System and method for providing a medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12370008-B2
Application number	US-202218560074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2022
Priority date	May 12, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for providing a medical device, the system including a mounting structure arranged adjacent to and/or at least partially above an access space where an object to be accessed by the medical device can be placed, a holding device retained by the mounting structure and configured to hold the medical device at a changeable position above the access space, wherein the holding device is configured such that the medical device is moved from a retracted position to a first extended position upon a first predefined event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for providing a medical device, the system comprising:
a mounting structure arranged adjacent to and/or at least partially above an access space where an object to be accessed by the medical device can be placed, and
a holding device retained by the mounting structure and configured to hold the medical device at a changeable position above the access space, the holding device being arranged within the mounting structure,
wherein the holding device is configured such that the medical device is moved from a retracted position to a first extended position upon a first predefined event;
wherein the holding device is configured to move the medical device from the first extended position to a second extended position upon a second predefined event, the second extended position being closer to the access space and/or below the first extended position; and
wherein the second predefined event comprises at least one of:
a sensor signal from a sensor of the medical device indicating that a user has touched the medical device, and
a sensor signal from a sensor indicating that a user has pulled the medical device toward the second extended position.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first extended position is at least one of closer to the access space, and below the retracted position.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the medical device comprises at least one of:
an electric or electronic medical device,
an examination probe,
a medical sensor,
a laser device, and
an ultrasound examination probe, and

the holding device comprises at least one of:
a medical device cable holder configured to move out a cable of the medical device upon the first predefined event, such that the medical device is moved from the retracted to the extended position,
a tie holder and a tie configured to hold the medical device in the retracted position, wherein upon the predefined first event the tie is moved out by the tie holder, such that the medical device moves to the extended position,
an electromagnet configured to hold the medical device in the retracted position, wherein upon the first predefined event the electromagnet is turned off, such that the medical device moves to the extended position, and
a robotic arm configured to hold the medical device at the retracted position, wherein upon the first predefined event the robotic arm moves the medical device to the extended position.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a first accommodation space configured to at least one of:
accommodate the medical device cable holder and the cable of the medical device, such that the cable can be moved out by the medical device cable holder, and
hide the cable within the mounting structure in the retracted position of the medical device.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the medical device is connected via a data cable to a processing unit which processes medical data received from the medical device via the data cable, and the mounting structure comprises a second accommodation space configured to accommodate the processing unit above the access space.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a third accommodation space configured to accommodate the medical device in its retracted position and/or above the access space.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the third accommodation space comprises a maintenance device configured for at least one of:
disinfecting and/or cleaning the medical device,
testing and status control using at least one scanner to scan the medical device, and
protecting the medical device from exterior influences.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein a distance from the second accommodation space via the first accommodation space and the third accommodation space to the access space is less than a distance threshold which is defined as a function of a length of the medical device cable.

9. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the medical device cable holder comprises at least one of a wheel and a pulley, which moveably supports the medical device cable.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the wheel and the pulley has a minimum diameter which is defined as a function of a predetermined bendability parameter of the cable, the bendability parameter comprising among others at least one of: a cable thickness, a cable type, and a cable material.

11. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to actuate the holding device, such that the medical device is moved from the retracted position to the first extended position upon the first predefined event.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises at least one of:
a hydraulic actuator,
an electronically and/or electrically controlled actuator,
an electric motor,
a linear motor, and
an electro-magnetic actuator.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the medical device is connected via a power cable to a power unit which powers the medical device via the power cable, the power unit being accommodated in the mounting structure.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the medical device wirelessly transmits medical data to a processing unit which is separate to the power unit and/or remote to the system.

15. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the system is configured for providing a plurality of medical devices and comprises a respective plurality of holding devices,
each holding device is retained by the mounting structure and configured to hold a medical device among the plurality of medical devices at a changeable position above the access space,
wherein the system is configured to actuate a first holding device among the plurality of holding devices to move a respective first medical device from the retracted position to the first extended position upon the first predefined event.

16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the holding device is configured to move the medical device from the first extended position or a second extended position to the retracted position upon a third predefined event.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the third predefined event comprises at least one of:
the end of a predefined and/or customisable medical workflow,
a user command stopping a current medical workflow or indicating that a current workflow is to be continued with another medical device, and
a command triggered by an algorithm indicating that a current workflow is to be continued with another medical device.

18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein, in case the third predefined event comprises a command that a current workflow is to be continued with another medical device, the first medical device is retracted from the second extended position to the retracted position, and a second selected medical device is extended from the retracted position to the first extended position upon the third predefined event.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises:
a fourth accommodation space configured for accommodating a gel reservoir connected via a gel tube to a gel ejector, and
a gel ejector holding device retained by the mounting structure and configured to hold the gel ejector at a changeable position above the access space,
wherein the gel ejector holding device is configured to move the gel ejector at least one of:
from a r

Assignees

• Supersonic Imagine

Inventors

• Rousseau Etienne
• Valentin Matthieu
• Majorel Damien
• Lerat Damien

Classifications

• A61B8/56

  Details of data transmission or power supply · CPC title

• A61B8/4477

  using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes · CPC title

• A61B8/44

  Constructional features of the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic device · CPC title

• A61B8/4218

  characterised by articulated arms · CPC title

• A61B50/24 Primary

  Stands (Mayo stands A61B50/15) · CPC title