Charging station for cordless ultrasound cart

A docking system for a mobile cart, said docking system comprising:

• a docking station having a first electrical connector and at least one receiver surface, the docking station adapted for stationary deployment at a premises to provide a docking station location;
• and
• a docking head having a second electrical connector and at least one boss surface, the docking head adapted for mobile deployment with the mobile cart,
• wherein the at least one receiver surface is adapted to interface with the boss surface to guide the docking head into a desired docking orientation with the docking station such that the first electrical connector and second electrical connector mate exclusively through docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station,
• wherein the docking head includes an auxiliary electrical connector configured to carry signals otherwise carried by the second electrical connector when the docking head is docked with the docking station, and
• wherein the docking head comprises a switch and switch actuator assembly adapted to selectively connect either the second electrical connector to circuitry of the mobile cart or the auxiliary electrical connector to circuitry of the mobile cart.

A method for providing premise power to a mobile cart, the method comprising:

• providing a docking station having a first electrical connector, at least one receiver surface, and at least one non-slip surface;
• providing a docking head having a second electrical connector, at least one boss surface, and at least one ramp surface, wherein the docking head is adapted to be affixed to the mobile cart for use in docking with the docking station;
• configuring the receiver surface and the boss surface to cooperatively guide the docking head into a desired docking orientation with the docking station such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector mate through a docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station;
• configuring the ramp surface to engage a corresponding top surface of the docking station and apply force thereto to work in cooperation with the non-slip surface to discourage movement of the docking station during the docking movement of the mobile cart for both docking and undocking;
• and
• providing an actuatable switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is configured to be actuated by the docking movement to select between an auxiliary electrical connector and the second electrical connector for coupling to devices of the mobile cart.

A system comprising:

• a mobile cart configured to provide mobile support for at least one medical device;
• a docking head attached to the mobile cart and configured to be electrically coupled to the at least one medical device, the docking head having a docking head connector disposed on a docking head boss, the docking head boss adapted to guide the docking head into a docked orientation whereby the docking head connector is mated with a corresponding connector;
• and
• a docking station having a docking station connector and one or more receiver surfaces, wherein the receiver surfaces are configured to receive the docking head boss to guide the docking head into the docked orientation whereby the docking head connector is mated with the docking station connector when the mobile cart is moved in proximity to the docking station,
• wherein the mated docking head connector and docking station connector are adapted to provide premise power to the at least one medical device,
• wherein the docking head further has an auxiliary plug adapted to provide the premise power to the at least one medical device when the docking head is not disposed in the docked orientation;
• and
• wherein the docking head further has a switching circuit to selectably connect either the docking head connector or the auxiliary plug to the at least one medical device, the switching circuit including a switch actuator which is operable in response to the docking head docking with the docking station.