Patent Publication Number: US-2019183711-A1

Title: Storable rehabilitation table and desk

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a storable dual-use table and more particularly to a storable rehabilitation table and desk comprising a reversible desktop, height adjustable legs and a leg storing system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Rehabilitation or treatment tables typically provide unobstructed surfaces for patients or clients to lie on to enable a therapist to provide treatment to a patient or client, and for the therapist to move around the bed as required. Rehabilitation tables need to accommodate individuals of different sizes that require a variety of treatments for various parts of the body, and they need to enable the therapists treating the individuals to be able to reach the various parts of the body to be treated. Therapists, in this context, refer to anyone who needs to access a patient or client on a treatment table (whether for actual treatment or training purposes), and treatment refers to any contact with an individual with or without devices or other aids. 
     Rehabilitation tables have been adapted to comprise sections, such as a head section, fixed or adjustable center section and leg section, in order to adjust the table for the individual being treated as well as improve the accessibility to the patient or client for the therapist. Other treatment tables have only one or two sections rather than three, or additionally include side sections capable of being used as arm rests and of being raised or lowered. 
     There are several types of adjustable treatment tables, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,672,971 and 7,189,214. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,374,312 there is described a treatment table with two sections and with modifications specifically to allow a radiation beam to pass through a body portion exposed by an opening in the table. 
     There are instances in which tables are required for seated activities, such as for taking notes; however, these tables are also utilized for standing activities, such as manual physical therapy. Tables fixed at a height for seated activities are not necessarily at the right height for standing activities due to the different heights of therapists and size of patients, and this causes challenges and discomfort for therapists especially when standing at a table of the wrong height. Tables for therapy are often cushioned since patients lie on them; however, this is not helpful for writing on the table since a hard surface, such as a binder or text book, is required to enable proper writing. 
     There are several methods for adjusting the height of tables, for example, as described in Canadian Patent Nos. 2,199,316 (Adjustable Height Tables) and 2,394,678 (Height Adjustable Table), and Canadian patent application nos. 2,609,895 (Height Adjustable Table) and 2,649,053 (Multi Adjustable Table Attachment). These tables have specific combinations of height and bed type, but no adaptation for use of the table for writing. 
     Some classrooms and rooms are used for a variety of purposes and need: tables to accommodate treatment activities for training therapies; tables for use for seated therapy; desks for writing activities; and storable tables and desks for activities which require space. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a rehabilitation table and desk comprising a reversible two sided desktop having a pad on one of the two sides of the desktop, a four sided desktop frame having at least one desktop stop on each side on which the desktop rests, and four legs. 
     In a further embodiment of the present invention, the rehabilitation table and desk additionally comprises a leg storing system for storing each of the legs, and the legs may be height adjustable legs. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention there is a leg storing system for a desk or table, comprising an outer bar forming a sleeve over an inner bar and slidable bar, the inner bar comprising a first portion ending in a first end which is attachable to a leg and a second portion ending in a second end with a stop, the slidable block attached to the outer bar and slidable only along the second portion up to the stop, the outer bar securable to the first portion of the inner bar by a removable hitch pin in either a first position or a second position which is about a ninety degree turn from the first position. When the hitch pin is removed, the outer bar may be pulled away from the first end of the inner bar until the slidable block abuts the stop and the inner bar may be turned, unless the hitch pin is secured. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the leg storing system is secured to a table or desk and the first end of the inner bar is attached to a leg of the table or desk, and in the first position the leg is in position to support the table or desk and in second position the leg is in stored position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the brief description of the drawings and the following detailed description in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rehabilitation table and desk of an embodiment of the present invention in desk mode. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a rehabilitation table and desk in table mode with table extension and head rest. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the rehabilitation table and desk of  FIG. 2  in storage mode. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the rehabilitation table and desk of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a leg storing system of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of part of the leg storing system of  FIG. 5  in locked mode. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of part of a leg storing system of  FIG. 5  in storing mode. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the leg storing system of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the leg storing system of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an adjustable leg of a rehabilitation table and desk in hold mode. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the adjustable leg of  FIG. 10  in adjusting mode. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a rehabilitation table and desk  10  of the present invention in desk mode with a desktop  20  within a desktop frame of side railings  100  and end railings  110 , with four adjustable legs  30  and a leg storing system  170  for each leg  30 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of a rehabilitation table and desk  10  of the present invention in rehabilitation table mode in which the desktop  20  additionally comprises a pad  120  on one side of the reversible desktop. In this embodiment there is a table extension  130  and a head rest  140  which are removable and storable apart from the table. A table extension  130  can be sized to make the table long enough for a patient to comfortably lie on the table, for example, four inches, to further adapt the desk into a table for any particular therapy or height of patient, and the table extension  130  can be used with or without a head rest  140 . Likewise the head rest  140  could be used without a table extension  130 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the desktop  20  with pad  120  is in table mode in  FIG. 3  and can be flipped over to adapt to a desk mode in  FIG. 4  since the reverse side is only the desktop  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , desktop stops  35  on each of the side railings  100  and end railings  110  allow the desktop  20  to rest within the desktop frame on the desktop stops  35 . In this embodiment there are two desktop stops  35  shown on each of the sides and ends, which may be varied provided that the desktop  20  is supported adequately. The support structure is collectively the desktop frame (side railings  100  and end railings  110 ), desktop stops  35 , legs  30 , and leg storing system  170 .  FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the rehabilitation table and desk  10  of  FIG. 2  in storage mode since each of the components of desktop  20 , head rest  140 , table extension  130 , and support structure can be stored separately. 
