Abstract:
A veterinary procedure table includes an animal support upon which an animal may be placed during the performance of a veterinary procedure. A sink associated with the animal support is adapted to receive fluid material that may be generated during the performance of the veterinary procedure and to direct the fluid material away from the animal support. The veterinary procedure table further includes at least one sensor for sensing a load disposed on the animal support, and a display communicating with the sensor to indicate a weight associated with the sensed load.

Description:
[0001]     The present application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/431,744, filed May 10, 2006, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/760,774, filed Jan. 20, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,464. This application also claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/671,611, filed Feb. 6, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/224,247, filed Aug. 19, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/639,033, filed Aug. 14, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,110, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/215,568, filed Dec. 16, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,956, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/069,720, filed Dec. 30, 1997. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to tables for examining and performing procedures on animals, and more particularly to a veterinary procedure table with a built-in scale.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Veterinary examination and procedure tables are known in the art and are convenient for supporting pets and other animals during examination and treatment. Many veterinary tables have a fixed-height animal support surface. Because the height of the animal support surface cannot be adjusted, it is difficult to lift large animals onto the support surface of fixed-height examination tables, particularly after the animal has been anesthetized. Other veterinary examination tables have adjustable-height animal support surfaces, but these generally include some type of support structure directly beneath the table that limits the minimum height to which the table can be adjusted above the floor surface. Moreover, support structure located directly beneath the table may impede the ability of practitioners to draw close to the table while in a seated position.  
         [0004]     During certain procedures such as cutting and trimming of hair and nails, administering shots, suturing wounds, or performing dental work, it may be desired to collect fluid materials discharged from the animal or otherwise used during the procedure and to direct these fluids away from the animal support surface to an appropriate drain. For example, the treatment of wounds, the performance of surgery, or various other veterinary procedures may require irrigation or washing of the animal which generates fluids that should be directed away from the animal support surface. Accordingly, veterinary examination or treatment tables may be provided with a sink, or basin, adapted to collect fluids generated during treatment and to direct these fluids to an appropriate drain. Conventional wet procedure tables, however, are not generally configured for height adjustment.  
         [0005]     Prophylactic cleaning and various other dental treatments are becoming increasingly popular, particularly for pets. Such dental procedures necessarily require the use of fluids for washing and irrigation, as discussed above. Moreover, animals undergoing dental treatment are usually anesthetized to facilitate treatment. For proper administration of anesthesia, the weight of the animal must be known. Typically, veterinary practitioners must weight the animal using a separate scale before placing the animal on the treatment table. The extra time and effort required to separately weigh the animal prior to treatment and place the animal on the procedure table increases the time required for treatment and therefore reduces the number of treatments which can be conducted on a given day. The time and effort required to treat a single animal is increased if the height of the procedure table is fixed.  
         [0006]     In certain emergency situations, such as when an animal has been hit by a car, time is of the essence to ensure the best possible treatment of the animal. If the animal must be anesthetized for performance of a medical procedure, the weight of the animal must be determined and the extra time and effort required to separately weigh the animal, as discussed above, only delays treatment of the animal.  
         [0007]     A need therefore exists for an improved veterinary procedure table that overcomes these and other drawbacks of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other shortcomings and drawbacks of veterinary procedure tables heretofore known for use in examining or treating animals. While the invention will be described in connection with certain embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0009]     In one aspect, a veterinary procedure table includes an animal support upon which an animal may be placed during the performance of a veterinary procedure. A sink associated with the animal support is adapted to receive fluid material that may be generated during the performance of the veterinary procedure and to direct the fluid material away from the animal support. The veterinary procedure table further includes at least one sensor for sensing a load disposed on the animal support, and a display communicating with the sensor to indicate a weight associated with the sensed load.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, the animal support is cantilevered from a vertically extending frame. The animal support is slidably coupled to the frame only at a first end, such that a second end of the animal support extends outwardly from the frame. The first end is slidably coupled to the frame so that the animal support may be selectively moved to a plurality of elevations relative to a floor surface. In another embodiment, the animal support surface may be positioned a fixed height above a floor surface. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0011]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains to make and use the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary height-adjustable veterinary procedure table in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the veterinary procedure table of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the veterinary procedure table of  FIG. 1 , taken along line  3 A- 3 A.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3B  is an exploded view of the cross-section of  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]      FIGS. 1 and 2  depict an exemplary veterinary procedure table  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The veterinary procedure table  10  includes a vertical frame assembly  12  extending generally upwardly from a floor surface, and a base assembly  14  coupled to the vertical frame assembly  12  at a lower end thereof. The vertical frame assembly  12  includes a structural frame (not shown) housed within an enclosure comprising a front cover  16  and a rear cover  18 . The vertical frame assembly  12  is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,464 to Keil, and the details of such are not repeated herein. The base assembly  14  includes first and second elongate supports  20 ,  22  extending outwardly from the vertical frame assembly, and one or more transverse members  24 ,  26  extending between the supports  20 ,  22 , as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,464. The base assembly  14  extends outwardly from the vertical frame assembly  12  and helps to maintain stability of the veterinary procedure table  10 .  
         [0017]     The veterinary procedure table  10  further includes an animal support assembly  30  cantilevered outwardly from the vertical frame assembly  12  and slidably coupled to the vertical frame assembly  12  for selective height adjustment relative to the floor surface. In the embodiment shown, the animal support assembly  30  includes first and second spaced ends  32 ,  34  defining a lengthwise dimension (L), and first and second spaced sides  36 ,  38  defining a widthwise dimension (W). The lengthwise dimension (L) is greater than the widthwise dimension (W) such that the animal support assembly  30  is cantilevered longitudinally away from the vertical frame assembly  12 , with the second end  34  extending outwardly from the vertical frame assembly  12 .  
         [0018]     The animal support assembly  30  is coupled to the vertical frame assembly  12  only at the first end  32 . This arrangement eliminates any support structure directly beneath the animal support assembly  30  and facilitates movement of the animal support assembly  30  to a height that is very close to the floor surface. Moreover, the absence of support structure directly beneath the animal support assembly  30  allows practitioners to be seated adjacent the animal support assembly  30  with their legs extending beneath the animal support assembly  30 . Accordingly, the veterinary procedure table conveniently allows practitioners to be seated very close to an animal supported on the animal support assembly  30  during the performance of procedures.  
         [0019]     With particular reference to  FIG. 2 , the animal support assembly  30  includes an animal support frame  40  comprising first and second outwardly extending arms  42 ,  44  and an end frame member  46  extending between the first and second arms  42 ,  44  at the second end  34  of the animal support assembly  30  to define a U-shape. The first and second arms  42 ,  44  are slidably coupled at the first end  32  of the animal support assembly  30  to the vertical frame assembly  12 , as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,464.  
         [0020]     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and referring further to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the animal support assembly  30  further comprises a sink, or basin  50 , removably supported atop the animal support frame  40 . The sink  50  is sized and shaped to be received within the animal support frame  40  and includes a bottom wall  52  and one or more sidewalls  54  defining a reservoir  56  with an open, upper end  58 . The bottom wall  52  is sloped to direct fluid material received in the reservoir  56  toward a drain  60 . The drain  60  may be coupled to the first end  62  of a conduit  64  for removing fluids from the sink  50  and directing the fluids to an appropriate receptacle. In the embodiment shown, the second end  66  of the conduit  64  is coupled to a fluid inlet  68  provided in the vertical frame assembly  12 , whereby fluid material from the sink  50  may be pumped to an appropriate waste drain as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,464. It will be appreciated, however, that various other methods and structure suitable for collecting and removing fluid material from the drain  60  of the sink  50  may be used.  
         [0021]     With continued reference to  FIGS. 2, 3A , and  3 B, the bottom wall  52  of the sink  50  is supported on load cells  70  mounted interiorly of the animal support frame  40 . The load cells  70  are supported by brackets  72 ,  74  attached to inwardly facing surfaces  42   a ,  44   a  of the first and second support arms  42 ,  44 . Resilient mounting members  76  are disposed between the load cells  70  and the bottom wall  52  of the sink  50  to provide a cushioned mounting while transferring the weight of the sink  50  to the load cells  70 . The sink  50 , therefore, essentially “floats” relative to the animal support frame  40  while supported on the load cells  70 . An exemplary resilient mounting member  76  is Part No. VMB-5000 available from Minor Rubber Company of Bloomfield, N.J.  
         [0022]     To facilitate locating the sink  50  within the animal support frame  40 , pins  78  are provided on the bottom wall  52  of the sink  50  at locations corresponding to the locations of the load cells  70 . Apertures  79  in the resilient mounting members  76  are sized to receive the pins  78  such that proper location of the sink  50  on support frame  40  may be accomplished by fitting the sink  50  onto the support frame  40  with pins  78  inserted into the apertures  79 . The upper outer periphery of the sink  50  also includes a peripheral flange  80  that extends outwardly over the top of the animal support frame  40 . The peripheral flange  80  includes a downwardly extending lip  82  configured to correspond to the shape of the animal support frame  40 , and helps to position the sink  50  within the frame  40  while permitting the sink  50  to float relative to the frame  40  as the sink  50  is supported on the load cells  70 .  
         [0023]     The load cells  70  are in communication with a control  84  that is configured to receive signals from the load cells  70  and to convert the signals to a weight that may be indicated on a digital display  88  provided on the veterinary procedure table  10  (see  FIG. 2 ). In the embodiment shown, the load cells  70  are electrically coupled to the control  84  by wires  86 , but it will be appreciated that the load cells  70  may communicate with the control  84  in various other ways, such as by radio frequency or infrared signals. In the embodiment shown, digital display  88  is provided on the front cover  16  of the vertical frame assembly  12  for convenient viewing by practitioners.  
         [0024]     The animal support assembly  30  further includes a grille  90  received within the upper end  58  of sink  50  for supporting an animal directly over the reservoir  56  of the sink  50 . In the embodiment shown, a ledge  92  extends around the inner periphery of the sink  50 , near the upper end  58 , for supporting the grille  90  thereon. The grille  90  comprises outer peripheral frame members  94  and a plurality of spaced transverse rods  96  extending between the frame members  94  for supporting an animal thereon. The grille  90  may further include one or more longitudinal rods  98  extending between the first and second ends  32 ,  34  of the animal support assembly  30  to help strengthen the grille  90 . Because the transverse rods  96  are spaced apart, fluid material from the animal or fluids used during treatment may flow between the rods  96  and into the reservoir  56 . The fluid material is then directed along bottom wall  52  to drain  60 , whereafter it is removed from sink  50  through conduit  64 .  
         [0025]     In use, the animal support assembly  30  may be moved to a position close to the floor surface to facilitate placing an animal onto the veterinary procedure table  10 . The animal support assembly  30  may thereafter be raised vertically upward to any height desired by the practitioner. The weight of the animal supported on the grille  90  is transferred to the load cells  70  (the static weight of the sink and grille having been zeroed out as described below). The control  84  receives signals from the load cells  70  and calculates the weight of the animal. The control  84  then sends signals to the display  88  to indicate the weight of the animal. The weight of the animal supported on the veterinary procedure table  10  is therefore readily viewable by the practitioner and no separate weighting device is required.  
         [0026]     An exemplary controller  84 , digital display  88 , and load cells  70  are available as a weighing system from Fairbanks Scales of Kansas City, Mo., as Product No. 24135. The controller  84  may be configured to zero the display  88  while the sink  50  and grille  90  are positioned on the load cells  70 , such that only the weight of an animal that is later placed on the grille  90  will be indicated on the display  88 . The control  84  may also be configured to operate the display  88  in a hold condition, wherein additional weight added to a predetermined weight will not affect the indicated weight of an animal supported on the grille  90 . This feature is useful to filter out movement of an animal supported on the animal support assembly  30  and also to filter out additional weight that may be added during the procedure by fluids received in the reservoir  56  of the sink  50 .  
         [0027]     While the veterinary procedure table  10  has been described herein to include an animal support assembly  30  that is selectively adjustable to various heights, it will be appreciated that the load cells  70 , control  84 , and display  88  may alternatively be used with a fixed-height veterinary table having a sink for directing fluid material away from an animal support.  
         [0028]     While various aspects in accordance with the principles of the invention have been illustrated by the description of various embodiments, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, they are not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the invention to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept.