CHARGER FOR ELECTRONIC GRID HOLDERS AND DETECTORS STORED AT MOBILE RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME

• US 20130064351A1
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Inventors: Urbon, Michael P., O'Dea, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,414,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/98.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4283 characterised by a detector unit being housed in a cassette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/46 Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/464 involving a plurality of displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A mobile radiography apparatus has a moveable (e.g., wheeled) transport frame and an adjustable support mounted at the frame that can include an x-ray source. Embodiments of methods and/or apparatus by which mobile radiography carts can provide a charging capability for at least one radiographic detector (e.g., removed power source, detector either separately mounted at the mobile radiography apparatus or in a detector carrier (e.g., grid holder)) mounted at the mobile radiography apparatus.

Claims

1. A mobile radiography apparatus comprising:

a moveable transport frame;

an adjustable support structure coupled to the moveable transport frame;

an x-ray source coupled to the adjustable support structure; and

at least one detector recharge device configured to charge at least one portable radiographic detector at the mobile radiography apparatus.

2. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 1, where at least one detector recharge device comprises at least one radiographic detector installer.

3. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 2, where the at least one radiographic detector installer comprises:

a first radiographic detector charger to charge a first power source for the at least one portable radiographic detector,

a second radiographic detector charger to charge the first power source for the at least one portable radiographic detector, and

where the first radiographic detector charger and the second radiographic detector charger are respectively configured to charge the first power source fro at least two of the following configurations;

(a) when the first power source is removed from the at least one portable radiographic detector, (b) when the first power source is in the at least one portable radiographic detector, (c) when the first power source is mounted the at least one portable radiographic detector that is mounted at a detector carrier, or (d) when the first power source is mounted in the detector carrier configured to mount the at least one portable radiographic detector.

4. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 2, where at least one radiographic detector installer comprises a mount or a recess configured to charge a first power source for the at least one portable radiographic detector at the mobile radiography apparatus.

5. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 4, where the at least one recess comprises at least two engaging connectors, where each of the at least two engaging connectors can move in two-dimensions or in three-dimensions at a connector housing in the at least one recess, where a radiographic detector holder is configured to be carried in the at least one recess in at least two positions, where a first one of the at least two engaging connectors is engaged to the at least one portable radiographic detector when the radiographic detector holder is mounted in the at least one recess in a first position and a second one of the at least two engaging connectors is engaged to the at least one portable radiographic detector when the radiographic detector holder is mounted in the at least one recess in a second position.

6. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 4, where at least one first engagable connector electrically coupled to the at least one portable radiographic detector is disengaged from the at least one engaging connector when the radiographic detector holder is removed from the at least one recess.

7. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 2, where the detector recharge device comprises:

a radiographic detector holder to hold the at least one portable radiographic detector, where the radiographic detector holder or a portable radiographic detector comprises at least one first engagable connector electrically coupled to a radiographic detector power source,

where the at least one radiographic detector installer is configured to store the at least one portable radiographic detector, where the at least one radiographic detector installer comprises at least one engaging connector, and

where the at least one engaging connector is engaged to the at least one first engagable connector when the radiographic detector holder or the portable radiographic detector is stored in the at least one radiographic detector installer.

8. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 7, where the at least one engaging connector can move in two-dimensions or in three-dimensions at a connector housing in the at least one radiographic detector installer.

9. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 7, where the at least one engagable connector and each of at least two engaging connectors can self-align, self-connect and self-disconnect to each other when the grid holder assembly reciprocally moves between a first position outside the at least one radiographic detector installer to a second position charging in the at least one radiographic detector installer.

10. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 9, comprising a first display to provide communication to at least one portable radiographic detector;

wherein the first display is configured to provide control of the x-ray source, where the first display can also display a status of charging batteries or batteries in a grid holder assembly in the first position and the second position, where the power source is a portable power source of the mobile radiography apparatus or the power source is an external power source coupled to the mobile radiography apparatus.

11. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 4, where the one recess comprises a plurality of storage slots, where the plurality of storage slots are configured to provide selectable access to a plurality of different sized DR detectors or a DR detector battery in the plurality of storage slots, where each of the plurality of storage slots comprises at least one engaging connector.

12. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 2, where the at least one radiographic detector installer comprises a guide assembly to orient the grid holder assembly during movement in the at least one radiographic detector installer to the second position.

13. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 12, where the guide assembly is configured to apply force or friction to the grid holder assembly during movement in the at least one radiographic detector installer to the second position, where a battery of a radiographic detector holder or a battery of the at least one portable radiographic detector is coupled to a power source of the mobile radiographic apparatus when the radiographic detector holder is in the at least one radiographic detector installer.

14. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 1, where the at least one radiographic detector installer comprises at least one engaging connector that comprises a magnetic tether connector, springs, pneumatic actuators or electro-mechanical actuators to make an electrical connection female/male connector pairing using the at least one engaging connector.

15. The mobile x-ray radiography apparatus of claim 1, where a first display provides an indication of allocation of the at least one portable radiographic detector when the at least one portable radiographic detector is assigned to the mobile radiography apparatus, where the allocation indication of the at least one portable radiographic detector can be set at the first display.

16. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 1, comprising an actuator configured to move between a first position and a second position, where at least one engaging connector is configured to engage to the at least one portable radiographic detector when the actuator is in the second position.

17. A method of preparing a mobile radiography apparatus comprising:

providing a moveable transport frame;

providing an adjustable support structure coupled to the moveable transport frame;

providing an x-ray source coupled to the adjustable support structure; and

attaching at least one detector recharge device configured to charge at least one portable radiographic detector at the mobile radiography apparatus.

18. A mobile radiography apparatus comprising:

a moveable transport frame;

an adjustable support structure coupled to the moveable transport frame;

an x-ray source coupled to the adjustable support structure; and

a detector recharge device configured to charge at least one radiographic detector at the mobile radiography apparatus, where the detector recharge device comprises,

at least one detector mount configured to attach to the at least one radiographic detector, where the at least one detector mount comprises,

at least one engaging connector configured to charge an internal power source of the radiographic detector when the radiographic detector is electrically coupled to the at least one engaging connector, and

a connector housing to restrain movement of the engaging connector in at least one direction.

19. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 18, where the at least one engaging connector is configured to include an alignment portion and an electrical connector, where the at least one engaging connector is configured to include limited movement in an x-direction and an orthogonal y-direction.

20. The mobile radiography apparatus of claim 18, where the at least one radiographic detector includes at least one first engagable connector electrically coupled to a radiographic detector power source, where the engagable connector and the at least one engaging connector can self-align, self-connect and self-disconnect to each other when the radiographic detector reciprocally moves between a first position detached from the at least one detector mount to a second position charging at the at least one detector mount.