Cart for medical instrument

Abstract

To provide a cart for medical instrument that can easily secure weight balance and improve workability of a user.SOLUTION: A cart comprises a leg wheel section, a support column, a mounting section, and a connector. The leg wheel section has four leg wheels provided at the front, rear, left, and right sides. The support column has a lower end attached to the leg wheel section and extends upward. The support column is disposed on a rear side relative to the center in the front-rear direction of the leg wheel section. The mounting section is attached to an upper end of the support column, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is mounted thereon. A battery unit which supplies power to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and is disposed in front of the support column is connected to the connector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology of this disclosure relates to carts for medical equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] Medical equipment carts equipped with medical equipment are used in medical settings. Medical equipment carts are useful when doctors move between multiple patients during rounds to provide medical care. A medical equipment cart is composed of, for example, a caster unit with four caster wheels on each side, a support column attached to the lower end of the caster unit and extending upward, and a mounting unit attached to the upper end of the support column and carrying the medical equipment. A battery unit that supplies power to the medical equipment is also attached to the cart.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a medical equipment cart in which the lower end of a support column is attached to approximately the center of a caster section in the front-rear and left-right directions. The medical equipment cart described in Patent Document 1 has a battery attached to the main body of an ultrasound diagnostic device, which is a medical device. The main body is located on the rear side of the support column, on the base of the caster section.

[0004] The medical equipment cart described in Patent Document 2 has a battery attached to a battery box main body that has a power conversion unit that converts DC power from the battery into AC power for commercial power, an outlet that supplies AC power to the medical equipment, etc. The battery box main body is located on the rear side of the support column, on the base of the caster unit (see the third embodiment of Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-070380 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-086325 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The mounting unit is loaded with medical equipment of a certain weight (for example, several kilograms). Therefore, considering the weight balance, it is preferable that the support column be attached at approximately the center of the caster unit in the front-rear and left-right directions, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. However, if the support column is located at approximately the center of the caster unit in the front-rear and left-right directions, the user's legs will hit the support column, making it difficult to work. Therefore, there has been a demand for a configuration that makes it easier to ensure weight balance and improves user operability.

[0007] One embodiment of the technique of the present disclosure provides a medical equipment cart that can easily ensure weight balance and improve workability for the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The medical equipment cart of the present disclosure comprises a caster section having a plurality of casters arranged at the front, back, left and right sides, a support pillar whose lower end is attached to the caster section and extends upward, the support pillar being positioned rearward of the center of the caster section in the front-to-back direction, a mounting section attached to the upper end of the support pillar and on which medical equipment is mounted, and a battery unit that supplies power to the medical equipment, a connector to which the battery unit arranged in front of the support pillar is connected.

[0009] The caster section has front and rear casters attached thereto and has two side beams extending in the fore-and-aft direction, and it is preferable that when the battery unit is connected to the connector, the battery unit is positioned between the two side beams.

[0010] The side beams are preferably provided with a holding mechanism for detachably holding the battery unit.

[0011] The holding mechanism preferably includes a guide rail that guides the battery unit, which is slid from the front, toward the connector.

[0012] When the battery unit is connected to the connector, it is preferable that the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit and the outer peripheral surface of the side beam with which the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit contacts form one smooth surface.

[0013] Preferably, the caster section further has a base connecting the two side beams, the base being positioned rearward of the center of the caster section in the front-to-rear direction, and the lower end of the support column being attached to the base.

[0014] The connector is provided on the base, and when the battery unit is connected to the connector, the battery unit is preferably disposed between the two side beams and the base.

[0015] The rear end of the base is preferably located forward of the rear end of the side beam.

[0016] It is preferable that the cross-sectional shapes of the battery unit and the base perpendicular to the front-rear direction are the same.

[0017] When the battery unit is connected to the connector, it is preferable that the battery unit protrudes above and below the side beam when viewed from the front.

[0018] With the battery unit connected to the connector, it is preferable that the center of gravity of the battery unit be located at a position below the upper surface of the side beam in the up-down direction when viewed from the front.

[0019] With the battery unit connected to the connector, it is preferable that the center of gravity of the battery unit be located between the upper and lower surfaces of the side beams in the vertical direction when viewed from the front.

[0020] When the battery unit is connected to the connector, it is preferable that the left and right side surfaces of the portion of the battery unit that protrudes below the side beam are inclined toward the opposite side from the caster when viewed from the front.

[0021] When viewed from above, the outline of the mounting portion is preferably contained within the outline of the castor portion.

[0022] The battery unit is preferably an add-on battery unit.

[0023] It is preferable that the connector be capable of connecting a plurality of types of battery units with different capacities and sizes.

[0024] Preferably, the medical device is an ultrasound diagnostic device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the technology of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a medical equipment cart that makes it easy to ensure weight balance and improves workability for the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ultrasound diagnostic system in a state where a battery unit is attached to a cart for an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ultrasound diagnostic system with a battery unit removed from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus cart. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an ultrasound diagnostic system. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the cart for the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cart for the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing that a plurality of types of battery units can be connected to the connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] [First embodiment] As an example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an ultrasound diagnostic system 10 is composed of an ultrasound diagnostic device 11 and an ultrasound diagnostic device cart (hereinafter simply referred to as cart) 12. The cart 12 is literally a cart dedicated to the ultrasound diagnostic device 11, and includes a caster unit 15, a support 16, a mounting unit 17, etc. The ultrasound diagnostic device 11 is an example of a "medical device" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The cart 12 is also an example of a "medical device cart" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0028] The caster unit 15 is disposed on the underside (floor surface side). The caster unit 15 has a total of four casters 18 provided on the front, rear, left, and right sides. The casters 18 are disposed at the four vertices of a rectangle formed by two long sides parallel to the front-rear direction and two short sides parallel to the left-right direction. The casters 18 rotate 360° around axes parallel to the up-down direction. The casters 18 enable the cart 12 to move within a medical facility. Here, "front" or "forward" refers to the side that the user U accesses when operating the ultrasound diagnostic device 11. "Back" or "rearward" refers to the side opposite to the side that the user U accesses when operating the ultrasound diagnostic device 11. "Left and right" refers to the left and right when viewed from the "front" or "forward". Furthermore, "up-down", "upper", or "lower" refers to the up-down direction in the vertical direction. In addition, "parallel" as used here refers not only to perfect parallelism, but also to parallelism that includes an error that is generally acceptable in the technical field to which the technology of the present disclosure belongs and that does not contradict the spirit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0029] The support pillar 16 has a generally rectangular prism shape, and its lower end 19 is attached to the castor unit 15. The support pillar 16 extends upward from the lower end 19, and its upper end 20 is attached to the mounting unit 17. The support pillar 16, and therefore the mounting unit 17, can be raised and lowered to suit the height of the user U. Note that the support pillar 16 is not limited to a generally rectangular prism shape, and may be a generally hexagonal prism shape or a cylindrical shape.

[0030] The mounting unit 17 is a substantially rectangular, plate-shaped base on which the ultrasound diagnostic device 11 is detachably mounted. The mounting unit 17 is inclined downward from the rear to the front to make it easier for the user U to operate the ultrasound diagnostic device 11. A handle 21 is attached to the mounting unit 17 so as to surround the periphery thereof. The handle 21 is held by the user U when moving the cart 12. The handle 21 may be attached partially to the front or rear of the mounting unit 17. Alternatively, the handle 21 may be omitted.

[0031] The ultrasound diagnostic device 11 has a configuration similar to that of a notebook personal computer, integrating a display 25, an operation unit 26, a battery 27, and a computer (not shown). The display 25 displays a menu screen, an ultrasound image display screen, etc. The operation unit 26 is composed of a touch panel, a trackball, various switches, etc., and is operated by a user U. The display 25 and the operation unit 26 are connected by a hinge, and can be opened for use as shown in the figure, or folded for portability. An ultrasound probe, etc. (not shown) is connected to the ultrasound diagnostic device 11. Note that the "computer" refers to a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), working memory for the processor, and storage such as a hard disk, all connected to each other via a bus line.

[0032] The battery 27 is rechargeable and is built into the operation unit 26. The battery 27 supplies power to each component of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 11. The operating time of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 11 on this battery 27 is, for example, 1 to 2 hours.

