Portable collapsible treatment table with drop sections

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A portable patient treatment table, comprising:

a plurality of separate, patient body supporting table sections interconnectable for supporting a patient for treatment at a convenient working level above the floor while lying in a generally horizontal position;

each of said table sections including cushion means having an upper surface for supporting a portion of a patient's body and mounted on a frame and a plurality of pairs of supporting legs pivotally interconnected with said frame for movement between a folded-up position inside said frame for transporting said table sections and a downwardly extended position for engagement with the floor to support said cushion means in a treatment position above said floor;

first connector means for detachably interconnecting and securely locking together said frames of said table sections to maintain said cushion means of each of said sections in generally horizontal alignment when all of said legs are extended downwardly;

a head piece including inner and outer end portions for supporting the head of a patient while lying on said cushion means of said interconnected table sections; and

second connector means for detachably interconnecting said head piece and one of said table sections with said inner end portion of said head piece positioned adjacent said one table section and said outer end portion spaced outwardly thereof, said second connector means operable to permit said head piece to be completely detached from said one table section for storage inside said folded-up legs of a table section for transportation of said table;

said second connector means including means for interconnecting said head piece at a selected one of several different, generally horizontal levels relative to said upper surface of said cushion means of said one table section and an adjustable support for securing said head piece at a selected one of several different angularly sloping positions relative to said cushion means of said one table section.

2. The portable table of claim 1, wherein:

said head piece includes a frame and at least one head cushion detachably mounted on said frame having an upper surface for supporting a patient's head; and

said adjustably support is interconnected between said frame of said head cushion and said one table section for securing said cushion at a selected one of said several angular positions relative to said cushion means of said one table section.

3. The portable table of claim 1, wherein:

said head piece includes at least one head cushion for supporting the head of a patient and a head piece frame for supporting said head cushion; and

lift means supportively interconnecting said head cushion and said head frame for holding said head cushion at an elevated position above said head frame and releaseable to permit the rapid drop of said head cushion toward said frame for treatment of a patient in response to a selected level of downward force.

4. The portable table of claim 3, wherein:

said lift means includes control means for elevating said head cushion to said elevated position from a lower position and releaseable detent means for retaining said head cushion in said elevated position until said selected level of downward force is exerted on said head cushion.

5. The portable table of claim 4, wherein:

said releaseable detent means includes manual adjustment means for selecting the level of downward force necessary to drop said head cushion.

6. The portable table of claim 1, wherein:

said interconnecting means includes a pin and slot connector interconnecting said frame of said one table section and said inner end portion of said head piece at said different levels.

7. The portable table of claim 6, wherein said pin and slot connector includes a plurality of elongated connectors on opposite sides of said head piece having longitudinally spaced apart slots for receiving an elongate pin engaging said one table section.

8. The portable table of claim 1, wherein:

said frames of said table sections means are of generally rectangular shape and said plurality of legs of each table section includes at least one pair of legs pivotally connected to opposite sides of said frame to pivot about a common axis and spaced inwardly within said frame.

9. The portable table of claim 8, wherein:

at least one of said table sections includes an additional pair of said legs, said additional pair of legs mounted to pivot about a common axis spaced apart from said common axis of said one pair of legs at an opposite end of said frame.

10. The portable table of claim 8, including:

fastener means on an underside of said cushion means of at least one of said table sections for detachably securing said head piece inside said rectangular shaped frame when said one pair of legs is in a folded up condition.

11. The portable table of claim 10, wherein:

said head piece includes head cushion means detachably mounted on a head piece frame; and

said fastener means includes a fastener on one of said table sections for detachably securing said head cushion means inside said rectangular shaped frame and a fastener on the other of said table sections for detachably securing said head piece frame inside said rectangular shaped frame.

12. The portable table of claim 8, wherein:

said cushion means of at least one of said table sections includes a plurality of separate cushion elements secured to said rectangular frame.

