Ultrasound diagnostic equipment cover

Abstract

To provide a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, capable of appropriately sealing an opening.SOLUTION: A cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises: a transparent cover body 10 having an opening 11, a housing part 12, and a sealing part 13; and a seal member 30 having a base end part 31, a tip part 33, and an intermediate part 32. The cover can be changed from an unsealed state in which the opening 11 is not sealed to a sealed state in which the opening 11 is sealed through an intermediate state in which the sealed part 13 is folded. In the intermediate state, the sealed part 13 is folded, and the seal member 30 is folded so that the tip part 33 is overlapped on the intermediate part 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Ultrasound diagnostic devices are used as devices for visualizing the inside of a patient's body. Recently, ultrasound diagnostic devices that integrate a probe and a monitor housed in a single casing have been proposed due to advantages such as ease of puncture. It is preferable to use such ultrasound diagnostic devices with the entire device covered with a cover to prevent bacterial or viral infection during puncture. Patent Document 1 discloses an embodiment in which the integrated ultrasound diagnostic device is covered with a cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0043205 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the case of a cover such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, the task of sealing the opening is left to the user, and therefore the opening may not always be sealed properly. Furthermore, this problem is not limited to covers that house an ultrasonic diagnostic device in which a probe and a monitor are integrated, as in Patent Document 1, but also applies to covers for ultrasonic diagnostic devices that only include a probe.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that can properly seal an opening. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and comprises: a transparent cover body having an opening into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is placed, a storage section into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored through the opening, and a sealing section that is folded over when the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored to seal the opening; and a sealing member having a base end connected to the outer surface of the sealing section, a tip end, and an intermediate section that connects the base end and the tip end, with an adhesive surface provided on the intermediate section or the tip end. The cover is variable from an unsealed state in which the opening is not sealed, through an intermediate state in which the sealing section is folded over, to a sealed state in which the opening is sealed. The intermediate state is a state in which the sealing section is folded over and the sealing member is folded over so that the tip end overlaps the intermediate section.

[0007] As a result, when the tip end is grasped and pulled in the intermediate state, the sealing member stretches from the folded state, allowing its adhesive surface to be attached to the outer surface of the storage section of the cover body. As a result, the sealing member connects the folded sealing section and the storage section, properly sealing the opening. In other words, the base end of the sealing member is pre-connected to a predetermined position on the cover body, and when sealing, it is only necessary to pull the tip end and adhere it after the sealing section is folded into the intermediate state. This prevents misalignment of the sealing member and improper folding of the sealing section, ensuring proper sealing of the opening of the cover body.

[0008] A cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and includes a transparent cover body having an opening into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is placed, a storage section into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored through the opening, and a sealing section that is folded when the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored to seal the opening, and a sealing member that is connected to the sealing section and has an adhesive surface, and the sealing member is folded so that the adhesive surface is exposed to the outside when the sealing member is stretched.

[0009] This allows the adhesive surface to be exposed by the simple operation of stretching the sealing member, making it possible to easily and reliably seal the opening of the cover body.

[0010] A cover for an ultrasound diagnostic device according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the cover for the ultrasound diagnostic device of the second aspect, wherein the sealing member has a base end connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion, a tip end having an adhesive surface, and an intermediate portion connecting the base end and the tip end, and is variable from an unsealed state in which the opening is not sealed to a sealed state in which the opening is sealed, wherein the unsealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is not folded and the sealing member is folded toward the opening with the intermediate portion and the tip end overlapping each other relative to the base end, and the sealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is folded and the tip end is pulled away from the base end, causing the sealing member to stretch and the adhesive surface of the exposed tip end to be connected to the outer surface of the storage portion of the cover body.

[0011] In the ultrasonic diagnostic device cover, when the opening of the cover body is sealed, the sealing portion is folded, and then the sealing member connected to the base end in a pre-folded state is stretched and its distal end is attached to the outer surface of the housing portion. This prevents misalignment of the sealing member and improper folding of the sealing portion, ensuring proper sealing of the opening of the cover body.

[0012] A cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the cover of the third aspect, wherein the adhesive surface of the tip portion is formed wider than the base portion and the intermediate portion, and in the unsealed state with the sealing member folded, a portion of the adhesive surface may be connected to the outer surface of the cover body.

[0013] As a result, the adhesive surface of the distal end portion is directly connected to the outer surface of the cover body, so the seal member can be maintained in a folded state without providing an adhesive surface connecting the intermediate portion and the base end portion. If an adhesive surface were provided to bond the intermediate portion and the base end portion in the folded state, this adhesive surface would be exposed to the outer surface of the seal member when the seal member is extended. This would cause the user's hands or surrounding objects to adhere to the adhesive surface during the puncture operation, reducing workability. In contrast, the third aspect above prevents the adhesive surface of the seal member from being exposed to the outer surface, preventing the user's hands or other objects from adhering to the adhesive surface and reducing workability.

