Fixing/releasing mechanism and the base using such mechanism

• US 8,430,103 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wei, Bo, Yang, Yalan, Liu, Lanping
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II, Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): COX, THADDEUS B
• Application Number:
  US12/171,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897, 403/321, 403325-327, 243/69, 254/104
• US Class Current: 128/897
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/15 Mayo stands; Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3484 Hook
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/59 Manually releaseable latch type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/602 by separate spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5075 Link and lever of hasp type

Abstract

The present invention provides a base for placement of a medical apparatus, comprising: a base body provided with a platform for carrying said medical apparatus, and a fixing/releasing mechanism for fixing and releasing said medical apparatus, the fixing/releasing mechanism comprising a lock hook for fixing/releasing the medical apparatus; the fixing/releasing mechanism further comprising: a press-fit button including an operation key exposed above the base body; the operation key is protrudably and retractably received in a key through hole in the base body, the operation key moving in the direction of the force when being subjected to a pressure to be received in the key through hole; when the applied force disappears, the operation key automatically returns to the original position and protrudes out of the key through hole; a snap catch mechanism comprising said lock hook protrudably and retractably received in a lock hook receiving portion in the base body; a transmission mechanism connected to said press-fit button and transmitting the pressure applied to the press-fit button to said snap catch mechanism so that the lock hook of the snap catch mechanism generates a protrudable and retractable movement and protrudes out of the lock hook receiving portion to lock said medical apparatus or retract in the lock hook receiving portion and release said medical apparatus.

Claims

1. A fixing/releasing mechanism configured to connect a first unit and a second unit and mounted on the first unit, said mechanism comprising:

a press-fit button configured to move when under a pressure, said press-fit button configured to move in a direction of the pressure and to automatically return to the original position when the applied pressure disappears;

a snap catch mechanism comprising a lock hook configured to couple the first unit to the second unit and to release the second unit from the first unit, said snap catch mechanism further comprising a lock hook buffer, wherein, upon mounting, said lock hook buffer is fixed on the first unit, and wherein said lock hook buffer comprises an inclined top portion that is exposed on a front surface of the first unit to buffer impact generated when said lock hook releases the second unit; and

a transmission mechanism connected to said press-fit button and configured to transmit the pressure applied to said press-fit button to said snap catch mechanism such that said lock hook generates protrudable and retractable movement in order to fix the first unit to the second unit or to release the second unit from the first unit.

2. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein:

said snap catch mechanism further comprises a liftable bracket comprising a lock hook base and said lock hook, said lock hook extending upwardly from said lock hook base;

a contact surface disposed on said lock hook base in a direction opposite to the extension direction of said lock hook; and

said transmission mechanism comprising a lock hook liftable portion, said lock hook liftable portion comprising a latch comprising a push surface oriented such that said push surface contacts said contact surface and is moveable forward and backward relative to said contact surface in order to bring the protrudable and retractable movement of said lock hook base and said lock hook.

3. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein:

each of said push surface front end and said contact surface front end comprises a downwardly inclined ramp, said contact surface further comprises a bottom plane extending out from the bottom of said contact surface front end ramp; and

said push surface further comprises an upper plane extending from an upper portion of the ramp.

4. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein:

said snap catch mechanism further comprises a lock hook elastomer such that

said locking hook elastomer is disposed between a lower surface of the top portion of said locking hook buffer and said locking hook base such that said locking hook elastomer abuts against said lock hook base surface on one side of the extension direction of said locking hook;

a plurality of positioning posts extend out from a lower surface of the top portion of said lock hook buffer;

said locking hook base comprises a plurality of through holes matching said plurality of positioning posts; and

said lock hook elastomer comprises a plurality of springs sleeved onto the positioning posts.

5. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein:

said press-fit button comprises an operation key and a button elastomer;

said transmission mechanism comprises a fixed panel located at a second end opposite to a first end of said push surface; and

said button elastomer is configured to move said fixed panel according to a push force transmitted by the operation key and to push said push surface along the contact surface.

6. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said button elastomer comprises a spring having a first end and an opposite second end respectively connected to said operation key and said fixed panel.

7. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein:

said press-fit button further comprises a button bracket that is, upon mounting, fixed to the first unit;

said operation key is fixed to said fixed panel and the button elastomer abuts against between said fixed panel of the transmission mechanism and the button bracket; and

said button bracket comprises a supporting planar body supporting and abutting against said button elastomer, and an upper fixed planar body and a lower fixed planar body extending along both ends of said supporting planar body towards each other, said supporting planar body comprising an elastic support shaft oriented to support said button elastomer and position movement of said button elastomer and said operation key, said upper fixed planar body and said lower fixed planar body are fixed to the first unit upon mounting.

8. The fixing/releasing according to claim 7, wherein said transmission mechanism further comprises a pull lever and a diverting transmission means, a first end of said pull lever comprises said fixed panel fixedly connected to said operation key, an opposite second end is connected to a first end of said diverting transmission means, an opposite second end of said diverting transmission means is connected to said second end of said lock hook liftable portion opposite to a first end of said push surface, and wherein said diverting transmission means is connected between said pull lever and said first and second ends of said lock hook liftable portion in order to transmit the movement of said pull lever to said lock hook liftable portion and to convert forward or backward movement of said pull lever into backward or forward movement of said lock hook liftable portion.

9. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein said diverting transmission means comprises a diverting linkage rotatably connected between said pull lever and said first and second ends of said lock hook liftable portion to enable said pull lever and said lock hook liftable portion not to be on the same straight line such that upon mounting, at any position between said first and second ends of said diverting linkage is provided a supporting rotation shaft point by virtue of which said diverting linkage is rotatably fixed to the first unit, and wherein said diverting transmission means comprises a gear.

