Patent ID: 8870141

Claim:
An adjustable holding apparatus comprising: a proximal end; a distal end, the distal end having a device for holding an endoscope or a medical device; a plurality of arm segments between the proximal end and the distal end of the holding apparatus; a plurality of lockable joints, each lockable joint connects two of the plurality of arm segments with one another in a jointed fashion, each lockable joint having an axle disposed therein, each axle being fixed relative to its associated lockable joint when the lockable joint is in a locked position, each axle being rotatable relative to its associated lockable joint when the lockable joint is in a released position; a compensation device for at least partial compensation of the weight impact of the holding apparatus in a manual pivoting or sliding motion of at least one arm segment in a vertical direction; a plurality of locking devices each associated with a lockable joint for locking the joint; a plurality of pneumatically controlled power drive devices each associated with a lockable joint and configured to actuate the locking device between a locked position corresponding to the locked position of the lockable joint and a released position corresponding to the released position of the lockable joint; and a control valve in communication with each pneumatically controlled power drive device so that an actuation of the control valve simultaneously biases each of the locking devices between a locked position and a released position; wherein each lockable joint comprises a gear that transmits a smaller force and a greater path on the power drive device into a greater force and a smaller path on the locking device.