STATUS INDICATOR DEVICE FOR AN OUTDOOR RADIO EMITTING DEVICE, AND IN PARTICULAR FOR A DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH AN X-RAY TUBE

Abstract

The present invention concerns a device for signalling into the environment the status of a radio transmission apparatus, and in particular of an apparatus provided with an X-ray tube, such that, according to the invention, the signalling device comprises: - a first part, capable of being connected at the power cable of said transmission apparatus, and comprising means for measuring the current demand of said transmission apparatus, processing means for determining the status - switched off, on standby, or in use - of said transmission apparatus depending on the current measurement and means for transmitting the detected status to a second part, - a second part comprising means for signalling the status of the transmission apparatus detected by said first part.

Description

A STATUS INDICATOR DEVICE FOR AN OUTDOOR RADIO EMITTING DEVICE, AND IN PARTICULAR A DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH AN X-RAY TUBE - TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for signaling the status of a radio-emitting device in open fields, and in particular of a device equipped with an X-ray tube. The invention will be particularly intended for use in mobile radiology devices in hospitals or medical clinics. However, this use is not limited; the device can also be used more broadly with any type of radio-emitting device, whether fixed or mobile, whose emissions may cause safety problems, and also on devices used in research laboratories or industrial facilities. PRIOR ART Hospitals generally have rooms dedicated to the use of radio-emitting devices (referred to in the rest of this application as "emitting device"), these include conventional radiology rooms or rooms for scanners or gamma cameras. These rooms are generally equipped with fixed emitting devices and include radiation protection measures. Among these measures is usually passive signage with specific markings indicating the possible presence of ionizing radiation. In addition, these rooms also have illuminated panels indicating whether the emitting devices are activated or not. These rooms, dedicated to receiving emitting devices, require specific installation work, particularly cabling between the illuminated panels and the emitting devices. This solution, although costly and requiring a temporary closure of the rooms being equipped, is relatively satisfactory.However, it is not suitable for mobile transmission devices; indeed, there are a number of transmission devices that are easily moved from one room to another and are commonly used in non-dedicated rooms and, for example, in operating theaters. Among these emission devices, we find, for example, devices equipped with an X-ray tube or image intensifier, the latter being moved according to the needs of one operating room to another. It is clear that the use of emitting devices, particularly in non-dedicated rooms, is problematic for the safety of medical staff and patients since there is no means of signaling to inform of the risks of the presence of radiation. It is of course possible to indicate the risk involved in all rooms likely to receive emitting devices, however, constant signage in all rooms would either make movement within the establishment difficult or reduce the impact of the warning on users, especially since these rooms are, ultimately, only subjected to radiation episodically. SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION A first objective of the present invention is to solve all or part of the technical problems related to the aforementioned prior art. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a signaling device that can signal the emission of radiation in the presence of an emitting device in a room without the need for any special room modifications. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a signaling device that can be quickly and reliably adapted to any type of fixed or mobile transmitting device. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a signaling device in which the signage can be multiple and easily moved to be visible from all access points to the room. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a signaling device that allows the emitting device to be stopped in the event of a risk of exposure, particularly in industrial installations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for signaling the status of an outdoor radio-emitting apparatus, and in particular of an apparatus equipped with an X-ray tube, and as it comprises, according to the invention: a first part, suitable for connection at the power cable of said transmitting device, and comprising means for measuring the current demand of said transmitting device, processing means for determining the status (off, standby or in use) of said transmitting device based on the current measurement, and means for transmitting the detected status to a second part, a second part comprising means for signaling the status of the emitting device detected by said first part. DEFINITION The term "outdoor radio-emitting device" defines, for the purposes of the present invention, any device that generates radio-emitting signals outside of its structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The present invention will be better understood by reading a detailed embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures, provided by way of non-limiting example, among which: Figure 1 represents a schematic embodiment of a signaling device according to the invention, Figure 2 represents a perspective view embodiment of a signaling device placed on a transmitting device located in a room, Figure 3 represents a graph of the current requirements of a transmitting device as a function of its status, Figure 4 represents an example of an assembly comprising two signaling devices with a central unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to protect a signaling device from the status of a radio transmitting device outdoors. Referring primarily to Figure 1, a schematic example of an embodiment of this signaling device is shown. This signaling device 1 comprises two parts, namely a first part 2 intended to be connected at the level of the power cable of a transmitting device and a second part 3 intended to be advantageously positioned in front of an access to the room. Preferably as shown in figure 1 these two parts 2 and 3 are arranged in separate boxes 4 and 5 respectively, however in another conceivable embodiment, all the elements of device 1 will be brought together in a single box. Referring to figure 2 representing device 1 in operation on a device 6, we see that the first part 2 is connected between the power source 7 of the device and the plug 8 of the power cable 9. Part 2 includes means 10 for measuring the current demand of said emitting device 6. These measuring means 10 are preferably implemented with a clamp meter for measuring the current required by the emitting device. However, other current measuring devices known to those skilled in the art are also conceivable in place of said clamp meter. The first part 2 further includes processing means 1 1 enabling the determination of the status, off, standby or in use, of said emitting device as a function of the current measurement carried out by the measuring means 10. Advantageously, the processing means 1 1 allow self-learning of the low and high thresholds during respectively the first standby and start-up of the emitting device 6. Referring to Figure 3, we see a graph of the current requirements of an emitting device 6, for example a brightness enhancer, as a function of its status. For this brightness enhancer, we find a first level of demand when the device 6 is in standby mode, then a second level corresponding to the same device in use. It is important to note that in this application, "standby" refers to the state in which device 6 is plugged in but not emitting radiation. In this standby state, device 6 can still execute commands or perform calculations. Furthermore, the term "in use" refers to the state in which device 6 is emitting radiation. The processing means 11 automatically create a first lower threshold S1 below the amount of current required for standby mode. This threshold S1 indicates that device 6 is likely to emit radiation. A second upper threshold S2 represents a current value higher than S1 but lower than the minimum current demand of the device in use. Advantageously, the value of threshold S2 is proportional to that of S1. When this second threshold S2 is crossed upwards, it indicates that device 6 is emitting or preparing to emit radiation. In the preferred embodiment, the processing means therefore include at least two thresholds: a first lower threshold S1, which is less than the minimum current demand when the device is in standby mode, and a second upper threshold S2, which is less than the minimum current demand of the device in use. However, in a simplified version, the processing means 11 are provided to include only one threshold, corresponding to S2. Conversely, another version includes a third threshold, S3, corresponding to an intermediate value between S1 and S2, allowing differentiation between the current demand prior to transmission and the current demand during transmission. This threshold, S3, signals an additional device status: transmission preparation. In another embodiment, the processing means 1 1 do not include self-learning means but include a memory with pre-recorded fixed high and low thresholds depending on the emitting devices to which the signaling device 1 corresponds. The first part 2 further includes means of transmitting 12 the detected status of the device 6 to the second part 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second parts 2 and 3 are housed in independent boxes 4 and 5, and said transmission means 12 include a wireless link. This feature is particularly advantageous as it allows the second part 2, containing the signaling equipment 13, to be placed in a location visible from the room entrances without any cabling constraints. In this regard, the housing 5 accommodates a battery to ensure the autonomy of the second part 2. As is known, wireless transmission methods 12 are implemented using a radio transmitter / receiver, for example, of the Bluetooth or NFC type. Optionally, the link between the two parts 2 and 3 can be encrypted to avoid any risk of interference and / or pairing errors between, for example, different signaling devices 1 located in geographically close rooms. The signaling means 13 are preferably visual and / or audible. According to a first advantageous embodiment, at least one lamp 14 is provided in the second part 3, enabling a color signaling code. According to another embodiment, the second part 3 includes a display for showing texts, in particular those corresponding to the status of the device 6 identified and transmitted by the first part 2. Referring now to figure 4, we see a room equipped with several transmitting devices 6, each connected to a signaling device 1. In this configuration, a central display unit 15 is provided, allowing the display of a single signal or message depending on the status of each transmitting device 6. Thus, the central unit 15 displays the signal corresponding to the highest status degree reached by one of the transmitting devices recorded in the room, the highest status being of course a device 6 in use. Preferably, the central unit 15 is made with a second part 3 paired with all the first parts 2 of the signaling devices 1 present in the room In one embodiment, the central unit 15 can also separately display the status of each signaling device 1 to which it is connected with an identification of the code or name of each device 1. The present invention also aims to protect an assembly comprising a central unit capable of receiving the signal emitted by at least a first part 2 of the signaling device 1 and of collecting status data relating to several signaling devices. In one embodiment, device 1 is provided to include, at the level of processing means 11, means for monitoring the number of hours of use of emitting devices, either device by device or device zone by device zone, over a specified period. The usage history of each device is transmitted to a central unit which collects all the data relating to the various devices concerned. This data is then processed to conduct risk assessments and determine areas of varying risk, or to schedule maintenance operations for the emitting devices. Of course, other features of the invention could also have been considered without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. By way of example, the signaling device 1 comprises, in one embodiment, the first part including means for cutting off the power supply to the transmitting device coupled with means for detecting presence in the open field area of ​​the transmitting device. These detection means may include, in particular, point detectors, especially at doorways, or volumetric detectors.

