Supports – Staff type – Stand or base
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-07
2001-10-23
Ramirez, Ramon O (Department: 3632)
Supports
Staff type
Stand or base
C248S910000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305659
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
Applicant claims foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Swiss Patent Application No. 0266/99 filed Feb. 7, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a microscope stand used, for example, in connection with surgical microscopes, and a method for assembling a stand foot.
B. Description of the Prior Art
One of these stands with the designation “S
5
”
0
offered by Zeiss has a hollow stand foot body into which weights can be inserted from the underside and can be secured or immobilized in the cavity of the stand foot body by way of transverse metal strips and bolts. The weights serve to improve the tipover resistance of the stand.
The disadvantage of this known construction is the great weight that results after installation of the weights. Because the weights must be installed from the underside, the stand foot must be placed on its upper side during assembly. After installation of the weights the stand foot, now heavier, must be turned over again. This is possible only with great exertion or with the assistance of several persons. The effect that is thus achieved by the division into multiple weights is partially canceled out again by this type of installation. Permissible working standards for one person are also thereby exceeded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to create an improved system and assembly method in which the total weight of the stand foot is never lifted up in the course of assembly, and in which the stand foot never needs to be turned over in the assembled state.
This object is achieved by a stand generally comprising a column and a stand foot for placement on a floor in a room, wherein the stand has at least one stand foot body that is or can be fitted with at least one weight. The stand also has a securing apparatus for securing the weight, wherein the securing apparatus can be actuated from the side of the stand foot that faces toward the room in the utilization position.
The fact that the securing apparatus is now usable from a side other than the underside of the stand foot eliminates the turning-over operation described above. This is advantageous not only during initial assembly, but also for each further assembly action, e.g. for transport purposes, service purposes, and demonstrations or the like.
The stand foot body includes a hollow body having at least one cavity, and the securing apparatus includes an assembly retainer and an immobilization apparatus that makes the cavity of the stand foot body closable on its side facing the floor in the utilization position. The immobilization apparatus is actuable from the side of the stand foot body that faces toward the room in the operating state. The weight can be roughly positioned on the assembly retainer, and at least two walls enclosing the associated cavity are configured such that they precisely position the weight during the immobilization operation. The immobilization apparatus preferably comprises at least one nut bolt coupling that passes through the stand foot body and makes the latter threadably joinable to the assembly retainer.
The stand foot body is configured with rotational symmetry about the vertical axis of the column, and has at its center a corresponding recess for the column. The recess includes a wedge that uses the column's own weight to press the column against the recess wall, and a bolt is preferably provided to extend radially through the wall of the recess to engage and clamp the column in place against the recess wall.
The invention also encompasses a method for assembling a stand. The method includes providing an assembly retainer, roughly positioning at least one weight on the assembly retainer, providing a threaded rod extending approximately from the center of the assembly retainer, slipping a hollow stand foot body over the assembly retainer and onto the weight or weights so that the threaded rod passes through a hole in the stand foot body and each weight resides within a cavity defined by the stand foot body, and tightening a nut on the threaded rod such that two or more cavity walls simultaneously precisely position each weight.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4299440 (1981-11-01), Hodgson
patent: 5127614 (1992-07-01), Etzold et al.
patent: 5651718 (1997-07-01), Nakamura
patent: 5684628 (1997-11-01), Gerhard
Zeiss Germany: Carl Zeiss S5 Microscope Stand Product Literature—At least as early as Feb. 6, 1999.
Leica Microsystems AG
Ramirez Ramon O
Simpson, Simpson & Snyder, PLLC
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