EP2101706A1

EP2101706A1 - Releasable application of an accessory to an operating table

Info

Publication number: EP2101706A1
Application number: EP07857676A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ulrich Wyslucha
Original assignee: Maquet GmbH
Current assignee: Maquet GmbH
Priority date: 2006-12-18
Filing date: 2007-12-17
Publication date: 2009-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-17
Also published as: PL2101706T3; DE102006059733A1; US20100031446A1; RU2430712C2; EP2101706B1; RU2009127739A; JP5015265B2; CN101636140B; US8146963B2; JP2010512818A; CN101636140A; WO2008074766A1

Abstract

A device for releasable application of an accessory (12) to an operating table (102) is described, comprising two coupling parts (10, 100) that can be connected to each other, and a locking and unlocking mechanism. The mechanism comprises a first locking element (26) arranged on the first coupling part (10), and a second locking element (114) arranged on the second coupling part (100), an unlocking element (28) which is arranged on the first coupling part (10) and which is pretensioned into a locking position and can be moved counter to the pretensioning into an unlocking position in which it acts on one (114) of the two locking elements (26, 114) in such a way that the two locking elements (26, 114) are released from each other, a catch element (40) which is arranged on the first coupling part (10) and which holds the unlocking element (28) in its unlocking position, counter to the pretensioning, and a release element (46) which is arranged on the first coupling part (10) and is pretensioned into a first position and is acted upon by the second coupling part (100), when the coupling parts (10, 100) are connected to each other, and is pressed into a second position counter to the pretensioning. The release element (46) acts on the catch element (40) in its first position in such a way that the latter is released from the unlocking element (28).

Description

Removable attachment of an accessory to an operating table

The invention relates to a device for releasably attaching an accessory to an operating table, comprising two interconnectable coupling parts, one of which is arranged on the accessory and a second on the operating table, and a mechanism for locking and unlocking the connection between the two coupling parts.

Operating table systems typically include devices for releasably attaching an accessory, e.g. a leg or back plate or an extension unit, by the broken bone parts are kept apart during the operation. Such a device comprises two coupling parts. One of these coupling parts is located on the accessory while the other is attached to the operating table. The two coupling parts can be connected to one another and thus form a mechanical interface for attaching the accessories to the operating table.

To secure the accessories, the connection of the two coupling parts must be locked. This can be effected by frictional connection by a locking element actuated, for example, tightened a handle screw or an eccentric lever is folded. In this type of locking there is a risk that the operator forgets to operate the locking element, and the accessories inadvertently detached from the operating table. In addition, it often happens that the locking element is not operated with a sufficiently strong force, so that only an insufficient adhesion is effected. Also in this case, the accessory can inadvertently come off the operating table.

A locking of the connection between the two coupling parts is also possible by positive locking. An example of such a positive lock is an arrangement in which a spring-mounted on one coupling pin automatically engages in the arranged on the other coupling part hole when the two coupling parts are connected together. Such a lock has the advantage that the operator is not forced to actively actuate a locking element. Thus, there is no danger that the operator forgets to lock. To remove the accessory from the operating table, the operator must release the positive connection between the pin and the bore, i. unlock the connection of the two coupling parts.

For this purpose, mechanisms are known in which the operator for unlocking a corresponding element, e.g. a push button or a spring-loaded lever, operated. The connection is unlocked in this case only as long as the operator operates the unlocking.

Other mechanisms operate by accepting one of two possible states, namely a lock state and an unlock state, upon actuation of an element and maintain that state until that element is next actuated. Again, however, there is a risk that the operator, once it unlocks the connection and, for example, has replaced the accessories, forget to re-enable the lock. Because the Operator must operate the mechanism not only for unlocking, but also for locking the connection, the handling is also relatively complex.

Conventional locking and unlocking mechanisms are particularly problematic in their handling, when the accessory must be attached to two mechanical interfaces and secured, as for example in a broad leg plate the case on which both legs of the patient are to be stored and therefore two places is attached to the operating table. If the distance of these two points from each other so large that the operator with their hands does not reach these same places, so the removal of the accessories is particularly difficult. This also applies in the event that the accessories are relatively bulky or heavy. In such an accessory, the removal of the operating table is already difficult if only a single mechanical interface is provided. In this case, to remove the accessories, the latter must be grasped near its center of gravity or at two points as far apart as possible, otherwise the accessories are levered out of the operator's hands and there is no possibility for unlocking.

Usually, a release of the connection of the two coupling parts only possible directly on the interface itself. A remote control or a coupled operation of two interfaces is not possible in the rule. Reasons for this are space problems, cost considerations or operation-specific conditions, such as the occurrence of interference contours in X-ray applications. In this case, the unlocking elements can not be placed in places that form ergonomically favorable attack points. - A -

The object of the invention is to provide a device for releasably attaching an accessory to an operating table, which is particularly easy to handle in terms of locking and unlocking the connection between the two coupling parts.

The invention achieves this object in that the mechanism for locking and unlocking the connection between the two coupling parts comprises:

a first locking element arranged on the first coupling part and a second locking element arranged on the second coupling part, which can be brought into engagement with one another for locking and can be detached from one another for unlocking,

a manually operable unlocking element movably arranged on the first coupling part, which is biased into a locking position and movable counter to the bias into an unlocking position in which one of the two locking elements is acted on in such a way that the two locking elements are detached from one another,

- A movably arranged on the first coupling part locking element which holds the unlocking against the bias in its unlocked position, and

a triggering element movably arranged on the first coupling part, which is prestressed into a first position and acted upon by the second coupling part when the coupling parts are connected to one another and pressed against the prestressing into a second position,

- Wherein the triggering element acts on the blocking element in its first position so that the blocking element (40) is released from the unlocking element. In the device according to the invention, three different states are to be considered, namely a locked state and an unlocked state in the case of coupling parts connected to one another, as well as a state ready for locking in the case of coupling parts detached from one another.

In the locked state with interconnected coupling parts, the two locking elements are engaged with each other. In addition, the unlocking element is arranged by its mechanical bias in the locking position and pressed the triggering element by the second coupling part in its second position. In the second position, the triggering element leaves the blocking element unattended.

In the unlocked state with interconnected coupling parts, the unlocking element is moved counter to its mechanical bias in the unlocked position, whereby it acts on one of the two locking elements so that the two locking elements are detached from each other.

In the lock-ready state with mutually detached coupling parts, the trigger element is arranged by its mechanical bias in the first position. In this first position, the triggering element acts on the blocking element so that it is released from the unlocking element. This means that the blocking element no longer acts on the unlocking element and the latter is arranged by its mechanical bias in the locking position. If the two coupling parts are connected to each other again in this state, the connection is locked. The invention makes it possible to separate the unlocking and the removal of the two coupling parts locally and temporally. Thus, the unlocking is done via the unlocking element, which is moved into its unlocked position to act on one of the two locking elements and thus to release the two locking elements. Independently of this unlocking process, the two coupling parts can then be detached from one another by the operator touching the accessories at ergonomically favorable positions for this purpose. From this point of view, the invention is to be used profitably in particular if several mechanical interfaces are provided for attaching the accessories to the processing table. For each of these interfaces, a device according to the invention is provided. These devices can first be unlocked sequentially. Subsequently, two mutually connected coupling parts can then be detached from each other.

The erfmdungs contemporary device has the particular advantage that it is always ready to lock in disengaged coupling parts. This is ensured by the triggering element which, in the case of mutually released coupling parts, disables the action of the blocking element, namely to hold the unlocking element in its unlocked position. Once the two coupling parts are released from each other, so the device according to the invention is automatically transferred to the lock ready state. So there is no additional handle required to produce this state of locking readiness. In particular, there is no danger of forgetting the restoration of this condition. This facilitates handling considerably. In an advantageous embodiment, the first locking element is a bore and the second locking element is a movably mounted pin which is resiliently biased via a first biasing member so that it engages in the bore with interconnected coupling parts. The biasing element is, for example, a pressure-loaded coil spring. In this embodiment, the bore and the pin recorded in it cause a low-tech yet reliable positive lock.

In a further embodiment, the unlocking element is slidably mounted in the bore, resiliently biased by a second biasing member into the locking position and has at its end facing away from the pin externally operable push button and at its end facing the pin a shaft which upon actuation of the push button push the pin out of the hole. The second biasing member may in turn be formed as a spring loaded on pressure. By the push button is pressed against the spring force exerted by this coil spring, the shank of the unlocking element comes into abutment with the pin engaging in the bore and pushes it out of the bore. As a result, the positive unlocking is released.

An advantageous development of the device according to the invention is that the push button is substantially formed as a hollow cylinder whose end facing the pin open and the end facing away from the pin is closed, that the outer surface of the Hohlzy- Linders has an annular recess perpendicular to the cylinder axis and that the blocking element is mounted immovably parallel to the cylinder axis and movable perpendicular to the cylinder axis. Furthermore, the blocking element biased by a third biasing member elastically on the outer surface of the hollow cylinder and locked in the unlocked position of the unlocking in the recess. By the third biasing element, such as a pressure-loaded coil spring, presses the locking element on the outer surface of the hollow cylinder, it engages in the recess formed in the outer surface of the Hohlylinders when the push button is actuated for unlocking. The unlocked state is maintained by the latched in the recess locking element until the latter is released from the recess again.

In a further embodiment, the trigger element is a parallel to the cylinder axis movable pin and has a relative to the cylinder axis inclined contact surface which is shaped so that, when the unlocking element is engaged in the recess, during the movement of the trigger element from its second position in his first position comes into contact with the blocking element and thereby releases it from the depression. The parallel to the cylinder axis movement of the trigger element forming bolt is thus implemented by the inclined contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis movement of the locking element, whereby the locking element releases from the depression. The coupling of these two mutually perpendicular movements allow a particularly compact design of the mechanism intended for locking and unlocking.

This compactness can be further increased by the fact that the blocking element has a recess parallel to the cylinder axis, through which the trigger element is guided, and that the contact surface of the trigger element comes into contact with a part of the wall of the recess. By the triggering element is guided through the recess, is in particular special reduced the space requirement of the mechanism perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the push button forming hollow cylinder.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the blocking element has an externally accessible operating section, via which the locking element latched in the recess can be released manually from the depression. In this embodiment, the operator can cancel the unlocked state produced by pressing the push button once with interconnected coupling parts by manually solves the blocking element from the depression. Thereby, the unlocking element is moved by the force exerted by the second biasing member force back into the locking position and thus locks the connection. Thus, an emergency lock is possible, whereby the security is increased.

For example, the first coupling part is formed to have a box-shaped body open on one side receiving the second coupling part. The device is thus constructed very compact.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the first coupling part has a rod which extends between opposite side walls in the upper region of the body, which has the second coupling part on its upper side a rod receiving, in which the first coupling part is so suspended with its rod in that it is pivotable in the receptacle, and in that the bore forming the first locking element is arranged in the lower region of the body and the pin forming the second locking element is arranged in the lower region of the second coupling part. To attach the accessories to the opera- In this embodiment, first of all, the first coupling part is hung on the second coupling part from above and then placed in a pivoting movement, the pivot axis of which is provided by the rods suspended in the rod receptacle, on the second coupling part. As a result, the bore forming the first locking element and the pin forming the second locking element, which are in each case in the lower region of the associated coupling part, are pivoted towards one another and brought into abutment with one another.

An advantageous development provides that the bore forming the first locking element is formed in a side wall of the first coupling part and a portion of the side wall, which connects to the open side of the body to the bore, a chamfered sliding surface for the sliding pin in the bore of the second coupling part. The chamfered sliding surface ensures that the pin moved along the sliding surface, as it were, springs in against the force exerted by the first pretensioning element and then springs into the bore by this force, i. lock. The connection can thus be gently locked without tilting the spring-loaded pin.

The triggering element is preferably movably mounted in a further bore which is formed in the side wall of the body of the first coupling part and elastically biased via a fourth biasing element, for example a pressure loaded screw fields, that it from the side wall into the interior of the body protrudes. In interconnected coupling parts then the trigger element is pressed by a side wall of the second coupling part in its second position. The triggering element thus cooperates with the second coupling part in such a way that it can be actuated by the latter when the coupling element is connected to one another. lunging parts with respect to the blocking element as it is overridden while it acts without such action by the second coupling member on the locking element and this dissolves from the depression.

In an advantageous development of the protruding in the first position in the interior of the body of the first coupling part portion of the trigger element is formed tapered. This ensures that the trigger element gently springs into the further bore, which is formed in the side wall of the body of the first coupling part, when the above-mentioned side wall of the second coupling part comes into contact with the trigger element.

The invention will be described below with reference to a preferred embodiment with reference to the figures. Show:

Fig. 1 and 2: perspective views of the first coupling part;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the second coupling part;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of some components of the locking and unlocking mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the invention

Device in the locked state;

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of the invention

Device in the unlocked state; and Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of the invention

Device in lock-ready state.

In the figures 1 to 7 a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown, but the invention is not limited to this embodiment.

The device comprises a first coupling part 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a second coupling part 100 shown in FIG. 3. The first coupling part 10 is located on an accessory 12, only a small part in FIG. 1 and in FIG not shown. Examples of such an accessory are a leg plate, a back plate or an extension unit of the type explained above. The first coupling part 10 may be formed integrally with the accessory 12 or by means of suitable fastening means, e.g. Screws, attached to this.

The second coupling part 100 is arranged on an operating table 102, which in turn is shown only in a small part in FIG. In this case, the second coupling part 100 can in turn be formed integrally with the operating table 102 or by means of suitable fastening means, e.g. Screws, attached to this. Preferably, the second coupling part 100 is arranged on a side surface of the operating table 102.

The device comprising the two coupling parts 10 and 100 forms a mechanical interface for the detachable attachment of the accessory 12 to the operating table 102. In this connection, it should be pointed out in particular that the accessory 12 has a plurality of coupling parts 10. can point. In this case, the operating table 102 also has a plurality of coupling parts 100, so that the accessory 12 is attached to the operating table 102 via a plurality of mechanical interfaces.

The first coupling part 10 has in this embodiment a box-shaped, on one side open body 14. The body 14 is formed of two side walls 16 and 18, a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 22nd

The second coupling part 100 is shaped so that it can be received in the box-shaped body 14 of the first coupling part 10. This means that the two coupling parts 10 and 100 are formed largely complementary to each other.

In the embodiment of the second coupling part 100 shown in FIG. 3, a connection panel 106 is located on an end face 104. This connection panel 106 contains a plurality of contacts 108. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper part of the body 14 of the first coupling part 10 is located a rod 24 extending between the two opposed side walls 16 and 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the second coupling part 100 has on its upper side a rod receptacle 12 adapted to the rod 24. The rod 24 and the rod receptacle 112 are designed to connect the two coupling parts 10 and 100 together, as will be explained in more detail below will be explained.

The following describes a mechanism for locking and unlocking the connection between the two coupling parts 10 and 100. This mechanism contains both components th, which are formed on the first coupling part 10, as well as components, which are formed on the second coupling part 100.

The coupling part 100 has a pin 114 which is movably mounted in a bore 116 which is formed in a side surface 1 18, as the perspective view of Figure 3 and in particular the schematic representations of Figures 5 to 7 can be seen.

The pin 114 is biased by a first coil spring 120, which is subjected to pressure, so that it protrudes from the side surface 1 18 at uncoupled coupling parts 10 and 100.

In the side wall 16 of the first coupling part 10, a bore 26 adapted to the pin 114 is formed. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, located in the bore 26 an unlocking element 28. The unlocking element 28 includes a push button 30 and a shaft 32, as can be seen in particular in Figure 4, in which a part of the arranged on the first coupling part 10th Components of the above mechanism is shown. The push button 30 is substantially formed as a hollow cylinder. This hollow cylinder is open at the end facing the interior of the box-shaped body 14 and closed at the end remote from the interior of the body 14. This closed end can be seen in FIG.

The unlocking element 28 is resiliently biased by a second coil spring 34 which is subjected to pressure in a locking position in which the shaft 32 is sunk in the bore 26. In this locking position a the interior of the box-shaped body 14 facing part of the bore 26 remains free. In this part of the bore 26 can the protruding from the side wall 118 of the second coupling part 100 part of the pin 114 engage.

Thus, the coil spring 32, the unlocking element 28 in its locking position, d. H. in Figure 4 (in which, inter alia, the coil spring is omitted) obliquely to the top right, biased, it may for example be arranged so that it surrounds the shaft 32 and sits with one end in the form of a hollow cylinder push button 30, while they are with their another end is supported on a shoulder formed in the bore 26. For this purpose, the bore 26 is for example stepped (see FIGS. 5 to 7).

As shown in Figure 4, the push button 30 has in its outer surface an annular recess 38 which is perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the push button 30. The recess 38 is intended to come into engagement with a locking element 40 when the unlocking element 28 in an unlocked position, d. H. is pressed in Figure 4 to the bottom left. The blocking element 40 is mounted so that it is immovable, but perpendicular to the cylinder axis movable parallel to the cylinder axis of the trained as a hollow cylinder push button 30. The blocking element 40 is pressed onto the outer surface of the push button 30 by a third helical spring 42 (not shown in FIG. 4) which is subjected to pressure. As shown in particular in Fig. 1, the locking member 40 has an actuating portion 43, which the operator can operate manually.

The blocking element 40 has a recess 44, through which a triggering element in the form of a bolt 46 is guided. The bolt 46 is in a further bore 48 parallel to the cylinder axis of the push button 30 GE. outsourced. Via a fourth coil spring 50, which sits in the bore 48 and is subjected to pressure, the bolt 46 is biased in a first position in which it projects with a tapered end 52 into the box-shaped body 14, as, inter alia, in FIG is shown. Contrary to the spring force exerted by the fourth coil spring 50, the bolt 46 can be moved to a second position in which it is sunk in the bore 48.

On the bolt 46, a recess 54 is formed, which has a relation to the cylinder axis of the push button 30 inclined portion 56 and a cylinder axis parallel to said portion 58 which connects in the direction of the end 52 of the bolt 46 to the inclined portion 56. The inclined portion 56 serves as a bearing surface, by which the locking element 40 is released from the recess 38, as will be described in detail below.

As shown in Fig. 2, are the holes 26, 48 and thus the unlocking element 28 and the bolt 46 in the lower region of the body 14. The side wall 16 has on its inner side a portion 60, the open side of the body 14 out the bore 26 connects and forms a chamfered sliding surface for the pin 1 14.

The following describes in succession how the accessory 12 is attached to the operating table 102, locked there, unlocked again and finally removed.

First, the first coupling part 10 is hung with the rod 24 in the rod receiving portion 112 of the second coupling part 100, whereby the accessory 12 is connected to the operating table 102. It will the first coupling part 10 is preferably hung obliquely relative to the second coupling part 100 on the latter, so that the lower region of the first coupling part 10 is initially still spaced from the second coupling part 100. Then, this lower portion of the first coupling part 10 is moved toward the second coupling part 100 in a pivotal movement, the pivot axis of which is given by the rod 24 mounted in the rod receptacle 112. In this pivotal movement, first the chamfered sliding surface 60 formed on the side wall 16 of the first coupling part 10 comes into contact with the pin 1 14. The sliding surface 60 then pushes the pin 114 against the biasing force exerted by the first coil spring 120 in the bore 116 first coupling part 10 is pivoted so far onto the second coupling part 100, that the pin 114 and formed in the side wall 16 of the first coupling part 10 bore 26 are aligned, which expands at that moment on pressure loaded coil spring 120 and pushes the At the same time the side surface 1 18 of the second coupling element 100 comes into abutment with the tapered end 52 of the bolt 46. As a result, the bolt 46 is pushed against the spring force exerted by the fourth coil spring 50 in the bore 48. Once the pin 114 and the bore 26 are engaged with each other, the connection between the two coupling parts 10 and 100 is positively locked. This locked state is shown schematically in FIG.

To unlock the connection between the two coupling parts 10 and 100, presses the operator from the outside on the push button 30 of the unlocking element 28. In this case, the adjoining the push button 30 shaft 32 against the force exerted by the coil springs 34 and 120 spring forces on the in the Bore 26 seated pin 1 14 pressed, whereby the latter is pushed out of the bore 26. The unlocking element 28 is moved from its locking position shown in Figure 5 in an unlocked position. Once the unlocked position is reached, the third coil spring 42 presses the locking element 40 in the recess 38 of the push button 30. If the locking element 40 is engaged in the recess 38, the unlocking element 28 is against the force exerted by the coil springs 34 and 120 spring forces in the unlocked position held. As a result, the positive connection between the pin 114 and the bore 26 is released and the connection of the two coupling parts 10 and 15 unlocked. This unlocked state is shown schematically in FIG.

Starting from the unlocked state shown in FIG. 6, the first coupling part 10 can be pivoted away from the second coupling part 100 in a movement which is opposite to the pivoting movement intended for locking. Once the tapered end 52 of the bolt 46 detaches from the side surface 118 of the second coupling element 100, the fourth coil spring 50 pushes the bolt 46 from the bore 48 into the interior of the box-shaped body 14. During this movement of the bolt 46 shown in FIG 4 obliquely downward to the left and in Figure 7 is directed upward, the wall of the recess 44 of the locking element 40 comes in the region of the inclined contact surface 56 in contact with the formed on the bolt 46 recess 54. The inclined contact surface 56 thus triggers in their movement Once the locking element 40 is released from the recess 38, the second coil spring 34 presses the unlocking element 28 back into its locking position, ie in the position in which the shaft 32 of the unlocking element 28 in the Bore 26 is sunk and so in the bore 26 space for the Intervention of the pin 116 is available. By removing the first coupling part 10 so the device according to the invention is automatically placed in a lock ready state.

The coil springs 34, 42, 50 and 120 used in the present embodiment are to be dimensioned according to the operation described above. For example, care must be taken that the energy stored in the pressure-loaded fourth coil spring 50 is large enough to release the blocking element 40 against the spring force exerted by the third coil spring 42 out of the recess 38.

It should be noted that the operator can release the locking element 40 from the recess 38 by means of the actuating section 43, even when the coupling parts 10 and 100 are connected to each other (see FIG.

1).

Claims

claims

A device for releasably attaching an accessory (12) to an operating table (102), comprising:

- Two interconnectable coupling parts (10, 100), of which a first (10) on the accessory (12) and a second (100) on the operating table (102) is arranged, and

a mechanism for locking and unlocking the connection between the two coupling parts (10, 100), characterized in that the mechanism comprises:

a first locking element (26) arranged on the first coupling part (10) and a second locking element (1 14) arranged on the second coupling part (100), which are engageable with each other for locking and detachable from each other for unlocking,

- One on the first coupling part (10) movably arranged, manually operable unlocking element (28) biased into a locking position and against the bias in an unlocking position is movable, in which there is one (114) of the two locking elements (26, 114) urged that the two locking elements (26, 114) are detached from each other,

- One on the first coupling part (10) movably arranged locking element (40) which holds the unlocking element (28) against the bias in its unlocked position, and

- A on the first coupling part (10) movably arranged release element (46) which is biased in a first position and in interconnected coupling parts (10, 100) acted upon by the second coupling part (100) and pressed against the bias in a second position . - Wherein the trigger element (46) acts on the blocking element (40) in its first position so that the blocking element (40) is released from the unlocking element (28).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first locking element has a bore (26) and the second locking element is a movably mounted pin (1 14), which is resiliently biased via a first biasing member (120) so that it together connected coupling parts (10, 100) engages in the bore (26).

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the unlocking element (28)

- Is slidably mounted in the bore (26),

- Is biased by a second biasing member (34) elastically in the locking position, and

- At its the pin (1 14) facing away from an externally operable push-button (30) and at its the pin (1 14) facing the end of a shaft (32) which upon actuation of the push-button (30) the pin (114) from the bore (26) pushes.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that

- The push button (30) is substantially formed as a hollow cylinder, the pin (114) facing the end open and the pin (114) facing away from the end,

- The outer surface of the hollow cylinder has an annular recess (38) perpendicular to the cylinder axis and

- The blocking element (40) mounted immovably parallel to the cylinder axis and movable perpendicular to the cylinder axis, via a third Biasing element (42) is elastically biased onto the outer surface of the hollow cylinder and locked in the unlocked position of the unlocking element (28) in the recess (38).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the trigger element (46) is a parallel to the cylinder axis movable pin and has a relative to the cylinder axis inclined abutment surface (56) which is shaped so that when the unlocking element (28) in the recess (38) is engaged while the movement of the trigger element (46) from its second position to its first position comes into abutment with the blocking element (40) and thereby releases it from the recess (38).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that

- The blocking element (40) has a parallel to the cylinder axis recess (44) through which the trigger element (46) is guided,

- And the contact surface (56) of the trigger element (46) with a part of the wall of the recess (44) comes into abutment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the blocking element (40) has an externally accessible actuating portion (43) via which in the recess (38) latched locking element (40) at interconnected coupling parts (10, 100 ) manually from the recess (38) is releasable.

8. Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the first coupling part (10) has a box-shaped, on one side open body (14), the second coupling part receiving part (100).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that

- the first coupling part (10) has a rod (24) which extends between opposite side walls (16, 18) in the upper region of the body (14),

- The second coupling part (100) on its upper side a rod receptacle (1 12), in which the first coupling part (10) with its rod (24) is suspended so that it is pivotable in the rod receptacle (112), and

- The first locking element forming the bore (26) in the lower region of the body (14) of the first coupling part (10) and the second locking element forming pin (114) in the lower region of the second coupling part (100) is arranged.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that

- The first locking element forming the bore (26) in a side wall (16) of the first coupling part (10) is formed and

- A portion of the side surface, which connects to the open side of the body (14) towards the bore (26), a chamfered sliding surface (60) for the in the bore (26) sliding pin (1 14).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the trigger element (46) in a further bore (48) formed in the side wall (16) of the body (14) of the first coupling part (10) is movably mounted and via a fourth biasing member (50) is resiliently biased to its first position so as to protrude from the side wall (16) into the interior of the body (14) and to interconnected coupling portions (10, 100) from a side surface (1 18) of the second coupling element (100) is pressed into its second position.

12. The device according to claim 1 1, characterized in that in the first position in the interior of the body (14) of the first coupling part (10) projecting portion (52) of the triggering element (46) is formed tapered.