Overhead equipment control apparatus for operating rooms

Claim 2

In an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operating rooms, the combination of: a stationary control housing adapted to be suspended from an overhead structure; a vertically movable auxiliary housing alongside said stationary housing and adapted to support selected instrument control means; a vertically movable column member carried within the stationary housing and adapted to support selected instruments; means for moving said column member including fixed guide means on said stationary housing, a carriage movable along said guide means and connected with said column member; means releaseably connecting said auxiliary housing with said carriage for selected relative movement of said auxiliary housing with respect to said stationary housing; drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried by said stationary housing; a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feed screw and connected with said carriage; and motor means carried by the stationary housing for driving said feed screw.

Claim 3

A system as stated in claim 1 including means between said vertically movable auxiliary housing and said stationary housing for holding said auxiliary housing in one position thereof in nonvibratable relationship to said stationary housing.

Claim 4

A system as stated in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said auxiliary housing with said carriage for moving said housing for a selected distance includes vertical slot means in said stationary and auxiliary housings.

Claim 5

A system as stated in claim 1 wherein said drive means for said carriage includes drive belt means a gear means for said belt means; and a biased normally idle roll means bearing against said belt means and operable upon failure of said belt means to lockingly interengage with said gear means to stop downward movement of the carriage.

Claim 6

An overhead equipment control construction for use in operating facilities including: a stationary control housing carried by an overhead structure; a column member vertically movable in said housing and having the lower end portion adapted to support a plurality of surgical instruments and equipment; an auxiliary control housing movable relative to the stationary control housing; and means interconnecting said column member and said auxiliary housing for downward and upward movement of said auxiliary housing at selected vertical zones.

Claim 7

An overhead equipment control construction for use in operating facilities including: a stationary control housing carried by an overhead structure; a column member vertically movable in said housing and having the lower end portion adapted to support a plurality of surgical instruments and equipment; an auxiliary control housing movable relative to the stationary control housing; and means interconnecting said column member and said auxiliary housing for downward and upward movement of said auxiliary housing at selected vertical zones.

Claim 8

In an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operating rooms, the combination of: a stationary control housing adapted to be suspended from an overhead structure; a vertically movable auxiliary housing associated with said stationary housing and adapted to support selected instrument control means; a vertically movable column member carried within the stationary housing and adapted to support selected instruments; means for moving said column member including: fixed guide means on said stationary housing; a carriage movable along said guide means and connected with said column member; drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried by said stationary housing; a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feed screw and connected with said carriage; motor means carried by the stationary housing for driving said feed screw; and means carried by said carriage and releaseably engageable with said normally nonrotatable nut in response to downward pressure engagement of said column member with an object whereby said nut is releasable from its normally nonrotatable condition for permitting said nut to freely rotate to prevent further downward movement of said carriage and said column member.

Claim 9

In an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operating rooms, the combination of: a stationary control housing adapted to be suspended from an overhead structure; a vertically movable auxiliary housing associated with said stationary housing and adapted to support selected instrument control means; a vertically movable column member carried within the stationary housing and adapted to support selected instruments; means for moving said column member including: fixed guide means on said stationary housing; a carriage movable along said guide means and connected with said column member; drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried by said stationary housing; a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feed screw and connected with said carriage; motor means carried by the stationary housing for driving said feed screw; and means carried by said carriage and releaseably engageable with said normally nonrotatable nut in response to downward pressure engagement of said column member with an object whereby said nut is releasable from its normally nonrotatable condition for permitting said nut to freely rotate to prevent further downward movement of said carriage and said column member.

Claim 10

In a system as stated in claim 6 wherein said releasably engageable means includes: a resilient thrust member carried at one end of said nonrotatable nut and normally seated against a portion of said carriage; and means at the opposite end of said nut, normally out of engageMent therewith, and adapted to be engaged by said nut when thrust loading at said one end of the nut reaches a preselected minimum force.

Claim 11

A system as stated in claim 7 wherein said normally nonengageable means includes a bearing means supported on a portion of said carriage.

Claim 12

An overhead equipment control construction for presenting equipment and controls therefor at selected heights above a work or operating area, comprising in combination: a stationary vertically disposed control housing adapted to be carried by and depending from an overhead structure; an adjustable vertically movable column member supported within said housing and having its lower end portion extending below said stationary housing and adapted to support means for carrying a plurality of instruments and equipment; said stationary control housing including a vertically disposed stationary housing extension; an auxiliary control housing reciprocally movable within said housing extension and adapted to be positioned at or below the lower end of said stationary housing; means interconnecting said auxiliary control housing with said column member for moving said auxiliary housing during movement of said column member; and drive means within said stationary control housing for moving said column member.

Claim 13

An overhead equipment control construction for presenting equipment and controls therefor at selected heights above a work or operating area, comprising in combination: a stationary vertically disposed control housing adapted to be carried by and depending from an overhead structure; an adjustable vertically movable column member supported within said housing and having its lower end portion extending below said stationary housing and adapted to support means for carrying a plurality of instruments and equipment; said stationary control housing including a vertically disposed stationary housing extension; an auxiliary control housing reciprocally movable within said housing extension and adapted to be positioned at or below the lower end of said stationary housing; means interconnecting said auxiliary control housing with said column member for moving said auxiliary housing during movement of said column member; and drive means within said stationary control housing for moving said column member.

Claim 14

In an equipment control construction as stated in claim 9 including means connected with said column member and with said drive means and responsive to axial pressure on said column member for rendering said drive means inoperable to continue to move said column member.