This invention relates to medical diagnostic ultrasound systems and, in particular, to transducer probe cable supports for cart-borne ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems.

Physicians and medical technicians use cart- borne ultrasound imaging systems in a variety of medical imaging applications. In order to perform different diagnostic exams, specialized transducer probes are available which are designed to view different parts of the body in ways uniquely suited to the anatomy being imaged. Transducer probes are specially designed with different acoustic apertures, operating frequencies, and beam scanning sequences for both two- and three-dimensional imaging, for instance. In order to make a variety of different probes immediately available to a user, such as a sonographer, a typical ultrasound system cart is equipped with multiple probe connector ports,

enabling a number of probes to be plugged into the system at the same time. The connected probes are usually retained in probe holders around the control panel where a sonographer can easily select one and begin scanning a patient. A cart-borne ultrasound system has wheels to provide mobility, enabling the imaging system to be moved and shared by physicians and technicians throughout a hospital or clinic. The transducer cables connecting the probes to their system connectors are designed to be long enough to reach from the imaging system to a patient, often two meters in length or more. When the imaging system is moved, the transducer cables can often drag on the floor and become entangled with the wheels, sometimes pulling the transducer probes from their holders or damaging the cables. An ultrasound system is moved at the beginning of virtually every ultrasound exam as the sonographer positions the system to be

convenient to the bedside or exam table of the patient being examined. Probe cables can also become inter-twined with one another, causing the probes to fall to the floor, or otherwise restricting

maneuverability of a transducer probe while it is being used. This can cause the transducer probes to become damaged when dropped and probes are expensive to repair or replace. Accordingly it is desirable to be able to manage the cables while the probes are connected to the ultrasound system to prevent these hazards.

One approach to managing probe cables is

described in US Pat. 5,615,682 (Stratz, Sr.) . This patent describes an ultrasound system with a

specially fabricated slot assembly for probe cable retaining clips on the underside of a service tray of the system. A number of retaining clips are provided in the slot assembly and can be moved to different positions along the assembly. Another approach to cable management is to locate the probe connector ports high on the ultrasound system as shown in US

Pat. 6,629,927 (Mesaros et al . ) When the ports are so located, the lengthy probe cables can generally be suspended well above the floor when the probes are retained in their probe holders. This patent also shows a system with an open handle design, which allows the sonographer to hang the suspended cable over the handle. This, however, can impede the use of the handle when the control panel is being

adjusted or the system moved, times when the

sonographer needs clear access to the control panel handle. Furthermore, closed handle designs are common, which restricts or eliminates the ability to use the handle as a cable hanger. Accordingly it is desirable to be able to manage the lengthy cables in situations where the ultrasound cart has a closed handle design, and without the need for a specially fabricated assembly on the cart.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, cable management for a cart-borne

ultrasound system is provided by probe cable supports which are removably attached to system and include a protrusion to increase retention of the cables during operation. In an implementation, a probe cable support clips onto the handle of the control panel, enabling the cable to be supported immediately below the handle at a location on the handle which is convenient for the sonographer. In one example, a lower cable retention end of the cable support includes protrusions that are positioned on opposing sides of the lower cable retention end and positioned to increase retention of a probe cable during

ultrasound imaging. In some examples, the handle of the cart-borne system includes a ridge or bump feature extending from the handle so as to hold the probe cable support at a predetermined position on the handle. All of these implementations are

adjustable and removable and require no special manufacture of the cart-borne ultrasound system.

In the drawings :

FIGURE 1 illustrates a cart-borne ultrasound system with a removable probe cable support on a handle of the system control panel.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the ultrasound system of FIGURE 1 showing the cable support

immediately below the control panel handle. FIGURE 3A is a side view of the ultrasound system control panel and probe cable support of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 3B illustrates a ridged or bump feature on a handle of the ultrasound system for mounting a probe cable support with a divot feature.

FIGURES 4A-4C show different views of an example probe cable support of the present invention.

FIGURES 5A-5D illustrate different embodiments of a lower cable retention end of a probe cable support of the present invention.

FIGURES 6A and 6B illustrate various embodiments of a lower cable retention end that can clip to probe cables .

FIGURES 7A-7B illustrate examples of S-shaped probe cable supports according to the present

invention .

FIGURES 8A-8B illustrates example C-shaped probe cable support according to the present invention.

FIGURE 8C illustrates an example O-shaped probe cable supports according to the present invention.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a cart-borne

ultrasound system 10 is shown in perspective. The cart includes a lower electronics compartment 12 inside of which are located printed circuit boards for electronically controlling and processing

received ultrasound signals. The ultrasound signals are processed to produce an image which is displayed on a display 16. Located on the front of the

electronics compartment 12 are four probe connector ports 24 to which four connectors for four ultrasound probes can be attached. The cart is mounted on wheels or casters 14 so that it can be rolled to a lab or a patient's bedside. In the front of the cart is a control panel 18 which contains a number of knobs, buttons, slide switches, and a trackball by which a user controls the ultrasound system. Located on either side of the control panel are a number of probe holders 22 which hold probes which are not currently in use in an exam. Probes are held with the transducer aperture facing upward and the probe cable extending from the open bottom of the probe holder. On the front of the control panel is a handle 30 which extends around the front of the control panel and ultrasound system. The handle 30 is used to pull the cart to move it from one location to another and to adjust the position of the control panel .

