TABLE ATTACHMENT APPARATUS

Abstract

A strap attachment apparatus for a treatment table including a spanning belt formed of flexible material secured across opposite sides of said table with a pair of anchors connected at opposite ends of the spanning belt for attachment to the table. The anchors include body strap retainers that support at least one body strap. The body strap is movable on the retainers to adjust the position of the straps to fit a person on the treatment table while the anchors remain fixed to the table.

Claims

1. A strap attachment apparatus for a table having a support surface, sides and side rails comprising: a spanning belt formed of flexible material having a length to be secured across opposite sides of said table; a pair of elongated, spanning belt attachment anchors at opposite ends of said spanning belt; said anchors being structured and sized to fit and to engage said side rails at said opposite sides of said table to attach said spanning belt to said table; said spanning belt attachment anchors further including integrally formed body strap retainers; said body strap retainers having a length extending along the length of said anchors; and, at least one separate body strap having ends attached to and movably positioned on each of said body strap retainers; said body strap having a width less than the said length of said body strap retainers such that said length of said body strap retainers is at least twice the width of said body strap; said length of said body strap retainers and said width of said body strap permitting longitudinal, adjustable movement of said body strap along said length of said body strap retainers while the anchors remain attached to the table said and body strap remains attached to said strap retainers to adjust the position of the body strap to fit a person on the treatment table.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said anchors are defined as being generally U-shaped and further including mounting brackets integrally formed with and extending from ends of said U-shaped anchors.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said body strap retainers are cylindrical rods attached to said mounting brackets.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said U-shaped anchors are further defined as being flexible for engagement of said table.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ends of said body strap are further defined by being formed as a loop positioned over each of said body strap retainers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of body straps on said body strap retainers.

7. A treatment table comprising: an upper surface to support a person lying thereon; side rail frames; table support means; and, a strap attachment apparatus including body support straps to maintain the person in a fixed position on the upper surface of the table; said strap attachment apparatus characterized by a spanning belt sized to span across the width of said table upper surface; said spanning strap member having a pair of elongated anchors attached thereto at opposite ends thereof; said anchors being generally u-shaped to engage and fix said spanning strap to said side rail frames of said table; said anchors further including mounting brackets at opposite ends of the anchors; body strap retainers connected to said mounting brackets on said anchors to position and retain said body support straps thereon; said strap attachment apparatus further defined by said body strap retainers having a length between said mounting brackets on the ends of said anchors; and, at least one body strap attached to said body strap retainers; said body strap being defined by a width substantially less than the length of said body strap retainers permitting relative longitudinal movement of said body strap along the length of said body strap retainers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said anchors and said body strap retainers are longitudinal and said length of said body strap retainers is at least twice the width of said body strap.

9. A strap attachment apparatus for a treatment table having an upper surface, side rails and a support comprising: a spanning belt formed of flexible material having a length to be secured across opposite sides of said table; a pair of elongated, spanning belt attachment anchors at opposite ends of said spanning belt; said anchors being structured and sized to fit and to engage said side rails at said opposite sides of said table to attach said spanning belt to said table; said spanning belt attachment anchors further including support brackets at each end thereof and body strap retainers attached to said support brackets and further defined by having a body strap retainer length extending between said support brackets at the ends of said anchors; and, at least one separate body strap having ends attached to and movably positioned on each of said body strap retainers; said body strap having a lesser width than the said body strap retainer length such that said length of said body strap retainers is at least twice said width of said body strap; said length of said body strap retainers and said lesser width of said body strap permitting longitudinal, adjustable movement of said body strap along said length of said body strap retainers while the anchors remain attached to the table said and body strap remains attached to said strap retainers to adjust the position of the body strap to fit a person on the treatment table.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said spanning belt is formed of flexible material.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said strap mount is a cylindrical rod.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said anchor rails are U-shaped and sized to fit over and engage said side rails.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said body strap retainers extend the entire length of said anchors.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the attachment apparatus connected on top of a conventional massage type, treatment table (partially shown) in accordance with the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a single body strap support member used on a treatment table without straps.

[0021] FIG. 3 is an angular perspective view of FIG. 2.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a view of the support member detached from a table.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of one end of the body strap support member.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a view of a detail of the apparatus showing the anchor and table side rail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0025] A preferred embodiment of a massage table attachment apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like numerals refer to the same parts in each figure. Preferably the attachment apparatus 10 is used in combination with a conventional massage table 12 shown in part including a padded upper surface 14 to accommodate a person lying on the table 12 for treatment, support legs 16 and side rails 18. The version of the massage table 12 shown in the drawings is formed in two sections, an upper body section 20 and a lower body section 22 such that the sections 20 and 22 of the table 12 may be folded together to facilitate carrying and storage.

