Patent ID: 8839471

Claim:
A surgical table comprising: A) a patient support comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second segment comprising a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the first and fourth ends forming opposite ends of the patient support, the second and third ends coupled to together to define a joint about which the first segment and second segment articulate relative to each other; B) a first support structure comprising a first vertical column and supporting a first displacement apparatus operably coupling the first vertical column to the first end of the first segment of the patient support, the first displacement apparatus comprising: a) a first rotation assembly operably coupled to the first vertical column, the first rotation assembly configured to rotate the patient support relative to the first vertical column and about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the patient support; and b) a first angulation assembly operably coupled to the first rotation assembly and configured to facilitate the first segment articulating relative to the second segment about the joint, the first angulation assembly comprising: i) a first member comprising a longitudinal length extending generally parallel to a longitudinal length of the first segment of the patient support, the first member operably coupled to the first segment near the first end, wherein displacement along the longitudinal length results in a distance between the first end of the first segment of the patient support and the first vertical column changing as the first segment and second segment articulate relative to each other about the joint; and ii) a first pivot located between the first end of the first segment of the patient support and the first vertical column, wherein the first member is operably coupled to the first vertical column via the first pivot, the first end of the first segment pivoting relative to the first vertical column about the first pivot when the first segment articulates relative to the second segment about the joint; and C) a drive system configured to articulate the first segment and the second segment relative to each other about the joint, the drive system comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is coupled to the patient support at a first location and the second portion is coupled to the patient support at a second location spaced apart from the first location along a length of the patient support.