Adjustable Surgical Lighting Elements That Preserve Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
In surgical environments, overhead lighting assemblies obstruct airflow and generate turbulence when moved, compromising the sterile conditions and patient safety by potentially shifting components or introducing contaminants.
Innovation Solution
An overhead support system with movable lighting elements controlled by a light operation interface, allowing precise focusing of light without physically moving the entire lighting assembly, thereby minimizing interference with airflow and reducing turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a movable boom assembly is used to position lighting elements, then lighting can be focused on target areas, but the boom assembly blocks airflow and generates turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting assembly is divided into multiple independently movable lighting elements rather than moving the entire boom assembly. Each lighting element can be individually positioned to focus light on target areas while minimizing obstruction to airflow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting elements are extracted from the fixed boom assembly structure and made independently movable. This allows the lighting function to be separated from the positioning mechanism, enabling precise light focusing without requiring the entire boom assembly to be in the airflow path.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entire lighting assembly is moved to illuminate different areas, then lighting coverage is improved, but airflow to the surgical site is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting assembly is segmented into multiple independently controllable lighting elements. This allows selective positioning of only the necessary lighting elements to cover different surgical areas, rather than moving the entire assembly, thereby maintaining airflow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting elements are made dynamically adjustable with individual positioning capabilities. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt lighting coverage to different surgical needs while maintaining optimal airflow conditions by positioning elements only where necessary.
3Ease of operation
If a movable boom assembly is used for lighting, then lighting positioning flexibility is improved, but turbulence is generated that may shift components or introduce contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into multiple small, independently movable elements rather than one large movable assembly. This segmentation reduces the disturbance to airflow patterns, minimizing turbulence that could compromise the sterile environment while maintaining positioning flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical movement of large boom assemblies with electronically controlled, individually movable lighting elements. This substitution reduces mechanical disturbance to the environment while maintaining precise positioning capability, thereby protecting the sterile field.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures targeted lighting without obstructing airflow, maintaining sterile conditions and reducing turbulence, thus enhancing surgical precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the plurality of lighting elements may include at least one light-emitting diode
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead support system is configured to be positioned within a room. The system may include a main housing that includes at least a portion of an air-delivery sub-system, a plurality of lighting elements secured to the main housing, a light control unit in communication with each of the plurality of lighting elements, and a light operation interface in communication with the light control unit. Each of the plurality of lighting elements is configured to move relative to the main housing. The light control unit controls operation of each of the plurality of lighting elements. The light operation interface is configured to be used to move the plurality of lighting elements relative to the main housing to focus emitted light on a target location within the room.