EP1574197B1 - System comprising a medical equipment carrier, a cart, a stationary base and a coupling mechanism therefor. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a system with a Geräbeträger, a stationary receiving unit and a mobile equipment cart wherein the equipment carrier is coupled by a coupling mechanism to the stationary receiving unit or to the mobile equipment cart. A device carrier to be coupled to the mobile equipment cart may be, for example, an infusion unit having pump rods to which a plurality of motor-driven infusion pumps or syringe pumps or even simple infusion bottles for gravity infusion are usually attached.

Such infusion units can be located in the operating room as well as in intensive care units. There, for example, they are removably attached to appropriate ceiling or wall tripods.

In order to continue caring for the patient during intra-hospital transport, patients must remain connected to the medical devices. For this purpose, for example, the device carrier in the form of the infusion unit must be removed from the ceiling or wall stand and moved together with a hospital bed in which the patient is located.

From WO 00/09061 a system for transmitting a device carrier between a hospital bed and a mobile equipment cart is known. The trolley of WO 00/09061 has a coupling component which is mounted vertically movable on the trolley. Coupling devices are provided on the crane bed and on the equipment carrier so that the equipment carrier can be coupled optionally to the hospital bed or to the mobile equipment cart. Furthermore, a crank for raising and lowering the coupling component is provided on the equipment cart, so that a coupling and decoupling of the equipment carrier to the hospital bed or to the mobile equipment cart by turning the crank is feasible.

From the German patent document P 39 17 892 an infusion supply device is known which has a supply connections having a support plate, each having a releasable connection on the one hand with a stationary tripod and on the other hand with a mobile carriage.

The mobile cart has a boom on which the tray of the infusion device can be stored. The transfer of the infusion supply device from the stationary stand to the mobile carriage is carried out by the boom of the mobile carriage is brought under the shelf of the infusion device and engages under the tray and receives. The boom is then raised slightly so that it carries the tray together with the infusion device. The principle corresponds to the operation of a forklift. However, this solution is complex in design and handling.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coupling mechanism of a mobile equipment cart, which is characterized by easy handling and design.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The provision of a lever mechanism ensures a simple construction and low operating forces. The simple mechanism is not susceptible to interference and thus a permanent and reliable operation can be guaranteed.

The advantageous development by a vertical displacement of a receptacle which is movably mounted in a column of the mobile equipment cart, ensures a defined guidance of the movable receptacle, whereby the coupling process is simplified.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a cross member on the equipment carrier is provided as a suspension device. The provision of a receiving element on a stationary receiving unit, for. As a medical ceiling stand, and / or on the mobile equipment cart for receiving the crossbar provides for a simple coupling process.

A further advantageous development is realized by the provision of two vertically spaced transverse struts as suspension devices and two corresponding receptacles on the mobile equipment cart or on the stationary receiving unit, since thereby tilting of the mobile infusion unit during coupling or uncoupling can be avoided.

The pivoting mechanism according to the invention is advantageous because a circular pivoting movement is thereby converted into a vertical up and down movement, wherein the pivoting element serves as a lever, which reduces the necessary forces for lifting the movable receptacle and simplifies handling.

According to a further advantageous embodiment according to claim 14 can be prevented that a labile equilibrium may arise, whereby the movable receptacle could easily be accidentally brought from the raised position to the lowered position. The depression in the backdrop rather ensures that the bolt remains in this position by partial positive engagement and can only be brought by overcoming a resistance by an increased effort from this position.

• Figur 1 zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung eines mobilen Gerätewagens, eines Deckenstativs und eines Krankenbettes.
• Figur 2 zeigt die Situation aus Figur 1 in einem anderen Blickwinkel.
• Figur 3 zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung einer beweglichen Aufnahme.
• Figur 4 zeigt die bewegliche Aufnahme aus Figur 3 und eine Säule des mobilen Gerätewagens im Querschnitt.
• Figur 5 zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung der beweglichen Aufnahme und der Säule des mobilen Gerätewagens.
• Figur 6 zeigt die perspektivische Darstellung aus Figur 5 in einem anderen Blickwinkel.
• Figur 7 zeigt die perspektivische Darstellung aus Figur 6 in einer anderen Betriebsstellung.
• Figur 8 zeigt die perspektivische Darstellung aus Figur 6 in einer anderen Betriebsstellung.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of a presently preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures.

• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a mobile equipment cart, a ceiling stand and a hospital bed.
• FIG. 2 shows the situation from FIG. 1 in a different angle.
• FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a movable receptacle.
• Figure 4 shows the movable receptacle of Figure 3 and a column of the mobile equipment cart in cross section.
• Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the movable receptacle and the column of the mobile equipment cart.
• Figure 6 shows the perspective view of Figure 5 in a different angle.
• FIG. 7 shows the perspective view from FIG. 6 in another operating position.
• Figure 8 shows the perspective view of Figure 6 in another operating position.

FIGS. 9a to 9e show the coupling process from the side.

