Energy management for a stretcher or other occupant support

1. An occupant support comprising:

a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;

a lockable gas spring whose components include a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the piston assembly including a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;

an outlet of the non-isolated compartment of the lockable gas spring;

a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;

an accumulator flowisely intermediate the outlet and the turbine, the accumulator having an intake which receives fluid from the outlet of the lockable gas spring and a discharge port;

a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into the accumulator by way of the discharge port and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator by way of the discharge port, wherein the piston moves longitudinally within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section thereby changing the volume of the non-isolated compartment, whereby a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and

an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

2. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:

a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

3. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:

an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment;

an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment; and

an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

4. The occupant support of claim 1 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permissive lockability.

5. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second gas spring including a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the second gas spring operable to resist a change in angular orientation of the deck section from a first orientation to a second orientation which is more horizontal than the first orientation, and to assist the change in angular orientation of the deck section from the second orientation to the first orientation.

6. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:

an upstream conduit segment extending from the outlet to the accumulator intake and a downstream conduit segment extending from the accumulator reverse flow check valve to the turbine.

7. An occupant support comprising:

a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;

a lockable gas spring whose components include a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the piston assembly including a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;

a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;

a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into an accumulator disposed between the lockable gas spring and the turbine by way of a discharge port and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator by way of the discharge port, wherein the piston moves longitudinally within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section thereby changing the volume of the non-isolated compartment, whereby a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and

an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

8. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:

a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

9. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:

an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment.

10. The occupant support of claim 9 , further comprising:

an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment.

11. The occupant support of claim 9 , further comprising:

an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

12. The occupant support of claim 7 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permissive lockability.

13. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:

a second gas spring including a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the second gas spring operable to resist a change in angular orientation of the deck section from a first orientation to a second orientation which is more horizontal than the first orientation, and to assist the change in angular orientation of the deck section from the second orientation to the first orientation.

14. An occupant support comprising:

a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;

a lockable gas spring having a cylinder and a piston assembly that includes a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;

a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;

a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into an accumulator and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator, wherein the piston moves within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section, whereby a decrease in a volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and

an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

15. The occupant support of claim 14 , further comprising:

a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

16. The occupant support of claim 14 , further comprising:

an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment.

17. The occupant support of claim 16 , further comprising:

an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment.

18. The occupant support of claim 16 , further comprising:

an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

19. The occupant support of claim 14 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permissive lockability.

20. The occupant support of claim 14 , further comprising:

a second gas spring including a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the second gas spring operable to resist a change in angular orientation of the deck section from a first orientation to a second orientation which is more horizontal than the first orientation, and to assist the change in angular orientation of the deck section from the second orientation to the first orientation.