Device for recharging a battery of a portable ionizing-radiation sensor

• US 8,288,987 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trixell S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Trixell S.A.S. (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Wirth, Thibaut, Demartinecourt, Nicolas, Neyret, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/516,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2471 pin shaped
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62905 comprising a camming member H01R13/62933 and H01R13/641 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for recharging a battery of a portable ionizing-radiation sensor resting on a recharging base. The sensor includes, on one or more accessible faces, a plurality of electrical-contact areas connected to the battery that powers the sensor. The recharging base comprises a device for mobilizing one or more mobile contacts. The mobile contacts are connected to a power source. The mobile contacts mechanically enter the body (i.e., housing) of the recharging base and mechanically protrude from the body of the recharging base through one or more openings made in the body of the recharging base. The mobile contacts are electrically in contact with the plurality of electrical-contact areas of the sensor if one or more of the plurality of electrical-contact areas are positioned facing the openings when the mobile contacts protrude from the recharging base. An embodiment of the invention may be used for X-ray or Gamma-ray medical imaging.

Claims

1. A device for recharging a battery of a battery-powered portable ionizing-radiation sensor having a sensor and a recharging base to recharge the sensor, the sensor configured to rest on the recharging base, wherein:

the sensor comprises;

one or more accessible faces;

a plurality of electrical-contact areas on the one or more accessible faces, the plurality of electrical-contact areas electrically connected to the battery that powers the sensor; and

the recharging base comprises;

a housing having one or more openings; and

one or more mobile contacts electrically connected to a power source, the one or more mobile contacts movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when in the first position the one or more mobile contacts protrude from the housing through at least one of the one or more openings in the housing, and when in the second position the one or more mobile contacts are retracted inside the housing, and

wherein the one or more mobile contacts are configured to electrically contact at least a portion of the plurality of electrical-contact areas of the sensor if one or more of the plurality of electrical-contact areas are positioned facing the one or more openings of the housing when the mobile contacts are in the first position protruding from the recharging base.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical-contact areas contact the mobile contacts of the recharging base when the one or more accessible faces of the sensor are positioned facing the recharging base in one or more predefined positions.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the recharging base comprises a door, the door configurable into a closed position that closes the one or more openings, and the door further configurable into an open position that uncovers the one or more openings, wherein the one or more mobile contacts are in the first position when the door is in the open position, and the one or more mobile contacts are in the second position when the door is on the closed position.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising a mechanism that moves both the door and the one or more mobile contacts.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein each electrical-contact area is configured to have a polarity that is dependent on a position of the electrical-contact area on the one or more accessible faces of the sensor, the polarity of each electrical-contact area corresponding to a polarity of a mobile contact that lies opposite said electrical-contact area when the sensor is positioned in a predetermined position.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical-contact areas are affixed to a removable electrical-contact-area plate, and the removable electrical-contact-area plate is affixed to the sensor.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more mobile contacts of the recharging base is removable.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more mobile contacts comprises a spring.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to be positionable on a support to which the recharging base is affixed, the one or more openings in the recharging base facing one or more openings in the support.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for selectively applying power to the mobile contacts.

11. A recharging base for recharging a battery of a portable device when the portable device is resting on the recharging base, wherein the recharging base comprises:

a housing having one or more openings; and

one or more mobile contacts electrically connected to a power source, the one or more mobile contacts movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when in the first position the one or more mobile contacts protrude from the housing through at least one of the one or more openings in the housing, and when in the second position the one or more mobile contacts are retracted inside the housing, and

wherein the one or more mobile contacts are configured to electrically contact at least a portion of a plurality of electrical-contact areas of the portable device if one or more of the plurality of electrical-contact areas are positioned facing the one or more openings of the housing when the mobile contacts are in the first position protruding from the recharging base.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of electrical-contact areas of the portable device contact the mobile contacts of the recharging base when the plurality of electrical-contact areas of the portable device face the recharging base in one or more predefined positions.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the recharging base comprises a door, the door configurable into a closed position that closes the one or more openings, and the door further configurable into an open position that uncovers the one or more openings, wherein the one or more mobile contacts are in the first position when the door is in the open position, and the one or more mobile contacts are in the second position when the door is on the closed position.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a configured to move both the door and the one or more mobile contacts.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said one or more mobile contacts of the recharging base is removable.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said one or more mobile contacts comprises a spring.

17. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a support to which the recharging base is affixed, the one or more openings in the recharging base facing one or more openings in the support, wherein the portable device is is configured to be positionable on the support.

18. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a switch for selectively applying power to the mobile contacts.