An overbed table may have a base support frame with at least three casters and a rechargeable battery. A motor housing with a top wall having an opening may be attached to the base support and a telescoping column that is hollow tubular is attached at a bottom end to the motor housing over the opening to extend upwardly. A linear motor is positioned in the motor housing with a linear motor actuator projecting through the opening and into the telescoping housing wherein an extension member of the linear motor actuator is attached at a top end to a slidable table column member of the telescoping housing. Servo housing is attached at a top end of the slidable table column member with a servomechanism attached in the servo housing positioned for a rotating shaft of the servomechanism to engage a circular bracket attached adjacent to a first end of a table wherein the circular bracket is rotatably engaged with the servo housing. The rechargeable battery is in electrical communication with a control processor of a control panel attached adjacent the first end of the table, to the linear motor and to the servomechanism.

A person support apparatus includes a base frame with a plurality of caster wheel assemblies, each of the caster wheel assemblies including a caster brake actuator movable between a total braking position and a non-braking position. A linkage system is coupled to the caster brake actuators for controlling the caster brake actuators and is operable to move the caster brake actuators between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions. The linkage system is configured to compensate for tolerances in the linkage system wherein the linkage system can control the caster brake actuators to simultaneously move between their total braking positions and their non-braking positions.

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.

A support arrangement having an activation mechanism to control the movement of wheels is provided. The support arrangement includes a platform, a chassis attached to the platform, a pair of wheel assemblies movably coupled to the chassis, and the activation mechanism. The pair of wheel assemblies are operable between a first state and a second state. The activation mechanism includes a track having a first stable position and a second stable position spaced along a length of the track, and a pin configured to travel along the track. Wheels are in the first state when the pin is in the first stable position and are in the second state when the pin is in the second stable position.

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.

A caster with horizontal braking includes a connecting base, a wheel rotatably connected to the connecting base, and a brake assembly including a movable plate slidably connected to the connecting base and a rotary plate. The movable plate is provided with a brake pad at an end and a first abutting plate with a limiting portion thereon, and is rotatably connected to the connecting base. A second abutting plate fitted with the first abutting plate is arranged on the rotary plate. When the rotary plate is rotated to cause the second abutting plate to push the first abutting plate to move backward, the brake pad moves backward to abut against the wheel, one end of the second abutting plate is abutted against the limiting portion, the force applied by the wheel to the brake pad opposites the force applied by the second abutting plate to the limiting portion.

A caster has a mount, a housing, a horn rotatable relative to the housing about a swivel axis, spaced apart forks on lateral sides of the horn, a wheel assembly disposed between the forks, a swivel locking ring disposed in the horn, and a braking member having a bridging portion and first and second plunger portions projecting away from the bridging portion. The bridging portion has a tooth rack extending outward. The first and second plunger portions project from the bridging portion in a direction opposite the tooth rack and have brake blocks. A brake lever arm is pivotally connected with the housing and movable between engaged and disengaged positions. An engagement pin extends through the housing and the interior of the horn and has first and second ends. The first end is connected with the brake lever arm, and the second end abuts the braking member bridging portion.

Caster assemblies are disclosed herein. An example caster assembly includes a caster frame assembly including a caster frame, a caster mounting plate, and a brake arm; a pin having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end to engage the brake arm; and a lever arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the lever arm to pivot relative to the caster frame assembly between a first position and a second position, movement of the lever arm to the first position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a first direction to move the brake arm to the engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel.

A patient transport apparatus comprises a support structure and at least one caster assembly coupled to the structure to facilitate movement of the structure along a floor. Each caster assembly comprises a wheel, an actuator moveable between three actuator positions, a steer lock assembly moveable by the actuator between a steer and non-steer locked state, and a brake assembly movable by the actuator between a braked and unbraked state. The brake assembly includes a plunger, a retainer coupled to the plunger, a brake pad for sliding movement along the retainer, and a brake biasing element disposed between the plunger and the brake pad to urge the brake pad away from the plunger such that movement of the actuator to place the brake assembly in the braked state simultaneously brings the brake pad into engagement with the wheel and slides the brake pad along the retainer to compress the biasing element.