Probe holder and ultrasound imaging system

Abstract

The invention provides a probe holder for an ultrasonic imaging system, which comprises an upper holding part and a lower holding part, the upper holding part comprises a first cavity surrounded by an inner surface, the upper end of the first cavity comprises an upper opening, the inner surface contracts inwards at the lower end of the first cavity to form a lower opening, and the lower opening is communicated with the upper opening; the size of the lower opening is smaller than that of the upper opening; the lower holding part comprises a second cavity, the inner surface continues to extend downwards by a certain distance through the lower opening to form the second cavity, the inner surface shrinks inwards at the lower end of the second cavity to form a bottom opening, and the size of the bottom opening is smaller than that of the lower opening; and a side opening extending outwardly through the probe holder from the inner surface and extending from the upper opening to the bottom opening. The invention further provides an ultrasonic imaging system comprising the probe holder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medical imaging, and in particular to a probe holder for holding a probe and an ultrasonic imaging system comprising the probe holder. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasonic imaging technology usually uses a probe to send ultrasonic signals to the part to be scanned and receive ultrasonic echo signals. Further, the echo signal is processed to obtain an ultrasonic image of the part to be scanned. Different probes may be required for different parts to be scanned. Therefore, the same ultrasonic imaging system may be equipped with multiple different probes, and the user can select a suitable probe for ultrasonic scanning according to actual needs. For probes that are not needed, they can be held and fixed by a probe holder.

[0003] Different probes have different sizes and shapes. For example, 4D probes are usually larger in size due to their more complex internal structure. Alternatively, in order to adapt to natural cavities, transcavitary probes usually have an elongated cylindrical structure. In order to adapt to probes with different outer surface sizes, the probe holder also needs to be set to different shapes. When placing the probe, the user needs to select a probe holder that matches the type of probe. This increases the burden on the user and time consumption on the one hand, and also increases the manufacturing cost of the probe holder on the other hand. Summary of the invention

[0004] The above-mentioned deficiencies, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and will be understood by reading and understanding the following description.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present application, a probe holder for an ultrasound imaging system is provided, comprising: an upper holding portion, the upper holding portion comprising a first cavity surrounded by an inner surface, the upper end of the first cavity comprising an upper opening, the inner surface shrinks inwardly at the lower end of the first cavity to form a lower opening, the size of the lower opening is smaller than the size of the upper opening; a lower holding portion, the lower holding portion comprising a second cavity formed by the inner surface continuing to extend downward through the lower opening for a certain distance, the inner surface shrinks inwardly at the lower end of the second cavity to form a bottom opening, the size of the bottom opening is smaller than the size of the lower opening; and a side opening, the side opening passes through the probe holder from the inner surface to the outside, and extends from the upper opening to the bottom opening.

[0006] Optionally, the first cavity and the second cavity respectively have a continuous and smooth inner surface, the first cavity is used to hold a probe of a first size, and the second cavity is used to hold a probe of a second size, and the second size is smaller than the first size.

[0007] Optionally, the inner surface of the first cavity comprises an arc-shaped structure that gradually contracts from the upper opening to the lower opening, and the arc-shaped structure has a reduced curvature at a portion close to the lower opening.

[0008] Optionally, the inner surface of the first cavity gradually increases in size near the upper opening to form a probe guide.

[0009] Optionally, the inner surface of the second cavity shrinks inwardly along a straight line to form a cylindrical structure with a gradually decreasing inner diameter.

[0010] Optionally, the bottom opening comprises a stepped structure.

[0011] Optionally, the probe holder further comprises a wire groove, the wire groove is formed by the inner surface extending outward from the bottom opening to the upper opening, and the wire groove extends obliquely along a substantially straight line from the bottom opening to the upper opening.

[0012] Optionally, the width of the wire groove at the bottom opening end gradually decreases from outside to inside.

[0013] Optionally, the extension depth of the wire groove at the bottom opening end is greater than the bottom opening diameter.

[0014] Optionally, the probe holder further comprises an elastomer, which comprises the upper holding portion, the lower holding portion and the side opening, and the elastomer is detachably mounted in the probe holder body, and the outer surface size of the elastomer matches the inner surface size of the probe holder body.

[0015] Optionally, the top of the elastic body includes a flange, the bottom of the elastic body includes a plurality of protrusions, and the elastic body is clamped to the inner surface of the probe holder body through the flange and the plurality of protrusions.

[0016] Optionally, the probe holder further comprises a wire groove, wherein the wire groove is formed by the inner surface extending outward from the bottom opening to the upper opening, and the shape of the wire groove enables the elastic body to be installed in the probe holder body only at a certain specific angle.

