Abstract:
A post extending from a medical device facilitates transfer of the device between first and second support structures. Each of the first and second structures includes a mounting receptacle, configured to receive the post, fitting either tightly or loosely thereabout, depending on a position of the post along an axis of the receptacle. When the first receptacle holds the post and is moved in a first direction, the post may be moved into the second receptacle, which is then moved in a second direction, to tighten the second receptacle and loosen the first receptacle about the post. When the second receptacle holds the post, the first receptacle may be moved in the first direction, until the post enters the first receptacle, and, then, the second receptacle may be moved in a direction opposite to the second direction, to loosen the second receptacle and tighten the first receptacle about the post.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure pertains to methods and accessories for medical devices and more particularly to those that facilitate the transfer of medical devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many types of external medical devices, for example, those useful for diagnostic imaging and/or therapeutic administration, often need to be transferred between at least two mounting or support structures. A first of the support structures may be one that is useful for transporting such a medical device from one location to another, for example, a cart for wheeling the device about a hospital or clinic, and a second of the support structures may be one that is permanently located in proximity to a patient bed or table, for example, in a hospital room, operating room or diagnostic suite. Often times the external medical devices are relatively heavy (and may be bulky), so that an operator who handles the transfer of these devices, from one support structure to another, will need to demonstrate a certain amount of strength and coordination, not only to safely handle the weight of the device but to also ensure that the device is safely released from the one structure and safely mounted to the other structure. Thus, there is a need for apparatus and methods to facilitate medical device transfer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The following drawings are illustrative of particular methods and embodiments of the present disclosure and, therefore, do not limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are not to scale (unless so stated) and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Methods and embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements. 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a medical system in conjunction with first and second support structures, each of which may employ embodiments of the present disclosure. 
           [0005]      FIGS. 2-4  are perspective views of various elements that may be included in a device transfer package or system, according to some embodiments. 
           [0006]      FIGS. 5A-E  are schematics illustrating some methods of the present disclosure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a medical device mounted to a support structure, according to some embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The following detailed description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides practical illustrations for implementing exemplary methods and embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the examples provided have suitable alternatives that can be utilized. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a medical system, which includes a medical device  100 . An elongate post  120  is shown extending therefrom in order to mount device  100  to a first support structure  110 .  FIG. 1  illustrates first support structure  110  as a cart, which has been rolled into proximity with a second support structure  150 . According to the illustrated embodiment, second support structure  150  is formed by a rail of a patient table  10 , on which a patient may be positioned for diagnostic imaging, for example, angiography that is facilitated by contrast injections administered from medical device  100 . It should be noted that, although medical device  100  is illustrated as an angiographic contrast injector, any other type of medical device, for example, useful for other types of imaging and/or the administration of therapy, may be included in medical systems of the present disclosure and/or be configured to benefit from device transfer systems and/or methods of the present disclosure. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  further illustrates a mounting fixture  115  of cart  110 , in which elongate post  120  is inserted for the mounting of device  100 , a mounting fixture  151  of rail  150 , to which medical device  100  may also be mounted, for example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5E and 6 . According to some embodiments, post  120  is integral with medical device  100  and is configured to facilitate transfer of device  100  between two support structures, for example, from cart  110  to rail  150  and/or from rail  150  to cart  110 . Alternately, a separate elongate post is configured to facilitate the transfer, and post  120  is either configured to be interchangeable with the separate post, or adapted to receive the separate post. 
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an elongate transfer post  200 , according to some embodiments.  FIG. 2  illustrates post  200  being substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis  1  and including a first terminal end  201 , first and second tapered segments  210 ,  220  and a transfer segment  260 , which extends between tapered segments  210 ,  220 . According to some embodiments, tapered segments  210  and  220  are formed by frusto-conical portions of post  200 , each of which are substantially aligned along axis  1 .  FIG. 2  further illustrates an optional second transfer segment  270  that extends from a smaller diameter  224  of second tapered segment  220 . First terminal end  201  is shown coinciding with a smaller diameter  235  of an optional third tapered segment  230 , which tapers from diameter  235  to a larger diameter  236  and is configured to be received within a mounting bore (not shown) of medical device  100  ( FIGS. 1 and 6 ). The mounting bore may be located within a terminal end of post  120 , such that post  200 , when mounted therein, may extend into mounting fixture  115  of cart  110 ; or, the mounting bore may be located in a lower portion or sidewall of medical device  100  and post  120  may be removable therefrom, so that post  120  can be exchanged for transfer post  200 . According to alternate embodiments, as mentioned above, post  120  of  FIG. 1  may be configured like transfer post  200 , for example, to include first and second tapered segments  210 ,  220  and at least transfer segment  260  (and optionally, transfer segment  270 ). 
         [0012]    With further reference to  FIG. 2 , first tapered segment  210  is shown tapering from a larger diameter  211  to a smaller diameter  212 , which is adjacent transfer segment  260 , and second tapered segment  220  is shown tapering from a larger diameter  223  to smaller diameter  224 , which is adjacent transfer segment  270 . According to the illustrated embodiment, each of tapered segments  210 ,  220  is adapted to fit within a mounting receptacle of the corresponding mounting fixture  115 ,  151 , for example, like those shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0013]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are perspective views of mounting fixtures  115  and  151 , respectively, according to some embodiments.  FIG. 3  illustrates a mounting receptacle  305  of mounting fixture  115  that extends along a longitudinal axis  3  and includes a radial opening  351  and an axial opening  353 ; and  FIG. 4  illustrates a mounting receptacle  405  of mounting fixture  151  that extends along a longitudinal axis  4  and includes a radial opening  451  and an axial opening  453 . According to some preferred embodiments, first tapered segment  210  of post  200  is configured to be received in mounting receptacle  305 , for example, via an axial movement of diameter  212  through radial opening  351 ; and second tapered segment  220  is configured to be received in mounting receptacle  405 , for example, via an axial movement of diameter  224  through radial opening  451 . The reception and fit of tapered segments  210  and  220  in the respective mounting receptacles  305  and  405  will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0014]    According to some embodiments, each of mounting receptacles  305  and  405  have a tapered inner surface  356  and  456 , respectively, which taper from a larger diameter, at the respective opening  351 ,  451 , down to a smaller diameter, within the respective receptacle  305 ,  405 . Inner surfaces  356 ,  456  may be formed, according to some embodiments, from a relatively hard material, for example, either from a metal, preferably aluminum, or a hard plastic. With reference back to  FIG. 2 , each of tapered segments  210 ,  220 , according to some embodiments, may likewise be formed from a sufficiently hard material, such as a metal or a hard plastic, to allow for sliding engagement with the respective inner surface  356 ,  456 ; however, according to some preferred embodiments, the material forming tapered segments  210 ,  220  is not as hard as the material forming inner surfaces  356 ,  456 , for example, to avoid galling. According to some exemplary embodiments, each of segments  210 ,  220 ,  230  are formed from a relatively hard plastic, for example, a polyacetal resin such as Delrin® acetal resin (available from DuPont™), and are mounted onto a relatively rigid core  290  of post  200 , which may be formed from stainless steel. 
         [0015]    Each of mounting fixtures  115 ,  151  and post  200  may be included in a package or system that is useful for transferring medical devices, such as medical device  100 , between support structures.  FIG. 3  illustrates mounting fixture  115  including a bore  320 , which may facilitate removable attachment to cart  110 , according to some embodiments, however, according to some preferred embodiments, mounting fixture  115  is an integral component of cart  110 .  FIG. 4  illustrates mounting fixture  151  including a pair of fasteners  45  and a groove  450 , which is configured to fit about a portion of a support structure, for example, rail  150  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  5 A-E and  6 ; fasteners  45  may be alternately tightened, to secure mounting fixture  151  at a fixed location on the portion of the support structure, and loosened, to adjust a location of mounting fixture  151  along the portion of the support structure, for example, rail  150 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 5A  is first schematic of a series of schematics that illustrate some methods of the present disclosure.  FIG. 5A  shows transfer post  200  attached to medical device  100 , such that post  200  extends downward from a lower portion of device  100 . According to the illustrated embodiment, transfer post  200  is rigidly secured to medical device  100  so that mounting fixture  115 , for example, of first support structure  510 , can hold and/or support device  100 . The manner in which transfer post  200  and medical device  100  become supported by mounting fixture  115  (as shown in  FIG. 5A ) may be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . For example, transfer segment  260  of post  200  has a length L 1  and a diameter that facilitate a movement of transfer segment  260  through axial opening  353  of receptacle  350 . According to some embodiments, length L 1  of transfer segment  260  is longer than a length of axial opening  353 , and/or the diameter of transfer segment  260  is smaller than a width of axial opening  353 . Axial opening  353  may be tapered to facilitate a guiding of transfer segment  260  therethrough and into receptacle  305 , according to some embodiments. Once transfer segment has been moved into receptacle  305 , smaller diameter  212  of first tapered segment  210  becomes substantially aligned over radial opening  351  of receptacle  305 . Smaller diameter  212  of first tapered segment  210  of post  200  may then be moved axially into mounting receptacle  305 , through radial opening  351 , such that an outer surface of first tapered segment  210  wedges against inner surface  356  of mounting receptacle  305  and is held therein by gravity. 
