| CPC A61G 7/1036 (2013.01) [A61G 7/1046 (2013.01); A61G 7/1049 (2013.01); A61G 3/0218 (2013.01); A61G 3/062 (2013.01); A61G 2203/32 (2013.01); A61G 2203/34 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system for use in removably loading a patient transport apparatus into an emergency vehicle, said system comprising:
a loading and unloading system for attaching to the emergency vehicle, said loading and unloading system including:
a track for mounting to the emergency vehicle, and
a trolley slidably mounted to said tracks, said trolley supporting a receiver movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration; and
a patient transport apparatus configured for releasable attachment to said loading and unloading system, said patient transport apparatus including:
a base supporting a wheel for engagement with a ground surface,
a litter defining a patient support surface to support a patient,
a lift mechanism to facilitate arranging said litter at different heights relative to said base with an actuator movable between a plurality of lift configurations including a fully-retracted configuration and a fully-extended configuration,
a coupler operatively attached to said litter for releasably engaging said receiver of said trolley to secure said patient transport apparatus to said trolley when said receiver operates in said locked configuration,
a first sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of a height of said litter relative to said base,
a second sensor configured to output a second signal indicative of applied force occurring between said base and said litter, and
a controller in communication with said actuator of said lift mechanism, said first sensor, and said second sensor, said controller being configured to determine a target lift configuration during unloading from the emergency vehicle as said actuator moves toward said fully-extended configuration, said target lift configuration being defined to inhibit compressing said patient transport apparatus between said wheel engaging the ground surface and said coupler engaging said receiver based on:
a first value associated with at least one of said first signal and said second signal determined in response to contact of said wheel occurring with the ground surface; and
a second value associated with at least one of said first signal and said second signal determined in response to said patient transport apparatus at least partially moving out of support from at least a portion of said trolley; and
said controller being further configured to drive said actuator to said target lift configuration defined based on said first value and said second value to facilitate unloading said patient transport apparatus supported on the ground surface in an uncompressed state to limit relative movement between said patient transport apparatus and said trolley as said receiver moves from said locked configuration to said unlocked configuration to release said coupler.
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