Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Patent
1995-02-13
1998-09-22
Nguyen, Thong
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
359382, 2481231, G02B 2100, F16L 300
Patent
active
058123016
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a stand in which heavy medical optical devices such as operating microscope and its auxiliary devices are supported with a retaining link mechanism utilizing a parallel link and are balanced with a counterweight, and above-described operating microscope etc. can be retained or kept at the desired spatial positions during microsurgery.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In the fields of encephalotomy and cardiosurgery, a technique of so-called microsurgery is employed, in which surgeries are performed under observation of the focuses using operating microscopes as "medical optical devices". Various types of stand apparatuses, for retaining heavy operating microscope and its auxiliary devices at any desired spatial positions, to be utilized in such microsurgeries have been proposed (e.g. Japanese Patent Publication before Examination No. 32110/1981). These stands generally are of a balancing structure, in which a retaining link mechanism employing a parallel link is pivotally (tiltably) supported at an intermediary portion on a frame, and an operating microscope is supported at one end portion of the retaining link mechanism with a counterweight for countervailing the weight of the operating microscope being supported on the other end portion of the retaining link mechanism relative to the pivot thereof.
As a position where the balancing type stand is set up, an optimum position in an operating room is selected depending on the content of the surgery to be carried out, and balance is adjusted at the selected position. In other words, while the optimum position around the operating table is specified by a doctor prior to surgery, the doctor himself is in a sterilized region, so that moving the stand to the position to set up is carried out by an assistant such as a nurse who does not participate in the surgery. Since auxiliary devices such as a side microscope for assistant doctors and a video camera are attached to the operating microscope, the position of the counterweight is changed corresponding to the weight of these devices to adjust the entire balance of the stand.
However, moving such heavy counterweight is a tremendous task and is also dangerous for the nurse who is in most cases a woman. Further, the balance adjusting operation takes too much time to be advantageously rendered for emergent surgery and the like.
What is most serious in the prior art stand is that the balance adjustment between the operating microscope and the counterweight is very difficult due to the structure of the stand itself. More specifically, in order to stop the operating microscope and the auxiliary devices at the desired spatial positions, the operating microscope must be perfectly balanced in the horizontal and vertical directions. However, the prior art stand does not always have a structure which facilitates secured balance adjustment in the horizontal and vertical directions in accordance with the weight on the operating microscope side which changes depending on the presence or absence of various auxiliary devices.
This invention has been accomplished noting such prior art technique and is directed to provide a stand for optical devices which enables easy and secured balance adjustment in accordance with the weight change on the operating microscope side.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In the stand for optical devices according to the present invention, the intermediary portion of the retaining link mechanism essentially consisting of first and second parallel links which interlock each other is supported at a rotational fulcrum of a frame, medical optical device and/or its auxiliary devices are retained at the extremity of a supporting arm which is formed by laterally extending a part of the above described first parallel link, a counterweight is retained at the extremity of a weight-retaining arm which is formed by extending a part of the above described second parallel link in a lateral direction opposite to the extending direction of the above described supporting arm
REFERENCES:
patent: 4339100 (1982-07-01), Heller et al.
patent: 4741607 (1988-05-01), Heller
patent: 5173802 (1992-12-01), Heller
patent: 5186422 (1993-02-01), Nakamura
patent: 5205522 (1993-04-01), Nakamura
patent: 5528417 (1996-06-01), Nakamura
English language abstracts of Japanese Patent Appln. Nos. JP-A3-253810 dated Nov. 12, 1991, JP-A2-257945 dated Oct. 18, 1990 & JP-A1-91847 dated Apr. 11, 1989.
Bednarek Michael D.
Mitaka Kohki Co. Ltd.
Nguyen Thong
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