WO2015144546A1 - Microscope stand swivel joint and microscope stand - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a microscope stand swivel joint (10), wherein the swivel joint (10) has a rotation element (1), which is rotatable about a rotation axis (6), and a support element (4) arranged concentrically thereto, wherein the rotation element (1) is rotatably mounted on the support element (4) and wherein the rotation element (1) has a first stop element (2) and the support element (4) has a second stop element (3) and wherein the swivel joint (10) furthermore has a rotation limiting element (5) which is rotatable about the rotation axis (6) and is arranged concentrically to the support element (4) and to the rotation element (1). In order to enable a swivel joint having, inter alia, few components and a compact design, said swivel joint is characterized in that the rotation limiting element (5) comprises a counter-stop element (20) which has a first stop region (22) and a second stop region (24), and in that a rotation of the rotation element (1) about the rotation axis (6) is limited by stopping of the first and second stop elements (2, 3) on one of the stop regions (22, 24).

Description

 Microscope stand swivel and microscope stand

description

The present invention relates to a microscope stand hinge according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a microscope stand with such a hinge.

State of the art

FIG. 1 shows a surgical microscope stand 100 known from the prior art with a generic swivel joint which is accommodated approximately at position 102. A suspension device 104 comprising a surgical microscope 106, which is arranged about an axis of rotation D of the swivel joint, is arranged on the swivel joint

Swivel joint is rotatable. The microscope 106 should be more than 360 ° around the

Be rotatable rotation axis, but after a predetermined rotation angle should be no further rotation possibility. This is usually a

Rotation restriction element proposed. such

Rotation limiting elements are also mounted concentrically and thus prevent rotation of the suspension device 104 via a

predetermined angle. Such limitation of the rotational angle of the hanger 104 is desired to prevent, for example, damage to the cables carried in the tripod 100. In particular, the cables which run between the suspension device 104 and a vertical arm 108 of the stand 100 must be protected from damage. A disadvantage of the known microscope tripod swivel joints is especially the fact that they often have a variety of components, and thus do not meet the requirement for a compact and simple design.

There is therefore a need for a microscope stand swivel that uses the least possible number of required components and less complex components and allows a compact design of the microscope stand swivel.

Summary of the invention

The present invention proposes a microscope stand swivel joint and such a microscope stand according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the respective subclaims and the following description.

In the rotary joint according to the invention comprises

Rotation limiting element, a counter-stop element, which has a first stop region and a second stop region. The

Gegenanschlagselement is preferably integral with the

 Rotation limiting element formed. The counter-abutment member includes a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, which are preferably formed at opposite ends of the counter-abutment member.

By abutment of the first and the second stop element on each one of the stop regions is a rotation of the rotary member to the Limited rotation axis. Accordingly, the first stopper member strikes one of the stopper portions and the second stopper member abuts the other

Stop area to limit a rotational movement. The

Counter stop element may be formed either on the side facing away from the rotation axis outside or inside of the rotation limiting element, but preferably on the outside.

According to another preferred embodiment that is

Rotation limiting element is annular and has at the side facing away from the rotation axis outside of the rotation limiting element in the circumferential direction successive two first stops and in

Circumferentially following two second stops, wherein each stop region comprises a first and a second stop.

In its basic form, the rotation-limiting element is preferably ring-shaped, in particular essentially designed as a ring. A corresponding microscope stand contains one or more such hinges. Support element and rotation element can be mechanically interchanged; it only depends on the possibility of relative rotation of support and rotation element. Advantages of the invention

Due to the preferably substantially annular basic structure of

Rotation restriction element a simple component construction is achieved. To limit the rotation of the rotary member carries the preferably annular rotation limiting element on its outer side, more precisely on the side remote from the rotation axis outside, for example, two first and two second stops. The two first stops and the two second stops are each arranged in the circumferential direction of the annular rotation limiting element. The two stops of a stop area can, for example be designed as radially projecting pins, pins, stoppers or the like. Alternatively, it is possible to use a radially projecting region whose boundaries in the circumferential direction form the two stops of a stop pair. The attacks are thus mechanically and constructively realized in a simple manner to the annular rotation restriction element.

The preferably two first stops limit a first rotation angle of the rotation element about the rotation axis, the second stops limit a second rotation angle of the combination of rotation restriction element and rotation element about the rotation axis relative to the stationary support element.