[0017] Optionally, the probe holder is arranged on an edge of a control panel of the ultrasound imaging system.

[0018] Optionally, the probe holder is detachably connected to the main body of the ultrasound imaging system.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, an ultrasound imaging system is also provided, which includes any probe holder described above.

[0020] Optionally, the probe holder includes a plurality of probe holders disposed on an edge of a control panel of the ultrasound imaging system, and the plurality of probe holders have the same or symmetrical shapes to each other.

[0021] It should be understood that the brief description above is provided to introduce some concepts further described in the detailed description in a simplified form. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is solely defined by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages mentioned above or in any section of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present application will be better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 100 according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 A perspective view of a probe holder 200 for an ultrasound imaging system in some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the probe holder 200 along line AA;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A bottom view of the probe holder 200 is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 500 including a probe holder 501 in some embodiments of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. It should be noted that in the specific description of these embodiments, in order to be concise, it is impossible for the present invention to provide a detailed description of all the features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in the process of any engineering project or design project, in order to achieve the specific goals of the developer and to meet system-related or business-related restrictions, various specific decisions are often made, and this will also change from one embodiment to another. In addition, it can also be understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for ordinary technicians in the field related to the content disclosed by the present invention, some changes such as design, manufacturing or production based on the technical content disclosed in the present disclosure are just conventional technical means, and should not be understood as insufficient content of the present disclosure.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and the specification shall have the usual meanings understood by persons of ordinary skill in the relevant technical field. The words "first", "second" and similar terms used in the present invention and the claims do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Words such as "one" or "an" do not indicate a quantitative limitation, but indicate the existence of at least one. Words such as "include" or "comprise" and similar terms mean that the elements or objects appearing before "include" or "comprise" include the elements or objects listed after "include" or "comprise" and their equivalent elements, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Words such as "connect" or "connected" and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0030] Figure 1 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 100. The ultrasound imaging system 100 may include a host 101, a probe holder 120, and a probe 126. The probe 126 is connected to the host 101 via a cable 110. Further, the host 101 may include a controller circuit 102 connected to a communication circuit 104, a display device 138, a user interface 142, and a memory 106.

[0031] The controller circuit 102 is configured to control the operation of the ultrasound imaging system 100. The controller circuit 102 may include one or more processors. Optionally, the controller circuit 102 may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, a graphics processing unit (GPU), or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Optionally, the controller circuit 102 may include and / or represent one or more hardware circuits or circuit systems, which include, connect, or include and connect one or more processors, controllers, and / or other hardware logic-based devices. Additionally or alternatively, the controller circuit 102 may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106).

[0032] The controller circuit 102 is operably connected to a display device 138 and a user interface 142. The display device 138 may include one or more liquid crystal display devices (e.g., light emitting diode (LED) backlights), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices, plasma display devices, CRT display devices, etc. The display device 138 may display patient information, one or more medical images and / or videos, a graphical user interface or component, one or more 2D, 3D, or 4D ultrasound image data sets from ultrasound data stored in the memory 106, or currently acquired anatomical measurements, diagnoses, processing information, etc., received by the display device 138 from the controller circuit 102.

[0033] The user interface 142 controls the operation of the controller circuit 102 and the ultrasound imaging system 100. The user interface 142 is configured to receive input from a clinician and / or an operator of the ultrasound imaging system 100. Optionally, the display device 138 may be a touch screen display device that includes at least a portion of the user interface 142. For example, a portion of the user interface 142 may correspond to a graphical user interface (GUI) generated by the controller circuit 102 and displayed on the display device 138. The touch screen display device can detect the presence of a touch from an operator on the display device 138, and can also identify the location of the touch relative to the surface area of ​​the display device 138. For example, a user can select one or more user interface components of the user interface (GUI) shown on the display device by touching or contacting the display device 138. In addition, the user interface 142 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, one or more physical buttons, and the like. In some embodiments, the user interface 142 such as the keyboard, mouse, trackball, touchpad, physical buttons, etc. is integrated on a control panel. The control panel may include a platform that facilitates user operation. In a desktop ultrasound imaging system, the platform-type control panel may be an integral part of the ultrasound imaging system. In the portable ultrasound imaging system, the platform-type control panel may be a part of a cart, and the cart may be used for placing and fixing the portable ultrasound imaging system.

[0034] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the ultrasound imaging system 100 may include a probe 126. Figure 1In the example, the probe 126 is connected to the host 101 of the ultrasound imaging system 100 via the cable 110. However, it can be understood that in an optional example, the probe may include a wireless probe, and accordingly, it is not necessary to connect to the host 101 via a cable but only via wireless communication technology. The probe 126 may include components such as a transducer, a transmitter, a transmit beamformer, and a detector / SAP electronic component (not shown). The detector / SAP electronic component can be used to control the switching of the transducer elements. The detector / SAP electronic component can also be used to group the transducer elements into one or more sub-holes. The configuration of the probe 126 will also be described exemplarily below. Among them, the probe 126 can be any type of probe, including a linear probe, a curved array probe, a 1.25D array, a 1.5D array, a 1.75D array, or a 2D array probe. The probe 126 can also be a probe for volume imaging. For example, it can be an electronic 4D (E4D) probe. In addition, it can also be a mechanical probe, such as a mechanical 4D probe or a hybrid probe. The probe 126 can be used to collect 4D ultrasound data, which contains information about how the volume changes over time, and after processing, a volume ultrasound image related to the part to be imaged can be obtained. It can be understood that each volume can include multiple 2D images or slices, and accordingly, the controller circuit can select the required 2D image from the volume ultrasound image. In some other embodiments, the probe 126 can also be a wireless probe. The wireless probe can use a built-in power supply to power internal components to perform ultrasound scanning and / or data transmission. The wireless probe can also have a built-in wireless transmission module for data transmission with the ultrasound imaging system 100.

[0035] Alternatively, the controller circuit 102 may retrieve the digitized signal stored in the memory 106 for use by the beamformer processor. For example, the controller circuit 102 may convert the digitized signal to a baseband signal or compress the digitized signal.

[0036] In some embodiments, the controller circuit 102 may also include a beamforming processor. The beamformer processor may include one or more processors. Optionally, the beamformer processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the beamformer processor may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106) to perform beamforming calculations using any suitable beamforming method, such as adaptive beamforming, synthetic transmit focusing, aberration correction, synthetic aperture, clutter suppression, and / or adaptive noise control, etc.

[0037] In some embodiments, the controller circuit 102 may also include a radio frequency (RF) processor. The beamformer processor performs beamforming on the digitized signals of the transducer elements and outputs an RF signal. The RF signal is then provided to the RF processor that processes the RF signal. The RF processor may include one or more processors. As required, the RF processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more microprocessors, or any other electronic component capable of processing input data according to specific logic instructions. Additionally or alternatively, the RF processor may execute instructions stored on a tangible and non-temporary computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 106). Optionally, the RF processor may be integrated with the controller circuit 102 and / or as part of the controller circuit. For example, operations described as being performed by the RF processor may be configured to be performed by the controller circuit 102.

[0038] The RF processor may generate different ultrasound image data types and / or modes for multiple scan planes or different scan modes based on the predetermined settings of the first model, such as B-mode, color Doppler (e.g., color blood flow, velocity / power / variance), tissue Doppler (velocity), and Doppler energy. For example, the RF processor may generate tissue Doppler data for multiple scan planes. The RF processor collects information related to multiple data slices (e.g., I / Q, B-mode, color Doppler, tissue Doppler, and Doppler energy information) and stores the data information in the memory 106, which may include timestamps and orientation / rotation information.

[0039] Optionally, the RF processor may include a complex demodulator (not shown) that demodulates the RF signal to form an IQ data pair representing the echo signal. The RF or IQ signal data may then be provided directly to the memory 106 for storage (e.g., temporary storage). Optionally, the output of the beamformer processor may be communicated directly to the controller circuit 102.

[0040] The controller circuit 102 may be configured to process the acquired ultrasound data (e.g., RF signal data or IQ data pairs) and prepare and / or generate ultrasound image data frames representing anatomical structures of interest for display on the display device 138. The acquired ultrasound data may be processed by the controller circuit 102 in real time as echo signals are received during a scanning or treatment procedure for an ultrasound examination. Additionally or alternatively, the ultrasound data may be temporarily stored in the memory 106 during the scanning procedure and processed in a less real-time manner in an on-the-go or off-line operation.

[0041] The memory 106 may be used to store processed frames of acquired ultrasound data that are not intended for immediate display, or to store post-processed images (e.g., shear wave images, strain images), firmware or software corresponding to, for example, a graphical user interface, one or more default image display settings, programmed instructions, and the like. The memory 106 may store medical images such as 3D ultrasound image data sets of ultrasound data, where such 3D ultrasound image data sets are accessed to present 2D and 3D images. For example, the 3D ultrasound image data sets may be mapped into the corresponding memory 106 and one or more reference planes. The processing of ultrasound data including the ultrasound image data sets may be based in part on user input, such as a user selection received at the user interface 142.

