Top-within-top For X-ray Table

Abstract

An X-ray examination table assembly includes a flat top which is movable elevationally and also lengthwise and transversely on a table base. Mounted slidably on the flat table top in the lengthwise direction is a second top or patient panel board having a narrow head area which, when positioned out beyond the under top, allows for neuro examination of the head of the patient. All accessories pertinent to the patient are attached directly to the slidable upper panel board and move with the patient.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an X-ray table assembly of the type having a table base or pedestal on which is mounted a table top which is movable elevationally and also longitudinally and transversely on the table base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved X-ray table assembly of the above type having particular usefulness in neuro work.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus of the foregoing type which may be advantageously used for trauma as well as for neuro and other work.

The foregoing objects, as well as other objects which will become apparent during the description which follows, are achieved by providing a so-called top-within-top, that is, a second or upper top in the form of a flat panel board which is slidable lengthwise on the upper surface of a known form of flat table top which is supported on a known form of table base or pedestal. The slidable second or upper top is provided with means for attaching thereto all accessories pertinent to the patient, so that the accessories move with the patient. The second top has a narrow head portion at its forward end, with sloping shoulder portions, thereby allowing for close examination and X-ray photography of the head of the patient when the second top is pulled forwardly out beyond the under top and allowing for visual viewing of the patient when the top is slid back over the under top with a separate viewing apparatus located within and above the table top. These motions are thus accomplished without physically disturbing the patient and without physiological gear attached to the patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a table base in phantom having thereon a flat table top, and showing thereabove a slidable upper panel or second top, and thereabove a patient pad which fits on to the second top.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the slidable top on the flat under top. The patient pad has been omitted.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view looking along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, partly in section, looking along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a flat table top 20 is supported on a cubical table base or pedestal 10 shown in phantom. Table base 10 may be equipped with an elevator mechanism for elevating the flat table top 20 to an adjustable desired height. The table top 20 is also movable on base 10 in both the lengthwise and transverse directions, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1.

The construction of table top 20 is seen in elevation, and in section, in FIG. 4. As there illustrated, table top 20 may comprise a hollow frame formed by four metal channel members 21, which may preferably be steel. A rectangular panel 22, which may preferably be plywood, and which has a plastic laminate surface 23, such as Formica, is supported on the metal frame 21. The longitudinal sides 27 of panel 22 are inclined at an angle, which may be of the order of 45.degree..

Referring again to FIG. 1, secured to the sides of the longitudinal channel members are four push-pull handles 26, two on opposite sides at each end of the table top. Also secured to the sides of the longitudinal channel members 21 are a pair of metal accessory rails 24, one on each side of the table top. The rails 24 are spaced from the sides of the channel members 21 by spacers 25, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. Various accessories may be supported at desired positions on rails 24 as by clamping blocks, not shown.

In accordance with the present invention, supported for sliding lengthwise movement on flat table top 20 is a second top in the form of a panel board 40 having at the forward end (the left end as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2) a head board 41. Panel board 40, which is seen in elevation and in section in FIG. 4, may preferably consist of a rectangular panel 41, preferably plywood, having on its upper and edge surfaces a plastic laminate 42, such as Formica. Secured to the under surface of panel 40, along opposite longitudinal edge portions thereof, are metal guide rails 45. The outward portions 43 of the metal guide rails 45 are turned angularly downwardly at an angle corresponding to that of the sides 27 of the panel 22 of the under table top 20.

Each of the metal guide rails 45 is provided on its under surface with first and second strips 46 and 47 of low friction material, such as Teflon, which extend the full length of the panel board 40. The one strip 46 is on the underside of the downwardly inclined portion 43 of metal guide rail 45 adapted to engage the inclined Formica surface 27 of the panel 22 of table top 20. The other strip 47 is on the underside of the guide rail 45 inward of the inclined edge portion 27 and adapted to engage the upper surface 23 (Formica) of the panel 22.

Secured to each of the metal guide rails 45, at the rearward ends thereof, is a metal mounting block 51, and secured to one of these mounting blocks 51, the right-hand block in the illustration, is a receptacle 52 which receives a plug 53 at the terminal end of a ground cable 54.

Cut into the underside of the panel board 40 is a transverse groove 50 which receives a metal ground strap 49 which extends between and interconnects a pair of ground blocks 48 mounted on the metal guide rails 45. Thus, the left-hand metal guide rail 45 is connected to ground through the ground block 48, ground strap 49, righthand guide rail 45, mounting block 51, receptacle 52, plug 53, and ground cable 54.

Secured at spaced-apart intervals to each of the metal guide rails 45 are handles 62 which may preferably be of the folding type and which are used for several purposes. These handles are used for manual pick up and carry of panel board 40, with or without a patient thereon. They are also used for pushing and pulling the panel board 40 in the lengthwise directions on flat table top 20 guided by the guide rails 45. And through these handles 62 are passed the patient retention straps, as indicated in phantom in FIG. 1.

Also secured to each of the metal guide rails 45, at spaced-apart intervals, are basic blocks 63 to which special accessories may be secured, either directly or by means of intervening adaptors. A few examples are shown in FIG. 1. One example is pole-block 64 secured to one of the basic blocks 63. This block 64 is used for supporting an I.V. pole 65 on which brackets 66 may be fastened for supporting bottles of intra-venous solutions. To another of the basic blocks 63, a sterile instrument tray (not shown) may be mounted. To another, a patient monitoring device clamp fixture (not shown) may be mounted. These are but some of the accessories which may be mounted on the basic blocks 63, as needed.

