CHARGING ASSEMBLIES AND COTS HAVING CHARGING ASSEMBLIES

1 . A charging assembly for a patient support device, comprising:

an upper body comprising a mounting portion operable to be coupled to a fastener assembly of the patient support device;

an actuator portion coupled to the upper body and operable to translate in a direction toward the upper body; and

a pair of charging pins coupled to the actuator portion such that the pair of charging pins translate in a direction toward the mounting portion of the upper body when the actuator portion translates toward the upper body.

2 . The charging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator portion is configured to contact a surface of a fastener mounted in a cargo area of a vehicle such that contact between the actuator portion and the surface translates the actuator portion toward the upper body to translate the pair of charging pins so they contact charging points on the fastener.

3 . The charging assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

wherein the upper body comprises an outer housing defining a recess; and

the actuator portion comprises an inner housing disposed and operable to translate within the recess.

4 . The charging assembly of claim 3 , wherein the mounting portion is a mounting bracket integral with the outer housing.

5 . The charging assembly of claim 3 , wherein each charging pin of the pair of charging pins has an arcuate shape, and pivot toward one another when the inner housing translates within the recess of the outer housing toward a lower surface of the outer housing.

6 . The charging assembly of claim 5 , wherein each charging pin of the pair of charging pins is independently actuatable with respect to the other charging pin.

7 . The charging assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a pair of push blocks, wherein:

each charging pin comprises a hinge pin coupled to the inner housing and a push pin coupled to an individual push block of the pair of push blocks; and

the pair of push blocks are operable to translate when the inner housing is translated in a direction toward the outer housing such that the pair of push blocks rotate the pair of charging pins about the hinge pin.

8 . The charging assembly of claim 7 , wherein the pair of push blocks are translated by at least one linkage.

9 . The charging assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:

a guide post positioned within a guide seat of the inner housing, the guide post comprising at least one guide groove;

a linkage coupled to the guide post at a first end;

a pin engagement member comprising a pair of pin engagement wings at least partially positioned on the pair of push blocks, wherein a second end of the linkage is coupled to the pin engagement member; and

at least one guide coupled to the inner housing, the at least one guide disposed within the at least one guide groove, wherein:

the inner housing comprises a linkage recess and a pair of push block channels,

the pair of push blocks is disposed within the pair of push block channels, and

when the inner housing is translated toward the outer housing, the at least one guide translates within the at least one guide groove toward the outer housing, which causes the linkage to pivot on the guide post at the first end such that the second end is disposed within the linkage recess and further causes the pair of push blocks to translate within the pair of push block channels and rotate the pair of charging pins.

10 . The charging assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a pair of springs, wherein:

each push block comprises a spring channel,

the pair of springs is disposed within the spring channel of the pair of push blocks,

each pin engagement wing includes a spring coupling member coupled to an end of an individual spring of the pair of springs, and

the pair of springs enables retraction of an individual charging pin of the pair of charging pins when the inner housing is translated toward the outer housing.

11 . A patient support device, comprising:

a fastener assembly operable to be coupled to a fastener mounted in a cargo area of a vehicle; and

a charging assembly comprising:

an upper body comprising a mounting portion coupled to the fastener assembly;

an actuator portion coupled to the upper body and operable to translate in a direction toward the upper body; and

a pair of charging pins coupled to the actuator portion such that the pair of charging pins translate in a direction toward the mounting portion of the upper body when the actuator portion translates toward the upper body.

12 . The patient support device of claim 11 , wherein the actuator portion is configured to contact a surface of the fastener mounted in the cargo area of the vehicle such that contact between the actuator portion and the surface translates the actuator portion toward the upper body to translate the pair of charging pins so they contact charging points on the fastener.

13 . The patient support device of claim 11 , wherein:

wherein the upper body comprises an outer housing defining a recess; and

the actuator portion comprises an inner housing disposed and operable to translate within the recess.

14 . The patient support device of claim 13 , wherein the mounting portion is a mounting bracket integral with the outer housing.

15 . The patient support device of claim 13 , wherein each charging pin of the pair of charging pins has an arcuate shape, and pivot toward one another when the inner housing translates within the recess of the outer housing toward a lower surface of the outer housing.

16 . The patient support device of claim 15 , wherein each charging pin of the pair of charging pins is independently actuatable with respect to the other charging pin.

17 . The patient support device of claim 15 , wherein:

the charging assembly further comprises a pair of push blocks;

each charging pin comprises a hinge pin coupled to the inner housing and a push pin coupled to an individual push block of the pair of push blocks; and

the pair of push blocks are operable to translate when the inner housing is translated in a direction toward the outer housing such that the pair of push blocks rotate the pair of charging pins about the hinge pin.

18 . The patient support device of claim 17 , wherein the pair of push blocks are translated by at least one linkage.

19 . The patient support device of claim 17 , wherein:

the charging assembly further comprises:

a guide post positioned within a guide seat of the inner housing, the guide post comprising at least one guide groove;

a linkage coupled to the guide post at a first end;

a pin engagement member comprising a pair of pin engagement wings at least partially positioned on the pair of push blocks, wherein a second end of the linkage is coupled to the pin engagement member;

at least one guide coupled to the inner housing, the at least one guide disposed within the at least one guide groove;

the inner housing comprises a linkage recess and a pair of push block channels;

the pair of push blocks is disposed within the pair of push block channels; and

when the inner housing is translated toward the outer housing, the at least one guide translates within the at least one guide groove toward the outer housing, which causes the linkage to pivot on the guide post at the first end such that the second end is disposed within the linkage recess and further causes the pair of push blocks to translate within the pair of push block channels and rotate the pair of charging pins.

20 . The patient support device of claim 19 , wherein:

the charging assembly further comprises a pair of springs;

each push block comprises a spring channel,

the pair of springs is disposed within the spring channel of the pair of push blocks;

each pin engagement wing includes a spring coupling member coupled to an end of an individual spring of the pair of springs; and

the pair of springs enables retraction of an individual charging pin of the pair of charging pins when the inner housing is translated toward the outer housing.