[0042] Continue to refer Figure 1 In some embodiments, the ultrasound imaging system 100 may further include a probe holder 120. The probe holder 120 may be used to place an idle probe 126. During the actual scanning process, the user may select different types of probes 126 according to the different anatomical structures of interest to be scanned. When not in use by the user, the probe 126 may be placed on the probe holder 120. The probe holder 120 may be an independent component placed separately near the ultrasound imaging system 100. In addition, the probe holder 120 may also be detachably connected to the ultrasound imaging system 100. The detachable probe holder 120 can be removed when not needed to further save space. In another embodiment, the probe holder 120 may be disposed on the edge of the control panel of the ultrasound imaging system 100.

[0043] Due to different usage scenarios, different types of internal components, etc., different types of probes 126 usually have shapes and outer surface sizes. For example, in order to adapt to the human body cavity, the transcavitary probe is usually set to have a slender structure. Or, the 4D probe is usually larger in size due to the complex internal transducer and other components. Some high-frequency superficial probes usually have smaller sizes to adapt to various skin surfaces. In actual application scenarios, there are higher stability requirements for the retention of the probe. Because once the precision probe falls, it is likely to cause damage to the components and affect the normal ultrasonic scanning. Therefore, the probe holder needs to ensure that it can have a good fit with the outer surface of the probe to ensure a good retention effect. To this end, some existing solutions have designed different types of probe holders for probes of different sizes, and users can fix different probes in the corresponding holders respectively. The process of matching a dedicated probe holder with the probe will distract the user's attention.

[0044] At least in order to solve the above problems, improvements are proposed in the embodiments of the present application. Figure 2, shows a perspective view of a probe holder 200 for an ultrasound imaging system in some embodiments of the present application. The probe holder 200 includes an upper holding portion 201 , a lower holding portion 202 and a side opening 203 .

[0045] The upper retaining portion 201 includes a first cavity 211 surrounded by an inner surface 204. The upper end of the first cavity 211 includes an upper opening 212. The inner surface 204 shrinks inward at the lower end of the first cavity 211 to form a lower opening 213. The size of the lower opening 213 is smaller than that of the upper opening 212.

[0046] In addition, the lower retaining portion 202 includes a second cavity 221 formed by the inner surface 204 extending downward for a certain distance through the lower opening 213. The inner surface 204 shrinks inward at the lower end of the second cavity 221 to form a bottom opening 222. The size of the bottom opening 222 is smaller than that of the lower opening 213.

[0047] Furthermore, the side opening 203 penetrates the probe holder 200 outward from the inner surface 204 and extends from the upper opening 212 to the bottom opening 222 .

[0048] In the above configuration, a probe holder 200 includes holding parts of different sizes at the same time. Among them, the first cavity 211 of the upper holding part 201 is suitable for holding probes of larger size, while the second cavity 221 of the lower holding part 202 formed by shrinking and extending the inner surface is suitable for holding probes of smaller size. Such an ultrasound probe holder will have better adaptability. When placing the probe, the user does not need to deliberately choose the probe holder. For example, when the user needs to fix the probe, the cable connected to the probe can first be passed through the side opening 203, and then the probe can be placed. The large-sized probe will be able to fully contact the inner surface of the first cavity 211 and be firmly held. When the probe to be placed is small in size, the second cavity 221 formed by shrinking and extending the inner surface 204 downward can fully contact and support the outer surface of the smaller-sized probe. In this way, the same probe holder 200 adapts to probes of different outer surface sizes. In addition, the second cavity 221 is formed by extending downwardly from the inner surface of the first cavity 211, so that the inner surface 204 is a smooth and flat surface as a whole, which is not prone to dead corners that are difficult to clean and disinfect, and users can also feel more relaxed when performing disinfection and sterilization.

[0049] In some embodiments, the first cavity 211 is used to hold a probe of a first size. The second cavity 221 is used to hold a probe of a second size, and the second size is smaller than the first size. It can be understood that the meaning of the first size and the second size is mainly for the size of the outer surface of the bottom of the probe, because the probe holder usually contacts the above-mentioned part of the probe. In addition, the first size and the second size may contain a certain range deviation, which should satisfy the full contact between the probe holder and the probe surface to facilitate the retention of the probe. It should be noted that although some existing holders may have some openings with enlarged sizes on the probe holding device that play a role in guiding the probe, as described above in this application, such a probe holder cannot fully retain a large-sized probe because its shape is not specifically designed for the probe retention function. In this application, the inner surface shape of the first cavity 211 and the inner surface shape of the second cavity 221 fully consider the outer surface contours of different types of probes and specifically maintain at least two probes of different sizes stably, and avoid the cleaning and disinfection dead corners caused by uneven inner surfaces (such as steps or seams).

[0050] Combine the following Figure 3 The probe holder of the present application is described in detail. Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the probe holder 200 along line AA is provided to provide a more detailed and clear description of the internal structure of the probe holder 200.

[0051] like Figure 3As shown, in the cross-sectional view along the AA line, the top-down contour lines BCDE and the contour lines B'-C'-D'-E' of the inner surface 204 of the probe holder 200 can be more clearly observed. Among them, the first cavity 211 and the second cavity 221 have continuous and smooth inner surfaces respectively. The first cavity 211 is used to hold a probe of a first size, and the second cavity 221 is used to hold a probe of a second size, and the second size is smaller than the first size. The continuous and smooth inner surface, on the one hand, is conducive to fitting probes of various sizes and avoids the problem of loose fixation of the probe due to insufficient contact. For example, the first size can include a certain size range, and the inner surface of the first cavity 211 can simultaneously adapt to a plurality of larger ultrasonic probes of different sizes. Similarly, the second size can also include a certain range, and the second cavity 221 is also suitable for a plurality of probes with smaller outer surface sizes. On the other hand, the continuous and smooth inner surface can also be conducive to the cleaning and disinfection of the probe holder. Because the probe is a component that contacts the person to be scanned (such as a patient) and the user (such as a doctor) at the same time and it often contacts reagents such as acoustic coupling agents, it needs to be frequently cleaned and disinfected. As the probe holder is in close contact with the probe, the frequency and ease of cleaning and disinfection are very important. The continuous and smooth inner surface is not prone to dead corners, which will greatly facilitate the user to disinfect the probe holder.

[0052] In some embodiments, the inner surface 204 of the first cavity 211 includes an arc-shaped structure (BCD segment and B'-C'-D' segment) that gradually contracts from the upper opening 212 to the lower opening 213. The arc-shaped structure has a decreasing curvature near the lower opening 213. For example, Figure 3 It can be seen that the curvature of the CD segment is smaller than that of the BC segment. This arrangement allows the inner surface 204 near the lower opening 213 to be flatter, thereby better fitting the outer surface of a probe with a larger size.

[0053] In some other embodiments, the size of the inner surface 204 of the first cavity 211 gradually increases near the upper opening 212 to form a probe guide (the space surrounded by the inner surface between the BC segment and the B'-C' segment). Figure 3 As can be seen from the cross-sectional view, the probe guide portion is an outwardly expanded structure. This configuration mode allows the user to place the probe without too much alignment. Once the probe contacts the inner surface of the first cavity 211, the outwardly expanded probe guide portion can guide the probe to align with the appropriate holding portion to achieve the effect of probe holding.

[0054] Continue to refer Figure 3 In some embodiments, the inner surface 204 of the second cavity 221 is along a straight line (eg Figure 3 The DE segment and the D'-E' segment in the second cavity 221 are contracted inwardly to form a cylindrical structure with a gradually decreasing inner diameter. Such a configuration can be more conducive to the retention of smaller-sized probes. On the one hand, the cylindrical structure can better fit smaller-sized probes, such as probes with cylindrical end structures. On the other hand, the cylindrical structure with a gradually decreasing inner diameter makes it possible for the probe to be blocked after falling to a certain extent in the second cavity 221, and it is not easy to fall off and cause damage to the probe.

[0055] In some other embodiments, the bottom opening 222 further includes a step-like structure 301. The step-like structure 301 can be understood as being formed by the holder at the end of the bottom opening 222 extending inward. Such a configuration can further reduce the size of the bottom opening 222. Even when placing a probe of a smaller size, the probe can be firmly fixed in the probe holder 200.

[0056] The inventors further realized that in some usage scenarios, after the probe is fixed on the probe holder, the probe will also face the problem of cable management. That is, after the probe is fixed on the probe holder, it is usually at a low height from the ground, and the cable connecting the probe and the ultrasound imaging system body may hang on the ground. This may cause damage to the cable on the one hand, and on the other hand, it may cause instability when moving the ultrasound imaging system. Therefore, in some embodiments, the inventors have also made improvements to the probe holder.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 2 as well as Figure 4 .in, Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A bottom view of the probe holder 200 is shown.

