Stretcher center wheel mechanism
First Claim
1. A stretcher for transporting a patient along a floor, the stretcher comprising:
- an elongated frame,a patient-support deck carried by the frame,an elongated shaft having a longitudinally-extending axis of rotation, the shaft being coupled to the frame for rotation about the axis of rotation between a first orientation and a second orientation, anda wheel supported relative to the frame and movable relative to the frame in response to rotation of the shaft, the wheel being in a first position engaging the floor when the shaft is in the first orientation and the wheel being in a second position spaced apart from the floor when the shaft is in the second orientation.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stretcher for transporting a patient along a floor includes an elongated frame, a patient-support deck carried by the frame, and an elongated shaft having a longitudinally-extending axis of rotation. The shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation about the axis of rotation between a first orientation and a second orientation. The stretcher also includes a wheel supported relative to the frame and movable relative to the frame in response to rotation of the shaft. The wheel is in a first position engaging the floor when the shaft is in the first orientation and the wheel is in a second position spaced apart from the floor when the shaft is in the second orientation.
126 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A stretcher for transporting a patient along a floor, the stretcher comprising:
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an elongated frame, a patient-support deck carried by the frame, an elongated shaft having a longitudinally-extending axis of rotation, the shaft being coupled to the frame for rotation about the axis of rotation between a first orientation and a second orientation, and a wheel supported relative to the frame and movable relative to the frame in response to rotation of the shaft, the wheel being in a first position engaging the floor when the shaft is in the first orientation and the wheel being in a second position spaced apart from the floor when the shaft is in the second orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A stretcher for transporting a patient along a floor, the stretcher comprising:
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an elongated frame, a plurality of casters mounted to the frame, a brake-steer assembly for braking the casters, the brake-steer assembly being mounted to the frame and coupled to the casters for movement between a steer position wherein the casters are free to roll and swivel and a brake position wherein the casters are locked from rolling or swiveling, the brake-steer assembly including a longitudinally-extending brake-steer shaft rotatably coupled to the frame for movement between a brake position when the brake-steer assembly is in the brake position and a steer position when the brake-steer assembly is in the steer position, a wheel, a wheel-mounting bracket being pivotably coupled to the frame, the wheel being rotatably coupled to the wheel-mounting bracket for rotation about a generally transverse axis of rotation, the wheel-mounting bracket being pivotable between a first position in which the wheel engages the floor and a second position in which the wheel is spaced apart from the floor, and a mechanism movable between a brake position and a steer position, the mechanism moving the wheel-mounting bracket in response to movement of the brake-steer shaft so that when the brake-steer shaft rotates to the steer position, the brake-steer shaft moves the mechanism to the steer position and the mechanism moves the wheel-mounting bracket to the first position in which the wheel engages the floor and when the brake-steer shaft rotates to the brake position, the brake-steer shaft moves the mechanism to the brake position and the mechanism moves the wheel-mounting bracket to the second position in which the wheel is spaced apart from the floor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A stretcher for transporting a patient over a floor, the stretcher comprising:
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a frame, a plurality of casters mounted to the frame and engaging the floor, a wheel, and a wheel-mounting bracket coupling the wheel to the frame, the wheel-mounting bracket including a first fork having a first end and a second end pivotably mounted to the frame and a second fork having a first end, a second end rotatably coupled to the wheel, and a middle portion therebetween pivotably coupled to the first end of the first fork so that second fork pivots relative to the first fork, the first fork pivots relative to the frame, and the wheel being movable relative to the frame between a downward steer position engaging the floor and an upward raised position spaced apart from the floor. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification