DEVICE FOR ALIGNING AND CONNECTING A HOOD TO A HOUSING

Abstract

A device (4) aligns and connects a housing hood (3) to a housing (2). The device (4) has a first connecting piece (5) and a second connecting piece (6). The first connecting piece (5) has a clamp bearing element (51) and the second connecting piece (6) has a lamella element (61). The lamella element (61) is arranged movably along the clamp bearing element (51). The device (4) has a clamping element (7) for clearance-free clamping the lamella element (61) with the clamp bearing element (51). An alignment of the hood (3) on a housing (2) can be carried out simply and rapidly and requires only weak clamping forces.

Claims

1. A device for aligning and connecting a hood with a housing, the device comprising: a first connecting piece with a clamp bearing element; a second connecting piece comprising a lamella element, wherein the lamella element is arranged movably along the clamp bearing element; and a clamping element clearance-free clamping the lamella element with the clamp bearing element.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the clamping element is configured for a detachable clamping of the lamella element with the clamp bearing element.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lamella element has clearance in a single plane in a state in which the lamella element is arranged at the clamp bearing element.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the second connecting piece has a receiving part for receiving a hood fastening rod; and the receiving part is connected to the lamella element.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein: the receiving part receives the hood fastening rod without clearance; and a fixing element, comprising a clamping ring element, is arranged at the receiving part for the clearance-free fixation of a hood fastening rod at the second connecting piece.

6. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the receiving part has a receiving groove and a receiving tongue, which are configured fittingly to a groove and tongue combination of the hood fastening rod.

7. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the receiving part is made in one piece with the lamella element.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the first connecting piece has the clamp bearing element and another clamp bearing element clamp to provide bearing elements located at mutually spaced locations from one another; and the second connecting piece the lamella element and another lamella element to provide lamella elements located at mutually spaced locations from one another, which lamella elements are each associated with one of the clamp bearing elements.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the first connecting piece further comprises an intermediate lamella element with a lamella guide element, which is guided at a guide rail element at the first connecting piece; the intermediate lamella element is clamped by the clamping element to the lamella element and is connected to the guide rail element by a material connection.

10. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the second connecting piece has at least one additional lamella element, which is arranged movably at an intermediate lamella element; and the additional lamella element is clamped without clearance with the intermediate lamella element by means of the clamping element.

11. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the clamping element is configured as a clamping screw; and the clamp bearing element has a clamp bearing hole for receiving a part of the clamping element.

12. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein: the first connecting piece further comprises an intermediate lamella element; the intermediate lamella element has a clamping element hole aligned with the clamp bearing hole for receiving the clamping screw.

13. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the lamella element has a recess with an edge extending at least partly circumferentially around the clamp bearing hole in a state in which the lamella element is arranged at the clamp bearing element.

14. A preassembly system comprising: an aligning and connecting device for connecting a hood with a housing, the aligning and connecting device comprising: a first connecting piece with a clamp bearing element; a second connecting piece comprising at least two lamella elements, wherein the lamella elements are arranged movably along the clamp bearing element; a clamping element clearance-free clamping the lamella element with the clamp bearing element; and a centering device centering the lamella elements.

15. A preassembly system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the centering device forms a hood fastening rod.

16. A preassembly system in accordance with claim 15, wherein: the centering device has a centering device cone end piece; the centering device has a centering device groove extending along a longitudinal direction of the centering device; a centering device bevel is arranged at the centering device cone end piece.

17. A thermotherapy device comprising: a housing; a hood; and aligning and connecting device for aligning and connecting the hood to the housing, wherein the aligning and connecting device comprises: a first connecting piece with a clamp bearing element; a second connecting piece comprising a lamella element, wherein the lamella element is arranged movably along the clamp bearing element; and a clamping element clearance-free clamping the lamella element with the clamp bearing element.

18. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the housing has a hood arm with a hood fastening rod.

19. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 18, wherein the hood fastening rod comprises a hood fastening rod cone end piece and a hood fastening rod groove extending along a longitudinal direction of the hood fastening rod with a hood fastening rod bevel arranged at the hood fastening rod cone end piece.

20. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a cover element arranged on the hood fastening rod and supported with spring force on the hood arm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1a is a schematic perspective view of a housing-hood system;

[0033] FIG. 1b is a schematic perspective view of the housing-hood system;

[0034] FIG. 2a is a schematic perspective view of a device for aligning and connecting a hood to a housing;

[0035] FIG. 2b is a schematic perspective view of a device for aligning and connecting a hood to a housing;

[0036] FIG. 3a is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the device with a plurality of lamella elements and additional lamellae;

[0037] FIG. 3b is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the device with a plurality of lamella elements and additional lamellae;

[0038] FIG. 4a is a sequence of schematic perspective views of the rotational degree of freedom and the translatory degree of freedom of the device;

[0039] FIG. 4b is a sequence of schematic perspective views of the rotational degree of freedom and the translatory degree of freedom of the device;

[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the mounting of the device on a housing-hood system; and

[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view for a device with a cover element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1a shows a housing-hood system, which is referenced in its entirety by the reference number 1. The housing-hood system 1 comprises a housing 2 and a hood 3. The hood 3 is used to cover and to close the housing 2. The hood 3 is connected to the housing 2 by means of a device 4 for connection and alignment. The hood 3 can be raised from the housing 2 by means of a guided motion in order to open the housing 2. Further, the hood 3 can correspondingly be lowered onto the housing 2 by means of a guided motion in order to close the housing 2.

[0043] The housing-hood system 1 may, further, be a part of a thermotherapy device 100 (see FIG. 1b). The thermotherapy device 100 has a hood arm 13, which connects the hood 3 to the housing. The device 4 for connection and alignment is connected here to a hood fastening rod 9, wherein said hood fastening rod is connected to the hood arm 13. A patient (newborn) is then arranged in the housing 2 of the thermotherapy device 100. The hood 3 is then used to establish a closed system for the patient in order for the patient to have as little contact as possible with a poorly controllable or uncontrollable outside environment. The interior of the housing-hood system 1 in the thermotherapy device 100 can be controlled by means of additional devices. The correct alignment of the hood 3 in relation to the housing 2 is essential for securing the closed state of the housing-hood system 1 relative to the outside environment.

[0044] According to FIG. 2a, the device 4 comprises a first connecting piece 5, which has a clamp bearing element 51. The clamp bearing element 51 is permanently connected to the connecting piece 5.

[0045] The device 4 further has a second connecting piece 6, which comprises a lamella element 61. The lamella element 61 can be clamped on the clamp bearing element 51 by means of a clamping element 7 when the lamella element 61 is in contact with the clamp bearing element 51.

[0046] This state is shown in FIG. 2b. According to FIG. 2b, the lamella element 61 is arranged at the clamp bearing element 51 such that it can be displaced in a plane along the clamp bearing element before clamping with the element 7. According to FIG. 2b, it can be displaced along the plane of the sheet upwardly and downwardly as well as to the side in both directions without the lamella element 61 becoming separated from the clamp bearing element 51. When the position has been found for the lamella element 61, in which the hood 3 is aligned at the housing 2, clamping can be carried out by means of the clamping element 7, which causes the lamella element 61 to be clamped with the clamp bearing element 51. The lamella element 61 has no clearance for moving after the clamping. It is therefore clamped at the clamp bearing element 51 without clearance. Further, the first connecting piece 5 is permanently and immovably connected thereby to the second connecting piece 6.

[0047] The first connecting piece 5 and the second connecting piece 6 are configured for this to be permanently connected to a hood 3 and to an element of a housing 2. The first connecting piece 5 can be connected to the housing 2 and the connecting piece 6 to the hood 3. As an alternative, the first connecting piece 5 may be connected to the hood 3 and the second connecting piece 6 to the housing 2.

[0048] The clamping element 7 may be configured as a clip, as a screw or as a wedge.

[0049] According to a preferred embodiment, the clamping element 7 is configured as a clamping screw with a screw head 71, as is shown in FIG. 3a. The clamping element 7 is passed through a clamp bearing hole 53 through the clamp bearing element 51. The screw head 71 may be configured in the clamping element 7 configured as a clamping screw for coming into contact with the lamella element 61. The lamella element 61 can be pressed in this case onto the clamp bearing element 51 by means of the screw head 71 of the clamping element 7 by means of a nut on the opposite side of the clamp bearing element 51 and at the opposite opening of the clamp bearing hole 53 and thus clamped in this manner.

[0050] To increase the friction bringing about the clamping together, an intermediate lamella element 52 is provided, which brings the lamella element 61 into a sandwich position with the clamp bearing element 51. The lamella element 61 is now in contact by one side with the clamp bearing element 51 and by the other, opposite side with the intermediate lamella element 52. The intermediate lamella element 52 is connected to the first connecting piece 5. The first connecting piece 5 has for this a guide rail 55, in which a lamella guide element 54 of the intermediate lamella element 52 is guided. Based on the connection of the intermediate lamella element 52 to the first connecting piece 5, the lamella element 61 can be aligned in a plane between the clamp bearing element 51 and the intermediate lamella element 52, and a motion at right angles to the plane through the intermediate lamella element 52 and the clamp bearing element 51 is limited.

[0051] The guide rail 55 now guides the intermediate lamella element 52 by means of the guide element 54 at right angles to the plane (see FIG. 3b). As a result, the intermediate lamella element 52 has clearance when the lamella element 61 is arranged in the intermediate space between the clamp bearing element 51 and the intermediate lamella element 52. This makes it easier to push in the lamella element 61.

[0052] The intermediate lamella element 52 is fastened here to the first connecting piece 5 such that a motion of the intermediate lamella element 52 at right angles to the guide rail 55 is not possible. Forces that act in this direction on the intermediate lamella element 52 are therefore transmitted to the first connecting piece 5.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment, the intermediate lamella element 52 can be connected by a material connection, such as welded to the guide rail 54. When clamping with the lamella element 61, the intermediate lamella element 52 is optionally bent toward the lamella element 621 and brought into frictional contact.

[0054] The first and second connecting pieces 5, 6 may have additional lamella elements 61 and additional intermediate lamella element 52. The lamella elements 61 and the intermediate lamella elements 52 are each arranged alternatingly with one another. A lamella element 61 is then clamped either between a clamp bearing element 51 and an intermediate lamella element 52 or between two intermediate lamella elements 52. As an alternative, a lamella element 61 may further be clamped between a screw head 71 and a clamp bearing element 51 or an intermediate lamella element 52. The number of surfaces available for the clamping is thus greatly increased, so that reliable clamping is brought about by means of the clamping element 7 even in case of a weak clamping force.

[0055] Further, a lamella element 61 has a recess 63. If the lamella element 61 is arranged at a clamp bearing element 51, the recess 63 is arranged above the clamp bearing hole 53, i.e., the edge of the recess 63 extends at least partially around the clamp bearing hole 53. The edge of the recess 63 now extends around the clamp bearing hole 53 at a spaced location. If a clamping element 7 in the form of a clamping screw is arranged in the clamp bearing hole 53, the lamella element 61 continues to have clearance, with which the lamella element 61 can be moved at the clamp bearing element 51 in a plane. If a plurality of clamp bearing holes 53 and a plurality of clamping elements 7 are provided, the lamella element 61 has a plurality of recesses 63. One recess 63 each is arranged here above a clamp bearing hole 53.

[0056] An intermediate lamella element 52 has for this a clamping element hole 56, through which the clamping element 7 can be passed. The clamping element hole 56 is aligned here with the clamp bearing hole 53. A clamping screw acting as a clamping element 7 is now passed through the clamping element hole 56 to the clamp bearing hole 53 and is likewise passed through the clamp bearing hole 53. A recess 63 of a lamella element 61 is thus likewise arranged around the clamping element hole 56 of an intermediate lamella element 52.

[0057] The second connecting piece 6 has, further, a receiving part 62 for a hood fastening rod 9. The receiving part 62 may be configured in the form of an opening, whose edges have receiving grooves 621 and receiving tongues 622. This groove and tongue combination has a configuration fitting to a groove and tongue combination at the hood fastening rod 9, which likewise has grooves 91 and tongues 92. The hood fastening rod 9 is passed through the receiving part 62. Due to the groove and tongue combination, the hood fastening rod 9 can be rotated around a rod axis 93 of the hood fastening rod 9 within the receiving part 62. The hood fastening rod 9 can only be moved along the rod axis 93. Further, the hood fastening rod 9 can be tilted within the receiving part 62, i.e., the rod axis 93 of the hood fastening rod 9 is tilted out of its alignment. A hood fastening rod 9 can be fixed on the receiving part 62 by means of a fixing element 64, i.e., the tilting of the rod axis 93 of the hood fastening rod 9 or a motion of the hood fastening rod 9 along the rod axis 93 is no longer possible after the fixation.

[0058] The fixing element 64 is configured as a clamping ring element. The clamping ring element is braced with the hood fastening rod 9 by means of clamping screws 641.

