is mounted. Have been. Here, as a method of forming the rail 70 that can change the angle θ, for example, there are a method in which the cross-sectional shape of the rail 70 is deformed and a method in which the cross-sectional shape of the rail 70 is not deformed. Examples of a method of deforming the cross-sectional shape of the rail 70 include a method of twisting the rail 70 having a non-circular cross-sectional shape (this embodiment) and a method of rotating a part of the rail 70 having a non-circular cross-sectional shape (third described later). Modification). As a method in which the cross-sectional shape of the rail is not deformed, for example, there is a method using a circular cross-sectional shape (a fifth modified example described later).

  In addition, a horizontal line L1 ′ is used instead of the vertical line L1 as a reference of the angle θ, and a straight line L2 ′ associated with a part of the holder unit 80 so as to match the horizontal line L1 ′ at the upward portion 73 instead of the straight line L2. Are substantially the same. As described above, even if the angle θ of the holder unit 80 is changed from the angle between L1 and L2 to the angle between L1 ′ and L2 ′, the value of the angle θ becomes the same. However, at the angle θ based on the horizontal line L1 ′, at the angle θ of the outward portion 71 (= 0 ° to 40 °), it is difficult to understand that the appliance does not collide with the connector 12b when taking in and out. The standard.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the outward portion 71 is located on the side corresponding to the connector 12b when viewed from above, and is a portion where the straight line L2 does not intersect the connector 12b. In other words, the outward portion 71 is formed such that the longitudinal direction of the substantially oval cross-sectional shape is substantially parallel to the angle θ in order to tilt the holder unit 80 at the angle θ. That is, the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit 80 is attached so as to keep the instrument away from the connector 12b and obliquely outward. When the holder unit 80 is located at the outward portion 71, it is preferable that the holder unit 80 hold the ultrasonic probe 12 of the short head 12a from the viewpoint of avoiding collision with an obstacle such as a wall.

  The transition portion 72 has one end connected to the outward portion 71 and the other end connected to the upward portion 73. The transition portion 72 continuously shifts the angle θ of the outward portion 71 to 0 °, and then turns the longitudinal direction toward the back side of the apparatus main body 11 (the side corresponding to the base end of the cover 16). This is a portion where the rail 70 is bent. The portion (twisted portion) of the transition portion 72 that continuously transitions the angle θ may adjust the angle θ for each temperature by using, for example, a shape memory material.

  The upward portion 73 is located on the back side of the apparatus main body 11 when viewed from above, and is a portion where the straight line L2 coincides with the vertical line L1. In other words, the rail 70 has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit 80 is attached so as to hold the instrument along the vertical line L1 at the upward portion 73 facing the side where the connector 12b is not mounted. In the upward portion 73, there is no connector 12b above the holder unit 80, and there is no fear of colliding with an obstacle such as a wall while moving between the carriage 50 and the user. 12 is preferably held by the holder unit 80.

  Next, the operation when the ultrasonic probe 12 is moved in and out and when the ultrasonic probe 12 moves in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  Now, it is assumed that a holder unit 80 is located at the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 and holds the short head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12. Further, it is assumed that another holder unit 80 is located at the upward portion 73 of the rail and holds the long head 12a of the ultrasonic probe 12.

  At this time, in the holder unit 80 located at the outward portion 71 of the rail 70, the short head 12a is inclined by an angle θ in a direction away from the column 54, and a straight line extended from the head 12a along the longitudinal direction of the head 12a is formed. The upper connector 12b is avoided. This straight line is a line substantially parallel to the straight line L2 shown in FIG. Therefore, when the user puts the head 12a in and out of the holder unit 80 located in the outward portion 71, collision with the connector 12b, the apparatus main body 11, the pedestal 55, and the like can be avoided. The short head 12a is obliquely outward, but does not protrude from a footprint (a floor surface region connecting each contact portion between the wheel of the device and the floor) because of its short length. Collisions with obstacles can be avoided.

  On the other hand, in the holder unit 80 located on the upward portion 73 of the rail 70, the long head 12a is held substantially parallel to the support column 54, and the tip of the head 12a does not protrude from the footprint of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to avoid collision between the long head 12a and an obstacle such as a wall during transportation. Further, although the long head 12a is upward, there is nothing above, so that the collision with the apparatus main body 11 or the like can be avoided when the long head 12a is inserted into or removed from the holder unit 80.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, at least in the first portion (outward portion 71) facing the side on which the connector is mounted, the rail has an angle of the holder unit with respect to a vertical line substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Is formed to be changeable. Therefore, by changing the angle of the holder unit by the rail, it is possible to avoid a collision between the instrument held by the holder unit and the connector or the like.

  For example, at the outward portion 71 of the rail, the holder unit is attached so as to keep the instrument obliquely outward away from the connector, so that when the user takes the instrument in and out of the holder unit, the collision between the instrument and the connector etc. Can be avoided. In the present embodiment, as the first portion (outward portion 71) of the rail, for example, a component having a cross-sectional shape to which a holder unit is attached so as to hold the instrument obliquely outward away from the connector is mounted. .

  Also, for example, in the upward portion 71 of the rail, the holder unit is attached so as to hold the instrument along the vertical line, so that, for example, even when a long instrument is held in the holder unit during transportation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. In addition, collision between long equipment and obstacles such as walls can be avoided. In this case, as the rail, the second portion (upward portion 73) facing the side where the connector is not mounted is mounted as a configuration having a cross-sectional shape in which the holder unit is attached so as to hold the instrument along a vertical line. Is also good.

  Note that the present embodiment may be modified as in the following first to fifth modified examples. Each of the modified examples may be combined with each other as much as possible.

  First, a first modified example will be described. The first modified example has a configuration in which a part of the device emits light in a dark examination room. Specifically, the first modification has a configuration in which a fluorescent paint is applied to at least a part of the holder unit 80. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, the holder unit 80 may apply a fluorescent paint to the upper surface of the substantially C-shape, or may apply the fluorescent paint only to the hook 82.

  According to the first modification as described above, the holder unit 80 emits light in a dark inspection room with the configuration in which the fluorescent paint is applied to the holder unit 80, so that the head 12a can be prevented from colliding with the connector 12b. Can be mounted on the holder unit 80.

  Next, a second modified example will be described. The second modification is a configuration in which the rail 70 expands and contracts. Specifically, in the second modified example, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the outward portion 71 and the upward portion 73 of the rail 70 are provided as telescopic structures, respectively.

  Here, the outward portion 71 is, for example, a tubular member 71a having a substantially oval hollow cross-sectional shape, and is provided detachably in the tubular member 71a, and is smaller than the inner side surface of the tubular member 71a. A rail member 71b having a substantially oval cross-sectional shape.

  Similarly, the upward portion 73 is, for example, a tubular member 73a having a substantially oval hollow cross-sectional shape, and is provided to be detachable from the tubular member 73a, and is substantially smaller than the inner surface of the tubular member 73a. A rail member 73b having an oval cross section.

  The tubular members 71a and 73a are connected to each other via the transition portion 72 described above.

  According to the above-described second modification, the outward portion 71 and the upward portion 73 of the rail 70 are each configured to have a telescopic structure, so that the ratio of the outward portion 71 and the upward portion 73 can be adjusted according to the needs of the user. Can be adjusted.

  In the second modification, a two-stage expansion / contraction structure is shown for easy understanding. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a multi-stage expansion / contraction structure of three or more stages may be used. Further, the second modified example can be applied to a case where the cross-sectional shape of the rail 70 is circular. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the rail 70 includes a plurality of cylindrical members 70a, 70b and a columnar member 70c, which are partially overlapped and nested, and an overlapping portion between the members 70a, 70b, 70c. By changing the length, a structure that expands and contracts may be used. In the case of the other example shown in FIG. 13, in addition to being able to expand and contract the length of the rail according to the needs of the user, since the cross-sectional shape is circular, the angle at which the holder unit 80 is attached can be continuously adjusted. This will be described in a fifth modification.

  Alternatively, the rail 70 may have a structure in which a plurality of elastic structures can be bent by a bending member. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the rail 70 includes the above-described elastic structure including the members 70a, 70b, and 70c, and the above-described elastic structure including a plurality of cylindrical members 70e and 70f and a columnar member 70g via a bending member 70d. You may connect to the same expansion-contraction structure. Here, in the bending member 70d, the first connection member 70d1 connected to the tip of the columnar member 70c is connected to the second connection member 70d3 via a vertical axis 70d2 orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of each of the elastic members. . The second connection member 70d3 is provided between the vertical shaft 70d2 and the base end of the cylindrical member 70e. The connection members 70d1 and 70d3 are covered with a cylindrical cover (not shown) so that the holder unit 80 can slide. As a result, the telescopic structure including the members 70e, 70f, and 70g rotates around the vertical axis 70d2, so that the rail 70 has a plurality of telescopic structures bent by the bending member 70d.

