Abstract:
An overbed table which includes a generally horizontal upper table member, a base configured for resting on a floor surface and a height adjustable support assembly mounted between the table member and the base. A gas spring is provided interiorly of the height adjustable support assembly and includes a cylinder mounted to a lower frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly and an elongate rod mounted to the upper frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly. The gas spring is configured for non-movement of the elongate rod relative to the cylinder when in a locked condition and for movement of the elongate rod relative to the cylinder only when in an unlocked condition. A lock release mechanism is provided on the elongate rod adjacent a distal end thereof. A shroud member encloses the upper and lower frame support members and is fastened to the table member and includes thereon a manually manipulatable handle movable between first and second positions, the handle including a link interconnecting the handle and the lock release mechanism. The base is of a U shape and has a low height profile on the legs thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to an overbed table and, more particularly, to an overbed table having a low height profile base and a handle slidably mounted on a shroud enclosing the height adjustable support assembly.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Overbed table assemblies are known in the art and representative examples of some of them are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,775,234, 6,397,761 and  6 , 484 , 648 . As hospital beds become more complex, overbed tables used in association therewith often encounter obstructions on the understructure of the bed that prevents the base from moving under the bed to enable the table top to be oriented over the top of the mattress and generally the lap of the onboard patient. In addition, efforts to integrate the aesthetic appearance of the overbed table with the remaining furniture within a hospital setting has been less than acceptable.  
         [0003]     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an overbed table assembly which has a low height profile base enabling it to easily move to positions beneath a hospital bed and to avoid objections on the bed due to the low profile configuration.  
         [0004]     It is a further object of the invention to provide an overbed table assembly, as aforesaid, wherein a shroud encloses the height adjustable support assembly extending between the table top and the base to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the region of the overbed table assembly whereat the height adjustable support assembly is located.  
         [0005]     It is a further object of the invention to provide an overbed table assembly, as aforesaid, wherein the handle is slidably mounted on the shroud with minimal space existing through which the interior of the operating mechanisms for raising and lowering the table top are visible.  
         [0006]     It is a further object of the invention to provide an overbed table assembly, as aforesaid, wherein the base is composed of two components, one on top of the other with each thereof being configured to operatively cooperate with the other to enhance the strength of the low height profile and to prevent flexing thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The objects and purposes of the invention are met by providing an overbed table which includes a generally horizontal upper table member, a base configured for resting on a floor surface and a height adjustable support assembly mounted between the table member and the base. A gas spring is provided interiorly of the height adjustable support assembly and includes a cylinder mounted to a lower frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly and an elongate rod mounted to the upper frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly. The gas spring is provided for biasing the upper frame support member upwardly with respect to the lower frame support member and additionally is configured so that the elongate rod cannot move downwardly relative to the cylinder when in a locked condition and for free movement of the elongate rod up or down relative to the cylinder only when in an unlocked condition. A lock release mechanism is provided on the elongate rod adjacent a distal end thereof. A shroud member encloses the upper and lower frame support members and is fastened to the table member and includes thereon a manually manipulatable handle movable between first and second positions, the handle including a link interconnecting the handle and the lock release mechanism. The base is of a U shape and has a low height profile on the legs thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     Other objects and purposes of this invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with overbed table assemblies of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an overbed table assembly embodying the invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the base for the overbed table;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the overbed table assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along the line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view taken along the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 10 , but with the handle in a second position thereof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words “up”, “down”, “right” and “left” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “in” and “out” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. Such terminology will include derivatives and words of similar import.  
