US 12,343,293 B2
Pedal assembly for a patient support apparatus
Tyler Joseph Ethen, Portage, MI (US); Anish Paul, Portage, MI (US); Joseph Adam Upchurch, Kalamazoo, MI (US); and William Dwight Childs, Plainwell, MI (US)
Assigned to Stryker Corporation, Portage, MI (US)
Filed by Stryker Corporation, Kalamazoo, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/530,935.
Application 17/530,935 is a continuation of application No. 16/415,219, filed on May 17, 2019, granted, now 11,229,565.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/674,138, filed on May 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0071824 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61G 7/05 (2006.01); A61G 7/012 (2006.01); A61G 7/015 (2006.01); A61G 7/018 (2006.01); A61G 7/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61G 7/0528 (2016.11) [A61G 7/012 (2013.01); A61G 7/015 (2013.01); A61G 7/018 (2013.01); A61G 7/08 (2013.01); A61G 2203/46 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A patient support apparatus comprising:
a patient support structure comprising a base having a plurality of wheels to facilitate movement of said patient support apparatus, two wheels of said plurality of wheels being spaced apart along said base along a base axis; and
a pedal assembly being coupled to said patient support structure and having a pivotal range of motion about an axis of rotation perpendicular to said base axis to select between a braking state and a non-braking state for at least said two wheels, said pedal assembly having first and second pedals and a pedal support, said first and second pedals coupled to said pedal support on opposed sides of said pedal support and on opposed sides of said axis of rotation, said first and second pedals each being configured to pivot independently of said other pedal when encountering an obstruction while remaining coupled to said pedal support wherein said first and second pedals pivot in unison with said pedal support over said pivotal range of motion when a force is applied to one of said first and second pedals and no obstruction is encountered, and one pedal of said first and second pedals pivots independently of another pedal of said first and second pedals when a force is applied to one of said first and second pedals and when said one pedal encounters an obstruction while remaining coupled to said pedal support.