Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc.

Michael Pinch

Carl E Fabian

Patrick Nally

Ken Dickenson

Brent Chauvin

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein for securely docking portable ultrasound imaging devices and/or other medical equipment to stand heads and other support structures. In some embodiments, a portable imaging device can include a movable carrying handle that enables the user to easily secure the imaging device to a stand head by rotating the handle to engage one or more latch mechanisms on the stand head. The user can quickly remove the imaging device from the stand head for transport to another location by disengaging the one or more latches and rotating the handle in the opposite direction. If the new location lacks a stand head or other docking structure, the user can rotate the handle downwardly to act as a stand that elevates the rear portion of the device to facilitate use on a desktop or other surface.

Handle system for transport, dock retention and desktop positioning of a portable medical device

Systems and methods of transmitting heat out a medical imaging device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a medical imaging device includes a housing having electronics and a heat sink. The heat sink is positioned near a first end of the housing, a groove that is configured to receive at least a portion of an operator's hand is positioned at a second end of the housing. A heat pipe in the housing extends from the electronics toward the first end of the housing and is configured to transfer heat produced by the electronics toward the heat sink and away from the groove.

Systems and methods of dissipating heat from a handheld medical imaging device

A portable medical device, such as an ultrasound imaging system, is configured to connect to a stand, and transfer heat from the device to the stand. The device includes a heat-generating source, a hot plate that is thermally coupled to the heat-generating source, and a barrier plate that is biased away from the hot plate and moveable between a first position, wherein the device is not docked to the stand, and a second position, wherein the device is docked to the stand. In the first position, the barrier plate is not in thermally conductive contact with the hot plate, and in the second position, the barrier plate is in thermally conductive contact with the hot plate. When moved from the first position to the second position, a cold plate on the stand pushes the barrier plate into the second position such that heat generated by the imaging system is transferred through the barrier plate to the hot plate and into a cold plate of the stand. As such, in the second position, the device is configured to transfer heat from the imaging system to the stand via a conductive pathway including at least the hot plate, the barrier plate, and the cold plate.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Michael Pinch