Claims

Demands A device for signaling the status of an outdoor radio-emitting apparatus, and in particular an apparatus equipped with an X-ray tube, characterized in that it comprises: - a first part (2), suitable for connection at the power cable (9) of said transmitting device, and comprising means for measuring (10) the current demand of said transmitting device, processing means (11) enabling the determination of the status, off, standby or in use, of said transmitting device according to the current measurement and means for transmitting (12) the detected status to a second part (3), - a second part (3) comprising means for signaling (13) the status of the emitting device detected by said first part. Signaling device according to claim 1 in which the first (2) and second (3) part are housed in independent housings (4,5), said transmission means (12) comprising a wireless link. Signaling device according to claim 2 in which the link between the first and second parts (2,3) is coded to avoid pairing errors. Signaling device according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which the measuring means (10) comprise an ammeter clamp enabling the measurement of the current intensity required by the transmitting device (6).

5. Signaling device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the processing means (1 1 ) comprise at least two thresholds of which a first lower threshold (S1 ) is less than the minimum current demand when the transmitting device (6) is in standby and a second upper threshold (S2 ) is less than the minimum current demand of the transmitting device (6) in use. Signaling device according to claim 5 in which the processing means (1 1 ) allow self-learning of the low and high thresholds during respectively the first standby and start-up of the transmitting device (6). Signaling device according to claim 5 in which the processing means (1 1 ) comprise a memory having pre-recorded fixed high and low thresholds according to the emitting devices (6) to which the signaling device (1 ) corresponds. Signaling device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the signaling means (13) are of the audible and / or visual type and / or a message display. Signaling device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first part (2) comprises means for cutting off the power supply to the emitting device (6) coupled with means for detecting presence in the open field area of ​​the emitting device (6). Assembly comprising a central unit (15) enabling the reception of the signal emitted by at least a first part (2) of the signaling device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and enabling the collection of status data relating to several signaling devices (1).