U.S. patent application number 10/459904 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for viewing system.
This patent application is currently assigned to MJM Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Wachob, Eric.
Application Number | 20040251390 10/459904 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33510893 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040251390 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wachob, Eric |
December 16, 2004 |
Viewing system
Abstract
An operating room having an operating table, an overhead
supported system including illuminating fixtures and a television
system is disclosed. The system includes an overhead mounted
tubular support arm having a supported end adapted to be rotated
about a vertical axis. The arm also includes a horizontal section
including a bend remote from the supported end. A television camera
is positioned to image a patient on the table and a TV monitor is
supported by the arm. The system includes a coaxial cable connected
operably to the camera and connected to the monitor for
transmitting image producing signals from the camera to the
monitor. A helical pulley is in the supported end. The pulley
includes a helical perimetral groove and a portion of the cable
engages the groove, the cable extends from the pulley through the
arm to the monitor and includes a coiled portion disposed in the
arm.
Inventors: |
Wachob, Eric; (Chardon,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WATTS, HOFFMANN, FISHER & HEINKE CO., L.P.A.
Ste. 1750
1100 Superior Ave.
Cleveland
OH
44114
US
|
Assignee: |
MJM Industries, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
33510893 |
Appl. No.: |
10/459904 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/323 ;
248/919 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21S 8/043 20130101;
F16M 2200/044 20130101; H02G 11/00 20130101; F21V 21/26 20130101;
A61G 2203/20 20130101; F16M 11/2014 20130101; F16M 13/027 20130101;
F21W 2131/205 20130101; F16M 11/10 20130101; A61G 12/004 20130101;
A61B 90/50 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/323 ;
248/919 |
International
Class: |
A47H 001/10 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A tubular monitor support assembly for overhead suspension
comprising: a) a support arm having support end portion adapted to
be supportedly connected to an overhead support; b) the arm
including a tubular portion adapted to extend generally
horizontally from the support end portion; c) the arm including a
bend remote from the arm end portion; d) the bend connecting a
remote end portion to the tubular portion; e) a coaxial cable
within the arm; f) a pulley having a helical groove disposed in the
support end portion, a portion of the cable being disposed in the
groove; and, g) the cable including a coiled portion disposed
within the arm at a location remote from the support end
portion.
2. An overhead suspension including the arm of claim one and a
monitor connected to the arm and the cable.
3. The arm of claim 1 wherein the bend is about 90 degrees.
4. The arm of claim 3 wherein the pulley has a vertical axis when
in use.
5. The arm of claim 4 wherein the support end portion and the
pulley are coaxial when in use.
6. The arm of claim 1 wherein the pulley has a vertical axis when
in use.
7. The arm of claim 6 wherein the support end portion and the
pulley are coaxial when in use.
8. The arm of claim 1 wherein the support end portion closely
surrounds the pulley whereby to maintain the cable in the pulley
groove.
9. The assembly of claim 8 furthering a vertical support tube for
vertical suspension from an overhead when in use wherein the
support arm end portion is journaled on the tube.
10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the pulley is pinned to the
tube.
11. In an operating room having an operating table, an overhead
supported system including illuminating fixtures and a television
system, the system comprising: a) an overhead mounted tubular
support arm having a supported end portion adapted to be rotated
about a vertical axis; b) the arm including a horizontal section
extending from the supported portion; c) the arm further including
a bend connected to the horizontal section at a connection remote
from the supported end; d) the system further including a
television apparatus including a camera positioned to image a
patient on the table and a monitor supported by the arms; e) the
system also including a coaxial cable operably connected to the
camera and connected to the monitor for transmitting image
producing signals from the camera to the monitor; f) a helical
pulley mounted coaxially within the supported end portion for
relative rotation, the pulley including a helical perimetral
groove, a portion of the cable engaging the pulley in the groove;
g) the cable extending from the pulley through the arm to the
monitor; and, h) the cable including a coiled portion disposed in
the arm.
12. The system of claim 11 further including a tubular support
depending from overhead and extending into the end portion, the end
portion being journaled on the tube and the pulley being connected
to the tube to prevent relative rotation.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the end portion closely
surrounds the pulley whereby to maintain the cable in the groove
when the arm is rotated relative to the pulley.
14. The system of claim 11 wherein the end portion closely
surrounds the pulley whereby to maintain the cable in the groove
when the arm is rotated relative to the pulley.
