Transferable patient care equipment support

• US 20060242763A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Newkirk, David C., Cerimele, Michael E., Graham, Mark Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/503.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/002 Supply appliances, e.g. columns for gas, fluid, electricity supply vertical ducts or channels for receiving utility lines E04F17/08; installations of electric cables or lines, wall trunking H02G3/0431; structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles F21V33/0068; stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles F16M11/00; buildings for public purposes E04H3/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/004 mounted on the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/007 mounted on the floor, e.g. tracks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/008 mounted on a mobile base, e.g. on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/107 Supply appliances supply appliances for dental machines A61C1/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/80 for connecting a trolley to a device, e.g. bed or column table
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0503 Holders, support devices for receptacles, e.g. for drainage or urine bags hanging-up devices for infusion A61M5/1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1417 Holders or handles for hanging up infusion containers
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/06 Arms

Abstract

A patient care equipment support is transferable between a first device having a first tapered socket and a second device having a second tapered socket. The equipment support includes an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment and a post coupled to the equipment supporting portion and extending generally downwardly therefrom. The post has first and second tapered portions. The first tapered portion is configured for receipt in the first tapered socket and the second tapered portion being configured for receipt in the second tapered socke.

Claims

1. A patient care equipment support transferable between a first device having a first tapered socket and a second device having a second tapered socket, the equipment support comprising:

an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment, and

a coupler coupled to the equipment supporting portion such that the coupler extends generally downwardly from the equipment supporting portion, the coupler having first and second tapered portions, the first tapered portion being configured for receipt in the first tapered socket and the second tapered portion being configured for receipt in the second tapered socket.

2. The equipment support of claim 1, wherein each tapered portion varies in width from wide to narrow in a downward direction.

3. The equipment support of claim 2, wherein each tapered portion is frustoconical.

4. The equipment support of claim 3, wherein the first tapered portion comprises an upper relatively large diameter tapered portion and the second tapered portion comprises a lower relatively small diameter tapered portion.

5. The equipment support of claim 4, wherein each tapered portion varies in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a downward direction, and the smaller diameter of the upper tapered portion is equal to or larger than the larger diameter of the lower tapered portion.

6. The equipment support of claim 5, wherein the coupler has a generally cylindrical intermediate portion separating the two tapered portions.

7. The equipment support of claim 4, wherein the upper tapered portion and the first tapered socket are configured such that the equipment support is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the coupler when the equipment support is supported by the first device, and the lower tapered portion and the second tapered socket are configured such that the equipment support is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the coupler when the equipment support is supported by the second device.

8. The equipment support of claim 1, wherein the coupler is a downwardly extending post.

9. The equipment support of claim 7, wherein the upper relatively large diameter tapered portion comprises a tapered collar mounted on the post.

10. The equipment support of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises one of an arm, a column, a cart, a stand, a hospital bed, a surgery table and a stretcher.

11. The equipment support of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises one of an arm, a column, a cart, a stand, a hospital bed, a surgery table and a stretcher.

12. The equipment support of claim 1, wherein the equipment support comprises one of an IV pole and a rack adapted to carry infusion equipment.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a first device having an upper tapered socket, a second device having a lower tapered socket, and a patient care equipment support comprising;

an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment, and a post coupled to the equipment supporting portion such that the post extends generally downwardly from the equipment supporting portion, the post having upper and lower tapered portions, the upper tapered portion being configured for receipt in the upper tapered socket when the equipment support is supported by the first device and the lower tapered portion being configured for receipt in the lower tapered socket when the equipment support is supported by the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each tapered portion is frustoconical, each tapered portion varies in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a downward direction, and the smaller diameter of the upper tapered portion is equal to or larger than the larger diameter of the lower tapered portion.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the post has a generally cylindrical intermediate portion separating the two tapered portions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each socket has an upwardly opening frustoconical bore that varies in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a downward direction.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the smaller diameter of the bore in the upper tapered socket is equal to or larger than the larger diameter of the bore in the lower tapered socket.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the upper tapered socket has a generally c-shaped cross section having spaced apart end portions which define an outwardly opening slot in communication with the bore in the upper tapered socket, and the spacing between the end portions of the c-shaped upper tapered socket is larger than the diameter of the generally cylindrical intermediate portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the height of the generally cylindrical intermediate portion is greater than the height of the c-shaped upper tapered socket.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the equipment support is transferred from the first device to the second device as the upper tapered socket carrying the equipment support is lowered while the lower tapered portion of the post is generally aligned with the lower tapered socket to a position where the upper tapered socket is below the upper tapered portion of the post permitting the lower tapered socket to carry the equipment support and allowing the first device to move away from the second device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the equipment support is transferred from the first device to the second device by raising the lower tapered socket a first amount while the lower tapered portion of the post is generally aligned with the lower tapered socket such that the lower tapered portion enters the lower tapered socket and, then by raising the lower tapered socket a second amount to lift the upper tapered portion of the post out of the upper tapered socket permitting the lower tapered socket to carry the equipment support and allowing the first device to move away from the second device.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the equipment support is transferred from the second device to the first device as the upper tapered socket is positioned around the intermediate portion of the post and then raised to a position where the upper tapered socket engages the upper tapered portion of the post and lifts the equipment support off the lower tapered socket permitting the second device to move away from the first device.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the equipment support is transferred from the second device to the first device by lowering the lower tapered socket a first amount while the upper tapered socket is positioned around the intermediate portion of the post such that upper tapered portion enters the upper tapered socket and, then by lowering the lower tapered socket a second amount to lift the lower tapered portion of the post out of the lower tapered socket permitting the upper tapered socket to carry the equipment support and allowing the first device to move away from the second device.

24. A method of transferring a patient care equipment support between a first device having an upper tapered socket and a second device having a lower tapered socket, the equipment support including a downwardly-extending post having an upper tapered portion configured for receipt in the upper tapered socket when the equipment support is carried by the first device, a lower tapered portion configured for receipt in the lower tapered socket when the equipment support is carried by the second device, and an intermediate portion disposed between the upper and lower tapered portions, the method comprising:

positioning the lower tapered portion of the post over the lower tapered socket, and raising the lower tapered socket a first amount such that the lower tapered portion enters the lower tapered socket and then by raising the lower tapered socket a second amount to lift the upper tapered portion of the post out of the upper tapered socket permitting the lower tapered socket to carry the equipment support and allowing the first device to move away from the second device 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising;

positioning the upper tapered socket around the intermediate portion of the post, and lowering the lower tapered socket a first amount such that upper tapered portion enters the upper tapered socket and, then by lowering the lower tapered socket a second amount to lift the lower tapered portion of the post out of the lower tapered socket permitting the upper tapered socket to carry the equipment support and allowing the first device to move away from the second device.