Suspended structure for handling medical equipment

Abstract

The structure is suspended from the ceiling of a room in a hospital or a clinic and includes a substantially vertical arm adapted to support medical equipment such as a cart above the floor. For this purpose, the structure has a support column for supporting the medical equipment, the column being connected to the vertical arm, and an intermediate support on which said medical equipment is loaded and which is hinged to the column and forms an external cover therefor. The structure also has means for adjusting the position of the intermediate support relative to the column so as to correct departures of the on-board equipment from the horizontal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 / A suspended structure for handling medial equipment, the structure comprising at least one substantially vertical arm adapted to hold the medical equipment above the floor, the structure comprising a support column for supporting the medical equipment, the column being connected to the vertical arm, an intermediate support on which said medical equipment is loaded and which is hinged to the column and forms an external cover therefor, and means for adjusting the position of the intermediate support relative to the column.  
     
     
         2 / A structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment means comprise at least one moving element that is movable relative to the column and that bears against the intermediate support, the or each moving element being adapted to cause the intermediate support to tilt about its hinge axis relative to the column.  
     
     
         3 / A structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the or each moving element is constituted by the rod of a jack connected to the column.  
     
     
         4 / A structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the or each moving element is a lever hinged relative to the column, and wherein the adjustment means comprise an actuator connected to the column and adapted to cause the or each lever to pivot about its hinge axis relative to the column.  
     
     
         5 / A structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the column is connected to the vertical arm in such a manner as to be movable in a substantially vertical direction relative to said arm.  
     
     
         6 / A structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment means are disposed substantially entirely inside the column.  
     
     
         7 / A structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment means comprise a jack hinged to an inside face of the column, at least one lever hinged to said inside face of the column and connected to the end of a rod of the jack, and at least one bearing surface connected to said lever and projecting through a through opening provided in the column so as to act on the cover of the intermediate support.  
     
     
         8 / A structure according to  claim 7 , wherein said bearing surface is formed by a wheel mounted to turn freely on the corresponding lever.  
     
     
         9 / A structure according to  claim 1 , including a control unit for controlling the adjustment means, the control unit being connected to said adjustment means and being adapted to modify the position of the intermediate support relative to the column as a function of instructions from the user, of a pre-established adjustment stored by the control unit, and/or of signals representative of an angle formed between the vertical and an axis secured relative to the adjustment means.  
     
     
         10 / A structure according to  claim 9 , wherein said signals are provided by an angle sensor fixed to the adjustment means.