[0033] The caster section 15 has the aforementioned casters 18, side beams 30, and a base 31. The side beams 30 are two rods extending in the front-to-rear direction, to which the front and rear two-wheel casters 18 are attached. The base 31 is a roughly rectangular block connecting the two side beams 30. The base 31 is located rearward of the center C1 (see also Figure 4) of the caster section 15 in the front-to-rear direction. The lower end 19 of the support pillar 16 is attached so that its center coincides with the center C2 (see also Figure 4) of the base 31 in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. Therefore, the support pillar 16 is located rearward of the center C1 (see also Figure 4) of the caster section 15 in the front-to-rear direction. Note that the center C1 is also the center of the caster section 15 in the left-to-right direction.

[0034] A connector 32 (see FIG. 3) is provided within the base 31. A battery unit 33 is electrically and mechanically connected to the connector 32. The battery unit 33 incorporates a rechargeable battery 34 (see FIG. 1), a power converter (not shown) that converts DC power from the battery 34 into AC power for commercial power supply, and the like. The battery unit 33 supplies power from the battery 34 to the ultrasonic diagnostic device 11 mounted on the mounting section 17 via the connector 32. The battery unit 33 is an additional battery unit to compensate for a power shortage of the battery 27 of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 11. The operating time of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 11 with this battery unit 33 is, for example, 8 to 12 hours.

[0035] When the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed in front of the support pillar 16. More specifically, when the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed between the two side beams 30. Even more specifically, when the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed between the two side beams 30 and the base 31. In other words, when the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed in a space 35 (see FIG. 4 ) on the front side of the support pillar 16, which is surrounded by the two side beams 30 and the base 31.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the side beam 30 is provided with a holding mechanism 40 that detachably holds the battery unit 33. The holding mechanism 40 includes guide rails 41 (see also FIG. 4 ). Flanges 42 (see FIG. 3 ) attached to both left and right ends of the battery unit 33 are placed on the guide rails 41. When installing the battery unit 33, the cover 43 is removed from the front of the base 31, and then the flange 42 is placed on the guide rails 41 with a small gap between the base 31 and the flange 42 in the front-to-rear direction. The battery unit 33 is then slid from front to rear along the guide rails 41 until it is connected to the connector 32. Finally, the guide rails 41 and the flange 42 are fastened together with several screws. The battery unit 33 is installed by a service technician from the manufacturer of the ultrasound diagnostic system 10 at the request of a user U who has purchased the battery unit 33 as an additional battery unit.

[0037] When viewed from the front, the battery unit 33 has a curved shape with no corners on the outer periphery as a whole (see FIG. 5). When the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32 as shown in FIG. 1, the left and right side surfaces 45 and 46 of the battery unit 33 and the upper surface 47 of the side beam 30 where the side surfaces 45 and 46 meet form a single smooth surface (see also FIG. 5). In other words, the battery unit 33 and the side beam 30 are smoothly connected by a continuous surface. In yet another way, there are no protrusions at the boundary 48 between the side surfaces 45 and 46 of the battery unit 33 and the upper surface 47 of the side beam 30. However, there may be some gaps between the components of the side beam 30 and the battery unit 33 at the boundary 48. The side surfaces 45 and 46 are an example of the "outer periphery of the battery unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The upper surface 47 is an example of the "outer periphery of the side beam" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0038] 2, the base 31 has the same cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the front-rear direction as the battery unit 33. In this example, the cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the battery unit 33 and the base 31 are shown to be substantially hexagonal. Here, "same" refers to not only complete sameness, but also sameness in the sense of including a tolerance that is generally acceptable in the technical field to which the technology of the present disclosure belongs and that does not contradict the spirit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a state in which the battery unit 33 is attached, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the battery unit 33 is removed. FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the ultrasound diagnostic system 10, i.e., the ultrasound diagnostic device 11, the cart 12, and the battery unit 33. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasound diagnostic device 11 operates on power from the battery unit 33. In the state shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasound diagnostic device 11 operates on power from its own battery 27. In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 1, a cover 43 is attached to the front of the battery unit 33, and in the state shown in FIG. 2, the cover 43 is attached to the front of the base 31. In other words, the cover 43 serves both the battery unit 33 and the base 31. The cover 43 is provided with an indicator that notifies the user U of the remaining charge of the battery 34 when the battery unit 33 shown in FIG. 1 is attached.

[0040] As an example, as shown in Figure 4, the rear end 50 of the base 31 is located forward of the rear end 51 of the side beam 30. Therefore, the caster section 15 is not strictly U-shaped, but rather H-shaped with the crossbar shifted significantly to one side. Furthermore, the base 31, and therefore the support column 16, are located forward of the two rear caster wheels 18.

