Hospital bed caster apparatus

1. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a patient support surface;

a frame coupled to the patient support surface; and

a caster apparatus coupled to the frame, the caster apparatus including a wheel and a brake system including an actuator, a cable, and a brake member, the cable having a first end portion coupled to the actuator and a second end portion coupled to the brake member, actuation of the cable by the actuator causing the brake member to rotate about an axis to brake the wheel, the brake member rotating about an axis of rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation for the wheel.

2. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a patient support surface;

a frame coupled to the patient support surface;

a sleeve coupled to the frame; and

a caster apparatus coupled to the frame, the caster apparatus including a wheel and a brake system including an actuator, a cable, and a brake member, the cable having a first end portion directly coupled to the actuator and a second end portion coupled to the brake member, actuation of the cable by the actuator causing the brake member to rotate about an axis to brake the wheel the brake member being positioned on an exterior surface of the wheel, the wheel being rotatably coupled to the sleeve and defining a first sweep pattern as the wheel rotates relative to the sleeve, the brake member defining a second sweep pattern as the wheel rotates relative to the sleeve, the first sweep pattern being greater than or equal to the second sweep pattern.

3. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a patient support surface;

a frame coupled to the patient support surface; and

a caster apparatus rotatably coupled to the frame, the caster apparatus including a wheel and a brake member coupled to the wheel, the brake member being external and horizontally adjacent to the wheel, the wheel defining a first sweep perimeter as the caster apparatus rotates relative to the frame, and the brake member defining a second sweep perimeter as the caster apparatus rotates relative to the frame, the first sweep perimeter being greater than or equal to the second sweep perimeter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second sweep perimeter is positioned within the first sweep perimeter.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein application of the brake member prevents rotation of the wheel relative to the brake member and while permitting rotation of the caster apparatus relative to the frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the brake member is coupled to an actuator by a cable.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the actuator pulls the cable and moves a portion of the brake member relative to the wheel.

8. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a patient support surface;

a frame coupled to the patient support surface; and

a caster apparatus rotatably coupled to the frame, the caster apparatus including a wheel and a brake member coupled to the wheel, the brake member being external to the wheel, the wheel defining a first sweep perimeter as the caster apparatus rotates relative to the frame, and the brake member defining a second sweep perimeter as the caster apparatus rotates relative to the frame, the first sweep perimeter being greater than or equal to the second sweep perimeter, the wheel defining a circumference and the brake member being located entirely within the circumference of the wheel.

9. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a patient support surface;

a frame coupled to the patient support surface; and

a caster apparatus rotatably coupled to the frame, the caster including a wheel and a brake member coupled to the wheel, the wheel including a brake ring and the brake member including an aperture to at least partially receive the brake ring therein.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the brake member has a first position wherein the brake ring slidably engages the brake member and a second position wherein the break ring fixedly engages the brake member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein moving the brake member from the first position to the second position includes altering an angle of the aperture relative to the brake ring.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the brake ring has a constant thickness and diameter.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including an actuator coupled to a cable, the cable being coupled to the brake member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein actuation of the actuator results in the alteration of an angle of the aperture relative to the brake ring.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the brake member includes first and second plates aligned at an acute angle relative to each other, the first and second plates having first and second apertures, respectively, which receive the brake ring therein.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the brake ring has a transverse axis and the first and second plates extend radially away from the transverse axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the first and second plates, the actuator being configured to selectively move a distal end of the first plate toward a distal end of the second plate to adjust the angle between the first and second plates, thereby braking the brake ring.