Support having an adjusting device

• US 6,254,046 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung Heldenheim/Brenz
• Original Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
• Inventors: Biber, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/234,221
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 248/279.1, 248/274.1, 248/284.1, 248/286.1, 248/285.51, 248/224.1, 248/287.1, 248/178, 248/476, 248/913, 248/288.11, 248/298.1, 248/296.1, 248/291.1, 248/288.31, 248/124.1, 248/124.2, 248/123.11, 248/288.51, 248/12.8, 425/141, 425/367
• US Class Current: 248/287.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/25 Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/045 adapted to left-right translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/048 adapted to forward-backward translation movement
• 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 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/04 Balancing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/001 Counterbalanced structures, e.g. surgical microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/913 Two axis article engaging means, e.g. x - y device

Abstract

The invention is directed to a support (1) for an apparatus (3) which is to be suspended so as to be movable. The support (1) includes a holding arm (17) and an adjusting unit (19) mounted on the holding arm (17). The adjusting device (19) includes a slidingly displaceable sliding disc (25).

Claims

1. A support for an apparatus which is suspended and movable, the support comprising:

a holding arm;

an adjusting unit on which said apparatus can be mounted and displaced relative to said holding arm;

said adjusting unit including a slidably displaceable slide disc;

said adjusting unit including a slide housing and said slide disc being displaceably mounted in said slide housing;

said slide housing being connected to said holding arm and said apparatus being connectable to said slide disc;

said slide housing defining a slide plane and said slide housing and said slide disc conjointly defining first and second interfaces on respective sides of said slide plane; and

said adjusting unit further including respective sets of slide bearings at said first and second interfaces.

2. The support of claim 1, said adjusting unit further including a slide guidance arrangement for guiding said slide disc in said slide plane.

3. The support of claim 2, said slide guidance arrangement including mutually crossed first and second guidance units for guiding said slide disc in two mutually orthogonal directions.

4. The support of claim 3, said adjusting unit further comprising first and second threaded spindle units for displacing said slide disc in said directions, respectively;

and said first and second threaded spindle units including first and second threaded spindles, respectively, which are braced between said slide housing and said slide disc.

5. The support of claim 4, said first and second threaded spindles defining first and second longitudinal axes, respectively;

said slide housing defining first and second contact regions for coacting with said first and second threaded spindles, respectively; and

said first contact region being parallel to said second longitudinal axis and said second contact region being parallel to said first longitudinal axis; and

said first and second threaded spindle units including;

first and second roller bearings for supporting said first and second threaded spindles, respectively, against corresponding ones of said contact regions.

6. The support of claim 5, each of said threaded spindle units comprising a set of pressure springs arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the threaded spindle corresponding thereto and arranged braced in opposition thereto.

7. The support of claim 6, each of said threaded spindle units including a motor mounted in said slide disc for driving the threaded spindle corresponding thereto.

8. An adjusting unit on which an apparatus can be mounted and displaced, the adjusting unit comprising a slidably displaceable slide disc;

said adjusting unit including a slide housing and said slide disc being displaceably mounted in said slide housing;

said apparatus being connectable to said slide disc;

said slide housing defining a slide plane and said slide housing and said slide disc conjointly defining first and second interfaces on respective sides of said slide plane; and

said adjusting unit further including respective sets of slide bearings at said first and second interfaces.

9. The adjusting unit of claim 8, said adjusting unit further including a slide guidance arrangement for guiding said slide disc in said slide plane.

10. The adjusting unit of claim 9, said slide guidance arrangement including mutually crossed first and second guidance units for guiding said slide disc in two mutually orthogonal directions.

11. The adjusting unit of claim 10, said adjusting unit further comprising first and second threaded spindle units for displacing said slide disc in said directions, respectively;

and said first and second threaded spindle units including first and second threaded spindles, respectively, which are braced between said slide housing and said slide disc.

12. The adjusting unit of claim 11, said first and second threaded spindles defining first and second longitudinal axes, respectively;

said slide housing defining first and second contact regions for coacting with said first and second threaded spindles, respectively; and

said first contact region being parallel to said second longitudinal axis and said second contact region being parallel to said first longitudinal axis; and

, said first and second threaded spindle units including;

first and second roller bearings for supporting said first and second threaded spindles, respectively, against corresponding ones of said contact regions.

13. The adjusting unit of claim 12, each of said threaded spindle units comprising a set of pressure springs arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the threaded spindle corresponding thereto and arranged braced in opposition thereto.

14. The adjusting unit of claim 13, each of said threaded spindle units including a motor mounted in said slide disc for driving the threaded spindle corresponding thereto.