Secured to metal guide rails 45 at the forward ends thereof are a pair of pivotal arm boards 67 which may be supported in arm-board mounts 68 seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each arm board 67 is pivotally secured to bracket 69 having extending rearwardly therefrom a pin 70 having thereon a post 71. Pin 70 is received within a slot of the arm board mount 68 and is secured as by a set screw. The arm board is maintained in horizontal position by post 71 which bears against one edge of the slot.

Also secured to metal guide rails 45, on each side of the panel board 40, is an accessory rail 73 to which a patient restraining handle 75 may be clamped, as by a basic clamp block 74. By adjustment of the position of clamp blocks 74, the handles 75 are adjustable to accommodate to the particular patient who is being examined on the panel board 40. Arm restraint straps (not shown) are ordinarily used in connection with the handles 75.

To prevent the panel board 40 from tilting downward at the forward or head end when board 40 is pulled forwardly sufficiently to bring the heavier upper portions of the patient beyond the forward edge of the table top 20, a pair of restraining arms 78 are secured to the rearward ends of the guide rails 45. Arms 78 have rollers 79 at their lower ends which, when the panel board 40 is pulled or pushed forwardly, are in a position to engage the under edge of the accessory rails 24 in the event the panel board 40 should attempt to tilt.

A patient pad 76 may be placed on top of the panel board 40, and held in position by means of slotted handle-receiving retaining tabs 77 which may be bonded to the borders of the pad 76.

The second top or panel board 40 is a versatile device and has a number of useful purposes and advantages, as will now be briefly discussed.

Its primary purpose is to function as a so-called top-within-top in which it is slidable on flat table top 20. As such, it is especially useful for neuro work. For neuro work, the panel board 40 bearing the patient is pushed or pulled forwardly to bring the narrow head board 41 well out beyond the forward edge of flat table top 20, so that the head of the patient may be closely examined and X-ray photographs taken. This allows for improved flexibility of Ap and Lateral film-changer positioning and Towne projection by angling X-ray tube. Thereafter, the panel board 40 and its patient may be returned with but very little effort from the film-changer position to the amplifier viewing position without disturbing the patient, thereby to bring the chest, abdomen, or other central or lower portion of the patient to the X-ray amplifier viewing position.

It will be understood that when the patient panel board 40 is moved slidingly on the flat table top 20, the board 40 is guided by the downwardly angled portions 43 of the guide rails 45. The anti-friction (Teflon) strips 46 and 47 slide easily on the plastic laminate (Formica) surface 23 of the plywood panel 22 of table top 20, and the patient board 40, with patient thereon, is easily moved, as by pulling or pushing on the handles 62. Movement of the board 40 stops almost instantly when the pulling or pushing force is removed. It does not coast beyond its desired position as it would if it were mounted on rollers or casters. Also, no locking mechanism is required to lock the board 40 in place.

It is also to be noted that the entire patient area of the panel board 40 is free of interfering metal, in both the extended and non-extended positions. The retaining arms 78 prevent tilting of the board 40 when extended forwardly. All accessories pertinent to the patient may be attached directly to the sliding panel board 40, and thus move with the patient. This latter feature provides a second useful purpose for panel board 40. Previously, all accessories had been attached, as by clamp blocks, to the accessory rails 24 of the table top 20.

The second useful purpose for the patient panel support 40 referred to above is in connection with emergency room and trauma work. For example, in the case of a highway accident, the light weight panel board 40 may be taken in the ambulance to the scene of the accident and the injured person may be placed directly on the padded patient panel board 40 which is then carried by handles 62 to the anbulance. Upon arriving at the hospital, the patient board with its patient may be carried into the hospital and placed on table top 20 for X-ray or other examination. In the case of a major disaster, with many injured waiting for treatment, the panel board 40 with its patient could be placed in a temporary location, as on suitable supports provided in the halls or corridors of the hospital, until the patient can be accomodated in the X-ray room, or elsewhere.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In an X-ray table assembly:

a. a cubical table base;

b. an elongated first table top mounted on said base and extending therebeyond in both lengthwise directions;

c. said first table top being movable in both the lengthwise and transverse directions relative to said base;

d. said first table top including a frame having thereon a flat-surfaced panel having inclined lengthwise side edge portions;

e. a side rail supported along each lengthwise edge of said first-table-top frame;

f. a patient-receiving second table top supported on said panel of said first table top for manually actuated sliding movement thereon;

g. said second table top having a narrow head board portion at its forward end;

h. said second table top having along its lengthwise edge portions metal guide rails having downwardly inclined portions having therein strips of lowfrictional material facing said inclined edge portions of said first-table-top panel for guiding said second table top in its sliding movement on said first table top;

i. anti-tilt retaining means supported in depending position from a rearward side portion of said second table top for engaging the under-surface of said side rails of said first-table-top frame for preventing tilting of said second table top relative to said first table top when said second table top is moved slidingly forward to position said head board beyond said first table top; and

j. attachment means at spaced intervals along said metal guide rails of said second table top for attachment of a plurality of accessory devices, whereby said accessory devices move with said patient.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

a. said retaining means includes downwardly extending arms attached to said second table top having rollers adapted to engage the undersurface of said side rails of first table top.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

a. carry handles are provided at spaced-apart locations along said guide rails of said second table top;

b. pivotal arm boards are removably attached to said second table top near the forward end thereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said head board portion is non-angulating.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes downwardly extending arms attached to the rearward end portions of said guide rails of said second table top.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide rails of said second table top includes strips of plastic material inserted into the undersurface of said guide rails in position to contact the flat upper surface of said first table top panel.