US3593013A

US3593013A - Therapeutic lamp apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3593013A
Application number: US815650A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred M Mertes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-04-14
Filing date: 1969-04-14
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13

Abstract

A therapeutic lamp apparatus is disclosed herein having a frame providing a continuous oblong track encircling and defining a treatment area on which a movable carriage is mounted. A radiating lamp is carried on the carriage via an upright boom so that the radiation therefrom is directed toward a selected portion of the treatment area and which travels in an encircling horizontal path about the treatment area in response to movement of the carriage on the track. Means are provided for automatically driving the carriage and for stabilizing the carriage and lamp on the track.

Description

United States Patent inventor Alfred M. Mcrtes 5071 Garden Grove, Los Angeles, Calif. 91356 Appl. No. 815,650

Filed Apr. [4, I969 Patented July I3, I97! THERAPEUTIC LAMP APPARATUS l0 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 240/! A, 250/52, 250/91 Int. Cl. H0lj 5/48 Field of Search 240/1 A;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,669,468 5/I928 Heintze 250/52 X 2,716,698 8/1955 Brukner 240/1 Primary Examiner- William F. Lindquist Anomey- Roger A. M an:

ABSTRACT: A therapeutic lamp apparatus is disclosed herein having a frame providing a continuous oblong track encircling and defining a treatment area on which a movable carriage is mounted. A radiating lamp is carried on the carriage via an upright boom so that the radiation therefrom is directed toward a selected portion of the treatment area and which travels in an encircling horizontal path about the treatment area in response to movement of the carriage on the track. Means are provided for automatically driving the carriage and for stabilizing the carriage and lamp on the track.

PATENlEuJuuslen 3593.013

INVENTOR. JQLF'EED M M IEETES ay/4M THERAPEUTIC LAMP APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the Invention This invention relates to therapeutic lamp constructions and, more particularly. to a novel continuous therapeutic lamp apparatus employing the lamp as a radiating source of for emitting ultraviolet or infrared radiation, for example, into a defined treatment area.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional therapeutic lamps generally provide radiation in a predetermined direction. It is often desirable to expose a larger area of the body of the user to the therapeutic radiation than is within the effective stationary range of a lamp at a proper distance from the user, depending upon the size and capacity of the lamp. Also, it is desirable to obtain substantially uniform exposure of such large areas to the radiation. In addition, it is of considerable importance that such lamps control the time and degree of exposure in an effort to avoid injury to the body, this being particularly true for ultraviolet radiation because of the absence of warning as to body tolerance, since the effect of ultraviolet rays on the body are usually not detectable for a period of some hours after exposure thereto.

If a lamp of small capacity and coverage is used for treating a large area, it must be positioned relatively close to the body of the user for effective operation, which increases the necessity for accurate timing, and the user must also shift position with respect to the lamp with considerable care to obtain the desired uniform coverage without overexposing portions of the body which may fall within the effective range ofthe lamp in more than one position. The careful attention to time and position required during such exposures is neither restful nor relaxing to the user, thus eliminating one benefit which should be received from the treatment.

Similar disadvantages exist in the use of lamps of larger capacity and greater effective range and, in addition, it will be apparent that when the lamp is positioned at a proper height for large area coverage lengthwise of the body of the user, there will be considerable wasted radiation falling on each side of the body. Since the operating costs of such lamps are relatively high, this use is, in effect, inefficient and uneconomical.

Several attempts have been made to provide improved therapeutic lamp devices which will continuously redirect or move the lamp about the body of the user in order to evenly distribute radiation thereon. Such conventional devices are disclosed in U. 5. Letters Patent Nos. 2,716,698 and 2,793,296. Although these prior devices provide a means for moving the source of radiation about the body of the user, it is to be noted that the direction of travel and the means for providing movement of the radiation source with respect to the user is cumbersome and awkward to utilize. Furthermore, the directional path of travel is quite limited, such as to reciprocating movement only which, although it prevents concentration of radiation in a given spot, does not permit full exposure of the user's body to the radiation treatment. Furthermore, conventional therapeutic lamp devices are not portable in that it is difficult to effect disassembly for storing and transportation purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly. the above difficulties and problems encoun tered with conventional therapeutic lamp devices are obviated by the present invention which provides a frame having a continuous oblong track encircling and defining a treatment area intended to be occupied by the body of the user. A carriage is movably mounted on the track and means are provided for driving the carriage on the track in a horizontal substantially circular or curvilinear path. A therapeutic lamp, such as a lamp for emitting ultraviolet or infrared radiation, is mounted on the carriage via a telescoping adjustment rod or boom and is adjusted to emit radiation in the direction ofa selected portion of the treatment area. Stabilizing means are provided for movably securing the carriage to the track so that the therapeutic lamp is cantilevered upwardly and inwardly with respect to the periphery of the track. Additionally, controlling means are provided for automatically regulating the starting and stopping procedure of the radiation treatment being given the user.

Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel therapeutic lamp apparatus including an oblong frame forming a track means which will support the lamp at a desired distance from the user and will simultaneously cause the lamp to move in an encircling horizontal and curvilinear path about the user at a selected speed and for a desired time, to give substantially uniform exposure and coverage to the selected area of the user's body.

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide a novel therapeutic lamp apparatus for moving a radiation lamp in a continuous horizontal path around the body ofthe user so that the directional radiation beam of the lamp will not remain concentrated at a given point on the user's body.

Still another of the present invention is to provide a novel therapeutic lamp apparatus having a continuous track encircling a person who is lying prone and being treated with radiation therapy and including a radiation source adapted to travel in a horizontal encircling path about the prone user so as to substantially cover the persons body with radiation as the lamp moves along the track.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel therapeutic apparatus which is compact and of relatively lightweight foldable construction for ready transportation and storage and which requires comparatively little operating area and that will accordingly operate effectively in a relatively confined space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the novel therapeutic lamp apparatus of the present invention illustrating the continuous track and lamp carriage mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the movable carriage and stabilizing means thereof incorporated into the apparatus shown in FIG, I as taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of the carriage and stabilizing means as taken in the direction of arrows 33 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, the novel therapeutic lamp apparatus of the present invention is illustrated in the general direction of arrow [0 which includes an oblong frame having a continuous track 11 comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped members arranged so that their opposite ends telescope with respect to one another to provide continuity. The U-shaped members are joined in securement by means of releasable fasteners, such as fastener 12, to constitute an oblong or elongated circular frame track. By this means, the track may be separated or disassembled for transportation or storage purposes. The track 11 resides in a horizontal plane substantially parallel to a sup porting surface, such as a floor. The frame track is maintained in a raised position from the floor by means of legs l3- [6, inelusive. Preferably, the legs are angularly disposed with respect to the vertical axis so that the track is fully stabilized. Each leg comprises a hollow member 17, shown in connection with leg 13, into which an extension 18 is telescopically disposed. The end of extension 18 opposite to its end arranged in slidable engagement with member 17 is found with a foot or pad 20 resting on the supporting surface, such as the floor.

When the track H is assembled, a treatment area is defined within the confines of the track adapted to be occupied by a patient or the body of the user receiving the radiation treatment. In plan view, the track defining the treatment area is elongated having arcuate end regions so that the body of the user may be accommodated in a prone resting position either an the floor or on a suitable table.

A carriage 21 is movably carried on the track ll and is :lriven thereon by means of a motor 22. In one form of the invention, the track may include a plurality of gear teeth 23 adapted to he engaged by a drive wheel 24 as shown in Fl(iv 2. However, it is to be understood that although the gear teeth 23 are shown on top of track I l, gear teeth may be located on the inside wall portion of the track or may be located beneath the track and coupled to the drive wheel or motor by a suitable gear train. Also, it is to be understood that although a gear train drive mechanism is shown interconnecting the carriage with the track, it is to be understood that other forms of driv' ing or moving means for the carriage may be employed such as a pulley-andbelt arrangement or the like.

The carriage 21 further supports a stanchion having an upright rod or member 25 and an extension or boom member 26 arranged in sliding telescopic relationship with the upright member 25. Preferably, the extension member 26 is angled about its midsection so that a portion thereofextends inwardly over the treatment area defined by the track Us The extreme terminating end of the extension member 26 is provided with a suitable mount-and-socket arrangement 27 for releasably holding a therapeutic radiating lamp 28. The lamp is located so as to direct its radiation into a selected portion of the treatment area occupied by the body of the user. By employing the boom mounting means for carrying the lamp 28 on the carriage 21, the radiation from the lamp will follow a continuous horizontal path around the treatment area so that its radiation will be movingly applied to different portions of the user's body residing within the treatment area.

In order to supply suitable power to the filament of lamp 28, a post 30 is provided which is secured at one end to the leg 13 and is hollow so as to conduct an electrical power cord therethrough which extends from the top end of the post to the lamp socket 27. The portion ofthe electric cord extending from the top of post 30 to socket 27 is indicated by numeral 3| and in order to permit this section of the cord to expand and contract as the carriage and lamp moves around the track, the cord is coiled so as not to drag or hang loosely which condition may result in adverse tangling. The electric cord is further carried through the interior of leg [3 and extends through an aperture 32 adjacent foot 20 for termination in a conventional pronged plug 23.

Various adjustments of the therapeutic apparatus may be made to place the lamp 28 in proper orientation with respect to the body of the user. For example, the height of track I] from the supporting floor may be readily accommodated by adjusting a plurality of fasteners, such as fastener 34 on leg 13, so that the extension [8 may he slid into the leg member 17. Also, the height of the lamp 28 above the horizontal plane of track [1 may be readily adjusted by employing a locking fastener 39 which secures the extension member 26 to the upright member 254 Still a further adjustment is provided by means of a timer control which may be connected to the cord leading to lamp 28, the motor 22 or to a combination of both ofthese latter elements.

The timer 35 may be employed to turn the motor 22 ON and OFF or may be employed to shut off the radiation from lamp 28. From a practical viewpoint. it is best to electrically connect the lamp 28 and motor 22 together via the timing switch 35 so that the lamp will not be energized and therefore will not radiate unless the carriage 2l is moving as driven by motor 22. This added precaution will ensure that should the user be sleeping or unaware of the passage of time, the radiation from lamp 28, will not reside in one" place too long in the event motor 22 ceases to drive carriage 21 if there is a malfunction.

Referring now in detail to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the drive wheel is rotatably carried on the housing or motor 22 and is in mesh with the gear teeth 23 carried on track 11. Drive gear 24 is driven by a smaller gear 36 directly carried on the drive shaft ofthe motor 22.

Means are provided for stabilizing carriage 21 on the track which may take the form of

bearings

37 and 38 carried in a downwardly depending fashion by respective races from the underside of carriage 21. The

bearings

37 and 38 are disposed on opposite sides of the continuous plurality of gear teeth 23 and support the carriage on an upper flange 40 ofthe track I]. In one form, the flange 40 is provided with a pair of continuous grooves adapted to receive the

bearings

37 and 38, respectively. Carriage 2| is further provided with a bracket 4| that downwardly depends from the undersurface of the carriage along the terminating edge of flange 40. The bracket includes a race 42 for rotatably supporting a bearing 43. Bearing 43 movably travels in a groove 49 formed on the underside of flange 40 as shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, it can be seen that the carriage 21 is stabilized on the track I l by means of the pair of

bearings

37 and 38 on one side of flange 40 and bearing 43 on the underside of flange 40.

Therefore, it can be seen that the novel therapeutic lamp apparatus of the present invention permits a user to readily treat large areas of his body with a therapeutic lamp for a desired predetermined length of time with substantially uniform coverage over the entire area. Safety and protection of the user is assured since the radiation from the lamp is not permitted to concentrate on a single portion of the user's body for any length of time. Full coverage of radiation treatment is afforded as the carriage carrying the lamp moves around the treatment area on the track. Upon completion of treatment, the apparatus may be readily disassembled by removal of fasteners so as to collapse or shorten the legs, separating the U-shaped portions of the track and by shortening the length of the lamp stanchion.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

l. A therapeutic lamp apparatus comprising: I

an oblong frame defining an elongated central opening constituting a treatment area adapted to be occupied by a person in a prone position;

a carriage movably mounted on said frame;

a therapeutic lamp having its central axis at an acute angle to the vertical and carried on said carriage and directed to emit ultraviolet radiation at an angle into a selected portion of said treatment area; and

means operably coupled between said frame and said carriage for driving said carriage on said frame so that said lamp travels in a continuous oblong path around said treatment area.

24 The invention as defined in claim 1 including a track carried on said frame for guiding said carriage; and

said driving means engageable with said track.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 including an angular boom carried on said carriage and said lamp being removably carried on the terminating end of said boom so as to be cantilevered over said treatment area.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including stabilizing means interconnecting said carriage with said frame for movably supporting said carriage on said frame.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said track lies in a horizontal plane and said carriage moves in a horizontal path around said prone person in said treatment area.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 including an upright post secured to said frame at one end and its opposite end terminating at a selected height above said boom and said lamp; and

an electrical cord supported by said post having a coiled portion resiliently and yieldably interconnected between said post terminating end and said lamp.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said frame includes a pair of U-shaped members having their opposite ends in slidably opposing telescopic rela tionship; and

releasable fastener means for detachably connecting said U shaped members together.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said frame includes at least two legs outwardly projecting from opposite sides of said frame for supporting the apparatus on a supporting surface.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 including a timer control means mounted on said frame adjacent said post and operably connected to said lamp and said drive means for selectively controlling the energization of said lamp and said drive means.

10. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said stabilizing means includes a pair of bearings movably disposed between said carriage and one side of said track; and

a single hearing movably disposed between said carriage and the opposite side of said track.

Claims

1. A therapeutic lamp apparatus comprising: an oblong frame defining an elongated central opening constituting a treatment area adapted to be occupied by a person in a prone position; a carriage movably mounted on said frame; a therapeutic lamp having its central axis at an acute angle to the vertical and carried on said carriage and directed to emit ultraviolet radiation at an angle into a selected portion of said treatment area; and means operably coupled between said frame and said carriage for driving said carriage on said frame so that said lamp travels in a continuous oblong path around said treatment area.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including a track carried on said frame for guiding said carriage; and said driving means engageable with said track.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 including an upright post secured to said frame at one end and its opposite end terminating at a selected height above said boom and said lamp; and an electrical cord supported by said post having a coiled portion resiliently and yieldably interconnected between said post terminating end and said lamp.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said frame includes a pair of U-shaped members having their opposite ends in slidably opposing telescopic relationship; and releasable fastener means for detachably connecting said U-shaped members together.

10. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said stabilizing means includes a pair of bearings movably disposed between said carriage and one side of said track; and a single bearing movably disposed between said carriage and the opposite side of said track.