Abstract:
A floor stand for a relatively small medical device. The floor stand stabilizes and/or levels the medical device when the device is on the floor. When the device is being carried or moved, the floor stand is completely underneath the device, so as to minimize the possibility of the stand coming into contact with an exterior person or item. Also, a method of stabilizing and/or leveling a small medical device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to components, systems, and methods for stabilizing a medical device in a proper position. More particularly, the present invention relates to such components, systems, methods that may be used to maintain a medical device in a level position.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Some medical devices will only operate properly if they are maintained in a substantially level position. In addition, it is generally undesirable for a medical device to tip over, as such tipping could break or otherwise adversely affect the device.  
         [0003]     In view of the above, currently available medical devices are sometimes stabilized and/or maintained in a level position through the use of floor stands. For example, some currently available medical devices have a flat, substantially rectangular section attached at the bottom thereof. When the device is being carried or otherwise moved, the substantially rectangular section is positioned so as to be completely within the edges of the bottom of the device. In other words, the substantially rectangular section does not protrude beyond the edges of the bottom of the device and therefore is unlikely to contact anything as the device is being moved.  
         [0004]     Either shortly before or shortly after the medical device is set down on the floor pursuant to being moved, the substantially rectangular section is pivoted relative to the bottom of the medical device so as to protrude beyond an edge thereof. As a result, the substantially rectangular section increases the overall footprint of the medical device on the floor and thereby stabilizes the medical device.  
         [0005]     As medical devices become smaller, the bottoms of the medical devices also become smaller. At a certain point, the bottom of a medical device becomes too small to allow one of the currently available substantially rectangular sections to be positioned completely within the edges thereof. Therefore, some of the currently available smaller medical devices include substantially rectangular sections that protrude beyond the edges of the bottom of the device. These sections may therefore come into contact with, for example, patients, medical personnel, or medical equipment, and may causing injury and/or damage. Other currently available smaller medical devices do not include a substantially rectangular section at all. These devices are therefore relatively unstable when set down on the floor.  
         [0006]     At least in view of the above, it would be desirable to provide mechanisms and/or systems that stabilize and/or level a small medical device without increasing the risk of physical injury or damage when moving the device. It would also be desirable to provide methods for stabilizing and/or leveling a small medical device using such mechanisms and/or systems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention wherein, in a first embodiment thereof, a floor stand for a medical device is provided. The floor stand includes a connection component configured to be connected to a medical device. The floor stand also includes a telescoping component connected to the connection component and moveable relative to the telescoping component, wherein the telescoping component is configured to stabilize the medical device in a vertical position when the telescoping component is in an extended position relative to the connection component, and wherein the connection component and telescoping component are configured to engage a portion of the medical device and to attach to the medical device.  
         [0008]     In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a method of retractably supporting a medical device is provided. The method includes engaging a portion of a medical device with a connection component and a telescoping component, wherein the connection component and the telescoping component are configured to attach to the medical device. The method also includes moving the telescoping component connected to the connection component to an extended position relative to the connection component to stabilize the medical device in a vertical position.  
         [0009]     In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, another floor stand for a medical device is provided. The floor stand includes connecting means for connecting to a medical device. The floor stand also includes stabilizing means for stabilizing the medical device in a vertical position when the stabilizing means is in an extended position relative to the connecting means, wherein the stabilizing means is connected to the connecting means and moveable relative thereto and wherein the connecting means and stabilizing means are configured to engage a portion of the medical device and to attach to the medical device.  
         [0010]     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
         [0011]     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0012]     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a floor stand according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the floor stand is connected to a medical device.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the floor stand and a portion of the medical device illustrated in  FIG. 1 , wherein the floor stand is in a retracted position.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the floor stand and a portion of the medical device illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein the floor stand is in an extended position.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the floor stand illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a floor stand  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the floor stand  10  is connected to a medical device  12 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the floor stand  10  and a portion of the medical device  12  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , wherein the floor stand  10  is in a retracted position.  FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the floor stand  10  and a portion of the medical device illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein the floor stand  10  is in an extended position.  
         [0018]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the floor stand  10  includes a connection component  14  that is configured to be connected to the medical device  12 . According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the medical device  12  is a chest drainage unit that, for example, may be used to evacuate air and/or fluid from a patient&#39;s chest cavity. Such evacuation helps to re-establish normal intrathoracic pressure in the patient&#39;s chest cavity and also facilitates the re-expansion of the patent&#39;s lungs to restore normal breathing dynamics. However, upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention, one of skill in the art will appreciate that, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the chest drainage unit illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be replaced with another medical or non-medical device.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the floor stand  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the connection component  14  includes a receiving portion  16 . Typically, the receiving portion  16  is configured to allow a protrusion  18  (illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 ) extending from a bottom surface  19  of the medical device  12  to extend through the connection component  14 . In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the receiving portion  16  takes the form of a cut-out that the protrusions  18  may slide with respect to.  
         [0020]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the protrusion  18  includes a substantially cylindrical portion configured to extend through the receiving portion  16  of the connection component  14 . Also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion  16  is configured to accommodate the rotation of the protrusion  18  therewithin, regardless of whether the protrusion  18  includes a substantially cylindrical portion or not.  
         [0021]     The floor stand  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  also includes a telescoping component  20  that is connected to the connection component  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the telescoping component  20  includes a receiving portion  22  that is configured to accommodate insertion of the above-discussed protrusion  18  therein.  
         [0022]     Typically, the above-discussed cylindrical portion of the protrusion  18  is inserted into the receiving portion  22 . Also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion  22  is configured to allow for the protrusion  18  to be rotated therewithin. As such, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the entire floor stand  10  is rotatable relative to the medical device  12  to which it is connected.  
         [0023]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate how the above-discussed connection component  14  and telescoping component  20  are connected to each other according to one embodiment of the present invention. More specifically,  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate that the connection component  14  and the telescoping component  20  are placed adjacent to each other and that the connection component  14  is surrounded on three side thereof by a lip  24  on the exterior of the connection component  14 .  
         [0024]     When the floor stand  10  is positioned on a floor below the medical device  12 , the lip  24  prevents the telescoping component  20  from moving horizontally relative to the connection component  14  in all but one direction. Also, the floor and the medical device  12  prevent the connection component  14  and the telescoping component  20  from moving vertically relative to each other. As such, the telescoping component  20  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  is substantially limited to moving in only one horizontal direction relative to the connection component  14 . According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the floor stand  10  is configures such that the telescoping component  20  is slidable relative to the connection component  14  in the single remaining horizontal direction of movement.  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates the floor stand  10  as being positioned substantially parallel to the two side surfaces  21 ,  23  of the medical device  12  illustrated therein. However, because, as discussed above, both the connection component  14  and the telescoping component  20  are rotatable relative to the medical device  12 , the floor stand  10  can be rotated so as to be substantially perpendicular to the two side surfaces of the medical device  12 .  
         [0026]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, when the floor stand  10  is positioned substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces  21 ,  23  of the medical device  12 , no portion of the floor stand  10  protrudes beyond the exterior edges  25 ,  27 ,  29 ,  31  of the bottom surface  19  of the medical device  12 . As such, the floor stand  10  is unlikely to come into contact with any persons or objects as the medical device  12  is being carried or moved (e.g., when the floor stand  10  is being lifted and/or transported by a patient or member of themedical staff using the handle  26  illustrated at the top of the medical device  12  in  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0027]     When the floor stand  10  is positioned substantially parallel to the side surfaces  21 ,  23  of the medical device  12  (i.e., when the floor stand  10  is positioned as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), the telescoping component  20  may be in the retracted position relative to the connection component  14  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , in the extended position illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or in an intermediate position between the two. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the floor stand  10  (particularly the telescoping component  20  thereof) is configured to stabilize the medical device  12  in a vertical or substantially vertical position relative to the floor upon which the floor stand  10  is sitting. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the floor stand  10  is configured to maintain the medical device  12  in a level or substantially level position.  
         [0028]     Both the above-mentioned stabilization and leveling typically occur when the telescoping component  20  is in the extended position illustrated in  FIG. 3  relative to the connection component  14 . In other words, when the floor stand  10  is positioned substantially parallel to the side surfaces  21 ,  23  of the medical device  12  and when the telescoping component  20  extends further away from the edges of the medical device  12 , the effective footprint of the medical device  12  is increased. Thus, additional stability is provided, which prevents the medical device  12  from being tipped over. The increased effective footprint also typically aids in leveling the device. However, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, adjustable extensions may protrude, for example, from surfaces of the floor stand  10  adjacent to the floor to further promote the leveling of the medical device  12 .  
         [0029]      FIGS. 2 and 3  also illustrate a plurality of tabs  28  (on the telescoping component  20 ) and slots  30  (on the connection component  14 ) that, together, make up a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the locking mechanism illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when one or more of the tabs  28  is engaged with one or more of the slots  30 , the locking mechanism prevents the telescoping component  20  from moving relative to the connection component  14 . In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the telescoping component  20  is prevented from moving relative to the connection component  14  both when in the extended position illustrated in  FIG. 3  and in the retracted position illustrated in  FIG. 2 . However, alternate embodiments of the present invention allow for the use of additional or fewer tabs and/or slots at various positions in the floor stand  10 . In order to release the locking mechanism, force is typically used to push the tabs  28  out of the slots  30 . However, alternate release mechanisms are also within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0030]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of retractably supporting a medical device is provided. The method typically includes connecting a connection component to a medical device. This connecting step may be implement, for example, using the above-discussed connection component  14  and medical device  12 . More specifically, this connecting step may be implemented using, for example, a chest drainage unit.  
         [0031]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-mentioned method also includes moving a telescoping component connected to the connection component to an extended position relative to the connection component. This moving step typically substantially stabilizes the medical device in a vertical position relative to the floor on which the connection component and/or telescoping component are sitting. This moving step can also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, substantially level the medical device. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, this moving step is implemented by sliding the above-discussed telescoping component  20  relative to the above-discussed connection component  14 .  
         [0032]     Certain embodiments of the above-discussed method of retractably supporting a medical device according to the present invention further include receiving a protrusion extending from a surface of the medical device (e.g., the protrusion  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 ) in a receiving portion of the connection component configured to receive the protrusion. This step may be implemented, for example, using the cut-out sections that make up the receiving portion  16  illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0033]     The above-discussed method may also include preventing the telescoping component from moving relative to the connection component, particularly either when the telescoping component is in the above-discussed extended or retracted position. This preventing step may be implemented, for example, using the tabs  28  and slots  30  discussed above or some other locking mechanisms that will become apparent to one of skill in the art upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0034]     The above-discussed method may also include rotating the connection component relative to the medical device. As mentioned above, the telescoping component may be connected to the connection component. Thus, this rotating step may be implemented, for example, by rotating the entire floor stand  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  relative to the bottom surface  19  of the medical device  12 . According to certain embodiments of the present invention, this rotating step allows the floor stand  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  to be moved between a first position where the floor stand  10  is completely beneath the bottom surface  19  of the medical device  12  and a second position wherein the floor stand is substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces  21 ,  23  of the medical device  12 .  
         [0035]     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.