Consequently, if the two stops of the first pair of stops in the circumferential direction as close to each other as possible, the first angle of rotation can be selected to just below 360 °. The same applies to the pair of second attacks. In combination, the rotary joint thus allows a rotation of the rotary element of up to almost 720 °. In order to achieve the largest possible angle of rotation, for example, said radially projecting portion on the outside of the annular rotation restriction member in turn narrowed to a pin or pin or the like in the circumferential direction, so that its two in

Circumferential boundary sides form the pair of stops. If, on the other hand, the said area is enlarged in the circumferential direction, for example to an arc angle of 90 °, or if two pins, stoppers or the like are located at the corresponding locations, the corresponding angle of rotation, for example to 270 °, can be reduced. When using pins, stoppers or the like, which is movable on the

Outside of the annular rotation limiting element are mounted, it is also conceivable to vary the corresponding rotation angle as needed. The operation of the rotary joint with a rotation of a microscope mounted on the rotation element about the axis of rotation is as follows: First, the

Rotation element together with the microscope relative to the

Rotation limiting element and the support member rotated about the axis of rotation. Here, the first moves formed on the rotary member

 Stop element preferably on an imaginary path between the two stop areas, preferably between the two first stops. Depending on the direction of rotation, one of the two stop areas, preferably its first stop, is reached during the rotation of the rotary element. Then, the further rotation takes place in that the rotation element together with the

 Rotation limiting element is rotated relative to the fixed support member until the other stop region, preferably the second stop of the other stop region, the second formed on the support member

Reached stop element. Thus, the rotation of the rotary member about the axis of rotation is limited by abutment of the first stop member to one of the two stop areas (depending on the direction of rotation) on the one hand and by abutment of the second stop member on the other stop area.

In the following, various possibilities of arranging the stops on the rotation restricting element are explained.

The first stops may be arranged in the radial direction at a first distance from the axis of rotation and the second stops in the radial direction at a second distance from the axis of rotation. The same applies to the corresponding stop elements. First and second distance are, for example, greater than the distance of the outer side of the rotation limiting element from the axis of rotation, are different from each other and must be at least the

Distinguish the diameter of a stop element so that a collision-free rotation is possible. In such an exemplary arrangement it is expedient to realize the stops as boundaries of a, already mentioned above, preferably radially projecting portion on the outside of the rotation limiting element. A first circumferentially extending radially projecting portion forms, for example, the two second stops, another extending in the circumferential direction area, which adjoins the first region, forms the two first stops. These radially projecting areas thus form a counter-stop element. The extension of the respective areas in

Circumferential direction determines the remaining angle of rotation. An extent in the circumferential direction of for example 90 ° defines a remaining angle of rotation of 270 °. The extension of said counter-stop element in

 Circumferential direction may be different, so that the respective rotation angle are also different. For example, each one of the first

Stops and one of the second stops in the radial direction arranged one behind the other, so said areas extend in the circumferential direction over the same arc angle and the corresponding rotational ranges for the two stop elements are equal.

As far as constructive feasible, of course, the said areas can be replaced by the aforementioned pins, pins, stoppers or the like, which are arranged at the locations of the respective boundaries of the areas in the circumferential direction and thus form the stops.

Another possibility of arranging the stops is an arrangement

"Superimposed". While in the above-described arrangement "side by side" the height of the rotation-limiting element can be kept very low, the height would naturally increase in an arrangement "one above the other". Depending on the size and design of the swivel joint, however, an arrangement of the stops and thus the abutment elements "on top of each other" can also be achieved, for example, with correspondingly smaller dimensioning of the abutment elements. be possible without unfavorably increasing the height. In a "stacked" arrangement, the first and second stoppers are equidistantly spaced from the rotation axis on the outside of the rotation restricting member, and the first stoppers and the second stoppers are spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. The same applies to the corresponding

Stop elements. The distance is to be selected such that the stop elements can pass each other without collision during a rotation. At a

Arrangement "one above the other" is thus the pair of first stops in a lower (or upper) part of the outer side of the rotation limiting element, while the two second stops lie in an upper (or lower) part of this outer side. In principle, the stops can be provided in the circumferential direction at any point, as long as this makes sense

Torque results. It is expedient if in each case one of the first stops and one of the second stops are arranged one behind the other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, in order to make the associated rotational angle equal to one another, ie symmetrical (see the explanations above for the arrangement

"Side by side").

