U.S. patent number 3,738,632 [Application Number 05/121,365] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-12 for weight-balancing arrangement at vertically displaceable instrument tables for ophthalmological apparatus or the like.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Optische Werke G. Rodenstock. Invention is credited to Franz Mayerhofer.
United States Patent |
3,738,632 |
Mayerhofer |
June 12, 1973 |
WEIGHT-BALANCING ARRANGEMENT AT VERTICALLY DISPLACEABLE INSTRUMENT
TABLES FOR OPHTHALMOLOGICAL APPARATUS OR THE LIKE
Abstract
A weight-balancing arrangement on essentially vertically
displaceable instrument tables for ophthalmological apparatus or
the like which includes a pull rope connected with a spring and
engaging at the apparatus support approximately in the centroidal
axis thereof to counteract the weight; the drawing direction of the
spring extends in an approximately horizontal plane while the rope
is connected at one end with a downward extension of the apparatus
support and over a section thereof is guided by way of reversing
rollers in the direction of movement of the apparatus support.
Inventors: |
Mayerhofer; Franz (Munich,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Optische Werke G. Rodenstock
(Munich, DT)
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Family
ID: |
5764175 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/121,365 |
Filed: |
March 5, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 5, 1970 [DT] |
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P 20 10 386.0 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
267/135;
351/245 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G12B
5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G12B
5/00 (20060101); F16f 001/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;267/156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 2 No. 1 June/1959.
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Primary Examiner: Marbert; James B.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A weight-balancing arrangement on essentially vertically
displaceable instrument tables for ophthalmological apparatus or
the like, with pull rope means operatively connected with a spring
means and engaging at an apparatus support means approximately in
its axis of gravity and counteracting the weight thereof,
characterized in that the stressing direction of said spring means
is arranged in an approximately horizontal plane and in that a
downwardly directed extension is arranged at the apparatus support
means within the area of the axis of gravity thereof, said rope
means being operatively connected with the free end of said
extension.
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the
draw direction of the spring means extends in the approximately
horizontal plane.
3. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that said
rope means over a section thereof is guided substantially in the
direction of movement of the apparatus support means with the aid
of reversing roller means.
4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that a
spiral spring is provided as said spring means.
5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the
movable end of the spring means is operatively connected with the
rope means by way of a converting means converting the variable
spring force into a constant draw force of the rope means
6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that said
converting means includes a rope disk with spirally shaped engaging
surface for the rope means.
7. An arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the
spiral spring is arranged in a spring housing and is connected with
one end thereof wit said housing, and in that said spring housing
is adjustable about its axis of rotation.
8. An arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said
spring housing is of substantially cylindrical shape.
9. An arrangement according to claim 8, characterized by means for
adjusting the prestress of said spring by rotating said spring
housing to a predetermined initial prestress position and locking
said housing in said position.
10. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a
spiral spring is provided as said spring means.
11. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the
movable end of the spring means is operatively connected with the
rope means by way of a converting means converting the variable
spring force into a constant draw force of the rope means.
12. An arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that
said converting means includes a rope disk with spirally shaped
engaging surface for the rope means.
13. An arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the
spiral spring is arranged in a spring housing and is connected with
one end thereof with said housing, and in that said spring housing
is adjustable about its axis of rotation.
14. An arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that
said spring housing is of substantially cylindrical shape.
15. An arrangement according to claim 14, characterized by means
for adjusting the prestress of said spring by rotating said spring
housing to a predetermined initial prestress position and locking
said housing in said position.
16. An arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the
movable end of the spring means is operatively connected with the
rope means by way of a converting means converting the variable
spring force into a constant draw force of the rope means.
Description
The present invention relates to a weight-balancing arrangement at
essentially vertically displaceable instrument tables for
ophthalmological apparatus or the like, with a pull rope connected
with a spring and engaging at the instrument support approximately
in the axis of gravity thereof.
It is known in the prior art to provide a weight-balancing or
weight-compensating arrangement at instrument tables for
ophthalmological apparatus, which permits a height adjustment of
the instrument table that is balanced as much as possible as
regards weight. For that purpose, a compression or draw spring was
provided heretofore, which is arranged is proximity to the guide
elements of the instrument table. Such spring must possess as flat
as possible a spring characteristic in order that the weight of the
instrument table with the attached ophthalmological instruments or
apparatus is at least approximately uniformly balanced over the
adjusting path. The prerequisite of the flat characteristics of the
spring results structurally in a very long spring that can be
constructively accommodated only relatively poorly. The arrangement
of the bulky balancing spring in the axis of gravity of the table,
which is desirable for the reduction of friction losses on the
inside of the guide means of the instrument table, cannot be
attained in practice.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
weight-balancing arrangement which permits by an extremely flat
spring characteristic, a far-reaching weight-balancing over the
entire adjustment path of the instrument table, yet has dimensions
which do not impair the overall structure of the instrument table.