[0058] In some embodiments, the probe holder 200 further includes a wire groove 401. The wire groove 401 is formed by the inner surface 204 extending outward from the bottom opening 222 to the upper opening 212. Moreover, the wire groove 401 extends obliquely along a straight line from the bottom opening 222 to the upper opening 212. In this configuration, when the user inserts the probe cable into the cavity surrounded by the inner surface 204 through the side opening 203, the cable can be placed in the wire groove 401. At this time, the user pulls the cable upward to lay a certain length of cable on the wire groove 401. Moreover, since the wire groove 401 is formed by extending outward and has a certain slope, the wire groove 401 can provide a certain friction force for the cable to prevent it from slipping. The design of the straight line oblique extension can prevent the friction force from being too large to cause damage to the cable. Since the cable is laid on the wire groove 401 at this time, the bottom opening 222 is not occupied by the cable at this time. The user can again pass the cable near the end of the probe through the side opening 203 into the cavity surrounded by the inner surface 204, and the cable will fall into the bottom opening 222. That is, the user can form a ring around the probe holder 200 with the cable to prevent the cable from dragging on the ground, and further the probe can be kept in the probe holder 200.

[0059] In order to further improve the cable holding effect of the probe holder 200, some embodiments of the present application further propose improvements. Figure 4 In some embodiments, the width of the wire groove 401 at the bottom opening 222 gradually decreases from the outside to the inside. That is, the width of the wire groove 401 is the smallest near the center of the bottom opening 222, and then gradually increases as it extends outward. In this configuration, after the user places the cable of the probe into the wire groove, even if the user pulls the cable to adjust it later, it can ensure that the cable is not easy to fall out of the wire groove.

[0060] Further, in some embodiments, the extension depth D1 of the wire groove 401 at the bottom opening 222 end is greater than the bottom opening diameter D2. Such a configuration can further ensure that the cable can be fully accommodated in the wire groove 401 after entering the wire groove. On the one hand, it is not easy for the cable to escape when the user drags the cable. On the other hand, when the user puts the cable into the probe holder 200 again, the cable in the wire groove 401 will not cause spatial steric obstruction to the cable passing through the bottom opening 222.

[0061] It should be noted that the above shows various embodiments in which the inner surface of the probe holder 200 is surrounded by a cavity for holding the probe and a wire groove for cable management. Under the teaching of the present disclosure, the above embodiments can be reasonably combined or selected from each other. In addition, the outer surface contour of the probe holder 200 can be arbitrary and will not affect its function of holding the probe. For example, the outer surface of the probe holder 200 can be a cup-shaped structure, a cylindrical structure, or an integrated structure with the ultrasound imaging system.

[0062] In addition, the probe holder 200 described in any of the above embodiments may further include an elastic body, the elastic body includes the upper holding portion, the lower holding portion and the side opening, the elastic body is detachably mounted in the probe holder body, and the outer surface size of the elastic body matches the inner surface size of the probe holder body. That is, the structure related to the inner surface of the probe holder described in any of the above embodiments may be surrounded by the elastic body. For example, as shown in the attached Figure 2-4 The probe holder 200 shown, its upper and lower retaining parts and side openings and other components, can be understood as being formed by the inner surface of the elastomer. Subsequently, the elastomer is then installed in the probe holder body (not shown in the figure). The specific setting method will be described exemplarily below. The material of the elastomer can include any rubber or other polymer material with resilience in the art, or other materials with variable performance, which are not limited in this application. In addition, the probe holder body can be understood as the shell of the elastomer, whose inner surface matches the elastomer to accommodate the above-mentioned elastomer, and its outer surface can be various, such as cup-shaped, rectangular, etc., and other components connected to the ultrasonic imaging system can also be attached. In other embodiments, the probe holder can include only the elastomer, or only the body, and its specific structure is still described in any embodiment of the present application, and will not be repeated.

[0063] As described above in the present application, the probe holder 200 can be matched with the ultrasound imaging system in different ways. In some embodiments, the probe holder 200 can be a detachable independent component in the ultrasound imaging system, which is fixed in the ultrasound imaging system by any detachable method in the prior art, for example, plug-in, threaded connection, snap-on, etc. In other embodiments, the probe holder 200 can be set independently of the ultrasound imaging system, for example, it can be fixed to other locations outside the ultrasound imaging system such as a wall, a bracket, etc. In addition, the probe holder 200 itself can also be a part of the ultrasound imaging system, for example, it is set on the control panel of the ultrasound imaging system. The following will describe in detail the method of setting the probe holder on the control panel of the ultrasound imaging system.

[0064] refer to Figure 5, shows a schematic diagram of an ultrasound imaging system 500 including a probe holder 501 in some embodiments of the present application. Unless otherwise specified, the construction of the probe holder 501 is applicable to the description of any embodiment of the present application above. It should be noted that Figure 5 Only a partial schematic diagram of the ultrasound imaging system 500 including the probe holder 501 is shown, and the structures of other parts may be those described in any embodiment of the present application or any structure in the art.

[0065] like Figure 5 As shown, the probe holder 501 can be arranged on the body of the ultrasound imaging system 500. For example, it can be arranged on the edge of the control panel 502 of the ultrasound imaging system 500. This makes it convenient for the user to access the probe on the probe holder 501, and does not hinder the user's operation of the control panel. In some examples, the ultrasound imaging system 500 is an integrated desktop ultrasound imaging system, in which case the control panel 502 is an integral part of the ultrasound imaging system 500. In other examples, the ultrasound imaging system 500 may be a portable ultrasound device, in which case the control panel 502 may be a trolley supporting the portable ultrasound device. In some embodiments, the probe holder 501 may include a plurality of probe holders 501 arranged on the edge of the control panel 502 of the ultrasound imaging system 500. The plurality of probe holders 501 have the same or symmetrical shape to each other. As Figure 5 As shown, a plurality of probe holders 501 may be arranged on the same side or on opposite sides of the control panel 502. The probe holders 501 on the same side (e.g., the left side or the right side) may include the same shape, and the probe holders 501 on opposite sides may include symmetrical shapes. That is, the universal probe holder 501 disclosed in the present application simplifies the design of the probe holder position on the control panel 502, because the same type of probe holder 501 can be used to hold a variety of different types of probes.

[0066] Further, in some embodiments, the side opening 503 and the wire groove 504 of the probe holder 501 can be arranged as follows: Figure 5 As shown. The side opening 503 is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the side panel direction of the control panel 502, and the wire groove 504 can have a certain angle with the side opening 503 in the direction of the front side (close to the user) of the control panel 502. In the above configuration, the side opening 503 is perpendicular to the side of the control panel 502, which can facilitate the user to quickly pass the probe cable through the side opening 503 for the next operation. The design of the wire groove 504 biased towards the front side of the control panel 502 can ensure that it is more convenient and quick to drag the cable through the wire groove 504.

[0067] In some embodiments, the probe holder 501 may further include an elastic body 505. The elastic body 505 includes the upper retaining portion, the lower retaining portion and the side opening. In other words, the elastic body provides the inner surface structure of the probe holder described in any embodiment above for retaining the probe and / or managing the cable. In addition, the elastic body 505 is detachably mounted in the body 511 of the probe holder 501. The outer surface size of the elastic body 505 matches the inner surface size of the body 511 of the probe holder 501. With such a setting, the elastic body 505 can more effectively fit the outer surface of the probe to be retained. For example, the arc-shaped inner contour of the upper retaining portion of the elastic body 505 can be allowed to have a certain deviation from the contour of the probe to be retained. When the probe is placed on the inner surface of the upper retaining portion, the elastic body 505 can be deformed to a certain extent to match the probe. Similarly, the diameter of the cylindrical inner contour of the lower retaining portion of the elastic body 505 can also be mismatched to a certain extent with the outer surface of the probe, and the cylindrical inner contour can be deformed to match the probe. In addition, the detachable elastic body 505 can also be conveniently used for disassembly and assembly to sterilize the probe holder 501 .

[0068] It should be noted that the above embodiment describes a probe holder 501 including an elastic body 505 disposed on an ultrasound imaging system 500, but the configuration including the elastic body is suitable for the probe holder described in any other embodiment of the present application.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present application, the connection between the elastic body and the probe holder is optimized. Figure 5 In some embodiments, the top of the elastic body 505 includes a convex edge 551, and the bottom of the elastic body 505 includes a plurality of protrusions 552. The elastic body is clamped to the inner surface of the body 511 of the probe holder 501 through the convex edge 551 and the plurality of protrusions. The convex edge 551 can limit the elastic body 505 at the top, and the protrusion 552 at the bottom can pass through the body 511 of the probe holder 501 (for example, through the second cavity of the body 511) after deformation, and can restore the original shape after passing through to achieve quick clamping. Such a configuration allows the elastic body 505 to be quickly disassembled and assembled, which is convenient for users to operate.

[0070] As described above in the present application, the probe holder of the present application may further include a wire guide. In the embodiment where the probe holder includes an elastic body, the provision of the wire guide may be more conducive to the rapid disassembly and assembly of the elastic body. Figure 5In some embodiments, the wire groove 553 of the elastic body 505 is formed by the inner surface extending outward from the bottom opening to the upper opening. Such a configuration has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here. The shape of the wire groove 553 allows the elastic body 505 to be installed in the body 511 of the probe holder 501 only at a certain angle. Specifically, since the shape of the wire groove 553 is formed by the elastic body 505 protruding outward, compared with regular shapes such as ellipse, circle, etc., the above shape is more conducive to the user to align the elastic body 505 with the body 511 of the probe holder 501. In a specific usage scenario, the user only needs to roughly align the wire groove 553 on the elastic body 505 with the corresponding part on the body 511, and the elastic body 505 can slide to the correct position without deviation. In comparison, regular shapes such as circle and ellipse are prone to angular rotation and are not easy to be aligned. The above-mentioned embodiment of the present application enables the user to save more time when disassembling the elastic body 505 for disinfection and then resetting.

