초록 ▼

A patient support system includes independently adjustable end columns supporting a centrally hinged, jointed or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes a powered rotation assembly. The patient support includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for b

A patient support system includes independently adjustable end columns supporting a centrally hinged, jointed or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes a powered rotation assembly. The patient support includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for both upwardly and downwardly breaking or jointed orientations of the two sections in various inclined and tilted positions. Cable, cantilevered and pull-rod systems are included.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports, each end support being attached to the base structure;b) an elongate patient support structure including first and second portion

1. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports, each end support being attached to the base structure;b) an elongate patient support structure including first and second portions joined at an articulation, the patient support structure having opposite ends connected to the end supports respectively and being alignable in a first plane and movable to a plurality of angular orientations with respect to one another on either side of the first plane;c) the articulation joining the first and second portions and movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a pair of translation connector subassemblies cooperating with the articulation and located at respective ends of the patient support structure so as to allow the patient support structure to move through the various angular orientations thereof without the spaced opposed end supports moving relative to each other; ande) a structure to move the articulation into the various angular orientations. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the end supports includes a first vertical height adjustor and a second vertical height adjustor is positioned between the spaced opposed end supports. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the end supports further includes a rotation mechanism. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support structure is both detachable and locatable at either end in a plurality of locations vertically spaced from a floor. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulation has a hinge mechanism that cooperates with the various angular orientations. 6. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a support subassembly including first and second spaced opposed upright end supports; each end support being attached to a respective base structure; one of the first and second end supports being vertically height adjustable;b) an elongate patient support with first and second ends and extending between the first and second end supports; the patient support being held by the end supports in spaced relation with respect to a floor, the patient support connected to and supported between the end supports; the patient support having a single breaking location spaced from the end supports and adapted to interact with the patient when the patient is located on the patient support; andc) a secondary vertical elevator connecting a patient support first end with the end support that is vertically height adjustable; the vertical elevator being controllable to allow continuous non-segmented adjustment of the support first end relative to the respective end support so as to align and orient the patient support subassembly; and whereind) the patient support is controllable to be upwardly and downwardly articulatable at both the first and second ends of the patient support relative to respective end supports and at the breaking location so as to be adapted to manipulate a patient into a plurality of selectively prone and non-prone positions in cooperation with an end support translation compensation mechanism, while also cooperating with the end supports to move the patient between vertical positions. 7. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a support subassembly including first and second spaced opposed upright end supports; each end support being attached to a respective base structure; one of the first and second end supports being vertically height adjustable;b) an elongate patient support with first and second ends and extending between the first and second end supports; the patient support being held by the end supports in spaced relation with respect to a floor, the patient support connected to and supported between the end supports; the patient support having a single breaking location spaced from the end supports and adapted to interact with the patient when the patient is located on the patient support; andc) a vertical elevator connecting a patient support first end with a respective end support; the vertical elevator being controllable to allow continuous non-segmented adjustment of the support first end relative to the respective end support so as to align and orient the patient support subassembly; and whereind) the patient support is controllable to be upwardly and downwardly articulatable at both the first and second ends of the patient support relative to respective end supports and at the breaking location so as to be adapted to manipulate a patient into a plurality of selectively prone and non-prone positions in cooperation with a patient support translation compensation mechanism, while also cooperating with the end supports to move the patient between vertical positions. 8. In a patient support apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure including a pair of spaced end supports and an elongate patient support supported between the end supports; the improvement wherein a portion of the patient support is articulatable relative to one end support and the patient support is joined to one of the end supports by a translation connector that operably allows articulation of the patient support relative to one end support without a change in spacing between the end supports and wherein the patient support has opposite ends connected to respective end supports and the patient support is articulated between the patient support ends. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the patient support is articulated by a hinge. 10. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a support subassembly including first and second spaced opposed upright vertically adjustable end supports, each end support being attached to a base structure;b) an elongate patient support subassembly extending between the first and second end supports and held by the end supports in spaced relation with respect to a floor, the patient support subassembly having pivotably connected head and foot end portions alignable in a first plane and movable to a plurality of angular orientations with respect to one another on either side of the first plane;c) an articulation in the patient support subassembly between the head and foot end portions and movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the head and foot end pivotably connected portions;d) a translation connector subassembly positioned between one end portion and one end support and cooperating with the articulation and pivotably connected head and foot end portions so as to allow the patient support subassembly to move through the various angular orientations thereof without the end supports moving relative to each other; ande) a powered mechanism to drive the articulation. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of the first and second upright end supports is in cantilevered relationship with respect to one of the head and foot end portions. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the translation connector subassembly comprises a linear translating connection. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the translation connector is attached to one of the head end and foot end portions. 14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the powered mechanism is associated with the rotation and angulation subassemblies. 15. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure; the apparatus comprising: a) first and second spaced and opposed end supports;b) an elongate patient support structure extending between and being supported by the first and second end supports; whereinc) the patient support structure includes a frame section that has spaced opposite sides, so as to provide an open space therebetween that is free of obstructions and that allows a patient's belly to extend downward between the opposite sides when a patient is in a prone position on the patient support structure; and whereind) the frame section is a first frame section and including a second frame section joined with the first frame section at a hinge. 16. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a support subassembly including first and second spaced opposed upright end supports; each end support being attached to a respective base structure; one of the first and second end supports being vertically height adjustable;b) an elongate patient support with first and second ends and extending between the first and second end supports; the patient support being held by the end supports in spaced relation with respect to a floor, the patient support connected to and supported between the end supports; the patient support having a single breaking location spaced from each of the end supports and being adapted to interact with the patient when the patient is located on the patient support; andc) a vertical elevator connecting a patient support first end with a respective end support; the vertical elevator being controllable to allow infinite adjustment of the patient support first end relative to the respective end support so as to align and orient the patient support subassembly; and whereind) the patient support is controllable to be upwardly articulatable at both the first and second ends of the patient support relative to respective end supports and at the breaking location so as to be adapted to manipulate a patient into a plurality of selectively prone and non-prone positions in cooperation with a support subassembly translation compensation mechanism, while also cooperating with the end supports to move the patient between vertical positions. 17. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus including: a) first and second opposed end supports;b) a patient support structure connected to and bridging substantially between the first and second end supports, the support structure having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being selectively lockable in a first substantially planar orientation along a longitudinal axis of the support structure, the first and second portions positionable and lockable in a plurality of angles with respect to one another, with each portion movable to a position on either side of the first planar orientation; andc) the patient support structure formed by a framework having an open interior region sized and shaped to allow a portion of a patient's anatomy to extend pendantly relative to the frame. 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first and second portions are attached at a hinge. 19. A patient support and positioning system comprising: a) a base adapted to be supported on a floor and having a top structure and a bottom structure; andb) an open frame section for supporting a patient thereon, the open frame section being attached near a first end thereof to the base top structure and having a second end, the frame section extending outwardly from the base top structure; the frame section first end being movable from side to side relative to the base top portion, so that the frame section second end varies in distance from the base top structure; the base top structure being articulatable relative to the bottom structure through a plurality of angles so as to be positionable in a plurality of inclined and declined positions relative to the base bottom structure; whereinc) the patient support frame section is supported in a cantilever-like manner by the base top structure and movable relative to the base top structure. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein: a) the base top and bottom structures are part of a head end and the base includes a foot end with a vertically adjustable member; andb) the second end of the frame section is pivotally attached to the vertically adjustable member. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein: a) the frame section includes a pair of opposed hinges that are spaced from each other and from the base. 22. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports; each end support being attached to the base structure and having an elevator;b) an elongate patient support structure including first and second portions joined at spaced apart articulations, the patient support structure having opposite ends connected to the end supports respectively, the patient support structure first and second portions being alignable in a first plane and movable to a plurality of angular orientations with respect to one another on either side of the first plane;c) the articulations joining the patient support structure first and second portions and being movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a translation connector subassembly cooperating with the articulations and the ends of the patient support structure so as to allow the patient support structure to move through the various angular orientations thereof without the spaced opposed end supports moving relative to each other; ande) a structure to move the articulations into the various angular orientations, the structure being located on the base. 23. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports; each end support being attached to the base structure and having an elevator;b) an elongate patient support structure including first and second portions forming an open frame joined at spaced apart articulations, the patient support structure having opposite ends connected to the end supports respectively, the patient support structure opposite ends being alignable in a plurality of angular orientations with respect to the base end supports;c) the articulations joining the patient support structure first and second portions and being movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a translation connector subassembly cooperating with the articulations and the ends of the patient support structure so as to allow the patient support structure to move through the various angular orientations thereof without the spaced opposed end supports moving relative to each other; ande) a motorized structure to move the articulations into the various angular orientations, the structure being located on one end of the base structure and configured as a cantilever lifting and positioning mechanism. 24. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports; each end support havingindependent vertical height adjustment with respect to a floor;b) an elongate patient support structure including head end and foot end portions forming an open frame on one end joined at an articulation therebetween, the patient support structure having opposite ends connected to the end supports respectively, the patient support structure opposite ends being alignable in a plurality of angular orientations with respect to the base end supports;c) the articulation joining the patient support structure head and foot end portions and being movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a motorized structure to move the articulation into the various angular orientations, the structure being located on one end of the base structure and configured as a cantilever lifting and positioning mechanism; whereine) the motorized structure is attached directly to the foot end portion of the patient support structure. 25. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports, each end support being attached to the base structure;b) an elongate patient support structure including first and second portions joined at an articulation, the patient support structure having opposite ends connected to the end supports respectively and being alignable in a first plane and movable to a plurality of angular orientations with respect to one another on either side of the first plane;c) the articulation joining the first and second portions and movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a translation connector subassembly cooperating with the articulation and the ends of the patient support structure so as to allow the patient support structure to move through the various angular orientations thereof without the spaced opposed end supports moving relative to each other; ande) a structure to move the articulation into the various angular orientations. 26. An apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure, the apparatus comprising: a) a base structure including first and second spaced opposed end supports; each end support having independent vertical height adjustment with respect to a floor;b) an elongate patient support structure including head end and foot end portions defining an open frame on at least one portion, the head and foot end portions joined at an articulation therebetween, the patient support structure having outward ends connected to the end supports respectively, the patient support structure outward opposite ends being alignable in a plurality of angular orientations with respect to the base end supports;c) the articulation joining the patient support structure head and foot end portions and being movable to a plurality of angular orientations associated with the angular orientations of the outward ends of the patient support structure relative to the end supports;d) a motorized structure to move the articulation into the various angular orientations, the structure being located on and secured to at least one end of the base structure and configured as a cantilever lifting and positioning mechanism; whereine) the motorized structure is directly and securely attached to at least one of the head end and foot end portion of the patient support structure.