Patent Number: 048662844
Section: description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The irradiation device of FIG. 1 has a base 1 which is connected to a housing via pivots by means of a telescopic arm 2 and an intermediate arm 3 connected thereto. This housing consists of two elongated parts 4 and 5 which are juxtaposed in a folded state. These parts 4 and 5 accommodate radiation sources (such as high-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps in which also cobalt and iron are present in the discharge vessel) with reflectors arranged behind them. In a practical embodiment there are provided two radiation sources per part. A radiation exit side is formed on the side of the two parts facing the base. If the two parts 4 and 5 are placed side by side, the entire system can be collapsed to a compact unit. The said parts 4 and 5 are pivotable with respect to each other about an axis perpendicular to the plane through the radiation exit side (the "horizontal" plane). This is realized by providing the end of the intermediate arm 3 (which is in the form of two elongated parallel metal bars 3a and 3b, see FIG. 2) with a coupling member 6 to which the parts 4 and 5 are secured by means of pivots 7 and 8. The longitudinal axes 7a, 8a of these pivots are perpendicular to the plane through the radiation exit side of the parts 4 and 5. The other end of the intermediate arm 3 is pivotably connected to a short pivotal bar 9 secured to the top of the telescopic arm 2. This metal short pivotal bar is bridged by a gas spring 10 whose ends are also pivotably connected to the telescopic arm 2 and the intermediate arm 3, respectively. FIG. 2 shows the irradiation device in the operating condition. The position of the housing is indicated by broken lines. The reference numeral 11 shows diagrammatically that the longitudinal axis of each part is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. In the position 12 the longitudinal axis is in the plane of the drawing. The parts 4 and 5 are collapsed in this position and are located side by side. The gas spring 10 is shown diagrammatically. It is connected at one end in a position near the end of the telescopic arm and at the other end to the bar 3a. The bars 3a and 3b are pivotably secured to the short pivotal bar 9 which itself is pivotable with respect to arm 2 by means of a pivot (9a). The coupling member 6 is also connected to the ends of the bars 3a and 3b by means of pivots (6a, 6b). The gas spring 10 absorbs three pivotal movements, namely that of the short pivotal bar 9 with respect to arm 2, that of bars 3a and 3 b with respect to bar 9 and that of the arm 2 with respect to the bars 3a and 3b. FIG. 3 shows the irradiation device in a semi-collapsed state. The longitudinal direction of the juxtaposed parts 4 and 5 is shown in a broken line (12). Finally FIG. 4 shows the device in the fully collapsed state. By lowering arm 2 into the base 1 (via a pivot) a compact unit is obtained with member 6 being locked with the arm 2. The base 1 accommodates the electric ballasts of the lamps. The base has also wheels (such as 13, see FIG. 1). Due to the gas spring the device immediately assumes the position as shown in FIG. 3 when the said lock is released. In the operating condition of the irradiation device the synthetic material parts of the housing accommodate high-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps with a power of 400 W. In addition to 20 mg of mercury the discharge vessel of such a lamp also comprises 0.16 mg of cobalt and 0.3 mg of iron. Such lamps mainly emit UV-A radiation (315-400 nm) and some UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) in addition to infrared radiation. When folding out the parts of the housing (dimensions of each part 25.times.15.times.60 cm) an irradiation field is obtained which is amply sufficient for irradiating the entire human body.