Support platform

An adjustable personal treatment apparatus that is usable by women of all sizes to enable them to enjoy, without harm, the full healthful benefits of proper and necessary massage and therapy. More particularly, the apparatus permits the proper pressure to be applied to a female patient during massage, or therapeutic treatment, without causing discomfort and possible damage to breast tissue or breast implants.

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to personal treatment apparatus. More particularly, the invention concerns an apparatus that is specially designed to provide comfort to a patient while lying in a prone position.

Because the human body has many shapes, contours and protuberances when an individual lies in a prone position, to rest, relax, sleep or receive treatment, localized discomfort, pain and even injury can result. This problem is exasperated for the mature female because, while laying face down the female cannot relax in a natural whole body extending position because the breasts cause a distortion in body position that is both uncomfortable as well as stressful for various muscle groups and tissue.

The breast tissue is primarily composed of subcutaneous fat and is almost solely supported by suspensory ligaments connecting breast skin to the tissue that rests above the pectoralis major. With traditional prior art flat treatment tables, the female patient, while lying prone will experience uncomfortable and sometimes harmful pressure on all breast tissue including stretching and tearing of the suspensory ligaments and compressing of the fat cells, often causing swelling to occur. Women with breast augmentations are faced with fear of possible ruptures and certainly severe discomfort.

Whether the individual is seeking a massage for relaxation or for therapeutic treatment, the body needs to be maintained in a relaxed position to achieve the highest degree of success. The thrust of the present invention is to provide a novel support apparatus that will achieve this result. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus that is usable by persons of all sizes to enable them to enjoy, without harm, the full healthful benefits of proper and necessary massage and therapy.

Part of the reason that this issue has not been solved is that traditionally mattresses or, for instance a massage table, have been flat, ignoring the issues described above. Tables or mattress materials have tried to address the issue of comfort, pain or injury; however, because of the degree of contour of the human body, changing the material in and of itself is not alone enough to provide both the intended purpose of the invention, as well as the intended attributes during use.

Other similar inventions have attempted to address some of these issues, but in spite of the long history of these inventions, there remains a need for an automated, adjustable body part and contour comfort system.

The structures disclosed by the forgoing references suffer from one or more of the following disadvantages: no adjustable recessed cup area, requirement that the patient stand during treatment, lack of portability, and limited adjustability.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus for comfortably supporting an individual while lying in a prone position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus of the aforementioned character that is usable by persons of all sizes to enable them to enjoy, with utmost comfort and without harm, the full healthful benefits of proper and necessary massage and therapy.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus of the type described in the preceding paragraphs that permits the proper pressure to be applied to a patient during massage, or therapeutic treatment, without causing discomfort and possible damage to the patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus of the class described that is of a simple construction and one that is easy to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable personal treatment apparatus as described in which the support body is constructed from a material that is durable and easy to clean and maintain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2, one form of the treatment, or support platform of the present invention for supporting an individual in a prone position is there shown and generally designated by the numeral22. Platform22here comprises a supporting frame24that includes an upper frame24ato which a pair of forward, transversely spaced, downwardly extending legs24bis connected and to which a pair of rearward, transversely-spaced, downwardly extending legs24cis connected. Connected to and supported by supporting frame24is an elongated, resilient body cushion26, having opposing upper and lower surfaces26aand26b. As best seen inFIG. 1of the drawings, upper surface26aof the body, or cushion, is provided with a receiving chamber28for receiving the breasts of the individual being treated.

Forming an important aspect of the treatment platform22of the present invention is a control assembly30for controllably positioning a breast cushion32that is disposed within receiving chamber28. Control assembly30here includes a breast cushion positioning mechanism generally designated by the numeral34for moving the breast cushion32within receiving chamber28from a first elevated position to a second lowered position. As indicated in the drawings, apportion of the breast cushion positioning mechanism34is connected to the inner sidewalls36and37of receiving chamber28(FIG. 2) and is disposed below the upper surface26aof the resilient body cushion26.

Breast cushion positioning mechanism34here comprises a pair of readily commercially available linear motor assemblies38that include elongate tracks or slides38athat, in the manner shown inFIG. 2, are interconnected with the side walls36and37, respectively, of the cushion receiving chamber28. Each of the linear motor assemblies also comprises a combination electric motor and moving carriage38bthat is connected to a selected one of the tracks. Breast support cushion32is carried by a cushion support plate40that is positioned between and interconnected with the carriage38b. When the linear motors are energized through operation of a switch44that is mounted on the side of the cushion26and interconnected with the motors by a conduit46, the breast support cushion can be controllably moved upwardly and downwardly within the chamber28manner to provide optimum support to the breasts of the patient. The linear motor assemblies38can be obtained from a number of sources, including the Parker Hannifin Corporation of Rohnert Park, Calif. and the Tecnotion, B.V. Company of the Netherlands.

In using the apparatus of the invention shown inFIGS. 1 and 2of the drawings, the linear motor assemblies38are operated in a manner to move the breast support cushion downwardly within chamber28. This done, the patient can lay prone on the support cushion26with the breasts located within chamber28. Through operation of the switch44, the breast support cushion32can be raised to a position wherein the breasts of the patient are comfortably supported by the cushion32. With the patient thusly positioned on the support table, massage or similar therapeutic manipulation of the patient can be accomplished without undue pressure being exerted upon the breasts of the patient.

Turning next toFIGS. 5 through 10, an alternate form of the treatment platform of the present invention for supporting an individual in a prone or supine position is there shown and generally designated by the numeral52. Platform52here comprises a foldable supporting frame54that functions to support an elongated resilient body pad56that includes first and second sections58and60. First section58has a forward portion58ahaving opposing upper and lower surfaces62and64and a generally oval shaped a guide passageway66(see alsoFIGS. 5, 9, 9A and 9B).

