Bed transfer system

• US 20060102392A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dane Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dane Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Holtan, Paul David, Johnson, Daniel T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/19.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/08 Apparatus for transporting beds
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/00 Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices devices specially adapted for connection between tractors and agricultural machines or implements A01B59/00; fifth-wheel couplings B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/02 Bolt or shackle-type couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2207/00 Joining hand-propelled vehicles or sledges together
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/04 involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carried; Loading or unloading equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/005 Detachably mounted motor units
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/04 the driver walking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/023 Steering turntables

Abstract

The present invention is a powered hospital bed mover or bed transfer system. The bed mover includes a bed attachment mechanism that is vertically displaceable relative to a base that includes an electrically powered drive wheel and a pair of support castors. The attachment mechanism includes a pair of horizontally oriented jaws with jaw openings that face away from each other. Each jaw includes a contact switch in its bottom surface and a contact switch in its jaw opening. The contact switches indicate to the mover and its user that the mover is properly engaged with the frame of a hospital bed. The jaws are horizontally displaceable and diverge from each other to engage vertical frame members of a hospital bed. A control panel has a joystick adapted to control the speed and direction of travel for the mover. The control panel also has controls for actuating the jaws, changing the elevation of the attachment mechanism, and locking at least one of the support castors. The control panel is hinged to the mover such that it may pivot outwardly away from the mover. A hinged panel also is provided to allow the pivoting of the drive wheel about a vertical pivot axis.

Claims

1. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a bed engagement portion; and

a base portion supporting the bed engagement portion and comprising a drive wheel, a support wheel, and a locking mechanism,

wherein the support wheel is pivotal about a vertical axis,

wherein the locking mechanism actuates between a locked position that prevents the support wheel from pivotally displacing about the vertical axis and an unlocked position that allows the support wheel to pivotally displace about the vertical axis.

2. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a contact switch adapted to indicate engagement with the bed.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the contact switch is part of the bed engagement portion.

4. The machine of claim 2, wherein the actuation of the contact switch results in the locking mechanism actuating to the unlocked position.

5. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a bed engagement portion;

a base portion supporting the bed engagement portion and comprising a drive wheel;

an electrical power source adapted to cause the bed engagement portion to engage or disengage the bed; and

an emergency release adapted to disengage the bed engagement portion from the bed when the electrical power source is unable to disengage the bed engagement portion from the bed.

6. The machine of claim 5, wherein the bed engagement portion comprises means for engaging the bed and the emergency release disengages said means from the bed.

7. The machine of claim 5, wherein the bed engagement portion comprises one or more jaws horizontally displaceable to engage a frame portion of the bed, and wherein the emergency release horizontally displaces the one or more jaws to disengage the one or more jaws from the frame portion of the bed.

8. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a bed engagement portion;

a base portion supporting the bed engagement portion and comprising a drive wheel; and

a first contact switch adapted to indicate engagement of the bed engagement portion with the bed.

9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the bed engagement portion comprises means for engaging the bed.

10. The machine of claim 8, wherein the bed engagement portion comprises one or more jaws horizontally displaceable to engage a frame portion of the bed.

11. The machine of claim 8, wherein the first contact switch is supported off the bed engagement portion.

12. The machine of claim 8, further comprising a second contact switch adapted to indicate proper elevation of the bed engagement portion relative to the bed.

13. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a bed engagement portion; and

a base portion supporting the bed engagement portion and comprising a drive wheel assembly and a housing,

wherein the drive wheel assembly is pivotal about a vertical axis and generally resides within the housing,

wherein the housing includes a hinged portion that is caused to pivot when encountered by a portion of the drive wheel assembly when the drive wheel assembly is pivotally displaced about the vertical axis.

14. The machine of claim 13, wherein a footprint area of the base portion is smaller when the drive wheel assembly does not contact the hinged portion than when the drive wheel assembly does contact the hinged portion.

15. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a bed engagement portion;

a base portion supporting the bed engagement portion and comprising a drive wheel;

a housing portion; and

a control panel comprising at least one control mounted on the control panel, wherein the control panel is pivotal relative to the housing.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein the control panel is pivotal between an up position and a down position.

17. The machine of claim 16, wherein a footprint area of the machine is smaller when the control panel is in the up position.

18. The machine of claim 15, wherein the at least one control is a direction control.

19. A machine for moving a bed, the machine comprising:

a base comprising a wheel assembly and a steering assembly, wherein the wheel assembly is pivotally coupled about a vertical axis to the base portion and comprises a drive wheel and a first electric motor for causing the drive wheel to pivot about a horizontal axis, wherein the steering assembly comprises a second electric motor and a mechanical arrangement for causing the wheel assembly to pivot about the vertical axis;

an attachment assembly adjustably coupled to, and located above, the base and comprising a bed attachment mechanism; and

an elevator mechanism adapted to change the elevation of the attachment assembly relative to the base.

20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the attachment assembly further comprises a control panel.

21. The machine of claim 19, wherein the first electric motor is mounted in a hub of the drive wheel.

22. The machine of claim 19, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a horizontally oriented jaw that is horizontally displaceable to engage a framework of the bed.

23. The machine of claim 22, wherein the jaw comprises an opening and a contact switch having a member that extends from the jaw

24. The machine of claim 23, wherein the member is depressed by the framework of the bed when the jaw engages the framework, thereby actuating the contact switch to indicate that the jaw has engaged the framework.

25. The machine of claim 23, wherein the member encounters a portion of the bed, thereby actuating the contact switch to indicate that the jaw is properly vertically positioned.

26. A device for assisting an operator in moving a hospital bed having at least one bed wheel, the device comprising:

a body;

a motor driven wheel pivotably coupled to the body, the motor driven wheel pivotable about a vertical axis;

a handle pivotably coupled to the body, such that when the operator pivots the handle, the motor driven wheel pivots about the vertical axis; and

a hitch coupled to the body and including a bed wheel engagement feature.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature comprises a pair of sides and the bed wheel is received between said sides when the bed wheel is engaged by the bed wheel engagement feature.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature further comprises a back extending between said sides.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature further comprises a wheel entry end opposite said back and extending between said sides.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the wheel entry end is generally open for allowing the bed wheel to enter the bed wheel engagement feature.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature further comprises a structure adapted to inhibit the bed wheel from rolling out of the wheel entry end.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature further comprises a curved portion positioned between said sides and adapted to contact at least a portion of the bed wheel'"'"'s rolling surface.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein the bed wheel engagement feature further comprises a surface adapted to contact at least a portion of the bed wheel'"'"'s rolling surface.

34. The device of claim 26, wherein the hitch is vertically displaceable relative to the body.

35. A device for assisting an operator in moving a hospital bed wherein the device is hitchable to the hospital bed, the device comprising:

a body;

a motor driven wheel pivotably coupled to the body, the motor driven wheel pivotable about a vertical axis;

a handle pivotably coupled to the body, such that when the operator pivots the handle, the motor driven wheel pivots about the vertical axis; and

an arm extending from the body and including a wheel near the free end of said arm.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the arm is moveable relative to the body.