     The rehabilitation table and desk  10  is reversed from the desk mode shown in  FIG. 4  to table mode by reaching under the desktop  20  to push the pad  120  off of the desktop stops  35  and flip it over so that the pad  120  is facing up and the desktop  20  is resting on the desktop stops  35  again. For stability, in this embodiment the pad  120  has cut-outs  125  so that the desktop  20 , rather than the pad  120 , rests on the desktop stops  35 . 
     In an embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 , the head section unit  135  comprises the head rest  140  and table extension  130 . The table extension  130  is of about the same width as the table and has unit side rails  160  with joining pipes  145 . The joining pipes  145  fit snugly into the hollow interior of the side rails  100  such that the ends of the unit side rails  160  abut the ends of the side rails  100 . The head section unit  135  may be secured to the table by head hitch pins  150  through aligned rail hole  154  and joining hole  155 . The head section unit  135  could be attached in alternate manners, preferably removable and separately storable. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in order to store the components of the rehabilitation table and desk  10 , the desktop  20  is lifted off of the support structure; the head section unit  135  is detached by removing the hitch pins  150  and pulling the joining pipes  145  out of the side rails  100 ; and the structure support is collapsed using the leg storing system  170 . In order to collapse the structure support, the rehabilitation table and desk  10  may be placed on its side, leg hitch pins  165  are removed and as shown in  FIGS. 5 through 9  and described below, the leg storing system  170  functions to allow the legs  30  to be folded in. The leg storing system  170  may additionally include compressor knobs (not shown) for additional stability, similar to the compressor knobs  70  of the legs  30 . 
       FIGS. 5 to 9  show an embodiment of the leg storing system  170  of the present invention. The leg storing system comprises an outer bar  175 , an inner bar  180 , slidable block  230  and stop  235 . The inner bar  180  comprises a leg plug  190 , flange  200 , fixed block  210  and pipe  220 . The inner bar  180  is attached to the upper leg  40  through wedging the leg plug  190  into a square hole  195  on the upper leg  40 , up to a flange  200 . The slidable block  230  has a hollow interior to enable it to slide along pipe  220  and is prevented from coming off the pipe  220  by stop  235  attached to pipe  220 , in this example by stop  235  being bolted on to the end of pipe  220  by a bolt  240 . The slidable block  230  is attached to the outer bar  175 , in this example by outer bar screws  177  through screw holes  179  which thread into slidable bar holes  232 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 8  show the leg storing system  170  with the leg  30  in position when in use for supporting the desktop  20  of a table and desk. A bars hitch pin  250  retains the outer bar  175  to the inner bar  180  through outer bar hole  260  and first inner bar hole  270 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . By removing hitch pin  250 , the leg  30  is pulled away so that the outer bar  175  passes over fixed block  210 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9  to enable a 90 degree turn of leg  30 , which moves the leg  30  to storable mode parallel with the side rail  100 , and the leg is pushed in and bars hitch pin  250  is then inserted into an aligned outer bar hole  260  and a second inner bar hole  280 , to maintain the leg  30  in storable mode. Two leg storing systems  170  are attached to each end railing  110  and in the embodiment shown in the figures this is through a pair of joining bars  290  on each leg storing system  170 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show how an adjustable leg  30  of a rehabilitation table and desk  10  of an embodiment of the present invention can be raised and lowered so that it is adaptable for a preferred desk or table height. For example, a higher desk than a table may be desired if the table needs to be low enough for someone to comfortably get onto it. In order to lower the rehabilitation table and desk  10 , shown in hold mode in  FIG. 10 , an optional leg compressor knob  70  on upper leg  40  is loosened and then a channel knob  90  is moved from a resting slot  95  into and upwards along a channel  80  as shown in  FIG. 11 , in adjusting mode. When the channel knob  90  is in a higher slot, the rehabilitation table and desk  10  is at a lower height, and then the leg compressor knob  70  is tightened to prevent movement of the legs. In this embodiment the leg  30  is stabilized at the end of the lower leg  50  by an optional foot  60 , which alternatively could be a wheel with a stop brake (not shown). 
     In  FIG. 11  after a higher resting slot  95  is chosen, the desktop  20  is lower than in  FIG. 10 . In order to raise the rehabilitation table and desk  10 , the leg compressor knobs  70  are loosened and rehabilitation table and desk  10  is tilted to one side and the legs  30  on that side are raised from the floor and on each the channel knob  90  is moved from a resting slot  95  into the channel  80  and down to a lower resting slot  95  and then the legs  30  on that side are lowered down and the rehabilitation table and desk  10  is tilted to the other side to adjust the legs  30  on the other side. 
     The desktop  20  of the rehabilitation table and desk  10  of the present invention may be comprised of any material suitable to writing on and strong enough for a patient to lie or sit on, for example, a carbon fibre desktop  20 . The pad  120  is a pad suitable for a rehabilitation table. The legs and railings are steel tubing, but may be aluminum, and the leg storing system is steel but may be aluminum or bronze, and these parts may be combinations of these metals or other suitable materials provided that they are of sufficient strength and durability. 
     The leg storing system may be used with any table or desk whether or not comprising a reversible top, and may be used to build tables and desks with storable legs or to convert existing tables and desks provided that the leg storing system is capable of securely attaching to the desktop and legs to be used. 
     While embodiments of the invention have been described in the detailed description, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.