DRAINAGE DEVICE FOR DRAINING FLUIDS AND/OR WOUND SECRETION FROM THE THROAT AREA, NOSE AREA OR EAR AREA OF A PATIENT, IN PARTICULAR FOR USE AFTER A SURGICAL INTERVENTION IN THE CERVICAL AREA OF THE PATIENT OR IN NEUROLOGY

Abstract

A method for operating an elastically mounted forming machine which is path-bound or force-dependent, in which method a working stroke of a ram device operatively connected to the drive is initiated by means of a drive, and a predefined forming process is carried out on a workpiece by moving the ram device during said working stroke, in particular due to the interaction of an upper tool located on the ram device with a lower tool located on a tool table, wherein the inertial forces and/or moments of inertia occurring during operation owing to the initiation of the working stroke and/or owing to an imbalance in the drive are at least partially compensated. The method, wherein at least one kinematic variable (s(t),v(t),a(t)) of a rigid body motion of the elastically mounted forming machine is detected during the operation thereof, wherein the time at which the working stroke is initiated is adapted to an instantaneous phase position of the at least one kinematic variable (s(t),v(t),a(t)) of the rigid body motion in order to generate inertial forces and/or moments of inertia so as to counteract the rigid body motion of the forming machine.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A drainage device configured to drain fluid and/or wound secretion from a cervical or neurological region of a patient, the drainage device comprising: a flexible drainage tube with one or more drainage openings, insertable into the cervical or neurological region of the patient, and wherein the one or more drainage openings are arranged over a length of 15 cm to 25 cm at a distal end of the drainage tube.

12. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the drainage device is configured to drain the fluid and/or wound secretion after a surgical procedure in an ear, nose or throat region of the patient.

13. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more drainage openings are arranged over a length of 19 cm to 21 cm at the distal end of the drainage tube.

14. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the drainage tube has an outer diameter of 3 mm to 8 mm.

15. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the drainage tube has an inner diameter of 1 mm to 6 mm.

16. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the drainage tube has a length of 30 cm to 100 cm.

17. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the drainage tube has multiple drainage openings spaced from each other.

18. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein a spacing between the respective drainage openings along the length of the drainage tube is constant.

19. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein a spacing between the respective drainage openings along the length of the drainage tube is irregular.

20. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein a size of the drainage openings increases in a direction of the distal end of the drainage tube.

21. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein a spacing between the drainage openings decreases in a direction of the distal end of the drainage tube.

22. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein the multiple drainage openings each have a length of 2 mm to 6 mm.

23. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein the multiple drainage openings each have a width of 1 mm to 4 mm.

24. The drainage device according to claim 17, wherein the multiple drainage openings are arranged at opposite sides of the drainage tube.

25. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the proximal end of the drainage tube has a connector to connect the drainage tube to a container to collect the fluid and/or wound secretion.

26. The drainage device according to claim 11, further comprising a container to collect the fluid and/or wound secretion.

27. The drainage device according to claim 26, wherein the container is a bag.

28. The drainage device according to claim 26, wherein the container is a vacuum container.

29. The drainage device according to claim 11, wherein the distal end of the drainage tube is at least one of atraumatic and rounded.

30. A method of treating a patient, comprising: inserting a flexible drainage tube with one or more drainage openings into a cervical or neurological region of the patient, wherein the flexible drainage tube is of a drainage device configured to drain fluid and/or wound secretion from the cervical or neurological region of a patient; and wherein the one or more drainage openings are arranged over a length of 15 cm to 25 cm at a distal end of the drainage tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention shall be explained below with the description of an embodiment and of modifications thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a forming machine according to the invention as a press for carrying out the method according to the invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a symbolic representation of a tilting/tumbling motion of the machine of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a process chart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0034] FIG. 4a shows the time sequence of a deflection s(t) and the time derivation thereof v(t) of the forming machine during the rigid body motion thereof in operation when carrying out the method according to the invention for a phase-optimized clutch engaging of the ram device according to the invention.

