Abstract:
A video/data/power quick connect system is provided for use with medical appliance suspension arms. A universal cable bundle ( 40 ) extends along a monitor suspension arm ( 12 ). A first hub harness ( 50 ) adapts the cable bundle ( 40 ) for connection to a first associated source ( 68 ) of video/data/power signals. A first monitor harness ( 60 ) connects a lower end of the cable bundle ( 40 ) for connection to a first associated monitor device ( 34 ). A second hub harness ( 50 ′) and second monitor harness ( 60 ′) are provided for adapting the cable bundle ( 40 ) for connection to a second source ( 68 ) of associated video/data/power signals and a second associated monitor device ( 34 ′), respectively.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/326,867, filed Oct. 3, 2001. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to the art of surgical lighting and accessory systems and, more particularly, to a quick connect system for use with electrical wiring in medical appliance suspension arms. The present invention finds particular application in connection with surgical monitors and other medical devices and apparatus requiring power, data, video or other forms or types of electrical or electronic signals, and will be described with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject quick connect system can be used in applications other than medical accessory suspension arm systems such as, for example, in industrial, commercial, educational and other settings and uses.  
           [0003]    Presently, a wide range of patient monitoring equipment is available for use to track the medical progress of patients during surgery. The patient monitoring and support devices have typically crowded the surgical operating room floor.  
           [0004]    Overhead surgical device management systems provide one solution to the problem of cluttered operating room floors. In those systems, one or more patient monitoring apparatus are carried on a set of shelves suspended from overhead by one or more auxiliary support arms of a surgical lighting system. The support systems typically include one or more movable arm segments adapted to support the patient monitoring devices from overhead at a central hub member. Each of the arms includes jointed ends so that the shelf carrying the one or more monitoring devices can be manually moved into place to best accommodate the needs of the surgical personnel.  
           [0005]    Many current surgical device management systems with monitor support arms, however, offer only a single set of monitor support cabling and connectors. Many do not offer computer video capability such as SVGA. This often results in the inability to use certain monitors from overhead suspension arms and the inability to change monitor types because, simply, the appropriate video cables are not provided in the support arms. In those instances, monitors with computer video capability are placed on carts or other portable devices adjacent the surgical site, because it is impractical to disassemble the device management support arm to provide the necessary wiring needs to support the equipment. The carts and portables, of course, add to the undesirable operating room clutter.  
           [0006]    In order to support high-end video and data transfer needs, specialized cables must be installed in the overhead support arms during their manufacture. However, this adds additional time to delivery of the overhead suspension systems, adds to their cost, and is usually not upgradable after the system is installed. Further, when only a single video cable/connector of a particular type is initially provided, surgeons and operating room management personnel are unable to switch between different video sources and are compromised by the single source type supported by the cables/connector type provided. Upgrades to different video/data needs require disassembly of the support arm.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a new video quick connect system for use with suspension arms in a surgical operating room. The invention enables a single monitor suspension arm to be used to support and carry video signals, data signals, power cables and wire, and other types of electrical and electronic signals to a wide range of patient monitoring and video display devices without the need to remove the support arm from service for a hardware upgrade.  
           [0008]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a video/data quick connect system is provided for a monitor suspension arm in a surgical operating room. The quick connect system includes a universal cable bundle extending along the monitor suspension arm, a hub harness for connecting a hub end of the cable bundle to a first associated source of power or video signals, and a monitor harness for connecting a lower end of the cable bundle to a first associated patient monitor or display device. The signal quick connect system further includes a second hub harness to be used in place of the first hub harness for connecting the hub end of the universal cable bundle to a second associated source of power or video signals. Still further, the video quick connect system includes a second monitor harness for use in place of the first monitor harness for connecting the lower end of the universal cable bundle to a second associated patient monitor or display device.  
           [0009]    One major advantage of the subject video quick connect system is that it allows users to select the type of data, power, and video connection needs shortly before installation of the surgical equipment suspension arm rather than months ahead of time of purchase of the arm. The connector kits are used to enable quick, simple, and inexpensive retrofits and upgrades of the patient monitors and display devices supported by the suspension arm and offer flexibility for different operating room needs.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the video quick connect system enables surgical equipment suspension arm hardware to support video, signal, power, and data types and standards developed or implemented after the suspension system is physically installed by using existing cables in the universal cable bundle with the simple substitution of video quick connect kits assembled to support the new signal standard(s) or by selection of suitable connections on either end of the universal cable bundle.  
           [0011]    Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a surgical operating room showing a surgical equipment suspension arm connected to an operating room ceiling;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the subject video/data quick connect system formed in accordance with the present invention; and, FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the subject video/data quick connect system of the present invention configured for use with a second set of monitor and source device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    In accordance with the invention and with reference to the drawing FIGURES, a video/data quick connect system  10  is provided for a monitor suspension arm  12  in a surgical operating room  14 . The subject system provides a convertible electrical connection system to enable video, data and power equipment changes without the need to disassemble or retrofit the suspension arm. As shown best in FIG. 1, the monitor suspension arm  12  is connected to the ceiling  16  of the operating room  14  at a central hub  18 . As understood in the art, the monitor suspension arm  12  includes a horizontal arm member  20 , a vertical arm member  22 , and a lower arm and yoke system  24 . A plurality of joints  26  allow a monitor support shelf  28  carried on the lower end of the monitor suspension arm  12  to be moved as needed into position adjacent the surgical site  30 . It is to be appreciated that although a shelf is shown, the monitor may be coupled to the suspension arm by means of a suitable pivot joint or the like.  
         [0016]    As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the subject video/data quick connect system  10  includes a universal cable bundle  40 , a hub harness  50 , and a monitor harness  60 . The bundle of cables  40  extends along the monitor suspension arm  12  from the hub end  30  to the lower end  32  adjacent the monitor support shelf  28 . A monitor  34  is illustrated carried on the support shelf  28 . A set of hub connectors  42  are provided on the upper end of the bundle  40  at the hub area  18 . Similarly, a set of monitor connectors  44  are provided on the lower end of the cable bundle  40  at the lower end  32  of the monitor suspension arm  12 . The set of hub connectors  42  preferably includes at least two individual physical connectors as illustrated so that power signals remain separated from video and data signals. Similarly, the set of monitor connectors  44  include at least two individual physical connectors as the mirror image of hub connectors so that the video and data signals remain separated from the power signals. Further, preferably, the cable bundle  40  includes a plurality of individual cables to provide shielding and isolation between the power, video, data, and other signals that are carried on the universal cable bundle  40 .  
         [0017]    With continued reference to FIG. 2, the hub harness  50  includes a hub cable bundle  52  and first and second sets of connector members  54 ,  56  on opposite ends of the cable bundle. Similarly, the monitor harness  60  at the lower end of the monitor suspension arm includes a monitor cable bundle  62  and first and second sets of connector members  64 ,  66  on opposite ends of the cable bundle. It is to be appreciated that the first set of connector members  54  of the hub cable harness  50  is intermatable with the set of hub connectors  42 . Similarly, the first set of connector members  64  of the monitor cable harness  60  is intermatable with the set of monitor connectors  44 . Still further, it is to be appreciated that the second set of monitor connector members  66  is intermatable with the monitor  34  carried on the monitor support shelf  28 . Lastly, the second set of connector members  56  of the hub cable harness  50  is intermatable with an associated source  68  of power, video or data signals located above the ceiling  16  of the operating room  14 .  
         [0018]    In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the universal cable bundle  40  is pre-loaded within the monitoring suspension arm  12  before it is installed at the hospital site. Preferably, at least six (6) high quality video cables, eight (8) signal wires, and three (3) power wires comprise the preferred embodiment of the universal cable bundle  40 . All signals are tied to similar connectors at both the hub connector set  42  and the monitor connector set  44 .  
         [0019]    A video quick connect kit  70  includes the hub cable harness  50  and monitor cable harness  60  for adapting the cable bundle  40  within the suspension arm  12  for use with one of a plurality of monitor types and with a range of video, data and power sources. In the present invention, kits are selected based upon the desired monitor type. Each kit  70  consists of a hub cable harness  50  and a monitor cable harness  60 . One end of each harness is connected to the standard connector sets fixed to ends of the universal cable bundle  40  and the other end of each harness is connected to either the proper video/power/signal connection at the back of the monitor or the video/power signal/signal connection in the hub. The video quick connect kits  70  allow at least two high quality video connections (SVGA, RGBS, S-Video, composite), signal connections for serial data (e.g. touch panel) or SVGA, and AC or DC power.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the subject video/data quick connect system  10  including the universal cable bundle  40  used with a second video quick connect kit  70 ′. The second video quick connect kit  70 ′ includes a second hub cable harness  50 ′ and a second monitor cable harness  60 ′ for adapting the universal cable bundle  40  within the suspension arm  12  for use with a second monitor  34 ′ and a second source  68 ′ of video/data/power signals. As noted, the video/data quick connect kits are selected based upon the desired monitor type and source. A comparison between the configuration of the present invention for use with the first monitor  34  and first source  68  and the one shown in FIG. 3 used with the second monitor  34 ′ and second source  68 ′ illustrates the manner in which the present invention provides for inexpensive retrofits and upgrades of patient monitors and display devices supported by the suspension arm and cable bundle without the need to assemble the suspension arm.  
         [0021]    The video quick connect system  10  allows users to select the type of video connection needs shortly before installation rather than months ahead of time. The connector kits are used to enable quick, simple, and inexpensive retrofits and upgrades of the monitors supported by the suspension arm and offer flexibility for different operating room needs. The pre-installed video and signal cable bundle allows for a very small profile suspension system, thereby reducing clutter in the operating room and making the system more reliable. In the preferred embodiment, video quick connect kits  70  support high quality signal formats including, but not limited to, SVGA and RGBS. Further, the video quick connect kits  70  enable the suspension arm  12  to support video, signal, and data types and standards developed after the suspension system is installed by using existing cables of the bundle  40  with a video quick connect kit  70  assembled to support the new signal standard.  
         [0022]    The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.