Abstract:
A massage table includes a two piece face cradle with a wide range of adjustment. The face cradle comprises a chin support and a forehead support. The chin and forehead supports are connected by rods which allow an open field-of-view to a patient lying prone on the massage table. The face cradle is connected to the massage table using a ball-joint providing a broad range of adjustability. A diagonal strut connected between the forehead support portion of the face cradle and the massage table and provide stability. The massage table may further have adjustable width by allowing the table to separate along a longitudinal axis and one or more leafs inserted into a gap between table halves.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to massage tables and in particular to a massage table with an improved face cradle.  
         [0002]     Massage tables are commonly used to support patients receiving massages. It is important to support the patient in a natural and comfortable manner to allow the patient to relax so that the patient&#39;s muscles may be worked to the greatest benefit. Such massages are generally received by patients laying in a prone position (i.e., face down) with the patient&#39;s face supported by a face cradle attached to one end of the massage table. Known face cradles may be adjusted in one dimension, either closer are farther from an end of the table. Such face cradle adjustment often does not provide adequate adjustment to allow the patient&#39;s head to be supported in a natural and comfortable manner. As a result, the patient may contract muscles and reduce the effectiveness of the massage.  
         [0003]     Further, known face cradles comprise a substantially oval cushion which presents a tunnel-like field-of-view to the patient. A result is that some patients feel confined and therefore uncomfortable, and as a result have difficulty completely relaxing. Known massage tables may also lack sufficient width to comfortably support patients having large girth.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a massage table which includes a two piece face cradle with a wide range of adjustment. The face cradle comprises a chin support and a forehead support. The chin and forehead supports are connected by rods which allow an open field-of-view to a patient lying prone on the massage table. The face cradle is connected to the massage table using a ball-joint providing a broad range of adjustability. A diagonal strut is connected between the forehead support portion of the face cradle and a table leg assembly of the massage table to provide stability. The massage table may further have adjustable width by allowing the table to separate along a longitudinal axis and one or more leafs inserted into a gap between table halves.  
         [0005]     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved massage table. The massage table includes a table top, a table leg assembly supporting the table top, and an adjustable face cradle. The face cradle includes an arced chin support, an arced forehead support, and two adjustable bars connecting the forehead support to the chin support. The adjustable bars provide adjustment of the separation of the forehead support from the chin support. A face cradle arm connects the face cradle to the table through a first ball joint, thereby allowing vertical and horizontal adjustment of the face cradle with respect to the table top. A telescoping diagonal brace is connected to the face cradle by a third ball joint at one end, and to the table leg assembly by a second ball joint at an opposite end. The telescoping diagonal brace includes a brace spring resisting compression of the diagonal brace. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0006]     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a prior art massage table.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a massage table according to the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of a face cradle according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3B  is a bottom view of the face cradle according to the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3C  is a side view of the face cradle according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  shows dimensions for the face cradle.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a ball joint used to position the face cradle.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the ball joint taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a telescoping apparatus for positioning the face cradle.  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a diagonal brace according to the present invention for the face cradle.  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the diagonal brace taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a face cradle with mounting apparatus for known massage tables.  
         [0019]      FIG. 11A  is a top view of an expanding table top according to the present invention in a narrow position.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11B  is an end view of the expanding table top in the narrow position.  
         [0021]      FIG. 12A  is a top view of the expanding table top according to the present invention in an expanded position.  
         [0022]      FIG. 12B  is an end view of the expanding table top in the expanded position. 
     
    
       [0023]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.  
         [0025]     A prior art massage table  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The massage table  10  includes an oval or horseshoe shaped face cradle  14  attached to the massage table  10  by face cradle supports  15 . The massage table  10  is preferably a portable and foldable table and includes table tops  12   a  and  12   b  comprising two cushions (or two cushion portions), wherein the table  10  folds at a junction  13  of the table tops  12   a  and  12   b . The table  10  is supported by a table leg assembly  16  comprising legs  18 , horizontal braces  20  residing laterally between pairs of the legs  18 , diagonal braces  22  extending between the horizontal braces  20  to the table tops  12   a  and  12   b  at a point proximal to the junction  13 . Cables  24  connect the horizontal braces and are in tension to prevent the table  10  from collapsing.  
         [0026]     Unfortunately, the known face cradle  14  presents a closed or tunnel view to the patient. Such visual effect often is psychologically stressful and makes relaxing more difficult. As a result, the benefits from a massage are reduced. Further, known massage tables are generally about 30 inches wide. Some patients with large girth are not comfortably supported by such tables.  
         [0027]     While the table  10  is described here with a single pair of cables  24 , portable and foldable massage tables generally include a multiplicity of cables to ensure that the table does not collapse under the weight of a patient. An example of a portable and foldable massage table  10  is the Salon/Massage Combo table made by Pisces Productions in Sebastopol, Calif.  
         [0028]     A massage table  10   a  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . The massage table  10   a  preferably utilize a table leg assembly substantially similar to the massage table  10  (see  FIG. 1 ) or may include any leg assembly suitable for a portable and foldable massage table. The table  10   a  includes a face cradle  27  according to the present invention. The face cradle  27  comprises a forehead support  28  and a separate chin support  30 , both according to the present invention. The face cradle  27  is connected to the massage table  10   a  by second cradle supports  15   a , and preferably receives additional support from a diagonal cradle support  33 . The diagonal cradle support (or brace)  33  is preferably connected to the massage table  10   a  through a second ball joint  34   b  attached at a lower end of the brace  33  to the horizontal braces  20 , and to the face cradle  27  through a third ball joint  34   c  (not shown) attached to an upper end of the brace  33 . The table  10   a  includes right table tops  25   a  and  25   b , and left table tops  26   a  and  26   b . The table  10   a  is foldable at the junction  13  of the table tops  25   a  and  26   a  with the table tops  25   b  and  26   b . Further, the table  10   a  is separable along a centerline  23  to allow the table  10   a  to be widened (i.e., an expandable table top), for large girth patients.  
         [0029]     A top view of the face cradle  27  is shown in  FIG. 3A , a bottom view of the face cradle  27  is shown in  FIG. 3B , and a side view of the face cradle  27  is shown in  FIG. 3C . The forehead support  28  is connected to the chin support  30  by bars  36 . The face cradle  27  is preferably adjustable, wherein the bars  36  cooperate with adjusters  40  to adjust the separation of the forehead support  28  from the chin support  30 . For example, the bars  36  may include first adjustment holes  38 , and the adjusters  40  may include second adjustment holes  39 . The holes  38  and  39  may be held in alignment by screws, pins, detents, etc. The holes may alternatively comprise a single hole in each bar  36  and a multiplicity of holes in the adjusters  40 . The adjuster plates  42  are attached to the adjusters  40  and preferably to the forehead support  28  by screws  46 . Bar plates  44  are attached to the bars  36  and to the chin supports  30 , preferably by additional screws  46 . The bars  36  are preferably bowed downward (see  FIG. 3C ) and therefore away from a patient&#39;s face to provide a more open feeling to the patient.  
         [0030]     The face cradle arm  32  includes a first ball joint  34   a  to allow adjustment of the face cradle  27 . A first ball  48   a  and ball extension  31  are connected to the chin support  30 , and preferably connected to the bars  36  and/or the plates  44 . A first socket  50   a  cooperates with the ball  48   a  and is attached to a socket extension  52  which cooperates with the table through the second cradle supports  15   a  (see  FIG. 10 ) or may be directly connected to the table. A third socket  50   c  is attached to the forehead support  28  to receive a third ball  48   c  residing on the upper end of the diagonal cradle support  33  (see  FIGS. 8, 9 ). While the ball joint  34   a  is herein described having the ball  48   a  attached to the face cradle  27  and the socket  50   a  attached to the table, the ball  48   a  may alternatively be attached to the table and the socket  50   a  may be attached to the face cradle.  