[0014] An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and includes: a transparent cover body having an opening into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is placed, a storage section into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored through the opening, and a sealing section that is folded in a state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored to seal the opening; and a sealing member having a base end connected to an outer surface of the sealing section, a tip end located on the opening side relative to the base end, and an intermediate section that connects the base end and the tip end and has an adhesive surface; The opening can be changed from an unsealed state in which the opening is not sealed to a sealed state in which the opening is sealed, and the unsealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is not folded, the sealing member is stretched, and the adhesive surface of the middle portion is detachably connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion, and the sealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is folded, and by pulling out the tip portion from a state in which the middle portion is sandwiched between the folded sealing portion, the adhesive surface of the middle portion that has peeled off from the outer surface of the sealing portion and is exposed is connected to the outer surface of the storage portion of the cover body.

[0015] In the ultrasonic diagnostic device cover, when sealing the opening of the cover body, after folding in the sealing portion, the middle portion sandwiched between the sealing portions can be pulled out by pulling the tip, and the adhesive surface of the middle portion can be attached to the outer surface of the housing portion. This prevents misalignment of the sealing member and improper folding of the sealing portion, and ensures proper sealing of the opening of the cover body.

[0016] The cover for an ultrasound diagnostic device according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure may be any of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising a plate provided in the sealing portion, having a width dimension that determines the folding dimension of the sealing portion, and made of a material harder than the cover body.

[0017] This allows the sealing portion to be folded in at a consistent size regardless of the user performing the work, making it easy to achieve a state suitable for fixing the sealing portion with the sealing member (i.e., a state in which the sealing portion is properly folded in).This allows the opening of the cover body to be properly sealed and makes the sealing work easier.

[0018] A cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and includes a transparent cover body having an opening into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is placed, a storage section in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored through the opening, and a sealing section that is folded while the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored to seal the opening, and a sealing member that is connected to the sealing section and has a gripping section and an adhesive surface, and the sealing member has the gripping section, and the adhesive surface is exposed to the outside by pulling the gripping section.

[0019] This allows the adhesive surface to be exposed by the simple operation of pulling the gripping portion of the sealing member, thereby easily and reliably sealing the opening of the cover body. Note that the gripping portion can be configured in a variety of ways, such as a non-adhesive portion that is an extension of the sealing member's adhesive surface and is not provided with adhesive, or a peeling member that is a separate member from the sealing member's adhesive surface and can be peeled off from the adhesive surface by pulling it.

[0020] An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that covers an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and comprises a transparent cover body having an opening into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is placed, a storage section in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is stored through the opening, and a sealing section that is folded in with the ultrasonic diagnostic device stored therein to seal the opening, and a plate that is provided in the sealing section, has a width dimension that determines the folding dimension of the sealing section, and is made of a material harder than the cover body.

[0021] This allows the sealing portion to be folded in at a consistent size regardless of the user performing the operation, thereby ensuring that the opening of the cover body is properly sealed and facilitating the sealing operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cover according to the present disclosure can appropriately seal the opening. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (unsealed state) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cover (sealed state) of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the sealing member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the sealing procedure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view of the cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (unsealed state) according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cover (sealed state) of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the sealing procedure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of the cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (unsealed state) according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, an ultrasonic diagnostic device cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the concept of directions used in the following description is used for convenience of explanation and does not limit the orientation of the configuration of the invention to those directions. Furthermore, the ultrasonic diagnostic device described below is merely one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and additions, deletions, and modifications of the configuration are possible within the scope of the spirit of the invention. For example, in the following embodiments, an ultrasonic diagnostic device in which a probe and a monitor (display unit) are provided in a single casing is exemplified as an ultrasonic diagnostic device to be housed in the cover, but the present invention is not limited to this. The covers shown in the following embodiments can also be used to house an ultrasonic diagnostic device in which the monitor is separate and only the probe is included.

[0025] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a front view of an ultrasonic diagnostic device cover 100 according to a first embodiment. This ultrasonic diagnostic device cover 100 is shown in an unsealed state, with an ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 housed inside. This ultrasonic diagnostic device cover 100 is changeable from the unsealed state shown in FIG. 1 to the sealed state shown in FIG. 2 while housing an ultrasonic diagnostic device 1. The housed ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is used when inserting a needle or the like into a patient's subcutaneous blood vessels or the like while visually viewing cross-sectional images, and includes a casing 2, a display unit 3, a probe 4, and a control unit (not shown).

[0026] The casing 2 is made of a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate or polypropylene, and has a vertically long rectangular shape when viewed from the front. A rectangular display unit 3 is provided on the front portion of the casing 2, and a probe 4 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves is provided on the bottom surface of the casing 2. The ultrasonic signals received by the probe 4 are converted into image data by the control unit and displayed on the display unit 3.

[0027] 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic device cover 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as "cover 100") has a vertically long rectangular shape, and when the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is housed therein, it fits with slight gaps on the front, back, left and right sides of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1, but when the cover is housed up to the inner bottom surface, there is a surplus portion at the top. In other words, the cover 100 has a larger vertical dimension than the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1.

[0028] The concepts of directions used in the following explanation are as follows: That is, the "left-right direction" is defined based on the front of the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 housed in the cover 100 as shown in Figure 1. The direction in which the display unit 3 is located relative to the probe 4 is referred to as "upward," and the opposite direction is referred to as "downward." The front side of the casing 2 on which the display unit 3 is provided is referred to as "forward," and the opposite direction is referred to as "rearward."

[0029] <Cover body> As shown in FIG. 1, the cover 100 includes a cover body 10, a plate 20, and a sealing member 30. The cover body 10 is a transparent, bag-like member that has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the vertical direction when viewed from the front. The cover body 10 is formed by folding one resin sheet or by stacking two resin sheets and welding or adhering all but one side together. The resin sheet material used for this is selected from polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, nylon, vinylidene chloride, polycarbonate, etc.

[0030] Such a cover body 10 has an opening 11 into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is placed, a storage section 12 into which the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is accommodated through the opening 11, and a sealing section 13 that is folded over with the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 accommodated therein to seal the opening 11. As shown in Fig. 1 , in the cover body 10, the opening 11 is located at the upper end, the sealing section 13 is located below the opening 11, and the storage section 12 occupies the area below the sealing section 13 down to the bottom end of the cover body 10.

[0031] 1, the opening 11 corresponds to the upper opening portion of the cover body 10, and the storage section 12 corresponds to the area of ​​the cover body 10 occupied by the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 stored therein. The sealing section 13 corresponds to the area of ​​the cover body 10 between the opening 11 and the storage section 12.

[0032] <Plate> A plate 20 is provided on the front surface 13a of the sealing portion 13 of the cover body 10, at a position closer to the opening 11. The plate 20 has a rectangular shape that is longer in the left-right direction, and is made of a material that is harder than the cover body 10, such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate. The length dimension (left-right dimension) of the plate 20 is slightly shorter than the left-right dimension of the cover body 10, and the thickness dimension is less than 1 mm (for example, 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm).

[0033] This plate 20 defines the folded dimension of the sealing portion 13. Therefore, the width dimension (vertical dimension) of the plate 20 can be, for example, 10 mm to 30 mm, and from the viewpoint of ease of handling, a dimension of 20 mm to 25 mm can be adopted. Here, in the cover 100 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the sealing portion 13 is folded in a total of two times at a first folded portion 131 and a second folded portion 132 described below to achieve a sealed state. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the plate 20 is equal to or less than half the vertical dimension of the sealing portion 13.

[0034] <Sealing material> A seal member 30 is provided on the front surface 13a of the sealing portion 13. This seal member 30 is folded when unused and can be extended from this state by the user, and the seal member 30 is extended when sealing the opening 11. The seal member 30 is made of a flexible material, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), film-method synthetic paper (one example is YUPO (registered trademark)), PP (polypropylene), or paper. Figure 3 shows the seal member 30 in a folded state (left) and an extended state (right), as viewed from the front and side.

[0035] See the seal member 30 in an extended state in Figure 3 (right diagram). As shown here, the seal member 30 has a base end 31, an intermediate portion 32, and a tip end 33. The base end 31 is rectangular with a width D1 in the left-right direction, and has an adhesive surface A1 on one surface (back surface) 31b. The intermediate portion 32 extends from the base end 31 and connects the base end 31 and the tip end 33, and has a rectangular shape with the same width D1 as the base end 31. Neither one surface (back surface) nor the other surface (front surface) of the intermediate portion 32 has an adhesive surface.

[0036] The distal end portion 33 extends from the intermediate portion 32 and has a width D2 (>D1) that is larger than both the proximal end portion 31 and the intermediate portion 32. Specifically, the distal end portion 33 has a trapezoidal first portion 331 connected to the intermediate portion 32 and whose width gradually increases uniformly from D1 to D2, and a rectangular second portion (grip portion) 332 of a constant width that extends from the first portion 331. An adhesive surface A2 is provided over almost the entire back surface 331b of the first portion 331. Therefore, the adhesive surface A2 is formed wider than both the proximal end portion 31 and the intermediate portion 32. On the other hand, the second portion 332 has no adhesive surface on either its front or back surface.

[0037] The sealing member 30 is folded in this order: base end 31, intermediate portion 32, and distal end 33. That is, the boundary between base end 31 and intermediate portion 32 is valley-folded as viewed from the surface side of the sealing member 30 so that surface 31a of base end 31 faces surface 32a of intermediate portion 32. Furthermore, the boundary between intermediate portion 32 and distal end 33 is mountain-folded as viewed from the surface side of the sealing member 30 so that back surface 32b of intermediate portion 32 faces back surface 33b of distal end 33.

[0038] In the seal member 30 folded in this manner, the adhesive surface A1 of the back surface 31b of the base end 31 is adhered to the front surface 13a, which is the outer surface of the sealing portion 13, near the bottom of the plate 20 and at the center in the left-right direction. Furthermore, in the folded seal member 30, the adhesive surface A2 of the tip end 33 has a first adhesive surface A21 that adheres to the back surface 32b of the intermediate portion 32 and triangular second adhesive surfaces A22 located on the left and right of the first adhesive surface A21. As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 3 , the left and right second adhesive surfaces A22 are located laterally outward of both the base end 31 and the intermediate portion 32. Therefore, when the folded seal member 30 is adhered to the sealing portion 13, these second adhesive surfaces A22 are directly adhered to the front surface 13a of the sealing portion 13.

[0039] The sealing member 30 can be moved from the folded state shown in the left diagram of FIG. 3 by pulling the tip end 33 away from the base end 31 (stretching operation), whereby the adhesive surface A2 is peeled off from the objects to be adhered (the back surface 32b of the intermediate portion 32 and the front surface 13a of the sealing portion 13) and into the stretched state shown in the right diagram of FIG. 3. Stretching the sealing member 30 from the folded state also exposes the adhesive surface A2 to the outside. Then, as described below, the exposed adhesive surface A2 connects to the outer surface of the storage portion 12 of the cover body 10, thereby sealing the opening 11. The mounting position of the sealing member 30 to the sealing portion 13 is such that the tip end 33 can be pulled upward relative to the base end 31 and stretched.

[0040] <Sealing procedure> Next, a procedure for sealing the opening 11 of the cover 100 from an unsealed state to a sealed state will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is housed in the cover 100 through the opening 11. At this time, a cylindrical sleeve 101 made of a film-like member is placed inside the cover 100 in advance, and the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is housed inside the cover 100 through the inside of this sleeve 101. Thereafter, when the sleeve 101 is removed from the cover 100, the opening 11 of the cover 100 is sealed according to the following procedure.

[0041] 4 illustrates the sealing procedure of the cover 100, divided into four steps, steps 1A to 4A. The sealing of the cover 100 according to this embodiment proceeds from an unsealed state shown in step 1A in FIG. 4 through intermediate states shown in steps 2A to 3A to a sealed state shown in step 4A. Note that FIG. 4 illustrates the cover 100 in a state in which the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 is not housed therein.

[0042] In the unsealed state of step 1A, the sealing portion 13 of the cover body 10 is not folded, and the sealing member 30 is provided on the front surface 13a of the sealing portion 13 in an unstretched state, with the middle portion 32 and the tip portion 33 folded so as to overlap each other. The sealing member 30 is folded so as to be stretchable toward the opening 11 (upward in step 1A).

[0043] From this unsealed state, the sealing portion 13 is folded once to reach the intermediate state of step 2A. At this time, the sealing portion 13 is folded in such a way that the plate 20 is tilted backward. Therefore, the sealing portion 13 is folded near the lower end position of the plate 20. This folding point (indicated by the black wedge mark in the figure) is between the connection point of the plate 20 and the connection point of the seal member 30, so that the seal member 30 is still located on the front side of the cover body 10 in the intermediate state of step 2A. Hereinafter, the portion of the sealing portion 13 that is folded in step 2A will be referred to as the first folded portion 131. Therefore, the first folded portion 131 has approximately the same area and region as the plate 20.

[0044] Next, following the intermediate state of step 2A, the sealing portion 13 is folded once again to reach the intermediate state of step 3A. Here, the portion of the sealing portion 13 that was doubled by the first folding is folded backward again. The newly folded portion at this time is referred to as the second folded portion 132. The second folded portion 132 has approximately the same area as the first folded portion 131 and is a region that is continuous below the first folded portion 131.

