FALL ARRESTER DEVICE FOR A MEDICAL CARRYING SYSTEM, CARRYING SYSTEM FOR A PIECE OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, METHOD FOR ATTACHING A FALL ARRESTER DEVICE TO A CARRYING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a fall arrester device (20) for a carrier system (10) for preferably movably holding at least one medical equipment, comprising at least one carrier device which has at least one critical point (12), and comprising at least one elongate securing part (22), wherein the carrier device has a first through-opening (24) in a first region (14) which is spaced apart from the critical point (12), and a second through-opening (26) in a second region (16) which is opposite to the first region with respect to the critical point (12) and is spaced apart from the critical point, wherein the securing part (22) is routed through both through-openings (24, 26), and the fall arrester device (20) comprises a first blocking element (28) which is fastened to a first end of the securing part (22), and a second blocking element (30) which is fastened to a second end of the securing part (22) which is opposite to the first end of the securing part (22), wherein the two blocking elements (28, 30) are arranged in a way that the securing part (22) is blocked from sliding out of the two through-openings (24, 26).

Claims

1. A fall arrester device for a carrier system for movably holding at least one medical equipment, having at least one carrier device which comprises at least one critical point, and having at least one elongate securing part, wherein the at least one carrier device comprises a first through-opening in a first region which is spaced apart from the at least one critical point, and comprises a second through-opening in a second-region which is opposite to the first region with respect to the at least one critical point and is spaced apart from the at least one critical point, wherein the at least one securing part is routed through the first and second through-openings, and the fall arrester device comprises a first blocking element which is fastened to a first end of the at least one securing part, and a second blocking element which is fastened to a second end of the at least one securing part which is opposite to the first end thereof, wherein the first and second blocking elements are arranged in such a way that a sliding of the at least one securing part out of the first and second through-openings is blocked.

2. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one critical point is a joint of the at least one carrier device; a bearing is positioned between two parts of the carrier device, where the two parts are movably connected to each other; and an angular piece of the carrier device or a region of the carrier device have the weakest structure.

3. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one elongate securing part is configured as flexible element.

4. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the first blocking element is fixedly coupled to the at least one securing part or is formed integrally therewith as one single part.

5. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the second blocking element is configured to be only fastened to the at least one securing part after the at least one securing part is routed through the first and second through-openings.

6. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the respective first and second blocking elements are configured in a way not to be able to slide through the respective associated first and second through-opening.

7. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier device delimits an interior space and at least one of the first and second through-openings extends from the interior space towards an outside of the fall arrester device.

8. The fall arrester device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second blocking elements is arranged outside of the interior space.

9. The fall arrester device according to claim 7, wherein at least one central region of the securing part is arranged within the interior space (18).

10. The fall arrester device according to claim 1, wherein the fall arrester device is configured in a way such that the at least one securing part is load-free during usage of the carrier system before a break occurs at the at least one critical point.

11. The fall arrester device according to claim 2, wherein the joint of the carrier device is formed as a cast component made of aluminum or steel.

12. A system for movably holding at least one medical equipment using at least one fall arrester device according to claim 1.

13. A carrier system according to claim 12, wherein the carrier system comprises a first carrier arm, and a second carrier arm, which are moveably coupled to each other by a joint, wherein the first carrier arm includes the first through-opening, and the second carrier arm includes the second through-opening, through which the at least one securing part is routed, respectively.

14. A method for attaching a fall arrester device to a carrier system for movably holding at least one medical equipment comprising at least the following: providing at least one elongate securing part having one first blocking element which is fastened to a first end, and a second free end opposite to the free end; providing at least one carrier device, which comprises at least one critical point, a first through-opening in a first region which is spaced apart from the at least one critical point, and a second through-opening in a second region which is opposite to the first region with respect to the at least one critical point and is spaced apart from the at least one critical point; routing the free end of the said at least one securing part through the first and second through-openings; and fastening of a second blocking element to the free end, thus a sliding of the securing part out of the first and second through-openings is blocked.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second blocking element is configured as a sleeve which is fitted on the free end on the at least one securing part for fastening and is pressed therewith.

