Patient transport apparatus having coordinated user input devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11779497-B2
Application number	US-202218083996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Nov 20, 2019
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a floor surface and includes a support structure and a plurality of support wheels coupled to the support structure. The patient transport apparatus also includes a user interface including at least two handles coupled to the support structure, with each of the handles movable between a stowed position and non-stowed position. The patient transport apparatus also includes a user input device coupled to the user interface, and a controller coupled to the user interface. The controller is configured to electronically coordinate the movement of the handles to the stowed position upon actuation of the user input device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A patient transport apparatus comprising:
a support structure;
a plurality of support wheels coupled to the support structure and arranged for engagement with floor surfaces;
a drive assembly operatively attached to the support structure and including:
a drive member arranged for engagement with floor surfaces; and
a powered drive system coupled to the drive member to selectively propel the drive member along floor surfaces;

a first handle and a second handle each respectively moveable between a stowed position and a non-stowed position, with a linkage operatively coupling the first and second handles in a coordinated manner such that movement of the first handle from the stowed position to the non-stowed position causes movement of the second handle from the stowed position to the non-stowed position and such that movement of the first handle from the non-stowed position to the stowed position causes movement of the second handle from the non-stowed position to the stowed position;
a user interface operatively attached to the first handle and including a user input device arranged for selective engagement by a user to operate the drive assembly in the non-stowed position; and
a controller disposed in communication with the user interface and the powered drive system of the drive assembly to operate the powered drive system to propel the drive member along floor surfaces in response to user engagement with the user interface.

2. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive member of the drive assembly is further defined as a drive wheel arranged for engagement with floor surfaces.

3. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly further includes an actuator operatively coupled to the drive member and arranged to move the drive member relative to floor surfaces.

4. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user input device is further defined as a throttle supported by the first handle for concurrent movement with the first handle between the stowed position and the non-stowed position, the throttle being arranged for rotation relative to the first handle in response to user engagement.

5. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further includes a touch sensor arranged for user engagement; and
wherein the controller is further configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles between the stowed position and the non-stowed position in response to changes in user engagement with the touch sensor of the user input device.

6. The patient transport apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the non-stowed position in response to detecting user engagement with the touch sensor of the user input device.

7. The patient transport apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the user input device is configured to transmit a first input signal and a second input signal to the controller, the controller being configured to coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the stowed position upon receiving the first input signal and to coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the non-stowed position upon receiving the second input signal.

8. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the patient transport apparatus further comprises a brake assembly coupled to at least one of the plurality of support wheels and being moveable between a braked position and an unbraked position, the brake assembly being configured to generate an electronic braking signal; and
wherein the controller is disposed in communication with the brake assembly and is configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the stowed position in response to receiving the electronic braking signal from the brake assembly.

9. The patient transport apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles to one of the stowed position and the non-stowed position upon receipt of the electronic braking signal.

10. The patient transport apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to delay coordinated movement of the first and second handles to the stowed position for a predetermined amount of time after receipt of the electronic braking signal.

11. The patient transport apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the brake assembly includes:
a brake actuator assembly arranged to operate at least one of the support wheels between the braked position and the unbraked position; and
a brake input device coupled to the brake actuator assembly and arranged for user engagement to move the brake actuator assembly between the braked position and the unbraked position.

12. The patient transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the brake input device comprises a foot pedal.

13. The patient transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the brake assembly further includes a brake sensor to generate the electronic braking signal, with the brake sensor being arranged to determine operation between the braked position and the unbraked position.

14. The patient transport apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the electronic braking signal is further defined as a first electronic braking signal and the brake sensor is configured to generate the first electronic braking signal when the brake assembly is moved to the braked position; and
wherein the brake sensor is further configured to generate a second electronic braking signal when the brake assembly is moved to the unbraked position.

15. The patient transport apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the stowed position upon receipt of the first electronic braking signal.

16. The patient transport apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles to the non-stowed position upon receipt of the second electronic braking signal.

17. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator device coupled to the user interface and disposed in communication with the controller to drive movement of the first and second handles between the stowed position and the non-stowed position.

18. The patient transport apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the actuator device includes at least one servo motor.

19. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the patient transport apparatus further comprises a brake assembly operatively attached to the support structure and including:
a brake actuator assembly arranged to operate at least one of the support wheels between a braked position and an unbraked position, and
a brake input device coupled to the brake actuator assembly and arranged for user engagement to move the brake actuator assembly between the braked position and the unbraked position; and
wherein the controller is disposed in communication with the brake assembly and is configured to electronically coordinate movement of the first and second handles between the stowed position and the non-stowed position in response to changes in operation of the brake actuator assembly between the braked position and the unbraked position.

20. The patient transport apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the brake assembly further includes a brake sensor arranged to determine operation between the braked position and the

Assignees

• Stryker Corp

Inventors

• Phan Hieu
• Derenne Richard A

Classifications

• A61G1/0287 Primary

  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 title

• A61G1/048

  Handles · CPC title

• A61G2203/10

  characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering · CPC title

• A61G7/08 Primary

  Apparatus for transporting beds · CPC title

• A61G7/0528

  Steering or braking devices for castor wheels · CPC title