# US 6,729,667 B2 · Stretcher suspension linkages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,729,667 B2 - Document ID: US6729667B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/270,191 - Filed: 2002-10-15 - Published: 2003-04-17 - Granted: 2004-05-04 - Earliest claimed: 2001-10-16 - Assignees: Howard Wright Limited - Inventors: Robert James Henderson; John Kenneth Raine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6729667B2 ## CPC - A61G 1/06: Supports for stretchers, e.g. to be placed in or on vehicles {(A61G1/0293 takes precedence; supports fixed to a vehicle A61G3/02 - A61G3/08)} - A61G 3/006: {Means for reducing the influence of acceleration on patients, e.g. suspension systems of platforms (securing loads against shocks in general B60P7/16)} - B60P 1/003: {vehicles with loading gates (B60P1/43 takes precedence)} - 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) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) ## Abstract A linkage for a stretcher suspension. The linkage includes a stretcher receiving frame 17 and a base frame 23. A pair of arms 10 are pivotally fixed to bottom frame 23 and slidingly connected (12, 14) to frame 17. A pneumatic suspension unit 33 is located between the arms 10 and a first link 27 pivotally coupled between arms 10 and frame 17. A cross member 12 of the slide coupling is coupled to a sliding mount 25 of a second link 24 pivotally coupled to an arm 18 pivotally connected to the frame 17 and sliding coupled (21) to the base frame 23. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stretcher suspension linkage, comprising link members arranged to permit a stretcher receiving member to move relative to a mounting base, and spring means, said mounting base being arranged to be engageable at least in part about a wheel arch protrusion in a floor of a vehicle with which floor the mounting base is mountable, and the link members including a first link element coupled by a fixed pivot to one of the mounting base or stretcher receiving member and coupled by a sliding pivot to the other of the stretcher receiving member or base, a second link coupled in a reverse manner by fixed and sliding pivots to the base and stretcher receiving member, and a third link pivotally coupled between the first or second link and the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The linkage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring means is a pneumatic spring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The linkage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring means is mounted between the third link and the first or second link. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The linkage as claimed in claim 3 further including a fourth link pivotally coupled to the other of the first or second links of which the third link is not attached and further coupled by a sliding pivot to the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The linkage as claimed in claim 4 further including at least one transfer link pivotally coupled to the part of the fourth link which is coupled by said sliding pivot to the stretcher receiving member, the transfer link extending longitudinally of the stretcher receiving member to be pivotally coupled to the sliding pivot of the first or second link coupled to the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The linkage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stretcher receiving member is a frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The linkage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base includes an open cut away portion which opens to a side portion of the base, said protrusion being locatable within the open area of the cut away portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The linkage as claimed in claim 1 further including a pneumatic system to provide vibration isolation control of the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The linkage as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pneumatic system includes a compressed air source coupled to a pneumatic spring which includes an auxiliary tank connected to the pneumatic spring via an orifice plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The linkage as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pneumatic system includes height control valve means coupling the compressed air source to the pneumatic spring circuit and exhaust means coupled to the pneumatic spring circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The linkage as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pneumatic system includes a control valve to control raising and lowering of the stretcher receiving member to and from a ride height. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The linkage as claimed in claim 9 further including a rapid rise valve means and a rapid exhaust valve means. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The linkage as claimed in claim 10 further including a lock mechanism to isolate the pneumatic spring circuit from said height control valve means. ### Claim 14 A stretcher suspension linkage, comprising link members arranged to permit a stretcher receiving member to move relative to a mounting base, and spring means, said mounting base being arranged to be engageable at least in part about a wheel arch protrusion in a floor of a vehicle with which floor the mounting base is mountable, and the link members including a first link frame coupled to the base by a fixed pivot and coupled to the stretcher receiving member by a sliding pivot arranged to slide longitudinally of the stretcher receiving member, and a second link frame pivotally coupled to the first link frame, said second link frame being further pivotally coupled to the stretcher receiving member at a position substantially above the fixed pivot coupling of the first link frame to the mounting base, said spring means being mounted between the first and second link frames. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The linkage as claimed in claim 14 wherein the spring means is a pneumatic spring unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The linkage as claimed in claim 14 wherein the link members further include a third link frame oppositely disposed to the first link frame and coupled by a fixed pivot to the stretcher receiving member and coupled by a sliding pivot to the base, a further link frame being pivotally coupled to the third link frame and coupled to the stretcher receiving member by a sliding pivot. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The linkage as claimed in claim 16 further including at least one transfer link extending between and coupled to the first and fourth link frames. ### Claim 18 A stretcher suspension device for a vehicle, comprising a mounting base, a stretcher receiving member and a linkage that includes spring means, the linkage having link members arranged to permit the stretcher receiving member to move relative to the mounting base, said mounting base being arranged to be engageable at least in part about a wheel arch protrusion in a floor of the vehicle with which floor the mounting base is mountable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the link members include a first link element coupled by a fixed pivot to one of the mounting base or stretcher receiving member and coupled by a sliding pivot to the other of the stretcher receiving member or base and a second link coupled in a reverse manner by fixed and sliding pivots to the mounting base and stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 19, further including a third link pivotally coupled between the first or second link and the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the spring means is a pneumatic spring and is mounted between the third link and the first or second link. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 20, further including a fourth link pivotally coupled to the other of the first or second links of which the third link is not attached and further coupled to a sliding pivot to the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 21, further including at least one transfer link pivotally coupled to the part of the fourth link which is coupled by said sliding pivot to the stretcher receiving member, the transfer link extending longitudinally of the stretcher receiving member to be pivotally coupled to the sliding pivot of the first or second link coupled to the stretcher receiving member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the stretcher receiving member is a frame and the mounting base includes an open cut away portion which opens to a side portion of the base said wheel arch protrusion being locatable within the open area of the cut away portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 18, further including a pneumatic system to provide vibration isolation control of the stretcher receiving member, said pneumatic system including a compressed air source coupled to a pneumatic spring which forms said spring means, the pneumatic system further including an auxiliary tank connected to the pneumatic spring via an orifice plate. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the pneumatic system includes height control valve means coupling the compressed air source to the pneumatic spring circuit and exhaust means coupled to the pneumatic spring circuit, and further including a lock mechanism to isolate the pneumatic spring circuit from said height control valve means. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The stretcher suspension device as claimed in claim 26, further including a rapid raise valve means and a rapid exhaust valve means.