Patent Application
20080189860
This invention relates to ambulance cots used by paramedics and other emergency vehicle operators to transport patients from a place of injury or illness to the emergency vehicle.
Known ambulance cots presently used by paramedics and ambulance operators use loading wheels to help facilitate the loading and unloading of the cots into and out of the transport section of an ambulance or other emergency response vehicles. Such loading wheels are typically mounted at or near the front section of the cot and rotate about a single axis. This single axis of rotation provided by the loading wheels limits the maneuverability of the cot to a straight line, i.e., forward and back directions, as intended.
Ambulance cots of the type known as roll-in, multi-level cots have legs that swing rearward as the cot is loaded into the ambulance, which places the cot in its lowest position. Such cot are positionable conveniently in the lowest position even when not being loading into the ambulance, in order to permit loading of a patient onto the cot. However, while in the lowest position wherein such known cots are support on a support surface via wheels of the rearwardly swung legs and the loading wheels for stability, movement of such cots is limited to the forward and back directions due to the single axis of rotation of the loading wheels. Such limited range of motion with a roll-in cot in the lowest position is not desirably in all situation.
It is against the above background that the present invention provides a multi-level roll-in ambulance cot that has improved lowest position maneuverability. The present invention is particularly useful in those situations which require that the cot be maintained in the lowest position while transporting a patient from tight quarters to an ambulance or other emergency vehicle. In such situations, the invented cot provides easy maneuverability in tight quarters while supporting the patient.
The cot of the present invention comprising generally a variable height support frame which is positionable and maneuverable above a surface by adjustable legs having support wheels, the support frame having a first portion pivotally coupled to a second portion having loading wheels. With the cot in the lowest position, the loading wheel are configured to rotate about a single axis when engaging the surface and to be positioned above the surface when the second portion is placed in a raised position relative to the first portion. The cot further includes a swivel castor mounted between the loading wheels and the support wheels. When the cot is in the lowest position, the swivel castor engages the surface and will rotate about two axes when the second portion is in the raised position and about the same axis as the loading wheels when the second portion is not in the raised position.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description provided hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiment(s) of the present invention.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiments, the cot 10 comprises a generally rectangular shaped support frame 14. The support frame 14 has a first portion 16 pivotally coupled to a second portion 18. The second portion 18 is provided with loading wheels 20 to help facilitate loading and unloading of the cot 10 onto an elevated support surface 22, such as for example, a transport deck of an emergency vehicle (e.g., an ambulance). The second portion 18 defines a forward or loading end 24 of the cot 10. The loading wheels 20 are mounted at or near the loading end 24 and rotate about a single axis, thus limiting the maneuverability of the cot 10 to a straight line, i.e., forward and back directions, as intended. At a rearward or trailing end 26 of the cot 10, a third portion 28 is also coupled pivotally to the first portion 16 of the support frame 14.
In one embodiment, the second portion 18 is configured to be positionable at least between an extended position relative to the first portion 16, such as illustrated by
In one embodiment, the second and third portions 18 and 28 are drop frames of the type disclosed by co-pending and co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/340,165, the disclosure of which is herein fully incorporated by reference. In still another embodiment, either or both of the second and third portions 18 and 28 are further positionable in a lengthened position, such as disclosed by co-pending and co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/005,717, the disclosure of which is herein fully incorporated by reference.
As shown by
Pairs of the legs 30 are mounted pivotally at lower ends thereof to respective ones of the transverse members 38 as shown by
With reference to
The swivel castor 50 is mounted to the central support member 40 of the cot 10 between the loading wheels 20 and the support wheels 32. In particular, the swivel castor 50 is mounted at a location that provides the cot 10 stability and support on the support surface 12, via the support wheels and the swivel castor, when the cot is in the lowest position with the loading wheels 20 are in the raised position, such as depicted by
It will be understood that the basic cot frame 10 may be provided with various adjustable features, such as folding side arms 52, a multiple-position backrest 54, and an adjustable leg section 56 for placing the patient in a shock position, which is illustrated by
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents. Any modification of the present invention that comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims should be considered part of the present invention.
