Person support apparatuses are disclosed. In one embodiment, a person support apparatus comprises a base frame and a primary support frame supported on the base frame. A carriage is freely translatable at least between a head end of the primary support frame and a foot end of the primary support frame. A support surface is supported on the carriage such that the support surface translates with the carriage. The support surface includes a support section which is collapsible in a length direction of the support surface. The support section may include an air bladder and a control valve fluidly coupled to the air bladder that regulates air pressure within the air bladder. The control valve has a normally closed position and a vent position, wherein the person support apparatus comprises an exercise configuration wherein the control valve is in the vent position and the air bladder is vented to atmosphere.

A lifting apparatus and associated methods for raising a user in a body of water. The lifting apparatus includes a platform configured to receive a wheelchair. The apparatus is reconfigurable between a raised configuration; a lowered configuration; and a storage configuration. The apparatus is configured to maintain the platform in a substantially horizontal orientation in the raised, lowered and storage configurations.

A power transfer system comprises a patient transport apparatus and a power transfer device. The power transfer system provides convenience and ease of connection between a power source and the patient transport apparatus to provide power to one or more electrically powered devices on the patient transport apparatus or to provide energy for an energy storage device on the patient transport apparatus.

A patient transport apparatus comprising a support frame, a base, a bracket coupled to the support frame and comprising a channel being non-linear, a frame assembly coupled between the support frame and the base and comprising a slidable member disposed in the channel, the slidable member being moveable between a plurality of different positions in the channel to place the support frame in a plurality of different poses relative to the base. The patient transport apparatus also comprises a sensor configured to detect the slidable member in the channel and produce a reading, as well as a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to receive the reading from the sensor, determine the position of the slidable member in the channel based on the reading, and determine the pose of the support frame relative to the base based on the determined position of the slidable member.

An apparatus is disclosed for adjusting an active length of a plurality of interwoven support elements of a weight bearing surface to conform to contours of a user's anatomy. The weight bearing surface overlies a frame to which the plurality of interwoven support elements are connected. The apparatus includes an adjustment mechanism connected to one of the plurality of interwoven support elements, wherein the adjustment mechanism is attached or releasably attached to the frame. The adjustment mechanism allows the active length of the connected interwoven support element to change as a user bears upon the weight bearing surface, thereby conforming the weight bearing surface to the contours of a user's anatomy. In another aspect, a method for adjusting an active length of at least some of a plurality of interwoven support elements of a weight bearing surface to conform to contours of a user's anatomy is disclosed.

A patient transport apparatus for transporting a patient over a surface. The patient transport apparatus has support wheels coupled to a base and swivelable about swivel axes. An auxiliary wheel assembly is coupled to the base and includes an auxiliary wheel configured to move between a plurality of wheel positions, and an actuator operably coupled to the auxiliary wheel to move the auxiliary wheel between the plurality of wheel positions. A sensing system with a sensor is provided to detect a motion condition of the patient transport apparatus. A controller is coupled to the sensing system and to the actuator, and is configured to drive the actuator to move the auxiliary wheel between the plurality of wheel positions based on the motion condition of the patient transport apparatus.

Patient transport apparatus with defined transport height comprises a support structure and a litter that are interconnected by a lift mechanism. The support structure comprises a base frame and a plurality of articulable support members or legs. The litter comprises a litter frame and a patient support surface with articulating back and leg sections. The lift mechanism may comprise one or more actuators configured to raise and lower the litter between a lowered position and one or more defined raised positions. The Patient transport apparatus may further comprise a controller coupled to one or more sensors and the lift mechanism. The controller may be configured to define a transport height for the litter based, at least in part, on a characteristic detected by the one or more sensors, and to manipulate the lift mechanism to adjust the litter to the defined transport height.

A support device includes a base portion structurally configured to support a user, one or more engagement members coupled to the base portion and engagable with a surface, a distance sensor, a power source electrically coupled to one or more electrical stimulation electrodes, and a controller communicatively coupled to the distance sensor and the power source, the controller including a processor and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium including a computer readable and executable instruction set, which, when executed, causes the processor to receive a signal from the distance sensor indicative of a detected distance traveled by the support device, and send a signal to the power source to engage the one or more electrical stimulation electrodes based at least in part on the detected distance traveled by the support device.

A patient support apparatus comprising a patient support deck operatively attached to a base with a lift mechanism interposed between the base and the patient support deck to move the patient support deck between first and second vertical configurations relative to the base. A user interface configured to operate the patient support apparatus is provided and comprises a screen configured to display visual content in first and second content layouts. The screen is coupled to the patient support deck for concurrent movement between the vertical configurations A controller disposed in communication with the screen and the lift mechanism is configured to display the visual content in the first content layout when the patient support deck is in the first vertical configuration, and further configured to display the visual content in the second interface layout when the patient support deck is in the second vertical configuration.

Apparatus and methods related to an underbody support for supporting a body of a being, such as during surgery to prevent contact pressure injuries. In certain embodiments, the underbody support may include one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume. At least one of the inflatable chambers may include one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, and the one or more compression sensitive switches may be located within the inflatable chamber. In some embodiments the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the said inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume.