Systems and methods for facilitating movement of a patient transport apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039964-B2
Application number	US-201815910502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating movement of a patient transport apparatus. The patient transport apparatus has a support structure comprising a patient support surface. A wheel assembly comprises a base wheel having an outer periphery rotatably coupled to the support structure about a base rotational axis. The wheel assembly also comprises a plurality of peripheral wheels disposed about the outer periphery to rotate about a plurality of peripheral rotational axes. The wheel assembly comprises a motion control device configured to selectively control rotation of the peripheral wheels independent of rotation of the base wheel about the base rotational axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A patient transport apparatus comprising:
a support structure comprising a patient support surface, said patient support surface supported by a base having four corner portions with swivel wheels coupled thereto, said swivel wheels configured to swivel about swivel axes and to support said base on a floor surface;
a drive assembly attached to said base and positioned inward from said corner portions of said base, said drive assembly configured to facilitate omni-directional movement of said patient transport apparatus along the floor surface and comprising:
a first wheel assembly comprising a first base wheel rotatably coupled to said support structure about a first base rotational axis, said first base wheel having a first outer periphery, said first wheel assembly comprising a first plurality of peripheral wheels disposed about said first outer periphery to rotate about a first plurality of peripheral rotational axes, and said first wheel assembly comprising a first motion control device configured to selectively control rotation of one of said first plurality of peripheral wheels independent of rotation of said first base wheel about said first base rotational axis;
a second wheel assembly having a second base wheel rotatably coupled to said support structure about a second base rotational axis and having a second outer periphery, said second wheel assembly comprising a second plurality of peripheral wheels disposed about said second outer periphery to rotate about a second plurality of peripheral rotational axes, and said second wheel assembly comprising a second motion control device configured to selectively control rotation of one of said second plurality of peripheral wheels independent of rotation of said second base wheel about said second base rotational axis;
a third wheel assembly having a third base wheel rotatably coupled to said support structure about a third base rotational axis and having a third outer periphery, said third wheel assembly comprising a third plurality of peripheral wheels disposed about said third outer periphery to rotate about a third plurality of peripheral rotational axes, and said third wheel assembly comprising a third motion control device configured to selectively control rotation of one of said third plurality of peripheral wheels independent of rotation of said third base wheel about said third base rotational axis; and

a controller and first, second, and third base wheel drives coupled to said base wheels and configured to be actuated by said controller to control rotation of said base wheels;
wherein said support structure has a longitudinal axis and head and foot end portions along said longitudinal axis, and said first and second base wheels are rotatably coupled to said support structure about said first and second base rotational axes that are transverse to said longitudinal axis by a common acute angle, and wherein said third base wheel is arranged on said support structure such that said third base rotational axis is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

2. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first motion control device comprises at least one of a motor and a brake.

3. The patient transport apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said first motion control device comprises a control wheel coupled to said motor.

4. The patient transport apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said control wheel is configured to engage said one of said first peripheral wheels.

5. The patient transport apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said brake comprises a drum brake for selectively impeding rotation of said one of said first peripheral wheels.

6. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said motion control device comprises a gear associated with said one of said first peripheral wheels.

7. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an operator input device coupled to said controller and configured to generate an input signal, said controller being further configured to actuate said first motion control device based on said input signal received from said operator input device.

8. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to actuate said first and second base wheel drives to rotate said base wheels and actuate said motion control devices to inhibit rotation of said peripheral wheels such that said patient transport apparatus moves in a forward direction that is parallel with said longitudinal axis of said patient transport apparatus.

9. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to actuate said motion control devices to actively rotate said peripheral wheels such that said patient transport apparatus moves in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said patient transport apparatus.

10. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second base wheels are arranged on said support structure such that said first and second base rotational axes converge toward said foot end portion of said support structure.

11. The patient transport apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured to actuate said first and second base wheel drives to rotate said base wheels such that said patient transport apparatus moves in a longitudinal direction that is parallel with said longitudinal axis of said patient transport apparatus.

12. The patient transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said controller is configured to actuate said first and second base wheel drives to counter-rotate said first and second base wheels such that said patient transport apparatus moves in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said patient transport apparatus.

13. The patient transport apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said controller is configured to actuate said base wheel drives to rotate one of said base wheels and inhibit rotation of another of said base wheels such that said patient transport apparatus moves in a direction that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of said support structure.

14. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first and second base wheels are arranged on said support structure such that said first and second base rotational axes converge toward said head end portion of said support structure.

15. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first wheel assembly comprises a housing defining an internal cavity with said first motion control device being disposed within said internal cavity.

16. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said swivel wheels are further defined as caster wheels.

17. A patient transport apparatus comprising:
a support structure comprising a patient support surface and defining a longitudinal axis and head and foot end portions along said longitudinal axis, said patient support surface supported by a base having four corner portions with swivel wheels coupled thereto, said swivel wheels configured to swivel about swivel axes and to support said base on a floor surface; and
a drive assembly operatively attached to said base inward from said corner portions of said base, said drive assembly configured to facilitate omni-directional movement of said patient transport apparatus along the floor surface, and comprising first, second, and third wheel assemblies each comprising:
a respective base wheel having a respective outer periphery and being rotatably coupled to said support structure about a respective base rotational axis,
a respective plurality of peripheral whee

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Paul Anish
• Childs William D
• Patmore Kevin M

Classifications

• A61G7/08 Primary

  Apparatus for transporting beds · CPC title

• A61G7/0528

  Steering or braking devices for castor wheels · CPC title

• A61G1/0237

  having at least one swivelling wheel, e.g. castors · CPC title

• A61G1/0281

  having a steering device · CPC title

• A61G1/0275 Primary

  having driven wheels, e.g. motorised · CPC title