[0059] The receiving part 62 and the lamella element 61 may be made in one piece, i.e., the receiving part 62 is connected in one piece to the lamella element 61 and is manufactured from the same part.

[0060] If a plurality of lamella elements 61 are provided at the second connecting piece 6, it is sufficient if one of the lamella elements 61, which are grouped with the additional lamella elements 61, has a fixing element 64.

[0061] According to FIG. 3b, the connecting and aligning device 4 is configured as a preassembly system 14. The preassembly system 14 comprises for this a centering device 8, which is configured as a hood fastening rod 9. Contrary to a hood fastening rod 9, the centering device 8 is not connected to a hood arm 13. Thus, the centering device 8 is not a part of a housing-hood system 1.

[0062] A plurality of lamella elements 61 of a device 4 can be centered by means of the centering device 8 relative to one another.

[0063] A centering device 8 is especially advantageous if a plurality of groups of lamella elements 61 are provided. Each group of lamella elements 61 has a lamella element 61 each with a fixing element 64. The lamella elements 61 are first arranged for preassembly at the first connecting piece 5. The device 8 is now passed through the receiving part 62 of all existing lamella elements 61, so that all lamella elements 61 are coupled with the centering device 8 and are centered relative to a centering rod axis 83 of the centering device 8.

[0064] The receiving parts 62 of the second connecting piece 6 are aligned based on the centering such that a hood fastening rod 9 can be passed through all receiving parts 62 of the second connecting piece 6 after removal of the centering device 8.

[0065] Both the hood fastening rod 9 and the centering device 8 have at their open end a cone end piece 84, 94, which facilitate the insertion of the hood fastening rod 9 and of the centering device 8 into the receiving parts 62. Further, a centering device bevel 85 and a hood fastening rod bevel 95, which facilitate the insertion of the receiving tongue 622 into the centering device groove 81 and into the hood fastening rod groove 91, are provided at the ends of the centering device groove 81 and of the hood fastening rod groove 91.

[0066] A fully assembled preassembly system 14 is shown in the top right part of FIG. 4a. The clamping elements 7 act according to FIG. 4a on the intermediate lamella elements 52, which are arranged on the outside and which act, in turn, on the clamp bearing element 51 via alternatingly arranged, additional lamella elements 61 and via the additional intermediate lamella elements 52. The clamping force of the clamping elements 7 on the lamella elements 61 is distributed homogeneously with this arrangement.

[0067] Further, FIG. 4a shows the possible degrees of freedom that the second connecting piece 6 has relative to the first connecting piece 5. It further shows the degrees of freedom that a hood fastening rod 9 that is replaced in FIG. 4a by a centering 8 comprises. The degrees of freedom that are made possible by the lamella elements 61 are fixed by the clamping by means of the clamping element 7. The degrees of freedom that a hood fastening rod 9 or a centering device 8 has are fixed by the fixing element 64.

[0068] A detailed view of the displaced lamella elements 61 relative to the intermediate lamella elements 52 of the first connecting piece 5 is shown in FIG. 4b. Tilting of the second connecting piece 6 relative to the first connecting piece 5 out of a horizontal plane is shown on the left-hand side. Tilting of the second connecting piece 6 relative to the first connecting piece 5 within the horizontal plane is shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 6. It can clearly be seen that the edges of the recesses 63 are located at least partly at spaced locations from the clamping element holes 56 and from the clamp bearing hole 53 and extend at least partly around the clamp bearing hole 53 and around the clamping element holes 56 in both tilted states. The lamella elements 61 therefore have clearance in one plane relative to the intermediate lamella elements 52 and the clamp bearing element 51.

[0069] To mount the device 4 on a housing-hood system 1, the device 4 with the centering device 8 is fastened on a hood 3 by means of fastening elements 11. The centering device 8 can then be removed from the device 4 and the device 4 can be pushed together with the hood 3 onto a hood fastening rod 9. The pushing onto is facilitated by the hood fastening rod cone end piece 94 and the hood fastening bevels 95.

[0070] As an alternative, the centering device 8 can be removed from the receiving parts 62 of the second connecting piece 6 for mounting the device 4 on a housing-hood system 1 from the preassembly system 14. Clamping elements 7 are not yet unclamped now. The device 4 is then pushed with the second connecting piece 6 according to FIG. 5 onto a hood fastening rod 9 of a hood arm 13, which is connected to a housing 2 of a housing-hood system 1. Further, the first connecting piece 5 is connected to a hood 3 of a housing-hood system 1 by means of fastening elements 11. To couple the device 4, the hood 3 may have coupling elements 32, which form a mount of the hood 3 for the device 4.

