Methods and systems for automatically articulating cots

A method of articulating a powered ambulance cot to load a patient into an emergency vehicle having a loading surface, the method comprising:

• configuring the cot to comprise:
• a support frame provided with a pair of front load wheels, a pair of front legs each having a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel, and a pair of back legs each having a back wheel;
• a cot actuation system having a front actuator which moves together the pair of front legs relative to the support frame and a back actuator which moves together the pair of back legs relative to the support frame;
• a set of operator controls configured to receive tactile input;
• a cot control system;
• a communication circuit configured to exchange communication signals with the emergency vehicle;
• and
• a plurality of sensors at least one of which is configured to determine a condition of the front actuator, at least one of which is configured to determine a condition of the back actuator, at least one of which is configured to determine an angle of the pair of front legs relative to the support frame, at least one of which is configured to determine an angle of the pair of back legs relative to the support frame, at least one of which is configured to detect the location of the front load wheels with respect to the loading surface and at least one of which provides a gravitational reference signal, wherein the cot actuation system, the set of operator controls, the cot control system and at least one of the plurality of sensors cooperate to independently control raising and lowering of the pair of front legs and the pair of back legs;
• using, upon placement of the cot in cooperation with the loading surface by having the front load wheels disposed over the loading surface, an automated process of the cot control system to send signals to activate the cot actuation system to:
• detect the location of the front load wheels with respect to the loading surface;
• lower the support frame until the front load wheels contact the loading surface upon detection of the loading surface being substantially directly beneath the front load wheels;
• raise the pair of front legs relative to the support frame until the front wheel of each of the front legs is at or above the loading surface;
• upon the cot being rolled farther onto the loading surface, have the intermediate load wheel of each of the front legs contact the loading surface;
• raise the pair of back legs relative to the support frame until the back wheels are at or above the loading surface;
• and
• upon the cot being rolled still farther onto the loading surface, have the back wheel of each of the back legs contact the loading surface;
• and
• overriding, upon receipt by the set of operator controls of at least one tactile input thereto from a user, at least one part of the automated process of the cot control system.