Description

[0035] Further features of the invention become apparent from the claims, the exemplary embodiments, and the figures. The features and the combination of features mentioned in the specification above and the features and combinations of features mentioned in following exemplary embodiments may be used not only in the respective specified combination, but also in other combinations within the scope of the invention.

[0036] Here shows:

[0037] FIG. 1 in a partial schematic perspective view a carrier arm system for a medical equipment including one joint;

[0038] FIG. 2 in another schematic perspective view the carrier arm system according to FIG. 1 including only one fall arrester device mounted thereon; and

[0039] FIG. 3 in a schematic view which additional parts are required for providing a fall arrester device to the carrier arm system according to FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a partial schematic perspective view of a carrier system 10, configured as a carrier arm system, for a medical equipment, which is not shown, including a carrier device, which comprises two carrier elements 14 and 16 which are movably connected to each other by means of a joint 12. Alternatively, the joint 12 may also be formed as an angular piece and couple the two carrier elements 14, 16 rigidly with each other.

[0041] The carrier element 14 is here configured to hold the medical equipment at the lower end thereof, for example a surgery light, a surgery device and/or a dental drilling set. The carrier element 14 may here be rotated against the carrier element 16 due to the joint 12 in order to set the alignment of the medical equipment. The carrier element 16 is configured on the end thereof which faces away from the joint 12 to be coupled to a carrier arm of the carrier system 10. Said coupling may also comprise a joint to provide a further degree of freedom for setting the position of the held equipment.

[0042] The carrier element 14 is formed as a hollow profile by which the respective cables for power supply of the medical device may be routed. The carrier element 14 and the carrier element 16 are also connected electrically to each other by means of a sliding contact on the joint 12. In addition, the carrier element 16 comprises at least one partially delimited interior space 18 in which additional parts and cables for current-supply may be installed. The interior space 18 may thus be closed by a not-shown closure cap which snaps into the carrier element 16, for example.

[0043] Due to a frequent movement of the medical equipment and thus the movement of the carrier elements 14, 16 relative to each other, an unexpected strong fatigue of the joint 12 may occur. Further, a frequent change of the held equipment and/or improper loads may cause fatigue and/or overload of the joint 12. In addition, an alternatively provided angular piece may thus be overloaded and/or experience fatigue. The joint 12 or the angular piece are thus susceptible to high loads and are basically more susceptible to break than the carrier elements 14, 16, for example, and thus presents a critical point of the carrier system 10. Especially fatigue is not easily recognized here, thus an unexpected break of the joint 12 and a falling down of the medical equipment and of the carrier element 14 may occur during improper use and lacking maintenance over a long period of time. Here, said parts are not to fall down to a degree that a patient located under it or medical staff may be endangered. In addition, a falling down may damage the medical equipment and thus endanger a treatment.

[0044] Thus, the carrier system 10 comprises a fall arrester device 20, which is shown in the further perspective view of the carrier system 10 in FIG. 2. The fall arrester device 20 comprises a securing part 22 which is formed as a wire rope 22 hereto, by means of which the carrier elements 14, 16 may be connected to each other in addition to the joint 12. In case of a break of said joint 12, the carrier element 14 is thus further held on the carrier element 16, thus neither people nor the medical equipment are endangered.

[0045] Hereto, the carrier element 14 comprises a first through-opening 24, and the carrier element 16 a second through-opening 26. The wire rope 22 is routed through the two through-openings 24, 26. On a side facing away from the respective side of the walls which are coupled by the wire rope 22 which form the two through-openings 24, 26 a blocking element 28, 30 is arranged on each of the two through-openings 24, 26. By the two blocking elements 28, 30, the wire rope 22 is set to the two carrier elements 14, 16 on the through-openings 24, 26, and is secured against sliding off, and thus holds them together even in case the joint 12 is broken.

