Surgery – Instruments – Chiropractic or osteopathic implement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-08-21
Yu, Justine (Department: 3733)
Surgery
Instruments
Chiropractic or osteopathic implement
C606S244000, C606S245000, C188S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277141
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
NOT APPLICABLE
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
This invention has been created without the sponsorship or funding of any federally sponsored research or development program.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed in general to an orthopedic apparatus for supporting a patient in a plurality of bodily orientations. The invention is particularly directed to an improvement over the orthopedic apparatus disclosed in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,200, of Allan C. Knight. In the above-identified patent of Knight, the table which supports most of the weight the patient can be rotated and tilted in various planes. Each movement of the supporting brake is controlled by a hand activated braking mechanism which locks the table in place once a desired orientation has been achieved. Each braking mechanism is set and released by an elongated handle. Although the handles provide sufficient leverage to operate the braking mechanism, many individuals, particularly women, find it difficult to operate the braking mechanism, particularly over an extended period of time. The process of manually releasing and reapplying the braking mechanism is also time consuming. Once a desired orientation of the supporting table has been reached, it is important that the supporting table be fully secured in that position. The hand actuated brakes of the prior art tables are seldom secured to the same degree from one operator to another or even by the same operator during the course of a workday; particularly at the end of a workday where fatigue may be a factor. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in novel way by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a power actuated braking mechanism in an orthopedic apparatus for the articulated table which supports the patient to achieve full and consistent securing of the table in a desired position.
Another object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic braking mechanism for the articulated patient supporting table of an orthopedic apparatus.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a hydraulic braking mechanism for the articulated patient supporting table of an orthopedic apparatus in which the table is braked against movement in the absence of a hydraulic pressure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic apparatus which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hydraulic braking apparatus for an orthopedic apparatus having a main base which is adapted to rest on the floor and a support frame mounted on the main base, including a jack for adjusting the vertical height position of the frame above the base. A head table, a center table, and an end table are mounted on the support frame. The end table is capable of sliding movement along the centerline of the frame, of rotative adjustment movement about the centerline, and of a swinging adjustment movement about a vertical pivotal axis passing through the centerline.
More specifically, the support frame is provided with an integral abutment that holds the head and center tables at a level which is substantial distance above the frame. An adjustment mechanism is located between the support frame and the end table to provide for the movements of the end table in adjustment and to hold the end table above the frame at the same general level as the head and center tables. The adjusting mechanism includes a cylindrical bar along which the end table is slidable and which provides for the rolling mode adjustment of the end table. The bar also pivots about a vertical axis at one end to provide for swinging adjustment movement of the end table. The hydraulic braking apparatus includes hydraulic caliper brakes for the rolling mode adjustment of the end table and the swinging mode adjustment of the end table and hydraulic control apparatus for selectively controlling the hydraulic caliper brakes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4625837 (1986-12-01), Zimmer
patent: 4638894 (1987-01-01), Sitabkhan et al.
patent: 4655200 (1987-04-01), Knight
patent: 5692738 (1997-12-01), DuVernay et al.
Blodgett & Blodgett, P.C.
Hwang Victor
Intra-Med Industries Inc.
Yu Justine
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