Patient support apparatus with hold mode

1. A patient transport apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a support wheel coupled to the support structure; and

a drive system including a drive member coupled to the support structure to influence motion over a floor surface, the drive member being positionable to a deployed position with the drive member engaging the floor surface and to a retracted position with the drive member spaced a distance from the floor surface, a motor coupled to the drive member to operate the drive member at a speed, and a motor control circuit for transmitting power signals from a power source to the motor;

a throttle assembly including a handle coupled to the support structure and configured to be gripped by a user, and a throttle rotatable relative to the handle between a neutral throttle position and one or more operating throttle positions to operate the drive system; and

a control system coupled to the throttle assembly and the drive system for operating the drive system based on signals received via the throttle assembly, the control system including a processor programmed to:

determine that the patient transport apparatus is traveling on an inclined floor surface;

monitor the throttle assembly for changes in user engagement by a user; and

operate the drive system to decelerate the drive member and at least partially limit motion along the inclined floor surface based on the changes in user engagement with the throttle assembly by operating the motor control circuit between:

a hold mode to inhibit motion of the patient transport apparatus positioned on the inclined floor surface in response to changes in user engagement indicating that the user has disengaged the throttle but has maintained engagement with the handle, and

a drag mode to permit limited motion of the patient transport apparatus along the inclined floor surface in response to changes in user engagement indicating that the user has disengaged with both the throttle and the handle.

2. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating throttle positions includes one or more forward throttle positions; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the drive system in a drive mode during user engagement with both the throttle and the handle to drive in a forward direction upon detecting positioning of the throttle assembly from the neutral throttle position to the one or more forward throttle positions.

3. The patient transport apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more operating throttle positions further includes one or more backward throttle positions; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the drive system in the drive mode to drive in a backward direction upon detecting positioning of the throttle assembly from the neutral throttle position to the one or more backward throttle positions.

4. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the throttle assembly includes one or more user interface sensors for determining changes in user engagement with the throttle assembly.

5. The patient transport apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the one or more user interface sensors include at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle for determining changes in user engagement with the handle of the throttle assembly.

6. The patient transport apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle is configured to generate a signal indicating user engagement with the handle in response to touch by the user.

7. The patient transport apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle comprises a capacitive sensor.

8. The patient transport apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more user interface sensors include at least one auxiliary user interface sensor coupled to the throttle for determining changes in user engagement with the throttle of the throttle assembly.

9. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the drive system in a drive mode during user engagement with both the throttle and the handle to operate the drive member at the a speed value associated with a selected one of the one or more operating throttle positions.

10. A patient transport apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a support wheel coupled to the support structure; and

an auxiliary wheel assembly including:

an auxiliary wheel coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient transport apparatus over a floor surface, the auxiliary wheel assembly being positionable to a deployed position with the auxiliary wheel engaging the floor surface and to a retracted position with the auxiliary wheel spaced a distance from the floor surface;

an auxiliary wheel drive system including:

a motor coupled to the auxiliary wheel to rotate the auxiliary wheel relative to the support structure at a rotational speed; and

a motor control circuit for transmitting power signals from a power source to the motor;

a throttle assembly including a handle coupled to the support structure and configured to be gripped by a user, and a throttle rotatable relative to the handle between a neutral throttle position and one or more operating throttle positions to operate the auxiliary wheel drive system; and

a control system coupled to the throttle assembly and the auxiliary wheel assembly for operating the auxiliary wheel assembly based on signals received via the throttle assembly, the control system including a processor programmed to:

determine that the patient transport apparatus is traveling on an inclined floor surface;

monitor the throttle assembly for changes in user engagement by a user; and

operate the auxiliary wheel assembly to decelerate the auxiliary wheel and at least partially limit motion along the inclined floor surface based on changes in user engagement with the throttle assembly by operating the motor control circuit between:

a hold mode to inhibit motion of the patient transport apparatus positioned on the inclined floor surface in response to changes in user engagement indicating that the user has disengaged the throttle but has maintained engagement with the handle, and

a drag mode to permit limited motion of the patient transport apparatus along the inclined floor surface in response to changes in user engagement indicating that the user has disengaged with both the throttle and the handle.

11. The patient transport apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the auxiliary wheel drive system in a drive mode during user engagement with both the throttle and the handle to operate the auxiliary wheel at the a speed value associated with a selected one of the one or more operating throttle positions.

12. The patient transport apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more operating throttle positions includes one or more forward throttle positions; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the auxiliary wheel drive system in a drive mode during user engagement with both the throttle and the handle to drive in a forward direction upon detecting positioning of the throttle assembly from the neutral throttle position to the one or more forward throttle positions.

13. The patient transport apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more operating throttle positions further includes one or more backward throttle positions; and

wherein the processor is further programmed to operate the auxiliary wheel drive system in the drive mode to drive in a backward direction upon detecting positioning of the throttle assembly from the neutral throttle position to the one or more backward throttle positions.

14. The patient transport apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the throttle assembly includes one or more user interface sensors for determining changes in user engagement with the throttle assembly.

15. The patient transport apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one or more user interface sensors include at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle for determining changes in user engagement with the handle of the throttle assembly.

16. The patient transport apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle is configured to generate a signal indicating user engagement with the handle in response to touch by the user.

17. The patient transport apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the at least one user interface sensor coupled to the handle comprises a capacitive sensor.

18. The patient transport apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more user interface sensors include at least one auxiliary user interface sensor coupled to the throttle for determining changes in user engagement with the throttle of the throttle assembly.