Medical device for lighting a treatment field

• US 5,485,319 A
• Filed: 03/17/1993
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maquet Incorporated (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: ALM SA (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Lemons, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US08/212,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 359/833, 359/837, 359/710, 359/727, 359/503, 362/309, 362/339, 362/340, 362/323, 362/322, 362/337
• US Class Current: 359/833
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/403 for operation or dentist lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/02 of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays

Abstract

A device for lighting a medical treatment field is disclosed and includes an optical member for focusing a plurality of light rays. The device also includes a prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms. Each prism has an entry face and an exit face. The vertices of the sectors are substantially located in the center of the prism assembly. The sectors of prisms are configured and dimensioned so that the optical focusing member can focus the plurality of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prisms. In addition, the device includes a mechanism for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively positioned in one of a generally planar or a non-planar configuration. In an alternative embodiment, the device includes an optical focusing member and a prism assembly wherein the exit faces of the prisms are generally arc shaped along the length of the sector. The prisms can be either curved or straight.

Claims

1. A device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. means for focusing a plurality of light rays;

b. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sector members, wherein each of said sector member has a plurality of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sector members being substantially located at the center of the prism assembly, the sector members having prisms being configured and dimensioned so that the focusing means can focus the plurality of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prisms; and

c. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sector members such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sector can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration.

2. The lighting device of claim 1 wherein the means for focusing a plurality of light rays comprises at least one generally reflected optical system.

3. A device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. means for focusing a plurality of light rays;

b. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prism being configured and dimensioned so that the focusing means can focus the plurally of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prisms; and

c. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sector can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration, wherein the displacing means comprises an annular member configured and dimensioned so as to support the inner ends of the predetermined sectors and being selectively moveable along a predetermined direction such that movement of the annular member disposes the predetermined prism exit faces in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration.

4. The lighting device of claim 3 wherein the annular member is selectively movable from a first position to a second position such that the prism assembly will focus light at a range of planes respectively between a first plane and a second plane.

5. The lighting device of claim 4 wherein a relatively small intense light spot is produced at one plane while a relatively large reduced intensity area of light is produced at other planes at least above and below the plane of the small light spot.

6. The lighting device of claim 4 wherein the displacement from the first position to the second position preferably provides an angular deviation of the beam of light rays exiting from the exit faces of the prisms of about six degrees.

7. The lighting device of claim 3 wherein the annular member is selectively movable along the predetermined direction from a first position whereby the prism exit faces are generally non-planar through an intermediate position whereby the prism exit faces are generally planar and to a second position whereby the prism exit faces are generally non-planar.

8. The lighting device of claim 7 wherein the first position to the second position preferably provides an angular deviation of the beam of light rays exiting from the exit faces of the prisms from about minus three degrees to plus three degrees as determined from the intermediate position whereby the prism exit faces are generally planar.

9. The lighting device of claim 3 wherein the annular member has an L shaped member disposed along its periphery and extending outwardly therefrom so as to receive the inner ends of the predetermined sectors.

10. The lighting device of claim 9 wherein the displacing means comprises at least one rod member disposed generally along the predetermined direction.

11. The lighting device of claims 10 wherein the annular member is configured and dimensioned so as to be selectively slidably moveable along at least a portion of the at least one rod member.

12. The lighting device of claim 11 wherein the displacing means further comprises:

a. plate member having at least one raised surface of a predetermined slope, the plate member being rotatably disposed adjacent the annular member; and

b. at least one pin member coupled at one end to the annular member and at its other end being in contact with the raised surface such that upon rotation of the plate member, the pin member at its other end will move along the raised surface and corresponding displace the annular member together with the inner ends of the prisms along the rod member.

13. The lighting device of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of pin members coupled at their one ends to the annular member, and the plate member having a corresponding plurality of raised surfaces so that each other end of the pin members is in contact with a respective raised surface on the plate member.

14. The lighting device of claim 13 wherein the plurality of pin members are spaced relative to the annular member and the raised surfaces are correspondingly spaced about the plate member.

