Patent Application
20130344795
Embodiments generally relate to a system and method for delivering filtered air within a clean environment, and, more particularly, to a system and method for delivering filtered air through a boom assembly.
Certain interior environments, such as clean rooms, hospital-like operating rooms, radiology rooms, and dental suites, utilize extremely clean air in order to protect target sites and work therein. Such rooms may also have disparate heating or cooling needs at different points in the room. For instance, electronic equipment may produce excess heat, and require cool air to be concentrated in a particular vicinity. Surgeons may also find it prudent to have available additional heated, cooled, and/or filtered air in the immediate vicinity of an operating table. The air proximate the operating table may be used to hold a patient at a stable temperature, dissipate excess heat created by bright lamps or a team of doctors and nurses surrounding the patient, or to provide a filtered air source to prevent contaminants from entering the surgical site.
In modern operating rooms, equipment such as robotic surgical aids may be used. The surgical aids typically make surgery more precise and less prone to errors caused by the inherent fallibility of human hands. Additionally, even in typical clean environments, there may be a significant need for overhead-supported equipment, such as light boom assemblies, automated material handling systems, and the like. Typically, such equipment is hung from the building structure and descends through the ceiling in order to preserve valuable floor space.
A boom assembly may be supported from a ceiling. For example, in a medical environment, an articulated boom assembly may extend from a ceiling of an operating environment. Ventilation equipment, such as air diffusers, may be positioned within the ceiling and configured to direct air flow over the operating environment. However, the articulated boom assembly, and equipment secured to a distal end of the articulated boom assembly, may be disposed within an airflow path between the ceiling and the operating environment. Therefore, airflow to the operating environment may be at least partially blocked by the articulated boom assembly and the equipment secured to the articulated boom assembly. Moreover, as the airflow passes over and around the articulated boom assembly, the airflow may generate turbulence in the form of eddies, vortices, and the like. The turbulence may adversely affect the operating environment. For example, the resulting turbulence may cause components, items, and even anatomical portions of a patient within the operating environment to shift or move and/or cause contaminants to enter the operating environment.
Certain embodiments provide a boom assembly configured to movably secure equipment to a ceiling or plenum extending from the ceiling. The boom assembly may include an atm sub-assembly configured to be secured to the ceiling, and an air delivery member extending through the arm sub-assembly. The air delivery member may include a first end configured to be in communication with an air delivery chamber within the ceiling or plenum, and a second end configured to be in communication with air passages formed through the equipment. Airflow is configured to be directed from the air delivery chamber out through the air passages formed through the equipment towards a target location.
The arm sub-assembly may include a plurality of rotatable arms configured to move the equipment through various directions.
The air delivery member may be separate and distinct from the arm sub-assembly. Optionally, the air delivery member may be integrally formed through the boom assembly.
The air delivery member may be formed of a fluid-tight material defining an air delivery channel. The air delivery member may include multiple openings formed over a length of the air delivery member.
The arm-subassembly may also be configured to securely retain one or more of electrical power and control wiring, medical gas piping, vacuum channels, or data wiring.
The boom assembly may also include at least one air-directing member configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of the air passages. The air-directing member(s) may include an air nozzle operatively connected to a valve. Optionally, the air-directing member(s) may include at least one flow-directing fin configured to be selectively moved between open and closed positions.
Certain embodiments provide a system for providing airflow to a target location. The system may include equipment, and a boom assembly configured to movably secure the equipment to a ceiling or plenum extending from the ceiling, as described above. The equipment may include a light assembly, a monitor, a control panel, a surgical instrument, an imaging device or system, or the like.
Certain embodiments provide a method of providing airflow to a target location. The method may include passing airflow from a plenum into an air delivery member within an arm sub-assembly connected to equipment, channeling the airflow from the plenum to the air delivery member and into air passages formed through the equipment, directing the airflow out of the air passages formed through the equipment and toward a target location proximate the equipment. The method may also include selectively moving air-directing members that are in fluid communication with the air passages between open and closed positions.
