High centering bases for hospital gurneys

Abstract

High centering bases for hospital gurneys are disclosed. An example hospital gurney includes a sensor to detect a position of a lateral rod mechanically coupled to a foot pedal of the hospital gurney by a cross rod and a cam. The hospital gurney additionally comprises an electronically-controlled actuator to move a first wheel based on the detected position, the first wheel located between a first end of the hospital gurney and a second end of the hospital gurney.

1 . A hospital gurney comprising:
 a sensor to detect a position of a lateral rod mechanically coupled to a foot pedal of the hospital gurney by a cross rod and a cam; and   an electronically-controlled actuator to move a first wheel based on the detected position, the first wheel located between a first end of the hospital gurney and a second end of the hospital gurney.   
     
     
         2 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is to deploy the first wheel when a first position is detected. 
     
     
         3 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is to retract the first wheel when a second position different from the first position is detected. 
     
     
         4 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 2 , wherein the foot pedal is a brake pedal, and when the foot pedal is in a braked position the foot pedal causes a second wheel of the hospital gurney to lock, the second wheel located at the first end of the hospital gurney. 
     
     
         5 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is a linear actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second wheel located at the first end of the hospital gurney, the first wheel having a first size and the second wheel having a second size, the first size being greater than the second size.   
     
     
         7 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 1 , wherein the first wheel is not centrally located between the first end of the hospital gurney and the second end of the hospital gurney. 
     
     
         8 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first set of wheels at a first end of the gurney; and   a second set of wheels at the second end of the gurney, the first wheel being located intermediate the first set of wheels and the second set of wheels.   
     
     
         9 . The hospital gurney as described in  claim 8 , wherein the cross rod is a first cross rod extending between the wheels of the first set of wheels and further comprising:
 a second cross rod extending between the wheels of the second set of wheels, wherein the lateral rod mechanically couples the first cross rod and the second cross rod.   
     
     
         10 . A method of deploying a center wheel of a hospital gurney, the method comprising:
 detecting a position of a cross rod, the cross rod mechanically coupled to a foot pedal of the hospital gurney to move in response to movement of the foot pedal; and   generating, with a processor, a movement instruction based on the position of the cross rod, the movement instruction to instruct an actuator to lower a center wheel when the cross rod is in a first position, the movement signal to instruct the actuator to retract the center wheel when the cross rod is in a second position.   
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 10 , wherein the foot pedal is a brake pedal, and when in a braked position corresponding to the second position, the brake pedal causes a second wheel of the hospital gurney to lock. 
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 10 , wherein the movement instruction is to instruct the actuator to retract the center wheel when the cross rod is in a third position, the third position intermediate the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting a position of the center wheel; and   terminating the movement of the actuator when the center wheel reaches a movement limit.   
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the movement limit is an upper limit, and the position of the center wheel is detected using an upper limit sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the movement limit is a lower limit, and the position of the center wheel is detected using a lower limit sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The method as described in  claim 13 , wherein the position of the center wheel is detected using feedback received from the actuator. 
     
     
         17 . A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
 detect a position of a cross rod, the cross rod mechanically coupled to a foot pedal of a hospital gurney to move in response to movement of the foot pedal;   instruct an actuator to deploy a center wheel when the cross rod is in a first position; and   instruct the actuator to retract the center wheel when the cross rod is in a second position.   
     
     
         18 . The tangible machine-readable storage medium as described in  claim 17 , wherein the foot pedal is a brake pedal, and when in a braked position corresponding to the second position, the brake pedal causes a second wheel of the hospital gurney to lock. 
     
     
         19 . The tangible machine-readable storage medium as described in  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the machine to instruct the actuator to retract the center wheel when the cross rod is in a third position, the third position intermediate the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The tangible machine-readable storage medium as described in  claim 17 , further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to terminate the movement of the actuator when the center wheel reaches a movement limit. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled)