WO2010032151A1

WO2010032151A1 - Control panel overlay for diagnostic ultrasound equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2010032151A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/053853
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elizabeth Marshall; Daryl Schilke; Richard Dugan
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
Priority date: 2008-09-19
Filing date: 2009-09-03
Publication date: 2010-03-25

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel has an overlay which forms the top surface of the control panel. Apertures are formed in the overlay through which controls of the control panel protrude. The overlay forms an elevated perimeter around each aperture extending above the main overlay surface to retard the flow of gel and other fluids into the apertures and to the controls. This peripheral elevation provides a contact surface for an operator to tactilely locate the control by touch while reducing the chance of accidental activation. The peripheral elevation continues downward to form a cylinder around each control, thereby defining a supporting member near the top of the control for the moving control. The overlay is preferably formed of an injection molded or fabricated nonconductive material such as a polymer.

Description

CONTROL PANEL OVERLAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC ULTRASOUND

EQUIPMENT

This invention .relates to medical diaqnostic ultrasound systems and, in particular, to a control panel overlay which improves control operation and inhibits liquid contamination.

Medical diagnostic: ultrasound systems have control panels by which the user adjusts settings lior the acquisition, display and use of ultrasound images. FIGURE 1 illustrates a typical ultrasound imaging system 10. The ultrasound system 10 includes a chassis 12 containing most of the electronic circuitry for the system 10. The chassis 12 is mounted on. a wheeled cart 14, and an ultrasound image display 16 is mounted on the chassis 12. Different imaging probes ;nay be plugged into three connectors 26 on the chassis. The chassis 12 includes a control panel 28 with buttons and controls chat enable a soπographer to operate the ultrasound system 10 and enter information about the patient or the type of examination that is being conducted. Αt the back of the control panel 28 in this example is a touchscreen display 18 on which softkey controls and other information may be displayed. Since there are a great number of adjustments which can be made and parameters which can be entered, the control panel usually has many buttons, knobs, and switches for settling and adjusting various systemoperating parameters . FIGURE 2 illustrates the control complexity of a typical ultrasound system control panel 44. The control panel 44 is seen to contain a number of buttons, switches and hard controls by which an operator controls the ultrasound system. ϊn the front of the control panel 44 are two openings 62 which form handles at the front of the control panel. These handles are gripped when changing the height, of the control panel by means of an adjustable support {not; shown) . In the front center of the control panel is a trackball 64 which is used as a pointing device in conjunction with cursors and menus on the image display 16. To the left of the trackball is an "Enter" or "Return" key 66 which functions in the manner of the Enter key on a computer keyboard, and to the ri.ghf: of the trackball is a "Select" key 68 by which a user can select a menu item indicated by use of the trackball. In the lower right corner of the control panel is a "Freeze" button S2 which is used to capture or "freeze" a particular live image on the image display. Above the trackball is an array of mode control buttons 72a-72e which are used to select a particular imaging mode αf operation. These include the grayscale mode selected by button 72a, the color Doppler mode selected by button 72b, the 3D imaging mode selected by button 72c, the M-mode selected by button 72ά, and so forth. On the right side of the control panel is the "Gain" rocker switch 75 by which the user can increase or decrease the gain of ultrasound signals used to produce the "image. increasing the gain itiay improve the image returned from greater tissue depths, for instance. Above the Gain button is a "Depth" button 77 that can be used to increase or decrease the depth of. a displayed image. Next to the Depth button is a "Resolution" button 78 by which a user can enhance or increase the resolution of the ultrasound image. Above these controls is a full keyboard 80 which may comprise either mechanical or membrane keys. To the right of the keyboard 80 is a set of mechanical slide potentiometers which are used to set the TGC gain characteristic applied to the received echo signals. Above the keyboard 80 is a row fontt:oils 90 a!: the top of the control panel, each of which is aligned with art area of the display screen immediately above the button. By displaying a programmable function label in a display screen area above a button 90, the function of the button can be made programmable for different functions during different modes of ultrasound system operation. The; typical control panel can be made in different ways. A typical approach is to mount the controls on a printed circuit board which electrically connects their functions to one or more processors in the chassis 12. The printed circuit board is usually mounted to a frame or skeleton which extends up to near the tops of the controls. An overlay with, holes for the buttons and controls is then fastened to the frame to provide a finished control panel surface. if the ultrasound system is designed for surgery, for instance, the overlay may be a continuous membrane which overlays the controls and can be easily cleaned with fluids for sterility. For other applications the buttons and controls will extend through the holes in the overlay. The overlay will often have labels and control functions printed adjacent to the holes which define the function of the button or control which protrudes through the adjacent opening. Such an open arrangement is preferred by many sonographers as it enables direct: contact with each control and provides a reliable tactile sensation when a button is pressed or a control manipulated.