10. The fixing/releasing mechanism according to claim 8, wherein each of said pull lever and said lock hook liftable portion comprise a slide slot so as to be slidingly fixed to the first unit upon mounting.

11. A base for placement of a medical apparatus, comprising:

a base body comprising a platform configured to carry the medical apparatus; and

a fixing/releasing mechanism configured to fix and release the medical apparatus, said fixing/releasing mechanism comprising a lock hook for fixing/releasing the medical apparatus, said fixing/releasing mechanism further comprises;

a press-fit button comprising an operation key exposed above said base body, said operation key is protrudably and retractably received in a key through hole in said base body, said operation key configured to move in a direction of a force when being subjected to a pressure to be received in said key through hole such that when the applied force disappears, said operation key automatically returns to the original position and protrudes out of said key through hole;

a snap catch mechanism comprising said lock hook protrudably and retractably received in a lock hook receiving portion in said base body, said snap catch mechanism further comprising a lock hook buffer, wherein said lock hook buffer is fixed on a snap catch mechanism seat of said base body and comprises an inclined top portion that is exposed outside of said base body to buffer impact generated when said lock hook releases the medical apparatus; and

a transmission mechanism connected to said press-fit button and configured to transmit the pressure applied to said press-fit button to said snap catch mechanism such that said lock hook generates a protrudable and retractable movement and protrudes out of said lock hook receiving portion to lock the medical apparatus or retract in said lock hook receiving portion and release the medical apparatus.

12. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

said snap catch mechanism further comprises a liftable bracket comprising a lock hook base and said lock hook, said lock hook extending upwardly from said lock hook base, a contact surface being disposed on said lock hook base in a direction opposite to the extension direction of said lock hook;

said transmission mechanism comprises a lock hook liftable portion comprising a latch and a push surface, said push surface being able to contact said contact surface and moveable forward and backward relative to said contact surface so as to bring the protrudable and retractable movement of said lock hook base and said lock hook.

13. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

each of said push surface front end and said contact surface front end comprise a downwardly inclined ramp, said contact surface further comprising a bottom plane extending out from a bottom of said contact surface front end ramp, said push surface comprises an upper plane extending from an upper portion of said push surface front end ramp.

14. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

said snap catch mechanism further comprises a lock hook elastomer, said locking hook elastomer is disposed between a lower surface of a top portion of said locking hook buffer and said lock hook base such that said locking hook elastomer abuts against said lock hook base surface on a first side of the extension direction of said lock hook.

15. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of positioning posts that extend out from a lower surface of said top portion of said lock hook buffer, wherein said locking hook base comprises a plurality of through holes matching said plurality of positioning posts, said lock hook elastomer comprises a plurality of springs sleeved onto said positioning posts, and said lock hook buffer is fixed to said snap catch mechanism seat via said plurality of positioning posts in cooperation with screws.

16. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

said press-fit button further comprises a button elastomer; and

said transmission mechanism comprises a fixed panel located at a second end opposite to a first end of said push surface of the lock hook liftable portion, said button elastomer configured to move said fixed panel according to the push force transmitted by said operation key and to push said push surface of said transmission mechanism to move along said contact surface of said snap catch mechanism.

17. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said button elastomer comprises a spring having a first end and an opposite second end respectively connected to said operation key of said press-fit button and said fixed panel of said transmission mechanism;

said press-fit button further comprises a button bracket fixed to said base body;

said operation key is fixed to said fixed panel and said button elastomer abuts against between said fixed panel and said button bracket;

said button bracket comprises a supporting planar body supporting and abutting against said button elastomer, and an upper fixed planar body and a lower fixed planar body that extend along both ends of said supporting planar body towards each other;

other, wherein said supporting planar body comprises an elastic support shaft to support said button elastomer and position movement of said button elastomer, said fixed panel and said operation key, said upper fixed planar body and said lower fixed planar body are fixed to said base body.

18. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said transmission mechanism further comprises a pull lever and a diverting transmission means, a first end of said pull lever comprises said fixed panel fixedly connected to said operation key, an opposite second end is connected to a first end of said diverting transmission means, an opposite second end of said diverting transmission means is connected to said second end of said lock hook liftable portion opposite to a first end of said push surface, and wherein said diverting transmission means is connected between said pull lever and said first and second ends of said lock hook liftable portion in order to transmit the movement of said pull lever to said lock hook liftable portion and to convert forward or backward movement of said pull lever into backward or forward movement of said lock hook liftable portion.

19. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said diverting transmission means comprises a diverting linkage rotatably connected between said pull lever and said first and second ends of said lock hook liftable portion to enable said pull lever and said lock hook liftable portion not to be on the same straight line such that upon mounting, at any position between said first and second ends of said diverting linkage is provided a supporting rotation shaft point by virtue of which said diverting linkage is rotatably fixed to the first unit, and wherein said diverting transmission means comprises a gear.

20. The base for placement of a medical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at said first and second ends of said platform two side stands extend upwardly from said base body, said two side stands being a front and a rear side stands said lock hook receiving portion is provided on the platform adjacent to the front side stand, said transmission mechanism is provided on said lower portion of said base body;

on said platform of said base body a side mounting guide rail extends from at least one of left and right sides adjacent to said rear side stand, said side mounting guide rail comprises a first functional surface and a second functional surface extending out along said first functional surface, said first and second functional surfaces comprise ramps extending upwardly and outwardly along an inside of said side mounting guide rail from said platform such that said first functional surface is tangential to an end angle of the medical apparatus cooperating therewith;

said second functional surface moves outwardly relative to said first functional surface and an angle is formed between said first functional surface and said second functional surface.