As indicated inFIG. 5of the drawings, the forward portion of the support frame54is provided with downwardly extending adjustable front leg assemblies70, while the rearward portion of the support frame is provided with downwardly extending adjustable rear leg assemblies72.

Connected to the forward portion58aof first section58of the resilient body pad is the important patient support cushion assembly that is generally designated inFIGS. 9, 9A and 9Bby the numeral74. Patient support cushion assembly74here comprises an airbag housing76having an internal chamber76athat is in communication with the guide passageway66that is formed in the forward portion of the first section58aof the resilient body pad56. Also forming a part of the important patient support cushion assembly74is an inflatable, deflatable airbag78that is disposed within the internal chamber of the airbag housing76. Air bag78is movable relative to housing76between the first partially collapsed configuration shown inFIG. 9A, to the second fully expanded configuration shown inFIG. 9B. When the airbag78is in its normal at-rest configuration, it is in the position shown inFIGS. 5 and 9of the drawings.

Forming another important aspect of the patient support cushion assembly74is a resiliently deformable patient support cushion80that is generally oval shaped in cross-section. Cushion80, which includes yieldably deformable side and top walls80aand80b(FIG. 7), is operably associated with airbag78and is movable from a first lowered position shown inFIG. 9Awherein the cushion is disposed within the guide passageway66at a location below the upper surface58aof the first section58, to a second upraised position shown inFIG. 9, and to a third position shown inFIG. 9B, wherein the cushion is positioned a substantial distance above the upper surface58aof the first section58. More particularly, cushion80is coupled with the airbag by means of the plurality of generally “S” shaped coupling members82that are of the configuration shown inFIGS. 9 and 10of the drawings.

Connected to airbag78for moving the airbag between the first partially collapsed configuration shown inFIG. 9Aand the expanded configurations shown inFIGS. 9 and 9Bis a pump assembly86that here comprises a foot operated bellows88and an airline90that interconnects the foot operated bellows with the inflatable, deflatable airbag78. Airline90has a first end90athat is connected to the foot operated bellows88and a second end that is connected to one leg of a “T” connector92(FIG. 8). Another leg of the “T” connector is connected to the inlet94aof an airbag connector94that is disposed within an opening96formed in the side wall of airbag housing76. Airbag connector94has an outlet94bthat is in communication with the interior of the airbag78so that air under pressure generated by the foot pump will travel through the airline90, through the airbag connector and into the interior of the airbag in a manner to controllably inflate the airbag.

Also forming a part of the pump assembly86is a vent line assembly98that is connected to airline90for controllably deflating the airbag. In the present form of the invention, the vent line assembly comprises a vent line100having a first end portion100athat is connected to one leg of the “T” connector92and a second end portion100bthat is affixed to the side of the resilient body pad56by means of a conventional line clamp102which can be used to control the flow of air through vent line100(FIG. 8).

In the present form of the invention, platform52further includes a head support assembly104that is connected to the forward portion of the first section58aof the resilient body pad56(FIG. 5). When the patient is in a prone position on the resilient body pad, the head support assembly104functions to support the face of the patient when the patient is lying face down, or the head of the patient when the patient is lying on his or her back.

In using the apparatus of the invention, the apparatus is first erected from the collapsed, folded configuration (not shown) into the operable configuration illustrated inFIG. 5of the drawings. Hand straps106are provided on one side of the pad56to assist in transporting the apparatus.

The height of the platform can be adjusted by appropriately manipulating the downwardly extending adjustable front leg assemblies70and the downwardly extending adjustable rear leg assemblies72. This is accomplished by moving the second portions70band72bof the front and rear leg assemblies upwardly or downwardly, relative to the first portions70aand72of the leg assemblies (FIG. 5).

As indicated inFIG. 5of the drawings, the first and second portions of the front and rear leg assemblies are provided with vertically spaced apart pad receiving apertures73that are adapted to receive locking pins75. Upon the sequential removal of the locking pins75, the second portions of the leg assemblies can be moved from a first position to a second position, to controllably adjust the overall length of each of the leg assemblies and thereby adjust the height of the support platform. When the desired length of the leg assemblies is achieved, the locking pins75can be reinserted into the apertures73to hold the first and second leg portions securely in position.

With the apparatus is in the starting configuration shown inFIG. 5, the upper surface80aof the resiliently deformable patient support cushion80is typically flush with the upper surface of the resilient body pad56. Due to the resilient nature of the airbag78that supports the patient support cushion80, while lying prone, any portion of the patient's body that protrudes outwardly, as for example the breasts of the patient, that is positioned within the guide passageway66will, upon operation of the line clamp102, uniquely cause the support cushion80move telescopically downwardly within the passageway66to a lowered position, such as the position shown inFIG. 6of the drawings, so as to avoid any discomfort to the patient.

Similarly, when the patient is in a supine position and with line clamp102closed, operation of the foot pump88by the foot of the caregiver will cause the support cushion80to move upwardly relative to the surface of the body support pad56in the manner illustrated inFIG. 7of the drawings. By way of example, when the patient's upper back is positioned over the pad, this controlled upward movement of the resiliently deformable support cushion raises the patient's chest and enables the accomplishment of a more effective and highly satisfying massage. Because of the unique positioning of the airbag within the guide passageway66and the ability to controllably inflate the airbag, the support cushion80can be raised to any degree desired by the caregiver, including into the position shown inFIG. 7wherein the upper surface80aof the support cushion resides above the surface of the body support pad by distance approximately one half the thickness “T” of the body support pad56(seeFIG. 9B).

When the massage is complete, the forward and rearward legs can be pivoted in a direction toward the lower surface of the body support pad and the body support pad can then be folded to form a compact unit that can be easily transported and stored.