Switching devices for medical apparatuses and related systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941084-B2
Application number	US-201113297345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2011
Priority date	Nov 16, 2010
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

In some aspects, a switching device for a medical apparatus includes a first switching member adapted to select an assigned operating function of the medical apparatus; and a second switching member adapted to permit the selecting of the assigned operating function of the first switching member. The second switching member is adapted such that it has a detection space in which it detects a presence of an operating object; and the first switching member is arranged in the detection space of the second switching member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switching device for a medical apparatus, the switching device comprising:
a plurality of first switching members each adapted to perform a function, the first switching members based on a first switching principle to cause performance of the functions;
a plurality of second switching members based on a second switching principle different from the first switching principle and operable to generate a detection space;
wherein the detection space extends external to the switching device into a volume adjacent to the first switching member and detects a presence of an operating object adjacent the first switching member and external to the switching device, wherein operation of the first function is precluded if the operating object is not in the detection space and detected by the second switching member,
wherein at least one second switching member is assigned to each of the plurality of first switching members, and wherein each of the plurality of first switching members is arranged in a respective detection space of the at least one second switching member; and
an evaluation device for selecting the assigned operating function of the plurality of first switching members when a switching member of the plurality of first switching members and the at least one second switching member assigned to the switching member are operated by the operating object.

2. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the first switching member is an electro-mechanical switch.

3. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the second switching member is a proximity switch.

4. The switching device according to claim 3 , wherein the second switching member is a capacitive sensor.

5. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein a first component of the first switching member and a second component of the second switching member are the same component.

6. The switching device according to claim 5 , wherein the first and second components comprise sensor contact surface areas of the first and second switching members, respectively.

7. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device is configured to recognize when the operating object is in a position in which the operating object operates the first switching member by a signal of the second switching member.

8. The switching device according to claim 7 , wherein the evaluation device is further configured to output an error signal when the evaluation device recognizes that the first switching member is operated but does not provide switching signals to the evaluation device by the signal of the second switching member.

9. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching device is a remote control for a medical apparatus.

10. The switching device according to claim 9 , wherein the remote control comprises a position sensor and an evaluation device for recognizing the spatial orientation of the remote control.

11. The switching device according to claim 9 , wherein the remote control is configured such that the remote control is activated when the evaluation device recognizes switching signals for a simultaneous operation of several second switching members of the multiple second switching members.

12. The switching device according to claim 9 , wherein the medical apparatus is a surgical table.

13. A medical apparatus comprising:
a switching device for the medical apparatus, the switching device comprising:
a first switching member adapted to perform a first function of selecting an assigned operating function of the medical apparatus;
a second switching member adapted to perform a second function of permitting the first switching member to perform the first function; and operable to generate a detection space,
wherein the detection space comprises an open volume including an outer region disposed external to the switching device adjacent the first switching member, and in which the second switching member detects a presence of an operating object,
wherein the first switching member is arranged in the detection space such that an external user contact surface of the first switching member is disposed with the open volume of the detection space, and
an evaluation device for selecting the assigned operating function of the first switching member when the first switching member and the second switching member assigned to the first switching member are operated by the operating object,
wherein operation of the first function is precluded if an operating object is not positioned in the detection space and detected by the second switching member.

14. A method for operating a switching device for a medical apparatus, the method comprising:
creating a detection space comprising an open volume with a second switching member, the open volume extending into an outer region external to the switching device;
detecting, using the second switching member, the presence of an approaching operating object in the outer region of the open volume, the outer region of the open volume disposed external to the second switching member and external to and adjacent a first switching member assigned to the second switching member;
based on the second switching member failing to detect the presence of the operating object in the outer region of the open volume, precluding the release of the first switching member, and
operating the first switching member, via contact of the operating object with an external user contact surface of the first switching member that is disposed with the open volume of the detection space, such that an operating function selected by the first switching member is carried out when the operating object is detected in the open volume by the second switching member.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a position of the operating object in which the operating object operates the first switching member is recognized by the second switching member.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising: outputting an error signal when the position of the operating object in which the operating object operates the first switching member is recognized, but the first switching member is not operated, or
outputting an error signal when the first switching member is operated, but no operating object is recognized in the position in which the operating object operates the first switching member.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the switching device is activated when a plurality of second switching members recognize the operating object in the position in which the operating object operates the first switching member.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the switching device is a remote control, and an evaluation device does not output switching signals when the evaluation device recognizes, using position sensors, that the remote control is oriented such that a key used to operate the first switching member points downwards.

19. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a first portion of the first switching member and at least a second portion of the second switching member are disposed adjacent a same side of a circuit board, such that the first switching member is arranged in the detection space created by the second switching member.

20. The switching device according to claim 19 , wherein the detection space extends from the second switching member towards, through, and past the external user contact surface of the first switching member such that

Assignees

• Geiger Peter
• Krause Olaf
• Loeser Steffen
• Georgi Falk
• Sasse Joachim
• Trumpf Medizin Systeme Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Geiger Peter
• Krause Olaf
• Loeser Steffen
• Georgi Falk
• Sasse Joachim

Classifications

• A61G7/018

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H36/004 Primary

  push-button-operated, e.g. for keyboards · CPC title

• A61G13/02

  Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor · CPC title

• A61G2203/42

  for inclination · CPC title

• A61G2203/70

  with special adaptations, e.g. for safety or comfort · CPC title