Abstract:
An appliance provides a pair of sidebars and a pair of cross-bars which are assembled around a patient reclining upon a supporting surface. The appliance has legs which support the appliance at the level of the patient. The cross-bars are positioned under the hips and shoulders of the patient. A flexible strap, which has tension adjustment apparatus, extends between the cross-bars under the patient&#39;s spine to assist in supporting the patient. After the appliance is assembled the supporting surface can be removed to provide complete access around the periphery of the patient for examination and treatment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a regular application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a) claiming priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e)(1), of provisional application Ser. No. 60/661,583, previously filed Mar. 14, 2005 under 35 U.S.C. § 111(b). 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention deals with the field of medical furniture appliances. More specifically, however, it deals with frames used to support a patient in a position elevated with respect to a bed, gurney or table which normally receives the patient.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     For various purposes, patients are positioned on a hospital bed, a gurney or a table such as an examination table or an operating table. It can be necessary to have substantially full 360° circumferential access about the patient. Systems heretofore require transferring of the patient to another bed or movement which can aggravate a medical condition or cause severe pain or discomfort. The present invention addresses these shortcomings of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention is an appliance used to safely support a person while in a hospital bed, on a gurney or on a table. When the appliance is in position supporting the patient, the bed, gurney or table can be lowered from under the person. Substantially full circumferential access is thereby afforded to the person&#39;s torso for examination and/or treatment.  
         [0005]     The appliance comprises a frame which includes a pair of longitudinally extending sidebars, one on each side of the patient. The longitudinally extending sidebars are, when the appliance is fully assembled, supported by appropriate means, such as a pair of generally vertically disposed legs, at a desired height, which can be adjusted for a variety of supports. Typically, the legs would intersect a corresponding sidebar at the ends and form a generally longitudinal inverted U-shape. The legs can be separable from the sidebars so that the frame, when not in use, can be fully disassembled, or can be integral with each other. Cross-bars are provided which extend perpendicularly between the sidebars. The sidebars are provided to support a patient shoulder and hip supporting cross-bars, which extend perpendicularly between the cross-bars. Multiple fittings can be provided along the sidebars to allow for adjustment of the separation of the shoulder bar from the hip bar for different patient heights. In one embodiment, the shoulder bar and the hip bar can each be formed from a spaced pair of ⅞ inch outside diameter tubing segments welded to each other in a parallel configuration utilizing a metal webbing. A threaded shaft can be arranged to engage a nut attached between the tubing ends to secure the bar in place.  
         [0006]     In another embodiment the ends of the shoulder and hip bars can be attached to the sidebars by means of generally trapezoidally-shaped recesses formed in fittings carried by inwardly-facing surfaces of the sidebars. The smaller edge of the trapezoidal-shaped fitting is positioned at the bottom of the fitting, and this allows for a correspondingly-shaped trapezoidal member to be inserted downwardly and wedged into the fitting. It will be understood that, in this embodiment, each fitting would be provided with a lip which would securely prevent the shoulder bar and hip bar from sliding laterally out of a fitting carried by a longitudinally-extending sidebar.  
         [0007]     Means can also be provided, in this embodiment, to preclude ends of the shoulder bar and hip bar from jumping up and out of the corresponding fittings in which they are received. Such means could take the form of an elastic bungee run over the top of the end of a shoulder bar or hip bar with ends of the bungee being captured at appropriate locations along a generally vertically-extending, proximate leg.  
         [0008]     A central longitudinal spinal strap of flexible material is provided between the sidebars. The strap is in the form of an endless belt which has one end slid over the shoulder bar and lies on top of the hip bar. The other end of the belt has a tension bar slid through a loop in the end of the belt. Opposite ends of the tension bar each mount a longitudinally-extending threaded shaft. These threaded shafts extend in a generally longitudinal parallel fashion and have a nut arranged to provide means to adjust the strap tension and to preclude shortening of the distance of the tension bar from the hip bar. The end of the spinal strap opposite the shoulder bar has the tension bar attached. The spinal strap thereby serves as a stop to preclude withdrawal of the threaded shafts from the sidebars.  
         [0009]     The appliance is assembled with the patient lying on his back on a support. The bars and strap are placed in position to support the patient in the manner, and the tension of the strap adjusted as described above.  
         [0010]     With the patient positioned over the spinal strap with shoulders and hips supported by the shoulder bar and hip bar, respectively, the table or bed can be lowered to afford full access to the patient&#39;s torso. The clearance and access thus afforded can allow for bed cleaning, the taking of various body readings and for various patient treatments.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The objects and features of the present invention will become more manifest to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions taken n connection with the following drawings and wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the appliance assembled around a surface supporting a patient;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the appliance;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a detail of an assembled cross-bar, sidebar and leg which uses the first method of assembly;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a detail of a cross-bar, sidebar and leg prior to assembly which utilize the first method of assembly;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an isometric end view of a cross-bar which utilize the second method of assembly;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is isometric end view of the ends of a cross bar and sidebar which utilize the second method of assembly;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view end view of the ends of a side bar and leg which utilize the second method of assembly; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view end view of the ends of a side bar, cross-bar and leg which utilize the second method of assembly.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]      FIGS. 1-7  show apparatus  10  and its various features. Apparatus  10  has a frame  12  with two longitudinal sidebars  14  which form longitudinal sides of the frame. Cross-bars of a shoulder bar  16  and a hip bar  18  tie the two sidebars  14  together. A horizontal rectangular supporting surface  24  is shown with a covering  26  supports reclining patient  30 . The length of sidebars  14 , shoulder bar  16 , and hip bar  18  are made such that frame  12  will closely enclose supporting surface  24 . The length of legs  20  are equal and of a length such that support frame  12  will be essentially horizontal and be positioned immediately above supporting surface  28  when apparatus  10  is supported by an essentially horizontal floor. Legs  20  can either be made integral with other elements of frame  12 , can be attached separately, and can be made adjustable in length whether made integral to the frame or not.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 4  leg  20  is shown integral with sidebar  14 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2  legs  20  are integral with sidebar  14  on both sides of frame  12 . The arrangement of leg  20  can be changed depending upon the type of support provided. In  FIG. 3 , leg  20  is shown secured within an end of sidebar  14 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  also shows one means of attaching one end of hip bar  18  to sidebar  14 . This also applies to attaching the opposite end of hip bar  18  to the opposite sidebar  14 , and to attaching both ends of shoulder bar to both sidebars. A female connector  32  is secured to the inner side of sidebar  14  by two bolts  32 A through mating threaded holes in sidebar  14 , not shown. Female connector part  32  has a generally trapezoid shaped opening  32 B on the exposed side, is secured to sidebar  14  with the widest part of the trapezoid upward and has a upward extending lip from the lower edge. Male connector part  34  has a trapezoidal shaped extension  34 B sized to fit within part  32 B. Part  34  is secured to the end of hip bar  18  by two bolts  32 A through mating threaded holes, not shown. Hip bar  18  is secured to sidebar  14  by dropping extension  34 B into receptacle  32 B from above where the weight of the sidebar will assist in holding it in position within the upward extending lip. The opposite end of hip bar  18  and both ends of shoulder bar  16  are attached to sidebars  14  using identical parts attached in the same manner.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , hip bar  18  can be further secured in place by an elastic bungee  12 A which encircles the hip bar and is attached to leg  20  by a end fastener  12 B, which is secured through hole by a bolt  12 C. Both ends of shoulder bar  16  and hip bar  18  are secured to legs  20  by a bungee  12 A in the same manner.  
         [0024]      FIGS. 5, 6  and  7  show another and preferred means of attaching both ends of shoulder bars and hip bars between both sidebars  14 . Shoulder bar  17  and hip bar  19  are substituted respectively for shoulder bar  16  and hip bar  18  in this second means, and are attached to the sidebars  14  using a different fastener permitted by their different construction. Shoulder bars  17  and hip bars  19  are both made from two tubes  42  which are the same length as shoulder bars  16  and hip bars  18 . The two tubes  42  have a rectangular shaped connection  42 A welded between the tubes at both ends on both sides to secure them together. A nut  42 B is welded between tubes  42  and connection  42 A at both ends of the bars and the nut is secured in place with the threaded opening aligned with the centerline of tubes  42 . Extensions  14 D from sidebar  14  mate with the interior of tubes  42 . Threaded rod  14 E mate with nut  42 B on the interior end and has an attached knob  14 F to rotate the rod for attaching and detaching the hip bar  19 . The opposite end of hip bar  19  and both ends of shoulder bar  17  have similar arrangements as do the adjoining interior portions of sidebars  14  for attaching the parts together.  
         [0025]     To provide for different height and different spacings between the shoulder and hips of patients, using the first or second connection means with either shoulder sidebar  14  and hip bar  16  or using shoulder sidebar  17  and hip bar  19 , provides a plurality of locations for both the shoulder bars and the hip bars. This arrangement permits the bars to support the shoulder and the hip of any patient regardless of their height or their hip and shoulder spacing.  
         [0026]     A flexible spinal strap  36  of flexible material extends longitudinally across the center of frame  12 . Strap  36  has a loop  36 A formed on one end and a loop  36 B formed on the opposite end. Loop  36 A encircles shoulder bar  16  and loop  36 B encircles a tension bar  38 . Tension bar  38  extends completely across frame  12  opposite sidebars  14  and is secured in place by threaded shafts  40  extending through the center of sidebars  14  through mating holes at the ends of the sidebars  14 . The threaded shafts  40  engage mating threaded holes in tension bar  38 , not shown, and are secured in place by bolts  38 A threaded into mating holes.  
         [0027]     Wing nuts  40 A, engage shafts  40  having threads which mate with the threads on the shafts. Changing the position of the wing nuts  40 A on shafts  40  provides a means for adjusting the position of tension bar  38 , which is mounted between the ends of shafts  40 , and change the amount of tension provided by strap  36 .  
         [0028]     In operation, patient  30  is lying on his back on the supporting surface  28 , shoulder bar  16  with integral legs  10 , and hip bar  18  or shoulder bar  17  and hip bar  10  are connected to sidebars  14 . The parts are assembled with shoulder bar  16  or  17 , hip bar  18  or  19  and strap  36  beneath the patient, and with loop  36 A of strap  36  engaging shoulder bar  16  or  17 . Shafts  40  engaged by wing nuts  40 A are threaded into the ends of sidebars  14 . Tension bar  38  is extended through loop  36 B of strap  36  and connected to the ends of threaded shafts  40 . Wing nuts  40 A are then rotated to obtain the desired tension. Supporting surface  28  can then be removed leaving patient  30  supported by appliance  10 .  
         [0029]     As described above, sidebars  14  can be integral with legs  20 , however the legs can be separable from the sidebars so that the frame  12 , when not in use, can be fully disassembled. In either case, sidebars  14  are connected by either shoulder bar  16  or  17  and hip bar  18  or  19  respectively using either the first or second means described above.  
         [0030]     As can be seen, with patient  30  positioned over spinal strap  36  with shoulders and hips supported by either shoulder bar  16  and hip bar  18  or by shoulder bar  17  and hi bar  19 , the supporting surface can be lowered to afford more full access to the patient&#39;s torso. The clearance and access thus afforded can allow for bed cleaning, the taking of measurements and/or molding of the torso of the patient.  
         [0031]     The above are just a few examples of the modifications and changes that are possible, and would readily occur to one skilled in the art, therefore it is contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.