Medical appliance with magnetic adjustment apparatus

• US 8,100,891 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Baur, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANDALL, LYNSEY P
• Application Number:
  US11/988,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00928 by sending a signal to an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/014 Application surgical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0006 Permanent magnet actuating reed switches H01H35/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0073 actuated by relative movement between two magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/972 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard

Abstract

A medical appliance with an adjustment apparatus, such that cleaning of the medical appliance, constructed with the adjustment apparatus, can be carried out reliably and simply. The medical appliance includes a first setting device disposed at an outer side on a housing of the appliance, and a second setting device disposed in the interior of the appliance. The second setting device is designed to actuate a setting element for adjustment of a controllable and/or regulatable device. The first setting device and the second setting device each comprise magnet elements, by which the first setting device cooperates with the second setting device in such a way that the one setting device actuates the other setting device for the transmission of adjustments, the cooperation of the setting devices being achieved by way of a magnetic coupling.

Claims

1. A medical appliance with an adjustment apparatus, comprising:

a first setting device disposed at an outer side of a housing the appliance; and

a second setting device disposed in an interior of the appliance, the second setting device being designed to actuate a setting element for adjustment of a controllable and/or regulatable device,

wherein the first setting device and the second setting device each comprises magnet elements, by which the first setting device cooperates with the second setting device in such a way that one of the first and second setting devices actuates the other of the first and second setting devices in order to mediate an adjustment of the controllable and/or regulatable device, such that the cooperation of the first and second setting devices is achieved by way of a magnetic coupling,

wherein the first setting device is constructed such that the first setting device is placed on a receiving element, wherein the receiving element is formed so as to be integral with and protruding from the housing, such that the first setting device is then rotatably disposed on and surrounding the receiving element,

wherein in order to transmit an adjustment in the form of a moment of torque by way of the setting devices, the magnet elements of the first setting device and the second setting device are disposed with respect to one another in such a way that they produce a magnetic field that is not rotationally symmetric with reference to an axis of rotation of the setting devices, so that during rotation of one of the setting devices the magnetic field between the magnet elements undergoes an alteration which produces mutual entrainment of the setting devices.

2. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the magnet elements are constructed as permanent-magnet elements or ferromagnetic elements, such that at least one of the setting devices comprises at least one permanent-magnet element.

3. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device and the second setting device are separated from one another by the housing, and are situated opposite one another, wherein the housing is constructed with no openings in a region within which the setting devices operate.

4. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the actuation of the other of the first and second setting devices by the one of the first and second setting devices is achieved in that the one of the first and second setting devices entrains the other of the first and second setting devices.

5. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device is designed to be disposed in a guide means on the housing, for holding and guiding the first setting device in such a way that it is shifted substantially linearly relative to the housing.

6. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device is constructed as a knob element to be actuated by a user.

7. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the second setting device comprises a carrier element on which at least one magnet element is disposed at an end directed towards the outside of the appliance, and on which the setting element for adjusting the controllable and/or regulatable device is attached at an end that is directed towards the interior of the appliance.

8. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the controllable and/or regulatable device is constructed as one of a potentiometer, a valve or other similar device.

9. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the setting element is constructed as one of a shaft for transferring a rotational movement and a rod for transferring a linear movement.

10. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device comprises at least one magnet element disposed at an end face at an end of the first setting device directed towards the interior of the appliance, to produce a magnetic field during the magnetic coupling.

11. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the second setting device comprises at least one magnet element disposed at an end face at an end of the second setting device directed towards the outside of the appliance, to produce a magnetic field during the magnetic coupling.

12. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first setting device and the second setting device comprises at least one of a horseshoe magnet and a bar magnet.

13. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device is constructed so that it is fixed in position on the appliance by a force that is generated by the magnetic coupling.

14. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element comprises at least one of permanent-magnet elements and ferromagnetic elements that cooperate with the magnet elements of at least one of an associated first setting device and an associated second setting device in such a way that the force generated by the magnetic coupling to hold at least the first setting device to the appliance is intensified.

15. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first setting device and the receiving element are so constructed that when the first setting device is placed on the receiving element it comes into locking engagement therewith.

16. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the setting element is constructed as at least one reed contact for actuation and/or adjustment of the controllable and/or regulatable device, the first setting device being constructed so that during its actuation, the reed contact is actuated.