Impact table with rotatable lift disk and shock absorber

• US 7,708,706 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Table Project, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Table Project, LLC
• Inventors: Swidler, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEMILLE, DANTON D
• Application Number:
  US10/159,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,895 Days
• Field of Search: 601/24, 601/26, 601/49, 601/51, 601/46, 601/98, 601/100, 601/101, 601/107, 601/108, 601/18, 601/23, 606/240
• US Class Current: 601/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/001 Apparatus for applying movements to the whole body
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0456 Supine
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves

Abstract

The invention is a synchronous impact table (the impact table). The impact table includes a support system having a control system therein, a power system coupled to the control system, a lift system coupled to the power system and the support system, and a patient support system coupled to the lift system. By providing a synchronous percussion wave to a user continuously over time, body and jaw alignment can be enhanced, soft connective tissue can return to its natural position, and body fluids can again flow and balance more naturally.

Claims

1. An impact table, comprising:

a table extending horizontally and configured for entirely supporting a patient lying on the table;

a plurality of rotatably mounted lift-disk means, each lift-disk means comprising a shaped outer perimeter, each shaped outer perimeter comprising at least one inclined portion and at least one radially extending surface, each lift-disk means in contact with a lift receiver, each lift receiver connected to the table;

wherein a power system is configured for simultaneously rotating the plurality of lift-disk means at a controllable rotation rate to provide a unitary motion of the table;

wherein during rotation at the rotation rate of the plurality of lift-disk means, the shaped outer perimeters of the lift-disk means lift and support the table when an inclined portion of each lift disk-means is in contact with each lift receiver, and

wherein during rotation at the rotation rate of the plurality of lift-disk means, the shaped outer perimeters of the lift-disk means remove support from the table such that the table drops from a raised position to a low position when each lift receiver falls beside each radially extending surface, thereby allowing the entire table to drop in free-fall and induce a single, unified wave across the entire body of the patient lying on the table, such that the single, unified wave propagates away from the table and through the patient that is lying horizontally on the table; and

shock absorbing means disposed between the table and the plurality of lift-disk means for absorbing a shock induced when the table reaches the low position, such that the shock is absorbed after the induction of said single, unified wave;

wherein the single, unified, wave operates to relax soft tissue strain patterns in the patient.

2. The impact table of claim 1 wherein allowing the table to drop induces wave in the table across an area approximately the size of the patient.

3. The impact table of claim 1, further including an amplitude control system configured to adjust a magnitude of a drop of the table when the plurality of rotatably mounted lift-disk means remove support from the table.

4. The impact table of claim 3, wherein the magnitude of the drop is less than one eighth of an inch (3.2 mm).

17. The impact table of claim 1, wherein each lift receiver comprises:

a push-pipe rigidly coupled to the table, wherein the roller is coupled to the push-pipe via a coupling portion of the push-pipe.

18. The impact table of claim 1 further comprising:

a push-pipe rigidly coupled to the table, the table having a vertical pipe for accepting the push-pipe;

wherein the means for absorbing shock includes a shock absorber rigidly coupled between the table and the push-pipe, and wherein the roller is coupled to the push-pipe via a coupling portion of the push-pipe.

5. An impact table comprising:

a table extending horizontally and configured for entirely supporting a patient lying on the table;

a synchronous lift system comprising a plurality of rotatably mounted lift disks, each lift disk comprising a shaped outer perimeter, each shaped outer perimeter comprising at least one inclined portion and at least one radially extending surface;

a power system configured for rotating the plurality of lift disks at a controllable rotation rate; and

a plurality of lift receivers connected to the table, each lift receiver comprising a roller, each roller being in contact with the shaped outer perimeter of a respective lift disk;

wherein during rotation at the rotation rate of the plurality of lift disks, the shaped outer perimeters of the lift disks lift and support the table when an inclined portion of each lift disk is in contact with each roller, and

wherein during rotation at the rotation rate of the plurality of lift disks, the shaped outer perimeters of the lift disks remove support from the table when each of the rollers falls beside the radially extending surface of each lift disk, thereby allowing the entire table to drop in free-fall from a raised position to a low position and to induce a single, unified wave in the patient lying on the table; and

means for absorbing a shock at the low position of said free-fall, the means for absorbing shock disposed between the table and the synchronous lift system so that said shock is absorbed after the induction of said single, unified wave;

wherein the single, unified wave operates to relax soft tissue strain patterns in the patient who is lying on the table.

6. The impact table of claim 5 further comprising:

a control system coupled to the power system to control a frequency of rotation of the plurality of lift disks.

7. The impact table of claim 5 wherein the power system comprises a motor.

8. The impact table of claim 7 wherein the motor is mechanically coupled to the lift system via a chain that runs from the motor to a first cog on a first axle and a second cog on a second axle, such that the rotation of the first cog turns the first axle and the rotation of the second cog turns the second axle.

9. The impact table of claim 8 wherein the lift system is mechanically coupled to the first axle via a first lift disk and a second lift disk such that the rotation of the first axle causes the rotation of the first lift disk and the second lift disk.

10. The impact table of claim 9 wherein the lift system is mechanically coupled to the second axle via a third lift disk and a fourth lift disk such that the rotation of the second axle causes the rotation of the third lift disk and the fourth lift disk.

11. The impact table of claim 10 wherein the lift system comprises:

a first lift receiver disposed against the first lift disk;

a second lift receiver disposed against the second lift disk;

a third lift receiver disposed against the third lift disk; and

a fourth lift receiver disposed against the fourth lift disk.

12. The impact table of claim 11 wherein each of the first lift receiver, the second lift receiver, the third lift receiver and the fourth lift receiver are rigidly coupled to the table.

13. The impact table of claim 11, wherein the means for absorbing shock includes at least one shock absorber disposed between the table and the lift system.

14. The impact table of claim 11 wherein each of the first lift receiver, the second lift receiver, the third lift receiver and the fourth lift receiver are coupled to the table via the means for absorbing shock, and wherein the means for absorbing shock includes a shock absorber coupling.

15. The impact table of claim 5 further comprising:

an amplitude control system configured to adjust a magnitude of a drop of the table when the plurality of lift disks remove support from the table.

16. The impact table of claim 15 wherein the amplitude control system comprises:

a mechanically adjustable screw mechanism that evenly adjusts a plurality of screw-supports simultaneously.