Medical apparatus including on isolating transformer apparatus for isolating medical apparatus from non-medical apparatus to prevent electrical shocks to patients

• US 5,174,293 A
• Filed: 07/12/1991
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hagiwara, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/730,517
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 174/135, 336/107, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 361/427, 361/428, 361/429, 248/500, 248/505, 248/510, 439/304, 439/345, 439/367, 439/368, 439/369, 439/371, 439/372, 439/373, 128/908, 128/653.1, 606/34, 606/35
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/00 Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/88
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/908 Patient protection from electric shock

Abstract

A medical apparatus comprises an electrical medical apparatus for use with an endoscope connectable thereto and adapted for at least one a diagnostic and medical treatment; at least one electrical non-medical apparatus including a line cord and a plug, which is used in association with the electrical medical apparatus; and an isolating transformer apparatus isolating a patient from electrical shocks from the electrical medical apparatus used together with the electrical non-medical apparatus. The isolating transformer apparatus is connectable by an authorized person to a commercial power supply and is connected to the line cord and plug of the electrical non-medical apparatus. The electrical medical apparatus is connectable to the commerical power supply. The isolating transformer apparatus includes a housing having a plurality of walls; a transformer contained in the housing, the transformer having a primary winding which is connectable to the commercial power supply, and a secondary winding which is electrically isolated from the primary winding; and a power supply socket mounted on a wall of the housing and being connected to the secondary winding, the socket receiving the plug of the electrical non-medical apparatus. The isolating transformer apparatus also has a retainer provided on an outside portion of the housing for preventing the plug of the electrical non-medical apparatus from being removed from the power supply socket, and a lock device for locking the retainer for preventing removal of the retainer without an engaging and disengaging tool.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus comprising the combination of:

an electrical medical apparatus for use with an endoscope connectable thereto and adapted for at least one of a diagnostic and medical treatment;

at least one electrical non-medical apparatus including a line cord and a plug, said at least one electrical non-medical apparatus being used in association with said electrical medical apparatus; and

an isolating transformer apparatus isolating a patient from electrical shocks from said electrical medical apparatus used together with said electrical non-medical apparatus, said isolating transformer apparatus being connectable by an authorized person to a commercial power supply and being connected to said line cord and plug of said electrical non-medical apparatus, said electrical medical apparatus being connectable to said commercial power supply, said isolating transformer apparatus including;

a housing having a plurality of walls;

a transformer contained in said housing, said transformer having a primary and secondary winding, said primary winding being connectable to said commercial power supply, and said secondary winding being electrically isolated from said primary winding;

a power supply socket mounted on said wall of said housing and being connected to said secondary winding, said socket having means for receiving therein said plug of said electrical non-medical apparatus;

retainer means provided on an outside portion of said housing, said retainer means preventing said plug of said electrical non-medical apparatus from being removed when said plug is connected to said power supply socket; and

locking means for locking said retainer means to said housing, said locking means preventing removal of said retainer means without an engaging and disengaging tool.

2. The medical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said retainer means includes a notch which is dimensioned such that said line cord of the at least one non-medical apparatus can fit in the notch, and said line plug is too large to fit through the notch.

3. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said locking means includes at least one screw for attaching said retainer means to said housing.

4. The medical according to claim 1, wherein retainer means are provided and mounted over said plug to inhibit removal of said plug and wherein said locking means locks said retainer means to said housing so as to prevent removal of said plug.

5. The medical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said housing has an L-shaped plate fixed thereto in a region near said socket;

and said retainer means comprises a notched retainer attached to said L-shaped attaching plate, said notch being dimensioned such that said line cord can fit therethrough and said plug is too large to fit therethrough.

6. The medical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said retainer means includes a box-shaped retainer covering the periphery of said line plug when said plug is connected to said socket, the box-shaped retainer including a notch for said line cord to pass therethrough.

7. The medical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said retainer means includes a holding belt having two end portions for holding said power source plug, both said end portions of the holding belt being inserted into said housing, and said locking means includes belt attachment means, provided on said housing for holding both of said end portions of said holding belt.

8. The medical apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said belt attachment means is fixed inside said housing and comprises:

a clamp having a pair of elastic clamp fingers for clamping both end portions of said holding belt, said fingers extending toward the inside of the housing and toward each other; and

an aperture having a size greater than the thickness of said holding belt, and wherein a unique disengaging tool is provided for said locking means, said tool comprising a pin inserted to said aperture in the wall of the housing, the outer diameter of the pin being substantially equal to the diameter of the aperture.

9. The medical apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said holding belt has a U-shaped notch through which said cord is passed, said notch being dimensioned such that the cord of the plug can be fit through the notch and said plug is too large to fit therethrough.

10. The medical apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said holding belt includes a plug holder for holding the end portion of the plug which is connected to said line cord, the plug holder having a U-shaped notch therein through which the cord of the plug can pass.

11. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a movable table on which said housing is mounted, said table including a section for mounting said non-medical electric apparatus thereon.

12. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrical non-medical apparatus comprises at least a recording device and a display device.

13. The medical apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

said electrical medical apparatus has an image device which is used with the endoscope connected thereto said image device including means for supplying light to the endoscope, and means for outputting an electrical image signal from the endoscope;

said recording device is connected to said image device and stores an image from said image device; and

said display device includes means for displaying the image from said image device.