Caster Lock Indicator Layout for Ultrasound Cart State Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing movable medical devices, such as ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses, lack a clear indicator for the lock mechanism state, leading to user confusion and potential mistaken recognition of the lock status.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a visual indicator that displays the lock mechanism state, using a display area with contrasting images for locked and released states, and optionally including a rotating shaft and transmission mechanism to simplify mechanical linkage, along with an auxiliary light source for improved visibility in dark environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lock mechanism is provided to prevent unintentional movement, then reliability is improved, but the user cannot intuitively understand the lock state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using different background colors (e.g., red for locked state, green for released state) in the display area to intuitively indicate the lock mechanism state. This allows users to immediately recognize the lock status through color perception, resolving the contradiction between reliable locking and easy state recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical indication system (relying on users to check pedal angles or mechanical positions) with an optical display system that visually presents the lock state. This substitution transforms the information delivery mechanism from mechanical to optical, making the state immediately recognizable without requiring users to interpret mechanical configurations.
2Ease of operation
If the display area is disposed upward or obliquely facing, then visibility to user is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing the display area's position and orientation specifically for user visibility while keeping the rest of the device structure simple. The display area is disposed upward or obliquely facing only where needed for user interaction, without requiring complex adjustments or mechanisms throughout the entire device.
3Loss of information
If a transmission mechanism is added to link the rotating shaft to the indicator, then the lock state is accurately displayed, but the mechanical configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transmission mechanism as an intermediary element that connects the rotating shaft to the display plate. This intermediary component accurately transmits the lock state information from the mechanical lock mechanism to the visual indicator, ensuring reliable information transfer while maintaining a relatively simple overall configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a plurality of drive casters; a plurality of lock mechanisms that are respectively provided in the plurality of drive casters, each of the plurality of lock mechanisms locking movement of a corresponding drive caster; and an indicator that presents whether the lock mechanism is in a locked state in which the movement of the drive caster is locked or in a released state in which the movement of the drive caster is allowed.