Techniques for power transfer through wheels of a patient support apparatus
AssigneeStryker Corporation
InventorsAlexey Titov, Michael Hayes, Ming Chen, Jeffrey S. Dunfee, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power transfer system comprises a patient support apparatus and a separate power transfer device. The patient support apparatus comprises a support structure having a base and a patient support surface for a patient and wheels coupled to the support structure to facilitate movement of the patient support apparatus over a floor surface. One or more of the wheels includes a power receiver integrated therewith. The power transfer device is energizeable to interact with the wheel to facilitate power transfer between the power transfer device and the power receiver through the wheel.
Claims14
A patient support apparatus for interacting with an energizable power transfer device, the patient support apparatus comprising:
- a support structure having a base and a patient support surface for a patient;
- an energy storage device operatively attached to the support structure;
- a caster assembly coupled to the base, the caster assembly including a wheel to facilitate movement of the patient support apparatus over a floor surface relative to the power transfer device;
- and
- a power receiver arranged adjacent to the wheel of the caster assembly and disposed in electrical communication with the energy storage device, the power receiver being configured to interact with the power transfer device to facilitate power transfer from the energized power transfer device to the power receiver through the wheel to provide transferred power to the energy storage device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.