In accordance with a first implementation of the present invention, a probe cable support 20 is removably clipped onto the handle 30 of the control panel 18 as shown in FIGURE 3A. The probe cable support 20 has an upper attachment end 20a which clips onto the handle, and a lower cable retention end 20b at the other end which accommodates a probe cable, as also shown in FIGURE 3A. The lower cable retention end 20b includes protrusions 20c that increase the retention capability of the probe cable support. When a probe is connected to the ultrasound system 10, the probe connector is plugged into one of the probe connector ports 24, the probe is placed into one of the probe holders 22, and the probe cable is hung in the lower clip portion of the cable support 20. The probe cable is thus raised to almost the height of the underside of the control panel 18, which is generally sufficient to keep the cable well off of the floor and above the wheels 14 of the cart. Since the cable support 20 can be snapped onto the handle 30 at any point along the handle, the cable can be hung where it is out of the way of the sonographer during an exam. If the cable support 20 is not needed it can be removed from the handle and stored for later use. Several cable supports 20 can be used at the same time for multiple connected probe cables and can be positioned as convenient around the handle. In addition, as shown in FIGURE 3B, the handle 30 can include a ridged or bump feature 32 that can be positioned on the handle to keep the clip from moving too close to the display of the system. Alternatively, the probe cable support 20 can be shaped to include a mating curvature or depression feature 34 that conforms to the ridged or bump feature to fix the cable support at a specific position on the handle.

FIGURES 4A-4B illustrate different views of an example probe cable support according to the present invention. FIGURE 4A shows a view from the bottom of a probe cable support 20 with the protrusions 20c extending in an outward direction from the lower cable retention end 20b. The probe cable support 20 is also shown in a perspective view in FIGURE 4B. The upper attachment end 20a is shaped to clip to the handle 30 of the control panel 18. In addition, an intermediate portion 20d connects the upper

attachment end to the lower cable retention end 20b of the probe cable support such that the cable support can hold the probe cables in the vicinity of the lower cable retention end 20b. The protrusions 20c are oriented and shaped to increase retention of the probe cable during operation by extending

outwardly and forming a structure to hold the cable in the support, thereby making it more difficult for a sonographer to accidentally pull the cable

completely out of the support and onto the floor. An example showing relative dimensions of the probe cable support 20 are shown in FIGURE 4C. In FIGURE 4C, the arrows show relative dimensions of the upper attachment end 20a that is used to clip to the handle 30 of the control panel 18. Here, the spacing is about 30 millimeters. The spacing between the end of the upper attachment end 20a and the lower cable retention end can be tailored for a variety of cable types and sizes.

FIGURES 5A-5D illustrate different embodiments of a lower cable retention end 20b according to the present invention. As shown, the protrusions 20c can have a variety of shapes and sizes that can be tailored to increase or decrease the relative

retention of a probe cable during operation. In some embodiments, the protrusions 20c can have sharper edges to increase retention (see FIGURE 5A) .

Alternatively, the protrusions can be more rounded in structure as shown in FIGURES 5B and 5C. In addition to the protrusions, the lower cable retention end can include an extension portion 20e that is oriented inwardly to the probe cable support and at an angle to the remainder of lower cable retention end. The extension portion and/or the protrusions can extend from the lower retention end at lengths that are equal to, less than, or greater than the width of a probe cable.

In some embodiments, the protrusions can be shaped to clip to the probe cable. FIGURES 6A and 6B show different lower cable retention ends having curved structures adapted to apply lesser (FIG. 6A) or greater (FIG. 6B) clipping force to retain the probe cable 26. It is envisioned that a sonographer may under certain imaging conditions identify a length of the cable that is useful for imaging the patient. If desired, the sonographer can simply clip the cable into the cable support and begin scanning without interference from the cable moving in

relation to the imaging system.

The probe cable supports can have a variety of shapes that can be tailored to increase or decrease retention capabilities, allow for different sized cables, and to include open or closed structures for holding the probe cables. In some embodiments, the probe cable supports can be S-shaped, C-shaped, or 0- shaped. Examples of S-shaped probe cable supports are shown in FIGURES 7A-7C. FIGURE 7A shows a lower cable retention end 20b including an extension portion 20e that provides increased retention.

FIGURE 7B shows the same S-shape, but without the extension portion. The S-shaped cable supports can include curves or rigid angle bends. The shape in FIGURE 7C is angled such that the lower retention end is recessed or flush with the handle, thereby

locating the retention end out of the way of the sonographer during use of an ultrasound imaging system with the probe cable support.

FIGURES 8A and 8B illustrate embodiments of C- shaped probe cable supports that similarly can include curves or rigid angle bends. The C-shaped probe cable supports, such as the example shown in

FIGURE 4 can have varied curvature in the upper attachment end 20a to clip securely to the handle 30. In FIGURE 8A, a plane including a portion of the lower cable retention end 20b is oriented at ninety degrees to a plane including the intermediate portion

20d. Other angles from ninety degrees or less can be used. FIGURE 8C shows an O-shaped probe cable support, which unlike the S- and C-shaped probe cable supports, includes an overlapping portion 28 between the upper attachment end and the lower cable retention end. Here, the sonographer pulls the lower cable retention end away from the upper attachment end to loop the probe cable into the probe cable support .

Other variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, instead of a handle clip, other attachment mechanisms such as magnets, hooks or tapped holes may also be employed to attach the cable support to the ultrasound system. In addition, the materials used to make the probe cable supports can be rigid or flexible depending on the desired stiffness. In some embodiments,

materials for making the probe cable supports include nylon, polycarbonate, or combinations of materials.