In Figure 1, a stationary receiving unit 3 in the form of a tripod head of a medical ceiling tripod, a mobile equipment cart 15, and a hospital bed 33 are shown schematically.
The stationary receiving unit 3 has on a front side 1a stationary receiving elements 1, which are hook-shaped. In the present embodiment, a total of four hook-shaped receiving elements 1 are provided, wherein two are arranged side by side to a pair and two pairs of juxtaposed hooks at a distance perpendicular to each other are provided. The hooks are slightly bent up to ensure a secure hooking.

The mobile equipment cart 15 has a chassis 31, on which a pillar 4 is attached. On the pillar a docking device 32 is provided to dock the mobile equipment cart to the hospital bed 33.

In Figure 2, the mobile equipment cart 15 can be seen from the other side. On the column 4, a pump rod support 2 is coupled. In the present embodiment, the pump rod carrier consists of two carrier profiles 29 and 30, which are connected to one another via transverse struts 10, 12. On the outwardly facing sides of the carrier profiles 29 and 30 horizontal support arms 7 are mounted, which in turn hold pump rods 8, as can be seen both in Figure 1 and 2. On the pump rod 8 syringe pumps 9, which are shown here only schematically attached in the present embodiment. The outwardly facing side of the carrier profiles 29 and 30 is provided in the present embodiment with sockets 11. The electrical connection of the pump rod carrier must then be done only one or two connections to the external supply. Furthermore, batteries may be provided on the pump bar support to allow battery operation of the mobile infusion unit when the motorized syringes, etc., are temporarily disconnected from the external power supply.

The movable receptacle 5 and the column 4 are shown in detail in FIGS. 3 to 5, which are explained in detail below.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the movable receptacle 5 consists of a C-profile with a broad base 5a and short legs 5b. According to FIG. 3, receiving elements 25 are provided on the side of the base 5a facing away from the legs 5b. In the present embodiment, these are the same hook-shaped receiving elements such as the previously described hook-shaped receiving elements 1, which are fixed to the tripod head 3. Their explanation is referred to. Accordingly, two horizontally juxtaposed pairs of receiving elements 25 are also provided on the movable receptacle 5. Further, rollers 23 are provided on the short legs 5b on the mutually facing sides, which are rotatably mounted. Furthermore, rollers 34 are provided on the base 5a of the C-profile of the movable receptacle 5. These are mounted so that their axes of rotation are aligned parallel to the short legs.

As can be seen in Figure 3, extends along the central axis of the movable receptacle 5, a link element 16 perpendicular to the base 5a of the C-profile or parallel to the short legs 5b. The link element 16 is tab-shaped and has a link 17 in the form of a horizontally extending oblong hole. The gate 17 has on the side facing away from the base 5a of the C-profile side two recesses 17a and 17b, which show in the mounted state in Figure 3 up and down.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the rollers 23 serve to guide the movable receptacle 5 in the column 4. The column 4 has a suitable profile for this purpose, which has a plurality of rectangular ribs 35 in cross section, along which the rollers 23 along. Further, the pillar 4 has a rib 36 extending at right angles on each side in the middle region. These, together with a back of a rib 35, serve to guide the rollers 34. By these interlocking profiles of the movable receptacle 5 and the column 4, a stable and uniform guidance of the movable receptacle 5 is achieved in their up and down movement.

According to FIG. 6, a spacer element 18 is fastened to the column 4 and is likewise designed in the form of a lug and extends parallel to the link element 16. At the spacer element 18 is a provided with a handle 22 pivot member 19 rotatably mounted. The rotatable mounting takes place via a pivot axis 20. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the link element 16 protrudes through a slot, not shown, in the column 4. This slot extends vertically in the middle of the column 4. It is longer than the link element 16, see FIG that the link element 16 and thus the entire movable receptacle 5 is slidable in the slot. The pivoting element 19 also has a pin 21 which extends through the link 17. The bolt 21 and the pivot axis 20 are spaced apart at a distance d, which is shown in Figure 7.

In the following, the pivoting movement of the pivoting element 19 and the associated lifting movement of the movable receptacle 5 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 and 9 a to 9 e.

FIG. 6 shows the pivoting element 19 in a position in which the handle 22 points upwards. This is the position in which the mobile equipment cart 15 is moved up for coupling to the pump rod carrier 2 mounted on the tripod head 3. The receiving elements 25 are in the lowest position, as can be seen in comparison with Figures 7 and 8. The pivot axis 20 and the bolt 21 are arranged vertically one above the other. The bolt 21 is located at the outer left end of the link 17 in the recess 17a (see Figure 3). This position corresponds to the situation illustrated in FIG. 9b.

If the handle 22 is rotated by 90 ° in the counterclockwise direction, reaching the horizontal position, which is shown in Figure 7. In this position, the pin 21 and the pivot axis 20 are in a horizontal plane passing through the gate 17. The bolt 21 moves while forced in the scenery 17 from its very left position in Figure 6 in the extreme right position shown in Figure 7. In order to enable such movement at all, it is necessary that the link element 16 is vertically movable. This is done by the already mentioned slot in the column 4 allows, so that the link element 16 and thus the entire movable receptacle 5 can move up and down. This position corresponds to the situation shown in Figure 9c.

