Articulating Arm Lock Lever for Compact Ultrasound Display Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ultrasound imaging systems face challenges in safely and efficiently locking articulating arms during transportation to prevent damage while ensuring ergonomic comfort and compactness, with prior solutions posing risks of user injury, cleaning issues, or requiring displays to be in flat positions.

Innovation Solution

A locking mechanism for articulating arms using a lever and protrusion system with magnetic or hook-and-loop fasteners, allowing for safe, compact, and ergonomic adjustment of displays and control panels, utilizing a 4-bar linkage for flexible positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a spring-loaded locking rod is used to stabilize the lock lever, then the locking reliability is improved, but the risk of user injury increases due to the restoring force trajectory

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoiduser injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the spring-loaded locking rod mechanism from the design. Instead, it uses a simple lever that pivots between locked and unlocked positions without any spring mechanism, thereby eliminating the harmful restoring force trajectory that could injure users while maintaining locking reliability through the geometric constraint of the lever mechanism itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cam mechanism as an intermediary between the lever and the locking surface. The cam geometry provides the locking action through its shape rather than through spring force, allowing the lever to engage the lock position safely without direct spring contact in the user's hand trajectory area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If an open cavity is provided for the lock plate, then the locking mechanism operation is simplified, but cleaning and sanification become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism operationVSAvoidcleaning and sanification

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the open cavity that housed the lock plate in previous designs. The locking mechanism is reconfigured to operate without requiring an enclosed space, allowing the surface to remain flat and continuous, which maintains operational simplicity while enabling easy cleaning and sanification of the entire surface area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a flat planar surface design where the locking mechanism operates flush with the surface rather than requiring a cavity. This creates a smooth continuous surface that can be easily cleaned and sanitized, while the locking function is achieved through the lever and cam mechanism operating on the surface plane

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If the display must be in a flat position for the lock to operate, then the locking mechanism is simplified, but the footprint of the apparatus increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism complexityVSAvoidapparatus footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a dynamic locking mechanism where the lever can engage the locked position at multiple angles of the display, not just when flat. The cam mechanism is designed to provide locking engagement regardless of the display's angular position, allowing the display to be positioned compactly without compromising locking functionality, thereby reducing the overall apparatus footprint

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If a complex locking mechanism with multiple parts is used, then the locking reliability is improved, but the number of parts and effort required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated lever component. The lever simultaneously provides the locking engagement, the positioning function, and the indication of locked status, eliminating the need for separate springs, locking rods, and indicators. This reduction in part count simplifies the mechanism while maintaining reliability through the robust geometric constraint of the cam-lever interaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12539102B2Ultrasound imaging system with improved lock device

Publication Date: 2026.02.03 ESAOTE

AI summary

A control panel coupled to imaging electronics in the main body housing of an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system hasa flat panel display electrically coupled to the imaging electronics,an articulating arm assembly to adjust viewing position of the flat panel display, and a locking mechanism to restrict articulating arm assembly motion. Articulating arm assembly has a first lower arm movably mounted to the main body or control panel, a second upper arm movably connected to the first lower arm and to the flat panel display. At least one arm includes a 4-bar linkage.Locking mechanism has a protrusion and a lever with corresponding seat to engage the protrusion. The lever can pivot from a rest position in a recess, to a lock position, with the protrusion being correspondingly located to engage the seat of the lever when the lever is in the lock position.