Before the embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.
The mounting cover 16 and the mounting support 17 are configured to secure the boom assembly 10 to the ceiling 12, which may include the plenum 24 extending downwardly from the ceiling 12. The mounting cover 16 may include a housing 26 that secures to the mounting support 17, the ceiling 12, and/or the plenum 24 through fasteners, such as bolts, screws, and the like.
The arm sub-assembly 18 includes a first rotatable arm 28 having a proximal end 30 that is rotatably secured to the mounting cover 16 and/or the mounting support 17. The first rotatable arm 28 may be configured to rotate about a central axis X of the mounting cover 16 through 360°. In this manner, the first rotatable arm 28 may be configured to allow the arm sub-assembly 18 to be rotated over a full range of rotation within the operating room 14. Alternatively, the first rotatable arm 28 may be configured to rotate with respect to the mounting cover 16 over a range of motion that is less than 360° with respect to the central axis of the mounting cover 16.
A distal end 32 of the first rotatable arm 28 is secured to a connection joint 34, which may be secured underneath the distal end 32. The connection joint 34 includes a housing 36 having a pivot assembly 38 secured to a proximal end 40 of a second rotatable arm 42. The pivot assembly 38 is configured to allow the second rotatable arm 42 to pivot about a central axis Y of the pivot assembly 38 in the directions of arrows A. The central axis Y may generally be perpendicular to the central axis X of the mounting cover 16. Accordingly, while the first rotatable arm 28 is configured to rotate the arm sub-assembly 18 through a horizontal range of motion (as shown in
A distal end 44 of the second rotatable arm 42 is connected to a connection joint 46 having a pivot assembly 48. The pivot assembly 48 is configured to allow the second rotatable arm 42 to pivot about a central axis Z of the pivot assembly 48 to allow the distal end 44 to be moved up or down.
An equipment attachment arm 50 includes a proximal end 52 pivotally secured to the connection joint 46 and a distal end 54 connected to the equipment 20. The distal end 54 may include a connection interface that allows the equipment 20 to be removably secured to the distal end 54. Thus, the equipment 20 may be removed from the distal end 54, and different equipment may be secured to the distal end 54. In this manner, the boom assembly 10 may provide a modular system that is configured to be used with a wide range of equipment.
More or less rotatable arms and connection joints than those shown may be used with the boom assembly 10. Additionally, the mounting cover 16 and connection joints 34 and 46 may be configured to provide for alternative or additional rotational movement. For example, the mounting cover 16 and/or the mounting support 17 may be configured to allow the first rotatable arm 28 to pivot about axes similar to the axes Y and Z.
As shown in
As shown in
The air delivery member 62 within the boom assembly 10 includes an open mounting end 76 in communication with the air delivery chamber 72 of the plenum 24. Thus, forced air within the plenum 24 is directed into the air delivery member 62. The forced air within the plenum 24 passes into and through the air delivery member 62 and out an open equipment end 78 that is in communication with the air passages 64 formed through the equipment 20. The airflow 66 exits the air passages 64 into and onto the operating environment 56 in the directions of arrows C. In this manner, the air delivery member 62 within the boom assembly 10 allows air to pass out of the equipment 20 onto and into the operating environment 56 without the equipment 20 or the boom assembly 10 blocking airflow to the operating environment 56. As shown in
The airflow 66 directed out of the air passages 64 from the air delivery member 62 creates a localized airflow environment within the operating environment 56. Moreover, because the airflow 66 is directed from the equipment 20 itself, as opposed to from the air delivery devices 74, the airflow 66 may be substantially laminar, and less susceptible to turbulence. Further, any turbulence caused from airflow from the air delivery devices 74 moving into and around the equipment 20 may be pushed away from the operating environment 56 by the airflow 66.
