PUSH HANDLE WITH PIVOTABLE HANDLE POST

• US 20090188731A1
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: McCaig, Steven V., Zerhusen, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/19.300
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0225 other configuration, e.g. odd number of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0237 having at least one swivelling wheel, e.g. castors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0268 having deployable or retractable wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0275 having driven wheels, e.g. motorised
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0281 having a steering device
• 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 1/048 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0506 Head or foot boards head or foot boards for comfort or ergonomics A47C19/022
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0528 Steering or braking devices for castor wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/08 Apparatus for transporting beds
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/06 Hand moving equipment, e.g. handle bars for cycles B62K11/14, B62K21/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/04 the driver walking

Abstract

A patient support apparatus comprises a frame, a patient support coupled to the frame, a push handle coupled to the frame and having a handle post, and at least one user input coupled to the handle post. The handle post is movable between a first position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing at an end of the frame and a second position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing alongside the frame.

Claims

1. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame,

a push handle coupled to the frame and having a handle post,

a power transport system coupled to the frame and operable to propel the patient support apparatus along a floor, and

at least one user input coupled to the handle post and engageable to provide a signal to the power transport system to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the handle post being movable between a first position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing at an end of the frame and a second position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing alongside an associated side of the frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position of the handle post is generally parallel to said end of the frame and the second position of the handle post is generally parallel to said side of the frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle post is rotatable about an axis that extends generally at 45°

to a longitudinal axis of the frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the push handle has a portion that extends generally upwardly from the frame and the handle post is coupled to the upwardly-extending portion by a hinge.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hinge comprises a 45°

offset hinge.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the handle post is in the first position, the power transport system is in a transport mode and, when the handle post is in the second position, the power transport system is in an adjustment mode, and wherein a speed at which the power transport system propels the patient support apparatus in the transport mode is higher than a corresponding speed at which the power transport system propels the patient support apparatus in the adjustment mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the power transport system is in the transport mode, the at least one user input is assigned a first function and, when the power transport system is in the adjustment mode, the at least one user input is assigned a second function.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an enable switch coupled to the handle post, wherein the at least one user input and the enable switch are engageable simultaneously to signal the power transport system to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller to control operation of the power transport system, wherein the power transport system has a wheel and an on-board battery, and wherein, before the power transport system propels the patient support apparatus, the controller must have been signaled that the wheel is lowered to engage the floor and that the on-board battery is sufficiently charged.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a handle post position indicative switch coupled to the controller, wherein, when the handle post is in the first position, the handle post position indicative switch signals the controller to operate the power transport system in a transport mode and, when the handle post is in the second position, the handle post position indicative switch signals the controller to operate the power transport system in an adjustment mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the handle post position indicative switch is coupled to the push handle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one user input comprises a membrane switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transport system has a wheel that is movable between a first orientation in which the power transport system is operable to propel the patient support apparatus substantially parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the frame and a second orientation in which the power transport system is operable to propel the patient support apparatus substantially parallel to a lateral dimension of the frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the push handle is pushed forwardly and pulled rearwardly to signal the power transport system to propel the patient support apparatus forwardly and rearwardly, respectively.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one user input comprises a speed selection button that is engageable to select a speed at which the power transport system propels the patient support apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one user input comprises left and right switches that are engageable to signal the power transport system to propel the patient support apparatus leftwardly and rightwardly, respectively.

17. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame,

a patient support coupled to the frame,

a push handle coupled to the frame and having a handle post,

a wheel coupled to the frame,

a power transport system coupled to the frame and operable to rotate the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along a floor, and

at least one user input coupled to the handle post and engageable to signal the power transport system to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the handle post being movable between a first position where the at least one user input has a first function and a second position where the at least one user input has a second function.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one user input is presented to a caregiver standing at said end of the frame when the handle post is in the first position and the at least one user input is presented to a caregiver standing alongside said side of the frame when the handle post is in the second position.

19. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame,

a patient support coupled to the frame,

a push handle coupled to the frame, the push handle having a handle post which is grippable by a user to maneuver the patient support apparatus along a floor,

a plurality of casters coupled to the frame,

a wheel coupled to the frame,

a motor coupled to the wheel and operable to rotate the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, and

an electrical system comprising a controller to control operation of the motor, the controller being configured to signal operation of the motor to rotate the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the electrical system further comprising a plurality of user inputs coupled to the handle post which are engageable to signal the controller to operate the motor, the handle post being movable between a first position generally parallel to an end of the frame and a second position generally parallel to a side of the frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein, when the handle post is in the first position, the plurality of user inputs are presented to a caregiver standing adjacent said end of the frame, and wherein, when the handle post is in the second position, the plurality of user inputs are presented to a caregiver standing alongside said side of the frame.

21. A patient support apparatus comprising

a frame,

a patient support coupled to the frame,

a push handle coupled to the frame and having a handle post, and

at least one user input coupled to the handle post, the handle post being movable between a first position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing at an end of the frame and a second position presenting the at least one user input to a caregiver standing alongside the frame.