Safety structure for ceiling mounted medical imaging system and method of installing same

A ceiling mount assembly operable to mount a medical imaging system to a ceiling, the ceiling mount assembly comprising:

• two parallel ceiling rails coupled to the ceiling, each of the two parallel ceiling rails comprising an exterior side facing away from an other of the two parallel ceiling rails and an interior side facing the other of the two parallel ceiling rails, wherein the interior side of each of the two parallel ceiling rails comprises a protrusion;
• and
• a carriage frame coupled to the medical imaging system, the carriage frame having outer beams and interior main beams, the carriage frame comprising slidable connectors on the outer beams and carriage safety hooks extending from interior channels of the interior main beams, each of the slidable connectors configured to slidably couple with the protrusion of one of the two parallel ceiling rails in a normal condition, and each of the plurality of the carriage safety hooks configured to receive the protrusion of the one of the two parallel ceiling rails in a failure condition of the ceiling mount assembly, wherein each of the plurality of carriage safety hooks comprises:
• a main body having a first end and a second end, the first end slidably insertable in one of the interior channels of one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame;
• a hook extending from the second end of the main body and configured to partially surround the protrusion of the one of the two parallel ceiling rails;
• and
• a locking pin,
• wherein:
• the main body comprises:
• a first pin hole extending through the main body;
• and
• a second pin hole extending through the main body, the second pin hole positioned between the first pin hole and the first end of the main body, and the first pin hole positioned between the second pin hole and the second end of the main body;
• the locking pin is inserted through an aperture in the one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame and the first pin hole to secure a corresponding one of the plurality of carriage safety hooks in a retracted position;
• and
• the locking pin is inserted through the aperture in the one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame and the second pin hole to secure the corresponding one of the plurality of carriage safety hooks in an extended position.

A ceiling mounted medical imaging system, comprising:

• a medical imaging system operable to acquire medical image data;
• and
• a ceiling mount assembly comprising:
• two parallel ceiling rails coupled to the ceiling, each of the two parallel ceiling rails comprising an exterior side facing away from an other of the two parallel ceiling rails and an interior side facing the other of the two parallel ceiling rails, wherein the interior side of each of the two parallel ceiling rails comprises a protrusion;
• and
• a carriage frame coupled to the medical imaging system, the carriage frame having outer beams and interior main beams, the carriage frame comprising slidable connectors on the outer beams and carriage safety hooks extending from interior channels of the interior main beams, each of the slidable connectors configured to slidably couple with the protrusion of one of the two parallel ceiling rails in a normal condition, and each of the plurality of the carriage safety hooks configured to receive the protrusion of the one of the two parallel ceiling rails in a failure condition of the ceiling mount assembly, wherein the failure condition corresponds with a failed connection between the carriage frame and the protrusion of the one of the ceiling rails by one or more of the slidable connectors, and wherein each of the plurality of carriage safety hooks comprises:
• a main body having a first end and a second end, the first end slidably insertable in one of the interior channels of one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame;
• a C-shaped hook extending from the second end of the main body and configured to partially surround the protrusion of the one of the two parallel ceiling rails;
• and
• a locking pin,
• wherein:
• the main body comprises:
• a first pin hole extending through the main body;
• and
• a second pin hole extending through the main body,
• the second pin hole positioned between the first pin hole and the first end of the main body, and the first pin hole positioned between the second pin hole and the second end of the main body;
• the locking pin is inserted through an aperture in the one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame and the first pin hole to secure a corresponding one of the plurality of carriage safety hooks in a retracted position;
• the locking pin is inserted through the aperture in the one of the interior main beams of the carriage frame and the second pin hole to secure the corresponding one of the plurality of carriage safety hooks in an extended position.