13. The portable table of claim 12, wherein:

one of said cushion elements is supported for sliding movement on said frame toward and away from the other of said cushion elements on said frame to supportively accommodate patients of different height lying on said table when said table sections are interconnected together.

14. The portable table of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of said table sections includes lift means supportively interconnecting said cushion means and said rectangular frame for holding said cushion means at an elevated position above said rectangular frame and releaseable to permit the rapid drop of said cushion means toward said rectangular frame for treatment of the patient in response to a selected level of downward force.

15. The portable table of claim 14, wherein:

said lift means includes control means for elevating said cushion means to said elevated position from a lower position and releaseable detent means for retaining said cushion means in said elevated position until said selected level of downward force is exerted on said cushion means.

16. The portable table of claim 15, wherein:

said releaseable detent means includes manual adjustable means for selecting the level of downward force necessary to drop said cushion means.

17. A portable treatment device for the palpation and adjustment of a patient, in a sitting position, comprising:

a generally rectangular frame;

a plurality of support legs pivotally interconnected adjacent corner portions of said frame for movement between a folded-up position parallel of said frame for transporting said device and a downwardly depending position for supporting a patient seated on said device at a convenient level for treatment above a floor;

a seat cushion covering a first portion of said frame;

a back cushion covering a second portion of said frame adjacent said first portion when in a flat position aligned with said seat cushion;

hinge means pivotally supporting said back cushion for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent an edge of said seat cushion from said flat position toward an upstanding position for supporting the back of a patient sitting on said device; and

support means for interconnecting said frame and said back cushion to support said back cushion in said upstanding position, said support means connected to said back cushion at a position remote from said seat cushion and detachably connected to said frame for securing said back cushion in said upstanding position above said frame for patient treatment.

18. The portable device of claim 17, wherein:

said support means includes a pair of rods spaced apart on opposite sides of said frame and having end portions pivotally secured to said back cushion adjacent an upper end while said back cushion is in said upstanding position and having free lower ends detachable and supported from said rear end member of said frame.

19. The portable device of claim 17, wherein:

said pivot axis is spaced intermediately between opposite front and rear end members of said frame; and wherein

said seat cushion extends forwardly of said axis to said front end member and said back cushion extends rearwardly of said axis to said rear end member when said back cushion is in said flat position.

20. The portable device of claim 19, wherein:

said frame includes at least one frame member extending between said end members for supporting said hinge means.

21. The portable device of claim 17, including:

a separate treatment table section including cushion means for supporting a patient and mounted on a frame, a plurality of support legs pivotally interconnected with said frame for movement between a folded-up condition for transport and a downwardly extending position for engagement with the floor to support said cushion means for patient treatment at a level adjacent said seat cushion of said device; and

first connector means for interconnecting said frames of said device and said table section to support a patient at a convenient working level above the floor while lying in a generally horizontal position.

22. The combination of claim 21, including:

a head piece for supporting the head of a patient while lying on said back and seat cushion of said device and said cushion means of said table section while interconnected together; and

second connector means for detachably interconnecting said head piece and said device.

23. A portable patient treatment table, comprising:

a plurality of separate, patient body supporting table sections interconnectable for supporting a patient for treatment at a convenient working level above the floor while lying in a generally horizontal positional;

each of said table sections including cushion means having an upper surface for supporting a portion of a patient's body and mounted on a frame, and a plurality of pairs of section supporting legs pivotally interconnected with said frame for movement between a folded-up position inside said frame for transporting said table section and a downwardly extended position for engagement with the floor to support said cushion means in a treatment position above said floor;

first connector means for detachably interconnecting and securely locking together said frames of said respective table sections to maintain said cushion means of each of said sections in generally horizontal alignment when all of said legs are extended downwardly;

a head piece including inner and outer end portions for supporting the head of a patient while lying on said cushion means of said interconnected table sections; and

