Patent Application
20210254756
The present invention relates to the field of medicine, and more specifically to mounting of devices used in performing medical procedures.
Medical professionals often need to position instruments, such as cameras, position trackers, patient monitors, display screens, laptop computers, etc. and their associated accessories within a relatively short distance from the patient treatment region (e.g., a surgical field) at a height similar or higher than that of the patient. Keeping such devices and accessories organized is paramount in providing a safe and efficient operating field.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention.
A multi-cable support and organization clip for use with a video display medical instrument system is described herein. As shown and described below, a video display medical instrument system, such as a video intubation instrument (e.g., a laryngoscope) or other video endoscope system may include a display monitor mounted to a surgical cart or workstation. A multi-cable clip may be attached to one of the display monitor or a display mount for retaining connector ends of a plurality of device video cables at discrete positions relative to the display monitor. During use, an operator may identify and retrieve a suitable video cable based on its position within the clip. Similarly, when the procedure is complete, or use of a particular video instrument is complete, the respective video cable may be returned to its defined position within the clip.
Consistent with implementations described herein, cable clip 110 may be secured to display monitor 104 or display monitor mount 120 such that cable clip 110 projects outwardly from (e.g., toward a side of) display monitor 104. In some implementations, the location of cable clip 110 relative to display monitor 104 may be proximal to a location of video inputs on display monitor 104, although this is not required.
Consistent with implementations described herein, attachment portion 210 may have a generally planar, bar-like configuration with a length sufficient to distance fork portion 215 from an attachment point on display monitor 104 or display monitor mount 120 to avoid interference between display monitor 104 and cables supported in clip 110 during use. In some embodiments, cable clips having attachment portions 210 of different lengths may associated with different size display monitors.
Fork portion 215 may include a transition area between attachment portion 210 and first/second prong base portions 220/225. Consistent with embodiments described herein, prong base portions 220/225 project outwardly from fork portion 215 in a spaced, parallel manner and are offset from each other in both the y and z dimensions, as shown most clearly in
Although not shown in the figures, to facilitate secure adhesion of overmold portion 205 to base member 200, one or more of attachment portion 210 and/or first and second prong base portions 220/225 may include one or more through holes formed there, through which overmold material may flow during manufacture, thereby permanently securing overmold portion 205 to base member 200.
Overmold portion 205 forms an outer surface of cable clip 110 and is formed from a resilient or semi-rigid material, such as a polymer or rubber. During manufacture of cable clip 110, base member 200 may be secured within a mold that defines the outer configuration of overmold portion 205, such that the thickness of overmold portion 205 is substantially uniform throughout. An overmold material, such as a polymer material may be formed, such as via injection molding or like, to fill the mold between the confines of the mold and base member 200.
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The foregoing description of embodiments provides illustration but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. In the preceding description, various embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. For example, although injection molding is described as an exemplary method for forming grasping portions 230/235 and fingers portions 240/245, other manufacturing techniques could be used consistent with embodiments described herein, such as 3D printing, casting, blow molding, compression molding, etc. The description and drawings are accordingly to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.
As set forth in this description and illustrated by the drawings, reference is made to “an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “embodiments.” etc., which may include a particular feature, structure or characteristic in connection with an embodiment(s). However, the use of the phrase or term “an embodiment,” “embodiments.” etc., in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to all embodiments described, nor does it necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiment(s). The same applies to the term “implementation,” “implementations,” etc.
The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to be interpreted to include one or more items. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to be interpreted as “based, at least in part, on.” unless explicitly stated otherwise. The term “and/or” is intended to be interpreted to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated items.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example.” Any embodiment or implementation described as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or implementations.
Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third.” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, the temporal order in which instructions executed by a device are performed, etc., but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
No element, act, or instruction described in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the embodiments described herein unless explicitly described as such.
