Provided is a nursing-care device capable of easily moving a care-requiring person from the nursing-care device to medical/nursing-care equipment arranged at the side of a bed. One embodiment of the present invention includes a bed body having a floor portion at an upper surface, one and the other support bases supporting both ends of the bed body, support rods extending upward of the floor portion, and a lifting/lowering unit configured to lift/lower the bed body and the support rods. A lifting member is attached to the support rods. The support rods are lowered in a case where the bed body is lifted by the lifting/lowering unit, and are lifted in a case where the bed body is lowered. In a case where the support rods are lowered, the lowermost portion of the lifting member is moved to below the floor portion of the bed body.

A person lifting apparatus includes a first lifting strap feeding device including a first drum and a first lifting strap wound on the first drum. A second lifting strap feeding device includes a second drum and a second lifting strap wound on the second drum. A controller is communicatively coupled to the first lifting strap feeding device and to the second lifting strap feeding device. The controller includes logic that controls operation of the first lifting strap feeding device and the second lifting strap feeding device based on a comparison of current draws of the first lifting strap feeding device and the second lifting strap feeding device.

A mobility device for assisting a patient includes a frame having a wheel arranged to manoeuvre the mobility device; a lift assembly coupled to the frame and movable between a lowered position and a raised position; and a support arm coupled to the lift assembly for movement with the lift assembly and arranged to support an upper part of a body of the patient and to support at least part of his weight on the mobility device when the lift assembly is raised from the lowered position to the raised position and when manoeuvring the mobility device.

Overhead lift units are disclosed. In one embodiment, an overhead lift unit includes a carriage having wheels engageable with a rail, a lift frame coupled to the carriage such that the lift frame is suspended from the carriage, and a pair of load beams. The lift frame includes a lift strap extending from the lift frame and a pair of connection points extending from the lift frame. Each load beam of the pair of load beams is attached to one connection point of the pair of connection points of the lift frame at an inferior end of the load beam. Each load beam of the pair of load beams is attached to the carriage at a superior end of the load beam. And each load beam of the pair of load beams comprises a strain gauge operable to register a weight supported on the lift strap.

A lift system includes a hoist module, a support assembly which is movable relative to the hoist module, and a control system. The control system is adapted to enable a user to a) issue an operational command which causes the support assembly to move to an operational destination, and b) issue a stowage command which causes the support assembly to move to a stowage destination. The control system is also adapted to A) disregard the stowage command provided at least one condition is satisfied and/or B) encumber issuance of the stowage command Equivalently, the control system adaptation is to A1) disregard the stowage command provided at least one stowage contraindication condition is satisfied or A2) not disregard the stowage command provided at least one stowage noncontraindication condition is satisfied and/or B) encumber issuance of the stowage command.

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 multi-link device includes a load tension pin including a sensor configured to measure tension applied to the load tension pin, network interface hardware, one or more processors, and one or more memory modules storing computer readable and executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the multi-link device to: determine whether the tension measured by the load tension pin exceeds a threshold value; and transmit, by the network interface hardware, load event data to a receiver in response to determination that the tension exceeds the threshold value.

A drive system (100) for a patient lift. The drive system comprises a drum (321) configured to control the vertical movement of a patient support mounting device (11) of the patient lift via a load bearing member (12), at least one motor (270) adapted to drive the drum (321), each motor (270) being connected to an motor shaft gear (227), and a transmission (228) connecting the motor (270) and the drum (321), the transmission (228) being adapted to transfer torque from the motor (270) to the drum (321).

A transfer device includes an extendable transfer platform. The transfer platform includes a fixed plate, a moveable plate, and at least one platform actuator configured to selectively move the moveable plate relative to the fixed plate between a retracted position and an extended position in which a leading edge of the moveable plate is located distally from a leading edge of the fixed plate. The transfer platform also includes a transfer belt having a first end secured to a first driven roller, and a second end secured to a second driven roller. The transfer device also includes a platform support structure secured to the transfer platform for supporting the transfer platform above a floor surface. The platform support structure includes at least one support actuator configured to selectively move the transfer platform relative to the floor surface between a lowered position and a raised position.

Overhead lift units are disclosed. In one embodiment, an overhead lift unit includes a carriage having wheels engageable with a rail, a lift frame coupled to the carriage such that the lift frame is suspended from the carriage, and a pair of load beams. The lift frame includes a lift strap extending from the lift frame and a pair of connection points extending from the lift frame. Each load beam of the pair of load beams is attached to one connection point of the pair of connection points of the lift frame at an inferior end of the load beam. Each load beam of the pair of load beams is attached to the carriage at a superior end of the load beam. And each load beam of the pair of load beams comprises a strain gauge operable to register a weight supported on the lift strap.