An apparatus includes a hydraulic circuit that is configured to selectively open fluid communication between one portion of the hydraulic circuit and another portion of the hydraulic circuit, such as a reservoir, based on the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the one portion. When the flow of hydraulic fluid exceeds a selected threshold in the one portion of the hydraulic circuit, the flow of fluid urges the opening of a hydraulic component of the hydraulic circuit to allow fluid communication between the one portion and the reservoir to discharge fluid from the one portion.

A deployable gurney lift assembly 12 having a carriage assembly 14 composed of a carriage assembly plate 20 with two pivot carriage arms 38 disposed opposite one another to engage the sides of a gurney G, at least one safety bar holder 16 to accommodate a safety bar B of the gurney G, the safety bar holders 16 with at least one bar latch 18 to receive and secure a gurney bar B therein. At least one lift actuator 88 lifts and lowers the arms 38.

A patient handling apparatus includes a patient support surface, a base, and a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit includes a pump, a fluid reservoir, and a hydraulic cylinder operable to selectively raise or lower the patient support surface or the base. The hydraulic circuit controls flow of fluid between the cylinder and the fluid reservoir to thereby control the movement of the base or patient support surface. In addition, the hydraulic circuit may include a manual bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump in response to a manual input, which allows manual extension or retraction of the cylinder, for example, when the pump is not operational. The hydraulic circuit may also include a pump bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump to allow fluid to discharge from the cap end to the fluid reservoir for faster evacuation of fluid from the cylinder, thereby increasing retraction speed of the rod.

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.

Embodiments of a cot comprise a support frame, legs coupled to the support frame, at least one hydraulic actuator configured to raise or lower the legs, and a manual release system coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to lower the cot manually at a controlled descent rate. The manual release system comprises a manual actuation component, a manual release valve operable to be opened upon actuation by the manual actuation component, a fluid reservoir operable to receive hydraulic fluid from the at least one actuator upon opening of the manual valve; and a flow regulator configured to control the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir, wherein the release of hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir at the controlled flow rate is configured to manually lower the cot at the controlled descent rate.

A powered ambulance cot and methods of raising and lowering the cot as well as loading and unloading the cot are disclosed. The cot includes a support frame and legs, each leg having a wheel. An actuator of an actuation system interconnects the frame and legs, and is configured to effect changes in elevation of the frame relative to the wheel of each of the legs. A control system controls activation of the actuation system, and detects both the actuator at a first location relative to the frame, where the first location is remote from a second location and which situates an end of the actuator that is remote from each wheel closer to the frame, and a presence of a signal requesting a change in elevation of said support frame to thereby cause the legs to move relative to the support frame.

A patient handling apparatus includes a patient support surface, a base, and a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit includes a pump, a fluid reservoir, and a hydraulic cylinder operable to selectively raise or lower the patient support surface or the base. The hydraulic circuit controls flow of fluid between the cylinder and the fluid reservoir to thereby control the movement of the base or patient support surface. In addition, the hydraulic circuit may include a manual bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump in response to a manual input, which allows manual extension or retraction of the cylinder, for example, when the pump is not operational. The hydraulic circuit may also include a pump bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump to allow fluid to discharge from the cap end to the fluid reservoir for faster evacuation of fluid from the cylinder, thereby increasing retraction speed of the rod.

A patient support apparatus supports a patient and includes a litter. A base is disposed below the litter. A lift mechanism is configured to move the litter and the base relative to one another between extended and collapsed positions. The lift mechanism includes first and second frame assemblies each including an outer frame member and an inner frame member arranged to move within the outer frame member. First and second rollers and first and second slide members are disposed between the outer and inner frame members. The first and second rollers are arranged to roll along at least one of the outer and inner frame members with a load exerted on the lift mechanism from the litter. The first and second slide members are arranged to slide along at least one of the outer and inner frame members with a load exerted on the lift mechanism from the base.

According to one embodiment, a roll-in cot may include a support frame, a pair of front legs, a pair of back legs, and a cot actuation system. The pair of front legs may be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each front leg includes at least one front wheel. The pair of back legs may be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each back leg includes at least one back wheel. The cot actuation system includes a front actuator that moves the front legs and a back actuator that moves the back legs. The front actuator and the back actuator raises or lowers the support frame in tandem. The front actuator raises or lowers the front end of the support frame independently of the back actuator. The back actuator raises or lowers the back end of the support frame independently of the front actuator.

A device for transport and medical care of patients consists of a chassis (1) with wheels (11) arranged in corners of a virtual parallelogram with a central longitudinal axis of symmetry (X-X). The device further comprises a bed (2) consisting of a support frame (20) and being supported on said chassis (1) by means of a pair of telescopic support poles (3, 4) mutually spaced apart in direction of said axis (X-X) and displaceable in vertical direction. Said telescopic support poles (3, 4) are each arranged at its side of said axis (X-X), namely each in its diagonally opposite corner (111, 112) of said virtual parallelogram formed by the wheels (11) of the chassis (1). The support frame (20) of said bed (2) is formed without any transversal or longitudinal reinforcing element, with the exception of areas (21, 22) that are reasonably present above the support poles (3, 4) and are diagonally opposite to said axis (X-X).