Portable ultrasound imaging system with active cooling
AssigneeFujifilm Sonosite, Inc.
InventorRahul Gupta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ultrasound imaging system includes a thermally conductive frame and a number of electronic components and a display that are sealed within the frame. The frame further includes a plenum extending through the frame with surfaces that are thermally coupled to the electronic components and the display. An active cooling mechanism, such as one or more fans, moves air through the plenum to remove heat generated by the electronic components and display. The plenum is environmentally sealed so that moisture, dust, air or other contaminants drawn into the plenum do not contact the sealed electronic components and display in the frame.
Claims17
An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
- a frame including a plenum having an input port and one or more output ports;
- a fan secured to the frame that is configured to move air through the plenum from the input port to the one or more output ports, the plenum having a first portion at the input port adjacent to the fan and a second portion at the one or more output ports, the first portion having a first width, and the second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width;
- and
- a circuitry that is outside of the plenum and that generates heat that is transferred into the plenum with the fan for removal by the air flowing through the plenum, wherein the plenum including cooling fins is environmentally sealed from the remainder of the frame by a seal extending around a perimeter of the plenum to prevent contaminants from coming into contact with the circuitry when the air moves through the plenum.
An ultrasound imaging system including:
- a frame having a display and a circuitry mounted thereon that are sealed with the frame so that the ultrasound imaging system is environmentally sealed;
- one or more fans to provide active cooling for the ultrasound system;
- and
- a chamber within the frame through which air moved by the one or more fans is passed, wherein the chamber includes external surfaces that are thermally coupled to the display and the circuitry that are outside the chamber, and heat generated by the display and the circuitry is transferred through the external surfaces into an interior portion of the chamber for removal by the air moved through the interior portion of the chamber, wherein the chamber includes an input port adjacent to the one or more fans and one or more output ports, a first portion at the input port having a first width and a second portion at the one or more output ports having a second width that is greater than the first width for the air to move faster in the first portion than in the second portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.