Overbed table

Abstract

An overbed table which includes a generally horizontal upper table member, a base configured for resting on a floor surface and a height adjustable support assembly mounted between the table member and the base. A gas spring is provided interiorly of the height adjustable support assembly and includes a cylinder mounted to a lower frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly and an elongate rod mounted to the upper frame support member of the height adjustable support assembly. The gas spring is configured for non-movement of the elongate rod relative to the cylinder when in a locked condition and for movement of the elongate rod relative to the cylinder only when in an unlocked condition. A lock release mechanism is provided on the elongate rod adjacent a distal end thereof. A shroud member encloses the upper and lower frame support members and is fastened to the table member and includes thereon a manually manipulatable handle movable between first and second positions, the handle including a link interconnecting the handle and the lock release mechanism. The base is of a U shape and has a low height profile on the legs thereof.

1 . An overbed table, comprising: 
 a generally horizontal upper table member having an upwardly facing surface thereon;    a base configured for resting on a floor surface;    a height adjustable support assembly mounted between said table member and said base and comprising an upper frame support member having a hollow interior and one end attached to said table member, a lower frame support member having a hollow interior and one end attached to said base, said upper and lower frame support members being vertically slidable with respect to each other and one within the other;    a gas spring having a cylinder mounted to said lower frame support member and an elongate rod mounted to said upper frame support member and configured for reciprocation with respect to said cylinder for biasing said upper frame support member upwardly with respect to said lower frame support member and additionally configured for non-movement of said elongate rod in a downward direction relative to said cylinder when in a locked condition and for free up or down movement of said elongate rod relative to said cylinder only when in an unlocked condition, said cylinder and said elongate rod being oriented inside said hollow interiors of said upper and lower frame support members, said elongate rod having thereon a lock release mechanism adjacent a distal end thereof configured to effect an unlocking of said elongate rod to facilitate movement thereof relative to said cylinder;    a shroud member separate from said upper and lower frame support members fastened to said table member and enshrouding said upper and lower frame support members; and    a manually manipulative handle mounted on said shroud for movement between first and second positions, said handle including a link interconnecting said handle and said lock release mechanism, said first position corresponding to said locked condition and said second position corresponding to said unlocked condition.    
   
   
       2 . The overbed table according to  claim 1 , wherein said shroud includes an elongate guide, said handle being supported on said guide and for movement thereon between first and second positions.  
   
   
       3 . The overbed table according to  claim 2 , wherein said handle includes a body, said body having guide tracks thereon operatively engaging said elongate guide on said shroud, said body further having a finger receiving cavity therein located intermediate said guide tracks and opening outwardly of said shroud.  
   
   
       4 . The overbed table according to  claim 3 , wherein said finger receiving cavity has a pair of laterally spaced sidewalls, an upper wall, a lower wall and a back wall connected to each of said sidewalls, said upper wall and said lower wall, said upper wall being configured to conform to individual ones of respective fingers of an operator.  
   
   
       5 . The overbed table according to  claim 2 , wherein said shroud is made of a generally uniformly thick material and has an opening through a section thereof, opposing edges of said opening defining said elongate guide, said handle including a generally U-shaped track on opposite sides thereof slidably receiving in each thereof said elongate guide.  
   
   
       6 . The overbed table according to  claim 1 , wherein said link is movably supported at one end on a distal end of said elongate rod and terminates at an opposite end in a contact surface engaging said handle, so that movement of said handle from said first position to said second position will effect a movement of said link to change the condition of said cylinder from locked to unlocked.  
   
   
       7 . The overbed table according to  claim 1 , wherein said base is U-shaped and includes a U-shaped hollow profile having a top wall, sidewalls and a bottom wall as well as a U-shaped cover member fixedly secured to said hollow profile and having a top wall and sidewalls depending from edges of said top wall to cover said top wall and said sidewalls of said hollow profile, said cover member including plural internal webs interconnecting said top wall and said sidewalls thereof, selected ones of said webs having a notch provided therein to receive said hollow profile, at least one edge of said notch resting on said top wall of said hollow profile.  
   
   
       8 . The overbed table according to  claim 7 , wherein said cover member is fixedly secured to said hollow profile at least at plural spaced locations along each leg of said cover member and said hollow profile so that any tendency of said legs to flex will apply a compressive force to said cover member thereby resisting the tendency of said legs of said hollow profile to flex.  
   
   
       9 . The overbed table according to  claim 7 , wherein said base is movably supported on plural wheels, at least one leg wheel at a distal end of each leg of said U-shaped base, a top to bottom dimension of a combination of an assembly of said hollow profile and cover member in a region adjacent each leg wheel being less than a diameter of said leg wheel.  
   
