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.

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.

A surgical cart for supporting a robotic arm includes a base, a plurality of casters coupled to the base, and first and second rods rotatably supported by the base. The first rod is operably coupled to a first caster and configured to rotate in a first direction to one of lock or unlock the first caster. The second rod is coupled to a second caster and operably coupled to the first rod such that rotation of the first rod in the first direction causes the second rod to rotate in a second direction to one of lock or unlock the second caster.

A surgical cart for supporting a robotic arm includes a base, a plurality of casters coupled to the base, and a secondary braking mechanism that prevents the casters from being manually moved out of a locked state until a surgical instrument is at a safe distance from an operative site within a patient.

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 device for mounting an aircraft tail wheel includes a support plate having, on the one hand, an articulation shaft with an arm and, on the other hand, an articulation shaft with a fork receiving the freely rotating tail wheel, while the articulation shaft of the plate is positioned near a rotation shaft of the tail wheel.

A lockable swivelable caster provides for an interaction between a centering element and a locking element to pivotally urge the locking element into a locking notch of the centering element such that the locking element is captured by the locking notch to prevent swiveling of the caster wheel.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic caster system for use with a furniture component. The system may have a caster with a body portion, a wheel supported for rolling movement relative to the body portion, and a neck portion. The neck portion may be adapted to be operably coupled to the furniture component to enable swiveling movement of the body portion. A processor may be provided which is supported on the caster. A sensing component may also be included which is carried on the caster for sensing a condition affecting the caster, and generating an output signal in accordance with the sensed condition to the processor.

A steering unit for conveying devices on wheels such as beds, stretchers or trolleys includes a wheel unit and a motor unit. The wheel unit includes a base structure and a wheel mounted on a supporting element to rotate about an axis. The supporting element is mounted on the base structure to rotate about an orientation axis. A transmission includes an inlet unit and outlet shaft. The inlet unit includes an engagement device to reversibly engage the inlet unit on a transmission unit of the motor unit. The outlet shaft is integral with the supporting element and defines the orientation axis. The transmission transforms an inlet motion of the inlet unit into an outlet rotation of the outlet shaft about the orientation axis. A motor includes a complementary engagement device operating with the engagement device for reversibly engaging the inlet unit on the transmission unit.

A selectively operable steering locking mechanism includes front and back pivot locks, each respective one selectively movable between: a locked configuration whereat a respective front, or back, caster of the cart is precluded from pivoting about its vertical axis; and an unlocked configuration whereat the respective front, or back, caster is free to pivot its vertical axis. An interconnection mechanism interconnects the front and back pivot locks for synchronized movement between: a front-locked steering configuration whereat the front and back pivot locks are in the locked and unlocked configurations respectively; and a back-locked steering configuration whereat the front and back pivot locks are in the unlocked and locked configurations respectively. A control mechanism connects to the interconnection mechanism for its selected movement between the front-locked and back-locked steering configurations. A cart provided with the selectively operable steering locking mechanism is also disclosed.