SUB-BATTERY PACK, BATTERY PACK HAVING THE SUB-BATTERY PACK, PORTABLE ULTRASONIC SCANNING APPARATUS USING THE SUB-BATTERY PACK AND BATTERY PACK, AND CART CARRYING THE SUB-BATTERY PACK, BATTERY PACK AND PORTABLE ULTRASONIC SCANNING APPARATUS

• US 20130330588A1
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: AHN, Mi Jeoung, JO, Jae Moon, BANG, Sangwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/99
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack includes a case, at least one receptacle defined in the case and configured to accommodate at least one battery that supplies power to a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus, at least one first terminal installed to the at least one receptacle, the first terminal coming into contact with a terminal of the battery when the battery is accommodated in the at least one receptacle, and a second terminal electrically connected to the at least one first terminal, the second terminal being electrically connected to the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a case;

at least one receptacle defined in the case and configured to accommodate at least one battery that supplies power to a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus;

at least one first terminal installed to the at least one receptacle, the at least one first terminal coming into contact with a terminal of the battery when the battery is accommodated in the at least one receptacle; and

a second terminal electrically connected to the at least one first terminal, the second terminal being electrically connected to the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receptacle includes plural receptacles partitioned from one another.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the respective receptacles have different sizes of receiving spaces to accommodate different sizes of batteries.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the respective receptacles have different widths or lengths.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal is installed on a wall surface of the at least one receptacle.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal is installed on an outer surface of the case.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first terminal includes plural first terminals, and the plural first terminals are separate from one another with respect to the second terminal.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first terminal includes plural first terminals, the plural first terminals are connected to one another in parallel, and the second terminal is connected in series to the plural first terminals.

9. A battery pack comprising:

a first sub-battery pack including a first case, a first receptacle defined in the first case to accommodate a battery that supplies power to a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus, and a first coupler installed to the exterior of the first case; and

a second sub-battery pack including a second case, a second receptacle defined in the second case to accommodate a battery that supplies power to the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus, and a second coupler installed to the exterior of the second case to enable coupling between the first sub-battery pack and the second sub-battery pack.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein each of the first and second sub-battery packs includes a first terminal installed on the first or second receptacle to come into contact with a terminal of the battery when the battery is mounted in the first or second receptacle, and a second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal, the second terminal being electrically connected to the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the first coupler includes a boss, and the second coupler includes a groove for sliding coupling with the boss.

12. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein the first and second couplers are disposed near corners of vertical outer surface edges of the first and second cases.

13. A sub-battery pack comprising:

a case;

a receptacle defined in the case and configured to accommodate a battery that supplies power to a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus;

a first terminal installed to the receptacle, the first terminal coming into contact with a terminal of the battery when the battery is accommodated in the receptacle;

a second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal, the second terminal being electrically connected to the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus; and

a coupler installed to the exterior of the case to allow the sub-battery pack to be coupled to another sub-battery pack.

14. The sub-battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the coupler includes a boss for sliding coupling with a groove formed in another sub-battery pack, or a recess for sliding coupling with a boss formed at another sub-battery pack.

15. The sub-battery pack according to claim 13, wherein the coupler is disposed near a corner of a vertical outer surface edge of the case.

16. A portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus comprising:

a probe configured to generate ultrasonic waves and receive the ultrasonic waves reflected from a subject;

an image processor configured to generate image data by processing ultrasonic data transmitted from the probe;

a display unit configured to display the image data; and

an externally located power source unit connected to a battery pack, in which a plurality of batteries is accommodated, the power source unit supplying power to the probe, the image processor, and the display unit.

17. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to judge a remaining charge of all of the plurality of batteries accommodated in the battery pack.

18. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of relays configured to turn on or off electric connection between each battery accommodated in the battery pack and the power source unit; and

a controller configured to judge a remaining charge of each battery,

wherein, if the remaining charge of a single battery electrically connected to the power source unit is a reference value or less, the controller drives the plurality of relays to electrically connect another battery and the power source unit to each other and disconnect electric connection between the single battery and the power source unit.

19. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the display unit displays the remaining charge of the single battery, warns a user that the remaining charge is the reference value or less, and informs the user of replacement of the battery that supplies power to the power source unit.

20. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of relays to turn on or off electric connection between each battery accommodated in the battery pack and the power source unit; and

a controller to judge a remaining charge of each battery,

wherein, if the remaining charge of a single battery electrically connected to the power source unit is a reference value or less, the controller drives the plurality of relays to electrically connect another battery and the power source unit to each other and performs charging of the single battery.

21. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of relays to turn on or off electric connection between each battery accommodated in the battery pack and the power source unit; and

a controller to electrically connect a battery, selected based on at least one workflow or application, with the power source by driving the plurality of relays upon execution of the at least one workflow or application by the controller.

22. The portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a memory to store a list of batteries to be used upon execution of each application or workflow.

23. A cart for a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus, the cart comprising:

a support stand on which the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus is placed, the support stand having a mounting recess in which a battery pack accommodating at least one battery is detachably mounted; and

a plurality of casters attached to the bottom of the support stand.

24. The cart according to claim 23, wherein a third terminal is installed to the mounting recess and comes into contact with a terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is mounted in the mounting recess, and the third terminal is electrically connected to a fourth terminal installed to the support stand, the fourth terminal being connected to a power source unit of the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus.

25. The cart according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of relays are installed between the third terminal and the fourth terminal to turn on or off electric connection between each battery accommodated in the battery pack and a power source unit of the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus, the plurality of relays being driven by the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus.

26. A cart comprising:

a support stand having a plurality of casters attached to the bottom thereof, and at least one receptacle defined in an upper surface thereof to accommodate a battery that supplies power to a portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus; and

a board hinged to the top of the support stand, on which the portable ultrasonic scanning apparatus is placed.

27. The cart according to claim 26, wherein an LED display unit is installed on a front surface of the board to display a charging state of the battery accommodated in the receptacle.