MEDICAL DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical device, in particular a blood treatment device and in particular a dialysis machine, having at least one handle arrangement, in particular a handle arrangement for a door, wherein the handle arrangement has at least one handle that is configured in ring shape; and wherein the handle arrangement furthermore has at least one disinfection unit that works with light, preferably with UV light, and that is arranged to disinfect the handle, with the handle arrangement furthermore having at least one drive unit that is configured to move the handle along the disinfection unit.

Claims

1. A medical device, in particular a blood treatment device and in particular a dialysis machine, having at least one handle arrangement, in particular a handle arrangement for a door, characterized in that the handle arrangement has at least one handle that is configured in ring shape; and in that the handle arrangement furthermore has at least one disinfection unit that works with light, preferably with UV light, and that is arranged to disinfect the handle, with the handle arrangement furthermore having at least one drive unit that is configured to move the handle along the disinfection unit.

2. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one actuation element is provided to which the handle arrangement is connected or that forms an element of the handle arrangement, with the actuation element being configured such that it activates the drive unit after the actuation by a user.

3. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one sensor, in particular a contact sensor, is provided to which the handle arrangement is connected or that forms an element of the handle arrangement, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the contact or the movement of the handle and/or of an element to be moved by the handle arrangement and, with the sensor being configured to activate the drive unit on or after such a detection.

4. A medical device in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the sensor is electrically conductively connected to the handle, preferably via a sliding contact.

5. A medical device in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the drive unit is configured to move the handle for so long that each peripheral section of the handle or the previously exposed section of the handle is moved along the disinfection unit at least once.

6. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the disinfection unit engages partly or completely around the handle and is preferably itself configured in ring shape.

7. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that one or more guide elements, in particular guide rollers, are provided that guide the handle on its movement.

8. A medical device in accordance claim 7, characterized in that at least one of the guide elements is driven and thus forms the drive unit or a part of the drive unit.

9. A medical device in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that the drive unit is configured such that the handle is moved in a direction in which the handle is first moved along the guide element or elements and subsequently along the disinfection unit.

10. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the disinfection unit is configured to emit UVC light or UVA light.

11. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the handle is hollow at the inside.

12. A medical device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the handle comprises plastic or metal, preferably stainless steel, overall or at least at its surface.

13. A medical in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the handle has a surface or a surface coating that has catalytically or photocatalytically acting substances, in particular titanium dioxide.

14. Use of a handle arrangement in accordance with the characterizing portion of claim 1 as a handle and in particular as a door handle of a medical device.

Description

[0029] Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0030] There are shown:

[0031] FIG. 1: a perspective view of the handle arrangement with a closed housing and with an open housing;

[0032] FIG. 2: a schematic view of the handle arrangement in a plan view in a further embodiment; and

[0033] FIG. 3: a perspective view of a door with a handle arrangement in accordance with the invention.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows the handle arrangement as a whole with the reference numeral 10.

[0035] The handle arrangement comprises a ring-shaped handle 20 that forms the actual handle part to be gripped by the user and that can, for example, be configured as hollow at the inside and that comprises e.g. stainless steel or also another electrically conductive material or another material.

[0036] The handle arrangement furthermore comprises a housing 30 that comprises two half-shells that can be latched to one another.

[0037] FIG. 1a shows the upper half shell 32 and the lower half shell 31, i.e. the closed housing; and FIG. 1b only shows the lower half shell 31. A fastening element 33 for fixing the handle arrangement 10 to a door or the like is located at the lower half shell.

[0038] The housing has an inlet opening and an outlet opening whose size approximately corresponds to that of the outer diameter of the handle and through which the moving handle enters into the housing and exits it.

[0039] As can be seen from FIG. 1b, guide rollers 40 are located in the housing 30 that guide the ring-shaped handle 20 along a path that corresponds to the design of the ring.

[0040] In the embodiment shown here, three guide rollers 40 are provided, but more or fewer than three guide rollers can also be present.

[0041] In general, other guide elements such as rings, webs or the like that guide the handle on its path are also conceivable.

[0042] One, more or all the guide rollers 40 are connected to an electric motor (not shown) or have an electric motor that is suitable to set the guide rollers in a rotary movement about their longitudinal axis. By the contact of the guide rollers 40 with the handle 20, the latter is set into a rotary movement in the direction of the arrow, i.e. the handle rotates about a point or center point M, with it being guided by the guide rollers 40.

[0043] With a handle that is circular in a plan view, the center point M, i.e. the axis of rotation, is exactly at the circle center point. Other shapes than circular handles such as elliptical designs are also covered by the invention.

[0044] The axis of rotation about which the handle is rotated preferably stands perpendicular or at angle to the perpendicular on the plane formed by the handle.

[0045] Reference numeral 50 designates a UV light source that is likewise of ring shape ad that completely engages around the handle 20 in its cross-sectional direction. The UV light source 50 is configured such that the ring is acted on by UV light (e.g. UVC light) over the full periphery in the cross-sectional direction.

[0046] As can be seen from FIG. 1b, the handle 20 first runs through the region of the guide rollers 40 and then moves through the UV light source 50. The handle section thus disinfected then again leaves the housing 30.

[0047] A sensor, not shown, is present in the housing 30 and is electrically conductively connected, e.g. via a sliding contact or a roller, to the handle 20. A control unit, likewise not shown, is provided that is connected to the sensor and to the drive unit and that activates a motor in the housing that rotates the ring or the handle 20 after every contact or actuation of the handle 20.

[0048] The control unit can be arranged within or outside the housing.

[0049] A capacitive contact sensor can be considered as the sensor, for example.

[0050] A sensor within the framework of the present invention is generally any desired element by means of which a contact or an actuation of the handle or of the part such as the door can be detected at which the handle arrangement is located.

[0051] After the activation by the control unit, the ring or the handle 20 is rotated at least or exactly so far until the previously exposed region (i.e. not located in the housing) is disinfected. It is thus ensured that the last contacted region is disinfected. On the rotation of the handle 20, its surface is irradiated by means of one or more UV LEDs and is disinfected in so doing.

[0052] The irradiation is preferably arranged such that it takes place after the passing of the guide elements, as can be seen from FIG. 1b; a recontamination is thus avoided.

[0053] The handle does not have any corners or edges and a complete disinfection of its surface is ensured by its shape. In addition, the ring-shaped handle offers a pleasing and comfortable actuation.

[0054] An opening of the door is possible with little contact, for example only by a finger and a slipping from the handle is practically precluded. The ring shape moreover offers the advantage that a simply configured holder corresponding to the size of the ring can be used for its fastening to the door or the like. The irradiation unit can be integrated into the holder in a simple manner.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment in which two mutually spaced apart ring-shaped UV LEDs 100 are provided. The roller 110 that is driven by a motor is located between them. The power supply 120 of said motor can generally take place via the axle or via the fastening element by means of which the handle arrangement is fastened or also autonomously, e.g. by means of a battery or by means of a rechargeable battery.

[0056] The ring can be circular in its plan view or can also have a shape differing therefrom. This applies accordingly to the cross-section of the ring.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment, not covered by the present invention, of the handle arrangement at a room door T.

[0058] The invention comprises the fixing of the handle arrangement to any desired element of blood treatment devices such as dialysis machines, such as to their housings or to their doors.