[0045] In this intermediate state where the sealing portion 13 is folded twice, the first folded portion 131 of the sealing portion 13 faces the upper part of the rear surface 12b of the storage portion 12 of the cover body 10, with the plate 20 sandwiched between them, and the second folded portion 132 is located behind it, as shown in step 3A of Figure 4. Therefore, when viewed from behind, the second folded portion 132 and the rear surface 12b of the storage portion 12 are located adjacent to each other vertically.

[0046] The seal member 30 is folded on the surface of the second folded portion 132 (the rear surface in step 3A) in a position upside down from when it is in the unsealed state (step 1A). In this way, in the intermediate state of step 3A, the sealing portion 13 is folded in, and the seal member 30 is folded so that the leading end portion 33 overlaps the middle portion 32.

[0047] From this state, when the tip end 33 of the sealing member 30 (more specifically, the second portion 332 of the tip end 33 that forms the grip portion) is grasped and pulled away from the base end 31, the sealing member 30 elongates. The adhesive surface A2 on the back surface 33b of the tip end 33 of the elongated sealing member 30 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, by pressing the tip end 33 against the rear surface 10b, which is the outer surface of the cover body 10 (more specifically, the upper portion of the rear surface 12b of the storage section 12), the tip end 33 is adhered thereto. As a result, the sealing member 30 is connected to both the second folded-in portion 132 of the folded sealing portion 13 and the adjacent storage section 12. That is, as shown in step 4A of FIG. 4, the folded sealing portion 13 and the storage section 12 are connected via the sealing member 30, and the cover body 10 is in a sealed state in which the opening 11 is sealed (see also FIG. 2).

[0048] As can be seen from the above description, the cover 100 according to this embodiment can seal the opening 11 by folding the sealing portion 13, stretching the seal member 30, and attaching the tip 33 to the outer surface of the storage portion 12. Moreover, the folding dimensions of the sealing portion 13 are determined by the plate 20, so it can be folded to an appropriate size regardless of the user. Also, the seal member 30 is pre-folded, and simply pulling the tip 33 stretches it, exposing the adhesive surface A2 to the outside. Therefore, the cover 100 is easy to seal, is less likely to be improperly operated by the user, and allows for proper sealing.

[0049] Furthermore, as described above, adhesive surface A2 is temporarily exposed to the outside during the sealing operation, but adhesive surfaces A1 and A2 are not exposed to the outside in either the unsealed or sealed state. Therefore, particularly in the sealed state when using the ultrasound diagnostic device 1, the user's clothing will not stick to the adhesive surface, causing problems during treatment. Furthermore, as described above, the cover 100 according to this embodiment is fixed by folding the sealing portion 13 multiple times. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the patient's blood or the like from entering the cover 100 during treatment and contaminating the ultrasound diagnostic device 1.

[0050] 1 to 4 are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the adhesive surfaces A1 and A2 may be provided over a wider or narrower area on one surface 31b of the sealing member 30. In the above description, a portion (second portion 332) of the tip 33 of the sealing member 30 is used as the gripping portion, but this is not limiting. For example, a sheet-like release member may be provided and attached to the adhesive surface A2, and this release member may serve as the gripping portion. In this case, gripping and pulling the release member from the folded state elongates the sealing member 30, and further pulling causes the release member to peel off from the adhesive surface A2, exposing the adhesive surface A2.

[0051] (Second embodiment) Fig. 5 shows a front view of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cover 200 (hereinafter simply referred to as "cover 200") according to the second embodiment. This cover 200 is shown in an unsealed state, with an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 housed inside. The cover 200 is changeable from the unsealed state shown in Fig. 5 to the sealed state shown in Fig. 6, with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 housed inside. The housed ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 is the same as the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 described in the first embodiment.

[0052] The cover 200 includes a cover body 40, a plate 50, and a sealing member 60. Of these, the cover body 40 is similar to the cover body 10 of the first embodiment. That is, the cover body 40 has an opening 41, a storage portion 42, and a sealing portion 43 that correspond to the opening 11, the storage portion 12, and the sealing portion 13 of the cover body 10 of the first embodiment, and the configuration, material, and dimensions of each portion are also similar to each other.

[0053] Also, the plate 50 is the same as the plate 20 of the first embodiment. That is, the plate 50 is the same as the plate 20 of the first embodiment in terms of its structure, material, dimensions, and attachment position to the cover body 40. Note that for the cover 200 according to this embodiment, based on the dimensions defined by the plate 50, the sealing portion 43 of the cover body 40 is designed to be folded twice. Hereinafter, the portion folded for the first time in the sealing portion 43 is referred to as the first folding portion 431, and the portion folded for the second time is referred to as the second folding portion 432.

