Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-03
2004-06-01
Zarroli, Michael C. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
C439S527000, C248S274100, C248S917000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06743046
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the art of surgical lighting and accessory systems and, more particularly, to a quick connect system for use with electrical wiring in medical appliance suspension arms. The present invention finds particular application in connection with surgical monitors and other medical devices and apparatus requiring power, data, video or other forms or types of electrical or electronic signals, and will be described with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject quick connect system can be used in applications other than medical accessory suspension arm systems such as, for example, in industrial, commercial, educational and other settings and uses.
Presently, a wide range of patient monitoring equipment is available for use to track the medical progress of patients during surgery. The patient monitoring and support devices have typically crowded the surgical operating room floor.
Overhead surgical device management systems provide one solution to the problem of cluttered operating room floors. In those systems, one or more patient monitoring apparatus are carried on a set of shelves suspended from overhead by one or more auxiliary support arms of a surgical lighting system. The support systems typically include one or more movable arm segments adapted to support the patient monitoring devices from overhead at a central hub member. Each of the arms includes jointed ends so that the shelf carrying the one or more monitoring devices can be manually moved into place to best accommodate the needs of the surgical personnel.
Many current surgical device management systems with monitor support arms, however, offer only a single set of monitor support cabling and connectors. Many do not offer computer video capability such as SVGA. This often results in the inability to use certain monitors from overhead suspension arms and the inability to change monitor types because, simply, the appropriate video cables are not provided in the support arms. In those instances, monitors with computer video capability are placed on carts or other portable devices adjacent the surgical site, because it is impractical to disassemble the device management support arm to provide the necessary wiring needs to support the equipment. The carts and portables, of course, add to the undesirable operating room clutter.
In order to support high-end video and data transfer needs, specialized cables must be installed in the overhead support arms during their manufacture. However, this adds additional time to delivery of the overhead suspension systems, adds to their cost, and is usually not upgradable after the system is installed. Further, when only a single video cable/connector of a particular type is initially provided, surgeons and operating room management personnel are unable to switch between different video sources and are compromised by the single source type supported by the cables/connector type provided. Upgrades to different video/data needs require disassembly of the support arm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new video quick connect system for use with suspension arms in a surgical operating room. The invention enables a single monitor suspension arm to be used to support and carry video signals, data signals, power cables and wire, and other types of electrical and electronic signals to a wide range of patient monitoring and video display devices without the need to remove the support arm from service for a hardware upgrade.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a video/data quick connect system is provided for a monitor suspension arm in a surgical operating room. The quick connect system includes a universal cable bundle extending along the monitor suspension arm, a hub harness for connecting a hub end of the cable bundle to a first associated source of power or video signals, and a monitor harness for connecting a lower end of the cable bundle to a first associated patient monitor or display device. The signal quick connect system further includes a second hub harness to be used in place of the first hub harness for connecting the hub end of the universal cable bundle to a second associated source of power or video signals. Still further, the video quick connect system includes a second monitor harness for use in place of the first monitor harness for connecting the lower end of the universal cable bundle to a second associated patient monitor or display device.
One major advantage of the subject video quick connect system is that it allows users to select the type of data, power, and video connection needs shortly before installation of the surgical equipment suspension arm rather than months ahead of time of purchase of the arm. The connector kits are used to enable quick, simple, and inexpensive retrofits and upgrades of the patient monitors and display devices supported by the suspension arm and offer flexibility for different operating room needs.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the video quick connect system enables surgical equipment suspension arm hardware to support video, signal, power, and data types and standards developed or implemented after the suspension system is physically installed by using existing cables in the universal cable bundle with the simple substitution of video quick connect kits assembled to support the new signal standard(s) or by selection of suitable connections on either end of the universal cable bundle.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
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International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/US 02/31762; Oct. 10, 2002.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Steris Inc.
Zarroli Michael C.
LandOfFree
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