  In the case of the other example shown in FIG. 14, the rail 70 having the elastic structure can be bent. For example, one elastic structure is arranged at a position facing the front side of the apparatus main body 11, and At the opposing position, the holder unit 80 can hold a desired device.

  Next, a third modified example will be described. In the third modification, the rail 70 rotates to change the angle θ of the holder unit 80. Specifically, in the third modified example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 is provided as a structure rotatable around a central axis 71 </ b> R along the longitudinal direction. I have.

  Here, the support member 60 has, instead of the other end 60b described above, the other end 60c arranged in a direction away from the column 54, for example, having a holding member 60d having a substantially C-shaped cross-sectional shape at the tip. I have. The holding member 60d is formed by forming a cutout in a part of a substantially cylindrical member having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the rod member 74 so as to hold the rod member 74 along the central axis 71R of the rail 70. It is. Further, any joint mechanism that can support the rotating rail 70 may be provided instead of the holding member 60d and the rod-shaped member 74. Further, the ease of rotation of the rail 70 may be adjusted with a screw or the like, or the rail 70 may be fixed after the rotation. In any case, the support member 60 can support the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 so as to be rotatable around a central axis 71R along the longitudinal direction.

  According to the third modified example described above, the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 is configured to be rotatable about the central axis 71R along the longitudinal direction, so that the outward portion 71 of the rail 70 is formed. Direction can be adjusted.

  Further, the third modification can be applied to the upward portion 73 of the rail 70 in addition to the outward portion 71 of the rail 70. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to the upward portion 73 of the rail 70 instead of the outward portion 71 of the rail 70. In any case, the upward portion 73 of the rail 70 can be provided as a structure rotatable around a central axis along the longitudinal direction. In this case, the direction of the upward portion 73 of the rail can be adjusted.

  Next, a fourth modification will be described. The fourth modification has a configuration in which the holder unit 80 is prevented from falling off at both ends of the rail 70. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the fourth modified example has a protrusion (potch) 71p at the tip of the outward portion 71 and the upward portion 73 of the rail 70, respectively. , 73p.

  Here, the protrusions 71p and 73p are members that prevent the holder unit 80 from being unintentionally dropped, and have a height that is, for example, about half the thickness of the claw 83 of the holder unit 80, and have been slid. The claw portion 83 of the holder unit 80 can be locked. The projections 71p and 73p have a substantially hemispherical shape so that the claw portion 83 can get over when the holder unit 80 is slid with a strong force.

  According to the fourth modified example described above, the protrusions 71p and 73p are provided at the distal ends of the outward portion 71 and the upward portion 73 of the rail 70, respectively, thereby preventing the holder unit 80 from unintentionally falling off. be able to.

  In the fourth modification, a hole (not shown) into which the claw 83 of the holder unit 80 fits may be provided instead of the protrusions 71p and 73p. The hole has a depth of, for example, about half the thickness of the claw portion 83 of the holder unit 80, and the claw portion 83 of the holder unit 80 that has been slid can be locked. The hole preferably has an inclined surface so that the claw portion 83 can escape when the holder unit 80 is slid with a strong force. As described above, the holder unit 80 can be prevented from unintentionally falling off even when the holes are provided.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the rail 70 is formed by bending the tip 71u of the outward portion 71 upward and bending the tip 73u of the upward portion 73 upward. May be. In this manner, the configuration in which the ends 71u and 73u of the rails are bent upward can prevent the holder unit 80 from unintentionally falling off as described above.

  Finally, a fifth modification will be described. In the fifth modification, the angle θ of the holder unit 80 is changed by changing the angle θ of the holder unit 80 instead of changing the angle θ of the holder unit 80 by changing the angle on the rail side. Specifically, in the fifth modified example, as shown in FIG. 19 as a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 9, a circular cross-sectional shape is used instead of the rail 70 having a substantially oval cross-sectional shape. Is provided. Accordingly, the holder unit 80 includes a plurality of claw portions 83 ′ that sandwich the rail 70 ′ from above and below, instead of the above-described claw portions 83. It should be noted that the degree of clamping by the claws 83 '(the degree of tightening of the clip mechanism) may be adjustable. Such adjustment is preferable when the diameter of the circular cross-sectional shape changes, for example, as in another example shown in the third modification. In addition, the tips of the claw portions 83 ′ have an interval through which the other end 60 b of the support member 60 can pass. Thereby, the holder unit 80 is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the rail 70 '. Further, the holder unit 80 is rotatable about a central axis of the rail 70 ′ in order to hold the rail 70 ′ having a circular cross-sectional shape.

  According to the fifth modified example described above, the angle θ of the holder unit 80 with respect to the vertical line L1 can be continuously adjusted by the configuration in which the rail 70 'having a circular cross-sectional shape is provided.

  Each of the head 12a and the bottle container in one embodiment is an example of the device in the claims. The outward portion 71 in one embodiment is an example of a first portion in the claims. The angle θ in one embodiment is an example of the angle of the holder unit in the claims. The upward portion 73 in one embodiment is an example of the second portion in the claims.

  Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Portable diagnostic apparatus, 11 ... Device main body, 12 ... Ultrasonic probe, 12a ... Head, 12b ... Connector, 12c ... Cord, 13 ... Input device, 14 ... Monitor, 15 ... Connector port, 16 ... Cover part, 21 ... Ultrasonic transmission unit, 22 ... Ultrasonic reception unit, 23 ... B-mode processing unit, 24 ... Doppler processing unit, 25 ... Image generation unit, 26 ... Image memory, 27 ... Image synthesis unit, 28 ... Control processor (CPU) 29 internal storage unit 30 interface unit 50 trolley 51 support base 52 leg 53 wheel 54 support column 55 pedestal 60 and 60 'support member 60a base end , 60b, 60c: the other end, 60d: clamping member, 61: fixing plate, 62: cord hook, 70, 70 ': rail, 70a, 70b, 70e, 70f: cylindrical portion , 70c, 70g ... columnar member, 70d ... bending member, 70d1, 70d3 ... connecting member, 70d2 ... vertical axis, 71 ... outward portion, 71a, 73a ... cylindrical member, 71b, 73b ... rail member, 71R ... center Shaft, 71p, 73p Projection, 71u, 73u Tip, 72 Transition part, 73 Upward part, 74 Bar member, 80 Holder unit, 81, 91a, 93a Notch, 82 Hook, 83 .., 83 ′... Claw, 84... Inner side, 84a... Upper end, 90... Adapter, 91...

Claims (8)

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body in which a connector of an ultrasonic probe is mounted on one side, and a carriage having a pedestal on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed,
A rail that is supported near the pedestal on the side opposite to the surface on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed, and has a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the closest side of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body,
A holder unit that is slidably attached to the rail and holds an instrument for ultrasonic diagnosis.
The rail is formed such that an angle of the holder unit can be changed with respect to a vertical line substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at least in a first portion facing a side on which the connector is mounted. Diagnostic device.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the rail has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit is attached so as to hold the instrument obliquely outward away from the connector.   3. The rail according to claim 1, wherein the rail has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit is attached so as to hold the device along the vertical line at a second portion facing a side where the connector is not mounted. 4. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as described in the above.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the rail has a structure rotatable around a central axis along the longitudinal direction. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cart having a pedestal for installing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body in which a connector of an ultrasonic probe is mounted on one side,
A rail that is supported near the pedestal on the side opposite to the surface on which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is installed, and has a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the closest side of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body,
A holder unit that is slidably attached to the rail and holds an instrument for ultrasonic diagnosis.
The rail is formed such that an angle of the holder unit can be changed with respect to a vertical line substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at least in a first portion facing a side on which the connector is mounted. Dolly for diagnostic equipment.   The cart for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first portion of the rail has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit is attached so as to hold the instrument away from the connector and obliquely outward.   7. The rail according to claim 5, wherein the rail has a cross-sectional shape to which the holder unit is attached so as to hold the device along the vertical line at a second portion facing a side where the connector is not mounted. 8. The cart for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the above.   The cart for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first portion of the rail has a structure rotatable around a central axis along the longitudinal direction.