15. A sheave comprising: a) an annular body having a through axial
passage; b) the body including a helical groove formed in a
peripheral surface of the body and extending for at least 360
degrees about the body; and, c) the body also including a radial
passage communicating the axial passage with the groove.
16. In combination with the sheave of claim 15 a conductor
extending into the axial passage, through the radial passage and
having a section in the groove.
17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the conductor is a coaxial
cable for transmitting video signals to a monitor.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to viewing systems and more
particularly to a ceiling mounted rotational arm system including a
closed circuit television viewing arrangement which is ideal for
use in an operating room.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A typical operating room includes a patient supporting table
positioned beneath ceiling mounted illumination. In many instances
a modern operating room will also include a closed circuit
television viewing system. Cameras for such systems are positioned
to provide live television images of surgical procedures as they
progress.
[0003] Output signals developed by such cameras are transmitted to
monitors in the operating room for viewing by members of a surgical
team. The output signals may also be transmitted to monitors in
remote locations to enable persons not in the operating room to
observe surgical procedures. Thus, the monitors may be viewed by
those performing and assisting the surgery and others as well.
Indeed with many modern day surgical procedures where TV cameras
are inserted into patients such monitors often provide the only
images of the surgery that the surgeon can observe.
[0004] It has been proposed that TV monitors in an operating room
be supported by ceiling mounts. The stiffness of coaxial cables
transmitting image producing signals to suspended monitors is such
that it has heretofore been impossible to provide a ceiling
supported arm carrying a monitor while providing a suitable range
of adjustment to permit other than minimal repositioning of the
monitor. Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a ceiling
mounted support for a TV monitor which support is adjustable over a
range of adjustment to permit the monitor to be repositioned from
time to time.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] An adjustable ceiling mounted support for a TV monitor
embodies the present invention. The support includes a tubular arm
having a mounting end section. The mounting section, when in use,
has a through passage mounted with its axis vertical. A tubular arm
extends horizontally when in use, from the mounting section. The
arm defines a horizontal internal passage in communication with the
mounting section passage. The tubular arm includes a 90 degree bend
at a location remote from the mounting section. A further tubular
arm is suspended from the support arm to in turn support the TV
monitor.
[0006] A tubular pulley or sheave including a helical, perimetral
groove is coaxially mounted in the mounting section. A coaxial
cable extends downwardly from the ceiling into a pulley bore and
thence through a wall of the helical pulley to the helical groove
formed in the perimeter of the pulley. The cable is wrapped around
the pulley in the helical groove. The extent to which the cable is
wrapped in the groove depends on the orientation of the support as
the support assembly is rotated around the vertical axis while the
pulley or sheave is maintained stationary. The inside diameter of
the mounting section and the diameter of the pulley are sized to
coact in maintaining the cable snugly in the groove. This coaction
assures appropriate pay out and pick up of the cable relative to
the pulley as the arm and mounting section are rotated around the
vertical axis and the stationary sheave.
[0007] The coax cable extends through the tubular arm to a coiled
section of the cable positioned in or near the bend. In use if the
support arm is rotated about the vertical axis of the mounting
section stretching or contraction of the coiled sections occurs. As
the stretching or contraction occurs, coaction of the sheave, the
mounting section and the cable cause the cable to be fed out from
or further wrapped in, the helical groove. Thus, the novel
construction accommodates TV monitor repositioning over a range
that has not been available in prior monitor supporting
arrangements.
[0008] Accordingly the objects of the invention are to provide a
novel and improved TV monitor support especially suited for use in
a surgical environment and a process of positioning a monitor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
[0009] In the drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view showing an operating
table very schematically and a ceiling mounted illumination and
television arrangement;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a
helical pulley or sheave made in accordance with the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the mounting apparatus of the
present invention as seen from a vertical plane through the ceiling
mount of FIG. 1; and,
[0013] FIG. 4 is a foreshortened and somewhat fragmentary sectional
view as seen from a plane normal to the plane of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular,
an operating table is shown very schematically at 10. The table is
mounted on a floor 12 of an operating room. A ceiling mounted
assembly 14 is suspended from a ceiling 15 above the table 10. The
assembly 14 includes an articulated pair of lamp arms 16 supporting
a lamp 18. The lamp arms are adjustably connected by a pivot at 20.
An upper one of the arms 16 includes an end section 22 mounted for
rotation about a vertical axis of a vertically suspended support
tube 23, FIG. 3 .
