Patient support apparatus with frame guard

A patient support apparatus for traversing objects supported on ground surfaces, said patient support apparatus comprising:

• a patient support deck for supporting a patient;
• a base configured to support said patient support deck from the ground surface;
• a plurality of caster wheel assemblies including at least one pair of caster wheel assemblies spaced laterally from each other and coupled to said base for pivoting movement about respective vertical pivot axes cooperating to define a reference plane, each of said pair of caster wheel assemblies comprising a respective caster wheel supported for rotation about a respective rotational axis arranged orthogonal to the respective vertical pivot axis of said caster wheel assembly when traversing across the ground surface;
• and
• a frame guard coupled to said base, spaced laterally between said pair of caster wheel assemblies, and defining first and second ramp surfaces each disposed at an angle relative to said reference plane, with said first ramp surface arranged to engage an object supported on the ground surface before the object contacts one or more of said caster wheels of said pair of caster wheel assemblies when said patient support apparatus moves in a first direction, and with said second ramp surface arranged to engage the object supported on the ground surface before the object contacts one or more of said caster wheels of said pair of caster wheel assemblies when said patient support apparatus moves in a second direction opposite to said first direction.