[0054] <Sealing member> On the other hand, since the sealing member 60 is different from the sealing member 30 of the first embodiment, it will be described in detail below. The sealing member 60 is provided on the front surface 43a of the sealing portion 43. In the unused state, as shown in FIG. 5, the sealing member 60 is extended. As will be described later, in the process of sealing, it is partially sandwiched by the sealing portion 43, and further extended by the user's operation to be connected to the outer surface of the cover body 40 as shown in FIG. Such a sealing member 60 is made of a flexible material similar to the sealing member 30 of the first embodiment.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the sealing member 60 has a base end portion 61, an intermediate portion 62, and a tip end portion (grip portion) 63. The base end portion 61 has a horizontally long rectangular shape with a width dimension D3 in the left-right direction, and an adhesive surface A3 is provided on one surface (back surface) 61b (see FIG. 7). The intermediate portion 62 is a portion extending from the central portion in the left-right direction of the base end portion 61 and connecting between the base end portion 61 and the tip end portion 63, and has a rectangular shape with a width dimension D4 (<D3) smaller than that of the base end portion 61. An adhesive surface A4 is provided on one surface (back surface) 62b (see FIG. 7) of this intermediate portion 62. The tip end portion 63 is a portion extending from the intermediate portion 62 and has a rectangular shape with the same width dimension D4 as the intermediate portion 62. No adhesive surface is provided on either one surface (back surface) or the other surface (front surface) of this tip end portion 63.

[0056] The sealing member 60 is adhered to the sealing portion 43 of the cover body 40 in an extended state with the base end 61, intermediate portion 62, and tip end 63 arranged in this order. More specifically, the sealing member 60 is adhered near the bottom of the plate 50 and in the center in the left-right direction, with the adhesive surface A3 of the back surface 61b of the base end 61 adhered to the front surface 43a, which is the outer surface of the sealing portion 43. At this time, the sealing member 60 is oriented such that the tip end 63 is positioned toward the opening 41, i.e., upward, relative to the base end 61.

[0057] The tip 63 extending upward protrudes above the opening 41 of the cover body 40. Specifically, a dimension D5 by which the tip 63 protrudes further upward from the upper end of the plate 50 (the edge portion on the opening 41 side) is larger than a width dimension D6 (vertical dimension) of the plate 50.

[0058] In addition, the adhesive surface A4 of the back surface 62b of the intermediate portion 62 is also detachably adhered to the front surface 43a, which is the outer surface of the sealing portion 43. More specifically, in this embodiment, the adhesive surface A4 of the intermediate portion 62 is detachably adhered to the front surface 50a, which is the outer surface of the plate 50 provided on the front surface 43a of the sealing portion 43.

[0059] <Sealing procedure> Next, a procedure for sealing the opening 41 of the cover 200 from an unsealed state to a sealed state will be described. As shown in Fig. 5, the ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 is housed in the cover 200 through the opening 41, and at this time, the housing is carried out via the sleeve 201, as described in the first embodiment.

[0060] 7 illustrates the sealing procedure of the cover 200, divided into four steps, steps 1B to 4B. The sealing of the cover 200 according to this embodiment proceeds from an unsealed state shown in step 1B in FIG. 7 through intermediate states shown in steps 2B to 3B to a sealed state shown in step 4B. Note that FIG. 7 illustrates the cover 200 in a state in which the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 is not housed therein.

[0061] In the unsealed state of step 1B, the sealing portion 43 of the cover body 40 is not folded, and the sealing member 60 is provided in an extended state on the front surface 43a of the sealing portion 43, and the adhesive surface A4 of the intermediate portion 62 is detachably connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion 43 (more specifically, the front surface 50a of the plate 50).

[0062] From this unsealed state, the sealing portion 43 is folded once to reach the intermediate state of step 2B. At this time, the sealing portion 43 is folded so as to tilt the plate 50 backward. That is, the first folded portion 431 is folded backward together with the plate 50. Therefore, the sealing portion 43 is folded near the lower end position of the plate 50. This folding point is between the connection point of the plate 50 and the connection point of the base end 61 of the sealing member 60. Note that this first folding also results in the sealing member 60 being folded partway, so that the base end 61 is located on the front side of the cover main body 40, and the middle portion 62 and the tip end 63 are located on the rear side of the cover main body 40, as shown in step 2B of FIG. 7.

[0063] Next, following the intermediate state of step 2B, the sealing portion 43 is folded once again to reach the intermediate state of step 3B. Here, the doubled portion of the sealing portion 43 that was folded once more, i.e., the first folded portion 431 and the second folded portion 432 that overlap each other, are folded backward again.

[0064] In this intermediate state where the sealing portion 43 is folded twice, the first folded portion 431 of the sealing portion 43 faces the upper part of the rear surface 42b of the storage portion 42 of the cover body 40, with the plate 50 sandwiched between them, and the second folded portion 432 is located behind it, as shown in step 3B of Figure 4. Therefore, when viewed from behind, the second folded portion 432 and the rear surface 42b of the storage portion 42 are located adjacent to each other vertically.

[0065] In the intermediate state of step 3B, the middle portion 62 of the seal member 60 is sandwiched in the folded-over sealing portion 43. That is, the middle portion 62, which is adhered to the front surface 50a of the plate 50 via the adhesive surface A4, is sandwiched between the plate 50 and the rear surface 42b of the storage portion 42. The seal member 60 is also folded at the boundary between the middle portion 62 and the tip portion 63, and the tip portion 63 extends downward below the second folded-in portion 432 and is exposed.

[0066] Next, from this state, the distal end (gripping portion) 63 of the sealing member 60 is grasped and pulled downward away from the proximal end 61. This causes the adhesive surface A4 of the intermediate portion 62 to peel away from the front surface 50a of the plate 50, and the entire intermediate portion 62 and distal end 63 are pulled out from between the plate 50 and the housing portion 42, stretching the sealing member 60. At the same time, the adhesive surface A4 of the intermediate portion 62 peels away from the object to be bonded and becomes exposed to the outside. Therefore, by pressing the distal end 63 downward while pressing the intermediate portion 62 against the rear surface 40b, which is the outer surface of the cover main body 40 (more specifically, the upper portion of the rear surface 42b of the housing portion 42), the intermediate portion 62 is adhered thereto. This results in the cover 200 being in a sealed state, with the opening 41 of the cover main body 40 sealed (see also FIG. 6 ).

[0067] As can be seen from the above description, the cover 200 according to this embodiment can seal the opening 41 by folding in the sealing portion 43, pulling out and stretching the seal member 60 that has been folded in together, and attaching the middle portion 62 to the outer surface of the storage portion 42. Moreover, because the folding dimensions of the sealing portion 43 are determined by the plate 50, it can be folded in an appropriate dimension regardless of the user. Therefore, the cover 200 is easy to seal, is less likely to be improperly operated by the user, and allows for appropriate sealing.

[0068] Furthermore, as described above, adhesive surface A4 is temporarily exposed to the outside during the sealing operation, but adhesive surfaces A3 and A4 are not exposed to the outside in either the unsealed or sealed state. Therefore, particularly in the sealed state when using the ultrasound diagnostic device 1, the user's clothing will not stick to the adhesive surface, causing problems during treatment. Furthermore, as described above, the cover 200 according to this embodiment is fixed by folding the sealing portion 43 multiple times. This reliably prevents the patient's blood or the like from entering the cover 200 and contaminating the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 during treatment.

[0069] 5 to 7 are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the adhesive surfaces A3 and A4 may be provided over a wider or narrower area on one surface 61b, 62b of the sealing member 60. Furthermore, although a portion of the tip 63 of the sealing member 60 is used as the gripping portion in the above description, this is not limiting. For example, a sheet-like peeling member may be provided over and attached to the adhesive surface A4, and this peeling member may serve as the gripping portion.

[0070] (Third embodiment) 8 shows a front view of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cover 300 (hereinafter referred to as "cover 300") according to the third embodiment. This cover 300 is shown in an unsealed state, with an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 housed inside. The cover 300 is changeable from an unsealed state to a sealed state while housing the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1. The housed ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 is the same as the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 described in the first embodiment.

[0071] The cover 300 includes a cover body 70 and a plate 80. Of these, the cover body 70 is similar to the cover body 10 of the first embodiment. That is, the cover body 70 has an opening 71, a storage portion 72, and a sealing portion 73 that correspond to the opening 11, the storage portion 12, and the sealing portion 13 of the cover body 10 of the first embodiment, and the configuration, material, and dimensions of each portion are also similar to each other.

[0072] The plate 80 is also similar to the plate 20 of the first embodiment. That is, the plate 80 is similar to the plate 20 of the first embodiment in its configuration, material, dimensions, and attachment position to the cover body 70.

[0073] The cover 300 described above can also properly accommodate the ultrasound diagnostic device 1. That is, because the cover 300 has the plate 80 provided on the cover main body 70, the sealing portion 73 of the cover main body 70 can be folded in based on the dimensions defined by this plate 80. Therefore, after folding in the sealing portion 73, by attaching a separately prepared seal member so as to extend between the sealing portion 73 and the accommodation portion 72, the opening 71 can be properly sealed.

