Carrier system for a medical apparatus

• US 6,899,307 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
• Original Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
• Inventors: Abele, Alfons, Zimmermann, Fritz, Strauss, Wolfgang, Weber, Lauric, Lehmann, Maren, Krug, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZUMNY, JONATHON A
• Application Number:
  US10/440,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 248/274.1, 248/276.1, 248/278.1, 248/280.11, 248/292.11, 248/122.1, 248/123.11, 248/123.2, 248/124.1, 396/428, 312/223.6
• US Class Current: 248/280.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/5025 with a counter-balancing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/25 Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2071 for panning and rolling F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/42 with arrangement for propelling the support stands on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 14/04 carried on wheeled supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/06 Bases for movable standing lamps; Fixing standards to the bases F21V21/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/20 Lighting for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0012 Surgical microscopes counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/24 Base structure

Abstract

A carrier system (10) for a medical apparatus (11) is disclosed. The carrier system includes rotation joints (17, 18, 20). A supply line harness runs in the carrier system (10) and is run so that it is covered. The rotation joint (18) includes a tube-shaped holding member on which fingers are formed which hold a rotation joint. A joint element, which is rotatably journalled in a joint receptacle, is provided in the rotation joint (20). The joint element has a wave-shaped section which is connected via a connecting section to an annularly-shaped section functioning to accommodate a connecting arm.

Claims

1. A carrier system for a medical apparatus, the carrier system comprising:

a first holding arm adapted to be operatively connected to the medical apparatus;

a carrier arm;

a joint unit for connecting said first holding arm to said carrier arm;

said joint unit including means for compensating for a load torque;

a supply wiring harness adapted to be connected to said medical apparatus;

said first holding arm, said carrier arm and said joint unit conjointly defining an enclosed path for accommodating said supply wiring harness therein;

wherein said first holding arm is supported by said carrier arm; and

, said carrier system further comprises a second holding arm for receiving the medical apparatus thereon and wherein said second holding arm is connected to said first holding arm;

wherein said joint unit is a first joint unit and said carrier system further comprises a second joint unit for connecting said second holding arm to said first holding arm; and

, said second joint unit includes means for compensating for a load torque, and

wherein said second joint unit is a rotational joint including a joint receptacle and a joint element rotatably journalled in said joint receptacle; and

, said joint element further includes a shaft section and an annularly-shaped section for accommodating a connecting arm and a connecting section for connecting said annularly-shaped section to said shaft section.

2. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein said connecting section includes:

bores;

rotation limiting members for placement in said bores; and

, stop lugs formed in said joint receptacle for coacting with said rotation limiting members to effect a limiting of rotation.

3. The carrier system of claim 2, wherein said first joint unit is a rotation joint including a tubularly-shaped holding member having at least one holding finger formed thereon and a rotational bearing held by said finger.

4. The carrier system of claim 3, said rotation joint further including a shaft element journalled in said rotational bearing and a tubularly-shaped sleeve connected to said shaft element;

and, said first holding arm being connected to said tubularly-shaped sleeve.

5. The carrier system of claim 4, said tubularly-shaped holding member being connected to said carrier arm by means of a rotation joint.

6. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein said enclosed path includes a segment through said annularly-shaped section for guiding said supply wire harness therein.

7. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said joint units is configured as a rotational joint having a cable passthrough.