         [0022]     An overbed table assembly  20  embodying the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and includes a base  21  having plural wheels  22  configured to rest on a floor surface. In this particular embodiment, the wheels  22  are each supported for a caster movement about a vertically upright axis A ( FIG. 3 ). The overbed table assembly  20  also includes a generally horizontal upper table member  23  having an upwardly facing surface  24  thereon. A height adjustable support assembly  26  is mounted between the table member  23  and the base  21 . The features associated with the height adjustable support assembly  26  will be explained in more detail below.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the base  21  is composed of two components, namely, a U-shaped hollow profile member  27  and a U-shaped cover member  28 . The U-shaped hollow profile member  27  has a bight section  29  and two legs  31  and  32  which extend generally parallel to each other and away from the bight section  29 . Furthermore, the bight section  29  and each of the legs  31  and  32  have a common top wall  33  from which depends sidewalls  34 . The downwardly facing edge  36  of each of the sidewalls  34  has spaced notches  37  as is also illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A bottom wall  38  is provided and closes off the opening into the inverted U shape defined by the top wall  33  and sidewalls  34  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The bottom wall includes a plurality of spaced tabs  39  along the outer edges thereof and which are configured to be received into the respective notches  37 . The bottom wall  38  is weldably secured to the sidewall edges  36 . Furthermore, each of the tabs  39  is weldably secured in place in each of the respective notches  37 . Thus, any tendency of the legs  31  and  32  to flex will be resisted not only by the interference of the tabs  39  and notches  37  but also by the welding.  
         [0024]     The bottom wall  38  of the bight section  29  has a plurality of holes  41  therethrough and in the central region thereof. These holes  41  are also shown in  FIG. 7 . The top wall  33  of the bight section  29  has a plurality of holes  42  therethrough, the holes  42  being each coaxial with a respective hole  41  in the bottom wall  38 . The diameter of the holes  42  is greater than the diameter of the holes  41 . A spacer sleeve  43  is received in each of the holes  42  with the lower end thereof resting on the top surface of the bottom wall  38 . A further hole  44  is provided in the top wall  33  approximately equidistantly spaced from each of the respective holes  42 . Each of the legs  31  and  32  have a plurality of holes  46  in the top wall  33 .  
         [0025]     The U-shaped cover member  28  is of a unitary synthetic resin construction having a bight section  47  and two generally parallel legs  48  and  49  extending away therefrom. The entire U-shaped cover member  28  has an inverted U-shaped cross section throughout defined by a top wall  51  and sidewalls  52  which depend downwardly therefrom. A plurality of webs  53  unitarily interconnect the undersides of the top wall  51  and each of the respective sidewalls  52  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The webs  53  are notched as at  54  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ) to facilitate reception thereof of each of the respective bight section  29  and legs  31  and  32  of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  into the notches  54 . Each of the webs  53  having the notches  54  formed therein rest on the top wall  33  of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27 .  
         [0026]     The underside of the top wall  51  of the U-shaped cover member  28  includes plural integral hollow post-like members  56  ( FIG. 3 ) that are each aligned with a respective one of the holes  46  in the top wall  33  of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  and are received therethrough. A fastener schematically illustrated as at  57  is received through a corresponding hole in the bottom wall  38  of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  and into the interior of each of the respective hollow posts  56  to facilitate securement of the U-shaped cover member  28  to the U-shaped hollow profile member  27 .  
         [0027]     The U-shaped cover member  28  has in the bight section  47  a plurality of holes  58  therethrough that are configured to align with each of the respective spacer sleeves  43  and as depicted in  FIG. 7 . Each of the holes  58  opens into a raised embossment  59  which, in this particular embodiment, has an oval shape. A generally rectangular or square opening  61  extends through the central portion of the embossment  59 . A shelf  62 , oriented in a plane located below a top surface of the embossment  59 , encircles the embossment  59  for reasons which will be explained below.  
