Patent Publication Number: US-7587770-B1

Title: Therapy table

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior applications No. 60/838,543 that was filed on Aug. 18, 2006. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the field of therapy tables and more particularly to the field of therapy tables that can move from a horizontal position to a convex position. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Chiropractic services and the manipulation of one&#39;s spine has become an important medical service. Chiropractors, through their manipulation of the spine can reduce or eliminate back pain. Chiropractors are especially used by many of today&#39;s athletes to help them perform better at their chosen endeavor. The applicant believes that a therapy table should be designed to place the patient in a position where the practitioner can easily deliver his manipulation. Also, the applicant believes that the table should be comfortable to the patient, but also gets the patient in a position that enables the practitioner to manipulate with maximum benefit for the patient. In the industry today most practitioners use a flat table. Although, a flat table is comfortable for the patient, it does not place the patient in a position that enables the practitioner to work on the patient with maximum efficiency. As a result many practitioners must place pillows or wedges under the midsection of the patient to achieve this benefit. This allows gravity to pull on the caudal and cephalic aspects of the patient providing traction like effect separating the facet joints of the spine and also providing for a posterial muscle stretch. By separating the facets, it enables the chiropractic practitioner to manipulate the back more easily and place it into the proper position. The stretch on the muscles also gives the patient a much more supple back. Applicant has developed a table that moves from a horizontal position to a convex position. This table then allows gravitational pull on the caudle and the cephalic aspects of the patient and provides a tractionized effect separating the facet joints of the spine and also providing the stretch of the muscles. Thus, a therapist can better reposition the vertebrae in the back and can do this more gently and more accurately. Applicant&#39;s table has also been designed so the head rest and the arm rests can be quickly changed for sizing the patient comfortably and makes the therapy less complicated. The patient may be placed on the table either in the supine or prone position for McKenzie and Williams therapy respectively. The height of the table and the curvature of the surface can be adjusted by the therapist to ensure that the patient is in the best position for therapy as well as being comfortable. 
   The main feature of the table is a flexible table top that allows a linear actuator and a lifting cam to move the table from a horizontal position to a convex position. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The article of manufacture is a therapy table. The table has a head rest, arm rests and two cushions that are shaped similar to the human body. The head rest and arm rests are adjustable to fit a person either lying in a supine or prone position. The head rest and arm rests can also be adjusted to fit patients of different sizes. The table is designed so that its bed can go from a flat position to a dynamic convex position through the use of a foot pedal by the therapist. When a therapist places his foot upon the pedal, an electronic linear actuator moves a lift cam which pushes on the center section of the table moving the table into a convex position. The table is made out of a flexible, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and is able to bend from a flat surface to a radius of 20 inches and return again without breaking or warping. This allows the center of the table to rise up a maximum of 42 inches from the floor. When in the raised position, the table surface becomes ridged due to the support from the curved lift cam. This motion separates the facet joints minimally which allows for a much easier and much more gentle repositioning of the vertebrae. The height of the table is adjustable to ensure that the patient is in the most comfortable and best position for therapy. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the invention with the table top in a flat position. 
       FIG. 1   a  is a top view of the invention with the cushions and the table top removed. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the invention with the table top in a flat position. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the invention with the table top in convex position. 
       FIG. 4  is a back view of the invention with the table top in a flat position. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the frame with the linear actuator and the lift cam in the flat position. 
       FIG. 5   a  is a side view of the frame with the linear actuator and the lift cam in the raised position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  is a side view of the invention  10  with the table in the horizontal or flat position. The table  10  has five cushions  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  70 . Foot cushion  70  at the end of the table and is where the ankles of the patient are positioned. Lower leg cushion  12  is position under the lower legs of the patient and between foot cushion  70  and middle cushion  14 . Lower leg cushion  12  supports the knees of the patient. Middle cushion  14  lies in the middle of the table and supports the torso of the patient. Head cushions  16  and  18  are at the end of the table opposite the foot cushion  70 . Only head cushion  16  is shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2 , a front view of the table  10 , shows both cushion  16  and  18  which are designed as a head rest.  FIG. 1  also shows the table top  20  underneath the cushion  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18 . The table top  20  in the preferred embodiment is made out of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene attach to steel plates. This allows the table top  20  to bend from a flat surface to a radius of 20 inches. Other materials can be used to make the table top  20  that are exceptionally durable and are able to be bent to large radius. Applicant has found that the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene is the best for this as to price and durability. 
   Underneath the table top  20  one sees the lift cam  22  and the electric linear actuator  24 . The electric linear actuator  24  is attached to a lift cam  22  by a first rotating bearing  26 . As the electric linear actuators arm  28  slowly extends, it moves the lift cam  22  upward as the lift cam  22  slowly rotates around second pivotal bearing  56 . The linear actuator  24  is attached to the under frame  30  of the table  10  by a third rotating bearing  32 . The actuator  24  also rotates around third rotating bearing  32  as it extends, pushing lift cam  22  upward. The lift cam  22  lifts the table top  20  in an arc as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   The table top  20  is attached to the under frame  30  by a pivotal bearing  38  at the head of the table  10  and a post  40  on a guided track  42  at the foot of the table  10 . The post  40  slants inward as the lift cam  22  moves upward and post  40  moves along guided track  42  allowing the table top  20  to flex as the lift cam  22  moves upward. At the head of the table  10  under the head cushions  16  and  18  are arm rests  34  and  36  with grasping poles  44  and  46 . An individual lying on the table  10  in a prone position can place his arms on the arm rests  34  and  36  and grab the grasping poles  44  and  46 . As the bed moves upward when the electric linear actuator  24  lifts the lifting cam  22 , the arm rest  34  and  36  and grasping poles  44  and  46  also slant upward with the table top  20  due to the pivotal bearing  38 . The arm rests  34  and  36  with grasping poles  44  and  46  are attached to the table top  20 . 
     FIG. 4  is the back view of the invention. It shows that there are two back legs  48  at the back of the table  10 . These back legs  48  are attached together at their bottom by back leg bottom piece  50 . The back leg bottom piece  50  extends from each of the two back legs  48  outward. This allows for the table  10  to fit solidly on the floor and eliminates the possibility of the table  10  tipping. Post  40  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  are on both sides of the table  10 . Each of these posts  40  move along separate guided tracks  42 . One post  40  is on each side of the table  10 . 
   The guided tracks  42  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 5 and 5   a  are attached to the two middle legs  52  of the frame  30 .  FIG. 5  is a side view of the frame  30  of the table in the flat position and  FIG. 5   a  is a side view of the frame in the raised position. The two middle legs  52  as the back legs  48  are attached together at their bottom by the middle legs bottom piece  54 . As with back leg bottom piece  50 , middle legs bottoms piece  54  extents outward from each of the two middle legs  52 . This is for stability for the table  10 . Near the top of the middle legs  52 , second pivotal bearings  56  are attached to the end of the lift cam  22 . These second pivotal bearings  56  allow the lift cam  22  to pivot and actually lift the table top  20 . 
     FIG. 2 , the front view shows the two front legs  58  of the under frame  30 . As the middle legs  52  and the back legs  48 , the two front legs  58  are attached together by a front leg bottom piece  60  at their bottom. This front leg bottom piece  60  extends outward from each of the two front legs  58  to provide stability for the table and to ensure that the table will not tip over. Lift cam  22  is U shaped with the edges of the U being triangular with one edge of the triangle being curved. On the flat edge of the triangle the two sides of lift cams  22  are attached together by a top bar  62 , as shown in the  FIG. 1   a . The electric linear actuator arm  28  is attached to the top bar  62  that passes between the two triangular edges of the lift cam  22 . This top bar  62  is attached to the lift cam  22  by the first rotational bearing  26 . When the linear actuator  24  extends its arm  28 , the lift cam  22  moves upward with the flat side moving away from the table top  20  and the curved, rounding side moving up against the table top  20  causing the table top  20  to move into a concave position as shown in  FIG. 3 . The linear actuator  24  is attached to the bottom of the front legs  58  of the table  10  with a third rotating bearing  32 . The frame  30  is further reinforced by a top reinforcement frame member  66  from the top of each front legs  58  to the top of each middle legs  52 . The frame is also reinforced by an angular reinforcement member  68  that attaches to each of the front legs  58  and the each of the top reinforcement frame members  66 . The table  10  in the head area is smaller to compensate for the arm rest  34  and  36  and grasping polls  44  and  46  at its side. It then tapers out near the mid section and then is much wider as it moves towards the foot end. There is a small foot cushion  70  at the very back that is adjustable in height so that it can be locked in a positions slightly higher than the other four cushions  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  which provides for enhanced patient comfort at the legs/knees. 
   Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be, limited only by the scope of the appending claims.