The present invention relates to adjustable medical examination equipment and, more specifically, to an adjustable leg rest and kneeler assembly.
Adjustable footrests and kneelers for medical examination chairs and tables are well known in the art, but generally are elaborate in design or do not change from one position to another easily. The footrests usually require the steps of adding or removing one or more attachments to accomplish positional movement, which can be burdensome. Likewise, some designs that do not need the addition or removal of attachments do not allow for smooth movement between different positions.
For instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,816 discloses a leg and foot support assembly that is adjusts into different positions. However, the assembly has many interacting parts that do not always allow for the easiest transition from one position to another. The prior art guide rail used for extending the leg assembly has indents along the length of the guide rail, which are used to adjust and secure the assembly at different lengths. The indents provide a ratcheting action, which makes adjustment of the assembly tedious and also wears away the working parts over time, thereby diminishing the overall effectiveness of the assembly. Also, the guide area used to adjust the vertical and horizontal sections of the assembly relative to one another is designed with at least one sharp right angle, which does not provide for easy sliding movement of the relative sections of the assembly. Thus, an assembly is needed that will be easily arranged and adapted into different configurations in a smooth manner and process.
The present invention is a leg rest extension assembly for use on an examination table or chair. The extension assembly is normally in a horizontal position, aligned in the same plane as that of the examination surface of the table. The assembly may be extended outwardly from the table surface to extend the length of the available table surface. The assembly, which generally comprises a frame and an extension section that is slidably connected to the frame within a guide rail, is easily pulled outward away from the examination table to lengthen the surface. Latching means, located between the frame and the extension section, allow the assembly to be locked in predetermined extended positions. The latching means are designed and arranged in a separate location from the guide rail area, which allows for a simpler and more efficient design overall, since the sliding purpose of the guide rail does not have to be compromised to also act as a latching system.
The assembly may also be arranged to serve as a kneeler or kneeling section. An actuator connected to the table and the assembly allows the frame to be moved into any position between a vertical position and a horizontal position with respect to the examination table. The extension section may then be slidably moved into a position perpendicular to the frame, thereby forming the kneeler. Protuberances on the end of the extension section may interact with notched areas located on the guide rail and hold the extension section in a kneeling position. The assembly allows for the extension section to be positioned at different heights with respect to the frame, thereby accommodating people of different heights.
The guide rails that the extension section slides within are designed in an efficient manner so as not to require unnecessary bearing elements that may prevent smooth movement of the extension section.
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention.
As shown and discussed, the present invention is preferably designed with oppositely disposed arms 22 and guide rails 24. However, the present invention may be designed with a single guide rail 26 and arm 22, possibly centrally located of the frame 16 and the extension section 18. Likewise, the arrangement of the guide rails, guide slots, and arms may be reversed. That is, the guide rails 26 may be located on the extension section 18, thereby providing a guide slot for the frame 16. Provided a guide area allows for smooth slidable motion between the frame and extension section, it is understood that the guide area would fall within the scope of the present invention. Similarly, further discussion of movement of the extension section 18 with respect to the frame 16 also includes respective movement of the frame 16 to the extension section.
Still referring to
As a further advantage over the prior art, the symmetrical arrangement of the bearing means 24 within the guide slots 27 provides a smoother, easier to use assembly. That is, the bearing means 24 located in one guide slot 27 are preferably located at the same position with respect to the guide slot 27 as the bearing means 24 in the other guide slot.
As stated above regarding
As previously noted in describing
As can be seen in
It is generally not preferred during operation for the extension section 18 to be in an extended position from the table 10 when the section 18 is facing downwardly from the table 10. Because the table 10 may be independently moved up and down with respect to the extension section 18, the section 18 and the pad 34 may be inadvertently driven into a solid surface, such as a foot or floor. For instance, as shown in
The assembly 14 is preferably designed from solid materials, such as hardened steels, that will resist wear and tear when the sections are sliding relative to one another. The pad 34 may be made of any material that will provide a relatively sturdy, comfortable support for a patient. As previously noted, the pad 34 acts not only to give comfort to the patient, but also as a barrier between the moving parts of the assembly 14 and the patient and examiner and, also, as a handle for grasping and adjusting the assembly 14.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, 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 construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention.
This application claims the benefit of co-pending Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/506,989, filed 29 Sep. 2003.
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