Device For Positioning Subject For X-ray

Abstract

A device for positioning and restraining children for X-rays in which a seat type device is pivotally attached to a base, whereby the restrained child can be X-rayed in all positions through use of X-ray film mounted on an upright board member disposed adjacent the seat. A pair of side-by-side restraining means are adapted for pivotal movement adjacent one another to provide means to substantially completely hold the child's arms, torso and legs against movement. The restraining means and their respective pivot points are adjustable to accomodate children of various sizes.

Description

The present invention relates to devices for positioning and restraining a subject during X-rays, and in particular to an apparatus for positioning infants and young children so that they cannot move during exposure to X-rays.

When taking X-rays, it is essential that the subject be kept motionless. A moving subject results in the formation of a double or clouded image on the negative or film. This necessitates the re-taking of the X-ray, therefore wasting film and exposing the subject to additional amounts of X-rays, which can be harmful if absorbed in large amounts.

With children, it is even more difficult to keep the subject motionless. Generally, it is necessary for one parent to be in attendance when a child is having an X-ray picture taken of his body. The parent is needed to hold the child or position the child's arms away from his body. The parent usually cannot hold the child still, and in addition, the child is confused and frightened by the X-ray procedure. Further, the parent is exposed to unnecessary radiation due to his or her proximity to the X-ray apparatus.

Devices have heretofore been produced which enable a single person, such as an X-ray technician, to properly locate and restrain a child in front of an X-ray machine. These devices have proven inadequate because ease of positioning is difficult, and the child is disposed in an uncomfortable position, whereby the child or infant will cry or move after being held in position for a short amount of time. Thus, if often becomes necessary to re-take X-ray exposures when present so-called restraining means are used.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which completely immobilizes an infant or child in an upright seated position during the taking of X-rays.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rotatable appartus having side-by-side restraining means which pivot into and out of position to hold an infant or child in a proper and secure position during the taking of X-rays of the body, and then releases the child.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a positioner for infants or children having pivotal side-by-side restraining means mounted on selectively displaceable pivot points to permit the positioner to be adjusted for various size children.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a positioner for infants or children including a pair of side-by-side restraining means contoured to fit the torso and/or legs of the infant or child.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a positioner for infants or children which is portable and light-weight and also can be stored with ease.

A further object of this invention is to provide a positioner for taking infants' or childrens' X-rays which has an attached apparatus for movably holding various sizes of X-ray film adjacent the subjects' body.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the positioner according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the positioner of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the positioner of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus for restraining infants and children during the taking of X-rays is generally designated by the numeral 10. The apparatus comprises a pair of substantially vertical radiotransparent board members 12, 14 rigidly fixed at their base or lower end to horizontal base 16.

A seat member 18 comprising a pair of horizontal board members 20, 22 held in spaced relation relative to one another by blocks 24 is mounted on pivot 26 for 360.degree. rotation relative to base 16. Board member 20 includes a plurality of rectangular apertures 28 (FIG. 1) through which movable pivot means 30 extend. Each pivot means 30 includes a horizontal hinge element 32 mounted on a block member 34. Each block member 34 has an aperture extending therethrough, and a rod 36 mounted to board 20 by means of vertically extending brackets 38 attached to board 20. A spring 40 extends between each block member 34 and one of the brackets 38 supporting rods 36. Springs 40 provide a lateral force for moving block members 34 toward the center of seat member 18.

In the illustrated embodiment, means are provided to adjustably move block members 34 along their respective rods 36 for purposes to be described. It is contemplated that rods 36 have threaded surfaces extending throughout their length, which threaded surfaces engage mating threads on the interior of the apertures extending through blocks 34. Alternatively, each block 34 may be fixed to a plate having a threaded aperture therethrough, which threaded aperture mates with the threaded surface of each rod 36. Means such as a knob or a slot for insertion of a screwdriver may be disposed on the outward end of each rod 36 to enable the rods to be rotated. As each rod 36 is rotated, block members 34 move in a horizontal plane, thereby horizontally transposing each pivot hinge element 32.

Each hinge element 32 is adapted to mate with a corresponding hinge element 42 located on the base of a pair of vertically extending, contoured, radiotransparent restraining means 44, 46. These restraining means in their illustrated position extend in a side-by-side relationship, and are adapted to pivotally move away from each other about pivot means 30, which as previously described, include substantially horizontally extending axes. The restraining means 44, 46 are contoured internally to approximately the shape of a child's body, and are held together when in a vertical position by means of releaseable attachment means, such as a pair of self-attaching radiotransparent straps 48, 50 (FIG. 3). Straps 48 extend across and secure the upper portion of restraining means 44, 46 when the latter are in an upright position and an infant or child is placed between the restraining means. Likewise, strap 50 is adapted to engage and secure an intermediate portion of restraining means 44, 46.

The lower portion of restraining means 44, 46 includes a pair of contoured, radiotransparent leg restraining means 54, through which a child's legs may extend when the child is seated on seat member 18. The interior surface of each leg restraining means 54 is contoured to extend over and snuggly fit a child's legs and hold them securely.

It is readily apparent that restraining means 44, 46 may be moved toward or away from one another in a horizontal plane to accommodate children of various sizes. This is accomplished by moving hinge elements 32 along horizontal paths by turning rods 36, thereby displacing block members 34 in a horizontal plane.

The horizontal base 16 is attached to a supporting structure 56 and held stationary thereto by means of rubber suction cups 58. Ball bearings 60 extend between base 16 and seat member 18 to allow 360.degree. frictionless rotation of seat member 18 about pivot 26.

The invention also includes vertical X-ray film support means disposed between board members 12 and 14 for supporting an X-ray film 62 at the most advantageous location adjacent the subject. The X-ray support means also includes a vertically displaceable film bracket 64 disposed between board members 12 and 14. Bracket 64 comprises a film support shelf 66, a clamp 68 and a screw knob 70. By vertically adjusting film bracket 64, X-ray film of various sizes can be maintained at a proper position in apparatus 10.

In operation, the apparatus 10 is prepared to receive an infant or child whose X-ray is to be taken by releasing straps 48, 50, and pivoting restraining means 44, 46 away from each other about the several pivot means 30. The child is then placed on seat member 18, and restraining means 44, 46 are pivoted back into a vertical side-by-side relation. The contour of the restraining means is such that the child's arms and torso are held securely and motionless between restraining means 44, 46. Leg restraining means 54 enclose the child's legs, and hold them still and secure. Straps 48 and 50 are then fastened to hold restraining means 44, 46 and leg restraining means 54 in position against the child's body.

If the child is too large or too small to be held comfortably and motionless between restraining means 44, 46, the spacing between the restraining means can be adjusted by turning rods 36 and displacing pivot means 30 as previously described.

Thus, it is apparent that hinge means 30 may be adjusted in a horizontal plane to accommodate any size child, while restraining means 44, 46 retain their capability of pivoting about horizontal axes.

When the child or infant is securely held in apparatus 10, X-ray film 62 is inserted between board members 12 and 14 and moved vertically to its most advantageous position adjacent the child by temporarily releasing knob 70 and vertically adjusting bracket 64. Once the proper film height has been determined, the seat member 18 may be rotated 360.degree. about pivot 26 to position the child for X-ray exposure from any angle.

It is apparent that the elements of the invention thus far described provide a seat to immobilize an infant or child during the process of taking an X-ray exposure of the subject, whereby the child is safely and comfortably held still in a seated position such that the seat may be rotated through 360.degree. to properly position the subject for anterior, posterior or lateral exposures.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a positioner adapted to be disposed adjacent a sheet of X-ray film for restraining a child being X-rayed:

a base;

a seat member rotatably mounted on said base;

a pair of side-by-side radiotransparent restraining means contoured to the shape of said child's body and mounted to said seat member for pivotal rotation toward and away from each other about horizontal axes;

releasable attachment means associated with said restraining means to secure said restraining means in a position toward one another when attached;

whereby said pair of restraining means is adapted when positioned toward one another to substantially enclose and restrain a child placed therebetween and supported by said seat in a seated, upright position.

2. The positioner of claim 1 including:

horizontally extending pivot means mounting each of said pair of restraining means to said seat member;

said pivot means associated with each one of said restraining means being displaceable in a horizontal plane toward and away from one another whereby each of said restraining means is horizontally moveable toward or away from each other to substantially enclose and accommodate children of various sizes.

3. The positioner of claim 2 wherein said pivot means includes:

block members displaceably mounted on said seat members;

horizontal hinge elements mounted on each of said block members;

said hinge elements adapted to mate with corresponding hinge elements on the base of said restraining means;

variable screw spring adjustment means disposed between said seat member and said block members and adapted to permit said block members to move in a horizontal plane;

whereby the distance between each one of said pair of restraining means may be varied by actuation of said adjustment means.

4. The positioner of claim 3 wherein said restraining means are adapted to swing away from each other about said hinge elements on the base of said restraining means for ease of placement and removal of said child in said positioner.

5. The positioner of claim 1 including:

attachment means fixed to the underside of said base for releasably but firmly holding said base to a supporting structure.

6. The positioner of claim 5 wherein said attachment means comprises suction cups mounted on the underside of said base.

7. The positioner of claim 1 wherein said seat is rotatable through 360.degree. relative to said base.

8. The positioner of claim 1 wherein each of said restraining means includes radiotransparent leg contoured restraining means horizontally extending therefrom and adapted to enclose and for projection of said child's legs therethrough.

9. The positioner of claim 1 wherein said releasable attachment means includes:

a first pair of self-attaching radiotransparent straps extending across an upper portion of said restraining means; and

a second pair of self-attaching radiotransparent straps extending across an intermediate portion of said restraining means.

10. The positioner of claim 1 including an X-ray film support means comprising:

a pair of substantially parallel radiotransparent board members rigidly affixed at the lower end thereof to said base, and extending vertically adjacent said restraining means;

said vertical board members adapted to receive X-ray film therebetween.

11. The positioner of claim 10 wherein said X-ray film support means additionally includes a vertically displaceable bracket member disposed between said parallel board members, said bracket member adapted to hold X-ray film elements of various sizes and at various positions in said film support means.