The present disclosure relates to operating table columns for supporting a patient support surface of an operating table. In particular, the present disclosure relates to operating table columns having a power source for supplying power to an adjustable operating table.
Conventional operating tables may often utilize an operating table column having a column part, a power supply unit arranged on the column part, and a head part for connecting a patient support surface of the operating table to the column part. With conventional operating table columns, for example, the head part of the column can be rotated about both inclination and tilt axes within the head part to incline and tilt the head part and, therefore, the patient support surface of the operating table.
For example,
In conventional operating tables with high adjustment capability, i.e. with an inclination of >20° and a tilt of >15°, such as those shown in
Accordingly, the conventional operating table column shown in
As illustrated in
The present disclosure provides an operating table column that may overcome some of the disadvantages discussed above by, for example, permitting power to be supplied to an operating table in a simple and space-saving manner.
In accordance with the present disclosure, an operating table column may include a column part and a head part. A power supply unit is arranged on the column part. The head part comprises a first head element, which is mounted rotatably about a first rotation axis, and a second head element, which is mounted rotatably about a second rotation axis. The column part comprises an actuator for effecting a lifting movement of the patient support surface. The actuator further comprises a cover, which is configured such that at least one tube connected to the power supply unit can be guided at least partially through the first head element in an area adjacent to the first rotation axis. The use of a relatively long, cleanable tube for the power supply can thereby be avoided. As a result, the operating table can be supplied with power in a simple and space-saving manner.
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the cover of the actuator may extend along the first rotation axis between two opposing sides of the column part. For example, in one exemplary embodiment it is contemplated that a radial extension of the area adjacent to the first rotation axis is less than about one-half of a radial distance between a first frame section of the first head element and the first rotation axis. In one example, this distance may be less than about one-quarter of a radial distance between a first frame section of the first head element and the first rotation axis. This allows a relatively small area to be provided near the first rotation axis, in which the tube for the power supply (e.g., to the operating table) can then be guided.
Additionally or alternatively, the cover of the actuator may include at least one recess for guiding the tube in the area adjacent to the first rotation axis. This may, for example, allow the tube to pass relatively close to the first rotation axis and into the head part. For example, the cover of the actuator may comprise two recesses for respectively guiding two tubes in the area adjacent to the first rotation axis, each tube being connected to the power supply unit, with the two recesses facing the two opposing sides of the column part. Each recess may have a rectangular profile. This may allow multiple tubes for supplying power (e.g., to the operating table) to be provided, with each tube being guided in the area adjacent to the first rotation axis.
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a radial extension of the area adjacent to the first rotation axis may be between about 15 mm and about 35 mm, such as, for example, between about 15 mm and about 20 mm. This may, for example, give the relatively small area (e.g., the area adjacent to the first rotation axis) dimensions that are suitable for guiding the tube near the first rotation axis.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the first head element may be configured such that the tube can be guided all the way through the first head element in the area adjacent to the first rotation axis and in an additional area adjacent to the second rotation axis. This may allow the tube to be guided within the head part not only in the area near the first rotation axis, but also in an additional area near the second rotation axis. For example, a radial extension of the area adjacent to the second rotation axis may be less than about one-half a radial distance between a second frame section of the first head element and the second rotation axis. This may allow a relatively small additional area to be provided near the second rotation axis, in which the tube for supplying power (e.g., to the operating table) can then be guided.
The first head element may comprise at least one recess having a round profile for guiding the tube in the area adjacent the second rotation axis. This may allow the tube to be guided within the head part relatively close to the second rotation axis.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the first head element and the second head element may be configured such that, when the second head element executes a tilting movement around the second rotation axis, the tube is prevented from being crushed in the area adjacent to the second rotation axis. This may enable the tube to be guided safely within the head part during a tilting movement of the second head element.
The tilting movement of the second head element relative to the first head element may occur, for example, within an angular range of about 0° to about 25°. In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first head element and the second head element may form a Cardan joint. In that case, the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis may lie in two parallel planes arranged one above the other. The two parallel planes arranged one above the other may be spaced from one another by a maximum of about 60 mm. A Cardan joint can thus be provided for a very reliable functioning of the head part.
In various further embodiments, the column part and the power supply unit may be covered by side paneling, and the section of tube that extends along the column part may be routed entirely within the side paneling. The tube section may, therefore, be fully protected by the side paneling. As a result, no additional protective tubing is required for covering the tube section. Furthermore, the tube section that is routed entirely within the side paneling does not require elaborate cleaning.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the second head element may form a housing for covering the section of tube that can be guided at least partially through the first head element. This tube section may thus be encompassed completely by the housing that is formed by the second head element.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the column part may further comprise a lifting guide and a telescoping assembly, which is integrated into the lifting guide and comprises at least two column elements that are movable relative to one another. The lifting guide comprises a window, located above the two column elements that are movable relative to one another, for guiding the tube section that extends along the column part from the outside of the column part to the inside of the column part. In this way, the movable column elements of the telescoping assembly may be prevented from shearing the tube. This may give the operating table column a sturdy construction.
Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present disclosure. The objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and their equivalents.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure and claims.
Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following description, which further details the present disclosure with reference to exemplary embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The drawings show:
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
As further illustrated in
As shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The power supply unit 106 comprises at least one tube 118 (one tube 118 being shown in the exemplary embodiment of
As above, the operating table column 100 of
As shown in
As illustrated in the embodiment of
In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, with the rectangular profile of recesses 124a, 124b, a radial extension of the first area 120a may correspond, for example, to a radial distance between a lateral edge of the cover 114 and the first rotation axis 108a. Furthermore, the recesses 124a, 124b of the cover 114 and the recess 126 of the first head element 110a can be dimensioned such that the first area 120a and the second area 120b form relatively small areas, having a small radial extension around the first rotation axis 108a and the second rotation axis 108b, respectively. In other words, the radial extension of the first area 120a may be relatively small as compared with the radial distance between the first frame section 122a of first head element 110a and the first rotation axis 108a. Further, the radial extension of the second area 120b may be relatively small as compared with the radial distance between the second frame section 122b of the first head element 110a and the second rotation axis 108b.
The second tube section 118b, which has been guided through window 132, is also clearly visible in
In the orientation of
The present disclosure further provides a unique arrangement of the tube section 118a adjacent to the first rotation axis 108a, also referred to as the inclination axis, and adjacent to the second rotation axis 108b, also referred to as the tilt axis. This arrangement enables a relatively short routing of the tube section 118a. Furthermore, the arrangement of the Cardan joint, with a maximum height difference of about 60 mm between the tilt axis 108b and the inclination axis 108a may result in a very reliable operating table column.
In summary, operating table columns in accordance with the present disclosure, such as, for example, the operating table column 100 may provide various advantages. Firstly, at least one recess 126 may be provided in the first head element 110a, so that during an adjusting movement of the second head element 110b about the tilt axis 108b, the tube section 118a is prevented from being crushed. In other words, the specially shaped frame section 122a of the first head element 110a allows for unhindered movement of the second head element 110b at an angle (e.g., about the horizontal position of the tilt axis 108b) of about 0° to about 25°. Additionally, the arrangement of the at least one tube 118 makes it possible to route each tube section of tube 118 within the side paneling. In contrast, this is not possible with known operating tables. In conventional operating table columns, lines must typically be sheathed inside a bellows or protective tubing if high adjustment capabilities are to be achieved. In accordance with the present disclosure, however, the covering function is performed, for example, by the housing formed by the second head element 110b, which also bears the load of the patient support surface 202. Furthermore, the window 132 is positioned at a height such that the side paneling 204 completely covers the window 132. In this manner, the tube sections 118a, 118b can be routed beneath the side paneling 204 from the power supply unit 106, through the window 132 within the outer lifting guide 128, through the recesses 124a, 124b on both sides to be adjacent the first rotation axis 108a. The position of the window 132 at the height according to the present disclosure servers to protect the tube sections from being sheared off by the movable column elements 130a, 130b of the telescoping assembly that is integrated into the lifting guide 128. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the at least one recess 124a is positioned in the cover 114 of the actuator 112, which is provided for the lifting drive. In this manner, no design height is sacrificed in order to achieve this advantageous arrangement. With known operating tables, in contrast, at least 40 mm of vertical installation space is sacrificed for the flexible routing of the tube between the patient support surface and the housing of the head part.
Thus, the present disclosure provides for a tube that is not exposed and does not require an extra cleaning process, which results in a more cost-effective power supply to the operating table (e.g., since electric cables and pressure hoses can be used without costly precautionary measures such as protective tubing). While the present teachings have been disclosed in terms of exemplary embodiments in order to facilitate a better understanding, it should be appreciated that the present teachings can be embodied in various ways without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, the present disclosure should be understood to include all possible embodiments which can be embodied without departing from the scope of the disclosure set out in the appended claims.
For the purposes of this specification and appended claims, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, percentages or proportions, and other numerical values used in the specification and claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the written description and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent. As used herein, the term “include” and its grammatical variants are intended to be non-limiting, such that recitation of items in a list is not to the exclusion of other like items that can be substituted or added to the listed items.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the operating table columns of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the teachings disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and embodiments described herein be considered as exemplary only.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2015 100 542 | Jan 2015 | DE | national |
The present application is a continuation-in-part filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a), and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §§ 365(c) and 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2016/050505, filed Jan. 13, 2016, which designates the United States of America, and claims benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2015 100 542.5, filed Jan. 15, 2015. The disclosure of each of these applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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Entry |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170304135 A1 | Oct 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2016/050505 | Jan 2016 | US |
Child | 15647365 | US |