Ergonomic housing for electroacoustic transducers particularly for ultrasound imaging and ultrasound probe with said housing

• US 8,118,747 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Esaote SpA
• Original Assignee: Esaote SpA
• Inventors: Furia, Roberto, Rezzonico, Fabio
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US12/001,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/445, 600/447, 600/459, 600/463
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects

Abstract

An ergonomic housing for electroacoustic transducers, particularly for ultrasound imaging, includes at least an inner space (4) housing, one or more electroacoustic transducers (5) and possible further electric and/or electronic components (6/7). The housing (1) has at least an acoustic window (2) at which the one or more electroacoustic transducers (5) are placed. Further included is a handle part (101) composed of an opposing gripping surface having a shape that is ergonomically fitted for being gripped by a hand or a portion thereof. The gripping surface has such a shape or profile (301) to be ergonomically fitted for being gripped by inserting it in the hollow between two adjacent fingers of the hand.

Claims

1. An ergonomic housing for electroacoustic transducers for ultrasound imaging, comprising:

at least one inner space housing;

at least one electroacoustic transducer;

at least one other electrical component;

at least one acoustic window at which the at least one electroacoustic transducer is placed;

a spheroidal handle part composed of an opposing gripping surface having a shape that is ergonomically fitted for being gripped by a hand or a part thereof, said gripping surface providing a gripping extension that is shaped to be anatomically fitted for the engagement in the space between two adjacent fingers of the hand; and

an intermediate handle part defining two hollow recesses positioned on diametrically opposite sides, the intermediate handle part located between the gripping surface and the at least one acoustic window, the intermediate handle part constructed and arranged to be gripped between a thumb and finger of the hand,

wherein the gripping extension includes a radial annular enlargement and a portion adjacent to the spheroidal handle part, said radial annular enlargement having a first diameter, said portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

2. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping surface has a resting part having a spherical shape, the resting part is positioned opposite to the at least one acoustic window, the gripping extension is positioned at the top of said resting part.

3. The ergonomic housing according to claim 2, characterized in that the gripping extension has at least one pair of opposite gripping recesses with a laid down U-shaped section, each of said at least one pair of opposite gripping recesses are constructed and arranged to house one of the two adjacent fingers for the engagement between the fingers and said gripping extension.

4. The ergonomic housing according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one pair of opposite gripping recesses has a bottom wall that is oriented in an axial direction of the gripping extension, a first side wall and a second side wall both perpendicular to the axial direction of the gripping surface, the first side wall being composed of a region of a resting part and the second side wall being provided at a distance adapted to the size of human fingers.

5. The ergonomic housing according to claim 4, characterized in that the gripping extension has an annular recess having a laid down U-shaped section, said U-shaped section has a bottom surface formed by a band of shell axial surfaces connected in a rounded way with the first side wall and the second side wall surfaces that are formed by surfaces transversal to the longitudinal axis of the extension and connected to said bottom surface, while one of said two side surfaces of the annular recess is composed of the resting part of the gripping surface and the other side surface is composed of the surface of the radial annular enlargement provided at a certain distance from the resting part.

6. The ergonomic housing according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one acoustic window has a curved arrangement according to at least one axis of curvature, the curved arrangement being positioned opposite the resting part of the gripping surface.

7. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping extension is composed of an elongated member having a rounded shape.

8. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping extension has a rotation symmetrical shape.

9. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping extension has an elliptical cross-section with a major axis substantially oriented in the antero-posterior direction of the hand and with a minor axis oriented in the direction transversal to the antero-posterior direction of the hand.

10. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping extension defines a sleeve for the introduction of an electrical cable for connecting the at least one electroacoustic transducer.

11. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping extension has a longitudinal axis that coincides with the prolongation of a vector perpendicular to a surface tangential to the center of the at least one acoustic window.

12. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one acoustic window is composed of a flat member.

13. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping surface is composed of a spheroidal body flattened on two diametrically opposite sides such to have two different diameters in the equatorial plane and one of which is a greater diameter and the other one is a smaller diameter in the plane, the two opposite side recesses provided at the intermediate handle part being made hollow in the direction of a major axis.

14. The ergonomic housing according to claim 13, characterized in that the spheroidal body is configured to be gripped by being tightened by fingers of the hand in addition to holding between the fingers the gripping extension.

15. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the ergonomic housing has two different thicknesses in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the gripping extension.

16. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the ergonomic housing is shaped to provide a pen type grip.

17. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that in the ergonomic housing has a flattened portion between the gripping surface and the at least one acoustic window shaped to form a pen type grip handle.

18. The ergonomic housing according to claim 17, characterized in that in the pen type grip handle has two opposite faces, the opposite faces having opposite depressions.

19. The ergonomic housing according to claim 17, characterized in that the ergonomic housing comprises the at least one acoustic window provided on the head side of the flattened portion which extends in the direction opposite to the at least one acoustic window with a spheroidal body provided at the top opposite to the acoustic window of the gripping extension.

20. The ergonomic housing according to claim 19, characterized in that the ergonomic housing is made of a first housing part and a second housing part, said first housing part and said second housing parts are harmonically connected and are separated along an intermediate separation plane between the pen type grip handle and the gripping surface.

21. The ergonomic housing according to claim 20, characterized in that the first housing part and the second housing part can be movably fastened one with the other.

22. The ergonomic housing according to claim 21, characterized in that the ergonomic housing is provided in combination with at least one electroacoustic transducers, an electrical circuit, a cable connecting the electrical circuit to a remote processing unit, a connecting member connecting the cable to the electrical circuit, the connecting member having a first connector part and a second connector part that can be mechanically and electrically coupled and uncoupled, the first connector part being provided integral with the first housing part and the second connector part being provided integral with the second housing part, the first connector part and second connector part being automatically engaged and disengaged one with the other contemporaneously when said first housing part and second housing part are fastened and separated.

23. The ergonomic housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface of the handle part is made of a soft material.

24. An ultrasound probe comprising at least one electroacoustic transducer connected to a communication cable, said at least one electroacoustic transducer being housed in a space of a housing of said probe, said housing comprising an acoustic window at which the at least one electroacoustic transducer is provided and a spheroidal handle part located opposite to the acoustic window, said spheroidal handle part composed of an opposing gripping surface comprising a gripping extension ergonomically shaped to be held between human fingers, said housing further comprising an intermediate handle part defining two hollow recesses positioned on diametrically opposite sides, the intermediate handle part located between the gripping surface and the acoustic window, the intermediate handle part constructed and arranged to be gripped between a thumb and finger of a human hand, wherein the gripping extension includes a radial annular enlargement and a portion adjacent to the spheroidal handle part, said radial annular enlargement having a first diameter, said portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

25. An ultrasound machine comprising means for controlling an ultrasound probe and means for processing receiving signals of the ultrasound probe and an ultrasound probe connected to said controlling and processing means by a control and communication cable, characterized in that the control and communications cable is firmly associated to the ultrasound machine there being provided with a terminal for the connection to the probe comprising at least one electroacoustic transducer connected to the control and communications cable, said at least one electroacoustic transducer being housed in a space of a housing of said probe, said housing comprises an acoustic window at which the at least one electroacoustic transducer is provided and a spheroidal handle part located opposite to the acoustic window, said spheroidal handle part composed of an opposing gripping surface comprising a gripping extension ergonomically shaped to be held between human fingers, said housing further comprising an intermediate handle part defining two hollow recesses positioned on diametrically opposite sides, the intermediate handle part located between the gripping surface and the acoustic window, the intermediate handle part constructed and arranged to be gripped between a thumb and finger of the human hand, wherein the gripping extension includes a radial annular enlargement and a portion adjacent to the spheroidal handle part, said radial annular enlargement having a first diameter, said portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

26. The ultrasound machine according to claim 25, characterized in that the control and communication cable is provided in communication with means for winding and unwinding a reel.