Skull Clamp With Improved Positionability And Cleaning Capability

A skull clamp for supporting a patient's head, comprising:

• a frame defined by a base piece having a slot formed therein and a ratchet extension piece with a ratchet arm extendable into the slot, the ratchet arm including ratchet teeth engageable by the base piece;
• a plunger carried by the base piece;
• and
• a first pawl mounted to the base piece and operatively connected to the plunger so as to be biased into engagement with at least one of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm, thereby to permit the ratchet arm to move further into the slot, but to prevent the ratchet arm from being removed therefrom, the plunger being retractable relative to the base piece to move the first pawl out of biased engagement with the ratchet teeth, to enable the ratchet arm to be withdrawn from the slot, the first pawl being mounted to the base piece, and having at least one first engagement teeth that is shaped complementary to the ratchet teeth, and with the same pitch;
• and
• a second pawl located adjacent the first pawl and also mounted to the base piece, the second pawl having at least one second engagement tooth that is shaped complementary to the ratchet teeth, with the same pitch, the second pawl also operatively connected to the plunger and biased into engagement with the ratchet teeth, thereby to permit the ratchet arm to move further into the slot, but to prevent the ratchet arm from being moved outwardly therefrom;
• the at least one first engagement tooth and the at least one second engagement tooth being offset by a predetermined distance that is less than the pitch of the ratchet teeth, whereby the at least one first engagement tooth and the at least one second engagement tooth engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm at different positions when the ratchet arm moves into the slot a distance equal to the pitch, thereby to permit additional engagement positions of the ratchet piece and the base piece so as to facilitate positioning the skull clamp relative to a patient.

A skull clamp for supporting a patient's head, comprising:

• a frame defined by a base piece having a slot formed therein and a ratchet extension piece with a ratchet arm extendable into the slot, the ratchet arm including at least one row of ratchet teeth engageable by the base piece;
• a first pawl mounted to the base piece and having at least one first engagement teeth that is shaped complementary to the ratchet teeth, and with the same pitch, the at least one first engagement tooth of the first pawl being biased into engagement with at least one of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm, thereby to permit the ratchet arm to move further into the slot, but to prevent the ratchet arm from being removed therefrom;
• and
• a second pawl mounted to the base piece and having at least one second engagement tooth that is shaped complementary to the ratchet teeth, with the same pitch, the at least one second engagement tooth of the second pawl being biased into engagement with the ratchet teeth, thereby to permit the ratchet arm to move further into the slot, but to prevent the ratchet arm from being moved outwardly therefrom;
• the at least one first engagement tooth and the at least one second engagement tooth being offset by a predetermined distance that is less than the pitch of the ratchet teeth, whereby the at least one first engagement tooth and the at least one second engagement tooth engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm at different positions when the ratchet arm moves into the slot a distance equal to the pitch, thereby to permit additional engagement positions of the ratchet piece and the base piece so as to facilitate positioning the skull clamp relative to a patient.