US 6,073,285 A · Mobile support unit and attachment mechanism for patient transport device

Abstract

A mobile support unit such as an IV stand or the like coupled to a mobile hospital bed, gurney or wheelchair by a latch mechanism which provides hands free operation thereby avoiding the need for a nurse or care provider to manually manipulate the latch to secure the units together for tandem transport. Further, the latch mechanism according to this invention includes a clutch which prevents relative movement of the IV stand or support unit with respect to the hospital bed during transport up to a specific adjustable torque level thereby avoiding the problem of the IV stand or support unit swinging freely relative to the bed during movement. Further, the clutch permits movement of the IV stand or support unit through an arc relative to the bed when a specified force is applied as required by the nurse or care provider to reposition the stand or support unit relative to the bed and provide increased access to the patient or the like. The IV stand includes a relatively heavy base which provides a low center of gravity for the unit and offers a very stabile mobile IV stand which resists tilting or tipping during transport.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A combination comprising:

a mobile hospital bed having spaced ends and spaced first and second sides;
a mobile auxiliary support unit having a relatively heavy base providing a low center of gravity for said support unit to minimize tilting and tipping of said support unit during transport;
a latch on said support unit for releasably connecting said support unit to said bed proximate one of said ends thereof, said latch permitting said support unit to swing through an arc, said latch permitting said support unit to be selectively connected and disconnected from said bed without direct manual manipulation of said latch by a user's hand;
and
a tow arm extending from said bed, said tow arm having a ball thereon and at least one rib projecting therefrom;
said latch further including a plurality of tracks, a socket and a keeper resiliently biased toward a locked position, said ball and said at least one rib engaging said socket and at least one of said tracks, respectively, when said bed and said support unit are abutted into engagement, said keeper maintaining said ball in engagement with said socket and said at least one rib in engagement with said at least one track, respectively, in said locked position to thereby releasably connect said bed to said support unit.

3 more elements

A mobile support unit for use in conjunction with a mobile hospital bed, said support unit comprising:

a relatively heavy base providing a low center of gravity for said support unit to minimize tilting and tipping of said support unit during transport;
a latch on said support unit for releasably connecting said support unit to said bed, said latch permitting said support unit to swing through an arc, said latch permitting said support unit to be selectively connected and disconnected from said bed without direct manual manipulation of said latch by a user's hand;
and
a tow arm extending from said bed, said tow arm having a ball thereon and at least one rib projecting therefrom;
said latch further including a plurality of tracks, a socket and a keeper resiliently biased toward a locked position, said ball and said at least one rib engaging said socket and at least one of said tracks, respectively, when said bed and said support unit are abutted into engagement, said keeper maintaining said ball in engagement with said socket and said at least one rib in engagement with said at least one track, respectively, in said locked position to thereby releasably connect said bed to said support unit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile support unit and attachment mechanism for patient transport device

Life of this patent

Mobile support unit and attachment mechanism for patient transport device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30