[0041] 5, when viewed from the front with the battery unit 33 connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 protrudes above and below the side beam 30. The width (height) in the vertical direction of a portion 55 of the battery unit 33 protruding above the side beam 30 and a portion 56 of the battery unit 33 protruding below the side beam 30 (hereinafter referred to as the lower portion) are approximately the same.

[0042] When viewed from the front with the battery unit 33 connected to the connector 32, the center of gravity CG of the battery unit is located at a position below the upper surface 47 of the side beam 30 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, when viewed from the front with the battery unit 33 connected to the connector 32, the center of gravity CG of the battery unit 33 is located between the upper surface 47 and the lower surface 57 of the side beam 30 in the vertical direction. Note that symbol L1 is a line coinciding with the upper surface 47 of the side beam 30, and symbol L2 is a line coinciding with the lower surface 57 of the side beam 30.

[0043] Both left and right side surfaces 58 and 59 of the lower portion 56 face the castor 18. When viewed from the front, the side surfaces 58 and 59 are inclined toward the opposite side from the castor 18. In other words, when viewed from the front, the lower portion 56 has a shape that tapers downward.

[0044] In Figure 6, which shows the cart 12 from above, the outline 65 of the mounting unit 17 is contained within the outline 66 of the caster unit 15. Here, the outline 65 of the mounting unit 17 is a rectangle that surrounds the outermost contour of the approximately rectangular plate-shaped base that constitutes the mounting unit 17 excluding the handle 21. In addition, the outline 66 of the caster unit 15 is a rectangle that surrounds the outermost contours of the caster 18 and the side beam 30.

[0045] As an example, as shown in Fig. 7, three types of battery units 33A, 33B, and 33C can be connected to the connector 32. The battery unit 33A is the battery unit 33 shown in Fig. 1 etc., and has the largest capacity and size of the battery 34 among the battery units 33A to 33C. The battery unit 33B has a smaller capacity and size of the battery 34 than the battery unit 33A but larger than the battery unit 33C. The battery unit 33C has the smallest capacity and size of the battery 34 among the battery units 33A to 33C.

[0046] As described above, the cart 12 includes the caster unit 15, the support column 16, the mounting unit 17, and the connector 32. The caster unit 15 has four caster wheels 18 provided on the front, rear, left, and right sides. The support column 16 has its lower end 19 attached to the caster unit 15 and extends upward. The support column 16 is disposed rearward of the center C1 of the caster unit 15 in the front-to-rear direction. The mounting unit 17 is attached to the upper end 20 of the support column 16, and the ultrasound diagnostic device 11 is mounted on it. The connector 32 is connected to a battery unit 33 that supplies power to the ultrasound diagnostic device 11 and is disposed in front of the support column 16.

[0047] By locating the support column 16 rearward of the center C1 in the front-to-rear direction of the caster section 15, it is possible to reduce the risk of the user U's legs hitting the support column 16 while working. Furthermore, by locating the battery unit 33 in front of the support column 16, it is possible to correct any imbalance in weight caused by offsetting the attachment position of the support column 16 rearward of the center C1. Therefore, the cart 12 makes it easy to ensure weight balance and improves the workability of the user U.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the caster section 15 has front and rear casters 18 attached thereto and two side beams 30 extending in the front-to-rear direction. When the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed between the two side beams 30. By disposing the battery unit 33 between the two side beams 30, the center of gravity of the cart 12 is positioned lower, thereby making it possible to further stabilize the weight balance. Furthermore, because the battery unit 33 is sandwiched between the two side beams 30, it is possible to protect the battery unit 33 from the legs of the user U, the walls of the medical facility, etc.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2 etc., the side beams 30 are provided with holding mechanisms 40 that detachably hold the battery units 33. The side beams 30 are given the function of holding not only the castors 18 but also the battery units 33, allowing for a compact configuration.

[0050] 2 and other figures, the holding mechanism 40 includes guide rails 41 that guide the battery unit 33, which is slid from the front, toward the connector 32. This improves the workability when attaching the battery unit 33.

[0051] As shown in Figure 1 and other figures, when the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the side surfaces 45 and 46 of the battery unit 33 and the top surface 47 of the side beam 30 where the side surfaces 45 and 46 meet form a single smooth surface. This allows the cart 12 to have a neat appearance when the battery unit 33 is attached, improving the design of the cart 12. Furthermore, when dust and other dirt adheres to the boundary 48 between the side surfaces 45 and 46 and the top surface 47, there is no snag when wiping it with a sheet, making it easy to clean.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the caster section 15 further has a pedestal 31 connecting the two side beams 30. The pedestal 31 is disposed rearward of the center C1 in the front-to-rear direction of the caster section 15, and the lower end 19 of the support column 16 is attached to the pedestal 31. This allows the support column 16 to be stably held.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 3, the connector 32 is provided on the base 31. As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, when the battery unit 33 is connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 is disposed between the two side beams 30 and the base 31. By disposing the battery unit 33 between the two side beams 30 and the base 31, the center of gravity of the cart 12 is positioned lower, thereby making it possible to further stabilize the weight balance. Furthermore, because the battery unit 33 is surrounded by the two side beams 30 and the base 31, it is possible to protect the battery unit 33 from the legs of the user U, the walls of the medical facility, etc.

[0054] 4, the rear end 50 of the base 31 is located forward of the rear end 51 of the side beam 30. Therefore, the weight balance can be stabilized compared to when the rear end 50 of the base 31 is located at the same position as the rear end 51 of the side beam 30 and the center of gravity of the cart 12 is shifted further rearward.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2, the cross-sectional shapes of the battery unit 33 and the base 31 taken perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction are the same. Therefore, when the battery unit 33 is attached, a unified appearance can be achieved, improving the design of the cart 12. Furthermore, the shape of the base 31 can indicate to the service technician the installation position of the battery unit 33, allowing the service technician to install the battery unit 33 without hesitation. Furthermore, parts such as the cover 43 can be shared between the base 31 and the battery unit 33, reducing the number of parts.

[0056] 5, when viewed from the front, with the battery unit 33 connected to the connector 32, the battery unit 33 protrudes above and below the side beam 30. Therefore, compared to when the entire battery unit 33 protrudes above the side beam 30, more space can be secured above, and a tray for treatment tools, for example, can be attached in the secured upper space. Also, compared to when the entire battery unit 33 protrudes below the side beam 30, the frequency with which the battery unit 33 rubs against protrusions on the floor surface can be reduced.

[0057] As shown in Figure 5, when viewed from the front with the battery unit 33 connected to the connector 32, the center of gravity CG of the battery unit 33 is located below the upper surface 47 of the side beam 30 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the center of gravity CG of the battery unit 33 is located between the upper surface 47 and the lower surface 57 of the side beam 30 in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to further stabilize the weight balance.

[0058] 5, the left and right side surfaces 58 and 59 of the lower portion 56 of the battery unit 33 are inclined toward the opposite side from the caster 18 when viewed from the front. This reduces the risk that the caster 18 will collide with the lower portion 56 and interfere with the movement of the cart 12.

[0059] 6, when viewed from above, the outline 65 of the mounting unit 17 is contained within the outline 66 of the caster unit 15. Therefore, compared to a case where the outline 65 of the mounting unit 17 is not contained within the outline 66 of the caster unit 15, the weight balance can be stabilized regardless of whether the battery unit 33 is attached.

[0060] The battery unit 33 is for expansion, and therefore the operating time of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 11 can be extended compared to when only the built-in battery 27 is used.

[0061] 7, multiple types of battery units 33 with different capacities and sizes can be connected to the connector 32. This allows the user U to select and use a battery unit 33 of a type that meets their needs. The battery unit 33 may be attached as an accessory when the cart 12 is purchased, rather than being an additional battery unit.

[0062] The medical device is an ultrasound diagnostic device 11. The ultrasound diagnostic device 11 is heavier than other medical devices such as blood pressure monitors and electrocardiograms, and therefore there is a greater need to easily ensure weight balance than with other medical devices. Therefore, the effect of making it easier to ensure weight balance can be greatly achieved.

[0063] The medical device is not limited to the illustrated ultrasonic diagnostic device 11. It may be the aforementioned blood pressure monitor, electrocardiogram monitor, etc., or may be, for example, a radiation generator, a processor for an electronic endoscope, etc.

[0064] The castor 18 is not limited to the four wheels shown in the example. It may have six wheels in total, with one wheel positioned between two wheels at the front and two at the back. It may also have three wheels, with one wheel in the center at the front and two wheels at the left and right at the back, or vice versa, with two wheels at the front and two wheels at the left and right at the front and one wheel in the center at the back.

[0065] To lighten the weight of the upper mounting portion 17 and stabilize the weight balance, grooves, slits, and / or holes may be formed in the mounting portion 17.

[0066] The holding mechanism that detachably holds the battery unit 33 is not limited to the holding mechanism 40 including the illustrated guide rails 41. For example, the holding mechanism may be configured by grooves formed on both the left and right sides of the side beam 30 that are parallel to the front-to-rear direction, and protrusions formed on both the left and right sides of the battery unit 33 that fit into the grooves on both the left and right sides of the side beam 30.

[0067] The connector 32 may be provided on the side beam 30 instead of the base 31. Also, the castor portion 15 may be U-shaped, with the rear end 50 of the base 31 being at the same position as the rear end 51 of the side beam 30.

[0068] The types of battery units 33 are not limited to the three shown in the example, but may be two, four or more.

[0069] From the above description, the technology described in the following supplementary paragraphs can be understood.

[0070] [Additional note 1] a caster unit having a plurality of casters provided on the front, rear, left, and right sides; a support pillar having a lower end attached to the caster portion and extending upward, the support pillar being disposed rearward of the center of the caster portion in the front-to-rear direction; a mounting portion attached to an upper end of the support column and on which a medical device is mounted; a connector to which the battery unit, which supplies power to the medical device and is disposed in front of the support column, is connected; A medical equipment cart comprising: [Additional note 2] the caster unit has two side beams to which the front and rear casters are attached and which extend in the front-rear direction; 2. The medical equipment cart according to claim 1, wherein the battery unit is disposed between the two side beams when the battery unit is connected to the connector. [Additional note 3] 3. The medical equipment cart according to claim 2, wherein the side beams are provided with a holding mechanism for detachably holding the battery unit. [Additional note 4] 4. The medical equipment cart according to claim 3, wherein the holding mechanism includes a guide rail that guides the battery unit, which is slid from the front, toward the connector. [Additional note 5] A medical equipment cart according to any one of appendix 2 to appendix 4, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector, the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit and the outer peripheral surface of the side beam with which the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit contacts form a single smooth surface. [Additional note 6] The caster portion further includes a base connecting the two side beams, the base is disposed rearward of the center of the caster section in the front-rear direction, The medical equipment cart according to any one of supplementary items 2 to 5, wherein the lower ends of the support columns are attached to the base. [Additional note 7] the connector is provided on the base, 7. The medical equipment cart according to claim 6, wherein, when the battery unit is connected to the connector, the battery unit is disposed between the two side beams and the base. [Additional note 8] The medical equipment cart according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the rear end of the base is positioned forward of the rear end of the side beam. [Additional note 9] The medical equipment cart according to any one of supplementary items 6 to 8, wherein the cross-sectional shapes of the battery unit and the base perpendicular to the front-rear direction are the same. [Additional Note 10] A medical equipment cart according to any one of appendix 2 to appendix 9, wherein when viewed from the front with the battery unit connected to the connector, the battery unit protrudes above and below the side beams. [Additional Note 11] 11. A medical equipment cart according to claim 10, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector and viewed from the front, the center of gravity of the battery unit is located below the upper surface of the side beam in the vertical direction. [Additional Note 12] A medical equipment cart according to claim 10 or 11, wherein when viewed from the front with the battery unit connected to the connector, the center of gravity of the battery unit is located between the upper and lower surfaces of the side beams in the vertical direction. [Additional Note 13] A medical equipment cart according to any one of appendix items 10 to 12, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector, both left and right side surfaces of the portion of the battery unit that protrudes below the side beam are inclined toward the opposite side from the caster when viewed from the front. [Additional Note 14] 14. The medical equipment cart according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, when viewed from above, the outline of the mounting portion is contained within the outline of the castor portion. [Additional Note 15] The medical equipment cart according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the battery unit is for expansion. [Additional Note 16] The medical device cart according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the connector can be connected to a plurality of types of battery units with different capacities and sizes. [Additional Note 17] 17. The medical device cart according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the medical device is an ultrasound diagnostic device.

