Operating table

Abstract

An operating table includes a bearing column, a table top mounted on the bearing column, and a control device. The table top is displaceable from a middle position transversely to a longitudinal axis of the table and tiltable about a tilting axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table. The control device automatically activates a transverse displacement of the table top in a direction towards the middle position during a tilting movement.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An operating table comprising: 
 a bearing column;    a table top mounted on the bearing column, wherein the table top is displaceable from a middle position transversely to a longitudinal axis of the table and tiltable about a tilting axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table; and    a control device that automatically activates a transverse displacement of the table top in a direction towards the middle position during a tilting movement.    
     
     
         2 . The operating table of  claim 1 , wherein the control device automatically displaces the table top in the direction of its middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table when a predetermined critical angle is exceeded during a tilting movement.  
     
     
         3 . The operating table of  claim 2 , wherein the critical angle is predetermined as a function of the displacement of the table top from its middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table.  
     
     
         4 . The operating table of  claim 3 , wherein the control device comprises an electronic control unit.  
     
     
         5 . The operating table of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit comprises a comparator element for comparing an actual tilting angle with the predetermined critical angle.  
     
     
         6 . The operating table of  claim 5 , wherein the control unit comprises a computing element for calculating the predetermined critical angle as a function of the displacement of the table top transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table.  
     
     
         7 . The operating table of  claim 5 , wherein the control unit comprises a memory element for storing critical angle values as a function of the displacement of the table top.  
     
     
         8 . An operating table comprising: 
 a bearing column;    a table top mounted on the bearing column, wherein the table top is displaceable from a middle position transversely to a longitudinal axis of the table and tiltable about a tilting axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the table; and    means for automatically activating a transverse displacement of the table top in a direction towards the middle position during a tilting movement.    
     
     
         9 . The operating table of  claim 9 , wherein the means for automatically activating a transverse displacement of the table top automatically displaces the table top in the direction of its middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table when a predetermined critical angle is exceeded during a tilting movement.  
     
     
         10 . The operating table of  claim 10 , wherein the critical angle is predetermined as a function of the displacement of the table top from its middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table.  
     
     
         11 . A method of supporting an operating table, the method comprising: 
 supporting a table top of the operating table on a bearing column;    tilting the table top about a tilting axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the table; and    automatically displacing the table top towards a middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table during the tilting of the table top.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the table top is automatically transversely displaced when a predetermined critical angle is exceeded during the tilting of the table top.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the critical angle is predetermined as a function of the displacement of the table top from its middle position transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising measuring a tilt angle of the table top.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising comparing the measured tilt angle with a predetermined critical angle.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising calculating the predetermined critical angle as a function of a displacement of the table top transversely to the longitudinal axis of the table.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising storing values of predetermined critical angle values as a function of the displacement of the table top.