US3622233A

US3622233A - Head support for diagnostic apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3622233A
Application number: US888738A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Blood; Stephen K Bright; Kenneth D Maier; Lawrence J Meyers
Original assignee: Bausch and Lomb Inc
Current assignee: Leica Microsystems Inc
Priority date: 1969-12-29
Filing date: 1969-12-29
Publication date: 1971-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-23

Abstract

A headrest to be used in diagnostic apparatus such as, for instance, precision eye examining instruments, said apparatus providing a semiflexible abutment for the forehead to prevent forward or sideward movements of the head.

Description

Inventors Charles 1-1. Blood Rochester; Stephen K. Bright, Perinton, N.Y.; Kenneth D. Meier, Palm Harbor, F 13.; Lawrence J. Meyers, Ann Arbor, Mich.

App]. No. 888,738

Filed Dec. 29, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 Assignee Bausch & Lomb Incorporated Rochester, N.Y.

HEAD SUPPORT FOR DIAGNOST1C APPARATUS 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figs.

u.s.c1 351/38, 248/] 18, 250/50. 297/391. 297/392, 297/404 1m.c1 A61b3/00, A61 g 15/00 [50] Field ofSearch 351/38; 250/50; 297/391, 392, 397, 104;248/118 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,015 12/1936 Ames,.1r 351/38 X 2,235,319 3/1941 Jobe 351/38 X 2,267,103 12/1941 1re1and.. 297/404 X 2,852,975 9/1958 Radde 297/391 X Primary Examiner David Schonberg Arsislant E.raminer Paul A. Sacher Atlorney- Frank C. Parker ABSTRACT: A headrest to be used in diagnostic apparatus such as, for instance. precision eye examining instruments, said apparatus providing a semiflexible abutment for the forehead to prevent forward or sideward movements of the head.

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KENNETH D. MINER h; LAWRENCE J-MEYERS INVENTORS BY I 1 /LMQ\ ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to headrests or supports which are generally used on diagnostic apparatus, particularly eye examination apparatus, such as slit lamp apparatus and similar devices. when conducting an examination of the eye, for instance to determine certain critical properties thereof, it is necessary that the head remain reliably immobile in a prescribed position. Due to the greatly dissimilar shapes of heads in the forehead and temple portions, problems commonly arise in properly fitting the head-holding member to a patient in a comfortable and effective manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a head support for a diagnostic apparatus which reliably and precisely positions a subjects head with reference to said apparatus without causing the subject any discomfort.

It is a further object to provide such a device which is quickly applied to the forehead and temple portions of the head of the subject regardless of the contour of those portions.

Further objects and advantages will be found in details of construction and arrangement thereof by reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a preferred form of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of said invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a head support which is generally designated by the numeral 10. The support device is held on a base member 1 1, which in most cases is part of the diagnostic apparatus to be served, by machine screws, one of which is shown at 12.

The head support device 10 comprises a baseplate l3 whereon a chin rest 14 is mounted centrally thereon, said chin rest being adjustably held above the baseplate 13 by means for a jackscrew 15 which is rotatably held in a bore 16 formed in the baseplate 13. The downward force on the chin rest 14 is transmitted from the jackscrew 15 through an adjusting nut 17 wherein the screw is threaded and is thereby transmitted to the baseplate 13.

Further comprising said chin rest 14 is a metallic platform 18 whereon a concave nonmetallic chin pad 19 is held demountably by means of a pair of

opposite spring detents

20 and 21 which engage in

corresponding notches

22 and 23 fonned in the platform 18. Along the front side of the chin pad 19 is formed a vertical flange 24 which functions as a chin stop, the chin rest serving to locate the patients head as indicated by dotted lines at 25.

According to the present invention, means are provided for firmly and reliably holding the upper part of the head 25 against sideward and forward lateral motions, said means comprising a pair of parallel

vertical posts

26 and 27 which are adjustably secured by clamping

screws

28 and 29 in the

bores

30 and 31 formed at the outer ends of the baseplate 13 as shown in FIG. 1.

At the upper end of each

post

26 and 27 is secured an arm, the pair of arms being designated by

numerals

32 and 33. Said arms extend generally toward each other in a forward direction so that one is inclined to the other symmetrically at an inclined angle of about 90 or more so as to provide a space for the head 25 as partially shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Near the outboard end of the

arms

32 and 33 are pivotally mounted individually a pair of contact or

rocker blocks

34 and 35 which have curved locating

surfaces

36 and 37 formed thereon. Locating

surfaces

36 and 37 approximately are shaped to conform to the average curvature of forehead 25 ust above the brow lme and said surfaces normally he on a common circle in the preferred form of the invention.

The contact or

rocker blocks

34 and 35 are provided with

horizontal bosses

38 and 39 which are held pivotally within

free fitting recesses

40 and 41 formed in the

respective arms

32 and 33 and held therein by the

respective pivot pins

42 and 43. As shown in FIG. l, the clearance spaces between the blocks contact or

rocker blocks

34 and 35 and their

respective recesses

40 and 41 are sufficient to permit restricted pivoting movement of the contact or rocker blocks for the purpose of conforming the locating

surfaces

36 and 37 to the contour of different heads. Simple means such as the

leaf springs

44 and 45 secured to the backs of the contact or

rocker blocks

34 and 35 are provided to maintain the contact or rocker blocks normally erect in their recesses.

In order to comfortably accommodate head contours which vary greatly in shape and size, a flexible headband 46 is provided which extends around the forehead in contact therewith above the brow line. The ends of the headband 46 are secured by any preferred means such as the

screws

47 and 48 which pass through holes in the ends of the headband and are threaded into tapped holes in the contact or

rocker blocks

34 and 35 as shown in FIG. 1.

Further accommodation for different shapes and sizes of heads 25 may be made by loosening the lockscrews 49 and 50 which hold the

arms

32 and 33 on the upright posts and adjusting the angularity of the arms, and additionally by using headbands 46 of different lengths.

When making vertical adjustments in the location of the headband 46, the

thumbscrews

28 and 29 are released so that the

arms

32 and 33 together with the crossbar and its attached headband may be raised or lowered, following which the thumbscrews are tightened again.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a headrest which supports the head of a patient comfortably and reliably regardless of the contoured shape thereof and requiring no adjusting screws except for elevation.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, changes in the form and arrangement of the parts thereof are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended herebelow.

We claim:

I. A device for support a head in a diagnostic apparatus having a base and a support frame said frame including a pair of upright posts and a chin rest for said head located between the posts, said device comprising;

a pair of horizontally disposed support arms directed angularly toward each other each affixed at one of its ends to a respective one of said posts and projecting toward each other, and toward the temples of said head,

a pair of rocker blocks having bosses formed thereon, each boss being freely fitted within one of said recesses,

pivot means cooperatively engaging said bosses and said support arms to allow said rocker blocks to pivot within said recesses,

a flexible head strap extending between the rocker blocks for being disposed about the forehead portion of said head in an arcuate shape, and

means for anchoring the opposite ends of said flexible head strap individually onto said rocker blocks.

Claims

1. A device for supporting a head in a diagnostic apparatus having a base and a support frame said frame including a pair of upright posts and a chin rest for said head located between the posts, said device comprising; a pair of horizontally disposed support arms directed angularly toward each other each afixed at one of its ends to a respective one of said posts and projecting toward each other, and toward the temples of said head, a pair of rocker blocks having bosses formed thereon, each boss being freely fitted within one of said recesses, pivot means cooperatively engaging said bosses and said support arms to allow said rocker blocks to pivot within said recesses, a flexible head strap extending between the rocker blocks for being disposed about the forehead portion of said head in an arcuate shape, and means for anchoring the opposite ends of said flexiblE head strap individually onto said rocker blocks.