[0071] The above text of the present application describes various configurations of probe holders. In some embodiments, the probe holder has a first cavity with a continuous and complete arc structure on the inner surface and a second cavity with a continuous and complete inner surface, so that the same probe holder can adapt to multiple different probes. In some embodiments, the probe holder has a wire groove and thus has the functions of probe holding and cable management at the same time. In some embodiments, the designed wire groove is not only conducive to the insertion of the probe cable but also can effectively prevent the cable from escaping. In some embodiments, the inner side of the probe holder has an elastomeric structure to further increase the adaptability of the probe holder.

[0072] The above text of the present application also describes a variety of configurations of ultrasound imaging systems that include the above-mentioned probe holder. The ultrasound imaging system can be any system in the art, and can use the probe holder described in the present application. For example, the probe holder can be independent of the ultrasound imaging system itself and separately arranged. Alternatively, the probe holder can also be detachably connected to the ultrasound imaging system through any quick-release method. In addition, the probe holder can also be integrated into the ultrasound imaging system as a part of the ultrasound imaging system body.

[0073] The purpose of providing the above specific embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, equivalent substitutions and changes, etc., may also be made to the present invention, as long as these changes do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should all be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A probe holder for an ultrasound imaging system, comprising: An upper retaining portion, the upper retaining portion comprising a first cavity surrounded by an inner surface, the upper end of the first cavity comprising an upper opening, the inner surface shrinks inwardly at the lower end of the first cavity to form a lower opening, and the size of the lower opening is smaller than the size of the upper opening; A lower retaining portion, the lower retaining portion comprising a second cavity formed by the inner surface continuing to extend downward through the lower opening for a certain distance, the inner surface shrinking inwardly at the lower end of the second cavity to form a bottom opening, and the size of the bottom opening is smaller than the size of the lower opening; as well as A side opening extends outwardly through the probe holder from the inner surface and extends from the upper opening to the bottom opening.

2. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The first cavity and the second cavity respectively have continuous and smooth inner surfaces. The first cavity is used to hold a probe of a first size, and the second cavity is used to hold a probe of a second size, and the second size is smaller than the first size.

3. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The inner surface of the first cavity includes an arc-shaped structure that gradually contracts from the upper opening to the lower opening, and the arc-shaped structure has a reduced curvature at a portion close to the lower opening.

4. The probe holder of claim 3, wherein: The inner surface of the first cavity gradually increases in size near the upper opening to form a probe guide.

5. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The inner surface of the second cavity shrinks inwardly along a straight line to form a cylindrical structure with a gradually decreasing inner diameter.

6. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The bottom opening includes a stepped structure.

7. The probe holder according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: A wire groove is formed by the inner surface extending outward from the bottom opening to the upper opening, and the wire groove extends obliquely along a substantially straight line from the bottom opening to the upper opening.

8. The probe holder of claim 7, wherein: The width of the wire groove at the bottom opening end gradually decreases from outside to inside.

9. The probe holder of claim 7, wherein: The extension depth of the wire groove at the bottom opening end is greater than the bottom opening diameter.

10. The probe holder according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: The elastic body comprises the upper holding portion, the lower holding portion and the side opening. The elastic body is detachably mounted in the probe holder body. The outer surface size of the elastic body matches the inner surface size of the probe holder body.

11. The probe holder of claim 10, wherein: The top of the elastic body comprises a convex edge, the bottom of the elastic body comprises a plurality of protrusions, and the elastic body is clamped to the inner surface of the probe holder body through the convex edge and the plurality of protrusions.

12. The probe holder of claim 10, wherein: The elastic body further includes a wire groove, which is formed by the inner surface extending outward from the bottom opening to the upper opening. The shape of the wire groove enables the elastic body to be installed in the probe holder body only through a certain specific angle.

13. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The probe holder is arranged on the edge of the control panel of the ultrasonic imaging system.

14. The probe holder of claim 1, wherein: The probe holder is detachably connected to the main body of the ultrasound imaging system.

15. An ultrasonic imaging system comprising the probe holder according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 15, wherein: The probe holder includes a plurality of probe holders arranged at an edge of a control panel of the ultrasonic imaging system, and the plurality of probe holders have the same or symmetrical shapes as each other.

Images