One piece C-arm for X-ray diagnostic equipment

• US 5,506,882 A
• Filed: 04/21/1995
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OEC Medical Systems Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hanover, Barry K., Orr, Roy J., Buckingham, Robert G., O'Farrell, Frank B. Jr., Tomasino, Alfred P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, DON KITSUN
• Application Number:
  US08/426,255
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 378/204, 378/203, 378/210, 378/193, 378/197, 378/196, 128/846, 128/849, 128/851, 128/853, 128/854
• US Class Current: 378/197
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49634 Beam or girder

Abstract

A one-piece C-arm for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment included in cross-section two generally vertical sidewalls extending generally parallel to one another, an inner support wall connecting the sidewalls, and an outer support wall spaced-apart from the inner support wall and connecting the sidewalls. A pair of flanges extend outwardly from respective sidewalls, and toward one another to form at least one channel along an outer portion of the C-arm frame for receiving wheels or bearings to allow moveable mounting of the C-arm on diagnostic equipment.

Claims

1. A method for mounting a surgical drape/curtain on an X-ray diagnostic equipment C-arm, the method comprising:

(a) forming grooves along lateral surfaces of a C-arm frame, the grooves being sufficiently deep to receive and hold resilient C-shaped clips,

(b) attaching a surgical drape/curtain to a plurality of resilient C-shaped clips capable of nesting in the grooves formed in the C-arm frame to bridge over an inner circumference of the frame, and

(c) nesting the clips in the grooves formed on the C-arm frame and positioning the clips generally at spaced-apart locations along the length of the C-arm frame.