Abstract:
The invention relates to a system for supporting accessories on a patent resting surface of an operation or examination table ( 10 ) comprising an accessory adapter ( 24 ) that can be slipped on the profile of the patient resting surface ( 14 ). Support elements ( 32 ) for accessories are fastened to said accessory adapter. The adapter ( 14 ) comprises two claws ( 26 ) adapted to encompass the longitudinal edges of the patient resting surface. Said claws are interlinked via a bracket ( 28 ) that extends across a width of the patient resting surface.

Description:
Applicants hereby claim foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP01/13283 filed Nov. 16, 2001 and German Patent Application No. 200 19 728.2 filed Nov. 21, 2000, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention concerns an arrangement for holding accessory parts to a patient support surface of an operating table or examination table. 
   2. Background Information 
   Customary operating tables have slide rails along the longitudinal edges of the involved operating table surface or patient support surface, onto which slide rails different accessory parts can be mounted with the help of clamping dogs. Such accessory parts are, for example, supports for arm rests, anesthetic bows for the holding of anesthetic equipment, body straps, and so forth. 
   Special medical examinations and surgical procedures require the use of X-ray devices and therefore make necessary patient support surfaces which have artifact-free transmissibility. Metal slide rails of the aforementioned type accordingly disturb the transmissibility of the support surfaces. For these reasons support surfaces have been developed which consist entirely of X-ray transmitting material, for example, carbon fiber reinforced plastic. But with this the problem exists in that the accessory parts can no longer be fastened in the usual way to the patient support surface itself; and for example are held on their own stands. This once again hinders access to the patient support surface. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention has as its object the provision of an arrangement of the previously mentioned kind for the holding of accessory parts which makes possible the mounting of accessory parts also to patient support surfaces which are made of X-ray transmitting material. 
   This object is solved in accordance with the invention by an accessory adapter mountable onto the profile of the patient support surface and onto which adapter holding elements for accessory parts are fastened. 
   The solution according to the invention has the feature that the accessory adapter can be shifted along the patient support surface or if need be entirely removed from it, in order to not interfere with the transmission of X-rays through the patient support surface. On the other hand, the accessory parts can still be directly mounted onto the patient support surface so that they assure free access to the patient support surface. 
   In a preferred embodiment the adapter has two jaws which receive the longitudinal edges of the patient support surface, which jaws are connected with one another by a bow extending across the width of the patient support surface. This bow can be made of one piece with the jaws, and as to its shape can be suited to the profile of the patient support surface so that it requires little space. The accessory adapter further, entirely or at least in the region of the bow, can be made of an X-ray transmitting material, such as for example carbon fiber reinforced plastic, so that it need not be removed or shifted for all X-ray examinations. 
   Preferably, fastening means are provided on the accessory adapter to fix it in a desired position relative to the patient support surface and to prevent an inadvertent shifting of the accessory relative to the patient. Advantageously the fastening means are arranged on at least one of the jaws where they can be easily operated. To be able to fix the accessory adapter to the patient support surface at a desired location, the fastening means advantageously include a clamping mechanism received in a jaw opening which makes possible a force-wise fixing of the accessory adapter. The clamping mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the invention has a clamping rail designed to lie against one edge strip of the patient support surface, which clamping rail is movably supported in the jaw opening and by a tightening element is pressable against the edge strip of the patient support surface. The clamping rail forms a clamping element of relatively large surface area by means of which the specific pressure pressing on the surface of the patient support surface by the clamping mechanism is lowered, and thereby damage to the patient support surface by the clamping mechanism is inhibited. 
   Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description which in connection with the accompanying drawings explain the invention by way of an exemplary embodiment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  a schematic perspective illustration of an operating table with a patient support surface onto which an accessory adapter according to the invention has been mounted, 
       FIG. 2  a perspective plan view of an accessory adapter by itself, 
       FIG. 3  a longitudinal section taken through the accessory adapter along the line III—III of  FIG. 2 , and 
       FIG. 4  a cross-section through one jaw of the accessory adapter taken along the line IV—IV of FIG.  3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  shows an operating table or examination table, indicated generally at  10 , with a table column  12  and a patient support surface, indicated generally at  14 , which is slidably supported for movement in the direction of the double arrow A of  FIG. 1 , that is in its longitudinal direction, in a guide housing  16  arranged on the head of the table column  12 . The patient support surface includes a table plate  18 , on which a cushion  20  is arranged. The table plate  18  is made up of X-ray transmitting material, for example carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and has a trapezoidal profile which diminishes downwardly, and the trapezoid surface of which that forms the upper side of the table plate  18  is lengthened outwardly by edge strips  22  forming the edges of the table plate  18 . Onto the profile of the table plate  18  is mounted an accessory adapter, indicated generally at  24 , which will now be explained in more detail in connection with  FIGS. 2  to  4 . 
   The accessory adapter  24  is comprised of two jaws  26  connected with one another by a bow  28 , with the jaws  26  and the bow  28  being made as one piece. Each of the claws  26  has a claw opening  30  which upon the mounting of the accessory adapter onto the table plate  18  receives a respective one of the edge strips  22 . The shape of the bow  28  is suited to the trapezoidal profile of the table plate  18  so that the bow runs close to the underside of the table plate  18 , when the accessory adapter  24  is pushed or mounted onto the table plate  18 , as shown in  FIG. 1. A  slide rail  32  is fastened with the help of bolts  34  to the outer side of each jaw  26 . The slide rails  32  are made of metal and have the same shape as the customary slide rails on operating table plates so that the customary accessory parts with the customary clamping mechanisms can be put onto the slide rails  32 . 
   The fixing of the accessory adapter  24  in a desired position to the table plate  18  is accomplished with the help of clamping devices arranged in the jaws  26 . Each clamping device includes a clamp rail  36  which extends in the associated jaw opening  30  parallel to the slide rail  32  and is designed to lie against the underside of one edge strip  22  of the table plate  18 . The clamp rails  36  each have two downwardly directed protrusions  38  with bores  40  into each of which a bolt  42  can be screwed which in turn is receivable in a recess  44  in the accessory adapter  24 . Each recess  44  perpendicular to the clamping surface  46  of the clamp rail  36  is larger than the diameter of the bolt  42  so that the clamp rail  36  can move perpendicularly to its clamping surface  46 . By means of an eccentric clamping screw or toggle screw  48  threaded into the material of the associated jaw  26  the clamp rail  36  can be lifted, that is its clamping surface  46  can be tightened against the underside of the associated edge strip  22  of the table plate  18  or can be lowered. Accordingly, the accessory adapter  24  can be fixed to the table plate  18  or again loosened. As will be understood the axis of the clamping or thumb screw  48  can be inclined at an angle of about 45° with respect to the plane of the middle portion of the bow so that the clamping screw  48  can be operated comfortably and without hindrance by the slide rail  32 . 
   If the patient support surface  14  is pushed in the guide housing  16  to X-ray certain parts of the patient, the accessory adapter  24  can either be entirely removed from the patient support surface  14  or else can be pushed to the guide housing  16  where it does not interfere with the X-ray examination. It will be understood that in the case of an operating table according to  FIG. 1 , for example, two such accessory adapters can be provided with, for example, each being located on a respective one of the sides of the guide housing  16 . 
   In  FIG. 4  one sees that the clamp rails  36  extend outwardly from both sides beyond the jaws  26  of the accessory adapter  28 . These protruding sections of the clamp rails  36  can be used as switching strips which upon the accessory adapter  24  coming close to the guide housing  16  operate a non-illustrated limit switch to turn off the drive for the movement of the support surface  14 , to thereby avoid a possible collision between the guide housing and the accessory adapter  24 . 
   It will be understood that in the case of the accessory adapter according to the invention, moments exerted about the longitudinal axis of the slide rails produced by heavy accessory parts are taken up on the opposite sides of the adapter because of the bridge-shaped connection of the two jaws of the accessory adapter. Thereby the local loading of the support surface profile is distributed over large surface areas and is reduced. The shape-wise connection of the accessory adapter with the support surface inhibits an unintended loosening of the accessory so that injury to the patient by a falling accessory can be avoided.