Flexible joint for medical transport cart

Abstract

A transport cart for attaching to a patient care apparatus, such as an infant care apparatus to move that infant care apparatus from one location to another. The transport cart is dockable to the infant care apparatus forming an overall footprint of the combination transport cart/infant care apparatus. The infant care apparatus has wheels to provide mobility thereto and the transport cart has a rear section with wheels and having a handle to push the transport cart and a front section with wheels that docks with the infant care apparatus. There is a flexible coupling between the front and rear sections of the transport cart that allows the transport cart to rock as it passes over an uneven floor surface, such as an incline or a decline to maintain contact with the floor by the wheels of both the front and rear sections to provide stable movement of the combined transport cart and infant care apparatus as it is rolled over that floor.

1 . A transport cart for transporting a patient care apparatus for supporting a patient across the surface of a floor, said transport cart comprising a rear section having at least one wheel and a front section having at least one wheel, said front section adapted to be affixed to the patient care apparatus, and the rear section having a grasping device to allow a user to grasp and push the transport cart, and a flexible coupling located intermediate the front section and the rear section to allow the front and rear sections to flex vertically at the flexible coupling to enable the transport cart to move the patient care apparatus over uneven surfaces while maintaining contact with the floor surface by the at least one front and rear casters.  
   
   
       2 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 1  wherein said transport cart is adapted to be affixed to an infant care apparatus.  
   
   
       3 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 2  wherein said front section is adapted to be rigidly affixed to an infant care apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 2  wherein said at least one wheel of said rear section and said at least one wheel of said front section are caters.  
   
   
       5 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 4  wherein the at least one wheel of said rear section comprises a plurality of casters.  
   
   
       6 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 2  wherein the flexible coupling comprises a linear spring.  
   
   
       7 . The transport cart as defined in  claim 2  wherein the flexible coupling limits the vertical motion of the transport cart and infant care apparatus.  
   
   
       8 . A combination transport cart/patient care apparatus comprising a transport cart releasable affixed to a patient care apparatus, said combination transport cart/patient care apparatus having a plurality of casters spaced apart and located proximate the perimeter of the patient care apparatus, said transport cart having a rear section having at least one wheel and a front section affixed to the patient care apparatus and having at least one wheel, the rear section having a grasping device to allow a user to grasp and push the transport cart, and a flexible coupling located intermediate the front section and the rear section to allow the front and rear sections to flex vertically at the flexible coupling to enable the transport cart to move the patient care apparatus over uneven surfaces while maintaining contact with the floor surface by the at least one front and rear wheels.  
   
   
       9 . The combination as defined in  claim 8  wherein said patient care apparatus is an infant care apparatus.  
   
   
       10 . The combination as defined in  claim 9  wherein the at least one wheel of said front section and said rear section comprises a plurality of casters.  
   
   
       11 . The combination as defined in  claim 9  wherein the flexible coupling comprises a linear spring.  
   
   
       12 . A method of moving a patient care apparatus having casters over the surface of a floor, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a transport cart comprising a rear section having at least one wheel and a front section having at least one wheel, the rear section having a handle to allow a user to grasp and push the transport cart, and a flexible coupling located intermediate the front section and the rear section to allow the front and rear sections to flex vertically at the flexible coupling,    attaching the front section of the transport cart to the patient care apparatus,    pushing the transport cart by means of the handle to move the patient care apparatus over the surface of the floor while maintaining contact with the floor by the at least one front and rear wheels.    
   
   
       13 . The method as defined in  claim 12  wherein the patient care apparatus comprises an infant care apparatus.  
   
   
       14 . The method as defined in  claim 12  wherein the step of attaching the front section of the transport cart to the patient care apparatus comprises rigidly latching the front section of the transport cart to the patient care apparatus.  
   
   
       15 . The method as defined in  claim 12  wherein the step of providing a transport cart comprises providing a transport cart wherein the at least one wheel of the rear section comprises a plurality of casters.  
   
   
       16 . The method as defined in  claim 15  wherein the step of providing a transport cart comprises providing a transport cart wherein the at least one wheel of the front section comprises a plurality of casters.  
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 12  wherein the step of providing a transport cart comprises providing a transport cart wherein the flexible coupling comprises a linear spring.