US3293632A

US3293632A - Reversible wall panel

Info

Publication number: US3293632A
Application number: US353624A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael J Blume
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-03-20
Filing date: 1964-03-20
Publication date: 1966-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-20

Description

Dec. 26 B966 M. J. BLUME REVERSIBLE WALL PANEL Filed March 20, 1964 INVENTOR.

MIC/ N541 J. Bil/ME United States Patent 3,293,632 REVERSIBLE WALL PANEL Michael J. Blume, 15638 Stratford, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Filed Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,624 8 Claims. (Cl. 340-282) This invention relates to wall systems and more particularly has reference to a wall panel for X-ray apparatus and the like adapted to pivot between a pair of adjoining rooms in order to provide access to the X-ray equipment from either room.

In hospitals, X-ray clinics, dental offices, and the like, it is common to have several rooms suitably equipped for X-ray exposure of patients. These rooms are often situated immediately adjacent one another. It is often necessary in X-ray clinics and hospitals, to provide an independent, complete X-ray system in each room since more than one patient may be given X-ray treatment at the same time. Many dentists have a pair of adjoining operatories between which they alternate during the course of a day. In order to take X-rays regardless of the room in which the patient happens to be disposed, it has been necessary to mount a separate X-ray unit in each room.

The actual period of exposure to the X-radiation, usually only a few seconds, is a small part of the total time the patient spends in the room where the X-ray is taken. In the dental operatory, for example, the X-rays may be taken in a few seconds or minutes while the patient may spend an hour or more in the room receiving dental treatment. It is apparent, therefore, that while more than one room having access to the X-ray equipment may be necessary, a single X-ray unit might be sufficient if it were available in each room for a little more than the few seconds or minutes during which the exposure is made.

3,293,632 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 is rotated to bring the X-ray apparatus into the room if it is not already there. The apparatus is then arranged adjacent the portion of the patients body to be X--rayed, and the exposure completed. The entire time during which the apparatus is unavailable to the operator on the opposite side of the wall will ordinarily be a matter of a few seconds or minutes.

The control console or panel which actuates the X-ray apparatus may be located on the reversible wall panel or it may be situated externally on that wall. For example, the control console may be located in a hallway accessible from both serviced rooms and having means for viewing the patients in both rooms. One such floor plan will be subsequently illustrated and described in greater detail.

The present invention provides a substantial saving in cost since only half as many X-ray machines are necessary. The cost of providing an existing wall with a reversible panel of this kind or of providing a new wall having such a feature, is very small in comparison to the cost of a complete X-ray unit.

Although the greater portion of the present discussion is concerned with reversible panels for X-ray systems, it can be readily seen that the same principle may be employed in various other situations where apparatus is used periodically in each of two adjoining rooms. For example a dictating machine might be wall-mounted in this manner in an office so as to be pivotable between one room where the dictation is recorded on the machine, and a second room where the recorded information is to be transcribed. This would permit a single machine to be employed for both purposes, thereby saving the cost of a duplicate machine or avoiding the inconvenience of carrying or The problem, therefore, is to provide an X-ray system i which can be readily and swiftly moved from one room to another. The only obvious solution to this problem would be to mount the X-ray unit on a cart or other vehicle which could be wheeled from one room to another. However, this would be impossible for many types of X-ray equipment and, in any case, would clearly be slow, inconvenient, and therefore unsatisfactory, where more than one patient is brought into one of the rooms at about the same time.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a solution to this problem where a pair of such X-ray rooms or dental operatories are disposed adjacent one another and have a common wall or partition. The present solution is to rotate the portion of the common wall on which the X-ray unit is mounted until the unit is disposed in the room where the unit is to be used. The wall section is rotated each time the unit is needed in the room opposite to the one in which it is disposed at the time.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention which will be subsequently described in detail, a dental X-ray unit is fixed on a rotatable wall panel which is pivotable about a vertical axis. When the X-ray apparatus is in use, a switch is actuated which looks the panel against movement, and illuminates a small light on the rear side of the panel. This serves as a signal to the operator on that side of the panel that the dental X-ray apparatus is being used. Suitable rubber padding is provided about the periphery of the panel adapted to prevent noise from being transmitted from one room to the other through the small space between the panel and the wall structure.

It can be seen that the present reversible wall system will not interfere with the normal operations in each of the two serviced rooms nor increase the time required to obtain an X-ray exposure. In each room, the wall panel wheeling single machine back and forth.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. The description makes reference to the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the wall including a dental X-ray unit mounted on the reversible panel of the present invention, the panel being also shown in phantom rotated ninety degrees from its normal position;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the panel of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the panel taken along the lines 3-3 in FIGURE 2 without the X-ray unit;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the panel taken along the lines 4-4 in FIGURE 2 without the X-ray unit;

FIGURE 5 is a floor plan of a suggested arrangement of the adjoining rooms and the X-ray control console; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic representation of a preferred electrical system for the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a pair of dental operatories are separated by the common wall 10 shown in FIGURE 1. A panel 12, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is disposed in the wall 10 and includes a dental X-ray unit 14 mounted along one face.

The panel 12 includes an outer frame 16 and facing

sheets

18 and 20 of metal, wood, plastic, or any other suitable material. The frame 16 comprises

vertical side channels

22 and 24, and horizontal upper and

lower channels

26 and 28. The facing

sheets

18 and 20 are permanently fixed to the opposite outer legs of the channels 22-28. A hollow shaft 30 extends vertically through the panel and is welded in holes 32 and 34 midway along the length of the lower and

upper channels

28 and 26. The thickness of the panel is less than that of the wall 10.

The panel 12 includes a pair of substantially aligned openings 35 and 37 in the facing

sheets

18 and 20. A

.the panel described above. The wall is prepared by first removing enough of the plaster walls or dry wall and studs to provide an opening 45 slightly larger than the panel to be inserted. A beam 46, such as a 2 x 4, is placed between the lower ends of the existing plaster walls or dry wall 48 with its lower face flush with the ends of the walls 48. The beam 46 extends between the existing studs in the wall. against the beam 46 and the ends of the walls '48 by means of a pair of angles 52 which are suitably bolted at 54 to the dry wall. The beam 46 includes a vertical hole 56 along part of which a short section of metal tubing 58 is adapted to receive interiorly the upper projecting end of the hollow shaft 30; the shaft 30 is then free to rotate within the tubing. Alternatively, a ball bearing or other suitable bearing could be provided in place of the tubing 58.

At the lower end of the opening 45 is wall 10, a beam 60 is similarly mounted between the edges of the existing dry Wall 62 with a plate 64, angles 66, and tubing 68'. The latter members are disposed in the wall in the same manner as members 5058 at the upper end of the open- A horizontal plate 50 is retained ing 45. The tubing 68 receives the lower projecting end 5 of the shaft 30.

In this manner, the entire panel 12 is free to rot-ate about a vertical axis passing through the hollow shaft 30.

As shown in FIGURE 4, a beam 70 is provided between a pair of angle members 72 along one vertical side of the opening 45 in the wall 10. Small bolts or nails 74 fix the beam 70 in place between the angle members 72. If the opening 45 in the wall is adjacent an existing stud, the stud will replace the beam 70. A small bore 76 having a small metal socket 78 therein is provided along the beam 70 to accommodate the rod 42 of the solenoid 40.

The opposite vertical side of the opening 45 is identical to that just described, having a beam 80 mounted between the dry wall with nails 84 and provided with a bore 86 fitted with a socket 88. This latter socket accommodates the solenoid rod 42 when the panel is reversed with the channel 22 adjacent the beam 80.

The panel 12 is mounted in the opening 45 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Self-lubricating thrust and guide bearings 90 and 92 are provided respectively along the shafts and 32 between the

channels

28 and 26 and the

plates

64 and 50. This permits the entire panel 12 to easily rotate about the vertical axis extending through the shaft 30. g Y Stops 94 and 96 extend along each of'the

vertical beams

70 and 80 and are each covered with a layer 98 of rubber, plastic, or similar resilient material. The stops serve to limit the rotational movement of the panel 12 to 180 degrees. The angle member 43 abuts the stop 94 when the panel is positioned with the channel 24 disposed adjacent the beam 80, and abuts the stop 96 when the panel is rotated 180 degrees so that the channel 24 is adjacent the beam 70.

The dental X-ray unit 14 is mounted on the face 20 of the panel 12 with suitable brackets (not shown). A flexible power supply cable 100 for the X-ray unit 14 extends upwardly through the hollow shaft 30 and as can bestbe seen in FIGS. -3 and 6, is electrically connected in series to the lamp 36 and outlet 39 through the openings and 37 in the

sheets

18 and 20, and

through corresponding

openings

102 and 104 inthe shaft 30. Additional series circuitry connects the cable to the solenoid 40. The X-ray unit control 116 including a switch 117 is also connected in series with the outlet 39 so that closing the actuating switch 117 of the X-ray unit control 116 permits current to flow through the lamp 36, solenoid 40, and X-ray unit 14. When the solenoid40 is thus actuated, the rod 42 is advanced into the adjacent socket 78 or 88. The lamp 36 is illuminated by this current flow, thereby indicating to the operator at the rear side 18 of the panel that the X-ray unit is being used.

In operation, the dentist or operator rotates the panel 12, if necessary, to position the X-ray unit 14 in the room in which the patient is seated. The X-ray unit control is actuated, thereby locking the solenoid rod 42 in place in the adjacent socket 78 or 88, and illuminating the lamp 36 on the opposite side of the panel 12. This will serve as a Warning tothe operator or dentist in the adjoining room that the X-ray unit is being used at that moment. Even if he should inadvertently fail to notice the lamp, the solenoid rod 42 will prevent rotation of the panel 12.

After the exposureis completed, the X-ray unit control switch 117 is again opened. thereby unlocking the rod 42 and turning off the lamp 36. The operator in the adjoining room can then rotate the panel 180 degrees t bring the X-ray unit 14 into that room.

Since the exposure time is ordinarily very short, the panel will be locked against rotation only for a very brief period. This means the operator in the adjoining room need wait only for a few seconds or minutes, if at all.

FIGURE 5 shows a fioor plan illustrating a suggested layout for a pair of adjoining

operatories

106 and 108 serviced by the present invention. The rotatable panel 12 and its dental X-ray unit 14 are mounted in the common wall 10. Each room includes a

door

110 and 112 which permits access to a hall 114 which extends past both rooms.

The X-ray unit control 116 is located in the hall 114 in alignment with the wall 10. A pair of windows or

openings

118 and 120 are provided in the wall 122 intermediate the

doors

110 and 112 and permit the operator of the control 116 to observe the interior of either of the

rooms

106 or 108. This permits the operator in either of the

rooms

106 or 108 to actuate the X-ray unit from a safe distance while observing the patient. If desired, the control 116 may be located in such a manner that the operator can observe the patient in each room through the two doorways.

- X-ray equipment generally comprises a wall mounted section, and a head disposed at the end of an extension arm which may be adjusted to properly place the head adjacent the patient. In such a case, the reversible panel need only be as large as the unit with the head and arm in retracted position against the mounted section. If necessary, suitable means might be provided for preventing the electrical circuit in the panel or the solenoid 40 from being deactuated while the X-ray unit is in an extended position.

If desirable, a suitable lead lining may be provided through the wall 10, panel 12, and along the stops 94 and 96. This would effectively prevent any radiation from passing through any portion of the finished wall.

It can be seen from the above description that the panel 12 can be easily fabricated as a unit using large scale production techniques. .The opening in the existing or newly constructed wall, along with its assorted structural members, may be provided at a very low cost. Once the wall 10 has been prepared in this manner, the factoryconstructed panel can be installed in a few minutes. It is understood that the various architectural and structural components shown in the drawing many be changed or modified as required.

Although the present invention has been described as providing a method of gaining access to a wall-mounted Xray unit from either of two adjoining rooms, it can be seen that the same panel structure could be used to provide access in a similar manner to any wall-mounted apparatus. The dimensions of the panel must be greater than those of the apparatus to permit the apparatus to clear the sides of the opening in the wall as the panel is pivoted. The apparatus may be capable of being retracted to a relatively compact condition when not in use as described above with respect to conventional X-ray equipment, thereby permitting a small panel to be used.

If desired, the panel 12 may be reversed automatically rather than manually. This could easily be accomplished by providing a power source such as a motor, and suitable connecting means for rotating shaft 30.

To reduce the noise transmitted from one of the adjoining rooms to the other through the space between the panel and the wall 10, flexible and/or rigid types of seals can be provided. In the present preferred embodiment of the invention, this takes the form of thick soft rubber padding 114 mounted around thebearings 90 and 92. The padding 114 may be thick enough to be normally compressed between the sides of the panel and the adjacent wall structure.

The panel 12 shown in the drawings may be provided with suitable trim or decoration as desired in order to improve the appearance of the entire wall. Similarly, any type of finish may be applied to the panel 12. If the apparatus mounted on the wall has considerable weight, the panel may be provided with additional structural reinforcing and larger thrust and guide bearings.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, that various changes or modifications in the construction of the component parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, or from the scope of the appended claims:

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A system for providing access to X-ray apparatus from either of two adjoining rooms, comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in the common wall between said rooms and an X-ray apparatus mounted to said panel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as to vary said X-ray apparatus between two positions, each position exposing said X-ray apparatus to a difiFerent one of said two rooms,

(c) means for electrically actuating said X-ray apparatus and means electrically connected with said actuating means and operable to lock said panel to said wall and against rotation in response to energization of said actuating means whereby to lock said X-ray apparatus in one of said two rooms during use.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 and including indicating means electrically connected with said actuating means and operable to provide an indication in the opposite room when the X-ray unit is in use in one of the rooms.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises an outer frame, and facing sheets fixed to opposite sides of said frame, said apparatus being mounted on one of said facing sheets.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 and in which said reversing means comprises,

(a) means for supporting said panel pivotably in said wall about a vertical axis in the plane of said panel, and

(b) said supporting means including bearing means along said vertical axis between said panel and said Wall.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 and including a power cable for said X-ray apparatus extending along said vertical axis and through said bearing means.

6. A system for providing access to a piece of apparatus from either of two adjoining rooms comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in the common wall between said rooms and an apparatus mounted to said panel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as to vary said apparatus between two positions, each position exposing said apparatus to a difierent one of said two rooms,

(0) means electrically actuating said apparatus and means electrically connected with said actuating means and operable to lock said pane-1 to said wall and against rotation in response to energizati-on of said actuating means whereby to lock said apparatus in one of said two rooms during use.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 and including indicating means electrically connected with said actuating means and operable to provide an indication in the opposite room When the apparatus is in use in one of the rooms.

8. A system for providing access to X-ray apparatus from either of two adjoining rooms, comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in the common wall between said rooms and an X-ray apparatus mounted to said panel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as to vary said X-ray apparatus between two positions, each position exposing said X-ray apparatus to a different one of said two rooms,

(0) means for electrically actuating said X-ray apparatus and indicating means electrically connected with said actuating means and operable to provide an indication in the opposite room when the X-ray unit is in use in one of the rooms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 825,840 7/1906 James 5232 854,171 5/1907 Merrill 52-32 2,019,362 10/1935 Schwitzer 250-92 X NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner. R. M. GOLDMAN, Assistant Examiner,

Claims

1. A SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ACCESS TO X-RAY APPARATUS FROM EITHER OF TWO ADJOINING ROOMS, COMPRISING (A) A PANEL DISPOSED IN AN OPENING IN THE COMMON WALL BETWEEN SAID ROOMS AND AN X-RAY APPARATUS MOUNTED TO SAID PANEL, (B) MEANS FOR REVERSING SAID PANEL WITH RESPECT TO SAID WALL SO AS TO VARY SAID X-RAY APPARATUS BETWEEN TWO POSITIONS, EACH POSITION EXPOSING SAID X-RAY APPARATUS TO A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID TWO ROOMS, (C) MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY ACTUATING SAID X-RAY APPARATUS AND MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND OPERABLE TO LOCK SAID PANEL TO SAID WALL AND AGAINST ROTATION IN RESPONSE TO ENERGIZATION OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS WHEREBY TO LOCK SAID X-RAY APPARATIUS IN ONE OF SAID TWO ROOMS DURING USE.