As already stated, the first stops limit a first (imaginary) path, which describes the first stop element around the axis of rotation when the rotation element rotates, the associated center angle (also referred to above as the arc or rotation angle) being θι <360 °. In an analogous manner, the second stops limit a second (imaginary) path, which describes the second stop element about the axis of rotation when the rotation element rotates, the associated center angle θ _{2 being} <360 °.

In particular, the central angles θ 1 and θ _{2 are} each in the range from 270 ° to below 360 °. In particular, the two central angles are the same. The invention further relates to a microscope stand with an above-explained rotary joint, wherein in particular the rotation element with a microscope indirectly via other interfaces or is directly connected. The invention is illustrated schematically with reference to an embodiment in the drawing and will be described in detail below with reference to the drawing.

Figures description

Figure 1 shows schematically a known microscope stand;

FIG. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a rotary joint according to the invention in exploded view,

Figure 3 shows the hinge of Figure 2 in an assembled form; and

Figures 4a, 4b show schematically the end points of the stops and the

Rotation limiting element according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The figures are described below overarching. Like reference numerals refer to like components.

The illustrated embodiment of the microscope stand pivot 10 shows as essential elements a support member 4, a rotary member 1 and a

Rotation limiting element 5. In the present embodiment, the support member 4 is attached to a microscope stand 100, while the

Rotation element 1 is connected via further interfaces with a surgical microscope 106. The rotation element 1 is for the purpose of rotation of the Microscope relative to the (stationary) support member 4 about a rotation axis 6 rotatable. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that a construction is possible in which the support element 4 is rotatable about a rotation axis 6 relative to a (fixed) rotation element 1. It depends only on the possibility of relative rotation between the support member and rotating element.

As can be seen from the figures, a second stop element 3 is formed on the support element 4. The support element 4 has a cylindrical stand part. The rotary element 1 has a first stop element 2 on the upper side facing the second stop element 3. The

 Rotation limiting element 5 is annular in its basic form and has on its side facing away from the axis of rotation 6 outside

Counter-stop element 20 with a first stop region 22 and a second stop region 24. The counter-abutment member 20 is formed integrally with the rotation restricting member 5. Each stop region 22, 24 has a pair of stops, each of which comprises a first stop and a second stop. The first stop region 22 includes a first stop 51 and a second stop 53. The other stop region 24, i. the second stop region 24 comprises a first stop 52 and a second stop 54. The stops 51 to 54 are hollow cylinder segment-like

Stops designed to allow a stop a positive engagement of the respective stop element 2, 3. Said counter-abutment element 20 is formed in one piece and extends in the circumferential direction to a

Arc angle of about 90 °. The remaining for the respective stop elements respective rotation angle thus each amount to 270 °.

In a composite form (cf., in particular, FIG. 3), the cylindrical support part of the support element 4 engages through the opening of the annular element

Rotation limiting element 5 and through the central opening of the Rotation element 1. The rotation element 1 is rotatably mounted on the support member 4. Corresponding bearings are located between support element 4 and

Rotational element 1 (not separately indicated in the figures). How it works: It is often necessary during an operation that

Operating microscope starting from an actual position as far as possible in and / or counterclockwise to rotate about the axis of rotation 6. With the present invention shown pivot 10 can be a total of a rotation angle range of 540 ° cover. Starting from the position shown in FIG. 3, rotation of the rotary element 1 about the axis of rotation 6 takes place, for example, with the stop element 2, for example, moving away from the first stop 52 in the counterclockwise direction. After a total rotation of 270 ° reaches the stop element 2, which is designed as a pin, the other first stop 51. The first stop element 2 takes on further rotation of the microscope, so the rotation element 1, the rotation restriction element 5 with. Thus, a further rotation, in particular over a rotation angle of 360 ° addition is possible until the second stop element 54 reaches the fixed pin, so the stop element 3. However, it is also possible that the rotation element 1 - starting from the position shown in FIG. 3 - to rotate clockwise. In this case, the stopper member 2 first strikes against the first stopper 52 of the second

Stop area 24 at. Upon further movement or rotation of the

Rotation element 1 clockwise takes the stop 2 the

Rotation limiting element 5 with, until the second stop 53 of the first stopper portion 22 abuts against the stationary second stopper 3.

