US3110815A

US3110815A - Remote control apparatus for moving an operating lamp

Info

Publication number: US3110815A
Application number: US75450A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sturm Walter
Original assignee: Quarzlampen GmbH
Current assignee: Quarzlampen GmbH
Priority date: 1959-09-12
Filing date: 1960-09-08
Publication date: 1963-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-12

Description

W. STURM Nov. 12, 1963 REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR MOVING AN OPERATING LAMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1960 INVENTOR WALTER STURM BY W ATTORNEY-5 Nov. 12, 1963 Filed Sept. 8, 1960 w. STURM' 3,110,815

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR MOVING AN OIPERATING LAMP s Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

INVENTOR WALTER s rug/w ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1963 I w. STURM 0,8

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR MOVING AN OPERATING LAMP Filed Sept. 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F6 I k I INVENFOR 4 -wmnsrz 5TURM BYMAW' ATTORNEYfi United States PatentO REMOTE CONTRQL APPARATUS FOR MQVING AN ()PERA'IHNG LAW Walter Sturm, Hanan (Main)-Hohe Tanne, Germany, as-

signer to Quarzlampen Gesellschaft m.b.H., Hanan (Main), Germany Filed Sept. 8, 196i), Ser. No. 75,450

Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 12, 1959 9 Claims. (Cl. 250-217) The present invention relates to a medical operating lamp as used in operating rooms. More in particular, the present invention relates to an operating lamp which can be shifted to concentrate the light on various areas as needed in the course of an operation.

It is known to provide operating room lamps pivotably positioned for movement about at least one axis, and preferably about two or even more axes, so as to be fully adjustable to any desired position in the vicinity of the operating table.

The adjustment of such operating lamps is not effected by the operating surgeon but by an auxiliary hand. These assistants usually stand behind the surgeon and thus cannot themselves properly survey the operating table. The surgeon must therefore orally communicate with the assistant about the displacement of the lamp. This is a time consuming and difficult process, since it is not at all easy to communicate the desired position of the lamp in simple and unequivocal terms, and frequent misunderstanding is the result of this process.

It is the object of the invention to obviate these disadvantages and to provide an operating lamp of the adjustable, afore-mentioned type which can be adjusted from a distance by the operating surgeon himself in a quick and very simple way.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Such objects are achieved by the operating lamp of the present invention. The operating lamp comprises a lamp casing with a plurality of illuminating lamps in the casing. The lamp casing is pivotably mounted so that it can be adjusted in at least one direction, but preferably in two directions, for example by means of a motor. According to the invention the operating lamp is equipped with electro-optical control means for distant-controlling displacement of the lamp casing by the motor. These control means comprise a control light emitter forming a separate unit and being so shaped as to be susceptible to easy handling "by the surgeon. In the lamp casing proper there are provided light responsive means such as photoelectric cells transforming the light rays emitted by the light emitter into electric pulses controlling the motor. The motor is of the reversible type and runs either clockwise or counter-clockwise and it is accordingly controlled by the currents received from the photoelectric cell means. The electro-optical control is so chosen that a displacement of the operating lamp is caused at the end of which the optical axis of the operating lamp points towards the optical axis of the control light emitter. This is achieved by providing a pair of photocells for displacement in each direction which are disposed symmetrically relative to the optical axis of the lamp casing. If the optical axis of the lamp points towards the optical axis of the light emitter, both photoelectric cells receive an equal amount of light and consequently no actuating unbalancing electric pulse is produced. If, however, the optical axis of the lamp casing does not point towards the optical axis of the light emitter, one of the photoelectric cells, for example the left photoelectric cell, receives a greater amount of light and the motor is turned, for example, counterclockwise. Accordingly, if the right photoelectric cell receives the greater amount of light, the motor is turned clockwise.

3,1 10,8 15 Patented Nov. 12, 1 963 lCC If the lamp casing is adapted to be moved in two different directions, two pairs of photoelectric cells and tWo motors will be provided.

This arrangement makes it possible to easily adjust the lamp casing to any desired position. This can be done by the surgeon himself, thereby eliminating complicated and possibly equivocal communication with an assistant. The surgeon simply has to point the light emitter in a direction corresponding to the desired end position of the operating lamp wherein the optical axis of the latter points towards the optical axis of the control light emitter handled by the surgeon.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the operating lamp according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the operating lamp of the invention illustrating the glass filter and adjustable diaphragm means;

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram illustrating the principal electric elements in the operating lamp according to the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a detailed wiring diagram of the block diagram of FIG. 3;

, FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a control light emitter adapted for battery operation;

FIGURE 5a is a perspective view of a control light emitter for mainpower operation;

FIGURE 6 is a wiring diagram of the control light emitter according to the invention shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a wiring diagram of the control light emitter shown in FIGURE 5a.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail FIG- URE 1 shows a lamp casing 1 having a plurality of lamp openings 2 through which light from various lamps such as 2a is emitted. Preferably, the lamp casing is positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 1, which shows positioning of the casing in a fork-shaped member 3 having a shaft 3a. The casing is pivotably mounted in the forkshaped member so that it can be turned about axis AA for which displacement a first motor 4 with a driving gear 12 is provided. Furthermore, the casing can be swiveled together with the fork-shaped member 3 about axis BB for which purpose a motor 5 is provided drivingly geared to shaft 3a. For each displacement the lamp casing contains one pair of photoelectric cells, for example photoelectric cells 6, 7 for displacement about axis A-A and photoelectric cells 8, 9 for displacement about axis BB.

The light emitter of the invention forms a separate unit as shown in FIGURES 5 and 5a. The light emitter has a handle 15 which may be hollow to receive a battery and as a light source a mercury low pressure lamp 16, which can be turned on and off by means of a pressure button 17. It is also possible to operate the light emitter by current received from the mains as shown in FIGURE 5a, wherein the light emitter has a handle 1511, a mercury low pressure lamp 16a, an actuating pressure button 17a, and, instead of the battery, a connecting wire 18 with a plug 19.

Preferably, adjustable diaphragm means are disposed about the photocells as shown, for example, in FIG- URE 2 illustrating, for example, photocell 6 with an adjustable diaphragm 20 having an opening 21 and a knurl ring 22 for adjusting the diaphragm. Due to such adjustable diaphragms a dead zone is created about the respective photoelectric cell preventing its excitation by the light rays from the

light emitter

15 or 15a either entirely or to such a degree that the respective photoelectric cell is excited far less than the other cell of the respective pair. Consequently, the associated motor remains stationary and no displacement is effected. This assures that the operating lamp remains in the desired position as soon as its optical axis substantially points in the direction towards the optical axis of the light emitter.

Frequently operating lamps are used having an extremely great illuminating power. In such instances it may occur that light is reflected, for example by the white sheet on the operating table, to the photoelectric cells on the lamp casing, thereby actuating the respective motors and causing an undesired displacement of the lamp. This optical feed-back can be prevented according to the invention in two different ways. According to the first proposition of the invention the frequency of the light rays of the light emitter is modulated so that the frequency becomes decisively different from the frequency of the operative lamp. In chosing the proper frequency difference it must be kept in mind that the frequency of the lamps in operating lamps as used today, i.e. 100 or 120 cycles is subject to some modulation. For that reason the frequency of the light emitter is preferably chosen to be at least eighty times the frequency of the operating lamp. For example, the light emitter is operated with an alternating current frequency of from 8000 to 10,000 cycles so that the light emitted has a frequency of 16,000 to 20,000 cycles. The amplifier associated with the photolectric cell can then be so chosen that it has a high amplifying power for high frequencies and a low, i.e. insufficient amplifying power for 100 or 120 cycles. It is, however, also possible to use a broad band amplifier and providing the same with a frequency filter illuminating the lower frequencies. While this arrangement is satisfactory, in many instances, it requires rather expensive structure in case of exceedingly strong illuminating powers of operating lamps.

According to another proposition of the invention there are therefore provided means causing the control light emitter to emit light of a Wave length different from the wave length of the light rays emitted by the operating lamp, the light emitted by the light emitter being, for example, 366 m. as furnished by a mercury lamp. In this case the danger of an optical feed-back can be furti'ier reduced by providing in front of the photoelectric cells a suitable black glass filter, such as at 23 which is non-transmissive with respect to the visible light rays of the operating lamp.

Preferably, both of the afore-mentioned alternatives are combined.

Turning next to the photoelectric structure and wiring as shown, for example, in FIGURES 3 and 4, photoelectric cells 6 and 7 are connected, for example, each with an amplifier 10, the latter being connected with a high pass filter 13, which, in turn, is connected with a further amplifier 10a, the latter being connected with a relay 11 operating motor 4.

The wiring is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 4, wherein the identical structure is provided in duplicate, once for photoelectric cell 40 and once for photoelectric cell 40a, the identical structure being associated with the latter having the index a. The photoelectric cell 40 receives the high frequency light from the control light meter and converts the light energy into electric current which is supplied to capacitor 41 and then to the grid of the first amplifier tube 42. The amplifier alternating voltage passes through coupling capacitor 43 and high pass filter means formed by inductors 44, 46 and capacitor 45. The current then passes through capacitor 47 arid potentiometer 48 to the control grid of a second amplifier tube 49 further amplifying the current which then passes via capacitor 50 to the grid of tube 51 further amplifying the current which then passes via capacitor 52 to the two grids of tube 53. Both control grids of tube 53 are negatively biased by resistances 54 and 55 blocking the tube in the absence of an input signal. If a light signal reaches photoelectric cell 40, the grids of tube 53 are unbiased by the positive half-wave of the alternating cur- .4 rent supplied by photoelectric cell 40, and the anode current of the tube causes relay 56 to close so that clockwise rotation of the motor results. The motor continues to turn and thereby moving the operating lamp until the optical axis of the lamp points substantially to the light meter and photoelectric cell 40 is no longer excited. Consequently, relay 56 opens and the motor stops. Counter-clockwise rotation of the motor is effected by the identical structure designated with the reference numerals indexed with a and associated With photoelectric cell 40a.

The light meter is operated with a frequency advantageously at least ten-times the frequency with which the operating lamp is operated, for example, 8,000 to 10,000 cycles. This frequency can be obtained by means of generators, for example transformers and the like, or, preferably, by an oscillatory circuit comprising transistors as illustrated by way of an example in FIGURE 6.

The oscillatory circuit consists of a transformer 60, two

transistors

61 and 62, resistance 63, and a smoothing capacitor 64. The frequency is determined by the selfinduction of a primary coil of transformer 60. Upon operating pressure button 65 direct current is supplied from battery 66 to the oscillatory circuit and an alternating voltage is obtained from the secondary coil of transformer 60 which is then supplied via choke 67 to the mercury low pressure lamp 63. This lamp now emits light whose frequency has been modulated corresponding to the frequency of the alternating voltage produced by the oscillatory circuit so that the lamp emits light of a frequency of, for example, 16,000 to 20,000 cycles.

if a light meter operated with current from the mains is used, the arrangement will be as illustrated in FIGURE 7. Upon operating pressure button 80, the UV lamp 81 receives the necessary igniting voltage via stray field transformer 82. After ignition the voltage is reduced following the characteristics of the transformer to the regular operating voltage and the lamp emits light corresponding to the frequency of the mains. It will be appreciated that When using this type of light meter the high pass filter 13 or 44d545 must be removed from the circuit.

In the light meter heretofore described a mercury low pressure lamp was used, since this has the advantage of immediately emitting light with the full light intensity. It is, however, also possible to dispose a fluorescent substance on or Within the casing of the mercury lamp which is caused to emit visible light by the ultra-violet radiation of the mercury lamp. The fluorescent substance must be so chosen that the after-glow time is short and that the frequency of the light emitted by the fluorescent substance is modulated to be sufficiently distinguished from the frequency of the operating lamp. As photoelectric cells it is advantageous to use blue sensitive high vacuum cells having a sufficient sensitivity for the long wave ultra-violet range. As a glass filter it is possible to use with advantage filters as marketed by the firm of Schott, Mainz, Germany, designated as UG4-filter having a thickness of 3 mm.

The provision of two motors with two pairs of photoelectric cells has the great advantage of enabling a transverse displacement since the lamp casing is moved simultaneously by the motor for movement in one direction and the other motor for movement in another direction and it is not necessary to have the lamp casing first move in the one desired directionand then in the other desired direction. It is, however, also possible to provide an operating lamp susceptible to movement in three different directions, for example about axis AA, axis BB, and a third axis. In this case, three separate motors and three pairs of photoelectric cells will be provided. It will be noted that each of these pairs is associated with one of the three motors and that in each of these three instances the electro-optical structure and arrangement can be identical as illustrated in and described with reference to FIGURE 4.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to difierent usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend suchmodifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An operating lamp comprising a lamp casing pivotable about a first, a second, and a third axis, a plurality of lamps in said casing, a first, a second, and a third reversible motor for displacing the lamp casing about said axes, a control light emitter forming a separate unit, first, second, and third photoelectric means associated With said motors, operating said motors to displace said lamp casing Whenever the optical axis of said lamp casing substantially points in a direction other than towards the optical axis of said control light emitter, a first, second, and third pair of photoelectric cells in said photoelectric .means, With each pair being symmetrically disposed relative to the central axis of said lamp casing, with one or" said cells of said pairs causing said motor to turn clockwise, and the respective other one of said cells or" said pairs causing said motor to turn counterclockwise.

2. Control apparatus for an operating lamp comprising a lamp casing, a fork-shaped member pivota'bly supporting said lamp casing, a pivotable shaft supporting said fork-shaped member together with said lamp casing, a plurality of lamps in said casing, a first reversible motor drivingly connected to said lamp casing for pivoting it about a first axis, a second reversible motor drivingly connected to said fork-shaped member for pivoting it together with said lamp casing about a second axis, a control light emitter forming a separate unit, and emitting light which includes a component not present in the light from said lamps, first photoelectric detector means, disposed in said casing at diiie'ent sides of said first axis, first electric control means connected to said first photoelectric detector means and controlling said first motor, second photoelectric detector means, disposed at different sides of said second axis, also in said casing, and second electric control means connected to said second photoelectric detector means and controlling said second motor, said photoelectric means operating said motors to pivot said lamp casing whenever the optical axis of said lamp casing substantially points in a direction other than towards the optical axis of said control light emitter.

3. Control apparatus for an operating lamp comprising a lamp casing, a fork-shaped member pivotally supporting said lamp casing and defining a first pivot axis therefor, a pivotable shaft supporting said fork-shaped member and permitting rotation thereof about a second pivot axis extending perpendicular to said first pivot axis, a plurality of lamps in said casing defining a common optical axis perpendicular for both said first and said second axis, a first pair of photoelectric detectors disposed in said casing symmetrically about said first axis, and parallel to said second axis, a second pair of photoelectric detector means disposed in said casing symmetrically about said second axis and parallel to said first axis; first circuit means responsive to balance and unbalance of light detection of said first pair of photocells, a first reversible motor connected to and controlled by said first circuit means and drivingly connected to said casing for pivoting it about said first axis, second circuit means responsive to balance and unbalance of light detection of said second pair of phctccells, a second reversible motor connected to and controlled by said second circuit means and drivingly connected to said shaft for pivoting said fork-shaped member about said second axis, and a control light emitter as a separate unit emitting light including a component not present in the light from said operating lamp, with any of said detector means and said circuit means being responsive to said component.

4. Control apparatus for an operating lamp according to claim 3, further comprising adjustable diaphragm means mounted in front of each of said photoelectric detector means and creating a Zone of non-responsiveness of its associated photoelectric detector means, substantially in the central region of the optical axis of the operating lamp.

5. Control apparatus for an operating lamp according to claim 3, further including an oscillator connected to said light emitter to supply the same with current having a frequency used for operating said lamps, said first and second circuit means suppressing the latter frequency.

6. Control apparatus for an operating lamp according to claim 5, with said oscillator frequency being at least eighty times as high as the frequency used for operating said lamps.

7. Control apparatus for an operating lamp according to claim 3, comprising means in said light emitter emitting light rays having a Wave length substantially different from 1e wave length of light emitted by said lamps in said lamp casing, and filter means provided before said photoelectric detector means absorbing the latter wave length.

8. Control apparatus. for an operating lamp according to claim 7, said light emitter being an ultra-violet lamp, and said filter means including a black glass disposed before said photoelectric detector means for substantially absorbing visible light rays as emitted by said lamps in said lamp casing.

9. Control apparatus for an operating lamp according to claim 3, said light emitter comprising an ultra-violet lamp, and said photoelectric detector means being substantially non-responsive to visible light rays as emitted by said lamps in said lamp casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,155,402 Clark Apr. 25, 1939 2,489,305 McLennan Nov. 29, 1949 2,758,712 Linderman Aug. 14, 1956 2,789,938 Jewell luly 9, 1957 2,827,554 Gunther et al. Mar. 18, 1958 2,911,519 Phillips et al. Nov. 3, 1959

Claims

2. CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AN OPERATING LAMP COMPRISING A LAMP CASING, A FORK-SHAPED MEMBER PIVOTABLY SUPPORTING SAID LAMP CASING, A PIVOTABLE SHAFT SUPPORTING SAID FORK-SHAPED MEMBER TOGETHER WITH SAID LAMP CASING, A PLURALITY OF LAMPS IN SAID CASING, A FIRST REVERSIBLE MOTOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID LAMP CASING FOR PIVOTING IT ABOUT A FIRST AXIS, A SECOND REVERSIBLE MOTOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID FORK-SHAPED MEMBER FOR PIVOTING IT TOGETHER WITH SAID LAMP CASING ABOUT A SECOND AXIS, A CONTROL LIGHT EMITTER FORMING A SEPARATE UNIT, AND EMITTING LIGHT WHICH INCLUDES A COMPONENT NOT PRESENT IN THE LIGHT FROM SAID LAMPS, FIRST PHOTOELECTRIC DETECTOR MEANS, DISPOSED IN SAID CASING AT DIFFERENT SIDES OF SAID FIRST AXIS, FIRST ELECTRIC CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST PHOTOELECTRIC DETECTOR MEANS AND CONTROLLING SAID FIRST MOTOR, SECOND PHOTOELECTRIC DETECTOR MEANS, DISPOSED AT DIFFERENT SIDES OF SAID SECOND AXIS, ALSO IN SAID CASING, AND SECOND ELECTRIC CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND PHOTOELECTRIC DETECTOR MEANS AND CONTROLLING SAID SECOND MOTOR, SAID PHOTOELECTRIC MEANS OPERATING SAID MOTORS TO PIVOT SAID LAMP CASING WHENEVER THE OPTICAL AXIS OF SAID LAMP CASING SUBSTANTIALLY POINTS IN A DIRECTION OTHER THAN TOWARDS THE OPTICAL AXIS OF SAID CONTROL LIGHT EMITTER.