In particular, the weight-balancing arrangement should possess
slight dimensions in the vertical direction and should not require
more space in the vertical direction than corresponds to the
adjusting path of the instrument table. Additionally, the influence
of the friction at the guide elements of the instrument table
should be limited far-reachingly.
The underlying problems are solved according to the present
invention in that the draw direction of the spring extends in an
approximately horizontal plane and in that a downwardly directed
extension is arranged at the instrument support within the area of
its axis of gravity, with the free end of which is connected the
pull rope guided over a section thereof in the direction of
movement of the apparatus support with the aid of reversing
rollers.
For the purpose of achieving a particularly flat characteristic of
the spring arrangement, a spiral spring may be provided as draw
spring, whose movable end is connected by way of a rotating shaft
with a drum, on which is wound an end section of the pull rope.
Insofar as a constant draw force in the rope is desired, a
conventional arrangement may be provided between the spring and the
pull rope which converts the spring force variable as a function of
the path into a constant draw force of the rope. For example, a
rope disk with an eccentric abutment or engaging surface for the
pull rope may be utilized for that purpose. The abutment surface is
then to be so dimensioned that the radius thereof effective at the
pull rope increases with the effective spring force.
In order to enable an adaptation of the force of the
weight-balancing arrangement acting on the instrument table to the
instrument and apparatus attachments with different weight, the
prestress of the spring may be adjustable. For example, with the
use of a spiral spring, this spring may be arranged in a
cylindrical spring housing and may be connected to the spring
housing with one end thereof. This spring housing may then be
constructed rotatable about its axis and lockable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
weight-balancing arrangement for instrument tables, especially for
opthalmological apparatus, which avoids by simple means the
aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered in the prior
art.
Another object of the present invention resides in a
weight-balancing arrangement for vertically displaceable instrument
tables, for example, for ophthalmological apparatus, which permits
a relatively compact construction minimizing friction losses and
assuring an extraordinary flat spring characteristic.
A further object of the present invention resides in a
weight-balancing arrangement of the type described above which
insures a far-reaching weight equalization over the entire
adjusting path of the instrument table without increasing the
dimensions of the installation or of the overall construction of
the instrument table.
Still another object of the present invention resides in a
weight-balancing arrangement for instrument tables which not only
achieves all of the aforementioned aims and objects in a completely
satisfactory manner, but also permits adjustment of the
weight-balancing arrangement to compensate for the attachment of
instruments of different weight.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more obvious from the following description
when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows,
for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance
with the present invention, and wherein:
The single FIGURE is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view
through a weight-balancing arrangement of an instrument table for
ophthalmological apparatus or the like in accordance with the
present invention.
Referring now to the single FIGURE of the drawing, the apparatus
support 1, 3, 4 is displaceably guided on a vertical guide column 5
with the aid of a guide bush 2. The guide column 5 is fixedly
arranged in a base plate 6. A vertically downwardly directed
extension 7 is arranged at the lower cantilever arm 1 of the
apparatus support; the pull rope 9 is secured at the free end 8 of
the extension 7. The pull rope 9 is guided within the area of the
extension 7 in the direction of movement of the apparatus support
1, 3, 4 with the aid of the reversing roller 10. From the reversing
roller 10, the pull rope 9 leads by way of a further reversing
roller 11 onto an eccentric rope drum 12 which is connected by way
of the rotating shaft 13 with the inner end of a spiral spring 14.
The outer end of the spiral spring 14 is connected with the
cylindrical spring housing 15. The spring housing 15 is rotatable
and adjustable by conventional means about the axis 13. The spindle
arrangement 16 of conventional construction serves in the usual
manner for the fine height adjustment of the apparatus. Since the
spindle arrangement 16 is known as such, a detailed description
thereof is dispensed with herein.
By reason of the arrangement of the extension 7 approximately in
the centroidal axis of the entire vertically adjustable instrument
support 1, 3, 4, no tilting moment occurs between the guide bush 2
and the guide column 5 so that the arrangement operates practically
without friction.
The horizontally arranged spiral spring 14 occupies only a slight
amount of space in the vertical direction which does not influence
the remaining constructive design and configuration of the
apparatus support. Possibly the spring arrangement may also be
arranged on the inside of the base plate 6. The use of, for
example, a spirally shaped rope drum 12 in conjunction with a
spring housing 15 adjustable in the circumferential direction
permits a sensitive matching with a very fine-feel of the constant
lifting force of the balancing arrangement to the prevailing weight
of the apparatus support in connection with different apparatus
attachments.
While I have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance
with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not
limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and
modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and I therefore
do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described
herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as
are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *