Ultrasound Display Arm Locking Lever for Compact Transport
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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 existing solutions posing risks of user injury, cleaning issues, and requiring displays to be in a flat position.
Innovation Solution
A locking mechanism for articulating arms using a lever and protrusion system with magnetic or hook-and-loop attraction, allowing for safe, ergonomic, and compact locking of displays and control panels, utilizing a 4-bar linkage for adjustable positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering 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
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful spring element is extracted and removed from the locking mechanism. The patent replaces the spring-loaded locking rod with a simple lever that pivots between locked and unlocked positions without any spring restoring force, thereby eliminating the injury risk while maintaining locking functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple, disposable-like lever mechanism instead of a complex spring-loaded system. The lever is a simple mechanical component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed, providing reliable locking without the hazards of spring restoration
2Device complexity
If an open cavity is used to host the lock plate, then the locking mechanism is simpler, but the cleaning and sanification becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the open cavity hosting structure and extracts the lock plate from its enclosed position. The locking mechanism is redesigned so that the lever operates on the surface of the articulating arm without requiring an open cavity, making the surface cleanable and sanifiable while maintaining locking functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a smooth, continuous surface on the articulating arm where the locking lever operates. This surface acts like a flexible shell that can be easily wiped and sanitized, replacing the previous open cavity structure that trapped contaminants
3Reliability
If the display must be in a flat position for the lock to operate, then the locking reliability is improved, but the footprint of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the locking mechanism from a static, position-dependent system to a dynamic one. The lever can operate at multiple angles and positions on the articulating arm, allowing the display to be locked in various orientations rather than requiring a specific flat position, thereby reducing the required footprint
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the locking operation from a single-dimensional (flat position only) constraint to a multi-dimensional solution. The lever can engage at different angles and locations on the articulating arm, providing locking capability in multiple spatial dimensions and reducing the overall apparatus footprint
4Reliability
If a complex locking system with multiple components is used, then the locking reliability is improved, but the number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple locking components into a single integrated lever mechanism. The lever combines the functions of locking engagement, position indication, and release operation into one component, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining reliable locking through proper mechanical design
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions: it engages the locking position, indicates the locked state through its position, and can be manipulated for release. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate components for each function
Data Source
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AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system including a main body housing imaging electronics and a control panel coupled to the imaging electronics comprising: a flat panel display electrically coupled to the imaging electronics; an articulating arm assembly to which the flat panel display is connected for adjusting the viewing position of the flat panel display, the articulating arm assembly including a first lower arm movably mounted to the main body or to the control panel and a second upper arm movably connected to the first lower arm and to the flat panel display, wherein at least one of the arms includes a 4-bar linkage, and a locking mechanism which acts to restrict motion of the articulating arm assembly, characterised in that the locking mechanism comprises a protrusion and a lever having a corresponding seat for engagement of the protrusion, the lever being hinged on one of the two arms to pivot from a rest position to a lock position, the protrusion being correspondingly located on the other arm or the control panel or a support thereof to engage the seat of the lever when the lever is in the lock position, the rest position being a non-interfering position whereby the lever is substantially contained in a recess.