Ultrasound systems generally operate in environments where they may come into contact with various fluids. One fluid which is virtually always present, is the gel which is applied to the ultrasound probe to provide acoustic coupling between the probe and the skin of the patient, ultrasound gels are very viscous and can ran at: drip around the examination site and onto the control panel. Since the control panel is usually sloped as shown in FIGURE 1 for user comfort; a large drop or gel can easily drop onto the control panel and run down the panel. The gel can then run into the holes around. the buttons; and controls, resulting i.:n. erratic operation of the buttons and controls and contasn ϊ.naU ion of the underlying printed circuit; board. It is thus desirable to provide a control panel with openings for the buttons and controls but which also retards contamination from gel and other iiςiuid spills.

In accordance with the principles of the present invent! on, a diagnostic ultrasound system is provided with a control panel overlay which is fabricated with peripheral elevations around button and control openings. The peripheral elevations will redirect gels ana other fluids v»'hich ran down the corstrol panel and retard the flow of gel and fluid into the opening around the button or control. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention,- the elevation terminates at a cylinder which descends down and around the button or control, providing a well defined quide aperture in which the button or control can move, reducinq hi.riding an.d .stiicking of the button or control in the overlay aperture.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical ultrasound imaging system.

FIGOPE 2 is a plan view of a typical ultrasound system control panel. FIGURE 3a is a cross-sectional view of a button for: an ultrasound system control panel.

FIGURE 3b is a cross-sectional view or another button for an ultrasound system control panel. FIGURE 3c is a cross-sectional view of an ultrasound system control panel button and control panel overlay constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURES 4a and. 4b are top and bottom plan views of a section of a thermoplastic control panel overlay constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURES 5a and 5b illustrate in cross-section two control panel overlays constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 3a illustrates in cross-section a long- standinq approach to constructing a button control for an ultrasound system control panel . An elastomeric switch 42 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 34. The switch 42 is generally soldered to the PCB to conductive traces en the board which electrically couple the switch contacts to an electronic device such as an ultrasound system processor. A polymeric button 32 rests or is fitted on top of the switch 42, When the button 32 is pressed downward , the switch 42 is closed (or opens}, and this conductivity is coupled to the processor by the PCB traces. To keep the board in the proper alignment and. location, a cylinder: 40 is- mounted on the PCB surrounding the button. The button 32 extends upward through a hole in and just above the surface of a frame 36 which provides a rigid control panel frame around the button. An overlay 50, generally raade of a polymeric material and often containing labeling for the button, is located on the frame to provide the finished surface of the control panel. The overlay 50 also has a hole through which the button protrudes, with the edge of tne hole terminating in the vicinity of the frame-cylinder interface.

FIGURE 3b illustrates in cross-section another control button assembly which is a modified form of the approach of FIGURE 3a. In this approach the button 32 sits on a center projection of the switch 42. Instead of a separate cylinder part, a cylinder 30' is integrally formed as part of the elastomer ic switch. The button 32 has a flange 46 extending outwardly from the base of the button which fits closely inside the cylinder 40'. As before, the top of the button 32 protrudes slightly above the surface of the frame 36 with its overlay 50, While this second approach is advantaqecαsiy less expensive than the approach of FTGURE: 3a, it has been found to give an impression of button wobble at times and presents a risk of the button edge being caught, against the sheet metal of the frame or underlying structure. Like the first approach, there is nothing to retard the flow of gel into the hole ol the overlay,

