Device holding apparatus

• US 20050161176A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Steffen, Joachim, Rothaupt, Ottmar, Brenner, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 7,846,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/348
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/40 Apparatus fixed or close to patients specially adapted for providing an aseptic surgical environment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/001 Counterbalanced structures, e.g. surgical microscopes

Abstract

A holding apparatus is provided for holding a device to be used under sterile conditions. The apparatus includes a holder unit (1) to which the device (3) is to be fixed. The holder unit (1) has a holder portion for fixing a drape (9) so that a held device (3) and the holder portion are substantially air-tightly enclosed. A cavity (2) in the holder unit (1) has a cavity portion (10) for communicating with an intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) and the device (3). A pumping-out device (15) is in the cavity (2) for pumping air out of the cavity portion and the intermediate space. The cavity portion (10) is sealed in the pumping-out operation to prevent the make-up flow of air out of other regions than the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) and the device (3) or the holder portion.

Claims

1. A device holding apparatus for holding a device to be used under sterile conditions comprising

a holder unit (1) to which the device (3) is to be indirectly or directly fixed and which has a holder portion for fixing a drape (9) in such a way that a held device (3) and the holder portion are substantially air-tightly enclosed,

a cavity (2) which is present in the holder unit (1) and which has a cavity portion (10) which at least partly extends through the holder portion for fixing the drape (9) and which is in communicating relationship with the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) on the one hand and the device (3) or the holder portion on the other hand,

a pumping-out device (15) arranged at least partly in the interior of the cavity (2) for pumping the air out of the cavity portion and the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) and the device (3) or the holder portion,

wherein

the cavity portion (10) is sealed off in the pumping-out operation to prevent the make-up flow of air out of other regions than the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) and the device (3) or the holder portion.

2. The device holding apparatus of claim 1 characterised in that the cavity portion (10) which is in communicating relationship with the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) and the device (3) or the holder portion is sealed off in relation to the rest of the cavity (10).

3. The device holding apparatus of claim 2 characterised in that a sealing arrangement (17, 19) is arranged in the cavity in such a way that it sealingly separates the cavity portion (10) from the rest of the cavity (12).

4. The device holding apparatus of claim 3 characterised in that a valve is present as the sealing arrangement.

5. The device holding apparatus of claim 3 characterised in that the sealing arrangement includes at least two valves or seals (17, 19) arranged at a spacing from each other.

6. The device holding apparatus of claim 1 characterised in that the holder unit (1) includes a carrier and a cladding fixed to the carrier and that the cavity (2) is formed between the carrier and the cladding.

7. The device holding apparatus of claim 6 characterised in that the cladding is releasably fixed to the carrier.

8. The device holding apparatus of claim 7 characterised in that the sealing arrangement is elastic.

9. The device holding apparatus of claim 1 characterised in that the cavity portion (10) which is in communicating relationship with the intermediate space between a fixed drape (9) on the one hand and the device (3) or the holder portion on the other hand includes through-flow openings for air to pass therethrough.

10. The device holding apparatus of claim 1 characterised in that it includes at least two pivotably interconnected holder units which are connected together by way of a rotary pivot with a closed ball bearing assembly.

11. The device holding apparatus of claim 1 characterised in that it is in the form of a floor support stand, a ceiling suspension arrangement or a wall suspension arrangement.

12. The device arrangement comprising the device holding apparatus of claim 1 and a device (3) which is fixed to the holder unit (1) of the device holding apparatus and which is to be used under sterile conditions.

13. The device arrangement of claim 12 characterised in that the device is a medical device.

14. The device arrangement of claim 13 characterised in that the medical device is an operating microscope.