Ultrasound probe and ultrasound system provided with said ultrasound probe
AssigneeEsaote S.p.A.
InventorsLeonardo FORZONI, Stefano De BENI, Fabrizio SPEZIA
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Abstract
An ultrasound probe in combination with at least an operating unit such as a tracking sensor or receiver and/or a keypad and/or a surgical tool support, wherein the probe and the at least one operating unit are each one provided with one of two parts of a releasable joint, the said two parts of the joint being releasably engageable one with the other by magnetic force and by mechanical coupling.
Claims17
An ultrasound probe in combination with at least an operating unit such as a tracking sensor or receiver and/or a keypad and/or a surgical tool support, wherein the probe and the at least one operating unit are each one provided with one of two parts of a releasable joint, the said two parts of the joint being releasably engageable one with the other by magnetic force and by mechanical coupling.
The ultrasound probe according to claim I, wherein the part of the joint associated to the one or more operating unit is integrated or non-releasably secured to the said one or more operating unit, particularly to its case or a part of its case.
The ultrasound probe according to claim I, wherein the magnetic force is due to magnetic field sources provided on the probe and on the part of the joint associated to the one or more operating units, the probe further comprising magnetic shields to shield the magnetic field sources respectively towards the probe and towards the one or more operating units.
An ultrasound probe in combination with at least an operating unit such as a tracking sensor or receiver and/or a keypad and/or a surgical tool support, wherein the probe and the at least one operating unit are each one provided with one of two parts of a releasable joint, the said two parts of the joint being releasably engageable one with the other by magnetic force and by mechanical coupling, wherein the joint is configured alternatively for providing:
- a weak magnetic force and strong mechanical retention, the magnetic force being used only as a user guidance when approaching the operating unit joint part to the probe for an easier finding of the correct position in relation to the part of the joint on the probe and the correct way of connection relative orientation of the joint parts one with respect to the other and ready to in condition of the mechanically performed coupling;
- a mid magnetic guidance and retention effects and mid mechanical retention effects, the magnetic force being used as user guidance for an easier finding of the correct way of connection as in the previous case and the connection retaining the operating unit or units on the probe is performed both magnetically and mechanically;
- a strong magnetic guidance-retention force and a weak or even absent mechanical retention, the magnetic force being used as user-guidance for an easier finding of the correct way of connection and the retention is performed mainly/totally magnetically, while the mechanical part has the sole purpose of indication and/or partially retaining the correct coupling connection between the probe and the operating unit or units, i.e. between the two parts of the joint.
An ultrasound system comprising a probe and in combination a probe tracking system and at least one tracking sensor to be secured to the probe, wherein the sensor is secured to the probe in a releasable way by a joint comprising at least two parts, one part of the joint being associated to the probe and the other part of the joint being associated to the at least one sensor, the said two parts of the joint being releasably engageable one with the other by magnetic force and by mechanical coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.