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an overlay 52 for a control panel is fabricated as shown in partial cross-section in FIGURE 3c. The inventive overlay 52 is preferably injection molded from a thermoplastic material or fabricated by a :nachininq or other: forming operation. The overlay has two features which iirtprove button performance. One is chat the hole in the overlay for the button does not simply terminate around the button, but extends downward and around the button, thereby forming an upper cylinder 54 around the bυtton. This upper cylinder gives further circumferential definition and support, around the button which reduces perceived button wobble. In addition, the cylinder reduces light ieafcage around the button from back-lighting for labels and controls. Since ultrasound systems are often used in darkened rooms for better image clarity, the reduction in light leakage around the controls can improve the sonographer ' s perception of the ultrasound image on the display. Furthermore, the overlay in this example does not simply descend into its cylindrical form from the surface of the control panel, but extends upward around the aperture of the cylinder. This -upward extending peripheral ridge 56 around the aperture of the cylinder retards the flow of gel into the hole for the button, redirecting any flow of gel around the button. Thus, contamination of the PCB and sticking of the button from gel in the cylinder- is reduced. Tn addition, the peripheral ridge or elevation 56 provides a tactile sensation for button activation by providing as elevated surface for the operator's fingers to contact when accessing the control panel while the operator's attention is focused on the ultrasound image on che display. The peripheral elevation provides a further benefit of reducing ursdesired accidental activation caused by a user inadvertently pressing against the otherwise exposed side of the control button.

FIGURES 4a and 4b are top and bottom perspective views of a section of a control panel overlay constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. These drawings show three apertures formed in a sheet of thermoplastic materia! 70, 70', The view of the top surface 70 shows rounded elevations 74 formed around each hole in the therrαcpl astic material. The material around each aperture descends to form a cylinder 76 around buttons to be located Ln and extending through the apertures. The view of the bottom surface 70' shows the cylinders 76 extending from the bottom of the overlay around each aperture.

Various forms of elevations can be made depending upon the preference of the designer and the processes used to fabricate the overlay. FlGURE 5a is a cross-sectional view illustrating the elevation around the overlay aperture 98 formed as a straight, slope 92 upward from the planar surface 94 of the overlay. The overlay then descends from the peripheral peak of the elevation downward to form the cylinder 96. FIGURE 5b is another cross-sectional view of another example of an overlay of the present. invention, In this example the elevation 93 is formed with a rounded shape extending up in a curved shape from the surface of the overlay 94. The curve 93 continues on its arc until extending downward to form the cylinder 96. Other forms will readily occur to those skilled .n tne art. tor instance, he cylinder may be formedas a circle, a square, rectangle, an ellipse, or oval or some other, shape that to :he shape of the button or control

:or which its aperture is being defined.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1, An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel comprising : a supporting member for controls of a control panel; a plurality of user controls ϋiounted on the supporting member; and an overlay forming an υpper surface of the control panel, the overlay having a plurality of apertures through which the user controls extend, the overlay extending upward to form an elevation around each .aperture and continuing to extend downward around the aperture to form a cylinder in which a user control may move .

2, The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the supportinq member comprises a printed circuit board,

3, The: ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the user controls are buttons which may be depressed by a user,

4, The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 3, wherein the finger- contacting upper surface of each button, projects slightly above a main planar surface of the control panel .

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 3, wherein each button further includes an eiastomeric switch.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic iraaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the overlay is forced of a molded or fabricated plastic material.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic imagines system control panel of Claim 1, whsrein the elevation is rounded.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the elevation extends as a straight slope up from the main planar surface of the overlay.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim I, wherein the cylinder exhibits a circular shape to conform to a user control with a circular, oval, or elliptical periphery

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the cylinder exhibits a square shape to conform to a user control with a square peripheriy.

11. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the cylinder exhibits a rectangular shape to conform to a user control with a rectangular periphery.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic. imaging system control panel of Claim 1, wherein the supporting member further comprises a frame defining an upper surface through which the user controls extend and which surface supports the overlay.

13. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 12, wherein the supporting member further: comprises a support for a printed circuit board, on which the user controls are mounted.

14. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system control panel of Claim 13, wherein the user controls are electrically coupled to conductive traces on the printed circuit hoard.