   
       10 . The overbed table according to  claim 9 , wherein said top to bottom dimension is maintained from said distal ends of said legs of said base to about half of a length of said base.  
   
   
       11 . The overbed table according to  claim 7 , wherein said base is movably supported on plural wheels, at least one leg wheel at a distal end of each leg of said U-shaped base, a top to floor surface of an assembly of said hollow profile and cover member in a region adjacent each leg wheel being within a range of 25% to 35% greater than a diameter of said leg wheel.  
   
   
       12 . The overbed table according to  claim 11 , wherein said top to floor surface dimension is maintained from said distal ends of said legs of said base to about half of a length of said base.  
   
   
       13 . The overbed table according to  claim 11 , wherein said range is 29% to 31%.  
   
   
       14 . The overbed table according to  claim 13 , wherein said top to floor surface dimension is maintained from said distal ends of said legs of said base to about half of a length of said base.  
   
   
       15 . The overbed table according to  claim 7 , wherein said base is movably supported on plural wheels, at least one leg wheel at a distal end of each leg of said U-shaped base, a distance between a floor surface on which said plural wheels rest and an underside of said base is generally within range of 35% to 50% of a top to bottom dimension of a combination of an assembly of said hollow profile and cover member in a region adjacent each leg wheel.  
   
   
       16 . The overbed table according to  claim 15 , wherein said distance between the floor surface and said underside of said base is maintained from said distal ends of said legs of said base to at least half of a length of said base.  
   
   
       17 . The overbed table according to  claim 15 , wherein said range is 40% to 45%.  
   
   
       18 . The overbed table according to  claim 17 , wherein said distance between the floor surface and said underside of said base is maintained from said distal ends of said legs of said base to at least half of a length of said base.  
   
   
       19 . The overbed table according to  claim 7 , wherein said sidewalls of said U-shaped hollow profile have at edges thereof remote from the top wall notches at spaced intervals along the length of the sidewalls, said bottom wall of said U-shaped hollow profile having tabs configured to be received into the respective notches, said bottom wall and said tabs thereon being weldably secured to the edges of said sidewalls remote from said top wall.  
   
   
       20 . An overbed table, comprising: 
 a generally horizontal upper table member having an upwardly facing surface thereon;    a base configured for resting on a floor surface;    a height adjustable support assembly mounted between said table member and said base;    wherein said base has a U-shaped configuration with said height adjustable support assembly being mounted on a bight section of the base; and wherein said base is movably supported on plural wheels, at least one leg wheel at a distal end of each leg of said U-shaped base, a distance between a floor surface on which said plural wheels rest and an underside of said base being generally within the range of 35% to 50% of a top to bottom dimension of said base in a region adjacent each leg wheel.    
   
   
       21 . The overbed table according to  claim 20 , wherein said U-shaped base includes a U-shaped hollow profile having a top wall, sidewalls and a bottom wall as well as U-shaped cover member fixedly secured to said hollow profile and having a top wall and sidewalls depending from edges of said top wall to cover said top wall and said sidewalls of said hollow profile, said cover member including plural internal webs interconnecting said top wall and said sidewalls thereof, selected ones of said webs having a notch provided therein to receive said hollow profile, at least one edge of said notch resting on said top wall of said hollow profile.  
   
   
       22 . The overbed table according to  claim 21 , wherein said cover member is fixedly secured to said hollow profile at least at plural spaced locations along each leg of said cover member and said hollow profile so that any tendency of said legs to flex will apply a compressive force to said cover member thereby resisting the tendency of said legs of said hollow profile to flex.  
   
   
       23 . The overbed table according to  claim 20 , wherein an outer diameter of at least said leg wheels is equal to or less than two inches.  
   
   
       24 . The overbed table according to  claim 23 , wherein an outer diameter of at least said leg wheels is equal to 1.46 inches.  
   
   
       25 . An overbed table, comprising: 
 a generally horizontal upper table member having an upwardly facing surface thereon;    a base configured for resting on a floor surface;    a height adjustable support assembly mounted between said table member and said base;    wherein said base has a U-shaped configuration with said height adjustable support assembly being mounted on a bight section of the base; and    wherein said height adjustable support assembly comprises an upper frame support member having a hollow interior and one end attached to said table member, a unitary lower frame support member having first and second hollow profiles one inside the other which are attached at one end to said base, said first and second profiles being interconnected by plural webs, said upper frame support member being vertically slidably supported inside said hollow interior of said inside hollow profile.    
   
   
       26 . The overbed table according to  claim 25 , wherein said upper and lower frame support members are elliptical in cross section, a plane containing a major axis of the ellipse extending perpendicular to a vertical plane containing a longitudinal axis of a leg of said U-shaped base.