Herga Technology’s Modular Base System has successfully gained UL- and IEC60601-1 medical product approval.
In combination with Herga’s electrical and Bluetooth footswitches and puckswitches, this building-block platform now provides a globally unique solution for multipedal medical equipment footswitch selection and purchase. Renamed for medical switching tasks as the Medical Footswitch Design Platform, OEMs can be assured their complete multipedal switching module has medical approval on delivery - saving cost by reducing product design effort, simplifying their medical approval process and speeding time-to-market.
The Medical Footswitch Design Platform is a solution for medical equipment manufacturers offering flexibility for application-specific switching. OEMs can accommodate their specific switching requirements with varying functionality through range expansion. The base system consists of moulded thermoplastic single and double plinths that mechanically lock with joining spacers to provide electrical connections for 1-, 2-, 3- 4-, or 5- plinth configurations. Each single plinth can accommodate a single footswitch as well as one or two puckswitches.
Complementing the Medical Footswitch Design Platform, Herga’s IEC 60601/UL 60601 medically approved range of footswitches include the well proven 6226 series that can be selected with environmental protection options EN60529 IPX7 or IPX8 on request. Whilst the electrical ratings for each complete base unit are determined by the application, the typical electrical switching range for each footswitch is up to 3 A at 24V AC/DC with momentary function for SPST, N/O or SPDT. Medically approved 6241 puckswitches, 6244 haptic puckswitches and Otto switches can also be included with typical ratings of 0.1 A at 24V DC for SPDT/DPDT switching.
All of the electrical switching functions for the Medical Footswitch Design Platform are typically output via a single cable for straightforward machine connection, with flying leads and stripped cable cores or with a preferred connector as required, or alternatively via our closed network Bluetooth connection. A wide range of modular accessories may be included such as tubular steel carrying handles, open guards or roll bars. For improved operational safety, each footswitch may also be separated with a raised divider built into the joining spacer. Steel base plates are available for added durability. The switch components can be suppled in a range of standard colours and customer logos included. Additional options include LEDs, screen printing and USB connection. Fully customised base systems are available in OEM quantities.
The Modular Base System is also suitable for industrial and commercial machinery switching tasks where medical approval is not essential. Herga has developed a comprehensive range of standard variants that use the new modular base system to combine commonly specified 6226 series footswitches and single 6241 puckswitches. With a series of detailed datasheets including reference dimensions and ordering information available from the Herga website, this range covers straightforward selection in eight combinations that span a single footswitch to a multiple switch combination including 4x footswitch plus 4x puckswitches switch configuration.