15. The lighting device of claim 14 further comprising a tab extending from a portion of the periphery of the plate member whereupon selective movement of the tab will rotate the plate member and thereby displace the inner ends of the prisms along the rod member.

16. A device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. means for focusing a plurality of light rays;

b. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prisms being configured and dimensioned so that the focusing means can focus the plurality of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prism; and

c. means for displacing a least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration, wherein the means for focusing a plurality of light rays comprises at least one generally toroidal optical system.

17. The lighting device of claim 16 wherein the toroidal optical system has an optical axis which generally intersects the center of the prism assembly.

18. The lighting device of claim 17 further comprising at least one light source dimensioned and configured so that at least a portion of light rays emitted from the light source fall onto the toroidal optical system and are focused onto the entry faces of the prisms.

19. The lighting device of claim 17 further comprising at least one light source dimensioned and configured so that at least a portion of light rays emitted from the light source are collected by the reflective optical system and are focused onto the entry faces of the prisms.

20. The lighting device of claim 16 wherein the reflective optical system has an optical axis which generally intersects the center of the prism assembly.

21. A device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. means for focusing a plurality of light rays;

b. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prisms being configured and dimensioned so that the focusing means can focus the plurality of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prisms; and

c. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration, wherein each prism has a reflective face for receiving light directed thereto after passing through the entry face and for directing light through the exit face of the prism.

22. An optical apparatus for a device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sector members, wherein each of said sector members has a plurality of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sector members being substantially located at the center of the prism assembly, the sector members having prisms being configured and dimensioned so that a plurality of light rays falling generally onto the entry faces of the prisms is directed onto the treatment field; and

b. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sector members such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sector members can be selectively positioned in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising means for focusing a plurality of light rays so as to fall generally onto the entry faces of the prism.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the means for focusing a plurality of light rays comprises at least one generally reflective optical system.

25. An optical apparatus for a device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prisms being configured and dimensioned so that a plurality of light rays falling generally onto the entry faces of the prisms is directed onto the treatment field;

an

b. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively positioned in a configuration being one of a generally planar an a non-planar configuration, wherein each prism has a reflective face for receiving light directed thereto after passing through the entry face and for directing light through the exit face of the prism.

26. An optical apparatus for a device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prisms being configured an dimensioned so that a plurality of light rays falling generally onto the entry faces of the prisms is directed onto the treatment field;

b. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively positioned in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration; and

c. means for focusing plurality of light rays so as to fall generally onto the entry faces of the prisms, wherein the means for focusing a plurality of light rays comprises at least one generally toroidal optical system,

27. An optical apparatus for a device for lighting a treatment field comprising

a. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of curved prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of curved prisms being configured and dimensioned so that a plurality of light rays falling generally onto the entry faces of the prisms is directed onto the treatment field;

b. the exit faces of the curved prisms being generally arc shaped along the length of the sector; and

c. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration.

28. An optical apparatus for a device for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of straight prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of straight prisms being configured and dimensioned so that a plurality of light rays falling generally onto the entry faces of the prism is directed onto the treatment field;

b. the exit faces of the straight prisms being generally arc shaped along the length of the sector; and

c. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration.

29. Method for lighting a treatment field comprising:

a. positioning a lighting device adjacent and at a desired height above the treatment field, the lighting device comprising;

1. light source;

2. means for focusing a plurality of light rays from the light source;

3. prism assembly formed of a plurality of sectors of prisms, each prism having an entry face and an exit face, the vertices of the sectors being substantially located in the center of the prism assembly, the sectors of prisms being configured and dimensioned so that the focusing means can focus the plurality of light rays generally onto the entry faces of the prisms; and

4. means for displacing at least a predetermined number of sectors such that the exit faces of the prisms of the predetermined sectors can be selectively disposed in a configuration being one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration;

b. turning on the light source; and

c. selectively operating the displacing means so as to selectively dispose the exit faces of the prisms in one of a generally planar and a non-planar configuration so as to produce a predetermined light spot size at a desired plane with a corresponding relatively reduced intensity area of light at planes at least above and below the plane of the small light spot.