Patent Publication Number: US-7909640-B2

Title: Console with a storage space

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/599,116, filed Nov. 14, 2006, now pending, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     The use of consoles with trays to carry medical devices is known in the hospital sector. In doing so, the devices are arranged on the trays. The electrical connection lines for the devices are routed via the trays, and the connectors for the connection line are plugged into sockets. This is done with gas lines in a similar fashion. The trays have a simple construction and are either inserted at a certain, predetermined height using a plug system or are fixed into place at a certain height using a relatively complicated assembly device. 
     The known consoles have the disadvantage that the cable and/or lines are sometimes too long, and the excess cable or line lengths can get in the way of persons or even be a tripping hazard. 
     Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a solution for this disadvantage. 
     The console has an assembly device, to which at least one tray on a support device is mounted. The tray has an upper wall and a lower wall. There is at least one storage space between the walls, and the storage space is provided to accommodate electric cable, preferably along with a power plug, or another cable, and/or a supply line. 
     The proposed innovation has the advantage that some sort of line or cable can be at least partially housed within a tray, because the tray has an upper wall and a lower wall, and the receptacles are provided between the two walls. The areas between the walls are used as storage space. This type of storage space is used to accommodate a cable or any type of supply line (gas, water). This ensures that the lines can be safely stored with respect to their excess length. Tripping hazards due to cable or cable loops are thus avoided. 
     Advantageous embodiments of the proposed invention are: 
     If at least one recess is provided in the upper wall, bordering a storage space, for routing electric cable either having a connector socket or to be subsequently provided with a connector socket or other cable (or lines), then a cable which is routed through a storage space (including a water supply or gas supply in addition to an electric cable), can supply a device located on the tray. Only the part of the cable extending from the recess to the device can be seen on the tray. Multiple recesses are used to route multiple cables, data lines, or the like. 
     If a body is provided on the console, and the body has multiple outlets or supplies for gas or water, which are supplied with electrical current, gas, or water via a supply line, the cable that is in the storage spaces can be supplied a short distance away from a tray, without excessively long cable lines interfering. The supply line is preferably routed from the top down to the console. This is particularly advantageous because, in a preferred embodiment, the support tubes should hang on a ceiling mount. The console could also be used in a hair salon and only be arranged for electric supply. 
     If two vertical support tubes and at least two assembly claws are provided, wherein the assembly claws are mounted on the support tubes in such a way that two assembly claws are provided next to each other on the support tubes, and if at least one tray is provided, which has two receptacles for the respective accommodation of a plug connection, to enable the insertion of the tray onto both of the assembly claws, this is advantageous in that the tray can be simply affixed at any desired height. Both of the assembly claws holding the tray can be mounted on both rods at any height that will fulfill the purposes of the medical arrangement on the tray. The plug connections are plugged into the receptacles of the tray. Thus, the assembly of the tray is carried out. 
     If the receptacles are provided between the walls, then they have a stabilizing effect on the tray. 
    
    
     
       The invention is described in detail below with reference to figures that show an exemplary embodiment. The following is shown: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the console with two vertical support tubes and two trays, each of which has storage spaces to accommodate electric cables, and which are each mounted on support tubes with two plug connections; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a tray from  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of the tray from  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a view from above with a partial cut-out of the tray from  FIG. 2 , but without the electric cable and with the plug connections inserted; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view that is rotated by 90° with respect to the view in  FIG. 3  with a partial cut-out of the tray from  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     With a console  1  for the hospital sector, with two vertical support tubes  2 , and with four assembly claws  3 , the assembly claws  3  are mounted onto the support tubes  2  in such a way that two assembly claws  3  are provided next to each other on the supports tubes  2  in each case. Each of the assembly claws  3  has a plug connection  4 . Each of the two trays have two receptacles  6  executed as a rectangular tube for the respective accommodation of a plug connection  4  to enable insertion of the tray onto the two assembly claws  3 . 
     The plug connection  4  has a ball  7 , which is held in the plug connection  4 , and which is pre-loaded up against the plug connection  4  using a spring  8 . The ball  7  is provided for latching into a recess  9  of the receptacle  6 . 
     The assembly claws  3  consist of two claw parts  10 , 11 , each of which has a gripping element  12 . The claw parts  10 , 11  are connected to each other using a connection element  13 , which is executed as a screw. A securing element  14 , which is a screw, is provided for securing the plug connection  4  in the receptacle  6 . 
     Each tray  5  has an upper wall  15  and a lower wall  16 . There are two receptacles  6  and three storage spaces  17  between each of the two walls  15 , 16  of a tray. The storage spaces  17  are provided for accommodating electric cables  18  along with their power plugs  19 . In doing so, the power plug  19  is clamped into the storage space  17 . The wall distance is measured accordingly. The upper wall  15 , bordering the left and the center storage space  17 , has a total of four recesses  20  for individual routing of an electric cable  18 , which is subsequently provided with a connector socket  21 . The connector socket  21  is used to connect a medical device. A body  22  is provided on the console  1 , and the body has multiple outlets  23 . The outlets  23  are provided with electric current via an electric supply line  24 .
           1  Console     2  Support tube     3  Assembly claw     4  Plug connection     5  Tray     6  Receptacle     7  Ball     8  Spring     9  Recess     10 , 11  Claw part     12  Gripper element     13  Connection element     14  Securing element     15 , 16  Wall     17  Storage space     18  Electric cable     19  Power plug     20  Recess     21  Connector socket     22  Body     23  Outlet     24  Supply line     25  Assembly equipment       

     The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”. 
     All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.