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.

A hospital bed, trolley or lifter includes a steering wheel mounted on a wheel support arm extending from which is a ratchet mechanism which can co-operate with a tooth of an adjustment mechanism. When the tooth is engaged in the ratchet teeth of the ratchet mechanism the wheel can be raised and held in the raised position until the tooth is disengaged. The wheel adjustment mechanism also includes an eccentric wheel for raising the tooth in a periodic manner to cause periodic raising of the wheel. A damper is attached to the support arm for dampening the drop of the wheel when the tooth is disengaged. A mechanism provides a steering wheel which can be held at intermediate positions between its uppermost and lowermost positions and which can be held in an engaged position in a plurality of different positions relative to casters of the bed or trolley. The system can also make use of a small capacity drive motor whilst still retaining speed of operation.

A method for a two person rescue team to rescue an incapacitated person from a hazardous environment includes a wheeled platform with a contoured recess shaped to accommodate an air pack. The platform is sufficiently low to the ground so that a transported person, as well as the rescue personnel can be kept below the heat in an inflamed building. The platform straddles a water hose which is used as an escape path by the rescue team to extract the incapacitated person.

A person support apparatus includes a deck with a seat section, a leg section, and a back section. The back section is pivotally mounted to the seat section. The leg section has a proximal end pivotally mounted to the seat section and a cantilevered end spaced a first distance from its proximal end. The seat section, the leg section, and the back section are arranged to lie in a common plane when the deck is in a supine configuration to support a person in a supine position. A lift is mounted to the seat section of the deck, with the lift being configured to raise the deck relative to a supporting floor surface to a maximum height less than the first distance.

A patient transport apparatus for transporting a patient over a floor surface is described herein. The patient transport apparatus includes a throttle assembly, an auxiliary wheel assembly including an auxiliary wheel, an auxiliary wheel drive system, and a control system for operating the auxiliary wheel drive system based on user commands received from the throttle assembly. The control system includes a controller configured to detect a position of the throttle assembly, determine a desired rotational speed value associated with a current operating throttle position, determine a current rotational speed of the auxiliary wheel, select an acceleration rate based on the current rotational speed of the auxiliary wheel, generate an output signal based on the selected acceleration rate, and transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to rotate the auxiliary wheel at the selected acceleration rate.

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.

Systems for facilitating movement of a patient transport apparatus are provided and include user input control device that includes a mode switch selectable between a longitudinal transport mode and a multidirectional mode and a driving assist device actuatable between at least one engaged state and a non-engaged state. The mode switch generates signals based on the selected mode and the driving assist device generates engaged or non-engaged signals which are received by a controller. The controller is configured to generate an output signal sent to a lift actuator, swivel actuator, and/or a powered drive system to assist a user in propelling the apparatus in a desired manner.

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 for transporting a patient over a floor surface is described herein. The patient transport apparatus includes a throttle assembly, an auxiliary wheel assembly including an auxiliary wheel, an auxiliary wheel drive system, and a control system for operating the auxiliary wheel drive system based on user commands received from the throttle assembly. The control system includes a controller configured to detect a position of the throttle assembly, determine a desired rotational speed value associated with a current operating throttle position, determine a current rotational speed of the auxiliary wheel, select an acceleration rate based on the current rotational speed of the auxiliary wheel, generate an output signal based on the selected acceleration rate, and transmit the generated output signal to the motor control circuit to operate the motor to rotate the auxiliary wheel at the selected acceleration rate.

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.