A patient support apparatus supports a patient and includes a litter. The litter includes a patient support deck and extends longitudinally between first and second ends. The apparatus includes a litter lift device coupled to the litter and configured to raise and lower the patient support deck. The apparatus includes a care station coupled to the litter adjacent one of the first and second ends. The care station includes a docking frame coupled to the litter and defining an angle between the docking frame and the axis. The docking frame is arranged to pivot relative to the litter between a folded position an upright position. The angle in the folded position less than the angle in the upright position. The care station includes a utility module configured for use by a caregiver and arranged to selectively mount to the docking frame.

A self-propelled track drive module for an emergency stretcher, includes a left-side track drive unit and a right-side track drive unit. A frame, having a front end and a rear end, is disposed between the left-side track drive unit and the right-side track drive unit. The frame has a mounting structure for receiving an emergency stretcher and for releasably securing the emergency stretcher to the frame. The mounting structure is configured to support the emergency stretcher such that rolling wheels of the emergency stretcher do not contact a ground surface therebelow when the emergency stretcher is in a mounted condition.

Some embodiments of the disclosure are directed to latching interfaces of a vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle comprises a latch system including a plurality of latches configured to selectively interlock with a corresponding first plurality of latch receptacles of a respective payload. In some embodiments, the vehicle comprises a second plurality of latch receptacles disposed on exterior portions of the chassis of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the second plurality of latch receptacles correspond to the first plurality of latch receptacles. In some embodiments, a spatial arrangement of the second plurality of latch receptacles on the exterior portions of the chassis of the vehicle corresponds to a spatial arrangement of the first plurality of latch receptacles on exterior portions of the respective payload. In some embodiments, the second plurality of latch receptacles of the vehicle are configured to interlock with a latching interface of an external system.

A lift mechanism for a wheel assembly includes a lever arm having a first axis of rotation, and a first torque transfer plate having a second axis of rotation coincident with the first axis of rotation. A lift block is engageable by the first torque transfer plate and has a first angularly disposed surface and a resting surface adjacent to the first angularly disposed surface. The lift mechanism is configured such that rotation of the lever arm causes the first torque transfer plate to rotate into engagement with the lift block, thereby causing linear motion of the lift block. The wheel assembly is raised and lowered by contact between a portion of the wheel assembly and the first angularly disposed surface of the lift block and held in a raised position when the portion of the wheel assembly is positioned with respect to the resting surface.

A patient support device has a bed, a travel mechanism designed to move the patient support device, a control computer and a sensor, which detects at least one environmental parameter of the patient support device. The control computer ascertains a control parameter for controlling the travel mechanism depending on the at least one detected environmental parameter.

An automated system and methods are provided for coordinating a transfer of a patient between patient support apparatuses. The method can include establishing communication between a transferring patient support apparatus and a receiving patient support apparatus. The method can further include adjusting a position of at least one of the receiving patient support apparatus and the transferring patient support apparatus. The method can include locating and aligning the receiving patient support apparatus adjacent the transferring patient support apparatus.

A first transport apparatus includes a deck for supporting a patient thereon and a lift mechanism supporting the deck. The deck is removable from the lift mechanism for use as a second transport apparatus or part of a second transport apparatus. The first transport apparatus further includes an electrically powered device at the first transport apparatus, and a user input device for wireless control of the electrically powered device, which is operable at or near the first transport apparatus and the second transport apparatus.

A dual-wheel steerable motorized caster has internal motors that are operated at different speeds to swivel a pair of wheels about a caster swivel axis. The motors are operated at the same speed to propel an apparatus to which the dual-wheel steerable motorized caster is coupled along an underlying surface such as a floor in a drive direction without swiveling the pair of wheels about the caster swivel axis. A patient support apparatus has one or more of such dual-wheel steerable motorized casters.

A patient support apparatus includes a base having a length and including a plurality of caster wheels enabling movement of the patient support apparatus across a floor surface. An auxiliary wheel support structure is secured to the base and rotatably supports at least one non-castered auxiliary wheel. A drive mechanism including a motor may be configured to drive the auxiliary wheel. A braking system including at least one brake member may be configured to apply a braking force to decelerate the auxiliary wheel and is movable between a first position wherein the at least one brake member is disengaged from the auxiliary wheel and a deployed position wherein the at least one brake member is frictionally engaged with the auxiliary wheel to restrict rotation of the auxiliary wheel. The braking system may be configured to synchronize the braking forces applied to first and second auxiliary wheels.

A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a floor surface. The patient transport apparatus comprises a support structure and support wheels coupled to the support structure. An auxiliary wheel is coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient transport apparatus over the floor surface to assist users. An actuator is operatively coupled to the auxiliary wheel and operable to move the auxiliary wheel relative to the support structure from a retracted position to a deployed position. A user interface sensor is operatively connected to the actuator and configured to generate signals responsive to the user touching the user interface. A controller is operatively coupled to the user interface sensor and the actuator to operate the actuator in response to detection of signals.