The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 01, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2000
Peter Koester Rhoads, Stow, MA (US);
Edward C. Parnagian, Lowell, MA (US);
Scott Barraclough, Gloucester, MA (US);
Douglas E. Harriott, Melrose, MA (US);
Janice M Blackwell-Jones, North Andover, MA (US);
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
An ultrasound diagnostic device is provided which is portable, small, light weight and easy to use. Preferably, the ultrasound diagnostic device is very small and light weight. The weight of the ultrasound diagnostic device normally will be approximately 6 or 7 pounds, including electrical control circuitry, a battery pack, a carrying strap and a transducer assembly. The ultrasound diagnostic device is similar in design to a laptop computer, except that it is smaller than typical laptop computers. The ultrasound diagnostic device comprises a console portion and a display portion. To open the device, the user simply flips open the display portion by lifting up on the display portion at a location near the front end of the device. The display portion is in a hinging relationship with the console portion so that when the user lifts up on display portion, the display portion is rotated upwards and away from the console portion. A transducer assembly is attached to the ultrasound diagnostic device and comprises a transducer cable, a transducer handle, a transducer and a transducer connector. The transducer connector comprises a latch which engages a mating mechanism comprised in a receptacle formed in the console portion. The connector enables different types of transducer assemblies to be implemented with the ultrasound diagnostic device, depending on the bodily feature being imaged. The ultrasound diagnostic device may be adapted to be harnessed with a carrying apparatus, e.g., a strap assembly, which enables the user to carry the device in a manner similar to the manner in which a person carries a camera around his or her neck. The user may operate the device when it is strapped to the user's body. The ultrasound device may include a handle to facilitate hand carriability.