second connector means for detachably interconnecting said head piece and one of said table sections with said inner end portion of said head piece positioned adjacent said one table section and said outer end portion spaced outwardly thereof, said second connector means operable to permit said head piece to be completely detached from said one table section for storage inside said folded-up legs of a table section for transportation of said table;

said second connector means including means for interconnecting said head piece at a selected one of several different, generally horizontal levels relative to said upper surface of said cushion means of said one table section and an adjustable support for securing said head piece at a selected one of several different angularly sloping positions relative to said cushion means of said one table section;

said interconnecting means including a pin and slot connector for interconnecting said frame of said one table section and said inner end portion of said head piece at said different levels;

said pin and slot connector including a plurality of elongated connectors on opposite sides of said head piece having longitudinally spaced apart slots for receiving an elongate pin engaging said one table section; and

said second connector means including means secured to extend transversely of said plurality of said elongated connectors and engageable with legs of said one table section adjacent said inner end portion of said head piece to prevent pivotal movement of said connectors.

24. The portable table of claim 23, wherein:

said transversely extending means includes hand support means for said patient pivotally movable between an outwardly projecting hand supporting position and a folded-up position for storage.

25. The portable table of claim 23, including:

an adjustable connector for supportively interconnecting said outer end portion of said head piece and said one table section for securing said head piece a selected one of said several different angular sloping positions relative to said cushion means of said one table section.

26. The portable table of claim 25, wherein:

said adjustable support includes a plurality of elongated arms on opposite sides of said head piece having outer ends pivotally secured to said outer end portion of said head piece, said arms including longitudinally spaced apart slots therein for engagement with said elongated pin to secure said head piece in a selected angular slope relative to said one table section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a new and improved portable treatment table and more particularly to a portable treatment table especially designed for use by chiropractors for the treatment of patients at locations remote from the doctor's office or treatment center. The portable chiropractic treatment table is designed to make it practical for a chiropractor or doctor to transport the table from place to place in a folded-up condition yet still provide a full range of cervical, thoracic and pelvic adjustments including drops. The table is also useful in sports medicine applications and in nursing and convalescent homes where patients are unable to travel to a chiropractor's regular clinic or office. 2. Background of the Prior Art