[0035] FIG. 4b shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 4a for a non phase-optimized clutch engaging of the ram device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows in a front view the structure of an elastically mounted press 1 that is designed and configured according to the invention so as to carry out the method according to the invention for controlling the operation of an elastically mounted forming machine. This forming machine comprises a stand 2 that bears on a machine frame 3. A drive that comprises here an electric motor 4a and an oscillating mass 4b driven by the motor cooperates in the described embodiment with a ram device 5 or bear over a controllable coupling device, hidden in the figure, wherein an operative connection can be adjusted between the drive 4a, 4b and the bear 5 over the controllable coupling for carrying out the working stroke and can be disengaged for preparing the next working stroke. The ram device carries at its end an upper tool 6 that cooperates with a lower tool 7 that is located on the machine frame 3, for implementing a forming process of a workpiece that is not represented. The machine frame carries the drive and the bear via the stands 2 and bears itself on the foundation soil or on the supporting foundation 9 by means of several elastic bearing elements 8, each comprising in the described embodiment an elastomer body. In another embodiment, in particular in a path-bound forming machine, it can also be provided that the press comprises a drive with a servomotor that is rigidly connected to the ram device 5.

[0037] In all the embodiments of such forming machines, a tumbling and/or tilting motion of the press 1 is generally generated during the clutch engaging for connecting the drive and the ram device or during the initiation of the working stroke and/or during the carrying out of the working stroke, for example because of an imbalance in the drive, due to the respective occurring of inertial forces or moments in inertia.

[0038] For force-controlled forming machines, these inertial forces or moments of inertia that excite a rigid body motion of the forming machine can be generated in particular by an imbalance in the drive and insofar occur during the entire time range of a working stroke of the ram device of the forming machine. For path-bound forming machines, these inertial forces or moments of inertia that excite a rigid body motion of the forming machine can occur in particular during the clutch engaging of the coupling located between the drive and the ram device or during the initiation of the working stroke. In such cases in which the drive experiences an imbalance, additional excitation torques or excitation forces can occur.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a symbolic representation of a possible tilting motion K of the press of FIG. 1 as a vibration. Possible modes of a rigid body motion of a vibratory system that is formed by the press 1 supported on the foundation soil 9 by the elastic bearing elements 8 can basically be excited.

[0040] As explained, the press of FIG. 1 is configured as a path-bound forming machine for which the inertial forces or moments of inertia that excite a rigid body motion of the forming machine are caused during the clutch engaging of the coupling for adjusting an operative connection between the drive and the ram device. The operation of the forming machine of FIG. 1 is controlled in the described embodiment by a machine control that controls, at the time of the initiation of the working stroke, the coupling device located between the drive and the ram device for establishing an operative connection between the drive and the coupling.

[0041] It is essential for carrying out the method according to the invention or the operation of the forming machine according to the invention that at least one kinematic variable of the rigid body motion, for example a deflection, of the elastically mounted forming machine 1 is detected during the operation thereof, is here measured by corresponding sensors as one or several motion sensors, wherein the time of the initiation of the working stroke, here the time for causing the operative connection between the drive and the ram device is adjusted in such a manner that the inertial forces and/or moments of inertia generated during the clutch engaging counteract the rigid body motion of the forming machine. In another embodiment, it can also be provided that the at least one kinematic variable of the rigid body motion, for example a deflection, is calculated by simulation of the rigid body motion of the forming machine, wherein an output signal of a motion sensor can be used for detecting the motion of the forming machine or another operating signal for the synchronization of the real motion of the forming machine with the simulation.

[0042] The method according to the invention for the phase-exact clutch engaging of the coupling of the press indicated in FIG. 1 is indicated in FIG. 3 and is carried out in the described embodiment by a central machine control of the forming machine. This being, it is started from the fact that the forming machine is in operating mode for which, after a release signal is available, in particular a two-hand activation signal induced by an operator, a working stroke of the ram device is initiated with the clutch engaging, working stroke during which a predetermined forming process is carried out on a workpiece in interaction of the ram device or of the upper tool carried thereby with a lower tool located on a tool table, wherein the ram device is returned in a subsequent return stroke, and the operative connection between the drive and the ram device is suppressed by clutch disengaging until a further working stroke is initiated by clutch engaging after a further release signal is available.

