Patent ID: 7676865

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first device having an upper tapered socket, a second device having a lower tapered socket, wherein each socket has an upwardly opening frustoconical bore that varies in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a downward direction, wherein the smaller diameter of the bore in the upper tapered socket is equal to or larger than the larger diameter of the bore in the lower tapered socket, and a patient care equipment support comprising: an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment, and a post coupled to the equipment supporting portion such that the post extends generally downwardly from the equipment supporting portion, the post having upper and lower tapered portions, the upper tapered portion being configured for receipt in the upper tapered socket when the equipment support is supported by the first device and the lower tapered portion being configured for receipt in the lower tapered socket when the equipment support is supported by the second device wherein each tapered portion is frustoconical, each tapered portion varies in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a downward direction, and the smaller diameter of the upper tapered portion is equal to or larger than the larger diameter of the lower tapered portion, wherein the post has a generally cylindrical intermediate portion separating the two tapered portions, and wherein the upper tapered socket has a generally c-shaped cross section having spaced apart end portions which define an outwardly opening slot in communication with the bore in the upper tapered socket, and the spacing between the end portions of the c-shaped upper tapered socket is larger than the diameter of the generally cylindrical intermediate portion.