US 12,005,015 B2
Patient transport apparatus with defined transport height
Brandon David Naber, Portage, MI (US); Martin Fecteau, Bothell, WA (US); and Brianna R. Graves, Paw Paw, MI (US)
Assigned to Stryker Corporation, Kalamazoo, MI (US)
Filed by Stryker Corporation, Kalamazoo, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/471,291.
Application 17/471,291 is a continuation of application No. 16/271,114, filed on Feb. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,141,334.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/628,532, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0401647 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61G 7/10 (2006.01); A47C 31/12 (2006.01); A61G 1/02 (2006.01); A61G 1/04 (2006.01); A61G 1/052 (2006.01); A61G 1/056 (2006.01); A61G 7/002 (2006.01); A61G 7/16 (2006.01)
CPC A61G 7/1013 (2013.01) [A47C 31/123 (2013.01); A61G 1/0243 (2013.01); A61G 1/0293 (2013.01); A61G 1/04 (2013.01); A61G 1/052 (2013.01); A61G 1/0567 (2013.01); A61G 7/1046 (2013.01); A61G 1/0262 (2013.01); A61G 7/002 (2013.01); A61G 7/16 (2013.01); A61G 2203/34 (2013.01); A61G 2203/40 (2013.01); A61G 2203/44 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A patient transport apparatus comprising:
a support structure comprising a base frame, and a litter with a patient support surface to support a patient;
a lift mechanism comprising an actuator system to facilitate movement of the patient support surface to different heights relative to the base frame;
one or more sensors responsive to changes in the height of the patient support surface relative to the base frame resulting from operation of the lift mechanism;
a user input device to receive input from a user;
a notification device comprising a visual indicator;
a proximity sensor configured to detect a location of the support structure relative to a vehicle; and
a controller operably connected to the actuator system, the one or more sensors, the user input device, the notification device, and the proximity sensor, the controller being configured to:
define a transport height for the patient support surface;
operate the actuator system to lower the patient support surface or to raise the patient support surface up to the defined transport height in response to input from the user on the user input device;
operate the visual indicator of the notification device to provide an indication to the user that the defined transport height has been reached; and
allow operation of the actuator system to permit raising the patient support surface above the defined transport height in response to the proximity sensor detecting that the support structure is within a defined distance spaced from the vehicle to facilitate loading into the vehicle.