Controller and method for controlling casters attached to a movable part

A system comprising two or more casters and a controller, wherein the casters (2) are attached to a movable part (1) such as a hospital bed, wherein the two or more casters (2) are switchable by the controller by means of a switching device (36) for switching the casters (2) between a state in which one or more of the casters (2) is pivot locked and a wheel (4) of the caster (2) is rotationally blocked and a state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, wherein furthermore one of the casters (2) is additionally switchable into a state in which the one caster (2) is only pivot locked, wherein the switchable casters (2) are configured to be actuated electrically and also manually in the event of a failure of an electric drive or a plurality of such electric drives or in the event of a failure of an electrical supply, in order to be able to carry out an emergency switching actuation of one or more or all casters (2), and the movable part (1) has a movement sensor (37), wherein the system is configured such that starting from a state in which the switchable casters (2) are pivot locked and rotationally blocked, following a triggering event, multiple switching states may be automatically and sequentially assumed in a predetermined sequence by the switchable casters (2), wherein a first switching state (S1) transfers all casters (2) into the state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, which a second switching state (S2) may automatically follow, in which one or more or all casters (2) are pivot locked, however their wheels (4) are not rotationally blocked, and finally a switching state (S3) follows, after the expiration of a predetermined period of time and an absence of a detection of a movement of the movable part (1), in which all switchable casters (2) are again transferred into the state in which they are pivot locked and rotationally blocked, and wherein the triggering event is a switch actuation by an operator.

A system comprising two or more casters and a controller, wherein the casters (2) are attached to a movable part (1) such as a hospital bed, wherein the two or more casters (2) are switchable by the controller by means of a switching device (36) for switching the casters (2) between a state in which one or more of the casters (2) is pivot locked and a wheel (4) of the caster (2) is rotationally blocked and a state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, wherein furthermore one of the casters (2) is additionally switchable into a state in which the caster (2) is only pivot locked, wherein the switchable casters (2) are configured to be actuated electrically and also manually in the event of a failure of an electric drive or a plurality of such electric drives or in the event of a failure of an electrical supply, in order to be able to carry out an emergency switching actuation of one or more or all casters (2), and the movable part (1) has a movement sensor (37), wherein the system is configured such that starting from a state in which the switchable casters (2) are pivot locked and rotationally blocked, following a triggering event, multiple switching states may be automatically and sequentially assumed in a predetermined sequence by the switchable casters (2), wherein a first switching state (S1) transfers all casters (2) into the state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, which a second switching state (S2) may automatically follow, in which one or more or all casters (2) are pivot locked, however their wheels (4) are not rotationally blocked, and finally a switching state (S3) follows, after the expiration of a predetermined period of time and an absence of a detection of a movement of the movable part (1), in which all switchable casters (2) are again transferred into the state in which they are pivot locked and rotationally blocked, and wherein the triggering event is a switch actuation by an operator and wherein the triggering event is only effective after a security check.

A method for controlling casters (2) attached to a movable part (1), such as a hospital bed, wherein two or more casters (2) are switchable by means of a switching device (36) for switching the casters (2) between a state in which one or more of the casters (2) is pivot locked and a wheel (4) of the caster (2) is rotationally blocked and a state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, wherein furthermore one of the casters (2) is additionally switchable into a state in which the one caster (2) is only pivot locked, wherein the switchable casters (2) are configured to be actuated electrically and also manually and the movable part (1) has a motion sensor (37), the method comprising

• actuating a switch by which a previously determined sequence of different switching states (S1, S2, S3) of the casters (2) is triggered to obtain a desired movement of the movable part (1) using the casters (2) on the movable part (1), the steep of actuating enacting a triggering event, wherein all casters (2) are initially transferred into a release position, which an automatic pivot locking of one or more or all casters (2) can follow, and finally, after an absence of a detection of a movement of the movable part, all casters (2), which are switchable between a rotational blocking and pivot locking and a release position, are switched into the rotational blocking and pivot locking.

A system comprising two or more casters and a controller, wherein the casters (2) are attached to a movable part (1) such as a hospital bed, wherein the two or more of casters (2) are switchable by the controller by means of a switching device (36) for switching the casters (2) between a state in which the caster (2) is pivot locked and a wheel (4) of the caster (2) is rotationally blocked and a state in which there is neither a pivot locking nor a rotational blocking, wherein furthermore one of the casters (2) is additionally switchable into a state in which the one caster (2) is only pivot locked, wherein the switchable casters (2) can be actuated electrically and also manually in the event of a failure of an electric drive or a plurality of such electric drives or in the event of a failure of an electrical supply, in order to be able to carry out an emergency switching actuation of one or more or all casters (2), and the movable part (1) has a movement sensor (37), wherein, the system is configured such that with respect to a desired movement of the movable part (1) using the casters (2) on the movable part (1), a triggering event is enacted by actuating a switch by which means a previously determined sequence of different switching states (S1, S2, S3) of the casters (2) is triggered, wherein all casters (2) are initially transferred into a release position, which an automatic pivot locking of one or more or all casters (2) can follow, and finally, after an absence of a detection of a movement of the movable part, all casters (2), which are switchable between a rotational blocking and pivot locking and a release position, are switched into the rotational blocking and pivot locking, and wherein the triggering event is only effective after a security check.