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  illustrates an arrow A 1  that designates a direction in which post  200  is moved, via mounting fixture  115  of first support structure  510  (e.g. cart  110  of  FIG. 1 ), in order to transfer device  100  from first support structure  510  to a second support structure  550  (e.g. rail  150  of  FIG. 1 ), to which mounting fixture  151  is attached. With reference to  FIG. 5A , in conjunction with  FIG. 5B , it may be appreciated that second transfer segment  270  is aligned by mounting fixture  115  for entry, per arrow A 1 , into axial opening  453  of mounting receptacle  405 . It should be noted that, according to some alternate embodiments, transfer post  200  need not include second transfer segment  270  and may terminate in proximity to smaller diameter  224  of second tapered segment  220 , in which case, mounting receptacle  405  of mounting fixture  151  need not include axial opening  453 , according to some embodiments. However, some preferred embodiments include second transfer segment  270 , for example, to facilitate alignment of second tapered segment  220  over radial opening  451  of mounting receptacle  405 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5B . With further reference to  FIG. 5A , a double-headed arrow “f” indicates a direction, which is approximately orthogonal to arrow A 1  and in which one or both of mounting fixtures  115 ,  151  may have initially been moved in order to offset radial openings  351  and  451  from one another, as illustrated in  FIG. 5A . 
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  further illustrates an arrow B 1  that designates a direction in which mounting fixture  151  may be moved, the direction of arrow B 1  being approximately orthogonal to that designated by arrow A 1  of  FIG. 5A . According to the illustrated method, mounting fixture  115  and post  200  remain stationary while mounting fixture  151  is moved, per arrow B 1 , in order to tighten a fit of mounting receptacle  405  about tapered segment  220  of post  200 . With reference back to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , it may be appreciated that second tapered segment  220  of post  200  is configured such that an outer surface thereof wedges against inner surface  456  of mounting receptacle  405 , when radial opening  451  is moved, axially, past smaller diameter  224  of segment  220 , per arrow B 1  (or vice versa, wherein smaller diameter  224  is moved past radial opening  451  and into receptacle  405 ). Alternately,  FIG. 5B  also shows an arrow B 2  that designates a direction in which mounting fixture  115  may be moved (along with post  200  and device  100 ), relative to mounting fixture  151 , while mounting fixture  151  and second support structure  550  remain relatively stationary. 
         [0019]      FIG. 5C  illustrates the tightened fit of mounting receptacle  405  about segment  220  of post  200 , which may be sufficient, along with gravity, to support medical device  100 .  FIG. 5C  further illustrates an arrow C 1 , which designates a direction in which an optional fastening member  205  may be turned to further secure post  200  within receptacle  405 . With reference back to  FIG. 2 , fastening member  205  is shown as a part of an optional fastening mechanism  275 , which is formed on second transfer segment  270  and further includes a set of mating threads  207 . According to the illustrated embodiment, fastening member  205  is a nut-type fastener that engages with threads  207 , as shown in  FIG. 5D , in order to prevent axial movement of second tapered segment  220  of post  200  out from receptacle  405 , through axial opening  451 . With further reference to  FIG. 2 , it may be appreciated that a length L 2  of second transfer segment  270 , as well as a diameter thereof, allow second transfer segment  270  to be passed through axial opening  453  of receptacle  405 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5B . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5D  illustrates an arrow D 1  that designates a direction in which mounting fixture  151  has been moved, from the position illustrated in  FIG. 5C , wherein the movement is parallel with the prior movement, per arrow B 1 . According to the illustrated method, the movement of mounting fixture  151 , per arrow D 1 , also moves post  200  and medical device  100  with respect to mounting fixture  115  of first support structure  510 , thereby serving to loosen the fit of mounting receptacle  305  about first tapered segment  210  of post  200  and to position transfer segment  260  of post  200  for passing through axial opening  353  of mounting receptacle  305 , when first support structure  510  is separated from post  200  and medical device  100 , as shown in  FIG. 5E . It should be noted that, according to alternate embodiments, in which post  200  does not include fastening member  205 , or according to alternate methods, wherein member  205  is not tightened, the separate movements, per arrows B 1  and D 1 , may be combined into a single movement to, first, tighten the fit of receptacle  405  about second tapered segment  220  of post  200 , and, then, loosen the fit of receptacle  305  about first tapered segment  210  of post  200 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 5E  illustrates an arrow E 1 , which designates a direction, opposite to that designated by arrow A 1  of  FIG. 5A , in which first support structure  510  is separated from post  200  and medical device  100 .  