GB1558426A - Ceilingmounted swivel arm - Google Patents

Description

(54) ILING-MOUNTEI} SWIVEL ARM (71) We, DRAGERWERK AKTIEN GESELLSCHAFT, a German company, of Moislinger Allee 53-55, 2400 Lübeck, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to a ceilingmounted swivel arm.

For the purpose of combatting the risk of hospital infections, all apparatus in medical rooms which have to be kept sterile, more particularly operating theatres, have to be constructed so that they can be kept sterile in a simple manner without any special additional careful work being required, and they do not themselves become sources of infection over and above this.

An operating lamp is known which is combined with a services column. The services column ends in a connection head.

This comprises connections for various electrical appliances and also for oxygen, nitrous oxide, and possibly further service equipment, for example for suction purposes. The services column extends within a hollow neck which is secured on the ceiling and on which a swivel arm carrying the lamp is arranged rotatably in a rotary bearing. The rotary bearing is arranged above the connection head. The connection head is at such a height from the floor that it can be reached, but on the other hand it does not disturb normal work at the operating table. The connection head can also be secured on a swivel arm which is directed away from the neck laterally and is rotatable thereon. (See German published Specification 1193 897).

A known swivel joint forming part of a ceiling suspension arrangement for an operating lamp comprises swivel arm parts which are connected to one another by means of an adjustable spring compensating arrangement and which are held together by means of a horizontal pivot pin. The ends of the arm parts which abut on one another are constructed in the same way and represent closed surfaces, for example circular surfaces. In the joined-together state, they form a closed rotary joint. The pivot pin and the adjusting means for spring compensation are fully enclosed. The surfaces which form the rotary joint are ground. (See German published Specification 1 810 552).

In both constructions it is unavoidable that dirt, dust and bacteria will settle in the rotary joints, especially since bacteria find an excellent breeding ground in the first-mentioned impurities. It cannot be ensured that the lower-lying portions in the rotary joints will be properly cleaned. When the arms move and therefore there are turning movements in the joints, the bacteriacontaminated dust falls out and contaminates the surroundings. In addition, because of the unavoidable lack of sealingtightness between the parts which move in a rotating fashion on one another, the abrasion products also fall out which are produced in the movement of internally arranged cables, conduits etc., provided for the connections in the connection head.

According to the present invention, there is provided a ceiling-mounted swivel arm, comprising substantially gas-tight hollow parts through which an elongate service supply line extends, said hollow parts being connected to each other by substantially sealed rotary bearing means and the interiors of said hollow parts communicating with each other and with a conduit connected to suction-producing means for producing suction in said interiors in order to inhibit dust and dirt from falling out between said hollow parts during relative rotation thereof.

In order to allow reliable disinfection to be carried out simply and-reliably as far as possible in a suitable apparatus, a con nection box is secured detachably on a ver tical tube of the swivel arm.

The invention has the advantage of re liably preventing possibly contaminated dust from falling out, which could other wise contaminate the surrounding area which should be kept sterile. This danger exists above all when the swivel arm parts are being rotated. What prevents it from falling out is the negative pressure which prevails inside the swivel arm parts, since the negative pressure produces, in existing leaks or leaks which may occur on rota tional movement in the bearing means, a guaranteed internally acting suction effect because of the pressure difference. This suction then carries along loose particles in the same direction. The dirt produced as abraded substance on for example supply lines which are arranged internally cannot fall out, because of the air flow passing in wardly from the outside.Therefore, this solution reliably prevents contamination in a very simple manner, and need not re quire additional apparatus, since a suction connection is always present conventionally in connection boxes. It is required for re moving for example secretions by suction effect.

The advantages which result from the de tachable connection of the connection box will be readily appreciated. In spite of all the smooth-surface constructions it is diffi cult to keep the connections themselves clean from the outside. But this can be done with very little outlay in the disinfec tion apparatus which form part of conven tional medical equipment.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, which shows a vertical axial section through a ceiling-mounted swivel arm.

Referring to the drawing, a double-jointed swivel arm comprises hollow section parts.

The necessary supply lines for connections in a connection box are taken through the interior of the arm. The interior is used as a vacuum conduit. For this purpose, all the arm parts but especially those which move relatively to each other are sealed relatively to each other. A connecting conduit 1 represents a connection with a vacuum source which is not shown here but which is a central vacuum system of a hospital. In the illustration this conduit is arranged within the ceiling space. An upper horizontal swivel arm part 6 of the double jointed arm construction is guided by a vertical cylindrical portion 4 thereof in a rotary bearing 3 arranged in the ceiling.

The rotary bearing 3 is fixed to the underside of the ceiling by means of a flange. The cylindrical portion 4 is connected pivotably by means of a sealing element 5 with the connecting conduit 1. Supply lines 18 for connections in the connection box 13 are taken by way of gas-tight apertures 2 through the wall of the connecting conduit 1 and connect the appropriate connections in the connection box 13 with a services system. The connection 14 can be for example a dispensing point for compressed air or electrical energy. The outer end 7 of the horizontal swivel arm part 6 is constructed as a rotary bearing 8. A vertical bearing neck 10 of a lower swivel arm part 9 is pivotably mounted in this rotary bearing. A sealing element 11 provides sealingtightness. The lower swivel arm part 9 is continued as a vertical tube 12 at the end opposite to the bearing neck 10.On the lower end of the tube 12 the connection box 13 is detachably secured. The most advantageous working height of the connection box 13 can be selected by choice of the length of the vertical tube 12. The side walls of the connection box 13 comprise the dispensing points 14 for the service media which are required. A dispensing point 15 is connected directly to the interior 19 of the double-jointed arm and forms the connection for apparatus which require a vacuum.

Below the connection box 13 there is situated a holder 16 in which additional equipment can be suspended such as for example an OP suction extraction device 17.

When there are leaks in the arm, the negative pressure within the arm means that there is always a movement of air from the outside in an inward direction. The leaks in question are produced when there is rotational movement in the rotary bearings 3 and 8, since it is quite possible that the sealing elements 5 and 11 will easily become deformed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A ceiling-mounted swivel arm, comprising substantially gas-tight hollow parts through which an elongate service supply line extends, said hollow parts being connected to each other by substantially sealed rotary bearing means and the interiors of said hollow parts communicating with each other and with a conduit connected to suction-producing means for producing suction in said interiors in order to inhibit dust and dirt from falling out between said hollow parts during relative rotation thereof.

2. An arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow parts include a lower part in the form of a substantially vertical tube on which is detachably secured a connection box to which said supply line extends.

3. A ceiling-mounted swivel arm, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. sealing elements 5 and 11 will easily become deformed. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A ceiling-mounted swivel arm, comprising substantially gas-tight hollow parts through which an elongate service supply line extends, said hollow parts being connected to each other by substantially sealed rotary bearing means and the interiors of said hollow parts communicating with each other and with a conduit connected to suction-producing means for producing suction in said interiors in order to inhibit dust and dirt from falling out between said hollow parts during relative rotation thereof.

2. An arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow parts include a lower part in the form of a substantially vertical tube on which is detachably secured a connection box to which said supply line extends.

3. A ceiling-mounted swivel arm, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.