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.

A patient transport apparatus is provided. The patient transport apparatus includes a support structure, a wheel, a wheel drive system, a throttle rotatable from a neutral throttle position to a plurality of throttle positions between a maximum forward throttle position and a maximum backward throttle position, a throttle sensor configured to generate a signal representing a rotational position of the throttle, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the wheel drive system to rotate the wheel in response to rotation of the throttle, monitor for a stuck throttle condition defined by the signal generated by the throttle sensor indicating that the throttle has persisted in a throttle position other than the maximum forward throttle position, the maximum backward throttle position, and the neutral throttle position for a predetermined period, and limit operation of the wheel drive system in response to detecting the stuck throttle condition.

A mechanism for deploying and retracting an adjustable handling wheel from under different types of equipment supported on the floor, or different types of furniture, such as chairs, medical chairs, nursery chairs, examination chairs, bedside tables, beds without chassis, cabinets and others. The mechanism enables very easy handling and movement of the equipment or furniture from one place to another place.

A bed is provided. The bed may include a lift system which raises and lowers a support deck of the bed. The lift system may include multiple individually actuatable lift systems. The bed may include a powered bed mover system.

A bed for maintaining the patient in horizontal position includes a patient support, undercarriage provided with casters and a system for propelling the bed which includes a controller and a control panel both connected to a processor unit. The controller includes a touch sensor connected to the processing unit. An activation member is also connected to processor unit. The activation member is a part of the control panel and it serves to activate the system and to initialize the calibration process of the touch sensor. An essential condition for propelling the bed is activated touch sensor and concurrently any of the function buttons being pressed. The touch sensor is being recalibrated before every system initialization hence the control of the system for propelling the bed is safe for the patient and the propelling of the bed is comfortable and simple for the personnel.

According to one embodiment, a roll-in cot may include a support frame, a pair of back legs, a pair of front legs, and a cot actuation system. The pair of back legs and the pair of front legs can be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each of the pair of front legs can include a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel. The intermediate load wheel is offset from the front wheel by a load wheel distance. A front actuator can raise the pair of front legs such that the front wheel and the intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs are aligned along a loading level. The intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs can be offset from the pair of back legs by a loading span. The load wheel distance can be greater than the loading span.

The invention relates to a control and to a method for controling rollers (2) mounted on a movable part such as, for example, a hospital bed (1), wherein one, several or all of the rollers (2) have a brake mechanism which can be set to a brake position and a release position, further preferably also to a direction-setting position, wherein, further, all the rollers (2) can be actuated electrically and one or several or all of the rollers (2) can in addition be actuated manually, and wherein, furthermore, an additional roller (3) with a wheel having a travel drive is provided, which additional roller (3) is preferably movable between a lowered position and a raised position. In order to obtain an advantageous control of the rollers in combination with the additional roller and also to provide an advantageous control method for this purpose, it is proposed that the travel drive can be activated only when the rollers (2) are located in the release position or the direction-setting position.

According to one embodiment, a roll-in cot may include a support frame, a pair of back legs, a pair of front legs, and a cot actuation system. The pair of back legs and the pair of front legs can be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each of the pair of front legs can include a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel. The intermediate load wheel is offset from the front wheel by a load wheel distance. A front actuator can raise the pair of front legs such that the front wheel and the intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs are aligned along a loading level. The intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs can be offset from the pair of back legs by a loading span. The load wheel distance can be greater than the loading span.

An electrically actuated wheeled stretcher system which is adapted to provide electrically actuated raising or lowering of a stretcher mounted on a gurney. The system is primarily composed of a stretcher and a gurney, and may be used to transport patients and load and unload the patients by automated transfer of the stretcher from the gurney to other medical equipment, for example, a hyperbaric chamber, and automated transfer from the other medical equipment back on to the gurney. The system further includes an additional electrically actuated fifth wheel configured to provide smoother turning and rotation in place of the system. The system further includes continuous treatment items, such as intravenous fluid and medical gasses to travel with the system.

A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a surface. The patient transport apparatus comprises a base and support wheels coupled to the base. An auxiliary wheel assembly is coupled to the base to influence motion of the patient transport apparatus over the surface to assist caregivers. The auxiliary wheel assembly comprises auxiliary wheels and an actuator operably coupled to the auxiliary wheels. A controller adjusts the actuator based on input from a sensing system so that frictional forces acting between the auxiliary wheels and the surface are sufficient for steering and maneuvering of the patient transport apparatus, without sacrificing stability of the patient transport apparatus.