Support arm for a surgical theater system

• US 20040188578A1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Turner, Jonathan D
• Granted Patent: US 7,097,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/281.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/004 mounted on the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/063 Parallelogram arms
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/26 Pivoted arms

Abstract

A surgical theater system includes a boom rotating about a hub and coupled to a counterbalance arm assembly having a counterbalance arm and a monitor mount assembly configured to permit a monitor or other device to be positioned horizontally and vertically within a surgical suite and maintain the vertical elevation selected. The counterbalance arm includes a proximal hub, a first parallel link, a second parallel link, a spring link, a spring and a distal hub. First, second and third proximal pivot axes extend through the proximal hub with the third pivot axis being movable along a radial line forming an angle with a line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes. The spring link is coupled to the third proximal pivot axis, spring and second parallel link.

Claims

1. A counterbalance arm assembly comprising:

a proximal hub formed to include a first proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, a second proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, and a third proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, said first, second and third proximal pivot axes being substantially mutually parallel, wherein the displacement between the first and third proximal pivot axes is adjustable,

a distal hub having a first distal pivot axis extending therethrough and a second distal pivot axis extending therethrough,

a first parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the first proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the distal hub about the first distal pivot axis,

a second parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the second proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the distal hub about the second distal pivot axis,

a spring coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link and at its proximal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the proximal end of the spring relative to the second link,

a spring link coupled at its proximal end to the proximal hub for pivotal movement of the spring link about the third proximal axis, coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the distal end of the spring link relative to the second parallel link, and coupled at its distal end to the proximal end of the spring.

2. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring is a gas spring.

3. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 1 wherein the proximal hub is formed to include an aperture extending radially from the first pivot axis and further comprising a pivot pin defining the third proximal pivot axis, said pin being slidably received in the aperture for movement of the pin radially with respect to the first proximal pivot axis.

4. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 3 wherein a line intersecting the first and third proximal pivot axes is not colinear with and forms an angle with a line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes.

5. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 4 wherein the first parallel link includes a longitudinal axis intersecting the first proximal and distal pivot axes, the second parallel link includes a longitudinal axis intersecting the second proximal and distal pivot axes, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parallel links remain parallel during movement of a device coupled thereto between a first elevation and a second elevation and the first longitudinal axis is between the second and third pivot axes.

6. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 5 wherein a line intersecting the first and second distal pivot axes remains parallel to the line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes during movement of the device between the first elevation and the second elevation and the third proximal pivot axis is disposed between the line intersecting the first and second distal pivot axes and the line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes.

7. The counterbalance arm assembly of claim 6 wherein the first parallel link includes a housing having a cavity extending therethrough and a portion of the second parallel link is received in the cavity.

8. The counterbalance arm of claim 7 further comprising caps and plugs and wherein the first parallel link, caps, plugs, proximal hub and distal hub cooperate to form an enclosure around the second parallel link.

9. A surgical theater system for attachment to a structural component in a ceiling of a surgical suite, the surgical theater system comprising:

a hub mounted to the support for rotation about a vertical axis extending through the hub,

a boom having a proximal end and a vertically-downwardly extending portion horizontally displaced from the proximal end terminating in a distal end, the boom being mounted at its proximal end to the hub, the vertically-downwardly extending portion having a second rotation axis extending therethrough

a proximal hub formed to include a first proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, a second proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, and a third proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, an aperture extending radially from the first pivot axis, and including a pivot pin defining the third proximal pivot axis slidably received in the aperture for movement of the pin radially with respect to the first proximal pivot axis whereby the displacement between the first and third proximal pivot axes is adjustable, the proximal hub being mounted to the vertically-downwardly extending portion of the boom for rotational movement of the hub about the second rotation axis,

a distal hub having a first distal pivot axis extending therethrough and a second distal pivot axis extending therethrough,

a first parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the first proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the distal hub about the first distal pivot axis,

a second parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the second proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the distal hub about the second distal pivot axis,

a spring coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link and at its proximal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the proximal end of the spring relative to the second link,

a spring link coupled at its proximal end to the proximal hub for pivotal movement of the spring link about the third proximal axis, coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the distal end of the spring link relative to the second parallel link, and coupled at its distal end to the proximal end of the spring.

10. The surgical theater system of claim 9 wherein a line intersecting the first and third proximal pivot axes is not colinear with and forms an angle with a line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes.

11. The surgical theater system of claim 10 wherein the first parallel link includes a longitudinal axis intersecting the first proximal and distal pivot axes, the second parallel link includes a longitudinal axis intersecting the second proximal and distal pivot axes, the longitudinal axes of the first and second parallel links remain parallel during movement of a device coupled thereto between a first elevation and a second elevation and the first longitudinal axis is between the second and third pivot axes and a line intersecting the first and second distal pivot axes remains parallel to the line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes during movement of the device between the first elevation and the second elevation and the third proximal pivot axis is disposed between the line intersecting the first and second distal pivot axes and the line intersecting the first and second proximal pivot axes.

12. A counterbalance arm assembly comprising:

a proximal hub formed to include a first proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, a second proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, and a third proximal pivot axis extending therethrough, wherein a first line intersects the first and second proximal pivot axes and the displacement between the first and third proximal pivot axes is adjustable,

a distal hub having a first distal pivot axis extending therethrough and a second distal pivot axis extending therethrough, wherein a second line intersects the first and second distal pivot axes and is substantially parallel to the first line,

a first parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the first proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the first parallel link relative to the distal hub about the first distal pivot axis, the first parallel link having a first longitudinal axis intersecting the first proximal and distal pivot axes

a second parallel link coupled at its proximal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the proximal hub about the second proximal pivot axis and coupled at its distal end for pivotal movement of the second parallel link relative to the distal hub about the second distal pivot axis, the second parallel link having a second longitudinal axis intersecting the second proximal and distal pivot axes and '"'"'s substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis,

a spring coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link and at its proximal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the proximal end of the spring relative to the second link,

a spring link coupled at its proximal end to the proximal hub for pivotal movement of the spring link about the third proximal axis, coupled at its distal end to the second parallel link for longitudinal movement of the distal end of the spring link relative to the second parallel link, and coupled at its distal end to the proximal end of the spring,

and wherein the third proximal pivot axis has a range of motion over which the third proximal pivot axis is always positioned so that the first longitudinal axis is between the second longitudinal axis and the third proximal pivot axis and so that the third proximal pivot axis is between the first line and the second line, whereby a mechanical disadvantage is provided to the coupled spring link and spring substantially compensating for increased spring forces resulting from further displacement from the spring'"'"'s equilibrium length during pivotal movement of the counterbalance arm between a raised and a lowered position.

13. The counterbalance arm of claim 12 wherein the first parallel link includes a housing having a cavity extending therethrough and a portion of the second parallel link is received in the cavity.

14. The counterbalance arm of claim 13 wherein the first parallel link, proximal hub and distal hub cooperate to enclose the second parallel link.

15. The counterbalance arm of claim 12 wherein the second distal link includes a longitudinally-extending slot and a connecting pin, said connecting pin extending laterally through the slot to couple the distal end of the spring link and the proximal end of the spring to the second parallel link.