If now the handle 22 is pivoted by another 90 ° down, the position is reached, as shown in Figure 8. The pivot axis 20 and the bolt 21 are now again arranged in a common vertical plane. The bolt 21 is again in the leftmost position of the link 17, more precisely in the recess 17b. To enable this movement, the gate element 16 must be moved further upwards, together with the movable receptacle 5 and the receiving elements 25 attached thereto, as shown in FIG. Now, the receiving elements 25 are located in a higher position than the receiving elements 1 of the tripod head 3. This position corresponds to the position shown in Figure 9d.

As can be seen in FIGS. 9b to 9d, the pump rod carrier 2 is thereby brought from the position in which it is suspended in the receiving elements 1 on the tripod head 3 into a position in which it is suspended on the receiving elements 25 of the mobile infusion unit 15 is. As shown in Figure 9e, the mobile equipment cart can now be removed from the tripod head 3. The transfer of the pump rod support 2 to the mobile equipment cart 15 is thus carried out by a pivoting movement of the pivot member 19 on the handle 22 by 180 ° from top to bottom, wherein the rotational movement is converted via the pivot mechanism described in a rectilinear lifting movement.

In the present embodiment, the lifting movement is assisted by the force of a gas spring 24, which is shown in FIG. The gas spring 24 is attached to both the column 4 and the movable receptacle 5 and urges the movable receptacle 5 upwards. As a result of the upward movement, the rear transverse struts 10 and 27 of the pump rod carrier 2 are lifted out of the receiving elements 1 on the tripod head 3 with the aid of the receiving elements 25 on the mobile equipment trolley, and the front transverse struts 12 and 26 rest only on the receiving elements 25.

A labile balance by which the receptacle 5 could be undesirably brought out of the raised position is prevented by the provision of the recess 17b in the link 17 of the link element 16 and the resulting partial positive fit.

It is also possible to attach to the mobile equipment cart other devices, such as a respirator, O ₂ bottles, an emergency kit, a separating transformer, etc.

The pump rod carrier 2 can be moved away from the tripod head 3 and disconnected from the tripod head 3 after disconnecting the electrical supply of the devices mounted on it. By positioning the coupling mechanism on the opposite side of the receptacles for the pump bar support 2, it is not necessary to rotate the mobile equipment cart about its vertical axis, so that the supply lines going to the patient do not have to be guided around the mobile equipment cart.

The transfer to the receiving elements 1 on the tripod head 3 takes place analogously in the reverse order.

Claims (14)

1. System comprising an equipment rack (2), a stationary receptacle unit and a mobile equipment cart (15), wherein

   - the equipment rack may be coupled to the stationary receptacle unit or to the mobile equipment cart via a coupling mechanism,

   - the equipment rack (2) comprises at least one suspension device (10, 12);

   - the stationary receptacle unit comprises at least one receptacle element (1) for receiving the suspension device (10);

   - the mobile equipment cart (15) comprises a column (4) and a receptacle (5) movable in relation thereto and comprising at least one receptacle element (25) for receiving the suspension device (10, 12); and

   - the coupling mechanism comprises a movement apparatus for moving the movable receptacle (5), wherein

   - a link element (16) comprising a link (17) extending essentially in horizontal direction is provided on the movable receptacle (5);

   - a spacing element (18) extending in parallel to the link element (16) is provided on the column (4), with a swivel element (19) being pivoted to said spacing element (18) via a swivel axis (20), wherein the swivel element comprises, at a specific distance (d) from the swivel axis, a bolt (21) extending essentially in horizontal direction and extending through the link.
2. System according to Claim 1, wherein the suspension device (10, 12) is a crossbar extending essentially in horizontal direction.
3. System according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable receptacle (5) is essentially movable in vertical direction.
4. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a handle (22) is provided on the swivel element (13).
5. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a vertical slot is provided in the column (4).
6. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movable receptacle (5) and/or the column (4) comprises rollers (23, 34) for mutual guidance when the two parts are moved vertically in relation to each other.
7. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a pneumatic spring (24) is provided which is attached to the column (4) and the movable receptacle (5) and which supports the vertical movement of the movable receptacle (5).
8. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movable receptacle (5) comprises two receptacle elements (25) arranged on top of each other in vertical direction.
9. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle element (1, 25) is designed in the shape of a hook.
10. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension device comprises a first front crossbar (12) being provided for coupling with the receptacle element (25) to the mobile equipment cart (15), and a first rear crossbar (10) being provided for coupling with the receptacle element (1) to the stationary receptacle unit (3).
11. System according to claim 10, wherein the suspension device comprises a second front crossbar (26) that is spaced apart from the first front crossbar (12) in vertical direction.
12. System according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the suspension device comprises a second rear crossbar (27) being provided that is spaced apart from the first rear crossbar (10) in vertical direction.
13. System according to any of the preceding claims 2 to 12, wherein the carrier rack (2) comprises two carrier profiles (29, 30) that are connected to each other via the crossbars (10, 12, 26, 27).
14. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the link (17) comprises a recess (17b) at an end at which the bolt (21) is located when the receptacle (5) is in its lifted position.

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