US 6,470,519 B1Granted

Medical table brake

AssigneeGE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

InventorsJeffrey W. Pattee, David M. Robbins, Brett A. Karaus

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Abstract

A brake for a medical table (20) includes a speed detector (40) for determining when the table speed is greater than a threshold value. If the table is moving at greater than the threshold value, the brake is prevented from engaging to prevent the patient from being jolted. When the brake is engaged, teeth (91-95) of a brake tooth member (90) mesh with a groove set assembly (70). The teeth have central planes (A). Each of the teeth has sidewalls that define planes (P1 and P2) which make acute angles with respect to the respective central planes. A position detector (110) warns an operator when the brake is not engaged. A linear bearing assembly (125) guides the brake into the engaged position. A pawl assembly (100) hold the brake in the engaged position until released.

Claims16

Dependent claims

In a medical table including a base supporting a table top suitable for supporting a patient, said top being movable with respect to said base, a brake system for the table comprising:

a groove set;
at least one brake tooth movable relative to the groove set to a first brake tooth position of engagement with said groove set and movable to a second brake tooth position of disengagement with said groove set;
a pawl movable to a first pawl position to maintain the engagement of the groove set with the brake tooth and movable to a second pawl position to enable disengagement of the groove set from the brake tooth;
a switch generating a first signal in response to actuation by an operator of the table;
an actuator responsive to the first signal to cause the brake tooth to move to the second brake tooth position and to cause the pawl to move to the second pawl position whereby the table can be moved relative to the base by the operator;
a position detector to provide warning when the brake tooth is out of the first brake tooth position;
and
a connector coupling the groove set to one of the table and base and coupling the brake tooth, pawl, and actuator to the other of the table and base, whereby the table can be locked relative to the base.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.