         [0031]     Preferred dimensions of the face cradle  27  are shown in  FIG. 4 . The chin support  30  has a first outside width W 1  which is preferably approximately six inches and a second inside width W 2  which is preferably approximately two inches. The forehead support  28  has a third outside width W 3  which is preferably approximately nine inches and a fourth inside width W 4  which is preferably approximately five inches. The outside length L 1  of the forehead and chin supports  28  and  30  is preferably approximately eight inches, and the inside length L 2  of the separation of the forehead and chin supports  28  and  30  is preferably approximately four inches. The face cradle  27  is further preferably adjustable to longer lengths, and is more preferably adjustable to lengthen by approximately ½ inches and by approximately one inch. Thus the inside length L 2  may be adjusted to approximately four inches, to approximately 4½ inches, and to approximately five inches.  
         [0032]     A side view of the face cradle arm  33  with the ball joint  34   a  used to position the face cradle is shown in  FIG. 5  and a cross-sectional view of the face cradle arm  32  with the ball joint  34   a  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5  is shown in  FIG. 6 . A knurled cap  54   a  holds the ball  48   a  in the socket  50   a . The cap  54   a  preferably includes inside threads, and the socket  50   a  preferably includes outside threads, which threads cooperate to hold the ball  48   a  in the socket  50   a , and allow the ball joint  34   a  to be tightened to lock the ball  48   a  in position. The cap  54   a  preferably is a knurled cap to assist in hand tightening, but may also include features (for example, a hexagon shape) for using a wrench to tighten. A washer  56  may reside between the ball  48   a  and the socket  50   a  providing friction between the ball and socket to reduce slipping. The ball joints  34   b  and  34   c  are substantially similar to the ball joint  34   a.    
         [0033]     The present invention may further include telescoping apparatus for positioning the face cradle  27  with respect to an end of the table  10   a , which telescoping apparatus is shown in  FIG. 7 . The socket extension  52  telescopingly cooperates with support extension  35  to adjust the face cradle position. The support extension  35  is preferably connected to the second cradle supports  15   a  or may connect directly to the table. A lock, for example a knurled screw  51 , may be used to lock the position of the face cradle  27  with respect to the table, but any locking means is acceptable.  
         [0034]     A side view of the diagonal brace  33  (see  FIG. 2  also) is shown in  FIG. 8 , and a cross-sectional view of the diagonal brace taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8  is shown in  FIG. 9 . The brace  33  includes an inner tube  58  in telescoping cooperation with outer tube  60 . A spring  62  resides in the outer tube  60  and biases the inner tube  58  away from the outer tube  60 . The spring  62  has a spring constant of approximately 10 pounds per inch. Balls  48   b  and  48   c  are attached to opposite ends of the brace  33  for cooperation in ball sockets  50   b  and  50   c  (see  FIGS. 2, 3B ,  3 C). Alternatively, sockets may be attached to the ends of the brace  33 , and balls may be attached to the face cradle  27  and the table leg assembly  16  to provide ball joints.  
         [0035]     A face cradle  27  with the second cradle supports  15   a  attached is shown in  FIG. 10 . The socket extension  52  is attached to a telescoping cross brace outer tube  65 , and telescoping cross brace inner tubes  64  are attached to cradle supports  15   a . The telescoping tubes  64 ,  65  allow the second cradle supports  15   a  to be adjusted in separation when necessary to cooperate with the table. Locks, for example a knurled screws,  51  may be used to lock the outer tube  65  with respect to the inner tubes  64 .  
         [0036]     A top view of the expandable table top comprising sections  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a , and  26   b  in a narrow (or closed) position is shown in  FIG. 11A , and an end view of the expandable table top in the narrow position is shown in  FIG. 11B . A top view of the expandable table top in an expanded position with leafs  66   a  and  66   b  residing between sections  24   a  and  24   b , and  26   a  and  26   b , is shown in  FIG. 12A , and an end view of the expandable table top in the expanded position is shown in  FIG. 12B . The sections  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a , and  26   b  are preferably attached to runners  68   a  and  68   b  which cooperate with a guide  70  to allow lateral movement of the sections  24   a  and  24   b , and  26   a  and  26   b . The leafs  66   a  and  66   b  preferably include pins which engage the sections  24   a  and  24   b , and  26   a  and  26   b  when the leafs are in place. Mounting holes  72  are provided for connecting the second cradle supports  15   a  to the sections  24   b  and  26   b.    
         [0037]     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.