As described above, the air delivery member 62 may be contained within the boom assembly 10. Optionally, an air delivery member may be integrally formed within the boom assembly 10. For example, the arms and connections joints of the boom assembly 10 may be or include fluid-tight channels configured to allow forced air to pass from the plenum 24 to the air passages 64 formed through the equipment 20. The air may be filtered at the source of air delivery, such as within the plenum 24, and/or within the air delivery member 62, and/or the equipment 20.
Also, alternatively, the air delivery member 62 may be secured on the outside of the boom assembly 10. For example, the air delivery member 62 may be securely fastened to the boom assembly 10 through various fasteners, adhesives, bonding, and the like. Additionally, the air delivery member 62 may be removably secured to the outside of the boom assembly 10 through clips, latches, clamps, and the like.
While the boom assembly 10 is shown and described with respect to an operating room 14, the boom assembly 10 may be used in various other settings in which airflow is to be directly delivered to a particular target location. For example, the boom assembly 10 may be used with respect to data centers, such as shown and described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0051563, entitled “Modular Data Center,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Additionally, the boom assembly 10 may be used in conjunction with fan array systems, such as shown and described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0014061, entitled “Fan Array Control System,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and United States Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0255704, entitled “Methods and Systems for Active Sound Attenuation in an Air Handling Unit,” which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The boom assembly 10 may include more or less rotatable arms and connection joints than shown in
As shown in
Optionally, the air passages may take the place of the light-surface, and vice versa. The air passages 106 may be various shapes and sizes, other than circular. Additionally, the housing 102 may be various shapes and sizes other than circular.
Each air-directing member 206 may include a flow-control device 212, such as a valve. The flow-control device 212 allows the air-directing member 206 to be selectively operated between open and closed positions. Thus, an operator may open certain air-directing members 206, close other air-directing members 206, and modulate air flow between open and closed positions with respect to other air-directing members 206. In this manner, airflow may be selectively directed through the air-directing members 206, independent of the movement of the boom assembly 204.
The flow-control devices 212 of the air-directing members 206 may be manually operated. Optionally, the flow control devices 212 may be operatively connected to a control unit, such as a digital control unit. A user may control operation of the flow control devices 212 through the control unit, which may be formed with the equipment 200 and/or the boom assembly 204, or may be remotely located from therefrom.
The flow control devices 212 may be used with any of the embodiments described above with respect to
The housing 412 may include more or less flow directing fins 410 than shown. Additionally, the housing 412 may include exposed air passages that are not connected to a flow directing fins. The flow control device 406 may be used with any of the embodiments described above with respect to
More or less air-directing members 506 than shown may be used. Further, the equipment 500 may include exposed air passages not connected to an air-directing member. The air-directing members 506 may be used with any of the embodiments described above with respect to
Referring to
Additionally, the boom assembly may be configured to accommodate various other components, other than an air delivery system. For example, the boom assembly may be configured to securely channel, retain, or the like, electrical power and control wiring, medical gas piping, vacuum channels, low voltage data wiring for telemetry and data, as well as video feed for a monitor, and the like.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a boom assembly that creates a localized airflow environment within a target location or site, such as an operating environment. Embodiments provide a boom assembly that is configured to direct airflow from equipment secured to a boom assembly, which creates substantially laminar airflow within the target location or site. Further, turbulence caused from airflow from separate and distinct air delivery devices moving into and around the equipment may be pushed away from the target location site by the airflow directed out of the equipment secured to the boom assembly.
Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a boom assembly, system, and method that is configured to deliver air directly to a target site through equipment attached to a distal end of a boom.
While various spatial and directional terms, such as top, bottom, lower, mid, lateral, horizontal, vertical, front and the like may be used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure, it is understood that such terms are merely used with respect to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be inverted, rotated, or otherwise changed, such that an upper portion is a lower portion, and vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, and the like.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments of the disclosure without departing from their scope. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the various embodiments of the disclosure, the embodiments are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.
This written description uses examples to disclose the various embodiments of the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if the examples have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the examples include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
The present application relates to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/663,712 filed Jun. 25, 2012, entitled “System and Method for Delivering Air Through a Boom Assembly,” which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61663712 | Jun 2012 | US |
