SUPPORT ARM SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

1 . A support arm for supporting a medical device having a center of mass, the support arm comprising:

a support;

a link mount coupled to the support and rotatable relative to the support about a first axis;

a linkage comprising a plurality of link members and a device mount carried by the link members, the device mount releasably couplable to a medical device, a first one of the link members rotationally coupled to the link mount, the link members arranged such that rotation of said first link member relative to the link mount about a second axis rotates the medical device about a third axis;

the device mount rotatable relative to the linkage about a fourth axis;

wherein the first, third and fourth axes extend through the center of mass of the medical instrument.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first, third, and forth axes intersect at the center of mass.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the second and third axes are parallel to one another.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further including a plurality of brakes engageable to prevent rotation about the first, second, and third axes.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further including a switch for simultaneously engaging each of the brakes in the plurality of brakes.

6 . A support arm for a medical device, comprising:

a column;

an arm coupled to the column, the arm including a four bar linkage comprised of a first hub coupled to the column at a first end of the arm, a second hub at a second end of the arm, a tubular arm member, and a link extending through the tubular arm member; and

a mount coupled to the second end of the arm for supporting a medical device.

7 . The support arm of claim 7 , further including a plurality of gas springs disposed within the tubular arm member, each gas spring having a first end coupled to the first hub, and a second end coupled to the tubular arm member.

8 . The support arm of claim 6 , wherein the mount includes a link mount and linkages of the type recited in claim 1 .

9 . A support arm for a medical device, comprising:

a base;

a vertically extendable column positioned on the base;

a boom rotatably coupled to the column for rotation relative to a first axis, and a first brake positioned to prevent rotation of the boom relative to the column;

an arm rotatably coupled to the boom for rotation relative to a second axis, and a second brake positioned to prevent rotation of the arm relative to the boom;

a link mount coupled to the arm and rotatable relative to the arm about a third axis and a third brake positioned to prevent rotation of the link mount about the third axis;

a linkage comprising a plurality of link members and a device mount carried by the link members, the device mount releasably couplable to a medical device, a first one of the link members rotationally coupled to the link mount, the link members arranged such that rotation of said first link member relative to the link mount about a fourth axis rotates the medical device about a fifth axis;

the device mount rotatable relative to the linkage about a sixth axis;

a plurality of brakes engagable to prevent rotation about the third, fourth, and sixth axes, respectively;

wherein the third, fifth and sixth axes extend through the center of mass of the medical instrument.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further including a switch for simultaneously engaging the brakes.