[0043] In the described embodiment, the clutch engaging is adapted to a phase position of a kinematic variable, here a deflection of the forming machine from the rest position. The starting point of the method steps indicated in FIG. 3 is an operating situation for which the drive is decoupled from the ram device and after a release signal is made available, the time of the clutch engaging is to be fixed, wherein the forming machine carries out a rigid body motion caused by preceding excitations that is carried out, depending on the embodiment, differently attenuated in particular because of damping properties of the bearing elements. It should be noted that when carrying out the method according to the invention with a fully automated forming machine, the checking for the presence of a release signal may be dispensed with.

[0044] In the method steps of FIG. 3, in step 100 the present deflection of the rigid body motion of the forming machine 1 is measured by a motion sensor, wherein the machine control is designed to check in step 110 if the first time derivation of the course of the deflection, i.e. if the speed is situated in the range of a global maximum of the rigid body motion. As far as this is not the case, there does not take place any clutch engaging of the ram device for adjusting an operative connection between the drive and the ram device; instead, a jump back to step 100 takes place, i.e. for carrying out a further measurement of the deflection of the forming machine. This measurement and check loop will run until the speed is situated in the range of the global maximum of the speed determined in the course indicated in FIG. 3 prior to the start so that an initiation of the working stroke substantially in phase opposition can take then place in step 120 with a phase-adapted introduction of the excited inertial forces and/or moments of inertia so that the present rigid body motion of the forming machine is counteracted. With the initiation of the working stroke in step 120, the carrying out thereof takes place in step 130 for carrying out a predetermined forming process; thereafter, the return stroke of the ram device and the disengagement of the operative connection between the ram device and the drive takes place in step 140 for preparing a further working stroke. As far as the end of operation is reached, the forming machine is stopped; otherwise a jump into the start of the measuring loop, i.e. to step 100, takes place.

[0045] Exemplary courses of the rigid body motion of the forming machine of FIG. 1 are indicated in the FIG. 4a, 4b. This being, the respective upper graph shows the course of a deflection of the forming machine in operation and the lower time course shows the resulting speed of the deflection. In both figures, the time courses show prior to the time TO or TO′ the rigid body motion of the forming machine 1, the operative connection between the drive and the ram device being disengaged, this resulting in a weakly damped vibration. At the time TO or TO′, a design-related and application-related excitation, here an approximately impact-type excitation, takes place over a time period (T1−T0) or (T1′−T0′) due to the establishing of the operative connection between the drive and the ram device via the clutch engaging of the coupling so that the vibratory system, that is formed by the forming machine 1 elastically mounted by means of elastic bearing elements 8 on the supporting foundation 9, receives excitation energy.

[0046] The representations of FIG. 4a, 4b show the time courses during and after the introduction of inertial forces or moments of inertia during the clutch coupling of the ram device. The external excitation of the rigid body motion recognizably takes place for the courses of FIG. 4a at a time at which the speed of the rigid body motion is approximately maximal. Furthermore, the excitation occurs for generating an opposite-phase motion of the forming machine and results in a subsequent motion of the forming machine with a reduced amplitude. By contrast, FIG. 4b shows the result of an excitation that is identical with that of FIG. 4a, wherein however the time of the clutch engaging is indeed again situated after a global maximum of speed has been reached, but the excitation is carried out in phase with the present deflection so that, after the disturbance has subsided, there results a rigid body motion with a considerably higher amplitude compared to the situation of FIG. 4a.

[0047] The curves of FIGS. 4a and 4b show the efficiency of the method according to the invention and/or of the forming machine configured according to the invention for reducing a rigid body motion of the elastically mounted forming machine in operation. Depending on the embodiment, several excitations can also occur within an operating cycle of the forming machine at different times; in these cases the method according to the invention can basically also be applied for reducing a rigid body motion of the forming machine with the above described advantages.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0048] 1 Forming machine, press [0049] 2 Stand [0050] 3 Machine foundation, machine frame, machine housing [0051] 4a Electric motor [0052] 4b Oscillating mass [0053] 5 Ram device, bear [0054] 6 Upper tool [0055] 7 Lower tool [0056] 8 Elastic bearing element, bearing device [0057] 9 Foundation soil, supporting foundation [0058] K Tilting motion [0059] s Deflection, stroke [0060] v Speed [0061] T0, T0′ Time of initiation of a working stroke or adjustment of an operative connection between the drive and the ram device [0062] T1, T1′ Disengagement of the operative connection