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate only schematically the two end position of the rotation limiting element 5 according to this embodiment. The Gegenanschlagselement 20 is displayed in both end positions at the same position, which is only for ease of understanding and does not correspond to the actual use (in fact, according to this embodiment, the stop 3 is known to be stationary). The figures show in particular the rotation limiting element 5 in plan view, ie seen in the direction of the arrow S (see Fig. 2).

FIG. 4 a shows that the first stop element 2 bears against the first stop 51 of the first stop region 22, while the stop element 3 rests against the second stop 54 of the second stop region 24. Accordingly, the stop elements 2 and 3 bear against the opposite end of the counter-stop 20. Figure 4a thus shows one of the two end positions of

Rotation restriction element 5 on.

Fig. 4b shows the other end position in limiting the rotational movement. In the illustrated end position according to FIG. 4b, the first stop element 2 is now in contact with the stop 52 of the second stop region 24. In the first stop region 22 is now the stopper 3 at.

It can also be seen from FIGS. 4a and 4b that the stop elements 2 and 3 are arranged on the different tracks in the end positions, wherein the

Stop element 2 in the radial direction more of the axis of rotation of the

Rotation limiting element 5 is removed, as the second stop element. 3

Due to the constructively simple and very low in height

Embodiment of the rotation restriction member 5 allows this

Embodiment a simple and compact design of a microscope tripod swivel joint. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 rotation element

 2 first stop element 3 second stop element

4 carrying element

 5 rotation restriction element

6 axis of rotation

10 swivel

20 counter-stop element

22 first stop area

24 second stop area

51, 52 first attacks

 53, 54 second attacks

100 surgical microscope stand

102 pivot position

 104 suspension

 106 surgical microscope

 108 arm

 D rotation axis

 S top view

Claims

claims 1. Microscope stand rotary joint (10), wherein the rotary joint (10) about a rotational axis (6) rotatable rotary member (1) and a concentrically arranged to this support member (4), wherein the rotary member (1) rotatably on the support member (1) 4) and wherein the rotary element (1) has a first stop element (2) and the carrying element (4) has a second stop element (3), and wherein the rotary joint (10) further comprises a rotation limiting element (5) arranged concentrically with the support element (4) and the rotation element (1) and rotatable about the rotation axis (6), characterized, in that the rotation-limiting element (5) comprises a counterstop element (20) which has a first stop region (22) and a second stop region (22) Has stop region (24), and in that, by abutment of the first and second stop elements (2, 3) on each of the stop regions (22, 24), rotation of the rotary element (1) about the axis of rotation (6) is limited. 2. A hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the Rotation limiting element (5) is annular and on the side facing away from the rotation axis (6) outside of the rotation restriction member (5) in the circumferential direction successive two first stops (51, 52) and circumferentially successive two second stops (53, 54) are formed wherein each stop region (20, 22) comprises in each case a first and a second stop (51, 53, 52, 54). 3. A rotary joint according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first stops (51; 52) in the radial direction at a first distance from the axis of rotation (6) and the second stops (53, 54) in the radial direction at a second distance from the axis of rotation (6) are arranged. 4. A rotary joint according to claim 3, characterized in that in each case one of the first stops (51; 52) and one of the second stops (53; 54) are arranged one behind the other in the radial direction. 5. A hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first stops (51, 52) define a first path, the rotation of the rotational element (1), the first stop element (2) about the axis of rotation (6) around describes, with the associated center angle θι <360 °. 6. A hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second stops (53, 54) delimiting a second path which, upon rotation of the rotary member (1), the second stop member (3) about the axis of rotation (6) around describes, with the associated center angle θ ₂ <360 °. 7. A hinge according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the central angle θι and the central angle θ _{2 are} each in the range of 270 ° to <360 °. 8. A rotary joint according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the central angle θι is equal to the central angle θ ₂ . 9. Rotary joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotation limiting element (5) and the counter-stop element (20) are integrally formed. 10. Microscope stand with a rotary joint according to one of claims 1 to 9.