A stretcher, which comprises: a support frame for supporting a patient; a pair of front legs rotatably coupled to the support frame around a first rotation axis, wherein each front leg supports a front wheel holder frame hinged to the respective front leg around a first oscillation axis parallel to the first rotation axis and supporting a front wheel resting on a rest plane, wherein the front wheel pivots around a respective first pivot axis orthogonal to the first oscillation axis; a pair of rear legs rotatably coupled to the support frame around a second rotation axis, wherein each rear leg supports a rear wheel holder frame hinged to the respective rear leg around a second oscillation axis parallel to the second rotation axis and supporting a rear wheel resting on a rest plane, wherein the front wheel pivots around a respective second pivot axis orthogonal to the second oscillation axis; a handling arrangement for the front wheel holder frame and the rear wheel holder frame; a control module configured to keep the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis always orthogonal to the rest plane on which the front and rear wheels roll.

A deployable gurney lift assembly (12), which has a carriage assembly (14) plate (20) with two pivot arms (38) disposed opposite one another on each side of the carriage assembly (14), an antler holder (16) to accommodate a bar of the gurney, and at least one hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric jack (22) lift actuator for lifting and lowering the arms (38). Retractable deployment apparatus for slidably moving the retractable deployment apparatus along a length of base tracks (28). Base tracks (28) having rear ends terminating in stops (42), and carriage assembly (14) guides slidably engaged along deployment tracks (28).

A gurney transfer assist device for a helicopter has a fixed height frame supporting a slidably movable bed deck frame. The fixed height frame is releasably secured to a known wheeled gurney. The fixed height dimension raises a carried stretcher to a vertical height to allow transfer to and/or from a medical helicopter loading surface. The slidably movable bed deck frame is extendable outwardly from one end of the fixed height frame and the extending end is angulated to facilitate transfer of the stretcher and supported patient to/from the helicopter loading surface.

There is provided an extendable and retractable gurney mountable to a rescue vehicle and configured to receive and hold a rescue basket thereon. The gurney has a base for fixed mounting to a floor area of the rescue vehicle. The gurney has a rescue basket cradle that slides (relative to the base) outward from a stowed configuration on a rescue vehicle to an extended configuration to receive a rescue basket, and then moves back inward to a stowed configuration in the emergency vehicle. Rollers are arrayed along a side of a longitudinally extending slat to facilitate rolling contact with an underside of a rescue basket, when it is placed on the cradle, thereby allowing the basket to be readily moved into appropriate position on the cradle for securing it to, and immobilizing it on, the gurney.

A patient transport apparatus including a base, a litter, a lift mechanism, a litter extension and a cable assembly. The lift mechanism is interposed between the base and the litter and includes an actuator for moving the litter relative to the base. The litter extension moves relative to a patient support surface of the litter between a plurality of litter extension positions. The cable assembly includes a cable and a cable housing. The cable translates mechanical force applied to a user interface of the letter extension to the actuator. The cable housing is operatively attached to the litter and defines an inner cavity, a guide disposed within the inner cavity. The cable housing retains at least a portion of the cable as the litter extension moves between the plurality of litter extension positions.

A system for loading a patient transport apparatus into a vehicle is described. The system includes a loading and unloading system including a track and a trolley supporting a receiver movable between locked and unlocked configurations. The system also includes a patient transport apparatus for attachment to the loading and unloading system including a base, a litter, and a lift mechanism to facilitate arranging the litter at different heights relative to the base with an actuator movable between fully-retracted and fully-extended configurations, a coupler for engaging the receiver to secure the patient transport apparatus, first and second sensors configured to output a first signal and second signal and a controller to determine a target lift configuration during unloading from the emergency based on first and second values and to drive the actuator to the target lift configuration to limit relative movement between the patient transport apparatus and the trolley.

A reconfigurable compartment for a military vehicle. The reconfigurable compartment includes a floor, a front, a rear, a roof, and sides. The floor, the front, the rear, the roof, and the sides are removably coupled with each other to define the reconfigurable compartment. At least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides are function-specific and replaceable with a different function-specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides and thereby facilitate transitioning an overall function of the military vehicle to accommodate a variety of different vehicle applications.

A reconfigurable compartment for a military vehicle. The reconfigurable compartment includes a floor, a front, a rear, a roof, and sides. The floor, the front, the rear, the roof, and the sides are removably coupled with each other to define the reconfigurable compartment. At least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides are function-specific and replaceable with a different function-specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides and thereby facilitate transitioning an overall function of the military vehicle to accommodate a variety of different vehicle applications.

A system for loading a patient transport apparatus into a vehicle is described. The system includes a loading and unloading system including a track and a trolley supporting a receiver movable between locked and unlocked configurations. The system also includes a patient transport apparatus for attachment to the loading and unloading system including a base, a litter, and a lift mechanism to facilitate arranging the litter at different heights relative to the base with an actuator movable between fully-retracted and fully-extended configurations, a coupler for engaging the receiver to secure the patient transport apparatus, first and second sensors configured to output a first signal and second signal and a controller to determine a target lift configuration during unloading from the emergency based on first and second values and to drive the actuator to the target lift configuration to limit relative movement between the patient transport apparatus and the trolley.

A method and an alignment system which auto-levels and/or auto-centers a loading platform to load and unload a wheeled stretcher to and from an emergency transport vehicle are disclosed. A controller of the alignment system receives a command to extend the loading platform from the emergency vehicle and extends the loading platform under power from the emergency transport vehicle. The controller recognizes an approaching wheeled stretcher, and aligns automatically the loading platform with a leading edge of the approaching wheeled stretcher to compensate automatically for any alignment issues between the loading platform and loading wheels of the wheeled stretcher.