Patent Application
20070215775
The present invention relates generally to components, systems, and methods for stabilizing a medical device in a proper position. More particularly, the present invention relates to such components, systems, methods that may be used to maintain a medical device in a level position.
Some medical devices will only operate properly if they are maintained in a substantially level position. In addition, it is generally undesirable for a medical device to tip over, as such tipping could break or otherwise adversely affect the device.
In view of the above, currently available medical devices are sometimes stabilized and/or maintained in a level position through the use of floor stands. For example, some currently available medical devices have a flat, substantially rectangular section attached at the bottom thereof. When the device is being carried or otherwise moved, the substantially rectangular section is positioned so as to be completely within the edges of the bottom of the device. In other words, the substantially rectangular section does not protrude beyond the edges of the bottom of the device and therefore is unlikely to contact anything as the device is being moved.
Either shortly before or shortly after the medical device is set down on the floor pursuant to being moved, the substantially rectangular section is pivoted relative to the bottom of the medical device so as to protrude beyond an edge thereof. As a result, the substantially rectangular section increases the overall footprint of the medical device on the floor and thereby stabilizes the medical device.
As medical devices become smaller, the bottoms of the medical devices also become smaller. At a certain point, the bottom of a medical device becomes too small to allow one of the currently available substantially rectangular sections to be positioned completely within the edges thereof. Therefore, some of the currently available smaller medical devices include substantially rectangular sections that protrude beyond the edges of the bottom of the device. These sections may therefore come into contact with, for example, patients, medical personnel, or medical equipment, and may causing injury and/or damage. Other currently available smaller medical devices do not include a substantially rectangular section at all. These devices are therefore relatively unstable when set down on the floor.
At least in view of the above, it would be desirable to provide mechanisms and/or systems that stabilize and/or level a small medical device without increasing the risk of physical injury or damage when moving the device. It would also be desirable to provide methods for stabilizing and/or leveling a small medical device using such mechanisms and/or systems.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention wherein, in a first embodiment thereof, a floor stand for a medical device is provided. The floor stand includes a connection component configured to be connected to a medical device. The floor stand also includes a telescoping component connected to the connection component and moveable relative to the telescoping component, wherein the telescoping component is configured to stabilize the medical device in a vertical position when the telescoping component is in an extended position relative to the connection component, and wherein the connection component and telescoping component are configured to engage a portion of the medical device and to attach to the medical device.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a method of retractably supporting a medical device is provided. The method includes engaging a portion of a medical device with a connection component and a telescoping component, wherein the connection component and the telescoping component are configured to attach to the medical device. The method also includes moving the telescoping component connected to the connection component to an extended position relative to the connection component to stabilize the medical device in a vertical position.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, another floor stand for a medical device is provided. The floor stand includes connecting means for connecting to a medical device. The floor stand also includes stabilizing means for stabilizing the medical device in a vertical position when the stabilizing means is in an extended position relative to the connecting means, wherein the stabilizing means is connected to the connecting means and moveable relative thereto and wherein the connecting means and stabilizing means are configured to engage a portion of the medical device and to attach to the medical device.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.
As illustrated in
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the protrusion 18 includes a substantially cylindrical portion configured to extend through the receiving portion 16 of the connection component 14. Also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion 16 is configured to accommodate the rotation of the protrusion 18 therewithin, regardless of whether the protrusion 18 includes a substantially cylindrical portion or not.
The floor stand 10 illustrated in
Typically, the above-discussed cylindrical portion of the protrusion 18 is inserted into the receiving portion 22. Also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion 22 is configured to allow for the protrusion 18 to be rotated therewithin. As such, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the entire floor stand 10 is rotatable relative to the medical device 12 to which it is connected.
When the floor stand 10 is positioned on a floor below the medical device 12, the lip 24 prevents the telescoping component 20 from moving horizontally relative to the connection component 14 in all but one direction. Also, the floor and the medical device 12 prevent the connection component 14 and the telescoping component 20 from moving vertically relative to each other. As such, the telescoping component 20 illustrated in
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, when the floor stand 10 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces 21, 23 of the medical device 12, no portion of the floor stand 10 protrudes beyond the exterior edges 25, 27, 29, 31 of the bottom surface 19 of the medical device 12. As such, the floor stand 10 is unlikely to come into contact with any persons or objects as the medical device 12 is being carried or moved (e.g., when the floor stand 10 is being lifted and/or transported by a patient or member of themedical staff using the handle 26 illustrated at the top of the medical device 12 in
When the floor stand 10 is positioned substantially parallel to the side surfaces 21, 23 of the medical device 12 (i.e., when the floor stand 10 is positioned as illustrated in
Both the above-mentioned stabilization and leveling typically occur when the telescoping component 20 is in the extended position illustrated in
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of retractably supporting a medical device is provided. The method typically includes connecting a connection component to a medical device. This connecting step may be implement, for example, using the above-discussed connection component 14 and medical device 12. More specifically, this connecting step may be implemented using, for example, a chest drainage unit.
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-mentioned method also includes moving a telescoping component connected to the connection component to an extended position relative to the connection component. This moving step typically substantially stabilizes the medical device in a vertical position relative to the floor on which the connection component and/or telescoping component are sitting. This moving step can also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, substantially level the medical device. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, this moving step is implemented by sliding the above-discussed telescoping component 20 relative to the above-discussed connection component 14.
Certain embodiments of the above-discussed method of retractably supporting a medical device according to the present invention further include receiving a protrusion extending from a surface of the medical device (e.g., the protrusion 18 illustrated in
The above-discussed method may also include preventing the telescoping component from moving relative to the connection component, particularly either when the telescoping component is in the above-discussed extended or retracted position. This preventing step may be implemented, for example, using the tabs 28 and slots 30 discussed above or some other locking mechanisms that will become apparent to one of skill in the art upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention.
The above-discussed method may also include rotating the connection component relative to the medical device. As mentioned above, the telescoping component may be connected to the connection component. Thus, this rotating step may be implemented, for example, by rotating the entire floor stand 10 illustrated in
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
