Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
In a spinal positioning couch including a body support portion having head, back, seat and leg support zones and a support frame on which the body support portion of the couch is mounted for movement about a horizontal pivot connection between the body support portion and the frame; the improvement in which (a) the leg support zone from approximately the center of the seat support zone is inclined at a fixed mean angle of between 130° and 170° relatively to the back and head support zones; (b) the back support zone includes an outwardly convex substantially non-deformable hump adapted to move the thoracic vertebrae T11, T12 and L1 of an adult user forwardly relatively to the remainder of his spinal column when the user lies on the couch in a supine position, (c) a head rest on the head support zone, and (d) means for moving the body support portion of the couch about its pivot connection with the frame between a substantially horizontal position and a position in which the head support zone is vertically lower than the seat support zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a spinal positioning couch including a body support portion having head, back, seat and leg support zones and a support frame on which the body support portion of the couch is mounted for movement about a horizontal pivot connection between the body support portion and the frame; the improvement in which (a) the leg support zone from approximately the center of the seat support zone is inclined at a fixed mean angle of between 130° and 170° relatively to the back and head support zones; (b) the back support zone includes an outwardly convex substantially non-deformable hump adapted to move the thoracic vertebrae T11, T12 and L1 of an adult user forwardly relatively to the remainder of his spinal column when the user lies on the couch in a supine position, (c) a head rest on the head support zone, and (d) means for moving the body support portion of the couch about its pivot connection with the frame between a substantially horizontal position and a position in which the head support zone is vertically lower than the seat support zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the angle between the leg and back and head support zones is 150°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the apex of the hump on the back support zone is approximately 300 mm from the center of the seat support zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which the head rest is fixed to the head support zone of the couch by means which enables movement of the rest in the direction of a user's spine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
180 words
A couch as claimed in claim 1, in which with the body support portion of the couch held in a horizontal position with the free ends of the leg and head support portions of the support located 200 mm above a horizontal plane which contacts the lowest portion of the seat support zone the dimensions of the couch are approximately: (a) total length 1,900 mm, (b) 900 mm between the center of the seat support and free end of the head support zones, (c) 600 mm between the free end of the head support zone and the apex of the hump on the back support zone, (d) at a point on the back support zone which is about 350 mm from the free end of the head support zone, 140 mm above the horizontal plane, (e) the apex of the hump on the back support zone, about 110 mm above the horizontal plane, and (f) at a point on the leg support zone about 600 mm from the center of the seat support zone, 210 mm above the horizontal plane.