US3545738A - Medical examining and treatment table - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 325, 326; 5/67, 68; l08/l l2 [72] Inventor Paul A. Stan [56] References Cited 5413 lfilli I'll, Lubbock, Texll 79416 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 pp 1 1 342,296 1904 France 269/325 1 Flled 1' "1 1969 551,275 1942 01661 Britain.. 269/324 1 Patented 1 642,359 1962 Italy 5/68 Primary Examiner- Robert C. Riordon TM N TABLE Assistant Examiner-Donald D. Evenson [54] AND TREA E T Artarneys-llarry A. Herbert, Jr. and Jacob N. Erlich [52] US. Cl 269/325, L W 108/ I 12; 5/68 t ABSTRACT: A medical examining and treatment table having [5 l 1 Int. Cl. A6lg 13/00 1 a pair of adjustable supporting members for adjusting the posi- 501 n w S h 269/323, tions of the table top. The table further being capable of being folded for storage or transportation.

. 1 MEDICAL EXAMINING AND TREATMENT TABLE BACKGROUND oF THE INVENTION stances to'perform medical treatments or operations on or near the battlefield or wherever an exigency arises. Previously, these operations or examinations were performed on basically two types of medical tables. One, for example, was of the fold ing operating-type table which was difficult to assemble and subject to breakage. The other was a system of 37 sawhorse type stretcher-supports used in conjunction with a standard canvas field stretcher. j

' As can be seen. under the above conditions, speed of assembly and sturdiness of construction of the medical table are of prime importance. None'of the, heretofore mentioned tables provided thesenecessities 'since they were either of complex structure or of flimsy, unsteady construction.

SUMMARYjOETIIE INVENTION The medical examining and treatment table of the instant invention alleviates many of the current problems set forth above. For example, since the medical table of the instant invention is of simple, lightweight construction, it can be folded and erected very quickly by someone without prior training, yet it is extremely steady and will resist damage due to normal wear and tear. Furthermore, being adjustable, it provides a choice of critical positions including Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg, jackknife, and half table for positions such as for a lithotomy. It is also suitable for use in medical examinations, in medical and'surgical treatment of minor conditions, in withdrawing blood from donors for patients having transfusions, and as an operating table under austere conditions'. i

It will be hereinafter shown in detail that the medical examining and treatment table set forth in this invention is of a design which utilizes a unique method of folding and erection and which also includes a mechanism for changing the configuration of the table to permit the various clinical positions. The adjustable feature of this invention is embodied in the diagonal support under each end of the table which includes a gear arrangement which permits changes 'of the length of this support. Further, the location of hinges in the table top enabling easy folding and erection of the table forms an integral part ofthe instant invention. The instant medical ex amining and treatment table is extremely light, compact and easy to fold. and transport and, when erected, satisfies the numerous medical requirements set forth above.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a medical examining and treatment table which is of sturdy, lightweight, compact construction, and which is easy to fold for purposes of transportation or storage.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a medical examining and treatment table which includes a mechanism for changing the configuration of the table in order to permit the table to readily adjust to various clinical positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a medical examining and treatment table which may be used in emergency situations such as under battle conditions or during times of floods, earthquakes, etc.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a medical examining and treatment table which is economical to produce and which utilizes-conventional, currently available componentsthat lend themselves to standard mass producing manufacturing techniques. I

for a better understanding of the present invention,

together with other and furtherobjects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, and its scope will' be pointed outin the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF TI-IE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 represents an enlarged view of the gear arrangement of the medical examiningand treatment table of this invention; and j FIG. 5 represents a perspective, fragmentary bottom view of the table top of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the FIG, .1 which shows a side elevational view of the medical examining and treatment table of this invention. The table 10. is constructed of anysuitable lightweight material, such as aluminum which has therein a plurality of openings 12 located in the table top 14 (shown in FIG. 5). Referring once again to FIG, 1, in order to both adjust and fold the table 10, the table 10, has a table top 14 made of three sections 16, 18 and '20,"with sections 16 and each pivotally secured at one end to section 18. Section 18 forms not only part of the table top 14 but also acts as a hinge around which the sections 16 and 20 of the table top 14 may be folded.

The table 10 is supported by a pair of U-shaped legs 22 I which may be of any suitableconfiguration such as the tubelike configuration shown. The legs 22 are joined to hinge section 18 of the table top'14 by any suitable fastening means such as rivets 24 (shown more clearly in the upper right-hand portion of FIG. 2). Also secured to both the hinge section 18 and the legs 22 are suitable supporting members 26 (see FIG. 2) which in the instant invention take the form of a pair of tubular members secured at their lower ends by rivets 25 to supporting members 23 fixedly mounted on the bottom of legs 22 and at their upper ends to hinge section 18 by rivets 24.

Holding each pair of legs 22 securely in place is a linking means 28 made up of a pair of bars 30 held together by a locking joint 32. One end of each bar 30 is pivotally secured to legs 22 while the other end is pivotally secured to joint 32 by any suitable fastening means such as rivets 34.

Supporting the outside endsof table top sections 16 and 20 are a pair of uniquely designed adjustable supporting members 36. The following description explains in detail only one such supporting member 36 since the other supporting member is a mere duplication thereof. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that supporting member 36 is made up of tubular member 38, threaded rod 40, diagonal bars 37, link 39 and supporting rod 41. The threaded rod 40 is connected at its upper end to a linking member 42 (which is secured to supporting rod 41) by any suitable fastening means such as rivet 44. The tubular member 38 is fastened at its lower end to a linking member 46 (which is pivotally secured to supporting members 23) by any suitable fastening means such as pin 48. At the upper end of the tubular member 38 is any suitable adjustable means such as helical gear arrangement 50 (the details of which are shown more clearly in FIG. 4) which adjustably secures tubular member 38 to threaded rod 40.

Referring now in particular toFlGS. 2 and 4, it can be seen that the threaded rod 40 is inserted into the helical gear arrangement 50 and then into the tubular member 38. The helical gear arrangement 50 (shown in FIG. 4) has therein rotatable rod 56, the end of which has secured thereto handle 54 rotatable rod 60 perpendicular to rod 56, and rod 60 also has attached thereto a helical gear 62. The two helical gears 58 and 62 intermesh with each other, with helical gear 62 further intermeshing with the threaded portion of rod 40. Upon to rotation of rotating rod 56 by handle 54, the threaded rod 40 may be either raised or lowered, thereby either raising or lowering either section 16 or 20 of the table top 14 in the manner shown by the phantom lines of HG. 1. Once the table top 14 is in its desired position, any suitable locking means such as locking device 64 (shown in FlG. 4) engages rotatable rod 56. The locking device 64 device 64 is made up of a rotatable element 66 which may be inserted into any one ofa plurality of holes 68 in rotatable rod 56.

Additional features which are incorporated in the medical examining and treatment table of the instant invention are an arm board 70 (used to support the patients arm in the outstretched position) slidably .secured by any conventional securing means to the bottom of one of the table top sections 16 and a pair of supporting rods 72 used for holding the patients foot or leg in an elevated position to provide access to certain parts of the patients body during the medical treatments. The supporting rods 72 are held in place by any suitable holding means such as a pair of supporting members 74 which include locking screws 76 (see FIG. 1). When not in use rods 72 may be stored by clamping the rods to supporting members 26. The rods 72 are held in place against supporting members 26 by any conventional holding means such as clamps 73 (see FIG. 2).

Referring now to FIG. 3, the compactness of the table 10 in its folded position can be clearly seen. The exact method of folding the table 10 will be set forth in detail in the subsequent section.

MODE OF OPERATION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, it can be seen that the medical examining and treatment table 10 of this invention is capable of being adjusted (phantom lines of FIG. 1) to a plurality of configurations in order to permit various clinical positions and further is capable of being folded (see FIG. 3) for compact and easy storage or transportation.

In describing the adjustability feature of table 10, only one section of the table top and helical gear arrangement 50 will be described since both sections and helical gear arrangements are identical in structure and operation. For example, in order to adjust table top section 20, it is merely necessary for the individual using the table to rotate handle 54 in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The rotation of the handle 54 simultaneously causes rotation of helical gears 58 and 62 (see FIG. 4), and therefore either raises or lowers threaded rod 40. Threaded rod 40 is connected at its upper end to table top section which is consequently also either raised or lowered. Once the desired position is reached, the table top 14 may be locked in that position by rotating element 66 oflocking device 64 into one of the plurality of holes 68 in rotatable rod 56.

In order to store or transport the table 10, it may be conveniently folded in the following manner. lnitially, the pins 48 which secure the tubular members 38 to linking members 46 are removed. Second, the handles 54 are rotated so as to raise the tubular members 38. Both of the supporting members are then pivoted inwardly about 'supporting'rod 41. The linking means 28 are pushed inward, thereby folding the legs 22 from the upright position, shown in FIG. 1 to thefolded or collapsed position shown in FIG. 3 i I Although the invention has-been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it .will be understood tothose skilled in the art that the invention is capable ofa variety ofalternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l. A foldable medical examining and treatment table comprising a table top, said table top comprising plurality of sections, said sections being made up of acentral hinge section and at least two end sections. one of said end sections being pivotally secured to one side of said hinge section while the other of said end sections being pivotally secured to the other side of said hinge section, at least a pair of legs each pivotally connected to said hinge section, at least-2 pair of adjustable supporting members, oneof said'pair of adjustable supporting members being removably pivotally connected at its lower end to one of said pair of legs and being pivotally connected at its upper end to one of said end sections, the other of said pair of adjustable supporting members comprising a tubular member, a threaded rod, and a supporting rod, said supporting rod being connected to said other end section, said threaded rod being connected at its upper end to said supporting rod, said tubular member being connected at its lower end to the other of said legs, the upper end of said tubular member having secured thereto a gear arrangement, and the lower end of said threaded rod being operably connected to said gear arrangement whereby manipulation of said gear arrangement raises or lowers said-threaded rod and thereby raises or lowers the other end section of said table top.

2. A foldable medical examining and treatment table as defined in claim 1 wherein said gear arrangement comprises a first rotatable rod having a helical gear fixedly secured thereto, a second rotatable rod having a helical gear fixedly secured thereto and being perpendicular to said first rotatable rod, a said helical gears intermeshing with each other, said helical gear on said second rotatable rod further intermeshing with said threaded rod, and a handle mounted on said first rotatable rod whereby clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of said handle either lowers or raises one of said end sections ofsaid table top. I

3. A foldable medical examining and treatment table as defined in claim 2 wherein said gear arrangement further comprises alocking device.

4. A foldable medical examining and treatment table as defined in claim 3 wherein said locking device comprises a rotatable element, and a plurality of holes within said first rotatable rod whereby said rotatable element may be inserted into one of said plurality of holes in order to prevent said first rotatable rod from rotating.

5. A foldable medical examining and treatment table as defined in claim 4wherein each of said pair of adjustable supporting members are'removably secu'red at their lower ends to each of said pair of legs. v i

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