Over the years, a wide variety of chiropractic treatment tables have been developed and some of them have included complex and heavy mechanisms designed to provide a wide range of chiropractic adjustments on a patient during treatment. These tables are usually made of metal, are relatively large and heavy and do not lend themselves readily to movement or transportation from place to place once the tables are fully assembled ready for use. Thus, with tables heretofore existing, it has been impractical for a chiropractor to use a full feature table to make house calls or to service immobile patients residing in nursing homes and the like, or to attend athletic and sports events for the treatment of sports injuries on the spot.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved portable treatment table and more particularly a portable chiropractic patient treatment table which is small enough in size and light enough in weight to be transportable from place to place as needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved portable treatment table of the character described which can be easily and rapidly assembled from a folded-up transport position into a patient treatment position ready for the care and treatment of chiropractic patients at remote locations.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved chiropractic treatment table of the character described which is portable and thus well-suited for use in house calls, sports medicine and nursing and retirement facilities away from the using practitioner's office or clinic.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable treatment table which is useful for cervical adjustments to a patient in a sitting position thereon.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable chiropractic treatment table of the character described which includes a detachable head piece assembly having a drop capability for cervical adjustments, a front table section, employing dorsal and lumbar cushions with drops provided and a pelvic section attachable thereto with a drop so that pelvic drop adjustments may be made as desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable chiropractic treatment table of the character described having a head piece assembly which is attachable to a floor supported portable table section and which is adjustable to provide a plurality of different levels relative to the table section and a plurality of different angular slopes relative thereto.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved table section useful for treatment of patients in a sitting position.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved chair of the character described which additionally serves as a front table section in a multi-section portable chiropractic treatment table system.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved portable chiropractic treatment table of the character described which is relatively low in cost, simple and easy to assembly and disassemble and relatively light in weight and small in size so as to be suitable for transporting for house calls, and for sports medicine and nursing home application.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention are accomplished in an illustrated embodiment comprising a new and improved portable treatment table including a plurality of separate patient supporting table sections which are interconnectable for supporting a patient for treatment at a convenient working level above the floor while the patient is supported in a generally horizontal lying position. Each of the table sections includes a cushion assembly for supportig a portion of the patient's body and the assembly is mounted on a frame supported by a plurality of legs pivotally interconnected to the frame for movement between a folded-up position inside the frame for transportation of the table sections and a downwardly extended position for engaging the floor to support the cushion at a suitable level for patient treatment. Connectors are provided for detachably interconnecting the frames of the table sections and a detachable head piece assembly is provided for attachment to one of the table sections to support the head of a patient lying on the cushions of the interconnected table sections. Lift and drop assemblies are provided for the head piece, a dorsal cushion, a lumbar cushion and a pelvic cushion of the table sections and an ankle support cushion is slideably adjustable for patients of differing heights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a new and improved portable treatment table shown in a folded-up condition ready for transport;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table of FIG. 1 shown in an assembled condition ready for receiving a patient for treatment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the portable table sections shown in an erected condition suitable for use in making cervical adjustments on a patient;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a head end portion of the table with a head piece assembly in place thereon at a selected one of a plurality of different head piece levels that are available; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a head end portion of the table with the head piece assembly attached and shown in an angularly upwardly sloping position; FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the head piece assembly in an angularly downwardly sloping position for patient treatment; FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the head piece assembly at an intermediate level in a generally horizontal position; FIG. 8 is a head end elevational view of the table and head piece assembly thereof; FIG. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the head piece assembly of the table illustrating a lift and drop mechanism and showing the head piece cushion in an elevated position ready for a rapid drop; FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the head piece assembly looking upwardly in the direction of arrows 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the head piece taken substantially along lines 11--11 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view of a lift and drop mechanism utilized in the table on the head piece assembly and the respective table sections;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a transverse fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 14--14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a head end portion of a front table section of the table showing a dorsal cushion thereof in an elevated position ready for drop;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary bottom view taken substantially along lines 16--16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 17--17 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a pelvic table section of the table constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention and illustrating an ankle support cushion thereon in an extended position;

FIG. 19 is a view of the underside of the pelvic table section and a head piece assembly detached and ready for stowage on the underside of the pelvic cushion;

FIG. 20 is an underside view of the pelvic table section with the head piece assembly stowed and the legs in a folded position ready for transport;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the underside of the front table section of the table with the legs in an extended position and the head piece cushions detached from the head piece frame and ready for stowage;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the underside of the front table section with the head piece cushions in the stowed condition and the support legs folded-up within the frame ready for transport;

FIG. 23 is a perspective elevational view of another embodiment of a portable treatment table constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in an assembled condition ready for receiving a patient for treatment; and

FIG. 24 is yet another embodiment of a portable patient treatment table constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in an assembled condition ready for receiving a patient for treatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, therein is illustrated a new a improved portable treatment table especially designed and adapted for use by a chiropractor for treating patients at home and at other locations remote from the office such as sporting events, nursing homes, etc. The portable treatment table as a whole is generally referred to by the reference numeral 30 and includes a generally rectangular shaped front or thoracic table section 32, a pelvic table section 34 and a detachable head piece assembly 36 designed to support a patient's head while the patient is lying prone in a horizontal position on the assembled table as illustrated in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the table sections 32 and 34 is dimensioned to occupy a space about the size of an ordinary suitcase so that both table sections may be handled and transported by one person and with the removable head piece assembly 36 in a stowed position on the respective table sections. The table is constructed to be relatively low in weight so that the suitcase sized table sections may be carried from place to place without undue burden to remote locations for patient treatment and then the components assembled