[0071] The technology of the present disclosure can be appropriately combined with the various embodiments and / or various modified examples described above. Furthermore, it is needless to say that it is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations can be adopted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0072] The above-described description and illustrations are a detailed explanation of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely an example of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects is an explanation of an example of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the above-described description and illustrations within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description and illustrations omit explanations of common technical knowledge that do not require particular explanation to enable the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0073] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B." In other words, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Furthermore, in this specification, the same concept as "A and / or B" is also applied when three or more things are expressed connected by "and / or."

[0074] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10 Ultrasound diagnostic system 11 Ultrasound diagnostic equipment 12 Ultrasound diagnostic equipment cart (cart) 15 Caster section 16 pillars 17 Mounting section 18 casters 19 Bottom end of the support 20 Top of the support 21 Handle 25 Display 26 Control section 27, 34 Battery 30 Side beam 31 Pedestal 32 connectors 33, 33A, 33B, 33C battery units 35 Space 40 Retention mechanism 41 Guide rail 42 Tsuba 43 Cover 45, 46 Both left and right sides of the battery unit 47 Upper surface of side beam 48 Boundary 50 Rear end of base 51 Rear end of side beam 55 Battery unit part that protrudes above the side beam 56 Battery unit part that protrudes below the side beam (lower part) 57 Underside of side beam 58, 59 Both left and right sides of the lower part 65 Mounting section outline 66 Outline of the caster part C1 Center of the caster in the front-to-rear direction C2 Center of the base in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions CG Battery unit center of gravity L1 Line that coincides with the top surface of the side beam L2 Line that coincides with the bottom surface of the side beam U User

Claims

1. a caster unit having a plurality of casters provided on the front, rear, left, and right sides; a support pillar having a lower end attached to the caster portion and extending upward, the support pillar being disposed rearward of the center of the caster portion in the front-to-rear direction; a mounting portion attached to an upper end of the support column and on which a medical device is mounted; a connector to which the battery unit, which supplies power to the medical device and is disposed in front of the support column, is connected; A medical equipment cart comprising:

2. the caster unit has two side beams to which the front and rear casters are attached and which extend in the front-rear direction; The medical equipment cart according to claim 1 , wherein the battery unit is disposed between the two side beams when the battery unit is connected to the connector.

3. 3. The medical equipment cart according to claim 2, wherein the side beams are provided with a holding mechanism for detachably holding the battery unit.

4. The medical equipment cart according to claim 3 , wherein the holding mechanism includes a guide rail that guides the battery unit, which is slid from the front, toward the connector.

5. 3. The medical equipment cart according to claim 2, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector, the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit and the outer peripheral surface of the side beam with which the outer peripheral surface of the battery unit contacts form a single smooth surface.

6. The caster portion further includes a base connecting the two side beams, the base is disposed rearward of the center of the caster section in the front-rear direction, The medical equipment cart according to claim 2 , wherein the lower ends of the support columns are attached to the base.

7. the connector is provided on the base, The medical equipment cart according to claim 6, wherein the battery unit is disposed between the two side beams and the base when the battery unit is connected to the connector.

8. The medical equipment cart according to claim 6, wherein the rear end of the base is positioned forward of the rear end of the side beam.

9. 7. The medical equipment cart according to claim 6, wherein the battery unit and the base have the same cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

10. 3. The medical equipment cart according to claim 2, wherein when viewed from the front, the battery unit protrudes above and below the side beams in a state where the battery unit is connected to the connector.

11. 11. The medical equipment cart according to claim 10, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector and viewed from the front, the center of gravity of the battery unit is located below the upper surface of the side beam in the vertical direction.

12. 11. The medical equipment cart according to claim 10, wherein when the battery unit is connected to the connector and viewed from the front, the center of gravity of the battery unit is located between the upper and lower surfaces of the side beams in the vertical direction.

13. 11. A medical equipment cart according to claim 10, wherein the left and right side surfaces of the portion of the battery unit that protrudes below the side beam when the battery unit is connected to the connector are inclined toward the opposite side from the caster when viewed from the front.

14. 2. The medical equipment cart according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from above, the outline of the mounting portion is contained within the outline of the castor portion.

15. The medical equipment cart according to claim 1, wherein the battery unit is an expansion battery unit.

16. 2. The medical equipment cart according to claim 1, wherein the connector is connectable to a plurality of types of battery units having different capacities and sizes.

17. 2. The medical equipment cart according to claim 1, wherein the medical equipment is an ultrasound diagnostic device.

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