# US 12,005,015 B2 · Patient transport apparatus with defined transport height > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,015 B2 - Document ID: US12005015B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/471,291 - Filed: 2021-09-10 - Published: 2021-12-30 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-09 - Assignees: Stryker Corporation - Applicants: Stryker Corporation - Inventors: Brandon David Naber; Martin Fecteau; Brianna R. Graves - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005015B2 ## CPC - A61G 7/1013: {Lifting of patients by} - A47C 31/123: {for beds or mattresses} - A61G 1/0243: {with lockable swivel action, e.g. fixing castor in certain direction (locking of castor swivel action in general B60B33/02)} - A61G 1/0293: {stretcher supports with wheels, e.g. used for stretchers without wheels (stretcher supports without wheels A61G1/06)} - A61G 1/04: Parts, details or accessories, e.g. head-, foot- or like rests specially adapted for stretchers - A61G 1/052: Struts, spars or legs - A61G 1/0567: {folding in x-shape} - A61G 7/1046: {Mobile bases, e.g. having wheels} - A61G 1/0262: {having loading wheels situated in the front during loading} - A61G 7/002: having adjustable mattress frame - A61G 7/16: converting a lying surface into a chair - A61G 2203/34: for pressure - A61G 2203/40: for distance - A61G 2203/44: for weight - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS ## Abstract Patient transport apparatus with defined transport height comprises a support structure and a litter that are interconnected by a lift mechanism. The support structure comprises a base frame and a plurality of articulable support members or legs. The litter comprises a litter frame and a patient support surface with articulating back and leg sections. The lift mechanism may comprise one or more actuators configured to raise and lower the litter between a lowered position and one or more defined raised positions. The Patient transport apparatus may further comprise a controller coupled to one or more sensors and the lift mechanism. The controller may be configured to define a transport height for the litter based, at least in part, on a characteristic detected by the one or more sensors, and to manipulate the lift mechanism to adjust the litter to the defined transport height. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A patient transport apparatus comprising: a support structure comprising a base frame, and a litter with a patient support surface to support a patient; a lift mechanism comprising an actuator system to facilitate movement of the patient support surface to different heights relative to the base frame; one or more sensors responsive to changes in the height of the patient support surface relative to the base frame resulting from operation of the lift mechanism; a user input device to receive input from a user; a notification device comprising a visual indicator; a proximity sensor configured to detect a location of the support structure relative to a vehicle; and a controller operably connected to the actuator system, the one or more sensors, the user input device, the notification device, and the proximity sensor, the controller being configured to: define a transport height for the patient support surface; operate the actuator system to lower the patient support surface or to raise the patient support surface up to the defined transport height in response to input from the user on the user input device; operate the visual indicator of the notification device to provide an indication to the user that the defined transport height has been reached; and allow operation of the actuator system to permit raising the patient support surface above the defined transport height in response to the proximity sensor detecting that the support structure is within a defined distance spaced from the vehicle to facilitate loading into the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors responsive to a patient presence on the patient support surface; and wherein the controller is further configured to define the transport height for the patient support surface based, at least in part, on the patient presence. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The patient transport apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to limit operation of the actuator system to prevent raising the patient support surface above the defined transport height in response to detecting patient presence when the proximity sensor detects that the support structure is not located within a predefined proximity of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises one or more of an optical sensor, ultrasonic sensor, laser sensor, proximity sensor, pressure sensor, and load cell located proximate to the patient support surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The patient transport apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors is configured to measure a current height of the patient support surface relative to the defined transport height and communicate the current height to the controller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The patient transport apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine if an object, instead of the patient, is located on the patient support surface based, at least in part, on a data received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The patient transport apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to define a second transport height for the object, based at least in part on a mass of the object on the patient support surface, and to operate the actuator system to raise or lower the patient support surface to the second defined transport height. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to at least pause operation of the actuator system when the patient support surface reaches the defined transport height. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The patient transport apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller, based on the input from the user, is configured to override the paused operation such that the actuator system is operable to raise the patient support surface above the defined transport height. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a memory configured to store a user selected transport height. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The patient transport apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to modify the user selected transport height based on one or more parameters of the patient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the defined transport height for the patient support surface based on a mass of the patient supported by the patient support surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a loading mechanism configured for placement in a vehicle, the loading mechanism configured to couple to the support structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the visual indicator to display a first visual indication if the patient support surface is above the defined transport height, and a second visual indication, different than the first visual indication, if the patient support surface is at the defined transport height. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, further comprising wheels attached to the support structure opposite the patient support surface, and a brake operably attached to each wheel and coupled to the controller; and wherein the controller is configured to engage the brakes when the patient support surface exceeds the defined transport height. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The patient transport apparatus of claim 1, further comprising wheels attached to the support structure and capable of swiveling about swivel axes to facilitate turning of the patient support surface, and a swivel locking mechanism operably attached to each wheel and coupled to the controller; and wherein the controller is configured to engage the swivel locking mechanism to prevent rotation of the wheels when the patient support surface exceeds the defined transport height.