Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
  • F16B21/00—Means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it; Stud-and-socket releasable fastenings
  • F16B21/06—Releasable fastening devices with snap-action
  • F16B21/065—Releasable fastening devices with snap-action with an additional locking element
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
  • A61G13/00—Operating tables; Auxiliary appliances therefor
  • A61G13/10—Parts, details or accessories
  • A61G13/101—Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
  • A61G13/00—Operating tables; Auxiliary appliances therefor
  • A61G13/02—Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor
  • A61G13/08—Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor the table being divided into different adjustable sections

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a connector.
• the connector is especially suited for detachably interconnecting table top sections of an operating table. It will therefore be convenient to describe the invention in relation to that example application. It should be understood however that the invention is intended for broader application and use.
• Operating tables include a table top for supporting a patient during surgical procedures.
• the tables are typically made up of a plurality of interconnected table top sections which include a head supporting section, a back supporting section and a leg supporting section.
• the sections can be orientated at varying angles with respect to each other such that the patient can be suitably positioned for the required surgical procedure.
• table top sections have been connected with some form of connector arrangement having a projecting pin, mounted or integrally formed with a section, which can be securely located into a complementary-shaped aperture, mounted or integrally formed with an adjoining section.
• a problem with such prior connector arrangements is that they are usually required to be manually secured, once the projecting pins are located in their respective aperture, by some form of clamping device.
• the sections can be of substantial weight one person is usually required to hold a section whilst another person manipulates and secures the connector arrangement.
• a connector arrangement for detachably interconnecting sections of an operating table.
• the arrangement includes a first component for associating with a first section of the operating table and a second component for associating with a second section of the operating table.
• the first component includes a housing having an aperture therein, and a latch assembly having a latch member which is biased to extend into the aperture.
• the second component includes a projecting leg adapted to be received within the aperture.
• the projecting leg including a restraining surface engageable with the latch member.
• the second component further includes a release mechanism for moving the latch member between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position the latch member engages with the restraining surface to prevent withdrawal of the projecting leg from the aperture. In the unlocked position the latch member is disengaged from the restraining surface thereby enabling separation of the components.
• the release mechanism is in part located within a recess in the projecting leg.
• the recess is a tunnel within the projecting leg and main body of the second component through which a release rod of the release mechanism is housed.
• the release rod may include an end section for moving the latch member to the unlocked position.
• the end section of the release rod can include a release notch engageable with an end surface of the latch member.
• the release rod is preferably rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the release rod to push the latch member to the unlocked position.
• the longitudinal axis of the release rod is preferably offset from a longitudinal axis of the projecting leg.
• the release rod is rotatable between an active and inactive position.
• the latch member When the release rod is in the inactive position the latch member remains in the locked position.
• the release rod When the release rod is in the active position the latch member remains in the unlocked position.
• the latch member moves from the locked position to the unlocked position when the release rod is rotated from the inactive position to an active position.
• the release mechanism further includes a rod biasing means for biasing the release rod towards the inactive position.
• the release rod may be manually held in the active position by a user during separation of the components.
• An end of the projecting leg preferably includes a lip member over which the latch member rides during insertion of the projecting leg into the aperture.
• the restraining surface is a side wall of the lip member and preferably lies in a plane substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the latch member.
• an edge of a top surface of the lip member is preferably substantially aligned with an end surface of the latch member when the latch member is in the unlocked position. In this position the latch member is disengaged from the restraining surface such that the projecting leg can be pulled out of the aperture.
• the first component is preferably integrally formed with the first section of the operating table and the second component is preferably integrally formed with the second section of the operating table.
• the first and second sections of the operating table are preferably interconnected by the connector arrangement.
• Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the connector arrangement, according to an embodiment of the invention, illustrating the first component coupled to the second component with the latch member in a locked position;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the second component, according to an embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2A is a side cross-sectional view of the second component taken along line B-B shown in Figure 2;
• Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A shown in Figure 2;
• Figure 3 is a side view of the release mechanism of the second component, according an embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 3A is an end view of the release mechanism shown in Figure 3; and Figure 4 is an end, part sectional view, taken along line C-C shown in
• the arrangement includes a first component 1 securable to a second component 3.
• the first component 1 includes a housing 5 and a latch assembly 7.
• the second component 3 includes a projecting leg 9 which is integrally formed with a main body 11.
• the second component 3 further includes a release mechanism 13 which is partially located within a recess in the projecting leg 9.
• the recess is preferably in the form of a tunnel 15 which extends through the projecting leg 9 and the main body 11.
• the projecting leg 9 is adapted to be received in a complimentary aperture 17 located within the housing 5.
• the latch assembly 7 includes a latch member 19 housed within a bore 21 located in a side wall of the aperture 17.
• a longitudinal axis 57 of the latch member 19 and bore 21 can lie generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aperture 17.
• the bore 21 includes an upper section and a lower section.
• the upper section has a diameter which is greater than the lower section.
• the latch assembly 7 further includes biasing means, preferably in the form of a resilient spring 23, which biases the latch member 19 to at least partially extend into the aperture 17.
• the resilient spring 23 generally resides within the upper section of the bore 21.
• the lower section of the bore 21 is provided with a low friction bearing 27 to prevent the latch member 19 snagging on the walls of the lower section of the bore 21.
• an end of the projecting leg 9 remote from the main body 11 of the second component 3 includes a lip member 31 which is shaped such that the latch member 19 can slide over the lip member 31 as the projecting leg 9 is inserted into the aperture 17.