FIGS. 5E and 6  show post  200  held in mounting fixture  151  so that second support structure  550  supports medical device  100 , for example, while device  100  operates to facilitate diagnostic imaging and/or the administration of therapy for a patient, who may also be supported by second support structure  550 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 5A-E  further illustrate, in reverse sequence from  FIG. 5E  to  FIG. 5A , methods of the present disclosure for transferring medical device  100  from second support structure  550  to first support structure  510 , for example, in order to transport medical device  100  to another location.  FIG. 5E  illustrates an arrow E 2 , which designates a direction in which first support structure  510  and mounting fixture  115  may be moved back into proximity with medical device  100 , post  200  and mounting fixture  151 .  FIG. 5D  illustrates mounting fixture  115  having been moved, per arrow E 2 , such that transfer segment  260  of post  200  has entered mounting receptacle  305  via axial opening  353 .  FIG. 5D  further illustrates an arrow D 2 , which designates a direction in which mounting fixture  151  may be moved in order to tighten a fit of mounting receptacle  305  of mounting fixture  115  about first tapered segment  210  of post  200 , while post  200  is still secured, via fastening member  205 , within mounting receptacle  405  of mounting fixture  151 . The tightened fit of mounting receptacle  305  about post  200  is illustrated in  FIG. 5C .  FIG. 5C  further illustrates fastening member  205  having been turned, per arrow C 2 , in order to release the securing of post  200  within receptacle  405  of mounting fixture  151 ; and  FIG. 5B  illustrates an arrow B 2 , which designates a direction in which mounting fixture  151  has been moved to loosen the fit of receptacle  405  about second tapered segment  220  of post  200 . Thus, in summary, movement of mounting fixture  151  in the direction designated by arrows D 2  and B 2  serves to, first, tighten the fit of receptacle  305  about first tapered segment  210  of post  200  and, then, loosen the fit of receptacle  405  about second tapered segment  220  of post  200 . As described above, with respect to arrows B 1  and D 1 , movement per arrows B 2  and D 2  may likewise be combined into a single movement, if fastening member  205  is not present or had not previously been tightened. Finally, with reference to  FIG. 5A , an arrow A 2  designates a direction in which mounting fixture  115  has been moved in order to separate medical device  100 , and attached post  200 , from second support structure  550 . According to the illustrated embodiment, wherein post  200  includes second transfer segment  270 , it should be noted that movement, per arrow B 2 , to the position illustrated in  FIG. 5B , causes transfer segment  270  to be aligned for passage through axial opening  453  of mounting receptacle  405 . 
         [0023]    It should be noted that, although it may be inferred from the present disclosure that support structures  110 / 510  and  150 / 550  are moved in order to move the respective mounting fixtures  151  and  115 , embodiments of the present invention are not so limited. For example, any or all of support structures  110 / 510  and  150 / 550  may be adapted to allow for independent movement of the corresponding mounting receptacles  305 ,  405 , for example, according to any or all of the associated arrows A 1 / 2 , B 1 / 2 , D 1 / 2 , E 1 / 2  of  FIGS. 5A-E ; such independent movement could be facilitated, for example, by articulating feedback-controlled arms, which are coupled to the support structures and in which the mounting receptacles are formed. Furthermore, although the movement associated with arrows A 1 /2, E 1 /2 and arrows B 1 /2, D 1 /2 is preferably horizontal and vertical, respectively, it is contemplated that, according to some alternate methods, the movements may be skewed from the horizontal and vertical. 
         [0024]    In the foregoing detailed description, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, it may be appreciated that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, the particular configurations of the mounting fixtures described herein, for example, related to how the mounting fixtures are attached to the corresponding support structures, are exemplary in nature and other configurations may be suitable for embodiments of the present invention.