This patent application claims the benefit of United Kingdom Patent Application No. 1908048.0, filed Jun. 6, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
The present invention relates to a mounting apparatus enabling a variety of different accessories to be removably mounted on a mobile workstation used to carry medical equipment.
In medical environments, it is common to use a mobile workstation in the form of a wheeled trolley with multiple shelves to hold medical equipment. For example, this might be endoscopy equipment and associated accessories such as a power and light source, monitors for viewing, fluid pumps with associated tubing etc. Large items are typically placed on the workstation shelves. Frequently, it is also necessary to use a number of smaller accessories, such as bottles containing irrigation fluid, but there may be insufficient space for them on the shelves. The equipment will normally include multiple cables and tubing which can easily catch by mistake on parts of the workstation or other items of equipment when being moved.
The present invention provides medical workstation mounting apparatus for mounting accessories to a medical workstation, the apparatus comprising an elongate body with front and rear faces and configured for attachment to a shelf of a medical workstation, the apparatus having a length, a depth and a thickness, wherein the thickness is the distance between the front and rear faces, a plurality of accessory receivers extending from the body, each receiver comprising a pair of arms defining between them a channel configured to receive a hook of an accessory, wherein the apparatus has a maximum thickness which is less than its maximum depth.
The invention provides a universal mounting apparatus allowing a variety of different accessories to be mounted on a workstation, to suit the procedure being carried out. The accessories are held securely in convenient locations but can be moved or replaced easily and quickly without the need for any additional tools. The mounting apparatus itself is easily removable for cleaning and disinfection. It provides a standard interface that can accommodate multiple types of accessories. The mounting apparatus has a slim profile and compact shape, so that it extends only a small distance beyond the edge of a workstation shelf, and has no sharp corners or extensions, to minimise the risk of catching on cables or tubing or even the user's clothing.
Preferably each arm comprises a proximal portion extending forward of the elongate body and a distal portion extending parallel to the elongate body. The distal portion of each arm preferably extends towards the distal portion of the other arm of the pair. A slot is defined between the distal ends of the arms, in communication with the channel. These features maintain the slim profile of the apparatus and ensure a small thickness, keeping the apparatus compact and avoiding parts which stick straight out to form snagging risks.
Typically two accessory receivers are provided, located at opposite ends of the elongate bar.
Preferably there are a plurality of openings in the elongate body to receive mechanical fixing devices to attach the apparatus to the edge of a shelf of a medical workstation.
The elongate body may comprise a protruding portion configured to define an additional channel behind the body when installed on a shelf. The protruding portion protrudes forward no further than the accessory receivers so that it does not increase the overall thickness of the apparatus.
The mounting apparatus may be formed as an integral moulding.
The present invention also provides a medical workstation comprising a trolley with at least one shelf, and a mounting apparatus as claimed in any proceeding claim attached to the shelf.
The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As best seen in
The bar 12 is integrally formed with a plurality of accessory receivers 14. In this case, two accessory receivers 14 are provided, located at opposite ends of the bar 12, although more than two may be provided if required. Typically, the mounting rail 12 and receivers 14 are substantially rigid and formed as a single integral moulding, of plastic or other suitable material. In this embodiment, the depth D is constant over the whole length L of the rail 10.
The rail 10 is releasably securable to the edge of a shelf 16 of a medical workstation. The shelf 16 is provided with one or more openings 18. In the example in
Each accessory receiver 14 can be formed in a number of different shapes but in the first embodiment consist of two opposing arms 22 protruding from the bar 12. In plan view, the arms 22 are generally L-shaped, with a first, proximal portion 22a extending out substantially perpendicular to the bar 12 and then turning at a right angle so that a second, distal portion 22b extends substantially parallel to the bar 12. The arms 22 are arranged in pairs and the respective second portions 22b turn in to face each other so that the arms 22 do not stick straight out. In this way the rail 10 has a slim profile in plan view, i.e. a small thickness T between its front and rear faces. All the edges and corners of the rail 10 are radiussed or chamfered so that there no sharp edges or protrusions. Thus, the rail 10 has an overall smooth exterior and occupies a minimum space envelope, to provide a sleek appearance and to avoid any features sticking out that could catch or snag accidentally on other items such as cables or tubing, or cause injury to a person who knocked against it.
The distal ends 24 of the arms 22 do not meet each other, but are spaced apart leaving a slot 26 between them. In this embodiment, the fixing holes 20 are located between the arms 22 of each accessory receiver 14 and are therefore accessible through the slot 26. The arms 22 and bar 12 together define a vertical channel 28, open at the top and bottom and communicating with the slot 26, for receiving part of an accessory.
The bar 12 may also include a protruding region 30, as shown in
In use, the accessory receivers 14 receive hooks 34 provided on a medical accessory 36. Typically, such a hook 34 will have a main tab 38 (seen in
The accessory 34 may engage in only one accessory receiver 14, such that the mounting rail 10 can accommodate two accessories 34 side by side. This may be suitable when the accessory comprises a smaller item such as a container for water or other irrigation fluid as shown in
Alternatively, a larger, wider accessory 36 such as a stowage bin as shown in
The length L of the mounting rail 10, and the spacing of the accessory receivers 14, will be sufficient to accommodate at least two accessories side by side, or a single wider accessory with two or more hooks. The smooth profile and small thickness T ensures the rail 10 is compact and keeps the accessories mounted close to the workstation.
As will be apparent from the Figures, the precise shape of the mounting rail 10 may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the embodiment shown in
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