[0015] A TV camera mounting is shown at 24 below the lamp arm
mounting 22. The mountings 22, 24 are tubular and axially aligned.
The mounting 24, like the mounting 22 is rotatable about the same
vertical support tube 23 and axis. The camera mounting 24 supports
an articulated pair of arms 25 which in turn support a TV camera
26. The TV camera is positioned to image an operation being
performed on the table 10 and to provide output signals for a
closed circuit television system.
[0016] A pair of monitor support arms are shown generally at 28
& 29. For simplicity and clarity of description only the
support arm 28 will be described in detail it being understood the
support arm 29 corresponds to the support arm 28. The support arm
28 includes a tubular end mounting section 30. The end mounting
section 30 is axially aligned with the mountings 22, 24 for the
lamp arms 16 and the TV camera arms 25. The mounting section 30 is
rotatably supported on the support tube 23 by a bearing 31, FIG.
3.
[0017] The support arm 28 includes a tubular portion 32 extending
horizontally from the mounting section 30. The tubular portion 32
includes a 90 degree bend 34 remote from the mounting section 30. A
further arm 35 is pivotally mounted at 36 to an end of the tubular
portion 32 remote from the mounting section 30. A flat panel
monitor is shown schematically at 38. The monitor is suspended from
the further arm 35 by a support arm 39 in the shape of an inverted
question mark.
[0018] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the novel features of the
present invention which permit substantial repositioning of the
monitor 38 are shown. The assembly includes a coaxial cable 40
which provides imaging signals to the monitor 38. For clarity of
illustration the conductors for providing power to the lamp 18 and
for transmitting pick up signals from the TV camera 26 to
processing circuitry are not shown. The camera signals which are
transmitted to processing circuitry cause the circuitry to in turn
transmit imaging signals through the coaxial cable 40. The coaxial
cable 40 has substantial stiffness with the result that there has
been extremely limited adjustability available in prior supports.
Indeed prior systems can be said to be unadjustable.
[0019] With the present invention a novel pulley or sheave 42 is
provided and best seen in FIG. 2. The pulley 42 includes a through
axial bore 44. The pulley 42 also includes a perimetral helical
groove 46. The pulley bore 44 communicates with the groove 46
through a radial opening 48. The cable 40 extends through the bore
of the end mounting section 22 into the pulley bore 44 thence
through the opening 48 into the helical groove 46. The cable then
extends through a side opening 50 in the end section 30 to the bore
within the tubular portion 32 of the arm 28. As is best seen in
FIG. 3, a pin 51 connects the sheave 42 to the support tube 23 so
that the mounting section 30 may be rotated around and relative to
the sheave 42.
[0020] The cable 40 includes a coiled section 52, FIGS. 3 and 4. As
the support for the monitor is rotated about the vertical axis of
the mounting section 30 and/or adjusted up and down, the coiled
section is expanded and contracted depending on the direction of
adjustments and the cable is either played out from or further
wound into the helical groove 46. The coiled section of the cable
is designed to take up slack in the cable, as it is wound and
unwound about the helical cuts in the sheave. The stiffness of the
cable, as it is fed from or wound onto the sheave 42 causes the
cord to wrap in and out of the helical grooves. The close
surrounding fit of the mounting section 30 about the sheave and the
cable is an important factor in controlling the effective length of
the cable. Further at least that portion of the cable which does or
may engage the internal wall of the mounting section 30 is equipped
with a slippery surface in the form of a wrap of Nylon expandable
sleeving.
[0021] The described system provides significant adjustability not
available in prior systems. For example, in tests of a prototype
system a support arm corresponding to the arm 28, adjustment of 540
degrees of rotation was available. Thus if, for example, the table
is repositioned or a new table 10 is installed, substantial
readjustment of the positioning of the monitor 38 may be required
and the system of the present invention will accommodate such
repositioning.
[0022] A cathode ray tube type monitor 54 monitor is also shown in
FIG. 1. The CRT monitor 54 is carried by a further arm 56 and a
support tray 58. The further arm 56 is pivotally supported by the
monitor support arm 29. In practice, one, two or more monitors may
be ceiling mounted. Each monitor may be either a flat panel or a
CRT type although the panel type monitors are preferred because
they are more compact and lighter in weight.
[0023] Although the invention has been described in its preferred
form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that
the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by
way of example and that numerous changes in the details of
construction, operation and the combination and arrangement of
parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *