Patient support apparatus with powered wheel
First Claim
1. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprisinga frame,a plurality of casters coupled to the frame,a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor,a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor,a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, anda second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, wherein the drive assembly is disabled from driving the wheel when the casters are braked.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A patient support apparatus includes a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, and a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging a floor and a raised position spaced from the floor. The patient support apparatus also has a drive assembly with a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor and a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor. A first user input is provided to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions and a second user input is provided to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel.
246 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising
a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor, a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor, a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, and a second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, wherein the drive assembly is disabled from driving the wheel when the casters are braked.
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2. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising
a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor, a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor, a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, and a second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, wherein the first user input comprises at least one foot pedal.
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11. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising
a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor, a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor, a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, a second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, and a push handle, the second user input is being coupled to the push handle.
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13. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising
a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor, a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor, a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, and a second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, wherein the second user input comprises a rotatable member that is rotatable from a neutral position in a first direction to provide a first signal associated with propelling the patient support apparatus forwardly and that is rotatable from the neutral position in a second direction to provide a second signal associated with propelling the patient support apparatus rearwardly.
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16. A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising
a frame, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame, a wheel supported with respect to the frame and movable between a lowered position engaging the floor and a raised position spaced from the floor, a drive assembly, the drive assembly having a first mode of operation coupled to the wheel and operable to drive the wheel to propel the patient support apparatus along the floor, the drive assembly having a second mode of operation decoupled from the wheel so that the wheel is free to rotate when the wheel is in the lowered position and the patient support apparatus is moved along the floor, a first user input to move the wheel between the raised and lowered positions, and a second user input to signal the drive assembly to drive the wheel when the drive assembly is in the first mode of operation and the wheel is in the lowered position, wherein the frame comprises a lower frame and an upper frame that is supported above the lower frame and that is raiseable and lowerable relative to the lower frame, the wheel and the first user input being coupled to the lower frame, and the second user input being coupled to the upper frame.
Specification