In-ambulance cot shut-off device

• US 8,056,950 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Colvin, Joshua C., Steffler, Michael W., Souke, Chad, Nahavandi, Kurosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROMAIN, PINEL E
• Application Number:
  US12/661,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20100176618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 296/19, 296/20, 561/1, 5 8/61
• US Class Current: 296/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/013 foldable or collapsible A61G1/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0212 2 pairs having wheels within a pair on the same position in longitudinal direction, e.g. on the same axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0237 having at least one swivelling wheel, e.g. castors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0262 having loading wheels situated in the front during loading
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0293 stretcher supports with wheels, e.g. used for stretchers without wheels stretcher supports without wheels A61G1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/04 Parts, details or accessories, e.g. head-, foot-, or like rests specially adapted for stretchers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/048 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/052 Struts, spars or legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 1/0567 folding in x-shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/0816 Accommodating or securing stretchers support for stretchers independent from vehicle A61G1/06; loading stretchers A61G3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0509 sliding or pivoting downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0513 covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed

Abstract

An ambulance cot is disclosed and the ambulance cot having a base frame configured for support on a surface, a litter frame configured for supporting thereon a patient and an elevating mechanism interconnecting the base frame and the litter frame and configured to interconnect the litter frame and the base frame in order to facilitate movement of the base frame and the litter frame toward and away from each other. A control mechanism is provided on the cot which is configured to facilitate the movement of the base frame and the litter frame toward each other and at differing speeds predicated on at least one of whether the base frame is supported on the surface and the litter frame is supported by an external support separate from the elevating mechanism.

Claims

1. A combination of an ambulance cot and an ambulance having a cargo area, comprising:

a base frame and a litter frame on said ambulance cot;

a selectively activatable drive mechanism for an elevating mechanism interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame; and

a first device located in the cargo area of the ambulance and a second device mounted on said ambulance cot, at least one of said first and second devices being configured (1) to operatively determine the presence and absence of said ambulance cot in said cargo area and (2) to render said drive mechanism inoperative in response to a determination that said ambulance cot is present in said cargo area.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said first device includes an in-ambulance device for securing the ambulance cot in place in said cargo area.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said second device is a component of said elevating mechanism that includes at least one cot height detection mechanism configured to render said drive mechanism inoperative solely in response to said cot being operatively coupled in said in-ambulance device.

4. A combination of an ambulance cot and an ambulance having a cargo area, comprising:

a base frame and a litter frame on said ambulance cot;

an elevating mechanism interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame; and

a first device located in the cargo area of the ambulance and a second device mounted on said ambulance cot, at least one of said first and second devices being configured (1) to operatively determine the presence and absence of said ambulance cot in said cargo area and (2) to operatively deactivate said elevating mechanism in response to a determination that said ambulance cot is present in said cargo area;

wherein said first device includes an in-ambulance device for securing the ambulance cot in place in said cargo area;

wherein said second device is a component of said elevating mechanism that includes at least one cot height detection mechanism configured to deactivate said elevating mechanism solely in response to said cot being operatively coupled in said in-ambulance device and

wherein said first device includes a magnet and said cot height detection mechanism is a Hall effect sensor configured to detect the presence and absence of said magnet.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said cot height detection mechanism is a cot low height detection sensor.

6. A combination of an ambulance cot and an ambulance having a cargo area, comprising:

a base frame and a litter frame on said ambulance cot;

a selectively activatable drive mechanism for an elevating mechanism interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame; and

an in-ambulance device configured to operatively detect a presence and absence of said ambulance cot in said cargo area, a component of said cot being configured to operatively couple with said in-ambulance device to deactivate said drive mechanism.

7. A combination of an ambulance cot and an ambulance having a cargo area, comprising:

a base frame and a litter frame on said ambulance cot;

a selectively activatable drive mechanism for an elevating mechanism interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame;

an in-ambulance device in the ambulance cargo area configured to produce a signal; and

a detection mechanism onboard said ambulance cot configured to detect the presence and absence of said signal and rendering said drive mechanism inoperative when said detection mechanism is detecting the presence of said signal.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said in-ambulance device includes a device for securing the ambulance cot in place in said cargo area and a magnet for producing said signal.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said detection mechanism is a Hall effect sensor and wherein said detection mechanism is a cot low height detection sensor.

10. A combination of an ambulance cot and an ambulance having a cargo area, comprising:

a base frame and a litter frame on said ambulance cot;

an elevating mechanism interconnecting said base frame and said litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame;

a selectively activatable drive motor and associated hydraulic pump driven by said drive motor, a hydraulic cylinder connected in fluid circuit with said hydraulic pump, said cylinder having a reciprocal rod operatively connected to said elevating mechanism to effect said changes in elevation of said litter frame relative to said base frame in response to reciprocation of said rod; and

a first device located in the cargo area of the ambulance and a second device mounted on said ambulance cot, at least one of said first and second devices being configured (1) to operatively determine the presence and absence of said ambulance cot in said cargo area and (2) to render said drive motor inoperative in response to a determination that said ambulance cot is present in said cargo area.

11. The combination according to claim 10, wherein said first device includes a device for securing the ambulance cot in place in said cargo area and a magnet for producing said signal, and wherein said second device includes a detection mechanism for sensing the presence and absence of said signal.

12. The combination according to claim 11, wherein said detection mechanism is a Hall effect sensor.

13. The combination according to claim 11, wherein said Hall effect sensor is a cot low height detection sensor.