Light for medical use

• US 5,820,253 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delma Elektro- Und Medizinische Apparatebau Gesellschaft MbH
• Original Assignee: Delma Elektro- Und Medizinische Apparatebau Gesellschaft MbH
• Inventors: Scholz, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/707,810
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 362/804, 362/419, 362/287, 362/285, 362/294, 362/373, 362/310, 362/418, 362/371, 362/370, 362/374, 362/375, 362/284, 362/223, 362/298, 362/300, 362/302, 362/303, 362/31971, 362/277, 362/267
• US Class Current: 362/267
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/00 Dental auxiliary appliances dental chairs or accessories therefor, working stands whether or not combined with chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/28 adjustable in more than one plane
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

A light for medical purposes has a lamp housing (11), at least one lamp (12) arranged therein, a reflector (16) arranged therein, and a light transmissive plate arrangement (13) closing off the lamp housing (11) towards the illumination field (14). The lamp housing (11) with the light transmissive plate (13) is closed off towards the exterior for reasons of hygiene and is formed from a material with a lower thermal conductivity than that of human skin, at least at those sites at which a contact by the operating person can arise.

Claims

1. Light for medical use comprising a lamp housing free of cooling slits, made from a material with a lower thermal conductivity than that of human skin, at least where the housing can be contacted by a person using the light, the housing having an opening and at least one lamp arranged in the housing, a reflector arranged in the lamp housing surrounding a portion of the lamp, a light transmissive plate arrangement closing the opening, the lamp housing having a hood covering a side of the reflector facing away from the opening and pivotable in a direction away from the reflector to provide access to and permit exchange of the lamp, a manually actuated lock mechanism for holding the hood in a closed position, a spring acting on the hood, biasing it in said direction and which, on release of the lock mechanism, moves the hood a preset, relatively small portion so that the hood can subsequently be comfortably grasped and opened further.

2. Light for medical use comprising a lamp housing having an opening and at least one lamp arranged therein for directing light through the opening, a linkage for supporting the light, a gas spring joint operatively coupled with the linkage and the lamp housing and permitting the lamp housing to pivot in generally, up and down directions about a normally horizontal pivot axis defined by the gas spring joint, the gas spring joint including at least one gas spring adapted to maintain the lamp housing in an at least approximate equilibrium with respect to the pivot axis when the lamp housing is supported by the linkage, the gas spring joint having a sine characteristic curve such that, independent of its pivotal position, there is always at least substantially an equilibrium between respective torques exerted by the lamp housing and the gas spring joint about the pivot axis, an arm extending from the lamp housing, an intermediate member connecting the arm and the gas spring joint which is movable relative to both, and a handle operatively coupled with the lamp housing and oriented transversely to the arm for manipulating the housing via the arm relative to the pivot axis.

3. A medical examination light for medical use comprising a lamp housing free of vent apertures communicating an interior of the housing with an exterior thereof, having an opening and at least one heat emitting lamp arranged in the housing interior, directing its light through the opening and generating sufficient heat when in use so that the housing is heated to a temperature of at least about 70°

C., a reflector arranged in the lamp housing surrounding a portion of the lamp, a light transmissive plate arrangement closing the opening, and infrared filter means arranged in the lamp housing between the lamp and the opening, the lamp housing and the plate defining an enclosure for an interior of the light which is free of openings, the lamp housing being made of a material having a thermal conductivity which is lower than that of human skin so that a user of the light can touch the lamp housing without adverse effects due to the elevated housing temperature and a contamination of the housing interior is prevented.

4. Light for medical use comprising a lamp housing free of vent apertures communicating an interior of the housing with an exterior thereof, having an opening and at least one heat emitting lamp arranged in the housing interior, directing its light through the opening and generating sufficient heat when in use so that the housing is heated to an elevated temperature sufficient to cause a skin burn when touched by a human, a reflector arranged in the lamp housing surrounding a portion of the lamp, and a light transmissive plate arrangement closing the opening, the lamp housing and the plate defining an enclosure for an interior of the light which is free of openings, the lamp housing being made of a material having a thermal conductivity which is lower than that of human skin so that a user of the light can touch the lamp housing without adverse effects due to the elevated housing temperature and a contamination of the housing interior is prevented, wherein the lamp housing has a covering hood pivotable in an upward direction and covering sides of the reflector other than a side facing the opening, the covering hood being sufficiently pivotable so the lamp becomes accessible and can be manually exchanged.

5. Light in accordance with claim 4, including a manually actuated lock mechanism for releasably retaining the covering hood in a closed position.

6. Light in accordance with claim 5, including a spring incrementally moving the covering hood in an opening direction upon unlocking the lock mechanism such that the covering hood subsequently can comfortably be grasped and opened further.

7. Light for medical use comprising a lamp housing free of vent apertures communicating an interior of the housing with an exterior thereof, having an opening and at least one heat emitting lamp arranged in the housing interior, directing its light through the opening and generating sufficient heat when in use so that the housing is heated to an elevated temperature sufficient to cause a skin burn when touched by a human, a reflector arranged in the lamp housing surrounding a portion of the lamp, a counter-reflector which is small in relation to the reflector and arranged in front of the lamp relative to the opening, and including means for moving the counter-reflector towards and away from the reflector, and a light transmissive plate arrangement closing the opening, the lamp housing and the plate defining an enclosure for an interior of the light which is free of openings, the lamp housing being made of a material having a thermal conductivity which is lower than that of human skin so that a user of the light can touch the lamp housing without adverse effects due to the elevated housing temperature and a contamination of the housing interior is prevented.

8. Light in accordance with claim 7, including means for releasably mounting the lamp to the reflector on a side thereof facing away from the opening.

9. Light in accordance with claim 9, including a carrier rod adjustably mounting the lamp so that its position is changeable in a direction towards and away from the opening.