Lift Assembly For Patient Support Apparatus
AssigneeStryker Corporation
InventorsJason John Connell, Joseph Steven David Elku, Jeffrey C. Shiery
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patient support apparatus comprises a base and a support frame. The patient support apparatus also comprises a lift assembly that operates to lift and lower the support frame relative to the base. The lift assembly comprises lift members that extend and collapse to lift and lower the support frame. Guides operate to guide movement of the lift members during operation. In some cases guided bodies coupled to the lift members move passively in the guides. In other embodiments, driven members coupled to the lift members move actively in the guides to cause lifting and lowering of the support frame.
Claims25
A patient support apparatus comprising:
- a support structure comprising a base and a support frame;
- a lift assembly to lift or lower said support frame relative to said base in a vertical direction, said lift assembly comprising a lift member having a first end section movably coupled to said base for movement relative to said base during the lifting or lowering of said support frame and a second end section pivotally connected to said support frame at a fixed pivot axis for pivoting relative to said support frame;
- and
- a guide arranged to guide the movement of said first end section of said lift member when said lift member pivots about said fixed pivot axis, said guide configured so that said first end section is displaced in said vertical direction relative to said base while being guided by said guide in order to lift or lower said lift member relative to said base in said vertical direction.
A patient support apparatus comprising:
- a support structure comprising a base and a support frame;
- a lift assembly to lift or lower said support frame relative to said base, said lift assembly comprising an actuator and a lift member having a first end section movably coupled to one of said base and said support frame for movement relative to said one of said base and said support frame during the lifting and lowering of said support frame and a second end section pivotally connected to the other of said base and said support frame at a fixed pivot axis for pivoting relative to the other of said base and said support frame, wherein said lift assembly is configured to move said support frame from a minimum height to a maximum height;
- and
- a guide arranged to guide the movement of said first end section with respect to said one of said base and said support frame when said lift arm pivots about said fixed pivot axis,
- wherein said lift assembly comprises a driven member configured to be driven by said actuator, said driven member engaging said guide and configured to cooperate with said guide to lift or lower said support frame relative to said base.
A patient support apparatus comprising:
- a support structure comprising a base and a support frame;
- a lift assembly to lift or lower said support frame relative to said base, said lift assembly comprising a rotary actuator and a lift member having a first end section movably coupled to one of said base and said support frame for movement relative to said one of said base and said support frame during the lifting and lowering of said support frame and a second end section pivotally connected to the other of said base and said support frame at a fixed pivot axis for pivoting relative to the other of said base and said support frame, wherein said lift assembly is configured to move said support frame from a minimum height to a maximum height;
- and
- a guide arranged to guide the movement of said first end section with respect to said one of said base and said support frame when said lift arm pivots about said fixed pivot axis, wherein said lift assembly comprises a guided body configured to be guided by said guide while moving relative to said guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.