[0074] It should be noted that the configurations described in the first to third embodiments are examples of cases where the present invention is implemented, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the shape and dimensions of the sealing member are not limited to those described above, and the number of times the sealing portion is folded is not limited to two times. Furthermore, even if the sealing procedure differs from that described above, this does not mean that the cover according to each embodiment deviates from the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0075] The present invention can be suitably applied to a cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment 2 Casing 3 Display section 4 Probes 10,40,70 Cover body 11,41,71 Opening 12,42,72 Storage section 13,43,73 Sealing part 20, 50, 80 plates 30,60 Sealing material 31,61 Proximal end 32,62 middle part 33. Tip end 63. Tip (holding part) 100,200,300 Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment 332 Part 2 (Control Section) A1, A2, A3, A4 (followed by the next section)

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover for covering an ultrasonic diagnostic device, a transparent cover body having an opening for inserting the ultrasonic diagnostic device, a housing portion for housing the ultrasonic diagnostic device through the opening, and a sealing portion that is folded in a state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is housed and seals the opening; a sealing member having a base end connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion, a tip end, and an intermediate portion connecting the base end and the tip end, and an adhesive surface provided on the intermediate portion or the tip end, The container is variable from an unsealed state in which the opening is not sealed, through an intermediate state in which the sealing portion is folded, to a sealed state in which the opening is sealed, The intermediate state is a state in which the sealing portion is folded in and the sealing member is folded in such a way that the leading end portion overlaps the intermediate portion. Cover for ultrasound diagnostic equipment.

2. An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover for covering an ultrasonic diagnostic device, a transparent cover body having an opening for inserting the ultrasonic diagnostic device, a housing portion for housing the ultrasonic diagnostic device through the opening, and a sealing portion that is folded in a state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is housed and seals the opening; a sealing member connected to the sealing portion and having an adhesive surface, the sealing member has a base end connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion, a tip end having an adhesive surface, and an intermediate portion connecting the base end and the tip end, The opening is variable from an unsealed state in which it is not sealed to a sealed state in which it is sealed, The unsealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is not folded, and the sealing member is stretchably folded with the intermediate portion and the tip portion overlapping each other relative to the base end portion, the sealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is folded in, and the tip end portion is pulled away from the base end portion, thereby extending the seal member, and the adhesive surface of the exposed tip end portion is connected to the outer surface of the storage portion of the cover body; the adhesive surface of the tip portion is formed wider than the base portion and the intermediate portion, and has a first adhesive surface that is connected to the intermediate portion when the seal member is folded, and a second adhesive surface that is located outside the first adhesive surface in the width direction, When the seal member is folded, the base end portion and the intermediate portion are not adhered to each other, and the second adhesive surface of the tip portion overlapping the base end portion and the intermediate portion is connected to the outer surface of the cover body. Cover for ultrasound diagnostic equipment.

3. An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover for covering an ultrasonic diagnostic device, a transparent cover body having an opening for inserting the ultrasonic diagnostic device, a housing portion for housing the ultrasonic diagnostic device through the opening, and a sealing portion that is folded in a state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is housed and seals the opening; a base end connected to an outer surface of the sealing portion, a tip end located on the opening side relative to the base end, and an intermediate portion connecting the base end and the tip end and having an adhesive surface; and a seal member having The opening is variable from an unsealed state in which it is not sealed to a sealed state in which it is sealed, The unsealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is not folded, the sealing member is stretched, and the adhesive surface of the middle portion is detachably connected to the outer surface of the sealing portion, The sealed state is a state in which the sealing portion is folded and the intermediate portion is sandwiched in the folded sealing portion, and by pulling out the tip portion from the state in which the intermediate portion is sandwiched in the folded sealing portion, the adhesive surface of the intermediate portion that is peeled off from the outer surface of the sealing portion and exposed is connected to the outer surface of the storage portion of the cover body. Cover for ultrasound diagnostic equipment.

4. The cover further includes a plate provided in the sealing portion, having a width dimension that defines the folding dimension of the sealing portion, and made of a material harder than the cover body. The cover for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. An ultrasonic diagnostic device cover for covering an ultrasonic diagnostic device, a transparent cover body having an opening for inserting the ultrasonic diagnostic device, a housing portion for housing the ultrasonic diagnostic device through the opening, and a sealing portion that is folded in a state in which the ultrasonic diagnostic device is housed and seals the opening; a plate provided on the sealing portion, having a width dimension that defines the folding dimension of the sealing portion, and made of a material harder than the cover body; Cover for ultrasound diagnostic equipment.

Images