Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2140718
MULTIFUNCTIONAL LAMP AND SUPPORT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to lamps particularly suited for the medical profession and
to the supporting system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Lighting fixtures, as is known, come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and may include
other elements designed to perform a variety of functions. In many fields of endeavor it
is required that the lamps be supported by flexible and rotatable means associated
therewith so that the position of the lamp can be moved and "locked" into position at the
15 discretion of the user. Other functions may also be desirable in lamps depending on the
field of use.
The medical field has numerous requirements for lighting equipment, including
ease of use and access to instrumentation. Pathologists, for example, are required to
effect close visual and magnified evaluation of body tissue and fluids which may contain
20 highly contagious viruses, bacteria, fluid borne pathogens and the like. It is important
that exposure to these possibly infectious tissues and fluids be minimized. Withenhanced concern regarding exposure to the HIV virus, proposed amendments for
occupational health and safety, such as in pathology and surgery require this work to be
carried out behind a protective face shield or covering so that the user is not exposed to
25 contamination by spillage, splashing, or splattering of the fluids. Much of this work in the
medical field also requires a detailed analysis of the tissue or fluid often leading to
extensive note taking based upon observations made during the investigation. Often
means for transcribing notes and observations at the time of the analysisare utilized.
Representative lamp configurations having flexible and rotatable means are
3 0 represented in the following patents:
2140718
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U.S. Patent 4,907,137 discloses an apparatus for supporting a lamp on a
low-voltage rail. The lamp shown is one capable of being displaced and clamped at
arbitrary locations along a rail. The lamp includes a clamping socket, illumination means,
and an extension part or neck consisting of a plurality of serially connected joint
S members, each having a ball portion and a joint seat portion, with the individual ball
portion of each joint member held in the joint seat portion of associated joint members via
friction. In a preferred mode, a pin is disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis so that
the joint rnembers rotate as a single unit.
U.S. Patent 4,630,185 discloses a support member for illumination means
10 comprising a mechanical arm which permits the lamp to be maintained in a free position.
A pair of tubular members are rotatably attached to a base and carried in parallel
relationship to each other with a means for illumination attached at the distal end of the
parallel members. In a preferred embodiment the illumination means comprises twoattachment points which are rotatable relative to each attachment means engaging15 separate arm of the lamp.
There is a need for lamps having some of the features described in the above
patented systems but also including other functional elements which assist in protecting
the worker and assist in evaluation of contagious material.
2 0 - SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved multifunctional lamp particularly suited for
use in medical facilities as, for example, by pathologists in the evaluation of tissues and
fluids, etc. and to a supporting system for such lamps. The basic lamp systems
contemplated herein comprises a base, a trunk supported at an end by the base and
2 5 illumination means pendent from the trunk. The improvement of this basic lamp, and the
adoption of it for medical purposes, comprises the following:
a tubular trunk supported by the base, said trunk formed from a plurality of
interconnecting tubular connectors joined end to end, each tubular connector
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having a ball portion at one end and a socket portion at the other end, said bail
portion adapted for frictional embracement by a socket portion associated with an
adjoining tubular connector;
a plurality of tubular Tee-connectors having distal ball or socket portions or
both adapted for receipt by a corresponding socket or ball portion from tubular
connectors associated with the trunk portion of said lamp, said tubular
Tee-members adapted for rotation and flexible movement about the longitudinal
axis of the trurfk;
a first tubular arm pendent from said trunk comprising a plurality of tubular
connectors having ball and socket portions with an end portion adapted for
engagement with the ball or socket member of said arm engaging a
corresponding socket or ball portion associated with said Tee-members and
terminating in means for engaging a safety shield; and,
a second tubular arm comprising a plurality of tubular connectors having
ball and socket portions with an end portion adapted for engaging socket or ballportions associated with said tubular Tee-members and an end portion
terminating in means for magnification.
There are significant advantages associated with the multifunctional lamp of this
invention and these advantages include:
a lamp having a flexible trunk section for rotation and movement about its base
and relative to its longitudinal axis, thereby permitting the user to move the lamp and
associated apparatus into position for use;
a lamp having a support means which permits one to essentially lock the lamp
into a fixed position;
a lamp particularly suited for pathology work, the lamp being equipped with a
protective safety shield which is pendent from a flexible arm for movement about the axis
of the arm and the trunk thereby permitting the user to strategically place the protective
safety shield in a fixed position for providing protection;
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a lamp equipped with magnification means for review of min~lte organisms, etc.
which is pendent from a flexible arm for rotation and flexible movement about the trunk;
and lastly,
a lamp capable of carrying a microphone for utilization in transcribing
5 observations.
THE DRAWINGS
- Figure 1 is a view of the lamp including a safety shield, magnification means and
recording means having planar designations X, Y and Z associated therewith.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the tubular connector having ball and socket
portions.
Figure 3 is a view of a small section of an arm or trunk having an end portion
having securing means.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figure 1, the multifunctional lamp, which is particularly suited for
medical offices, comprises a base 2, a trunk section 4 supported at an end by base 2,
rod 5 supported by the base and illumination means 6 supported by trunk 4. In the
embodiment shown, base 2 comprises a circular magnet for attachment and support of
20 the lamp to paramagnetic surfaces such as steel. In a preferred embodiment, a small
circular polymeric substrate is adhesively applied to the base of the magnet to prevent
scratching of surfaces during fastening and removing the lamp from surfaces.
Alternatively, base 2 could be in the form of a clamp having means for grasping a surface
or other support means.
The trunk 4 comprises a plurality of tubular connectors 8 joined end to end. To
facilitate an understanding of the tubular connectors utilized in forming the trunk and
associated arm portions, reference is also made to Fig 2. Each tubular connector 8
terminates in a generally circular socket portion 10 at one end and a generally circular
21~07~8
ball portion 12 at the other. Socket portion 10 has a curved surface adapted for receipt
of a ball portion 12 from an adjacent tubular connector. The tolerances between the
interior surface of socket portion 10 of one connector and the exterior surface of ball
portion 12 of an adjacent tubular connector are such that the ball portion is locked in
- 5 place within the socket portion by means of a friction fit. Such tubular connections are
shown in Fig 1. Associated with each tubular connector 8 is a collar section 14 which
has a circumference less than the circumference of the socket portion 10 and ball portion
12 of the tubular connector thereby providing space for flexible movement of the tubular
connectors relative to one another.
Because of the generally circular shape of the ball and socket portion of each
connector, separated by collar 14, each tubular connector, relative to an adjacent tubular
connector, is capable of being rotated 360 degrees about the Y-axis. On the other hand
the tubular connectors, relative to an adjacent tubular connector is rigidly held in a
direction axial to the Y-axis. Also as can be seen, the connectors are positioned for
movement in any direction about the X-axis or Z-axis. And, due to the friction fit between
the ball portion of a tubular connector and the socket portion of an adjoining tubular
connector, the trunk and arms can be moved in relation to the axis described and
essentially locked into that position by means of the friction fit between adjacent tubular
connectors.
An elbow 16 (Fig 3) is attached to an end of the trunk4 and is equipped with
means for securing objects thereto, e.g., an end having a threaded portion extending
therein for receipt of a screw or bolt. A protective safety shield or face shield 18
comprising glass, acrylic or a polycarbonate sheet is securely attached to the securing
means by means of a screw and thus securely attached to trunk 4. The glass,
polyacrylate or polycarbonate safety shield is shown attached at thç center (Fig 1)
although the attachment location is largely at the discretion of the user often to provide
better distribution of weight, the safety shield 18 is attached at an upper, center portion.
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A plurality of Tee-members or connectors 20 (Fig 1) terminate in ball and socketportions and are adapted for receipt by socket portion 10 or embracement by ball portion
12 thereby providing means for attaching arms 22 and 24 pendent from trunk 4. These
arms generally are of smaller diameter than the diameter of trunk 4 in order to reduce the
overall weight of the lamp. A plurality of connectors having alternate ball and socket
sections, as was the case with trunk 4, are attached to the open end of Tee-members 20
thereby providing arms of indefinite length. Terminating at an end of arm 22 is
attachment means for-receipt of magnifying glass 24. By virtue of the ability to move the
arm in rotation about the Y-axis and reiative to the X and Z-axis, magnifying glass 24 can
be moved to any position by the user for enhancing visual analysis. The ability to
position magnifying glass 24 in front of or behind safety shield 18 is an advantage as it
permits the user to position the magnifying glass 24 for proper focus.
As shown in Figure 1, a second Tee-member is disposed between base 4 and
elbow16 for the purpose of establishing a pendent arm relative to trunk4. In theembodiment shown, the arm 26 terminates in fastening means adapted for receipt of a
microphone 28 which permits the user to record observations during the evaluation
process. The fastening means for receipt of the microphone can include a magnet,finger clamps, a hook and the like.
The support system comprising the trunk and arms generally is made from a
polymeric material by injection molding processes. The key is not so much as to how
they are made but whether the connectors frictionally lock into place when moved from
one point to another. Material used for the manufacture of the connectors forming the
trunk and arms include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl butyral,
polyvinylchloride and the like.
2 5 Other features can be incorporated into the support system for the lamp as shown
in Figure 1. For example, tubular sleeve 27 may be inserted over the exterior surface of
the trunk and arms of the lamp to provide protection means to the tubular connectors.
The tubular sleeve protective covering provides a mechanism for reducing contamination
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due to infectious material lodging in the intricate crevices of the tubular connectors and
reduces cleaning problems associated with the trunk and the arms pendent from the
trunk which carry equipment associated with the multifunctional lamp. Examples of
protective coverings include polymeric materials and heat shrinkable tubing. In addition,
5 because of the tubular structure of the support system comprising the trunk and arms,
means for stiffening communicating with said trunk such as rod 15 can be provided.
Often the means for stiffening, e.g., rod 15 are inserted interior to the trunk or any of the
arms which then restricts movement about the X and Z-axis but~permits rotation about
the Y-axis or longitudinal axis. The means for stiffening may be of indeterminate length
10 depending upon the need for support at a fixed distance from the base. Generally the
means for stiffening anywhere up to about three quarters of the length of the trunk or
less. Examples of stiffening means include steel and other metal or polymeric rods
and/or tubes which are rigid relative to the trunk and arms and securely fastened to the
base. Examples of protective sleeve materials include polyethylene, polypropylene,
15 polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene chloride film and the like.
Electrical communication with the illumination source and microphone can be
achieved by inserting wires through the tubular portion of the trunk and pendent arms.
One mechanism for providing electrical communication through the trunk and arm
portions is through a Tee-member (not shown) near the base of the lamp which readily
2 0 permits the insertion of electrical wires, etc. into the tubular portion of the trunk and arms.
Once electrical communication is established, illumination and other equipment requiring
electrical power may be utilized. Another embodiment contemplates the addition of
another arm for purposes enhancing lamp functionality. A magnet or clamp may be such
a device pendent from the unused arm.