         [0028]     A hollow post  63  ( FIG. 5 ) is provided and has an outer wall  64  that conforms to the oval configuration of the upwardly facing surface of the shelf  62 . Extending radially inwardly from the outer wall  64  are a plurality of flanges  66 , the inner ends of which are integrally mated with a rectangular or square cross sectioned tube  67  which defines a lower frame support member. In this particular embodiment, the corners of the rectangular-shaped tube  67  are the locations whereat the webs  66  are integrally attached thereto. Thus, openings  68 ,  69 ,  70  and  71  are formed between the outer walls of the square or rectangular-shaped tube  67  and the inner surface of the outer wall  64 . These openings  68 - 71  receive therein the sections of the embossment  59  illustrated in  FIG. 2  when the bottom end of the hollow post  64  rests on the shelf  62 . Each of the flanges  66  has outwardly extending therefrom and into a respective one of the openings  68  and  70  a pair of spaced walls  72  and  73  defining a circular opening  74  therebetween. The axes of each of the respective openings  64  is coaxial with the interior of the hollow spacer sleeves  43  and are internally threaded adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof so that a threaded fastener  76  can be inserted through holes in the bottom wall  38  of the U-shape profile  27  and through the interior of the respective spacer sleeves  43  and become threadedly engaged with the interior wall surface of each of the openings  74  to effect a securement of the hollow post  64  to the bight section  47  of the U-shaped cover.  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIG. 10 , an elongate hollow bushing  77  is received into the upper end of the square or rectangular-shaped tube  67  inside the hollow post  63 . The upper end of the elongate bushing  77  has a plurality of outwardly extending flanges  78  (see also  FIG. 11 ) which have through holes  79  at the outer ends of each thereof. Each of the holes  79  is axially aligned with respective openings  74  ( FIG. 5 ) on the interior of the hollow post  63  and are configured to receive fasteners therethrough to facilitate a fastening of the elongate bushing  77  to the upper end of the hollow post  63 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  also illustrates a rectangular or square-shaped elongate tube  81  which defines an upper frame support member. The upper end of the tube  81  is fastened to the underside of the upper table member  23 . The length of the tube  81  is sufficient to extend to and engage the top wall  33  of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  and when the table member  23  is in its lowermost position. In this particular embodiment, a plurality of through holes  82  are provided in the tube  81  at a location spaced slightly upwardly from the lower end as depicted in  FIG. 6 . A cup-shaped bushing  83  mounts over the exterior of the lower end of the tube  81  so that the bottom wall of the bushing is oriented between the lower end of the tube  81  and the top wall  33  of the profile member  27 . The sidewalls  84  of the bushing  83  are slit to facilitate relative movement with respect to one another. The sidewalls  84  have enlargements  86  provided adjacent the upper ends thereof to facilitate an elastic urging of the enlargements  86  into the holes  82 . The walls  84  of the bushing  83  are oriented between the exterior wall of the tube  81  and the interior wall of the tube  67 . The bushing  83  also has an opening in the bottom wall thereof. The tube  81  is configured to slide up and down inside the tube  67 , the respective bushings  77  and  83  being made of a low friction material and maintain a snug sliding relation between the respective tubes  67  and  81 . A section of the wall of the tube  81  is cut open as at  88  ( FIG. 10 ) adjacent the upper end thereof.  
         [0031]     A gas spring  88  is mounted internally of the tube  81  as depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . The gas spring  88  has a cylinder housing  89  and a reciprocating rod  91  which reciprocates with respect to the cylinder housing  89 . The lower end of the cylinder housing  89  has an extension  92  which is received in the hole  44  in the top wall  33  of the profile member  27 . The distal end of the rod  91  as illustrated in  FIG. 10  has a reciprocally movably supported valve actuator member  93  thereat that is configured, when depressed, to unlock the elongate rod  91  from the cylinder housing  89  to enable the gas pressure inside the cylinder housing  89  to be compressed and to enable an urging of the elongate rod  91  downwardly lengthwise thereof. When pressure on the valve actuator member  93  is removed, the elongate rod  91  will again become locked to the cylinder housing  89  to prevent downward movement of the elongate rod. The gas spring  88  is of a conventional design, a representative example being Model No. 1549SF available from Stabilos in Germany. Thus, further discussion about the characteristics of the gas spring  88  are believed to be unnecessary.  
         [0032]     A head piece  94  is mounted to the interior of the tube  81  by a pin  96  and adjacent the upper end. The head piece includes a socket  97  into which is received the distal end of the elongate rod  91 . A laterally extending opening  95  extends through the head piece  94  and intersects the bottom end of the socket  97  to orient the valve actuator member  93  within the opening  95 . A two arm link member  99  is pivotally supported adjacent a mid-point between the two arms as at fulcrum  101  in the opening  95  with the end of one arm operatively engaging the valve actuator member  93  to facilitate reciprocative operation thereof in response to a pivoting of the link  99 . The other arm of the two arm link  99  extends through the opening  98  in the wall of the tube  81 . The two arms form an obtuse angle of 155° to 165°, the preferred angle being 159°. In the alternative, the link  99  could be Z-shaped and a theoretical line intersecting the distal end of each horizontally extending arm thereof would form an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder housing  89 , namely, the angle being 15° to 25°, the preferred angle being 21°.  
         [0033]     A shroud  102  ( FIG. 1 ) is provided and has an oval configuration conforming to the oval configuration of the hollow post  63 . As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the interior of the hollow post  63  has circumferentially spaced embossments  103  which slidingly engage the outer surface of the hollow post  63 . The upper end of the shroud  102  has a radially outwardly extending flange  104  which is secured to the underside of the upper table member  23 . Thus, as the upper table member  23  moves up and down, the shroud  102  will slide up and down relative to the hollow post  63 . The hollow shroud  102  has a sufficient length such that when the upper table member  23  is in its lowermost position illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the bottom end of the shroud  102  is oriented about at the plane of the shelf  62  on the bight section  47  of the U-shaped cover member  28 .  
         [0034]     An opening  105  is formed in the wall of the shroud  102  adjacent the upper end thereof as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 10 . The opening so formed defines a pair of vertically upright laterally spaced edges  106  ( FIG. 11 ) and a bottom edge  107 . A handle  108  is mounted into the opening  105  and has on laterally opposite sides thereof guide tracks  109  which receive therein the edges  106  as depicted in  FIG. 11 . As a result, the handle  108  is supported for vertical movement between the position illustrated in  FIG. 10  and the position illustrated in  FIG. 12 . The handle  108  has a recess  111  therein on an outwardly facing side thereof into which the distal ends of the user&#39;s fingers may be placed. The upper wall  112  of the recess  111  is configured to conform to individual ones of the distal ends of the respective fingers as depicted in  FIG. 1 . On the top side of the upper wall  112  of the recess  111  there is provided an abutment  113  on which is engaged the aforesaid opposite end of the link  99 . As a result, when the handle  108  is moved from a first position illustrated in  FIG. 10  to a second position illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the abutment  113  will effect a clockwise movement ( FIGS. 10 and 12 ) of the link  99  from a first position to a second position to cause an activation of the valve actuator member  93  to unlock the elongate rod  91  from the cylinder housing  89  so that the pressure on the inside of the cylinder housing  89  can act to sufficiently counterbalance the weight of the upper table member  23  to enable the user to easily lift and raise the upper table member  23  to a selected height, at which time pressure on the handle is released and gravity and a back force on the valve actuator member  93  will urge the handle  108  back to the initial first position thereof illustrated in  FIG. 10 . Upward travel of the upper table member  23  will be limited by the engagement of the upper edge  114  of the cup-shaped bushing  83  with the lower edge  116  of the elongate bushing  77 .  
         [0035]     As is illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the contour of the handle  108 , particularly the leftward facing outer contour, matches the outer circumferential contour of the shroud  102 . Furthermore, the handle  108  has a top to bottom dimension that corresponds closely to the top to bottom dimension of the opening  105  with a gap  117  existing between the upper edge of the handle  108  and the immediate underside of the upper table member  23  in order to accommodate the movement of the handle  108  between its two respective positions. The gap  117  is oriented in a way that it is generally not visible to the attendant operating the table top. As a result, the overall outer exterior of the shroud  102  and the outer appearance of the conforming handle  108  is aesthetically pleasing.  
         [0036]     As has been noted above, the top to bottom dimension of the legs of the U-shaped base  21  is small. The top to bottom dimension of the respective legs is deemed to be particularly unique. In this particular embodiment, the spacing between the floor and the bottom wall  38  of the U-shaped profile member  27  is generally within the range of 35% to 50% of a top to bottom dimension of a combination of an assembly of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  and the U-shaped cover member  28  in a region adjacent the distal end of each leg of the base, particularly adjacent each leg oriented wheel  22 . It is preferable that the aforementioned range of 35% to 50% be maintained from the distal ends of the legs of the base to at least half of a length of the base. The preferred embodiment includes the range being 40% to 45%. Furthermore, due to the strength characteristic of the combination of the construction of the U-shaped hollow profile member  27  and the U-shaped cover member  28 , the top to floor surface of an assembly of the hollow profile member  27  and the cover member  28  in a region adjacent each leg wheel is within a range of 25% to 35% greater than a diameter of the leg wheel. In this particular embodiment, the diameter of all of the wheels on the base, including the leg wheels is less than two inches, a preferable diameter being 1.46 inches and the dimension between the top surface of the cover  28  and the floor surface is 2.1 inches. Such wheels are available under Model No. TUK229-24X1B, available from Gross Stabil in Germany.  
         [0037]     Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.