[0026] The attachment apparatus 10 converts a conventional massage table 12 to a table particularly useful for stretching procedures that typically require the application of stretching forces by a trainer or therapist to the person being treated while maintaining the person being treated in a fixed position on the table. The attachment apparatus 10 includes a wide flexible belt 24 that is sized to extend across the upper surface of the padded body support 14 thereby spanning the width of the table 12. Each end of the belt 24 is connected to an elongated, longitudinal, side rail anchor 26 approximately the same width as the belt 24 for attachment to the side rails 18 of the table 12. The ends of the belt 24 are attached to the side rail anchors 26 by suitable fasteners, not shown, or by epoxy type glue, heat welding or other suitable permanently attaching means. The side rail anchors 26 have a generally U-shaped cross section, as shown in the drawings, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Preferably the side rail anchors 26 are flexible in order to snap on the side rails 18 of the table 12; see FIG. 6. Alternately the anchors 26 may be rigid and sized to snugly fit over the side rails 18. The flexible spanning belt 24 exerts tension on the side rail anchors 26 to insure they remain in place during use.

[0027] The side rail anchors 26 are integrally formed with a body strap retainer 28 supported by a pair of brackets 30 that are formed with and extend from the ends of the side rail anchors 26. Preferably each body strap retainer 28 is a rigid cylindrical rod or tube having opposite ends attached to the brackets 30. Each body strap retainer 28 is designed to adjustably support at least one body support strap 32. The overall length of a body support strap retainer 28 is at least twice the width of the body support strap 32 positioned thereon enabling the body strap 32 to be adjustably moved along the length of the retainer 28 to accommodate different sized individuals with having to remove and reposition the entire attachment apparatus 10. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the retainer 28 may be several times longer than the width of the supported body strap 32, as for example shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the body strap retainer 28 is positioned directly under the side rail anchors 26 however the body strap retainer 28 may be angularly offset further under the table 12 and function equally as well.

[0029] Preferably, the body support straps 32 are attached to the table 12 by being looped over the cylindrical body strap retainer 28 and extend across the table 12 to support a person lying thereon during a physical therapy or similar stretching session. The body support straps 32 can be provided in a variety of widths and sizes, the only restriction being that they have a width no greater than half the length of the retainer 28 to facilitate adjustably positioning the body strap 32 along the retainer 28. Referring to FIG. 1, a body support strap 32 designed to engage the torso or upper body of the person being worked on, is provided with a cushion 34 to more comfortably spread the retaining forces of the strap 32 against the body of the person on the table 12.

[0030] As previously indicated, the width of the body support straps 32 is considerably less than the length of the cylindrical retainer 28 such that the body support straps 32 may be longitudinally positioned along the length of the retainer 28 in order that the straps 32 can be adjusted to the physical characteristics of the person being treated without the necessity of removing and repositioning the entire apparatus 10. This arrangement also permits a plurality of straps to be positioned on a single cylindrical retainer 28 as shown 28 on the section 24 of the table 12 in the drawings.

[0031] In use, the massage table attachment apparatus 10 of the present invention is attached to a massage table 12 by spreading the spanning belt 24 across the width of the upper surface 14 of the massage table 12. The open ends of the U-shaped, side rail anchors 26 are pushed over and snapped onto the downwardly extending side rails 18 of the table 12. Once the anchors 26 are frictionally attached to the side rails 18, they are maintained thereto by the tension of the belt 24. The body support straps 32 are adjustably positioned over the cylindrical retainer 28 by looping a strap 32 through the opening between the cylindrical retainer 28 and the bottom of the anchor 26. A person being treated lies on top of the table 12 and the body support straps 32 are secured to a selected body part to maintain the person on the table 12 in a fixed position during treatment. The number of straps 32 used and the location on the body of the person being treated are determined by the size of the individual and the particular body work/stretching techniques or exercises that are suited for the particular individual being treated.

[0032] Whereas the apparatus has been shown as a specific size relative to the table, it will be appreciated that modifications of the attachment apparatus may be made. For example, the overall length of the strap attachment apparatus may vary depending upon the intended use and may extend the entire length of the side of a massage table in order to accommodate a number of body support straps. In addition, the body support straps may be connected to the retainers by mechanical means rather than being looped over the retainers.

[0033] Other modifications may be made to the above described apparatus in keeping within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the following claims.