Surgical Microscope Stand with C-Shape Hollow Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical microscopes face challenges with disturbing contours and resistance forces due to the design of their stands and support arms, which interfere with the operating environment and field of view, and require reduced bearing frictions and compactness.
Innovation Solution
A stand with a C-shaped structure and hollow reinforcements, featuring a base part and stand parts with integrated mounting elements for electronic components, and a suspension mechanism with rotary joints allowing the microscope head to be positioned in three directions, while relocating electronic components to reduce the center of gravity and minimize the cross-section of the carrier arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electronic components are mounted on the support arms, then the microscope head can be positioned and controlled, but the support arms form disturbing contours in the field of view and increase resistance forces during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts electronic components from the support arms and relocates them to the base part of the stand. This removes the disturbing contours from the field of view while maintaining all necessary electronic functionalities for microscope operation and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relocates electronic components from a horizontal distribution on support arms to a vertical concentration in the base part. This dimensional reorganization eliminates interfering contours in the surgical field while centralizing mass to reduce the center of gravity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cables are guided along the rotational axes, then electronic functionalities are realized, but resistance forces are generated during rotational movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts cables from the rotational paths on support arms and relocates electronic components to the base part. This eliminates cable friction during rotation while maintaining all electronic functionalities through centralized positioning.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the stand parts are made compact, then interfering contours are reduced, but the structural strength and stiffness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all electronic components into a single integrated unit within the base part. This consolidation achieves compactness that minimizes interfering contours while the unified structure provides sufficient structural strength and stiffness for stable microscope operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction in the base part, combining multiple materials with complementary properties to achieve both compact dimensions and high structural strength, eliminating the trade-off between size and strength.
4Force
If the center of gravity is reduced by relocating components, then motion forces are lowered, but the assembly space must be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all electronic components into a single integrated unit in the base part. This merging achieves both center of gravity reduction for lower motion forces and compact assembly space optimization through centralized mass concentration.
Data Source
AI summary
A stand for a surgical microscope and a method for optimizing an assembly space of a surgical microscopy system are provided. The stand includes a base part, a stand part forming a c-shape structure, having a first end and a second end, and being mounted on the base part at the first end. The stand part has a hollow structure with reinforcements arranged within the hollow structure and the reinforcements extend vertically through the entire hollow structure. The stand part may include a first stand part element and a second stand part element, and the first and second stand part elements are arranged at a horizontal distance relative to one another and form together the c-shape structure. The method includes relocating electronic components from the arms to an area of the stand part thereby shifting a center of gravity of the stand.