US 6,575,908 B2Granted

Balance body ultrasound system

AssigneeSonoSite, Inc.

InventorsStephanie A. Barnes, Steven M Bunce, Bryan S. Cabatic, Blake W. Little, Bill Purdue, John D. Schultz, Kari L. Rice

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A hand held ultrasound system comprises a balance body, a transducer assembly connected to said balance body via a communication means and a plurality of control elements arranged in an ergonomic fashion on said balance body, such that a user may hold said system and operate at least one of said control elements with the same hand. In particular a medical ultrasound system comprising a balance body incorporating system electronics, a power supply and a user interface wherein the user interface comprises a D-controller and a touch screen and a transducer assembly attached to the balanced body by a cable.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A diagnostic hand held ultrasound system weighing less than three and a half pounds (3.50 lbs), including a battery, display screen and system electronics within a common enclosure and a transducer wherein said common enclosure comprises:

a body having an aperture, said aperture being adapted for operating as a handle;
a plurality of control elements positioned near said aperture such that a person may carry said system and utilize at least one of said plurality of control elements with the a single hand;
a main board having said battery and said system electronics arranged such that said aperture is positioned at least partially between said battery and said system electronics;
and
a sample data beamformer and at least one digital signal processor (DSP) capable of producing 2D or 3D images, contained within said system electronics, wherein said aperture, main board, and beamformer are positioned so that the body is balanced when held in the hand.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/227,160Filed 21 Aug 2002 · continuation in part
Priority: 28 Jun 1996
Published: US 2003/0009102 A124 Apr 2003
Granted: 10 Jun 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification26 codes

A61B 8/4427
Constructional features of the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic device: device being portable or laptop-like
A61B 8/00
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
A61B 8/06
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves: measuring blood flow
A61B 8/13
Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves: tomography

Family

Application08/672,782Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 28 Jun 1996
Application08/826,543Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Apr 1997
Application08/863,937Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 May 1997
Application09/167,964Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Oct 1998
Application09/630,165Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Aug 2000
Application09/840,002Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Apr 2001
Application10/062,179Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Feb 2002
Application10/099,474Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2002
US 2003/0078501 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Apr 2003
Application10/062,179Parent of this continuation
US 6,416,475 B1Parent of this continuation
Application09/630,165Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 6,135,961 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,817,029 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,893,363 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,722,412 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 2003/0009102 A1Published application
US 2003/0013965 A1Published application
US 2003/0013966 A1Published application
US 5,817,024 ARelated patent
US 6,569,101 B2Related patent
US 6,962,566 B2Related patent
US 7,819,807 B2Related patent
US 6,575,908 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.