Patient transport apparatus including independently or simultaneously operable leg and backrest portions

Claim 2

A patient support apparatus comprising: a seat assembly; a backrest assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly; a leg supporting assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly, said leg supporting assembly including an upper end and a lower end; first and second pivot members supported by said leg supporting assembly; first linkage means connecting said backrest assembly and said leg supporting assembly, one of said first and second pivot members being positioned nearer said upper end of said leg supporting assembly than the other of said first and second pivot members, said first linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said backrest assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said first pivot member; first locking means for locking said first linking means so that said first linkage means cannot extend or contract; second linkage means connecting said seat assembly and said leg supporting assembly, said second linkage means being extensible and contractible, said second linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said seat assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said seat assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said second pivot member; and second locking means or locking said second linkage means so that said second linkage means cannot extend or contract.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first locking means is in a locked position whereby said first linkage means is incapable of extension or contraction and said second locking means is in an unlocked position whereby said second linkage means is free to expand or contract.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for simultaneously deactuating said first locking means so that said first linkage mean is free to expand or contract and actuating said second locking means so that said second linkage means is incapable of expansion or contraction.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first linkage means includes a telescoping tube and plunger assembly.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said telescoping tube and plunger assembly includes a tube and a plunger at least partially positioned within said tube.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said first locking means includes a locking pin extending within said tube and engaging said plunger.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in claim 6 including a cable secured to said locking pin and a handle secured to said cable.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in claim 6 including means for resiliently urging said locking pin toward said plunger.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in claim 8 including a groove defined within said plunger, said locking pin being capable of fitting within at least part of said groove to lock said plunger in a fixed position with respect to said tube.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein one end of said telescoping tube and plunger assembly is pivotably secured to said backrest assembly and an opposite end of said telescoping tube and plunger assembly is pivotably secured near an upper end portion of said leg supporting assembly.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said second pivot is secured to a lower end portion of said leg supporting assembly.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said groove is defined within said plunger at a position where said locking pin engages said groove only when said backrest assembly and leg supporting assembly are oriented in substantially parallel relation to each other.

Claim 14

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for pivotably connecting said first linkage means between a lower end of said backrest assembly and said upper end of said leg supporting assembly.

Claim 15

An apparatus as defined in claim 13 including means for pivotably connecting said second linkage means between said seat assembly and a relatively lower position of said leg supporting assembly from where said first linkage means is connected thereto.

Claim 16

An apparatus as defined in claim 14 including third linkage means pivotably connected between said seat assembly and said backrest assembly, said third linkage means being extensible and contractible

Claim 17

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a base, a column mounted to said base, said seat assembly being mounted to said column, and a plurality of wheels mounted to said base.

Claim 18

A patient transport apparatus comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels mounted to said base; a chair/stretcher assembly mounted to said base, said chair/stretcher assembly including a seat assembly, a backrest assembly pivotably mounted to said seat assembly, and a leg supporting assembly, said leg supporting assembly including an upper end and a lower end pivotably mounted to said seat assembly; first and second pivot members supported by said leg supporting assembly, one of said first and second pivot members being positioned nearer said upper end of said leg supporting assembly than the other of said first and second pivot members; first linkage means connecting said backrest assembly and said leg supporting assembly, said first linkage means being extensible and contractible, said first linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said backrest assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said first pivot member; second linkage means connecting said seat assembly and said leg supporting assembly, said second linkage means being extensible and contractible, said second linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said seat assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said second pivot member; first locking means for locking said first linkage means so that said first linkage means cannot extend or contract; and second locking means for locking said second linkage means so that said second linkage means cannot extend or contract.

Claim 19

A patient transport apparatus comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels mounted to said base; a chair/stretcher assembly mounted to said base, said chair/stretcher assembly including a seat assembly, a backrest assembly pivotably mounted to said seat assembly, and a leg supporting assembly, said leg supporting assembly including an upper end and a lower end pivotably mounted to said seat assembly; first and second pivot members supported by said leg supporting assembly, one of said first and second pivot members being positioned nearer said upper end of said leg supporting assembly than the other of said first and second pivot members; first linkage means connecting said backrest assembly and said leg supporting assembly, said first linkage means being extensible and contractible, said first linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said backrest assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said first pivot member; second linkage means connecting said seat assembly and said leg supporting assembly, said second linkage means being extensible and contractible, said second linkage means including a first end portion pivotably connected to said seat assembly and a second end portion pivotably connected to said second pivot member; first locking means for locking said first linkage means so that said first linkage means cannot extend or contract; and second locking means for locking said second linkage means so that said second linkage means cannot extend or contract.

Claim 20

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said first linkage means is connected between a lower end of said backrest assembly and an upper end of said leg supporting assembly.

Claim 21

An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said second linkage means is connected between said seat assembly and a relatively lower position of said leg supporting assembly from where said first linkage means is connected thereto, said second pivot member being positioned at a lower position upon said leg supporting assembly than said first pivot member.

Claim 22

An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said first linkage means include a pair of telescoping tube and plunger assemblies.

Claim 23

A patient support apparatus comprising: a seat assembly; a backrest assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly; a leg supporting assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly; a first telescoping tube and plunger assembly pivotably connected to said backrest assembly and said leg supporting assembly; a second telescoping tube and plunger assembly pivotably connected to said seat assembly and said leg supporting assembly; first locking means for locking said first telescoping tube and plunger assembly such that it cannot extend or contract; and second locking means for locking said second telescoping tube and plunger assembly such that it cannot extend or contract.

Claim 24

A patient support apparatus comprising: a seat assembly; a backrest assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly; a leg supporting assembly pivotably secured to said seat assembly; a first telescoping tube and plunger assembly pivotably connected to said backrest assembly and said leg supporting assembly; a second telescoping tube and plunger assembly pivotably connected to said seat assembly and said leg supporting assembly; first locking means for locking said first telescoping tube and plunger assembly such that it cannot extend or contract; and second locking means for locking said second telescoping tube and plunger assembly such that it cannot extend or contract.