초록 ▼

The present invention is directed to a system and method which establishes physically fixed charger stations that work in conjunction with a medical cart, such as an ultrasound cart. The medial cart contains a power supply, such as a large battery, with the capacity to keep the system going for a fu

The present invention is directed to a system and method which establishes physically fixed charger stations that work in conjunction with a medical cart, such as an ultrasound cart. The medial cart contains a power supply, such as a large battery, with the capacity to keep the system going for a full day's use. Each docking station provides a fixed location for one or more carts and allows each cart to plug directly into a source of premises power. The docking stations allow the plugged-in cart to recharge while the cart is not in use. In one embodiment, a large Class C battery capable of powering not only the medical device but its associated peripherals as well. Thus, when the cart is removed from the docking station and taken to a patient's location, the equipment on the cart can be operated without the need for plugging the cart into a wall outlet thereby eliminating the need for a long power cord. The fixed locations of the docking station also eliminates the need for hunting “misplaced” carts.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A docking system for a mobile cart, said docking system comprising: a docking station having a first electrical connector and at least one receiver surface, the docking station adapted for stationary deployment at a premises to provide a docking station location; anda docking head having a second

1. A docking system for a mobile cart, said docking system comprising: a docking station having a first electrical connector and at least one receiver surface, the docking station adapted for stationary deployment at a premises to provide a docking station location; anda docking head having a second electrical connector and at least one boss surface, the docking head adapted for mobile deployment with the mobile cart, wherein the at least one receiver surface is adapted to interface with the boss surface to guide the docking head into a desired docking orientation with the docking station such that the first electrical connector and second electrical connector mate exclusively through docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station,wherein at least one of the docking station and the docking head include a position locking protuberance and the other one of the docking station and the docking head includes a position locking detent,wherein the position locking protuberance and the position locking detent are disposed to interface when the docking head is disposed in the desired docking orientation and the first electrical connector and second electrical connector are mated to discourage undesired separation of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector, andwherein the docking head comprises a surface adapted to interface with the position locking protuberance and apply force thereto to work in cooperation with a non-slip structure of the docking station to discourage movement of the docking station during the docking movement of the mobile cart for both docking and undocking. 2. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the position locking protuberance comprises a spring pin. 3. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a guide surface in addition to the receiver surface, wherein the guide surface is adapted to interface with a surface of the mobile cart to facilitate guiding the docking head into the desired docking orientation. 4. The docking system of claim 3, wherein the guide surface and corresponding mobile cart surface provide coarse positioning of the docking head for docking and the receiver surface and corresponding boss surface provide more fine positioning of the docking head for docking. 5. A docking system for a mobile cart, said docking system comprising: a docking station having a first electrical connector and at least one receiver surface, the docking station adapted for stationary deployment at a premises to provide a docking station location; anda docking head having a second electrical connector and at least one boss surface, the docking head adapted for mobile deployment with the mobile cart, wherein the at least one receiver surface is adapted to interface with the boss surface to guide the docking head into a desired docking orientation with the docking station such that the first electrical connector and second electrical connector mate exclusively through docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station,wherein the docking head includes an auxiliary electrical connector configured to carry signals otherwise carried by the second electrical connector when the docking head is docked with the docking station, andwherein the docking head comprises a switch and switch actuator assembly adapted to selectively connect either the second electrical connector to circuitry of the mobile cart or the auxiliary electrical connector to circuitry of the mobile cart. 6. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the switch actuator is configured to change a state of the switch exclusively through the docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station. 7. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the mating of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector provide premise power to the mobile cart. 8. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the docking head comprises a removable module attached to the mobile cart. 9. A method for providing premise power to a mobile cart, the method comprising: providing a docking station having a first electrical connector, at least one receiver surface, and at least one non-slip surface;providing a docking head having a second electrical connector, at least one boss surface, and at least one ramp surface, wherein the docking head is adapted to be affixed to the mobile cart for use in docking with the docking station;configuring the receiver surface and the boss surface to cooperatively guide the docking head into a desired docking orientation with the docking station such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector mate through a docking movement of the mobile cart relative to the docking station;configuring the ramp surface to engage a corresponding top surface of the docking station and apply force thereto to work in cooperation with the non-slip surface to discourage movement of the docking station during the docking movement of the mobile cart for both docking and undocking; andproviding an actuatable switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is configured to be actuated by the docking movement to select between an auxiliary electrical connector and the second electrical connector for coupling to devices of the mobile cart. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the docking station further has a guide surface and the mobile cart has a corresponding surface, the method further comprising: configuring the guide surface to interface with the corresponding surface of the mobile cart to facilitate guiding the docking head into the desired docking orientation. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the ramp surface and the corresponding top surface of the docking station include a position locking protuberance and the other one of the ramp surface and the corresponding top surface of the docking station includes a position locking detent, and further comprising: configuring the position locking protuberance and the position locking detent to interface when the docking head is disposed in the desired docking orientation and the first electrical connector and second electrical connector are mated to discourage undesired separation of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector. 12. A system comprising: a mobile cart configured to provide mobile support for at least one medical device;a docking head attached to the mobile cart and configured to be electrically coupled to the at least one medical device, the docking head having a docking head connector disposed on a docking head boss, the docking head boss adapted to guide the docking head into a docked orientation whereby the docking head connector is mated with a corresponding connector; anda docking station having a docking station connector and one or more receiver surfaces, wherein the receiver surfaces are configured to receive the docking head boss to guide the docking head into the docked orientation whereby the docking head connector is mated with the docking station connector when the mobile cart is moved in proximity to the docking station, wherein the mated docking head connector and docking station connector are adapted to provide premise power to the at least one medical device,wherein the docking head further has an auxiliary plug adapted to provide the premise power to the at least one medical device when the docking head is not disposed in the docked orientation; andwherein the docking head further has a switching circuit to selectably connect either the docking head connector or the auxiliary plug to the at least one medical device, the switching circuit including a switch actuator which is operable in response to the docking head docking with the docking station.