• a side wall of the lip member 31 provides a restraining surface 33 which engages with a side of the latch member 19. In this position the latch member 19 is extended and in its locked position whereby the. projecting leg 9 can not be withdrawn from the aperture 17.
• the projecting leg 9 is prevented from further insertion into the aperture 17 by the abutment of the main body 11 of the second component 3 against an exterior wall of the housing 5.
• the release mechanism 13 includes a release rod 35 which extends through the tunnel 15 in the projecting leg 9 and main body 11.
• the release mechanism 13 further includes a release handle 37 at an end remote from the projecting leg 9 which projects laterally from the release rod 35.
• An end section of the release rod 35 remote from the release handle 37 lies adjacent to the restraining surface 33.
• the end section is preferably in the form of a release notch 39 which engages with an end surface 41 of the latch member 19.
• the release rod 35 is rotatable about a longitudinal axis 43 of the release rod 35 between an inactive and active position. In Figure 1 the release rod 35 is shown in an inactive position with the latch member 19 fully extended into the aperture 17 to thereby be in a locked position.
• the release rod 35 By laterally moving the release handle 37 about the longitudinal axis 43 of the release rod 35 the release rod 35 can be rotated into an active position whereby the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 is pushed into the bore 21 such that an edge 46 of the lip member 31 , located at the intersection of a top surface 45 of the lip member 31 and the restraining surface 33, is aligned with the end surface 41 of the latch member 19.
• the latch member 19 is thereby in an unlocked position as the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 is no longer engaged with the restraining surface 33 thereby enabling the projecting leg 9 to be removed from the aperture 17.
• the release mechanism 13 further includes a return spring 47 which biases the release rod 35 to the inactive position.
• One end of the return spring 47 is located in a hole 49 provided in the release rod 35.
• a groove 51 is provided in the release rod 35 into which a retaining pin 53, secured within the main body 11 , is located.
• the longitudinal axis 43 of the release rod 35 is offset from a longitudinal axis 55 of the projecting leg 9.
• the longitudinal axis 57 of the latch member 19 and bore 21 is offset from a transverse axis 56 of the release rod 35 and projecting leg 9.
• the diameter of the projecting leg 9 is slightly less than the diameter of the aperture 17 such that the projecting leg 9 can be inserted into the aperture 17 without excessive force being applied.
• the top surface 45 of the lip member 31 is preferably flat and lies perpendicular to the restraining surface 33. The top surface 45 is formed by removing an upper segment of the lip member 6.
• the edge 46 of the lip member 31 is aligned with the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 when the latch member 19 has been pushed by the release notch 39 to the unlocked position. When this occurs the latch member 19 is clear of the restraining surface 33 and is subsequently able to slide over the top surface 45 of the lip member 31.
• the projecting leg 9 of the first component 1 is inserted into the aperture 17 in the housing 5.
• the release handle 37 is not rotated and held against the bias of the return spring 47 the release rod 35 will be in the inactive position whilst the projecting leg 9 is being inserted.
• the latch member 19 will ride over the lip member 31 , thereby progressively compressing the resilient spring 23 of the latch assembly 7.
• the latch member 19 By further inserting the projecting leg 9 into the aperture 17 the latch member 19 will slide over the top surface 45 and subsequently pass the restraining surface 33 such that the resilient spring 23 acting against the latch member 19 relaxes and thereby automatically extends the latch member 19 into the locked position whereby the restraining surface 33 will prevent the projecting leg 9 from being withdrawn from the aperture 17.
• the first and second components 1 , 3 are therefore automatically securely connected by simply pushing the components 1 , 3 together.
• the release handle 37 In order to separate the first and second components 1 , 3 the release handle 37 is rotated against the bias of the return spring 47, in either direction, such that release rod 35 is rotated to the active position.
• the rotation of the release handle 37 to the active position causes the release notch 39 to rotate about the longitudinal axis 43 of the release rod 35 such that the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 is pushed, forcing the latch member 19 into the bore 21 , thereby progressively compressing the resilient spring 23 of the latch assembly 7.
• the longitudinal axis 57 of the latch member 19 and bore 21 is offset from the transverse axis 56 of the release rod 35 and projecting leg 9 to assist the release notch 39 to engage with the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 rather than a corner or side of the latch member 19, when the release rod 35 is rotated.
• the end surface 41 of the latch member 19 is disengaged from the restraining surface 33.
• the present invention advantageously enables the release rod 35 to be contained behind the lip member 31 such that the release rod 35 is immune from damage should the second component 3 be dropped or knocked.
• the first and second components 1 , 3 when connected can be subjected to significant separation forces without damage occurring due to the strength provided by the abutment of the latch member 19 with the restraining surface 33.
• the first and second components 1, 3 are maintained securely connected, thereby ensuring that sections of the operating table which are connected by the connector arrangement can not inadvertently separate. Accordingly, a patient supported on the operating table will remain safely supported at all times.
• the projecting leg 9 could be of square, rectangular or round cross-section and received within a complimentary shaped aperture 17.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Accommodation For Nursing Or Treatment Tables (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2007
  • 2007-07-19 EP EP07763787A patent/EP2046260A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-07-19 CN CN200780032670XA patent/CN101511319B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-07-19 AU AU2007276704A patent/AU2007276704A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-07-19 WO PCT/AU2007/001005 patent/WO2008009059A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-07-19 US US12/374,896 patent/US20090263188A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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