Couch

Abstract

A knockdown couch embodying a pair of elongated upholstered half-sections having coplanar abutting surfaces separably and connectively joined by a pair of parallel male pins telescopingly fitted into oriented female sockets which are provided therefor. The respective half-sections are expressly designed and contoured to provide a comforting and restful couch for a recumbent occupant who, for example, may be called upon to assume changeable postural positions while undergoing a gynecological examination, while receiving a treatment for sterility, for post-operative support in cases requiring elevation of the pelvis, and for body support while consummating an act of marital union.

Description

This invention relates to a special purpose couch for use for physical examination and diversified treatment needs and which is such in adaptability that it lends itself to use for many and variable supportive needs such as will hereinafter be set forth.

As the introductory statement implies the couch herein revealed is characterized, generally stated, by a head portion, a foot portion, an intervening body portion and an underlying uniquely located support surface contacting and fulcruming member. Although a couch such as herein comprehended lends itself to many and varied uses, it is usually categorized as an innovation which pertains to special purpose usefulness. For background information the reader may feel called upon to check the medical examination support device in a U.S. Pat. issued to Horace E. Allen, et al., No. 3,481,593. Reference can also be made for general guidance to the proctological support covered in a U.S. Pat. to Henry A. Springer, No. 2,887,151. These reference patents are mentioned, somewhat in passing, to set forth the idea that many and varied couches, tables and beds are in widespread use for whatever special purposes are to be served and for the benefit of doctors, nurses and patients or other occupants.

The couch under advisement is feasible for use when a recumbent occupant is called upon to undergo a gynecological examination or for sterility treatment, post-operative support in situations where elevation of the pelvis is required, for comfortable body support and positioning and support while performing an act of marital union. In fact, this couch has been found ideal for placement of the body of the occupant to minimize disconcerting strain and fatigue. It can be effectually used for persons who suffer from certain types of physical handicaps such as multiple sclerosis, partial paralysis and other neuromuscular disorders when for example the desire for physical union is present but requisite strength and muscular tone may be perplexingly absent.

The couch herein comprehended is characterized by a low-slung adaptation made up of upholstered head, foot and connecting body portions and wherein a wedge-shaped or an equivalent supporting and tilting chock is provided and lends itself to use not only as a support but for tilting the couch with the head portion downwardly, thus elevating the legs of the occupant.

In carrying out the principles of the invention the head portion of the couch is angled upward and the prescribed edge or surface of the wedge or chock assumes a position to enable one to impart a slight nudge on the head portion and to forc it to tilt backwards into a secondary functional position. The leg supporting or foot portion of the couch embodies counterbalancing weights which assist in maintaining the over-all couch in its primary position for such uses as is at the time anticipated.

Briefly the multi-purpose support and treatment couch for recumbent occupant purposes is characterized by a head portion, a foot portion and an in-between body portion. All of these several portions are protectively cushioned and upholstered. These portions have requisite top and bottom surfaces. The top surface of the head portion has a suitably contoured and elevated headrest. The top surface of the body portion is designed and adapted to accommodatingly receive and support the over-all trunk of the occupant's recumbent body. The foot portion embodies outwardly diverging upwardly inclined complemental component members which function to incline and support the thighs of the occupant and have terminal downwardly and forwardly inclined individual props for the bent-knee lower legs and heels of the feet of the occupant.

In carrying out the principles of the invention a special two-part wooden or equivalent frame structure is employed, said structure characterized by a first half-section and a second half-section. The first half-section is, generally stated, cruciform in plan and an end portion thereof is provided with a spacer which supports and elevates an appropriately contoured upholstered riser. The other or second section is characterized by a component of the body portion and a terminal yoke-shaped part which provides thigh supporting members and which has terminal outwardly and downwardly inclined members which provide leg props. The adjacent abutting end portions of the respective sections are provided with projecting dowels or pins which constitute male prongs and which fit telescopically into assembling and retaining sockets. The wedge-shaped chock is a part of the second-named half-section.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the special purpose couch constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the sections abutting each other and assembled to provide the ready-to-use couch.

FIG. 2 is a view in section and elevation which illustrates the component parts with greater particularity and which is based on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view emphasizing the somewhat L-shaped form of the components of the aforementioned foot portion.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective which shows the two-part frame with the parts assembled.

And FIG. 5 is a view also in perspective and based on FIG. 4 and which shows the half-sections separated but in readiness for assembling.

It is to be pointed out that the finished couch and component parts thereof is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive. On the other hand the two-part skeleton frame structure is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It is believed desirable at the outset to refer, generally stated, to the finished couch which is illustrated in FIG. 1 and which is upholstered and ready for use and is characterized, broadly stated, by a head portion 8, a foot portion 10 and an intervening sectional body portion 12. The head portion is provided with an appropriately contoured padded or upholstered headrest as at 14. The face-to-face abutting end portions 16 and 18 (FIGS. 1 and 2) permit the parts to be lined up and assembled or, when necessary, dismantled for transportation and storage. The foot portion is characterized as comprising an approximately U-shaped yoke having padded or upholstered upwardly inclined properly spaced complemental thigh supports 20 terminating in angled depending components which are here referred to as leg props 22. The junctional portion as at 24 provides a crotch.

The aforementioned surface contacting, elevating and tilting means comprises a substantially wedge-shaped chock 26 which is located adjacent to and is cooperable with the sump-like crotch portion 24. It will be observed that one corner portion of this wedge or chock is denoted at 28 and provides a fulcruming surface and permits the couch to assume the normal set position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and also permits the normally elevated head portion to be tilted down toward the support surface whenever necessary or desired (not illustrated).

This composite couch construction is characterized by the wooden or equivalent frame structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and wherein a first half-portion or section is denoted at 30 and the other, that is second half-section is denoted at 32. The panel part of the half-section 30, that is the part denoted at 34 is substantially cruciform in plan and has opposite extensions 36 which provide conveniently usable handgrips. It also has a marginal extension as at 38 the top surface of which is provided with a spacer 40 supporting an appropriately contoured core member 42 which provides a support for the padded headrest 14 (FIG. 1) in a seemingly obvious manner. The other marginal extension 43 is provided with a reinforcing block 44 which has a pair of coplanar spaced dowel pins 46 which constitute male assembling and retaining members and which are adapted to be fitted into sockets 48 provided therefor in a block member 50 mounted atop the panel portion 52 of the half-section 32. The underneath side of this half-section is provided with the aforementioned wedge-shaped chock which is here designated (FIGS. 4 and 5) by the numeral 54 and which provides a fulcruming corner or edge 56. A reinforcing member is provided at 58 at the juncture of the panel 52 and the substantially U-shaped yoke 60. This yoke has a bight portion 62 and a pair of duplicate coplanar upwardly inclined parts 64 which when padded as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 constitute the aforementioned thigh supports. The terminal or end members 66 provide the properly oriented leg props and these props are provided with the aforementioned counterweights 68 which serve to maintain the couch in its normal balanced position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, with the available fulcruming means the couch can be tilted to cause the body portion and head portion to descend toward the floor support surface.

As is evident from the preceding description and the accompanying drawings the concept has to do with a low-lying couch the underneath side of the bottom of which is provided with the aforementioned floor or surface contacting and fulcruming chock with the portion to the right thereof (FIGS. 1 to 3) providing the desired U-shaped yoke 10 and leg props 22 and wherein a crotch is provided at the junctional point indicated generally at 24. The sections 8 and 24 are separable where the transverse ends 16 and 18 abut and these ends are easily assembled and maintained in stable relationship. The component portions or sections 8 and 12 are designed and constructed and arranged to provide the multi-purpose aspect of a couch which serves for examination and treatment purposes, for those who suffer from certain types of physical handicaps that interfere with physical union between male and female users with the result that when the couch is set up for use as shown in FIG. 1 it provides added body support for the occupant, promoting supportive comfort when undertaking marital copulation. It follows that the couch well serves the diversified purposes for which it has been evolved, produced and successfully used.

The foregoing is considreed as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constructon and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A frame for a portable knockdown body positioning and examination couch comprising a pair of coordinating first and second separately connectible half-sections, said first half-section embodying a panel-like member substantially cruciform in plan and provided atop one marginal end with an elevated delineated form for a headrest and provided atop an end opposite said one end with a pair of spaced parallel outstanding assembling and retaining prongs, said second half-section also comprising a panel-like member which is rectangular in plan and provided with a pair of spaced parallel sockets for telescoping reception and retention of said prongs, and provided at an opposite end with a U-shaped yoke providing thigh elevating supports and having free ends terminating in depending oblique angled extensions which serve as props for an occupant's legs, a predetermined portion of the surface of the panel-like member of said second half-section located at the juncture of the body portion of said second half-section and U-shaped yoke being provided with an integral floor contacting chock said chock extending transversely across and fixed to that portion of said bottom surface with which it is cooperable.

2. The couch defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said chock comprises a block-like wedge having a lowermost portion embodying a fulcruming edge and said edge being disposed in a plane common with the plane of the free terminal surface engaging ends of said props, whereby to provide three-point suspension for the over-all couch when it is in an at rest state, but permitting downward tilting of said half-sections at will.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein said form is of predetermined delineation, is located within the encompassing confines of said first named panel-like member and is united with the underlying top surface of said member by elevating spacer means, said form and spacer means being completely but separately enclosed by cushioned upholstering means and providing an elevating and comforting headrest, the body accommodating and entire upper surfaces of said first and second half-sections being wholly covered by compatibly attached and cushioned upholstering means.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and wherein diametrically opposite marginal edge portions of said panel-like member which are adjacent the respective left and right marginal portions of said form project to positions outwardly and beyond said marginal portions and provide readily accessible and conveniently usable handgrips.

5. The structure defined in claim 2, and wherein the entire underneath side of said first half-section is disposed in a plane above the plane of said fulcruming edge and is normally inclined and tiltably spaced above the underlying relatively stationary support surface.

6. A multipurpose couch through the medium of which an occupant is afforded comforting and restful support in a supine position while, for example, undergoing a gynecological examination, receiving a prescribed treatment, or for other recumbent copulative and similar purposes comprising, in combination, a head portion, a foot portion, and an in-between body portion, all of said portions being cushioned and upholstered, said portions having top and bottom surfaces, the top surface of said head portion having an elevated and upholstered headrest, the top surface of said body portion being designed and adapted to accommodatingly receive and support the over-all trunk of the occupant's recumbent body, said foot portion embodying a yoke having outwardly diverging upwardly inclined complemental members which function to incline and support the thighs of the occupant, and also having terminal downwardly and forwardly inclined individual props for the bent knees, lower legs and feet of said occupant, a median portion of the underneath surface of said couch being provided with a complemental depending floor engaging chock extending transversely across said underneath surface at the juncture of said body portion and foot portion, said chock comprising a block-like upholstered wedge having a single rigid fulcruming edge disposed in a plane common with the plane of the free terminal surface engaging ends of said props and providing a three-point support for the over-all couch when it is in an at rest state, said head portion and an adjacent part of said body portion having bottom surfaces sloping upwardly and assuming a plane above the plane of said fulcruming edge and permitting the downward tilting of the body and head portions at will, a top surface of said head portion being provided with an elevated padded headrest, said thigh supports slanting upwardly from the extreme transverse end portion of said body portion in a manner to define an upwardly facing crotch at the juncture of said transverse end and oriented thigh supports which lends itself to conformably receptive support for the seated buttocks of said occupant.

7. The couch defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein said head portion is provided with left and right extensions which project beyond adjacent end portions of said headrest and serve as handgrips for such purposes as are deemed to be helpful or necessary.

8. The couch defined in and according to claim 7 and wherein said couch is made up of separable and connectible half-sections having abutting ends, one of which is provided with spaced parallel female sockets, and the other one of which is provided with spaced outstanding male pins which are arranged for insertable and removable telescoping reception in their respectively cooperable sockets.