A roller assembly comprises a housing having an outer surface attached thereto, and a braking arrangement positioned at least partially within the housing. The braking arrangement is configured to increase resistance to rotation of the housing proportionally to a load applied against the outer surface.

The present disclosure relates to caster wheels having a skirt, specifically a skirt which fits over one side of the wheel only, and thus does not interfere with the actuation of a caster wheel locking mechanism.

Art operating shall rises and fails by abutting against a cam surface of a cam rotatably built into the upper part of a stem. A swivel-preventing plate part is fixed to the lower end of the operating shaft. An engagement member is fixed to a support yoke and regulates the swiveling by engaging with the swivel-preventing plate part. A brake shoe part is fixed to the lower part of the swivel-preventing plate pail and brakes by abutting against a treat surface of a wheel when the operating shaft falls. A link cam causes a link cam to pivot and causes a brake plate to rise and fall by connected to the brake shoe part. A protruding part for braking, by displacement of the brake plate, is capable of engaging with and disengaging from an annular engagement receiving part formed in the inner periphery of the wheel.

A shopping cart wheel includes a braking apparatus, and electronics that control the braking apparatus in response to wireless signals. The wireless signals include low frequency electromagnetic signals within a low frequency band and high frequency signals within a high frequency band. The braking apparatus includes a moveable interposer and an interposer controller where the moveable interposer is moved between braking and non-breaking positions at least partially with magnetic force.

A caster yoke for use in the manufacture of a set of wheeled caster assemblies wherein each caster assembly of the set of caster assemblies is capable of having unique functional capabilities relative to each other caster assembly of the set arising from different combinations of caster components (selected from a set of pre-determined of caster components) being mountable on each respective caster yoke of the set of wheeled caster assemblies. To this end, the caster yoke is provided with all of the mounting features necessary to selectively mount all of the respective caster components of the pre-determined set on the caster yoke, such that the same form of caster yoke may be used without modification as a mounting frame to create a set of caster assemblies having different functionalities, significantly reducing design, production and inventory costs for the set of caster assemblies.

Systems and methods for facilitating movement of a patient transport apparatus. The patient transport apparatus has a support structure and a patient support surface. Caster assemblies are coupled to the support structure to roll about a roll axis and swivel about a swivel axis. A control system is configured to control brake mechanisms, steer-lock mechanisms, and pre-swivel mechanisms of the caster assemblies based on one or more inputs.

A shopping cart wheel includes a braking apparatus, clutch mechanism and electronics that control the braking apparatus in response to wireless signals. The wireless signals include low frequency electromagnetic signals within a low frequency band and high frequency signals within a high frequency band.

A multi-pedal-controlled caster and a method for using the caster are provided. The multi-pedal-controlled caster includes a main body support, a connecting rod, an orientation mechanism, a braking mechanism, a reset mechanism, a first inner tooth member, a second inner tooth member, a pair of wheel members and three elastic members, where the main body support is relatively rotatable and is combined with the connecting rod, and the first inner tooth member and the second inner tooth member are fixedly mounted on the connecting rod. A multifunctional pedal is treaded to push a first warping plate to make the first warping plate clamped into a first recess portion of the first inner tooth member, so that the caster can run in an orientated manner; and the multifunctional pedal is treaded again to push an auxiliary braking member.

An actuating mechanism for a caster that brakes and positions the caster by means of a cam mechanism that enables braking of the caster using minimum forces developed on the brake lever or brake rod. The mechanism helps to handle casters of patient support apparatuses in hospital and nursery facilities easily, using minimum force developed by caregivers or by an electronic caster brake systems if used for braking of casters of patient support apparatuses, as well. The mechanism may produce an outstanding decrease of noise level of castors on patient support apparatuses.

An electrical brake mechanism for a caster can reliably brake a caster. A switch is mounted on a target to which a caster is attached and outputting an instruction signal to a brake device, a detector is provided on a rotating shaft of the cam and arranged in correspondence with each of positions of a plurality of cam surfaces, a sensor is provided for detecting abutment between each of the cam surfaces and an operation shaft by the detector, a motor is provided for rotating by an input of the switch and for stopping if the sensor detects the position of the predetermined cam surface, and a gear train is provided for transmitting rotation of the motor to the rotating shaft of the cam.