Stretcher foot pedal

• US 20010004778A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James L. Walke, Patrick J. Minnelli, Richard H. Heimbrock
• Original Assignee: James L. Walke, Patrick J. Minnelli, Richard H. Heimbrock
• Inventors: Walke, James L., Heimbrock, Richard H., Minnelli, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,314,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/622
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/60 Supports for surgeons, e.g. chairs or hand supports seats for dentists or surgeons associated with dental chairs or operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0225 other configuration, e.g. odd number of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0243 with lockable swivel action, e.g. fixing castor in certain direction locking of castor swivel action in general B60B33/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0268 having deployable or retractable wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0287 having brakes, e.g. slowing down and/or holding details of brake actuators on castors B60B33/0078; brakes on hand carts B62B5/04; brakes in general F16D49/00 - F16D65/853
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/101 Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/12 Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/121 Head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1235 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/124 Hands or wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1245 Knees, upper or lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1275 having air-evacuated chambers in order to adapt to the form of the patient for preventing bed-sores A61G7/05753
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/129 having surface parts for adaptation of the size, e.g. for extension or reduction tables with different adjustable sections A61G13/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05753 air-evacuated, e.g. in order to adapt to the form of the patient air-evacuated splints A61F5/05833
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/913 with suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A pedal assembly for rotating a brake-steer shaft of a stretcher. The pedal assembly includes a yoke coupled to the brake-steer shaft to rotate therewith and a flip-over pedal having a proximal end coupled to the yoke and a distal end spaced therefrom. The flip-over pedal is pivotable about a flip-over axis relative to the yoke. The flip-over pedal has a first orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the yoke in a first direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a first direction. The flip-over pedal has a second orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the yoke in a second direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Claims

1. A pedal assembly for rotating a brake-steer shaft of a stretcher about an axis, the pedal assembly comprising

a yoke coupled to the brake-steer shaft to rotate therewith, and

a flip-over pedal having a proximal end coupled to the yoke and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end, the flip-over pedal being pivotable about a flip-over axis relative to the yoke from a first orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the yoke in a first direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a first direction and a second orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the yoke in a second direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

2. The pedal assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the flip-over axis is spaced apart from the axis of the brake-steer shaft.

3. The pedal assembly of

claim 2

, wherein the flip-over axis is substantially parallel to the axis of the brake-steer shaft.

4. The pedal assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the yoke extends upwardly from the brake-steer shaft, the yoke has a bottom end coupled to the brake-steer shaft, and the yoke has a top end to which the flip-over pedal is coupled.

5. The pedal assembly of

claim 4

, wherein the brake-steer shaft has a neutral position in which the yoke is in an upright vertical position, the flip-over pedal includes a portion supported in a horizontal orientation by the yoke when the flip-over pedal is in the first orientation and when the flip-over pedal is in the second orientation.

6. The pedal assembly of

claim 5

, wherein the brake-steer shaft has a steering position in which the yoke is rotated away from the upright vertical position in a first direction to a first angled position, the distal end of the flip-over pedal is spaced apart from a floor on which the apparatus sets by a first distance when the flip-over pedal is in the first orientation, the distal end of the flip-over pedal is spaced apart from the floor by a second distance when the flip-over pedal is in the second orientation, and the second distance is larger than the first distance.

7. The pedal assembly of

claim 6

, wherein the brake-steer shaft has a braking position in which the yoke is rotated away from the upright vertical position in a second direction to a second angled position, the distal end of the flip-over pedal is spaced apart from the floor by a third distance when the flip-over pedal is in the first orientation, the distal end of the flip-over pedal is spaced apart from the floor by a fourth distance when the flip-over pedal is in the second orientation, and the third distance is larger than the fourth distance.

8. The pedal assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the yoke includes a pair of spaced-apart flanges and a stop surface extending between the flanges, the proximal end of the flip-over pedal is positioned to lie between the flanges.

9. The pedal assembly of

claim 8

, wherein the flip-over pedal includes a portion having a first side that engages the stop surface of the yoke when the flip-over pedal is in the first orientation and a second side that engages the stop surface of the yoke when the flip-over pedal is in the second orientation.

10. A pedal assembly for rotating a brake-steer shaft of a stretcher about an axis, the pedal assembly comprising a flip-over pedal having a proximal end coupled to the brake-steer shaft and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end, the flip-over pedal being pivotable about a flip-over axis relative to the brake-steer shaft from a first orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the brake-steer shaft in a first direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a first direction and a second orientation in which the flip-over pedal extends away from the brake-steer shaft in a second direction so that the distal end of the flip-over pedal can be engaged to rotate the brake-steer shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction.