US4873710A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Patient support
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-01-15
•
Granted: 1989-10-10
•
Expires: 2008-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A patient support includes a support surface and structure positioned about the support surface for lifting selected portions of the patient's body from the support surface so as to permit the insertion of an x-ray cassette beneath the selected portion of the patient's body. The structure for lifting preferably includes a plurality of inflatable runners. Structure for placing the inflatable runners in fluid connection with fluid supply means is provided such that the runners can be inflated. The runners are spaced apart from one another and adapted when inflated to lift an adjacent portion of the patient so as to permit the insertion of an x-ray cassette between adjacent runners and beneath the patient.
Inventors
- 👤 David B. Lotman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:26
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/10; A61G7/1013; A61G7/1021; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/04; A61B6/0485; A61G2200/00; A61G2200/30; A61G2200/32; A61G2210/00; A61G2210/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A support for a patient to be x-rayed, said support having a plurality of spaced apart elongated inflatable runners adapted to lift portions of the patient's body, said support comprising; a generally flat support surface having at least one substantially U-shaped inflatable runner means, said U-shaped runner means comprising substantially parallel portions and at least one substantially perpendicular portion; and, connection means for placing said inflatable runner means in fluid connection with fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runner means lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface so as to permit the insertion of an x-ray cassette beneath said portion of the patient, above the support surface, in an area bounded by said substantially U-shaped runner means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A support for a patient to be x-rayed, said support having a plurality of spaced apart elongated inflatable runners adapted to lift portions of the patient's body, said support comprising; a generally flat support surface having at least one substantially U-shaped inflatable runner means, said U-shaped runner means comprising substantially parallel portions and at least one substantially perpendicular portion; and, connection means for placing said inflatable runner means in fluid connection with fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runner means lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface so as to permit the insertion of an x-ray cassette beneath said portion of the patient, above the support surface, in an area bounded by said substantially U-shaped runner means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The patient support of claim 1, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means comprise at least one valve means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 2, wherein said connection means is selective, whereby only portions of the patient's body to be x-rayed will be lifted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 3, further comprising electric actuation means for actuating said valves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The assembly of claim 4, further comprising electric control means adapted to control said actuation means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The assembly of claim 5, wherein said electric actuation means comprise a solenoid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The patient support of claim 1, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means comprises a manifold in fluid connection with each of said runners.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said runners is positioned on the support surface so as to lift the foot of the patient, and other runners are positioned so as to substantially lift the knee area, the pelvis, the upper chest, and the head of the patient when said runners are inflated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least two substantially parallel head restraint runners, said head restraint runners being aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shoulders of the patient and spaced apart so as to restrain the head of the patient therebetween when said head restraint runners are inflated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
A support for a patient, comprising: a generally flat support surface having spaced apart, elongated concave depressions formed in the support surface, and a plurality of spaced elongated inflatable runners fixed in said concave depressions formed in the support surface; and, connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with a fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runners lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface, said runners when deflated being collapsible into said depressions, whereby no discomfort is caused to a patient supported on the support surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
A support for a patient, comprising: a generally flat support surface having spaced apart, elongated concave depressions formed in the support surface, and a plurality of spaced elongated inflatable runners fixed in said concave depressions formed in the support surface; and, connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with a fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runners lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface, said runners when deflated being collapsible into said depressions, whereby no discomfort is caused to a patient supported on the support surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The patient support of claim 10, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means comprise at least one valve means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 11, wherein said connection means is selective, whereby only portions of the patient's body to be x-rayed will be lifted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 12, further comprising electric actuation means for actuating said valves.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The assembly of claim 13, further comprising electric control means adapted to control said actuation means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The assembly of claim 14, wherein said electric actuation means comprise a solenoid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The patient support of claim 10, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means comprises a manifold in fluid connection with each of said runners.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of said runners is positioned on the support surface so as to lift the foot of the patient, and other runners are positioned so as to substantially lift the knee area, the pelvis, the upper chest, and the head of the patient when said runners are inflated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The assembly of claim 10, further comprising at least two substantially parallel head restraint runners, said head restraint runners being aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shoulders of the patient therebetween when said head restraint runners are inflated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
127 words
An assembly for the recordation of an image of a patient cast by x-rays emanating from an x-ray source, said assembly comprising: an x-ray cassette for recording said x-ray image; a generally flat patient support surface; a plurality of lifting means disposed about the support surface at a distance from one another adapted to permit the insertion of said x-ray cassette therebetween, said lifting means comprising elongated inflatable runners, and further comprising connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runners lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface, and permits the insertion of said x-ray cassette beneath said portion of the patient and between said adjacent runners for recordation of said x-ray image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
127 words
An assembly for the recordation of an image of a patient cast by x-rays emanating from an x-ray source, said assembly comprising: an x-ray cassette for recording said x-ray image; a generally flat patient support surface; a plurality of lifting means disposed about the support surface at a distance from one another adapted to permit the insertion of said x-ray cassette therebetween, said lifting means comprising elongated inflatable runners, and further comprising connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with fluid supply means, whereby inflation of said runners lifts an adjacent portion of the patient from the support surface, and permits the insertion of said x-ray cassette beneath said portion of the patient and between said adjacent runners for recordation of said x-ray image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, further comprising means for removing fluid from the runners.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 20, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means, and said means for removing fluid from the runners, comprise at least one valve means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 21, wherein said connection means for placing said inflatable runners in fluid connection with said fluid supply means comprises a manifold in fluid connection with each of said runners.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 21, further comprising electric actuation means for actuating said valves.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 23, further comprising electric control means adapted to control said actuation means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 24, wherein said electric actuation means comprise a solenoid.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
61 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, wherein the runners are substantially parallel and laterally aligned on the support surface, so as to be substantially parallel with the axis of the shoulders of the patient, whereby the x-ray cassette can be positioned between adjacent runners from alongside the patient and at a plurality of locations relative to the body of the patient.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, wherein at least one of said runners is positioned on the support surface so as to lift the foot of the patient, and other runners are positioned so as to substantially lift the knee area, the pelvis, the upper chest, and the head of the patient when said runners are inflated.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
53 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 27, further comprising at least two substantially parallel head restraint runners, said head restraint runners being aligned substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shoulders of the patient and spaced apart so as to restrain the head of the patient therebetween when said head restraint runners are inflated.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, wherein at least one longitudinally aligned lifting means is placed between two lateral lifting means substantially at one lateral side of said support surface, whereby a substantially U-shaped lifting means is formed.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, wherein said connection means is selective, whereby only portions of the patient's body to be x-rayed will be lifted.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 19, further comprising restraining straps fixed to the patient support.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The x-ray assembly of claim 31, wherein said restraining straps comprise a hook and loop fastener.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-10-09 | 1993-04-10 | 1993-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-10-09 | 1997-04-10 | 1997-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-10-09 | 2001-04-10 | 2001-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |