System for attaching pillow to X-ray table

This invention is a system for attaching pillows to an X-ray table or the like. A belt is connected with the pillow by construction that permits pillow-slips to be replaced for each patient without disturbing the permanent connection of the belt to the underside of the pillow. The belt extends to opposite sides of the X-ray table, where it can be looped around belt holders so as to bring end portions of the belt into position overlying the parts of the belt between the pillow and the belt holders. Detachable fastening means on the confronting surfaces of the overlying portions of the belt can be pressed together to hold the end portions of the belt in their looped positions about the belt holders and to maintain the pillow in a center position on the table.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
There are times when pillows are desirable on X-ray, treating tables and 
the like, such as tables used by osteopaths for treating patients; and it 
is desirable to have means for holding the pillow in place on the table 
while still permitting quick and convenient removal of the pillow and its 
holding means when not necessary. 
This invention provides a system for holding a pillow centered on an X-ray 
table, or the like, by means of a belt which is permanently attached to 
the pillow and which is looped through belt holders at opposite sides of 
the table for holding the pillow in a centered position. 
The belt holders, which are preferably clamps that connect with the table 
along its opposite edges, have surfaces around which end portions of the 
belt can be looped back over those parts of the belt which extend between 
the pillow and the belt holders. The loops can be pulled tight and 
adjusted with respect to one another to center the pillow on the table. 
The confronting faces of the looped end portions of the belt have 
detachable fastening means of their contacting surfaces. Such detachable 
fastening means are used on various pieces of medical equipment where 
quick and convenient connection and disconnection is desirable. The most 
common form consists of rows of extremely small plastic hooks extending 
from one surface, and a complementary surface with loops into which the 
hooks engage to hold the surfaces together. When sufficient force is 
applied to pull them apart, the hooks are flexible enough to bend 
outwardly into substantially straight shapes so that they slip out of the 
loops on the confronting surface. 
Features of the invention relate to the construction of the belt holders 
for convenient clamping and unclamping with respect to the table on which 
they are used; and to means for guiding the ends of the belt around the 
surfaces over which the belt reverses its direction of extent and loops 
back on itself. The belt is permanently attached to the pillow in the 
preferred embodiment of the invention; but a pillow-slip that is used on 
the pillow, and that is changed for each patient, is constructed with a 
clearance that permits the pillowcase to be removed and replaced while 
leaving the belt and pillow permanently connected together. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be 
pointed out as the description proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 shows an X-ray table 10 with tabs 12 extending from the opposite 
edges thereof, and belt holders 14 clamped to the tabs 12. 
A pillow 16 is permanently attached to a belt 18 which extends across the 
table 10 and through the belt holders 14 for holding the pillow in a 
center position between the opposite edges of the table 10. 
FIG. 2 shows the pillow 16 with stuffing 20 enclosed in a covering 22. 
Across the bottom of the pillow there is a band 24 of soft material 
comprising a multitude of loops. The belt 18 is preferably made with a 
multitude of hooks extending from its upper surface throughout the entire 
length of the belt. Such loops and hooks are well-known expedients for 
connecting surfaces together and are sold under the tradename "Velcro." 
They are used in the preferred embodiment of this invention, but may be 
considered representative of detachable fastening means by which surfaces 
of contiguous objects can be held in contact with one another. 
The pillow 16 is thus detachably connected with the belt 18 along a band 
indicated by the dotted lines 26 in FIG. 1. Referring again to FIG. 2, 
there is a pillowcase 28 on the pillow 16. This pillowcase 28 has a panel 
which covers the entire top surface of the pillow 16 and all of the bottom 
surface except for an elongated opening 30 in the pillowcase which 
provides clearance for the belt 18. The length of the slot 30 is clearly 
shown in FIG. 1, and with this slot it is possible to easily and quickly 
remove the pillowcase 28 without detaching the pillow 16 from the belt 18. 
FIG. 3 shows the belt 18 extending from opposite sides of the pillow 16 and 
looping around surfaces in the belt holders 14. With the belt holders 18 
clamped to the tabs 12 of the table 10, the belt 18 is connected with the 
belt holders by leading each end of the belt under a shaft 32 and into 
contact with a surface of a connecting element 34 of the belt holder. This 
connecting element 34 has a face of generally cylindrical contour spaced 
from the circumference of the shaft 32 with sufficient clearance to permit 
the end of the belt to pass along the concave surface of the connector 
element 34. As the end of the belt is advanced along this concave surface, 
the end portion of the belt forms a loop which is then pulled toward the 
pillow 16 until the loop is tight against the shaft 32, as shown in FIG. 
3. 
The end portions of the belt 18 have material providing loops 24A, similar 
to those on the pillow 16 for engaging the hooks on the surface of the 
belt between the pillow 16 and the belt holder 24 after the belt loop has 
been pulled tight, as in FIG. 3. For more economical manufacture, the belt 
18 has hooks extending along its entire length; but the loop section 24A 
is applied over the hooks and permanently secured in place on the belt by 
stitching it to the belt. 
The construction of both end portions of the belt is the same, and since 
the portion of the belt between the pillow and the belt holders always has 
hook areas under the end portion which has been looped back from the belt 
holders, the looped belt at both sides of the pillow can be secured with 
both loops tight to hold the pillow centered on the table and regardless 
of whether the length of belt beyond each side of the pillow is the same 
as that beyond the other side. It may be said that the end portion of the 
looped belt can be secured to the confronting face of the other portion of 
the belt at an infinite number of locations, as a result of the use of the 
Velcro fastening means. 
FIGS. 4 and 5 show the belt holders in more detail. The connecting element 
34 is attached at its opposite ends with blocks 40 and as a unitary 
structure with the blocks 40. The blocks 40 and connector 34 can be of 
one-piece construction, if desired, or they can be rigidly connected to 
one another to provide the unitary structure. In the construction 
illustrated in FIG. 4, the shaft 32 is hollow, and a rod 42 extends 
through the shaft 32 and provides a bearing surface on which the hollow 
shaft 32 can rotate freely. This facilitates the looping of the belt 
around the shaft 32 and also facilitates the removal of the belt from the 
belt holders. 
The rod 42 extends into openings 44 in the blocks 40. The diameter of the 
openings 44 where the rod 42 enters these openings is preferably of a 
diameter to make the rod a press fit in the blocks 40. 
The blocks 44 and connecting element 34, particularly the connecting 
element, comprise an upper clamping jaw 46 of the belt holder. There is a 
lower clamping jaw 48, and the tabs 12 of the table are clamped between 
these jaws, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. There are screws 50 connected with 
the lower clamping jaw 48 and extending upward through vertical openings 
in the blocks 40. The screws 50 extend above the upper ends of the blocks 
40, and there are knobs 52 threaded over the upper ends of the screws 50. 
The screws 50 move up and down, to close and open the clamping jaws, 
depending on the direction of rotation of the knobs 52. 
In the construction illustrated, the screws 50 are rigidly connected with 
the lower clamping jaw 48 and prevented from turning with respect to the 
clamping jaw by welding 54 or other securing of the lower ends of the 
screws 50 to the clamping jaw 48. The screws 50 could, of course, be 
secured to the knobs 52 and thread through the lower clamping jaw 48, this 
being merely a reversal of parts. 
The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and 
described, but changes and modifications can be made and some features can 
be used in different combinations without departing from the invention as 
defined in the claims.