# US 8,465,097 B2 · Medical support system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,097 B2 - Document ID: US8465097B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/898,699 - Filed: 2010-10-05 - Published: 2012-04-05 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-05 - Applicants: Antonio Vicente - Inventors: Antonio Vicente - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465097B2 ## CPC - A61G 15/08: associated with seats for the surgeon or dentist - A61B 90/60: Supports for surgeons, e.g. chairs or hand supports (seats for dentists or surgeons associated with dental chairs or operating chairs A61G15/08) - A61G 15/125: {Head-rests} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A medical support system for medical professionals performing procedures on patients. That medical support system includes adjustable support arms adjacent a patient headrest. The support arms are padded, have concave support surfaces, can freely rotate and pivot, but can also be locked in position via a ball-joint mechanism inside a housing. The ball joint has a compression cap with a conically shaped opening that aligns with a ball that receives a rod that connects to a support arm. Turning the compression cap induces a state of snugness achieved by friction between the ball, the compression cap and the housing. Loosening the compression cap allows rotational and angular positioning of the support arms. The compression cap has a knurled outer surface to assist a medical professional using the medical support system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical support system, comprising: a mounting support; a head rest having a mounting plate, said mounting plate being rigidly attached to the mounting support; a support arm adjacent said head rest and attached to said mounting support, said support arm including support surfaces; wherein said mounting support comprises a housing; wherein said support arm comprises an elongated rod and a ball, wherein the rod is rigidly attached to the ball, wherein said rod and ball form a ball-joint mechanism, and wherein the support surface is attached to the rod; wherein the ball is retained inside the housing; wherein said support arm is selectively pivotal and rotatable; and wherein said support arm can selectively be locked in position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical support system of claim 1, wherein said support surfaces include a padded surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The medical support system of claim 2, wherein said padded surface has a concave shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The medical support system of claim 1, wherein said support arm is attached to said mounting support using the ball-joint mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The medical support system of claim 4, wherein said ball-joint mechanism includes the ball within a cup inside the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The medical support system of claim 5, wherein said cup is formed by a compression cap having a cap seat and by a housing seat, wherein said cap seat and said housing seat are configured to contact said ball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The medical support system of claim 6, wherein said compression cap and said housing are threaded to form a cap screw assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The medical support system of claim 7: wherein said ball connects to the rod that passes through said compression cap, said rod connecting to said mounting support; wherein said compression cap has a conically shaped opening that receives said rod; wherein when said cap-screw assembly is loose said rod can pivot and rotate; and wherein when said cap-screw assembly is tightened said rod is locked in position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The medical support system of claim 6, wherein said compression cap has a knurled outer surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The medical support system of claim 6, wherein said medical support system includes a means for attachment to a medical chair. ### Claim 11 A medical chair having a medical support system, comprising: a mounting support; a head rest having a mounting plate, said mounting plate being rigidly attached to the mounting support; a support arm adjacent said head rest and attached to said mounting support, said support arm including support surfaces; wherein said mounting support comprises a housing; wherein said support arm comprises an elongated rod and a ball, wherein the rod is rigidly attached to the ball, wherein said rod and ball form a ball-joint mechanism, and wherein the support surface is attached to the rod; wherein the ball is retained inside the housing; wherein said support arm is selectively pivotal and rotatable; and wherein said support arm can selectively be locked in position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The medical chair of claim 11, wherein said support arm includes a padded surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The medical chair of claim 12, wherein said padded surface is concave. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The medical chair of claim 12, wherein said support arm is attached to said mounting support using the ball-joint mechanism. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The medical chair of claim 14, wherein said ball-joint mechanism has the ball within a cup inside a housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The medical chair of claim 15, wherein said cup is formed by a compression cap having a cap seat and by a housing seat, wherein said cap seat and said housing seat are concave. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The medical chair of claim 16, wherein said compression cap and said housing are threaded to form a cap screw assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The medical chair of claim 17, wherein said ball connects to the rod that passes through said compression cap, said rod connecting to said mounting support; wherein said compression cap has a conically shaped opening that receives said rod; wherein when said cap-screw assembly is loose said rod can pivot and rotate; and wherein when said cap-screw assembly is tightened said rod is locked in position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The medical chair of claim 16, wherein said compression cap has a knurled surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The medical chair of claim 16, wherein medial chair includes a back rest attached to said medical support system.