Pedal assembly for a patient support apparatus

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a support structure comprising a base, a patient support surface, and at least one wheel to facilitate movement of the apparatus;
• a pedal assembly coupled to the support structure for selecting between a first state and a second state different from the first state, and the pedal assembly comprising first and second pedals;
• and
• a pedal support, the first and second pedals mounted to the pedal support,
• wherein the first and second pedals are configured to pivot together in a first rotational direction relative to a respective pivot axis to transition from the first state to the second state, and the first and second pedals are configured to pivot together in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction to transition from the second state to the first state, and
• wherein at least a distal portion of the first pedal is configured to pivot independently from the second pedal in the first rotational direction while remaining mounted to and coupled with the pedal support when in the first state, and at least a distal portion of the second pedal is configured to pivot independently from the first pedal while remaining mounted to and coupled with the pedal support in the second rotational direction when in the second state wherein each pivot axis of the pivot axes of the first and second pedals extends generally along the pedal support, and at least a portion of the pedal support rotates to effect transition between the first and second states.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a support structure including a base, a patient support surface, and at least one wheel to facilitate movement of the apparatus;
• a pedal assembly coupled to the support structure for selecting between a first state and a second state different from the first state, the pedal assembly comprising first and second pedals adjacent to one another with the first pedal being configured to move to a first depressed position corresponding to the first state, and the second pedal being configured to move to a second depressed position corresponding to the second state;
• and
• a pedal support, the first and second pedals mounted to the pedal support,
• wherein the first and second pedals are operably coupled to one another such that the first pedal moving to the first depressed position causes the second pedal to move away from the second depressed position, and the second pedal moving to the second depressed position causes the first pedal to move away from the first depressed position,
• wherein the first and second pedals are operably coupled with one another about an axis of rotation and each of the first and second pedals is configured to move about the axis of rotation independently of the other while remaining mounted to the pedal support.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a support structure comprising a base, a patient support surface, a drive shaft, and at least one wheel to facilitate movement of the apparatus, the drive shaft operable to change the wheel from a first state to a second state;
• and
• a pedal assembly being operably coupled to the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft about a first pivot axis for selecting between the first state and the second state different from the first state, and the pedal assembly comprising a pedal configured to pivot between first and second positions about a second pivot axis angled with respect to the first pivot axis, the first and second positions corresponding to the first and second states, respectively,
• wherein pivotal movement of the pedal about the second pivot axis from the first position to the second position when in the first state causes transition from the first state to the second state, pivotal movement of the pedal about the second pivot axis from the second position to the first position when in the second state results from transition from the second state to the first state, and
• wherein at least a distal portion of the pedal is pivotal about the second pivot axis from the second position toward the first position upon application of a force on the pedal directed toward the first position without the force causing transition from the second state to the first state.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a patient support structure comprising a base having a head end and a foot end and a longitudinal axis extending between said head end and said foot end, said base supporting a patient support surface and at least one wheel to facilitate movement of the apparatus;
• a pedal assembly being coupled to the patient support structure and having a pivotal range of motion about an axis of rotation perpendicular to said longitudinal axis for selecting between a first state and a second state different from the first state, and said pedal assembly having first and second pedals;
• and a pedal support, with said first and second pedals pivotally mounted about and coupled to the pedal support on opposed sides of the pedal support and at opposed sides of said axis of rotation, and said pedal support coupled to and supporting the first and second pedals over said range of motion,
• wherein the first and second pedals form a breakaway portion of the pedal assembly wherein the breakaway portion is operable to allow the first pedal or the second pedal to move away from an operating configuration without decoupling from the pedal support upon application of a force on the first pedal or the second pedal without the force causing transition between the first and second states.