[0071] The hood fastening rod 9 can be passed in a simple manner through the receiving parts 62 of the second connecting piece 6, because the centering device 8 had centered the receiving parts 62 in relation to one another.

[0072] After the hood fastening rod 9 had been passed through the receiving parts 62 of the second connecting piece 6, the hood 3 is arranged in the position to be aligned at the housing 2. The clamping elements 7 are then unclamped, so that the lamella elements 61 can move freely relative to the first connecting piece 5 in one plane. The second connecting piece 6 can thus be aligned relative to the first connecting piece 5. The hood 3 aligns itself automatically into the correct position relative to the housing 2 itself.

[0073] The clamping element 7 is then used again to clamp the lamella elements 61, so that a motion of the second connecting piece 6 relative to the first connecting piece 5 cannot take place any longer. This is then followed by the fixation of the hood fastening rod 9 in the receiving parts 62 by means of tightening the clamping ring screws 641 on the fixing elements 64. All six degrees of freedom of the hood 3 relative to the housing 2 are thus set, so that the alignment of the hood 3 relative to the housing 2 has concluded.

[0074] The device 4 may further be covered by means of a cover part 31 after the alignment, so that the device 4 is protected from contamination and accidental actuation of the clamping elements 7 or fixing elements 64. In addition, the cleaning and disinfection of the hood 3 is made possible by the cover part 31, without the device 4 having to be exposed for connecting and aligning a hood 3.

[0075] The clamping elements 7 and the clamping ring screws 641 are accessible from the outside through the conable service openings, not shown, in the cover part 31 and in the additional covers of the device 4. Further readjustments can thus still take place without a major effort after the adjustment and the assembly of the housing-hood system.

[0076] Since the hood fastening rod 9 can be displaced within the receiving parts 62 along the rod axis 93 during the alignment of the hood 3, the hood fastening rod 9 is free between the hood arm 13 and the device 4. To prevent contaminants or clothes or body parts of the operating staff from entering the device 4 via this free area of the hood fastening rod 9, a cover element 10 is provided, which covers the free area of the hood fastening rod 9 (cf. FIG. 6). The cover element 10 is supported here on the hood arm 13 with a spring force acting along the axis of the hood fastening rod 9. Further, the cover element 10 is mounted longitudinally displaceably on the hood fastening rod 9. It is thus pushed along the hood fastening rod 9 to the cover part 31 of the device 4 at any time, so that the lateral opening of the cover part 31 is closed by the cover element 10 at any time.

[0077] In case the hood 3 has to be detached from the housing 2 again, it is only necessary to unclamp the fastening elements 11 or the fixing elements 64 by means of the clamping ring screws 641. The hood 3 with the device 4 can be removed in this case from the hood fastening rod 9. The hood 3 can then be repaired, serviced or replaced independently from the housing 2.

[0078] A realignment of the hood 3 with the housing 2 can readily be performed by unclamping the clamping element 7. The hood 3 is then placed, as was described above, on the new housing 2 or the new hood 3 is placed on the old housing 2 and the clamping element 7 is used to clamp and fix the alignment of the hood 3. Further, the fixing element 64 will then also be used to fix the hood fastening rod 9 on the device 4.

[0079] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

TABLE-US-00001 APPENDIX List of Reference Numbers 1 Housing-hood system 2 Housing 3 Hood 4 Connecting and aligning device 5 First connecting piece 6 Second connecting piece 7 Clamping element 8 Centering device 9 Hood fastening rod 10 Cover element 11 Fastening element 13 Hood arm 14 Preassembly system 31 Cover part 32 Coupling element 51 Clamp bearing element 52 Intermediate lamella element 53 Clamp bearing hole 54 Lamella guide element 55 Guide rail element 56 Clamping element hole 61 Lamella element 62 Receiving part 63 Recess 64 Fixing element 71 Screw head 81 Centering device groove 82 Centering device tongue 83 Centering rod axis 84 Centering device cone end piece 85 Centering device bevel 91 Hood fastening rod groove 92 Hood fastening rod tongue 93 Rod axis 94 Hood fastening rod cone end piece 95 Hood fastening rod bevel 100 Thermotherapy device 621 Receiving groove 622 Receiving tongue 641 Clamping ring screw