Loading platform alignment system and loading/unloading method thereof
AssigneeFerno-Washington, Inc.
InventorEnrico Carletti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and an alignment system which auto-levels and/or auto-centers a loading platform to load and unload a wheeled stretcher to and from an emergency transport vehicle are disclosed. A controller of the alignment system receives a command to extend the loading platform from the emergency vehicle and extends the loading platform under power from the emergency transport vehicle. The controller recognizes an approaching wheeled stretcher, and aligns automatically the loading platform with a leading edge of the approaching wheeled stretcher to compensate automatically for any alignment issues between the loading platform and loading wheels of the wheeled stretcher.
Claims12
An alignment system for loading a wheeled stretcher into an emergency transport vehicle, the alignment system comprising:
- a loading platform configured to fit within the emergency transport vehicle;
- at least one sensor configured to detect a position of the wheeled stretcher relative to at least one of (a) the emergency transport vehicle and (b) a surface adjacent a loading end of the emergency transport vehicle and upon which at least one of the wheeled stretcher and the loading platform may be placed;
- a controller;
- and
- at least one actuator responsive to an input signal from the controller and cooperative with the loading platform such that upon receipt by the controller of a signal received from the at least one sensor and determination by the controller that the wheeled stretcher is not in alignment with the loading platform, program instructions executed by the controller cause the at least one actuator to move the loading platform in order to substantially align the loading platform with the wheeled stretcher through at least one of automatic leveling and automatic centering of the loading platform.
A non-transitory computer readable medium with program instructions that when read and executed by a processor cause the processor to:
- upon receipt of a wheeled stretcher position signal from at least one sensor, determine that the wheeled stretcher is not in alignment with a loading platform of an emergency transport vehicle;
- and
- send a control signal to at least one actuator that is cooperative with the loading platform to move the loading platform in at least one degree of freedom of movement of in order to substantially align the loading platform with the wheeled stretcher through at least one of automatic leveling and automatic centering of the loading platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.