Ground safety device for medical ultrasound probes
US5995348A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 30, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H3/16
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic device placed in series with the probe ground-to-chassis connection. The device comprises a current-detecting element such as a resistor or RC network and may employ frequency-discriminating circuitry to limit only ground current signals below a certain frequency. The detector element triggers either a current limiter or a latching switch to prevent currents exceeding about 20 .mu.A rms from flowing between the probe and the patient. This is achieved by limiting such currents dynamically or by latching the transducer-probe-ground/system-chassis connection in an "open" state. In normal operation, the limiting/latching function is inactive, i.e. it is transparent to the system and the device shunts noise signals to the system chassis to prevent image degradation. The resistance of the device in normal operation may be in the range of about 0.1 to 10 ohms for effective noise reduction (shielding) at operating frequencies at and above 100 kHz. Preferably, the insertion resistance is about 2 ohms or less. Upon detection of an overcurrent event, the hardware may additionally be configured to notify the imaging system of the potential hazard. The imaging system may, in turn,…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.