Remote control handswitch and operating method thereof for portable X-ray units

• US 7,263,166 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Postkom Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Postkom Company Limited
• Inventors: Sung, Ki-Bong, Kim, Hack-Seoug
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun; Jurie
• Application Number:
  US10/751,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20050047547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 378/114, 200/341, 200/523, 200/524
• US Class Current: 378/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/08 Electrical details

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote control handswitch for a portable X-ray unit. The remote control handswitch for a portable X-ray unit comprises a two-step switch formed of a standby button and an execution button, and a handswitch housing having the two-step switch on an upper side of the same, wherein a multi-function operation is performed based on a click operation of the two-step switch. In the present invention, the remote control handswitch may be used for a remote controller using a remote control handswitch.

Claims

1. A remote control handswitch for a portable x-ray unit, comprising:

a two-step switch formed of a standby button and an execution button; and

a handswitch housing having the two-step switch on an upper side of the same, said handswitch housing connected to the portable x-ray unit such that

a multi-function operation is performed with the portable x-ray unit based on a click operation of the two-step switch.

2. The handswitch of claim 1, wherein said remote control handswitch further includes a remote controller.

3. An operation method of a remote control handswitch for a portable X-ray unit, comprising:

clicking a standby button of a two-step switch for a short period of time three times in series;

switching the current mode to a remote control mode as a result of the clicking step;

performing a remote control mode operation after the switching step;

sequentially displaying a plurality of memory numbers, each memory number being associated with one of a plurality of preset memories after the performing step;

displaying a kV value and an mAs value associated with each memory number, while the memory number is displayed in the sequentially displaying step, the displayed kV value and mAs value being blinked on the display;

a scroll step in which the displayed memory numbers and the associated kV values and mAs values are continuously scrolled;

clicking the standby button once, for a short period of time, when the desired memory number is displayed in the scroll step; and

displaying the kV value and mAs value stored in the memory number selected in the clicking step.

4. An operation method of a remote control handswitch for a portable X-ray apparatus, comprising:

clicking a standby button of a two-step switch for a short period of time three times in series;

switching the current mode to a remote control mode as a result of the clicking step;

performing a remote control mode operation after the switching step;

sequentially displaying a plurality of memory numbers, each memory number being associated with one of a plurality of preset memories, after the performing step;

displaying a kV value and an mAs value associated with each memory number, as each memory number is sequentially displayed;

clicking a standby button once, for a short period of time, during the step in which the kV value and mAs value are displayed;

executing a kV selection mode in response to the step in which the standby button is clicked once;

increasing the displayed kV value by one step in response to the standby button being pressed once, after executing the kV selection mode;

rapidly increasing or decreasing the displayed kV value, when the standby button is continuously pressed;

in the rapidly increasing or decreasing step, selecting the displayed kV value when the standby button is released from the pressed state; and

for both the increasing step and the rapidly increasing or decreasing step, automatically storing the displayed kV value for a certain time period after the standby button is released.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step in which the kV value and mAs value are displayed, further includes the steps of:

executing an mAs selection mode in response to the step in which the standby button is clicked once;

increasing the displayed mAs value by one step whenever the standby button is pressed once, after executing the mAs selection mode;

rapidly increasing or decreasing the displayed mAs value when the standby button is continuously pressed for a long time;

in the rapidly increasing or decreasing step, selecting a corresponding mAs value by releasing the standby button from the pressed state when a desired mAs value is displayed; and

for both the increasing step and the rapidly increasing or decreasing step, automatically storing the displayed mAs value a certain time period after the standby button is released.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a certain time period in which the kV value and mAs value are automatically stored is a time period within 5 seconds.

7. An operation method of a remote control handswitch for a portable X-ray unit, comprising the steps of:

pressing a standby button of a two-step switch in communication with the handswitch, for a short period of time, twice within 0.8 seconds to turn on a collimator of the portable x-ray unit;

automatically turning the collimator off using a lamp timer;

operating the portable X-ray unit after the collimator is turned on, and prior to the collimator being automatically turned off; and

automatically turning the collimator on and off, after the collimator is automatically turned off using the lamp timer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said pressing step includes the steps of:

turning on a laser pointer;

automatically turning off the laser pointer using a lamp timer;

operating the portable X-ray unit while the laser pointer is on, and prior to the laser pointer being automatically turned off; and

automatically turning the laser pointer on and off after the laser pointer is automatically turned off using the lamp timer.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

when the collimator is turned on, pressing the standby button of the two-step switch to heat a filament and perform an x-ray operation;

while the collimator is turned off, heating the filament for a predetermined period of time when the standby button is pressed and operating the portable X-ray unit after the predetermined period of time; and

automatically turning the collimater off after operating the portable X-ray unit.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein a short time press represents a button press for a short time period in the two-step switch, and a long time press represents a state that the button is pressed until the current mode is switched to a selection mode, wherein said short time press is performed within 0.8 seconds when pressing the standby button two times.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a short time press represents a button press for a short time period in the two-step switch, and a long time press represents a state that the button is pressed until the current mode is switched to a selection mode, wherein said short time press is performed within 0.8 seconds when pressing the standby button two times.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a short time press represents a button press for a short time period in the two-step switch, and a long time press represents a state that the button is pressed until the current mode is switched to a selection mode, wherein said short time press is performed within 0.8 seconds when pressing the standby button two times.