[0046] Regarding the joint 12, the two through-openings 24, 26 are thus arranged on regions facing away from each other, and in carrier elements 14, 16, respectively, facing away from each other with respect to the joint 12 on both sides thereof and are spaced from joint 12. Due to said spacing, the through-openings 24, 26 are not susceptible to a break of the joint 12 and thus to release the wire rope 22.

[0047] As may be seen in FIG. 1, the through-opening 26 is drilled through a wall of the carrier element 16, which at least partly delimits the interior space 18. This way, the wire rope 22 may be routed through the interior space 18 under a closure cap in a protected way. In contrast thereto, the rigid blocking element 28 is arranged outside of the interior space 18 and does not occupy any space. The drilling may thus also subsequently easily be inserted in the carrier element 16.

[0048] As may also be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the through-opening 24 is formed by drill hole which may also be used as a screw connection of two shells of the hollow profile of the carrier element 14. By a rigid pretensioned fastening of the wire rope 22, there is no screw connection required at said location. The wire rope 22 is then holding the two shells together there. This way, the fall arrester device may be retrofitted here, without having to insert an additional drill hole into the carrier element 14. Also, the blocking element 30 is arranged outside on the carrier element 14. By arrangement of the two blocking elements 28, 30 on the outside it may easily be checked visually whether the fall arrester device 20 has been actually attached. In addition, mounting is especially simple.

[0049] On the carrier element 14, the wire rope 22 is routed on a recess 32 into the interior space. Said recess may be designed for detaching the not-shown closure cap, for example. Thus no additional passage for the wiring rope 22 has to be provided in order to enable it to be also partially routed in the interior space 18 when using the through-opening 24 serving as screw connection.

[0050] FIG. 3 schematically shows the required parts for providing a fall arrester device compared to a conventional carrier system. In the shown example, the blocking element 28 is a nipple which is injection molded on the wire rope 22, for example a nipple made of plastic. This way, the diameter on said end of the wire rope 22 is larger than that of the through-openings 24, 26. Contrary, the wiring rope 22 is provided without any blocking element at the other end. Said free end may respectively be inserted through the through-openings 24, 26 for attaching the fall arrester device. Subsequently, the separate blocking element 30 may be mounted on said end to the wiring rope 22 in order to set it on the two carrier elements 14, 16, and couple them to each other in addition to the joint 12.

[0051] In FIG. 3 in the present embodiment, the blocking element 30 is shown as a sleeve including a through-opening as an example. Said sleeve may be fitted on the wire rope 22 and may be pressed to define the axial position thereof, for example by using a gripper. Thus, the sleeve is easy to mount. Subsequently, a projecting part of the wire rope 22 may be cut off. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the blocking element 30 may also be screwed on. Hereto, the wire rope 22 may comprise a threaded region, or the blocking element may cut such a thread into the wire rope 22. Advantageously, the securing part 22 may also be formed as a metal wire in this case. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the blocking element 30 is formed including an outer hexagon bolt for an easy engagement of the tool.

[0052] As can be seen, the fall arrester device 20 is easy to attach, requires only a few additional parts, which in addition are lightweight and cost-efficient, and blocks nearly no installation space in the interior space 18 of the carrier system 10. In addition, standard products may be used as parts of the fall arrester device 20 which are inexpensive to manufacture, and do not have to be specifically aligned to the geometry of the carrier elements 14, 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0053] 10 Carrier system [0054] 12 Joint [0055] 14 Carrier element [0056] 16 Carrier element [0057] 18 Interior space [0058] 20 Fall arrester device [0059] 22 Securing part/wire rope [0060] 24 Through-opening [0061] 26 Through-opening [0062] 28 Blocking element [0063] 30 Blocking element [0064] 32 Recess